Spice Restaurant

(212) 982-3758

60 University Pl
New York, NY 10003 40.733 -73.9938

Get Map & Directions »

Neighborhoods: Greenwich Village, Downtown

SPICENYC.NET

Price:

$

Last updated 1.24.11

Category:

Restaurants, Catering

Payment Methods:

Visa, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Lunch Spot, Group Dining, Food Delivery, Cheap Eats, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene

General Info:

Open 7 Days

Cuisine:

Thai

What People Are Saying About Spice Restaurant

Featured Review

Kathleen Squires

Contributor

In Short – This trendy Thai restaurant is one of a handful in town offering cheap eats in a sleek, mod setting. Popular with a young and hungry NYU crowd, inexpensive curries come in all colors and heats with a choice of chicken, beef, tofu, shrimp or veggies. Other house specialties include whole grilled fish with tamarind sauce and crispy duck with mushroom and pineapple.

Editor's Tips

Save Money:
The daily lunch special served between 11:30am and 3:30pm includes a free starter with each entree.
ambiance
84.20999526977539% positive
  1. All the NYU students love this place so it makes for a fun young atmosphere.
  2. great food & atmosphere
  3. Great food, nice ambiance, not expensive at all.
  4. The decor is cool (the bathroom particularly) but the prices are not as reasonable as everyone says.
  5. The atmosphere is great-- always buzzing with happy customers-- the food is delicious (love the massaman curry) and the drinks are different and tasty!
  6. highly recommend the Chelsea location for friendly service and Sea Restaurant (I believe it's the same company as Spice) in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
  7. Not only is the food amazing, but for the price and the decor, you're totally getting a bargain.
  8. The place looked expensive because of it's euro/pop art decor, but it really wasn't!
  9. The food was decent, the atmosphere loud and trendy, and the staff completely oblivious.
  10. Don't be fooled by it's nice decor on the outside of the restaurant.
  11. If you don't mind eating great thai food in a schnazzy ambience with a hop hip lunch crowd, then come on over to SPICE.
  12. there's always people waiting to be seated and the chairs are not comfortable.
  13. The food is okay, it's inexpensive, service not bad, ambience quite unique for Thai.
  14. The food was fresh and delicious, the staff was super friendly and cute, and the decor was trendy and eye- catching.
  15. However, their popularity has yet to slow down, and I still find myself drawn to their ambiance and delectable reputation.
  16. Although the food at Spice is excellent, I do not recommend the location at University Place because of their service.
  17. It's a cool place with a nice atmosphere.
  18. Food is good and the atmosphere is cool too.
  19. Spice has great food, but the atmosphere leaves much to be desired.
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. The entrees are wonderful but save room for the dessert!
  2. recommend Singha beer and the "TEMPURA CHEESCAKE" it was the best desert I've ever had!
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. order the lychee thai ice tea.
  2. They have some interesting cocktails, also presented nicely.
  3. Service was pretty nice though, and if you're waiting for a table someone usually comes by and lets you look at a menu/order a drink.
  4. recommend Singha beer and the "TEMPURA CHEESCAKE" it was the best desert I've ever had!
  5. The atmosphere is great-- always buzzing with happy customers-- the food is delicious (love the massaman curry) and the drinks are different and tasty!
  6. You get what you pay for and with that logic in mind, Spice is a great place to grab some cheap eats and drinks in a beautiful setting.
  7. was shocked to go here with a group of 4, enjoy a hearty meal, appetizers, at least 2 rounds of drinks and have a bill just under $200.00.
  8. The food was excellent, and so was the Thai ice-tea ($3).
food quality
92.82999992370605% positive
  1. The calamari as an appetizer is the best, 6'oclock train as an entree is delicious, and the whole fish with tamarind sauce is to die for.
  2. For entrees, we had the crispy duck and the pineapple fried rice, they were good but I think I love the appetz alot more!
  3. They have a couple of chains UES and DT and the food is always good and service is great.
  4. The food is GREAT.
  5. Great food but it's hard to digest in a rush
  6. The food is excellent and the presentation goes beyond your standard Thai restaurants.
  7. Despite this, I would recommend the restaurant because the food is worth it.
  8. The food is not fresh.
  9. Their exotic salad is basic ly a delcious little green salad with a peanut sauce that is perfect before their sweet basil fried tofu.
  10. good deal & great food!
  11. Great food at reasonable prices.
  12. stir fry pinapple chicken is amazing (only $6 for lunch and $9 for dinner) really good price for the taste and portion size.
  13. and so does the crowd (nice young crowd) def try the 6 o'clock spicy fried rice!
