Looking for fun/rowdy ethnic restaurants: big group + great food (BYOB a must, live entertainment a plus)

[jeremyhfisher]

Looking for fun BYOB places anywhere in the five boroughs. The kind of places where "cuisine locals" get a bit rowdy (cuisine locals = Koreans at a Korean restaurant, Georgians at a Georgian restaurant). Something along the lines of Cupola Samarkanda II or Cafe Sim-Sim would be perfect. I remember a dinner at A Fan Ti featuring old Chinese men drinking copious amounts of Coors Light with their shirts off, that's the kind of thing we're looking for. Live music at the restaurant (like at Cupola Samarakanda II or Sim-Sim) is a huge plus, but not a requirement. If there's no live entertainment at the restaurant, a fun bar/karaoke bar nearby would great.

Are there any really fun BYOB Korean restaurants (ideally in Murray Hill, Queens), or do all the fun ones (e.g. Han Shin Pocha) serve drinks?

Places we're considering include Tacis Beyti, Caucasus Garden, Baku Palace, Old Baku, and Cafe Afsona. Would love some Korean, Chinese, West African, Latin and Filipino recommendations as well.

Thanks in advance,
-Jeremy

-----
Taci's Beyti
1955 Coney Island Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11223

Han Shin Pocha
40-03 149th Pl, Queens, NY 11354

Baku Palace
2001 Emmons Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11235

Cupola Samarkanda II
1797 McDonald Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11230

Sim-Sim Cafe
312 Ditmas Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11218

Caucasus Garden
2715 Avenue U, Brooklyn, NY 11229

Old Baku
115 Ditmas Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11218

Cafe Afsona
416 Ditmas Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11218

[kmpnyc]

GLOW Thai, a new restaurant in Bay Ridge, is BYOB and the kitchen is all-Thai. I just ate there recently and the food is authentic and amazing! Your big group would likely take up the whole place, so you'd bring your own party. Waitstaff is very open and friendly. It might fit the bill, though I have never (and hope to never) see anyone shirtless there. :)

-----
Glow Thai
7107 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11209

[jeremyhfisher]

Sounds great, thanks! How does it compare to places like Ayada, Ploy Thai, Zabb Elee etc...?

-----
Zabb Elee
71-28 Roosevelt Ave, Queens, NY 11372

Ploy Thai
81-40 Broadway, Queens, NY 11373

Ayada
77-08 Woodside Ave, Queens, NY 11373

[kmpnyc]

GLOW Thai has more in the way of atmosphere than those places, but the kitchen is 100% as authentic. The chef, Suwanna, will make you just about any authentic dish if you know what you are asking for.

My guess is that if you wanted a special menu for your crowd they would accommodate as well.

Here is a link to the menu. http://www.glowthai.com/menu.html

[jeremyhfisher]

Menu looks pretty generic, any particular standouts?

[kmpnyc]

Omg, yes! The Thai sausage is outstanding. Handmade little individual jewels of flavor. I would go just for those. Also the curry puffs. You should talk to them. I am sure they are able to make you seriously authentic dishes. In fact, they brought one out from the kitchen for me to sample the other night.

-----
Glow Thai
7107 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11209

[UnitedNationsOfFood]

Great question, Jeremy... I wish I had some other suggestions. Caucasus Garden is great, but I don't think they do any live music, and most of their tables are outside--which isn't so great in January. Some of the Bukharian places (Tandoori Bakery or Cheburechnaya or their neighbors) in Rego Park might be BYOB, but I can't remember specifically... maybe that's a sign that they serve alcohol, and I drank too much of it during my visits? Tandoori definitely has live music, though I'm not sure that I've seen any shirtlessness there yet.

"Rowdy shirtless ethnic BYOB with live music" deserves to be its own category of restaurant. Good luck, and let us know if you find any other interesting spots!

[jeremyhfisher]

Trying to expand beyond Central Asian, but no great luck yet. Still looking.

[EricMM]

Cheburachnaya has wine (kosher only) and beer. They do allow BYOB....the Russian and Bukharian tables always seem to have a bottle of vodka for big groups. I don't know if you would be allowed to bring in your own wine if it isn't kosher though...

-----
Cheburechnaya
92-09 63rd Dr, Queens, NY 11374