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Lil Chef Mama is a family-run Thai restaurant in the heart of FiDi (27 Cliff Street). Mama has been cooking up authentic Thai food since the ’80s, and we’re proud to share her recipes with you. From Pad Thai, spicy Pad Kee Mao, and rich Duck Panang to Vegetarian Egg Dofu Basil and crispy Pla Lad Prig, every dish is made with love and flavor. Lil Chef Mama has been serving the Fidi community since 2001, offering comfort and consistency in a warm, welcoming space with an open kitchen. Stop by Tuesday–Friday from 11:30–2:30 for Mama’s Khao Rad Gaeng lunch special. Classic Thai entrees with jasmine rice starting at just $15. Or, check out our Saturday and Sunday Brunch for scrambled eggs or fluffy pancakes. A quick, tasty, satisfying meal!
Small burgers come with Asian spicing & are served with typical Thai dishes at this fusion venue.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 27 Cliff St, New York, NY 10038
Phone: (646) 964-5555
Website: https://www.lilchefmama.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: opentable.com
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Related Web Results
Lil Chef Mama – Financial District, New York, NY
Classic Thai Dishes Made with Care. Since 2022, Lil Chef Mama has been a mom and pop spot in the Seaport with deep Thai roots. Step away from the city’s rush …
Lil Chef Mama (@lilchefmamafidi_) • Instagram photos and videos
498 followers · 44 following · 22 posts · @lilchefmamafidi_: “A mom and pop must try in the seaport with Thai roots in NYC since the 80’s!”
About – Lil Chef Mama
Much of this success derives from an abundance of passion in sharing the vibrancy and hospitality of Pan Asian Cultures. Location. 27 Cliff Street. New York, NY.
Reviews
Muthu Raja Sankar
Stopped by here with family during our holiday trip and really enjoyed it. Good quality food with authentic taste all around.
The interiors are nice and comfortable, making it an easy place to sit back and enjoy a relaxed meal.
We loved the appetizers, especially the dim sums, and the curries in the main course were flavorful and well done. Everything tasted fresh.
Service was friendly and welcoming, which made the experience even better.
Overall, a solid spot for a casual family meal with good food and vibes. Would definitely recommend.
… moreThe interiors are nice and comfortable, making it an easy place to sit back and enjoy a relaxed meal.
We loved the appetizers, especially the dim sums, and the curries in the main course were flavorful and well done. Everything tasted fresh.
Service was friendly and welcoming, which made the experience even better.
Overall, a solid spot for a casual family meal with good food and vibes. Would definitely recommend.
Vanna Lei
Reviewing Thai once again! I split a plate with my friend and we were both fairly full afterwards. I forgot what we got but it was delicious! The atmosphere and are very quiet and beautiful. Very rarely do I see such traditional decorations in Thai restaurants and the lighting is just right. Perfect for small groups of 1-4 people, but it could fit more!
… moreW Kim
The vibe, the food, everything here just feels like something most people would genuinely enjoy.
Nothing too over the top, but done really well — comfortable atmosphere, solid flavors, and an easy place to recommend to friends.
… moreNothing too over the top, but done really well — comfortable atmosphere, solid flavors, and an easy place to recommend to friends.
Ctgb2
Lil Chef Mama is a cozy comfort-food spot in New York City that delivers hearty, home-style flavors in a laid-back setting. The restaurant has a warm, neighborhood feel — simple décor, friendly energy, and a focus on generous portions rather than flashy presentation. It’s the kind of place where you go when you want something filling and satisfying.
The menu highlights classic comfort dishes, with fried chicken often being a standout. The chicken is crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and well-seasoned. Sides like mac and cheese, rice, or collard greens add to the homestyle experience, creating a meal that feels indulgent and comforting.
Service is typically quick and welcoming, making it a convenient stop for both dine-in and takeout. Overall, Lil Chef Mama offers solid comfort food with big flavors, perfect for anyone craving a taste of hearty, no-frills cooking in the city.
… moreThe menu highlights classic comfort dishes, with fried chicken often being a standout. The chicken is crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and well-seasoned. Sides like mac and cheese, rice, or collard greens add to the homestyle experience, creating a meal that feels indulgent and comforting.
Service is typically quick and welcoming, making it a convenient stop for both dine-in and takeout. Overall, Lil Chef Mama offers solid comfort food with big flavors, perfect for anyone craving a taste of hearty, no-frills cooking in the city.
Josephine Lee
Caught up with a friend here for brunch. Weekend midday options are pretty lacking in FiDi, so I was hoping Lil Chef Mama, with its interesting Thai-American fusion brunch offerings, would be a hidden gem. It was….more like a hidden pebble. Not bad, but not exceptional either.
My Thai Basil Burger had some interesting herbal/sugary elements to the meat, but the patty more or less fell apart as soon as I picked up the sandwich, making it very difficult to eat. The burger was also quite greasy, which is never pleasant. The spiced fries were crispy and tasty, though I think they could’ve used even more seasoning.
The Thai Omlette was like any other meat and veggie-filled omelette–to my disappointment, there was nothing noticeably Thai (or even Asian) about it. My friend’s Honey Pork Fried Rice was decent, with lots of pork slices, but it lacked the flavor bomb characteristic of other traditional Thai fried rices. At least our Thai Iced Teas were creamy and satisfying.
Service was friendly, no issues there. The restaurant has a cute plant nursery-esque decor in its entryway that sadly does not continue through the rest of the restaurant. But it’s still a nice sit-down spot with warm wood tones.
… moreMy Thai Basil Burger had some interesting herbal/sugary elements to the meat, but the patty more or less fell apart as soon as I picked up the sandwich, making it very difficult to eat. The burger was also quite greasy, which is never pleasant. The spiced fries were crispy and tasty, though I think they could’ve used even more seasoning.
