There’s a New Fish Cheeks in Town

1. It’s the same same, but (slightly) different.

Ask Saesue what will be different at this newest location, and she’ll reply, “Nothing. We want it to have the same look, feel, and menu as the original, a Thai McDonald’s of sorts — same thing, different borough. Not a carbon copy, but close to it.”

Her goal with the new location, as it was with the very first Fish Cheeks, is to bring a style of seafood-driven, noodle-less food that’s more indicative of the way Thais eat in Thailand, instead of what’s been classically been imported to the U.S. in previous generations. Like the original, the menu won’t comprise “choose-your-protein” curries or pad Thai, or allow substitutions. Everything is just as they’d like you to have it.

Saesue and her business partner, Chat Suansilphong are known not just for Fish Cheeks, but also for the West Village’s Bangkok Supper Club, which opened in 2023. They originally met while working at Thai Vietnamese restaurant Obao – Hell’s Kitchen, where Saesue worked her way up from server to general manager, and Suansilphong worked in the kitchen.

With their restaurants, the founding partners of 55 Hospitality, both of whom have deep ties to Bangkok, hope to fill a void in the city’s Thai scene, and make the specific food that they grew up eating and continue to eat when they return home to visit family.

“We wanted to make food that we wanted to eat, which meant less noodles, more seafood, and higher quality, more expensive ingredients,” says Saesue. Following her own move to Williamsburg, she saw room for more Thai cuisine in Brooklyn that would also be closer to home. “This is a neighborhood restaurant. We want everyone to come and be welcome without having to make the commute into Manhattan.”

2. And food wise, they’re playing the hits alongside exclusive debuts.

Rotating specials are in order here, but if you love the menu from the original Fish Cheeks, you’re in luck. Chef Dustin Everett, who joined Fish Cheeks as head chef in 2021 and is a partner in the Williamsburg location, is going all in on Fish Cheek’s crowd pleasers, all of which are best enjoyed when shared. However, you won’t be judged if you order a whole branzino for yourself alone. Says Saesue, “I’ve seen a four-top each have their own individual whole steamed fish.”

Highlights include the southern-style coconut crab curry with housemade curry paste, the aforementioned steamed fish which comes topped with a mound of cilantro, culantro, lime and bird’s eye chiles, as well as the perfectly crispy and spicy Zabb chicken wings. Groups of two or more can opt for a family-style, six-course menu, too. And there’s a dedicated gluten-free menu for diners with dietary restrictions. And on the sweet side, there is just one dessert, the ice cream bo lan, a sticky rice and pandan jackfruit sundae topped with peanuts, mung bean, and evaporated milk.

Look for a few new additions to the menu exclusive to Williamsburg as well, like a marinated raw crab dish cured in lime juice, fish sauce, and Thai chile topped with finely sliced shallots and cilantro; and the brand’s only noodle dish, ramen noodles in a tom yum broth with crispy pork belly, shrimp, squid, and jumbo lump crab meat, topped with egg yolks.

3. Cocktails don’t take themselves too seriously

The cocktail menu is similar to the Bond Street location, with Thai twists on classics like Negronis, martinis, and spritzes. Standouts include the Nam Gin martini, a play on the dirty martini with cilantro, garlic, chile brine, and a pickled gooseberry in place of an olive. The Spicy Mango has all of the same notes as spicy margarita with a mango and chile tincture. Espresso martini fans should try the Kafae Spritz with coffee liqueur, tequila, hazlenut liqueur, and prosecco. There will be some Brooklyn specials though, like the Something Banana, a twist on a mojito, blending rum and cachaça with dill and tomato, topped with a ginger-banana foam.

On the zero-proof side, there’s the refreshing Melonic with watermelon, tonic water, and black pepper; a creamy Coco Bah with coconut, lime, orange, and chile; and a housemade butterfly pea flower limeade. The wine list is simple and compact, with red, white, orange, and sparkling wines by the glass or bottle that will always be in rotation. And expect to see Thai beers and a local IPA.

4. The vibes will be immaculate.

Expect the same airy, spacious, and light-filled interior and playful design accents like fish-shaped chandeliers and tiles made to look like colorful fish scales that characterize the original Fish Cheeks. The new location is divided into two rooms, with a larger triangle-shaped dining room at the front and a more intimate room in the back that can be reserved for larger parties and private dining.

Brooklyn based Space NY, which also designed the first Fish Cheeks, tailored the restaurant to be a place for everyone, from families and groups to solo diners and couples on date nights.

Most of all, Saesue hopes the new Fish Cheeks will be a neighborhood spot for everyone, but especially the local Thai community in New York, too.

“I started to work in restaurants as a teenager,” says Saesue. “The first one was on St. Marks Place: Klong; it’s actually still there. It was a way for me to connect with the larger New York Thai community because when I moved here, it was just my mom, sister and I.”

Now, after opening three restaurants of her own, she’s eager to continue being a part of that ever-growing community, and introducing more diners to the full Fish Cheeks experience.

Fish Cheeks in Williamsburg will be open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m. starting on May 13. Lunch, brunch, and happy hour will soon follow.

Kyle Beechey is a New York-based freelance writer and dinner party enthusiast who lives on the Lower East Side. Follow her on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.