Vibrant, intimate Cambodian spot w/ creative twists on classic flavors. Must-try pork chop & whole dorade.
Willa Moore reviews Bong, a small yet vibrant Cambodian restaurant in Crown Heights, praising its delicious seafood and pork dishes, perfect for a date night.
This Crown Heights gem offers a vibrant and intimate Cambodian dining experience. The menu is a creative exploration of classic flavors with modern twists, featuring standouts like a perfectly cooked pork chop and a whole dorade that's both moist and crispy. The small, energetic space, complete with an open kitchen, makes for a lively and engaging meal, perfect for a special night out.
The Cambodian cuisine here is highly praised for its creative and flavorful dishes, with standouts including the heritage pork chop, crispy whole fish with green mango sauce, and various seafood options like fried shrimp and squid. While most reviews are glowing, one mentions the golden squid being a bit too salty, and another found the clams machew portion small for the price.
"Highly recommended dishes include the heritage pork chop with tuk trey ping poh, the crispy whole fish with green mango sauce, salt and pepper head-on shrimp, and the unique mango gelato with caramelized fish sauce and shrimp salt."
Overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the unique and flavorful Cambodian dishes. Some find reservations difficult to secure.
Important Note
Reservations can be extremely difficult to secure, with some users reporting months-long waits or success only through checking for cancellations or walking in at opening. Some diners found the restaurant to be a bit pricey for the experience.
"This commenter stated they live near Bong NYC and have visited twice, finding the experience amazing on both occasions."
Positive"This commenter described their recent visit to Bong NYC as incredible, stating that every dish was excellent, with the pork chop being a particular highlight. They also praised the restaurant's vibe and music."
Positive"This commenter confirmed that they visited Bong NYC a few weeks prior and found it to be genuinely great."
Positive"This commenter made a playful suggestion for a Chinese crepe place called Bing Bong, referencing the name of the restaurant Bong NYC."
Neutral"The author mentioned that their cousin is one of the cooks at Bong NYC. This was positively received by another commenter."
Neutral"This commenter congratulated the original poster on their review and expressed that they enjoyed their meal at Bong NYC."
Positive"This commenter expressed suspicion that the positive review of Bong NYC might be an advertisement."
Negative"This commenter reported having an incredible experience at Bong NYC, highlighting the fried fish and the excellent service. They also mentioned enjoying a peppercorn beer and hoped the restaurant would expand due to its success."
Positive"This commenter inquired about the availability of Suarez Family Brewing beer at Bong NYC, expressing their fondness for the brewery and later sharing how they typically purchase their beers."
Neutral"This commenter shared a similar positive experience at Bong NYC, specifically praising the fried fish and the Na Taing dish, and expressing surprise at how well the shrimp salt complemented the mango gelato."
Positive"This commenter noted the restaurant's popularity and praised the original poster for providing a detailed review, emphasizing the value of such feedback compared to simple recommendations."
Positive"The user expressed gratitude for the post and commented that the food looks unusually good."
Positive"The author detailed an exceptional dining experience at Bong NYC, a modern Cambodian restaurant in Brooklyn. They highlighted the difficulty in securing a reservation but managed to get a walk-in spot at a two-seat counter. The meal exceeded expectations with dishes like oysters with kumquat galangal sauce, ground pork dip (Na Taing), salt and pepper head-on shrimp, hangar steak, fried fish, and mango gelato with caramelized fish sauce and shrimp salt. The author also praised the friendly and passionate service, and the meal evoked memories of a trip to Cambodia."
Positive"The user commented that the restaurant appears to be a pleasant establishment."
Positive"The author has had the chef's food multiple times at pop-ups and found it to be consistently delicious."
Positive"This user suggested checking for cancellations 24 hours in advance as a way to secure a reservation, as many people cancel just before the window closes."
Positive"Responding to a question about reservations, this user advised that walking in at opening time (5:30 PM) allows for seating, potentially outside."
Positive"The user intended to visit this weekend and was glad to hear about the positive experience. They noted a lack of reservations until next month and hoped for a walk-in option."
Neutral"The user mentioned hearing positive things about the restaurant and suggested it seems to be a true fusion of cultures."
Positive"Notes that Bong doesn't have the specific Cambodian dishes they were looking for."
Negative
