Republic Restaurant

(212) 627-7172

37 Union Sq W
New York, NY 10003 40.7366 -73.9908

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Neighborhoods: Flatiron District, Midtown, Union Square

THINKNOODLES.COM

Price:

$

Last updated 10.17.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, Group Dining, Cheap Eats

Cuisine:

Pan-Asian & Pacific Rim, Asian, Noodle Shop

What People Are Saying About Republic Restaurant

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

In Short – Set in a warehouse-sized room bathed in dark bluish light, Republic is one of the hottest restaurants in Union Square by virtue of its nouvelle take on affordable Asian cuisine. The noodle dishes (the best is a spicy chicken in a coconut milk-based broth) and the appetizers are a harmonious hodge-podge of Thai, Japanese, and other East Asian cuisines. Benches surround communal, lunch-hall tables, and the din in the high-ceilinged room can become deafening.

ambiance
85.41999816894531% positive
  1. Great location - middle of Union Square, and the service is fast although you may have to wait on the weekends.
  2. The location is so convenient and fun, so all those naysayers need to remember why Republic is good, why they goto Republic and enjoy it for what it is.
  3. overall a really good experience would not recomend for a romantic date, its too loud.
  4. the only things which I would look forward to there are the frozen lychee martinis, the fresh juices, and the decor.
  5. the atmosphere is annoying, loud, "trendy" and the food is so bland.
  6. But, the location is great and the food is relatively yummy and affordable.
  7. The decor was actually pretty interesting.
  8. Their location is convenient but their food is no better than any other thai place.
  9. This place is really trendy, fun, and the food is great.
  10. Great atmosphere and delicious Asian dishes
  11. Let's be reasonable, you don't come to Republic to have a nice quiet romantic dinner.
  12. The reason I recommend Republic to people is it's continuous deliverance of the product is promises; quick meals, friendly & skilled staff and a convenient location.
  13. Food is good, atmosphere is great (if you don't mind the cafeteria style seating).
  14. The location can't be beat and the prices are good.
  15. The ambiance is that of an annoying dance club.
  16. It was a fun place with decent service, just unfortunately too loud for me to enjoy.
  17. The atmosphere is hip and the drinks are pretty good.
  18. thought that with a very unique decor and environment that this place would be amazing.
  19. the portions are small, the price is high compared to chinatown, the service is mediocre, the seats are comfortable, and the food tastes like any ordinary chinese food restaurant.
  20. Reasonably priced, delicious food, excellent specialty cocktails (lychee martini is excellent as is the bl ood organe martini) and it is a cool atmosphere.
  21. Good food, good price, good location
  22. Hip decor do not make a good restaurant.
  23. Overall Republic is a great noodle place with great food, low prices, and a fun scene.
  24. My boyfriend and I were very excited to try Republic -- it's a cute restaurant with a great decor.
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. The deserts, however, were surprisingly good.
  2. recommend their Frozen Lychee martini (but be warned, it's thick enough to be a smoothie) and for dessert, the Black Sesame ice cream.
drinks
82.6099967956543% positive
  1. When I am out shopping in NYC Republic is almost always my lunch stop because I am usually alone, I can sit at the bar and read as I eat, hang my bag on the bar hook and enjoy a really delicious and light lunch.
  2. The atmosphere is hip and the drinks are pretty good.
  3. The drinks are good, but pricey compared to the noodle dishes.
  4. Walking into Republic at 5PM on a hot Sunday, all I wanted to do is get some icy cold drinks and some food in my tummy.
  5. Summer drink menu was great, although our food arrived before our drinks -- seemingly odd.
  6. Great place to hang with friends, very reasonable food (esp for Union Sq) and great jugs of drinks.
  7. Our waitress asked us if we were ready to order, and when I said "no, but we would like drinks.
  8. Good noodle bar, not great selection of dishes
  9. enjoy the food and drinks - it's really good to share with
  10. Reasonably priced, delicious food, excellent specialty cocktails (lychee martini is excellent as is the bl ood organe martini) and it is a cool atmosphere.
  11. usually order the ginger tea, and I love the duck soup!
  12. THe drinks are pretty good too.
  13. Their food is great, service is simple and fast and the bar is well-stocked and service is flash if not fast and middle of the road when it comes to drinks.
  14. my friends and i were looking for a nice place to have a drink on a friday night in union square, we ended up at republic this thai place right next to mc donalds.
  15. My wife and I had an nice afternoon snack/early dinner of two noodle bowls, appetizer (Seafood Spring Rolls- mmmm) and a drink for under $30.
  16. Service overall was good as we got our drinks, appetizers, and entrees fairly quickly.
