"Need a last-minute dinner spot in Union Square that’s walk-in-only? All roads lead to The Thonglor. At this relaxed place, you could pull any of their Thai standards, like the fiery pad gra pow or richly spiced duck curry, out of a hat, and end up with a meal you’ll still be fixated on next week—but, really, get here to devour some of the best pad thai in the city. The only downside is there are only about eight tables in this teeny space, so you might have to drain your phone battery while you wait. But things move quickly, meaning you’ll have a steaming pile of noodles in front of you in no time. " - julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez, lani conway