  14. It can get a little noisy and packed, but what do you expect from a place with such amazing food?
  15. Their pineapple fried rice is wonderful, and so are their curries.
  16. The food is decent, but the service is horrible.
  17. The food was good, though not as good as I remember it to be.
  18. The food is very good, however you sit so close to everyone that it's hard to hear what your company is saying.
  19. The service is always fast and the food is always delicious.
  20. ordered the Shrimp Cashew and half of the shrimp were bad, there was a hair in the rice and then I noticed a dead insect.
  21. You can't get such great Thai food for these prices elsewher in Manhattan.
  22. However this place taste like authentic Thai food and it's reasonably priced.
  23. The proximity to Union Square (and lots of bars) is convenient and the food is slightly above average.
  24. the food at spice is great, much better than republic's thai food.
  25. Spice is great Thai food, love the inexpensive appetizers.
  26. All of their appetizers are good and my favorite entrees are the pad thai and curry soup meals.
  27. The food was good but a bit too salty (they say there's no msg though).
  28. great food & atmosphere
  29. usually love duck dishes at Thai places, but the duck I had here was LOADED with fat.
  30. but a delicious meal you will receive!
  31. It was great - everything was delicious and fresh.
  32. Also, they gave me a full pint of rice with the meal, which I couldn't finish, having already eaten the 4 delicious vegetable dumplings and the excellent chicken with ginger and pineapple stirfry.
  33. Those are my only complaints but i enjoyed the food.
  34. Spice offers really great Thai food for great prices.
  35. Went to Spice Restaurant for dinner and loved my meal.
  36. Decent food, BUT
  37. this great is a great place to get decently priced Thai food.
  38. If you like traditional thai food.
  39. The fresh summer rolls weren't that good.
  40. Not only is the food amazing, but for the price and the decor, you're totally getting a bargain.
  41. what gives with New Yorkers thinking they know what good Thai food is?
  42. An excellent alternative to fast food joints and ordering in but, the food was slightly disappointing.
  43. The food is okay, it's inexpensive, service not bad, ambience quite unique for Thai.
  44. In my opinion if i had to get thai food i suggest Pongsri on Bayard or Thai Angel on Grand St.
  45. Red curry with shrimp is currently my favorite.
  46. The food here are AWESOME!
  47. The atmosphere is great-- always buzzing with happy customers-- the food is delicious (love the massaman curry) and the drinks are different and tasty!
  48. am obsessed with Thai food in general, but Spice is simply amazing.
  49. the pad thai and drunken man noodles are great tasting and generous in portion.
  50. The food here is good, but certainly nothing amazing, and it doesn't explain the massive groups of people who are always here.
  51. have been to Spice a few times and thought the food was good.
  52. delicious, cheap and modern thai makes the service forgivable
  53. great food, not greasy, although potion is a bit small, but overall taste are decent. great crowd & a great spot for people watching too!
  54. Great value for a nice looking restaurant with great food and service.
  55. Space is kind of tight, but who cares, the food and the service are wonderful.
  56. The Pad thai, lad nar and various other dishes all look good on paper but, I've had better thai food in less asthetically pleasing places.
  57. Great price for good food.
  58. The food was decent, the atmosphere loud and trendy, and the staff completely oblivious.
  59. quite a few great tasting dishes, like the panang curry, or drunken man noodles, thai caesar!
  60. Awesome thai food
  61. Granted there was a wait but it's hard to enjoy food, let alone begin the digestion process, if you know you will be booted out the door.
  62. Although the food at Spice is excellent, I do not recommend the location at University Place because of their service.
  63. If you don't mind eating great thai food in a schnazzy ambience with a hop hip lunch crowd, then come on over to SPICE.
  64. and go for the lunch weekday menu, the entries are around 7 dollars and they come with delicious appetizers.
  65. Almost everything on their menu is delicious.
  66. This restaurant is unbelievably cheap, and the food is great!
  67. Decent fresh food at great prices.
  68. Great food, nice ambiance, not expensive at all.
  69. The non traditionial thai food might be your best bet, otherwise.
  70. Overall, a good meal for a VERY good price.
  71. would recommend the spice caesar salad for an appetizer.
  72. Spice has great food, but the atmosphere leaves much to be desired.
  73. the food portions hearty (I was almost full after my appetizer of warm duck salad), and the quality of food was average to above average.
  74. great food great price
  75. The food is amazing (the drunk man's noodles are awesome, but H-O-T!)
