Little Wayla

Decent little place for lunch. Food tastes good, but not much variety. I had a tofu entree and green beans as my side and the spice was exactly the same. It's a little pricey for what you get, but not a bad option.

I stopped by for the lunch special. You get to choose 3 entrees in a lunch box for $10, and I think the options rotate daily. I got chili fried chicken, tofu and green beans, and green chicken eggplant curry. Everything was solid for the price, but not as much depth of flavor as I'd hoped.

Decided to check out Little Wayla for lunch today and was not disappointed! Their $5 lunch box ($5.44 with tax) includes rice, a veggie curry that was similar to massaman curry in flavor but not at all spicy, and mixed vegetables (broccoli, green beans, Brussels sprouts, onions). Good portion for a light lunch and everything was flavorful if not super exciting. I enjoyed it--it's a good deal if you like veggies! I was told that the $5 lunch box is always the same dishes. There's also the option of a $10 lunch box where you get to choose three entrees over rice. The other entrees today were crispy chili chicken, tofu with string beans, and am eggplant dish. Apparently these dishes change every day. I'm looking forward to trying out some other dishes next time!Flavors don't seem as complex as the dishes at Wayla but everything was still tasty. Staff was super nice and happy to explain the options to me. You can eat in or take out. They're open from 12-3pm on weekdays so check them out!

Prepandemic, Little Wayla offered $12 lunch boxes with 2 choices of entrees.I'd have to say I prefer their post-pandemic $5 lunch boxes! They're smaller and the perfect portion size for lunch. Although my hubby sometimes gets 2 lunch boxes for himself depending on the selection. There's a rotating menu of 2 entrees. You can get both or just choose one. There's usually a vegetable and protein option. Although I've seen days where they serve meat patty and egg or all veggies. Their vegetable dishes are so flavorful, healthy, and delicious! Curries are also a must-get especially the chicken curry. The meat is soft, tender, and bursting with a kick of curry spice. I love Little Wayla! I could get it for lunch 3x a week and I often do.

During the pandemic, Little Wayla's been serving up the community with incredibly affordable, authentically delicious $5 lunch boxes! Nothing like what you'd expect from a typical Thai takeout spot. From about 12-3pm on weekdays, sometimes they offer only one choice (usually a protein/meat with veggies) or two choices, which includes a vegetarian option. And since we're working from home now, we get to stop in all the time - it's been the best. Goodbye overpriced Midtown lunches, you are not missed at all!I believe they're always rice boxes (no noodles or any other "base") since it's the easiest to prepare, which is fine since the jasmine rice is always so fresh and so good. I've gotten the string beans and tofu combo a couple of times, the shredded curry chicken with bamboo another time, and once they offered these yummy (fried) hard boiled eggs that were soaked in a sweet soy sauce. These meals are very simple but they also have a bit of a spicy Thai kick to it, and always taste so homemade. My boyfriend and I are huuuge fans. Portion size is perfect for lunch, unless you are a big eater like my bf or want to save for dinner - then I'd recommend getting maybe 2 boxes per person.In addition, we always receive such wonderful service here. 10/10 neighborhood gem.

The Wayla team just opened a little fast casual version right upstairs from the original restaurant.It's the pick a base plus proteins formula, but it's done extremely well. You can do greens, rice or sticky rice, and then choose among several proteins and vegetables. I tried rice with tofu & eggs and the ground chicken, which was nice and spicy. Definitely get a frozen Thai iced tea to cool down.

I had just finished my driving lessons in the neighborhood and was STARVING. On my way home, I walked by a little Thai restaurant that seemed new and was eager to give it a try. The moment I stepped in, I felt fantastic! The fast restaurant was bright, spacious, clean, and simple. Just my type. It's minimalistic, yet comforting and welcoming at the same time.The two women working there were kind, attentive, eager to answer any questions I had, and made the process simple and quick. I was in and out in ~5 minutes. I got the three entree lunchbox with purple sticky rice (+ $1), pork jerky, broccoli/zucchini/brussel sprouts, and chicken curry. All of which were VERY delicious. Even my boyfriend (Thai food fanatic) approved.The only thing that I'm iffy about with the whole thing was the price tag. It was $15.19 for the lunch box, which I would say should have been $11 - $12 max. Definitely stop by for some quick and delicious Thai food if you're in the neighborhood, though!

Came here for lunch and it didn't disappoint. It was a bit late in the day for lunch so they ran out of two of the items. I was a little sad, as I did want to try the yellow curry. Luckily, in the middle of assembling my second box, they replenished the two missing items! So I actually got to try almost everything, besides the broccoli which had pork in it. The chicken with bamboo was really good, had a bit of a kick from the peppers. The fried chicken was good. My only complaint would be I wished it was crispy. But not that bad considering it was sitting in a bit of sauce. The yellow curry and mixed veggies were good but I couldn't differentiate because the curry sauce got all over the mixed veggies. Overall a good meal and a great value at $10 a box.

Since work has never allowed me to visit Wayla (which opens only for dinner on weekdays and brunch on weekends), as an avid fan of Thai cuisine, I was devastated. However, I was blessed by a deity figure (probably a god of Thai cuisine who acknowledged my desperation) and Little Wayla gracefully stepped into my life. I read about their opening on Wayla's instagram account and immediately made my visit today, which was their second day of operation. I was probably their first customer of the day since I came in just 20 minutes after they opened.Food:I got a 3-entree lunchbox with: Soy Sauce Braised Egg and Tofu, Green Curry, and Stir Fried Cuttlefish with white rice. Spot on Thai comfort food! The level of flavors were just right and comforting. I appreciate the fact that the menu offers dishes that you don't usually find in most Thai restaurants. Give me Little Wayla's lunchbox everyday and you'll see the best version of me. The only itsy bitsy tiny complaint that I have is the portion of the rice was a little less than I expected, but the lunchbox at a whole is very filling. Bonus: when a Thai friend explained to me that Little Wayla means "little time", I thought it was brilliant and they did live up to the name, being super quick without compromising the quality.Service & Atmosphere:The place is insanely adorable. Vibrant colors and decorations that definitely help with boosting the appetite.I was greeted by two girls at the cashier, who were friendly and looked joyful. I was surprised that, even though the concept revolves around lunchbox, it wasn't very "to-go friendly". The plastic lid did not fit the compostable container, so they had to tape my lunchbox to prevent leaking (even though it didn't help much), and I ended up having to hold it in my hand the entire time I traveled. Plus, the container absorbed a lot of the saucy goodie from the entrees, which did make me a bit sad. But it's not something that bothered me.Understandably, there were certainly a few first day's minor hiccups, but it was great overall. For now, sit down at one of their cute tables, immerse yourself in the whimsical vibe, and enjoy their awesome food. You know I'll be there whenever I can.

Phenomenal lunch restaurant; if I could give it 6 stars I would.The fried chicken was fantastic, not overly breaded or greasy. Very bright and clean ambience with plenty of space to sit, both inside and outside. The guy behind the counter was very gracious and offered to let me sample the curries when I asked which was the most popular. Prices are to be expected for New York, around $13 - $15. I'll definitely be coming back.