  17. think it's great they offer hot sauce too, and while the service isn't great, though it's fine if you sit up at the bar and think of it as a quick, better and flavorful option to fast food or a diner.
  18. the drinks were amazing, the food came fast and the staff looked like they were having a good time.
  19. Having one of the tropical mixed drinks while you wait is a big help.
  20. good cocktails, too.
  21. The drinks were pretty good though.
  22. The drinks we ordered to start our meal were horrible, the service was horrendous and the food just plain made me lose my appetite.
  23. was served the worst bowel of wonton soup ever, not to mention the most revolting green tea on earth.
food quality
78.64999771118164% positive
  1. The drinks are good, but pricey compared to the noodle dishes.
  2. My friend ordered the curry duck noodle soup which was great.
  3. In other words, food is fresh but bland.
  4. order their food a lot, but there are two shortfalls.
  5. republic is great place to go for a quick bite of noodles and for a pretty reasonable price.
  6. I've taken to going there every Monday after a long day of work for the fabulous wontons and the absolutely amazing seared salmon and rice, definitely give them a try!
  7. enjoy the food and drinks - it's really good to share with
  8. The food is not a knock-out; the selections are somewhat bland, but ingredients are fresh.
  9. always really enjoyed the duck noodle bowl, but since I am now vegetarian, I was stuck with some bland vegetarian dish.
  10. Everyone enjoyed their food.
  11. think it's great they offer hot sauce too, and while the service isn't great, though it's fine if you sit up at the bar and think of it as a quick, better and flavorful option to fast food or a diner.
  12. mango-papaya salad was nice.
  13. the drinks were amazing, the food came fast and the staff looked like they were having a good time.
  14. (If you can, try to snag two end seats facing each other so you needn't worry about elbowing more than one person each while scooping and sipping your delicious broths.)
  15. Reasonably priced, delicious food, excellent specialty cocktails (lychee martini is excellent as is the bl ood organe martini) and it is a cool atmosphere.
  16. THe food is good and the price is better.
  17. I'm sure it's a great place for meat eaters but not for vegetarians!
  18. particularly enjoy the salmon noodle soup - with plenty of fresh salmon pieces in lightly spiced coconut broth.
  19. The whole plate was full of glass noodles, chicken, and vegetable.
  20. Order them when the restaurant isn't busy or move along to a restaurant that serves authentic Thai food.
  21. Their location is convenient but their food is no better than any other thai place.
  22. Want good Asian cuisine, don't come here.
  23. The food is very bland and the service is very mediocre.
  24. Disappointing service, appalling food
  25. The spicy beef broth noodle soup is a favorite of mine.
  26. This place is really trendy, fun, and the food is great.
  27. The food is good and the prices are definitely worth the value but EAT AND LEAVE!
  28. But i think that the most interesting aspect of the visit wasn't the food it was the service.
  29. Love their pork chops on rice and salmon sashimi.
  30. Great food
  31. Where else in NYC can you order a watercress salad that's actually big enough to be a meal (okay, well, depending on how hungry you are...)
  32. If you like spicy and non-fresh unhealthy food, this is a good place to go.
  33. Yes, it can get incredibly crowded and noisy (although it never seems to rise above a din), but the food is great and the prices are incredibly reasonable.
  34. the grilled marinated salmon is amazing, just can?
  35. Best hits are the grilled squid appetizers and the grilled pork rice bowl.
  36. recommend the seared salmon on curried rice ($9) and the chicken udon, despite the servers' warnings.
  37. liked that the Pad Thai had a lot of vegetables in it, but I didn't think that the sauce was as flavorful as other places I've had it at.
  38. this place tries, but it is way too loud and echoey, and the food is mediocre.
  39. my vegetable red curry soup was too weird.
  40. Their food is great, service is simple and fast and the bar is well-stocked and service is flash if not fast and middle of the road when it comes to drinks.
  41. Overall value was good, food excellent, making this a place to return to.
  42. Let me tell you that it was probably the worst experience i have ever had in a food establishment.
  43. the portions are small, the price is high compared to chinatown, the service is mediocre, the seats are comfortable, and the food tastes like any ordinary chinese food restaurant.
  44. Good noodle bar, not great selection of dishes
  45. everything i've tried here so far is great - from the salmon broth, and also the cold spinach noodles, the grilled beef over noodles and the rice dishes - everything's good.
  46. Beautiful people ordinary food
  47. Always enjoy myself, but food isn't always the greatest.
  48. Okay, the food was very good.
  49. The service is fast and the food is great.
  50. Great scene, great food
  51. She admitted that no one likes the soup, but we had to pay for it anyway since the waitress explained that it was "bland.