  76. did takeout, so I can really say that much about the service - although my meal was probably ready in 5-10 minutes - pretty speedy, and the staff seemed nice.
  77. The pad thai is excellent here and pretty cheap for the meal that you're getting.
  78. The cocunut soup was good too and I think I know thai soup.
  79. The food is so good you want to share it with everyone around you.
  80. This place serves great thai food for very reasonable prices- everyone in my group loved what they ordered and the Curry Puffs appetizer was soooo good.
  81. have never been disappointed but their true strength lays in their amazingly delicious and cheap lunch specials.
  82. Cheap, good food (but not really as authentic as I'd like), and always a good place to go for a quick bite.
  83. For about 7 (including tax), I got a decent sized serving of an entree, an appetizer, and rice.
  84. It was a vegetable curry flavored noodle dish which was very good.
  85. Also, the best bet is to get a few of the appetizers and split them with the table because all of them that I've tried and very tasty and the sauces are excellent.
  86. The food was affordable, and absolutely delicious.
  87. The food was excellent, and so was the Thai ice-tea ($3).
  88. If you want quick, great thai food - this is the place.
  89. The food was fresh and delicious, the staff was super friendly and cute, and the decor was trendy and eye- catching.
  90. The food is pretty good, but after 2 or 3 bad experiences at the restaurant (consistently rude, late with RSVP'd seating), I decided I would only order delivery.
  91. Probably the best Thai food I've ever had.
  92. Best Thai food outside of Chinatown
  93. was shocked to go here with a group of 4, enjoy a hearty meal, appetizers, at least 2 rounds of drinks and have a bill just under $200.00.
menu variety
82.1399974822998% positive
  1. Awesome lego wall, bulb chandelier, and retro chairs not to mention the awesome DJ selection playing over head made this place one I'll return to.
  2. and go for the lunch weekday menu, the entries are around 7 dollars and they come with delicious appetizers.
  3. Almost everything on their menu is delicious.
  4. The creative menu has so much to choose from, and you can't help but want to go back over and over again.
  5. Get a very decent porition of many of their favorites from the main menu, plus an appetizer, for under $8!
  6. Service was pretty nice though, and if you're waiting for a table someone usually comes by and lets you look at a menu/order a drink.
  7. think the most expensive entrée on the dinner menu is under $15.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. My friend has been there many times and was eager to introduce me to her favorite Thai restaurant.
  2. My favorite restaurant
  3. Cheap, good food (but not really as authentic as I'd like), and always a good place to go for a quick bite.
  4. If you want quick, great thai food - this is the place.
  5. Great value for a nice looking restaurant with great food and service.
  6. Don't be fooled by it's nice decor on the outside of the restaurant.
  7. It is so good that it is the first place where I ever liked Tofu !
  8. You get what you pay for and with that logic in mind, Spice is a great place to grab some cheap eats and drinks in a beautiful setting.
  9. this great is a great place to get decently priced Thai food.
return potential
87.5% positive
  1. The creative menu has so much to choose from, and you can't help but want to go back over and over again.
  2. Awesome lego wall, bulb chandelier, and retro chairs not to mention the awesome DJ selection playing over head made this place one I'll return to.
service
67.22000122070312% positive
  1. there's always people waiting to be seated and the chairs are not comfortable.
  2. The food is okay, it's inexpensive, service not bad, ambience quite unique for Thai.
  3. did takeout, so I can really say that much about the service - although my meal was probably ready in 5-10 minutes - pretty speedy, and the staff seemed nice.
  4. Although the food at Spice is excellent, I do not recommend the location at University Place because of their service.
  5. The service isn't fantastic and the seating is a bit tight but if you aren't looking Four Seasons type quality, then this is the perfect spot to meet some friends for dinner or lunch.
  6. highly recommend the Chelsea location for friendly service and Sea Restaurant (I believe it's the same company as Spice) in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
  7. The food here is good, but certainly nothing amazing, and it doesn't explain the massive groups of people who are always here.
  8. Horrible service and the manager was completely arrogant and obnoxious.
  9. The waitress was perfect and very friendly despite the hub bub that surrounded us.
  10. BAD service, rude manager
  11. But, the service is a nightmare -- you are served by at least five different people before you leave, and none of them speaks english nor can they hear you above the roaring crowds and lame techno.
  12. It's not supreme service, but good enough for a spot that serves $8 entrees and $4 appetizers!
