Fish Cheeks opened in 2016 in New York City’s NoHo neighborhood, serving coastal Thai food and drawing the attention of local diners and positive reviews from local media. Nine years later, the restaurant has doubled its footprint with a new location in Brooklyn. It opened May 13 in Williamsburg.
Fish Cheeks is part of 55 Hospitality, the group that also runs Bangkok Supper Club. The restaurant pays homage to the team’s cultural heritage and the spicy, fresh flavors found across the many diverse regions of Thailand.
“We always knew we wanted to expand Fish Cheeks, and we’re incredibly grateful for the support of our community that has brought us to this point,” said Jenn Saesue, co-founder of 55 Hospitality. “New York City has been such a loyal and enthusiastic home for us, and opening in Williamsburg feels like the perfect next chapter.”
The Brooklyn location features a couple of new dishes, like tom yam noodles. Photo credit: Fish Cheeks
The new location allows the restaurant to reach guests who might not have ventured out of Brooklyn to try the NoHo original.
Fish Cheeks Williamsburg measures 2,200 square feet and, just like the original, was designed by Space NY. It features traditional Thai architectural elements like temple roof patterns and wooden paneling, plus some modern touches like colorful “fish scale” tiles, bold lighting, and custom brass accents.
Executive chef Dustin Everett — who formerly worked at Momofuku Ssam Bar and Pig & Khao in New York — leads the kitchen at both locations. The Williamsburg menu features most of same seafood-centric dishes as NoHo, but there are a couple of new items.
Mama tom yam features wavy ramen noodles paired with crispy pork belly, shrimp, squid, and jumbo lump crab meat, topped with egg yolks and swimming in a rich, aromatic tom yam broth. And a marinated raw crab dish features blue crab that’s cured in a blend of lime juice, fish sauce, Thai chile, shallots, and cilantro.
Marinated blue crab is cured in a blend of fresh lime juice, fish sauce, Thai chile, shallots, and cilantro. Photo credit: Fish Cheeks
The drink menu includes a variety of craft cocktails, wines, beers, and spirits, plus several non-alcoholic options. A few Williamsburg-specific cocktails include a savory take on the classic Martini, with gin, anchovy red wine vinegar, and vermouth, and a Mojito riff that’s made with rum, cachaça, dill, tomato, and ginger-banana foam.
Diners can expect more from the 55 Hospitality team.
“We can’t share too much yet, but there are both plans and a strong desire to open more Fish Cheeks locations,” said Saesue. “Fish Cheeks was born out of a belief that there wasn’t enough authentic Thai representation in New York’s culinary landscape, and we’re passionate about bringing that same experience to other markets that share this gap.”
Later this year, 55 Hospitality will open Bub’s Bakery, a new allergen-free concept in partnership with James Beard Award-nominated baker Melissa Weller. Instead of focusing on what’s missing — dairy, soy, nuts, or gluten — Bub’s aims to create inclusive treats without compromising on texture or flavor.