  52. Good food, great price
  53. went once with my boyfriend and he liked the food but hated the waiter because he was very smug when he asked for a fork.
  54. order for delivery fairly often and while the service is super quick and food good and chea, the staff that takes the orders is consistently abrupt.
  55. Great atmosphere and delicious Asian dishes
  56. Very delicious asian inflected food, incredible prices, fast service.
  57. This place is just overly pretentious and the fact that the normal nature of these dishes has to be altered shows that (a) this place is incapable of making a traditional Thai dish that tastes good and (b)they want to be "edgy" and "different" but instead
  58. the only things which I would look forward to there are the frozen lychee martinis, the fresh juices, and the decor.
  59. If you're looking for a place to eat tasteless noodles while you scream at your dinner companions to be heard this is the place to go.
  60. If you want decent cheap food try Spice or Evergreen - better priced, better food.
  61. second the last review - I love the pork chops/rice and appetizers, like the salmon!
  62. Great place to hang with friends, very reasonable food (esp for Union Sq) and great jugs of drinks.
  63. If you want mediocre food and bitchy waitresses, then you're in the right place.
  64. Overall Republic is a great noodle place with great food, low prices, and a fun scene.
  65. The space is noisy and food mediocre at best.
  66. Republic is too noisy but I enjoy their food.
  67. always order the steamed vegetable dumplings and glass noodles.
  68. attentive, fast, friendly staff with good inexpensive food.
  69. Awful food and rude staff!
  70. loved the sushi sashimi salad and the coconut shrimp appetizer.
  71. Putting you out of your comfort zone as you sit next to a complete stranger, this place has a great vibe and the intriguing art of humans draped in noodles.
  72. The coconut shrimp is mediocre at best and the stuffed chicken is dull.
  73. Good value, decent food
  74. If you like noodles and fast, efficient service, Republic is a great restaurant for you.
  75. Still, food is good and prices are very reasonable.
  76. Summer drink menu was great, although our food arrived before our drinks -- seemingly odd.
  77. Great food!
  78. Hot sauce is helpful.
  79. However, food is very overrated.
  80. Huge pc of tasty salmon on curried rice with come cucumber and carrots.
  81. as for the appetizers, i like the grilled eggplant or salmon sashimi salad.
  82. Mediocre food at bargain prices.
  83. like the seaweed salad a lot.
  84. This is a great place to go if you want a large, inexpensive meal in Union Square.
  85. The food is good enough, but a little pricey for what it is.
  86. You want authentic Japanese noodles goto a ramen shop.
  87. make a point to eat here frequently, and I always bring out-of-town guests here for a good cheap meal.
  88. the atmosphere is annoying, loud, "trendy" and the food is so bland.
  89. Maybe it's the fresh flavor, maybe it's the $8 price tag.
  90. This place has wonderful food for the right price!
  91. Walking into Republic at 5PM on a hot Sunday, all I wanted to do is get some icy cold drinks and some food in my tummy.
  92. The chicken udon was just disgusting.
  93. The food here was actually not too bad.
  94. The vegetable dumplings are delish, as is their duck soup.
  95. Great food.
  96. recommend the sushi.
  97. geez, this place is full of noodles.
  98. The thing I like about Republic is it ability to produce a quality meal in a friendly and efficient manner.
  99. the food is great and cheap but can get overdose of noodles.
  100. The food was very good and though the selection hasn't changed in years, we got what we wanted, it was good and fast.
  101. The dishes are pretty good, but the best part is the price.
  102. You want authentic Chinese, go downtown.
  103. But, the location is great and the food is relatively yummy and affordable.
  104. Good food, good price, good location
  105. The food here is lousy, I'm sorry.
  106. Republic used to be so good - the food was flavorful, reliable, and quick.
  107. This place serves great interesting noodles.
  108. There are many other good asian food restaurants in town that serve fresh and nice asian food and will not use spices to cover its unfreshness of food.
  109. Great food, quick service.
  110. The place is great if you are in a mood for noodles.
  111. The mediocre food is not worth the wait or the money.
  112. Not only did they refuse to give me any milk but they charged me full price ($9) for plain udon noodles - no broth, veggies, or meat just wet noodles in a bowl.
  113. was served the worst bowel of wonton soup ever, not to mention the most revolting green tea on earth.
  114. As a veg, there is nothing tasty to eat.
  115. The drinks we ordered to start our meal were horrible, the service was horrendous and the food just plain made me lose my appetite.
  116. The food was very good, but after waiting for 40 minutes for a seat, being rushed off by our waitress, and yelling across the table at my boyfriend (we sat at a cafeteria style table in between two parties that wound up being old college buddies), my last