  13. don't expect you will get good service, you might need to ask for several time for one simple thing, besides, watch out they will add a 18% gruduity without telling you!
  14. The food was fresh and delicious, the staff was super friendly and cute, and the decor was trendy and eye- catching.
  15. went back recently and the service was horrible.
  16. The food is decent, but the service is horrible.
  17. The food is pretty good, but after 2 or 3 bad experiences at the restaurant (consistently rude, late with RSVP'd seating), I decided I would only order delivery.
  18. The service is always fast and the food is always delicious.
  19. delicious, cheap and modern thai makes the service forgivable
  20. They have a couple of chains UES and DT and the food is always good and service is great.
  21. The service is phenomenal and the waiters are very nice.
  22. Space is kind of tight, but who cares, the food and the service are wonderful.
  23. great food, not greasy, although potion is a bit small, but overall taste are decent. great crowd & a great spot for people watching too!
  24. Great value for a nice looking restaurant with great food and service.
  25. The wait staff is friendly but I did not like the fact that the wait staff hovered over us to take our plates while we were still eating.
  26. If you want to go to a Spice that has great service, do not go to University Place.
  27. The service was really bad.
  28. The food was decent, the atmosphere loud and trendy, and the staff completely oblivious.
  29. The staff is very friendly, efficient, and accomodating.
  30. The seating is uncomfortable because you're either jammed right next to the window, or people keep bumping in to you.
value
88.57000350952148% positive
  1. Great food, nice ambiance, not expensive at all.
  2. have never been disappointed but their true strength lays in their amazingly delicious and cheap lunch specials.
  3. The place looked expensive because of it's euro/pop art decor, but it really wasn't!
  4. The food was affordable, and absolutely delicious.
  5. This place serves great thai food for very reasonable prices- everyone in my group loved what they ordered and the Curry Puffs appetizer was soooo good.
  6. You get what you pay for and with that logic in mind, Spice is a great place to grab some cheap eats and drinks in a beautiful setting.
  7. Plus, all of the portions are huge!
  8. Portions of the entree were not huge, but were certainly large enough to be considered a good value.
  9. You can't get such great Thai food for these prices elsewher in Manhattan.
  10. Dinner isn't too pricey, with entrees at around $8.00, and appetizers running up to about $5.00.
  11. They are served with a free appetizer and the portions are perfect for lunch.
  12. love the lunch special at Spice - an appetizer and an entree for 6-8 dollars.
  13. Despite this, I would recommend the restaurant because the food is worth it.
  14. The food is okay, it's inexpensive, service not bad, ambience quite unique for Thai.
  15. Great value for a nice looking restaurant with great food and service.
  16. Overall, a good meal for a VERY good price.
  17. This restaurant is unbelievably cheap, and the food is great!
  18. delicious, cheap and modern thai makes the service forgivable
  19. Will definitely eat here again for lunch and maybe for dinner (the prices for dinner are reasonable too)
  20. the pad thai and drunken man noodles are great tasting and generous in portion.
  21. Spice offers really great Thai food for great prices.
  22. The pad thai is excellent here and pretty cheap for the meal that you're getting.
  23. the food portions hearty (I was almost full after my appetizer of warm duck salad), and the quality of food was average to above average.
  24. Great food at reasonable prices.
  25. Not only is the food amazing, but for the price and the decor, you're totally getting a bargain.
  26. Lunch specials are 7 and contain appetizer and a huge entree.
  27. stir fry pinapple chicken is amazing (only $6 for lunch and $9 for dinner) really good price for the taste and portion size.
  28. and go for the lunch weekday menu, the entries are around 7 dollars and they come with delicious appetizers.
  29. Spice is great Thai food, love the inexpensive appetizers.
  30. Great price for good food.
  31. Decent fresh food at great prices.
  32. think the most expensive entrée on the dinner menu is under $15.
  33. The decor is cool (the bathroom particularly) but the prices are not as reasonable as everyone says.
  34. Decent Thai at a great price
  35. great food great price
wait time
100.0% positive
  1. However, their popularity has yet to slow down, and I still find myself drawn to their ambiance and delectable reputation.
  2. did takeout, so I can really say that much about the service - although my meal was probably ready in 5-10 minutes - pretty speedy, and the staff seemed nice.
  3. Cheap, good food (but not really as authentic as I'd like), and always a good place to go for a quick bite.
  4. If you want quick, great thai food - this is the place.
3 Star Rating: Average

