A highly praised Crown Heights Thai restaurant with a charming backyard, bold Southern Thai cooking, strong service, and generally good value, though spice, occasional inconsistency, and a few portion complaints merit attention.
Long Kin Thai Kitchen & Bar delivers strong food quality anchored by bold flavors and fresh ingredients that reviewers consistently praise across curries, noodles, and appetizers. Attentive, friendly service and a welcoming neighborhood setting with backyard seating round out a reliable experience, though occasional inconsistencies in execution and modest ambiance keep it just short of the very top tier.
Long Kin feels like a cheerful neighborhood find: a cute, relaxed Thai restaurant where the backyard is almost as much of a draw as the food. Reviewers describe warm service, quick turnarounds, clean surroundings, and a peaceful outdoor setting; one diner summed up the appeal as a place that feels like “a quiet exhale” before the bold flavors arrive. The cooking leans regional rather than generic, with Southern Thai specialties alongside familiar Pad Thai, curries, noodles, and fried rice. Crab curry noodles, Pad Kee Mao, Pad Kra Pao, crab rangoons, and Tom Kha Kai generate the most enthusiasm, while the menu’s Kua Kling Moo and mango-topped fish give adventurous diners reasons to look beyond the standards. Most guests find the pricing reasonable, especially at lunch, although premium crab dishes can feel less generous and a small number of meals have been reported as bland or soggy. Families should find plenty to work with: crab rangoons, fried chicken wings, fried rice, Pad Thai, satay, sticky rice, and mild curry options offer recognizable entry points, and one reviewer specifically said a picky child loved the crab rangoons. Still, spice-forward Southern Thai dishes are central to the menu, so conservative eaters may want to ask about heat levels before ordering.
Area vibe: Tree-lined residential streets near cultural institutions and transit hubs.
Safety: Generally safe with good evening foot traffic, though quieter late nights away from main avenues.
What's nearby: Near Prospect Park, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Barclays Center and 4/5/2/3/ B/Q transit connections.
The best bets range from bold Southern specialties and crab noodles to crowd-pleasing Crab Rangoon and Tom Kha Kai.
Expect a relaxed backyard setting and easy walk-ins, but plan around serious spice, uneven portions on premium dishes, and a much better lunch deal.
Its peaceful backyard and warm neighborhood energy make it feel easygoing, while the food brings a distinctly bolder Southern Thai edge.