  117. When I am out shopping in NYC Republic is almost always my lunch stop because I am usually alone, I can sit at the bar and read as I eat, hang my bag on the bar hook and enjoy a really delicious and light lunch.
  118. The food was tasty though.
  119. Fast, good noodles
  120. the music is too loud, the noodle salad was just ok, but the mago martini i was pretty good and the sesame icecream and wontons are AMAZING.
  121. The crowd would make you think a long wait, but the wait is never too long, and sometimes you just NEED some really good chicken satay.
  122. Republics Pad Thai, loved by the New York Magazine food critic, was mediocre but it IS cheap.
  123. ordered my usual pad thai (my favorite Thai dish that I get pretty much at any Thai restaurant I go to) and when I was eating it, I wondered why my mouth was burning.
  124. The food is acceptable, though the noise level when it's crowded is second only to Gonzo in the West Village--don't go there with quiet friends!
  125. usually order the ginger tea, and I love the duck soup!
  126. On asking the manager why they couldn't be seated at one of the many many empty tables, she explained their lack of staff and said, "really, the food isnt great, so the only reason we are stay business is because we are on union square.
  127. While I do think one can make a much worse choice for Thai food, Republic is not the best.
  128. The beef I ordered was questionable to say the least, the cow (big assumption) must have died of old age.
menu variety
88.88999938964844% positive
  1. The food was very good and though the selection hasn't changed in years, we got what we wanted, it was good and fast.
  2. sa though the walls were not good enough, the menu is packed with them too!
  3. Summer drink menu was great, although our food arrived before our drinks -- seemingly odd.
  4. Everything on the menu is relatively inexpensive, but the quality is fantastic, and the portions are always huge.
  5. Though some of the items on the menu aren't as great as others, this is still my favorite Union Square restaurant.
  6. Good noodle bar, not great selection of dishes
  7. While it's definitely one of the more reasonably priced options on Union Square, and the service is pleasant and prompt, Republic's accolades basically stop there.
  8. The menu is pretty decently price, and the service is fast and friendly.
  9. The food is not a knock-out; the selections are somewhat bland, but ingredients are fresh.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. This is a great place to go if you want a large, inexpensive meal in Union Square.
  2. my friends and i were looking for a nice place to have a drink on a friday night in union square, we ended up at republic this thai place right next to mc donalds.
  3. I'm sure it's a great place for meat eaters but not for vegetarians!
  4. If you like spicy and non-fresh unhealthy food, this is a good place to go.
  5. Summertime at republic is the best because they have outdoor seating - great people watching around the park and a nice place to sit and read while you chow down.
  6. Union Square institution, this is a good place for a quick casual eat or for delivery.
  7. Creative space and nice clientele, but otherwise skip this place.
  8. Though some of the items on the menu aren't as great as others, this is still my favorite Union Square restaurant.
  9. ordered my usual pad thai (my favorite Thai dish that I get pretty much at any Thai restaurant I go to) and when I was eating it, I wondered why my mouth was burning.
  10. republic is great place to go for a quick bite of noodles and for a pretty reasonable price.
  11. Overall value was good, food excellent, making this a place to return to.
  12. If you like noodles and fast, efficient service, Republic is a great restaurant for you.
  13. It's a great place to hang out for a laid back carefree evening with a friend.
  14. This is a great summer restaurant, especially if you sit outside.
  15. am only recommending this restaurant on the basis that it's a good place for groups that aren't looking to spend too much money.
  16. Overall, this is a good place.
  17. Overall Republic is a great noodle place with great food, low prices, and a fun scene.
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. Overall value was good, food excellent, making this a place to return to.
  2. Plenty of other great restaurants to go to rather than go back to this insect-infested one!
service
68.42000007629395% positive
  1. Also the service there is less than mediocre.
  2. Food is average but prices are friendly.
  3. The host this afternoon wasn't exactly helpful, and the server was very slow and gave me the check a moment after giving me my entree.
  4. nasty hostess
  5. ... service is fast and the wait people are nice.
  6. The reason I recommend Republic to people is it's continuous deliverance of the product is promises; quick meals, friendly & skilled staff and a convenient location.
  7. Very delicious asian inflected food, incredible prices, fast service.
  8. If you're into pretentious people for bargain prices, look no further.