The Thai Omlette was like any other meat and veggie-filled omelette–to my disappointment, there was nothing noticeably Thai (or even Asian) about it. My friend’s Honey Pork Fried Rice was decent, with lots of pork slices, but it lacked the flavor bomb characteristic of other traditional Thai fried rices. At least our Thai Iced Teas were creamy and satisfying.
Service was friendly, no issues there. The restaurant has a cute plant nursery-esque decor in its entryway that sadly does not continue through the rest of the restaurant. But it’s still a nice sit-down spot with warm wood tones.
Bullpin 4
I really enjoyed my lunch to go from Lil Chef Mama. I’m new to the area and I searched for hot and fresh food and their restaurant came up 1st!
I had a seafood/ Lent focused lunch. Their shrimp fried rice was done very well- the rice was fluffy, not oily, the vegetables were crisp and fresh! The pad Thai dish had incredible and balanced flavor. Also very fresh and crunchy vegetables, fresh crushed peanuts, the noodles had the best texture.
Shrimp was the star of both dishes, great flavor, and perfectly cooked.
Even though I got lunch to go, I was fortunate to speak with staff and their front of house is some of the best staff I’ve met, they answered my questions and had great conversation while i waited for my order. They’re very inviting and professional! The ambiance was lovely and like an oasis of beauty in such a busy area. I look forward bringing my wife for dinner or the family for lunch! It’s a great place to have a team lunch or after work drink or celebrate a win!
… moreI had a seafood/ Lent focused lunch. Their shrimp fried rice was done very well- the rice was fluffy, not oily, the vegetables were crisp and fresh! The pad Thai dish had incredible and balanced flavor. Also very fresh and crunchy vegetables, fresh crushed peanuts, the noodles had the best texture.
Shrimp was the star of both dishes, great flavor, and perfectly cooked.
Even though I got lunch to go, I was fortunate to speak with staff and their front of house is some of the best staff I’ve met, they answered my questions and had great conversation while i waited for my order. They’re very inviting and professional! The ambiance was lovely and like an oasis of beauty in such a busy area. I look forward bringing my wife for dinner or the family for lunch! It’s a great place to have a team lunch or after work drink or celebrate a win!
Mark Tobar
Lil Chef Mama catered a climbing event I went to in Gowanus and the food was so tasty that I had to try it again. I went with 3 of my friends. We ordered:
Pad Thai (Recommend)
Pork Sliders (Recommend)
Pineapple Fried Rice with Shrimp
Beef Red Curry (Recommend)
Chicken Wings
Beef Dumplings
Yuzu Soda
Orange juice
Butterfly Pea Lemonade (Recommend)
The atmosphere is beautiful, they made such creative and effective use of the space. The entrance is great for photos and you won’t feel crowded in this space. Vegan options were clearly labeled.
Travis and Joe were great and attentive servers, and not overbearing. I saw Lil Chef Mama on my way to the restroom and I had to say hi and she was kind enough to offer us complimentary mango sticky rice because she remembered me from the climbing event. She is an absolute sweetheart and please let her know how much you enjoyed the food when you visit.
We will certainly be back for the chefs specials, and some other items we had our eyes on. Definitely a place worth trying. I am confident this place deserves its praise.
And if you do happen to order the chefs specials, call to order in advance as they take ~30min to prepare
… morePad Thai (Recommend)
Pork Sliders (Recommend)
Pineapple Fried Rice with Shrimp
Beef Red Curry (Recommend)
Chicken Wings
Beef Dumplings
Yuzu Soda
Orange juice
Butterfly Pea Lemonade (Recommend)
The atmosphere is beautiful, they made such creative and effective use of the space. The entrance is great for photos and you won’t feel crowded in this space. Vegan options were clearly labeled.
Travis and Joe were great and attentive servers, and not overbearing. I saw Lil Chef Mama on my way to the restroom and I had to say hi and she was kind enough to offer us complimentary mango sticky rice because she remembered me from the climbing event. She is an absolute sweetheart and please let her know how much you enjoyed the food when you visit.
We will certainly be back for the chefs specials, and some other items we had our eyes on. Definitely a place worth trying. I am confident this place deserves its praise.
And if you do happen to order the chefs specials, call to order in advance as they take ~30min to prepare
Benjamin L
For amazing Thai food in FiDi, this is the spot! Everything was so flavorful and just enough spice. The roti was so flakey and went well with the chicken curry. The pad Thai and salads were great with curry chicken noodles and green curry were spot on! So much more on the menu to try!
The staff were friendly and bathrooms were clean very spacious. Space is big to host larger groups. Definitely will go back, if I am in the area!
… moreThe staff were friendly and bathrooms were clean very spacious. Space is big to host larger groups. Definitely will go back, if I am in the area!
L P
Had lunch here and went with the lunch deal (shrimp fried rice, chicken pad thai, chives pancake). It was good, but didn’t quite stand out compared to my other fav Thai spots. That said, I loveeeee the ambiance. It genuinely felt like being back home in Southeast Asia!
… moreEvgeniy Loskutov
Chose this place for lunch based on top ratings. Thai cuisine.
They brought out three small bowls with different chicken and vegetable combinations, plus one with rice.
Each had a unique flavor. Everything was fresh. I especially liked the one in batter with sweet and sour sauce—found the perfect balance of flavor for the first time.
I want to come back and try more. Thank you.
… moreThey brought out three small bowls with different chicken and vegetable combinations, plus one with rice.
Each had a unique flavor. Everything was fresh. I especially liked the one in batter with sweet and sour sauce—found the perfect balance of flavor for the first time.
I want to come back and try more. Thank you.