Ресторан · Brooklyn · ⭐ 9.9/10 · 1766 reviews · $$ · updated: 2026-06-30 19:14:18
Address: 204 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11201, United States
RUA Thai: Shrimp Donuts and Cocktails Named After Home
The newest wave of Brooklyn Thai skips the takeout-menu clichés and gets personal. At RUA Thai in Cobble Hill, the must-order is a stack of sugar shrimp donuts on a sugarcane stick — a grandmother’s recipe from a floating market — and the cocktails are named after the districts of the chef’s home province.
The Concept
Chef and co-owner Kornpon Theeraumpornkul, previously executive chef at Yum Yum Too, opened RUA in the summer of 2023. He grew up in Ratchaburi province, home of the famous Damnoen Saduak floating market, where as a boy he helped his grandmother make shrimp donuts to sell from a boat. “Rua” means rowboat in Thai, and the whole restaurant is an homage to that market-food childhood. Behind the bar, Dolporn Thongneam — an Ayada alum — mixes the district-named cocktail list.
What to Order
The Sugar Shrimp Donuts, panko-crisp and stacked on sugarcane, are the origin story on a plate. Follow with the duck crepe wrapped in roti, fish curry custard, or Kai Tod Had Yai — southern-Thai fried chicken with a massaman dipping curry. The massaman braised short rib spends six hours with potatoes and chestnuts in coconut curry; the Mama Tom Yum grilled river prawns arrive over tom yum instant-noodle ramen, a streetwise flex. Order the blue butterfly-pea jasmine rice for the color alone. Drinks: the Damnoen Saduak (tequila, elderberry kombucha, lime) or a smoked-whisky Chom Bueng.
The Space
Small and warm: photographs of the Damnoen Saduak floating market cover the exposed brick, gold-leaf lettering nods to Thai temples, and triangle-pillow details soften the room. Intimate rather than loud — the energy is in the plates.
Who It’s For
Curious eaters bored of pad thai autopilot, date nights that want a story with dinner, and cocktail people chasing lists that read like a map.
Good to Know
Can I reserve? Yes — the restaurant takes bookings through its website, wise for the compact room.
What is the one unmissable dish? The sugar shrimp donuts — the family recipe the restaurant is built around.
Anything without alcohol? Yes, a butterfly pea lychee soda and colorful house sodas match the food’s palette.
Does it accommodate plant-based diets? The kitchen states it accommodates plant-based preferences — flag it when ordering.
Is takeout an option? Yes — online order-ahead, pickup and delivery, plus catering around New York.
Opening hours
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 11:30–22:30 |
| Tuesday | 11:30–22:30 |
| Wednesday | 11:30–22:30 |
| Thursday | 11:30–22:30 |
| Friday | 11:30–22:30 |
| Saturday | 11:30–22:30 |
| Sunday | 11:30–22:30 |
Photos
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Visitor reviews
Reviews last updated: 2026-06-30 19:14:18
Data is refreshed monthly. Sources: brooklyn-trend.com and editorial picks based on reviews.
I had such an incredible experience at Rua Thai in Brooklyn! ✨ The restaurant is beautiful, with a bright, tropical atmosphere and lots of Instagram-worthy details. The food was incredibly tasty. We started with sangr…
Everything turned out great! The food was fresh, tasty and very authentic. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the service was quick. The portions were generous, and everything we ordered was very tasty. Definitel…
Stumbled upon this Thai spot while walking through Brooklyn, and it turned out to be a great find.
The atmosphere is cosy, nicely decorated with Thai touches — perfect for a casual meal.
Mains:
* The Pad Kra Pao was i…
Finally found the Thai spot in Brooklyn we'd been dreaming of! The atmosphere at Rua Thai is cosy and fun (the floating-market inspiration is so cool), and the food is fresh to the highest level. The shrimp donuts were c…
Came here for a fun evening, and RUA Thai delivered a great atmosphere and food. The vibe is lively, really reminiscent of a Bangkok street stall. We loved the grilled Mama Tom Yum river prawns — serving the instant nood…