  9. our waitress was super nice and the water boy was very quick to fill up our glasses.
  10. went once with my boyfriend and he liked the food but hated the waiter because he was very smug when he asked for a fork.
  11. If you like noodles and fast, efficient service, Republic is a great restaurant for you.
  12. Beautiful people ordinary food
  13. The service is slow and otherwise unremarkable.
  14. think it's great they offer hot sauce too, and while the service isn't great, though it's fine if you sit up at the bar and think of it as a quick, better and flavorful option to fast food or a diner.
  15. The waitress "warned" us by saying that it has a unique taste.
  16. The food is very bland and the service is very mediocre.
  17. the drinks were amazing, the food came fast and the staff looked like they were having a good time.
  18. But i think that the most interesting aspect of the visit wasn't the food it was the service.
  19. usually sit at the counter (on a couple of occasions at a table) and have almost always had a friendly and competent waiter.
  20. While it's definitely one of the more reasonably priced options on Union Square, and the service is pleasant and prompt, Republic's accolades basically stop there.
  21. The food was very good, but after waiting for 40 minutes for a seat, being rushed off by our waitress, and yelling across the table at my boyfriend (we sat at a cafeteria style table in between two parties that wound up being old college buddies), my last
  22. why do people like this place?
  23. My pad thai was good and so was the wait service.
  24. Their food is great, service is simple and fast and the bar is well-stocked and service is flash if not fast and middle of the road when it comes to drinks.
  25. The restaurant servers were great!
  26. order for delivery fairly often and while the service is super quick and food good and chea, the staff that takes the orders is consistently abrupt.
  27. The drinks we ordered to start our meal were horrible, the service was horrendous and the food just plain made me lose my appetite.
  28. The staff was completely rude and didn't even pretend to be accomodating.
  29. Then the service was also poor the last time we were there.
  30. our waiter even told us a really cool place were we could go dancing afterwards.
  31. If you want mediocre food and bitchy waitresses, then you're in the right place.
  32. The restaurant looks like an ultra hip, modern loft with photos of beautiful people on the walls.
  33. On asking the manager why they couldn't be seated at one of the many many empty tables, she explained their lack of staff and said, "really, the food isnt great, so the only reason we are stay business is because we are on union square.
  34. She admitted that no one likes the soup, but we had to pay for it anyway since the waitress explained that it was "bland.
  35. And I thought the waitress was rude.
  36. The menu is pretty decently price, and the service is fast and friendly.
  37. attentive, fast, friendly staff with good inexpensive food.
  38. I've always had really good service there, friendly waiters, until I encountered these two very snotty bartenders who didn't acknowledged my existence!
  39. Great location - middle of Union Square, and the service is fast although you may have to wait on the weekends.
  40. the cc@kroach did not bother me as much as the staff did at this place.
  41. they didn't ocmplain about moving us (actually suggested so themselves) VERY nice waitress.
  42. Summertime at republic is the best because they have outdoor seating - great people watching around the park and a nice place to sit and read while you chow down.
  43. the portions are small, the price is high compared to chinatown, the service is mediocre, the seats are comfortable, and the food tastes like any ordinary chinese food restaurant.
  44. The service is fast and the food is great.
  45. Our waitress asked us if we were ready to order, and when I said "no, but we would like drinks.
  46. Disappointing service, appalling food
  47. If you do not like cilantro, warn your waiter.
  48. recommend the seared salmon on curried rice ($9) and the chicken udon, despite the servers' warnings.
  49. plus, it takes an hour just to hail down a waiter.
  50. Awful food and rude staff!
  51. It was a fun place with decent service, just unfortunately too loud for me to enjoy.
  52. Service is patchy in true NYC style - I don't know why we must tip for bad service - but you don't come here expecting fine dining.
  53. In all of the fine and not-so-fine dining I've had in my life, this experience trumps any previous bad service.
  54. The service was very fast even though the place was packed and the wait staff were real friendly.
  55. Once you get beyond the somewhat moody hostess, service is great!
  56. Great food, quick service.
  57. The thing I like about Republic is it ability to produce a quality meal in a friendly and efficient manner.
value
86.66999816894531% positive
  1. Very delicious asian inflected food, incredible prices, fast service.
  2. The dining area is staged like a huge communal cafeteria with foot-thick wooden tables and benches that patrons share with other patrons.
