You don’t have to go far for great food. We’re going to let you in on a local secret – Soothr is actually pronounced “Soothe”. Leave the “R” off when you say the restaurant’s name and you’re officially a local.
The beloved East Village Thai spot opened its larger LIC sibling on 43rd Avenue, just a few blocks from The Local. The original is known for regional family recipes and Bangkok street food energy. The Queens location takes that same idea and gives it more room to play, with a sprawling dining room, bold red and green interiors, neon, patterned tile, woven lanterns, and enough visual drama to make your camera roll look significantly more interesting.
What to Order
Come hungry and bring friends. This meal is best enjoyed by sharing.
The chicken khao soi is an easy starting point: a rich, fragrant coconut curry with noodles and plenty of texture on top. It is comforting without being boring and currently sits around $24 to $25. The crab fried rice is another crowd favorite, generously crabby and built for the middle of the table. Expect to pay roughly $27 to $28.
For something more specific to the LIC location, look for the Dungeness crab curry or the Yaowarat-style five-spice roasted duck, both part of the expanded Queens menu inspired by Bangkok’s Chinatown. The sizzling oyster pancake is also a strong move when available: crispy edges, soft egg, briny oysters, chili sauce, no notes.
The menu is large, so the correct strategy is noodles plus curry plus one thing you did not originally plan to order. You are on vacation. Order accordingly.
The Vibe
Soothr LIC is lively, polished, and slightly extra, but still solidly Queens. It works for a date, a group dinner, a family meal, or the classic “oops, we ordered six dishes for two people” night out.
Different parts of the restaurant have their own personality. There is a red, cocktail-bar-inspired section, a green diner-like room, and a brighter indoor garden. The hidden Sato Room shifts from tea-bar energy during the day to drinks and small plates at night.
You’ve got to check out this Thai restaurant/occasionally Bangkok nightlife fantasy that is somehow still casual enough to walk over in the clothes you wore sightseeing all day.
What It Costs
Plan on approximately $20 to $30 for most mains, with seafood specialties and a few larger dishes climbing higher. A normal dinner with shared starters, mains, and drinks will generally land around $40 to $60 per person, depending on how enthusiastically your table approaches the cocktail list. OpenTable currently categorizes the restaurant in the $31 to $50 range.
When to Go
Soothr serves lunch daily from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM, closes briefly, then reopens for dinner from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
For the easiest experience, go for a weekday lunch or arrive right when dinner service begins at 5:00 PM. The East Village original is famously difficult to walk into at peak time, and while the LIC space is much larger, prime dinner hours can still fill up. Make a reservation for Friday or Saturday night, especially with a group.
Also Good to Know
Soothr means “recipe,” and the original location is at 204 East 13th Street in the East Village. LIC is currently its second restaurant and the bigger, more ambitious version, with additional dishes and multiple spaces under one roof.
But when you are staying at The Local, there is really no reason to cross the river for it. Walk a couple of blocks, order too much food, and congratulate yourself on having excellent temporary-local instincts.