04/13/11

Not Bad

by Amanda Bankmen at Citysearch

I haven't sat down there yet but I've heard mixed reviews about eating there. I always take out from here and enjoy it every time. I don't think that price is really a problem but sometimes the food is oily.

1 Star Rating: Poor

12/21/10

Horrible Service - they don't honor their advertising

by mattB at Citysearch

The food is ok (over priced), but the management/service is awful. They had a happy hour advertisement (on the beeper they give you while waiting for a table), but when the bill came they told us that the happy hour specials didn't start until next year. Yet I asked them about their advertisement - they acknowledged that it was misleading, yet all they would do is say "sorry" with a big smile on their face. They were in no way willing to honor the advertised pricing.

Spice is customer service at its worst.

I will never eat there again; unless the management changes. Even then, probably not.

Don't waste your time or your money.

3 Star Rating: Average

12/10/10

Good Thai, Good price

by reedcardogan at Citysearch

Spice is extremely reasonably priced and good thai restaurant. Sometimes a little oily but otherwise everything is always cooked well and pretty delicious! Beware if you get delievery... it always takes atleast 20 minutes more than when they tell you!

4 Star Rating: Recommended

02/08/10

Best of the Spice locations

by Petite Miss at Citysearch

I normally stick to the Spice restaurants when I want Thai food. There are several locations but this one is the biggest one so the wait and crowds are more tolerable than the other Spice locations.

This location also serves dessert so I love to get the molten brownie and green tea ice cream. All of their appetizers are good and my favorite entrees are the pad thai and curry soup meals. My friend swears by the drunk man noodle entree lol!

But I always have a good time when ever I visit Spice. It's not supreme service, but good enough for a spot that serves $8 entrees and $4 appetizers! Check it out!

  • Pros: Good prices; dessert options
  • Cons: Long wait; always crowded
1 Star Rating: Poor

01/04/09

BAD service, rude manager

by savorthat at Citysearch

The relocated Spice at Union Square was a let down! The service was really bad. Being popular (and I liked the old one) it was another busy day. But the attitude was callous and brash.

1) They served appetizers, and we had to wait for 5 minutes for forks, chopsticks. and they still did not get forks for all. We then had to wait another 5 minutes for all to get them ( ha.. we were just 3 people)

2) They served the curry with the spoon totally dipped in the green curry. When asked, they said, " it happened" and had to be asked to remove it as if they expected me to remove it myself and eat it.

3) They almost just kept ( threw) the food at the table and ran away, not waiting to hear if we wanted anything more.

The food was good, though not as good as I remember it to be. The service was deplorable.

The manager was not apologetic at all. I do not think I am going there again. Understandably a cheaper place, but I have never seen a similar service anywhere in Manhattan. Bad experience overall, couldn't leave with a good taste in my mouth. :(

  • Pros: decor
  • Cons: deplorable service, brash waiters, ok food

The Details on Spice Restaurant

Place Categories:

  • great traditional thai food
  • great service
  • good pad thai
  • love great place
  • great good price
  • nice wait staff
  • favorite thai restaurant
  • favorite entree
  • delicious curry puffs appetizer
  • great atmosphere
  • loved hearty meal
  • recommend definitely
  • only order delivery
  • amazingly delicious lunch specials
  • love spice
  • cold decor
  • delicious everything
  • great drunken man noodles
  • not great thai food
  • wonderful pineapple fried rice
  • nice young crowd
  • great setup
  • great value
  • very friendly waitress
  • recommend highly
Advertisement

Featured In

Recent Reviews In Manhattan

3 Star Rating: Average

Las Ramblas

170 W 4th St, New York, NY

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

Ayza Wine & Chocolate Bar - West Village

1 7th Ave S, New York, NY

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

Barolo Ristorante

398 W Broadway, New York, NY

Advertisement