  3. The Republic offers great value with great size portions that are filling but not excessive.
  4. So they repeatedly close huge sections of the restaurant.
  5. Good food, great price
  6. The drinks are good, but pricey compared to the noodle dishes.
  7. Mediocre food at bargain prices.
  8. Republics Pad Thai, loved by the New York Magazine food critic, was mediocre but it IS cheap.
  9. THe food is good and the price is better.
  10. Although the restaurant had a few misfires, the cool vibe, decent prices, and good portions outweigh the detractions.
  11. am only recommending this restaurant on the basis that it's a good place for groups that aren't looking to spend too much money.
  12. FANTASTIC -- huge portions, small prices.
  13. This is easily one of the best deals in the city, in an environment that may be a little noisy, but is roomy, sleek, and higher-end at low-end prices.
  14. The food is good and the prices are definitely worth the value but EAT AND LEAVE!
  15. But, the location is great and the food is relatively yummy and affordable.
  16. the portions are small, the price is high compared to chinatown, the service is mediocre, the seats are comfortable, and the food tastes like any ordinary chinese food restaurant.
  17. Everything on the menu is relatively inexpensive, but the quality is fantastic, and the portions are always huge.
  18. republic is great place to go for a quick bite of noodles and for a pretty reasonable price.
  19. Maybe it's the fresh flavor, maybe it's the $8 price tag.
  20. The prices are perfect and a dinner for two with appetizers was 40 bucks!
  21. This is a fabulous, affordable, busy restaurant!
  22. The dishes are pretty good, but the best part is the price.
  23. This place has wonderful food for the right price!
  24. Good value, quick eats
  25. Food is average but prices are friendly.
  26. Yes, it can get incredibly crowded and noisy (although it never seems to rise above a din), but the food is great and the prices are incredibly reasonable.
  27. And the prices are very affordable, specially for dinner.
  28. Still, food is good and prices are very reasonable.
  29. Good food, good price, good location
  30. If you want decent cheap food try Spice or Evergreen - better priced, better food.
  31. the food is great and cheap but can get overdose of noodles.
  32. The menu is pretty decently price, and the service is fast and friendly.
  33. If you're into pretentious people for bargain prices, look no further.
  34. Good value for NYC.
  35. My friends and I picked this as a convenient sitdown place that isn't too expensive.
  36. This is a great place to go if you want a large, inexpensive meal in Union Square.
  37. Overall value was good, food excellent, making this a place to return to.
  38. The mediocre food is not worth the wait or the money.
  39. Good value, decent food
  40. make a point to eat here frequently, and I always bring out-of-town guests here for a good cheap meal.
  41. The food is good enough, but a little pricey for what it is.
  42. Overall Republic is a great noodle place with great food, low prices, and a fun scene.
  43. Not only did they refuse to give me any milk but they charged me full price ($9) for plain udon noodles - no broth, veggies, or meat just wet noodles in a bowl.
  44. attentive, fast, friendly staff with good inexpensive food.
  45. The location can't be beat and the prices are good.
wait time
80.0% positive
  1. I've taken to going there every Monday after a long day of work for the fabulous wontons and the absolutely amazing seared salmon and rice, definitely give them a try!
  2. Republic used to be so good - the food was flavorful, reliable, and quick.
  3. Union Square institution, this is a good place for a quick casual eat or for delivery.
  4. our waitress was super nice and the water boy was very quick to fill up our glasses.
  5. Nice little stop for a quick bite
  6. The reason I recommend Republic to people is it's continuous deliverance of the product is promises; quick meals, friendly & skilled staff and a convenient location.
  7. The host this afternoon wasn't exactly helpful, and the server was very slow and gave me the check a moment after giving me my entree.
  8. republic is great place to go for a quick bite of noodles and for a pretty reasonable price.
  9. think it's great they offer hot sauce too, and while the service isn't great, though it's fine if you sit up at the bar and think of it as a quick, better and flavorful option to fast food or a diner.
  10. Good value, quick eats
  11. The service is slow and otherwise unremarkable.
  12. The food was very good, but after waiting for 40 minutes for a seat, being rushed off by our waitress, and yelling across the table at my boyfriend (we sat at a cafeteria style table in between two parties that wound up being old college buddies), my last
  13. Great food, quick service.
  14. order for delivery fairly often and while the service is super quick and food good and chea, the staff that takes the orders is consistently abrupt.
  15. The crowd would make you think a long wait, but the wait is never too long, and sometimes you just NEED some really good chicken satay.
4 Star Rating: Recommended

12/02/11

Delicioussss

by travellove

My friend introduced me to this place a couple years ago and I've been addicted to it ever since. There's a good combination of Vietnamese and Thai food (with a couple other combinations/some more "modern" stuff too). It's reasonably priced and the food is excellent. Especially the Tofu - and I was never a big fan of Tofu - but this is fried tofu with some really great sauce, granted I forget the name of it now - it's been a while. Just reminiscing.

Anyway, good stuff. At night it gets really loud and crowded. That was the only downside that I found. I found that I really enjoyed the shared tables, but I suppose that's an individual thing. Either way. Check it out. :)

4 Star Rating: Recommended

10/20/10

great food and staff

by CJspassion

I took a few of my friends to Republic and we had a great time. Reservations aren't taken, which turned out to be ok because the bartenders whip up the best drinks and FAST! Definitely get a picher - it so worth it! Our host was also really helpful in keeping us updated on our table. We enjoyed great fusion Asian food in the electric yet boisterous atmosphere. Our waiter was very opinionated in steering us to the right dishes and the food is super fast, considering the place was packed. You MUST try the Salmon with rice, the Grilled Beef, Spicy coconut chicken to name a few. It is great value for your dollar.

If you're in lower Manhattan Republic is a must. It is a Union Square institution

4 Star Rating: Recommended

10/15/10

Noodle House Staple

by SteveBro

I have been coming to this noodle house in Union Square for years. Although there can be a wait at times (does not take reservations), I can generally get in and out of this restaurant fairly quick. It's great for lunch time and usually sit at the long counter if eating alone. What I love most about this establishment is their delicious bowl of soups...especially this time of year.

1 Star Rating: Poor

08/30/10

BEWARE OF PAUL

by jenn r

BEWARE OF PAUL!

The guy lackadaisically standing at the hosting stand is rude, discourteous, obscene and offensive. Based on this one person alone, I will never eat here again. We asked for a copy of a past receipt for expenses because my boss lost his bag, and the lady on the phone told me that it would be no problem- we can get you a few receipts. A week later, both my intern and myself called, and Paul rudely told us he was only filling the first half of the request- that my "idiot" boss should stop losing receipts and that he was just too busy and important to help us further. When I asked if he could do me this one favor once more, he proceeded to patronize me by telling me he couldn't dumb it down any further- NO. Instead, he stood talking at the counter (extremely busy of course) and this man is NOT TO BE TRUSTED. Lord knows what he does with the food. He was extremely rude to me and my intern so I made a personal appearance and SMILED as he said no. Do not eat here if you're looking to have a nice relaxing dinner. Go down the block to blue water grill instead. At least their snobbery is comparable to their pricing.

1 Star Rating: Poor

07/10/10

Very Obnoxious

by reenna

My 2.5 year old is allergic to seaood. The restaurant was empty and we asked them to leave out the fish sauce. The manager told me that I should not eat there since they will not make any changes....incl just leaving out the sauce. Very rude and obnoxious. Totally oblivious to how to deal with customers. Will definitely not go back and will tell all my friend to avoid. Much better restaurants in the area in the same price range.

  • Pros: Empty Restaurant
  • Cons: Terrible Service...maybe that is why they are empty

The Details on Republic Restaurant

Place Categories:

  • great asian food
  • great japanese noodle place
  • mediocre food
  • fast quick service
  • mediocre service
  • incredibly reasonable small prices
  • convenient good location
  • great busy restaurant
  • pretty good the drinks
  • mediocre republics pad thai
  • beautiful wait people
  • filling great size portions
  • just terrific glass noodles
  • friendly waiter
  • not like place
  • good overall value
  • friendly wait staff
  • great everything
  • recommend frozen lychee martini
  • pricey drinks
  • rude waitress
  • great atmosphere
  • enjoy lunch
  • perfectly good staple thai dishes
  • worst restaurant
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