Driftwood

Driftwood reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

1. a

   anthony

   New York City6 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on August 11, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Some of the best food I have ever had, will for sure be coming back
   

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2. CL

   CindyL

   New York City12 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on July 13, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   This place is a hidden gem! It far exceeded my expectations as the food was unique but absolutely delicious. Peashoot - I regularly cook/eat this at restaurants and this was so much better than any I've tried. It's a Chinese staple but Driftwood was able to add subtle changes that infused it with so much more flavor Mala Tots - This was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The way tater tots are supposed to be! Roasted Bone Marrow - This was good but we thought it was going to be the star of the show. My favorite part was actually the buttered toast which had a sweetness that balanced really nicely with the salty gremolata. BLT Fried Rice - Funnily, the next day I went to another famous restaurant that also served BLT Fried Rice. Driftwood's version was 10x better. It is heavy because of the bacon fat but it was also so delicious and well executed. The runny egg was a perfect touch. Rice Noodle Roll - This was the surprise hit. It looked interesting but none of us expected to be blown away. Parmesan on rice noodle??? We were all fighting for the last piece because it was that good. Driftwood Boil - If you are a fan of Boils, this is the typical fair. Nothing surprising except for the quail egg which my companions were very excited for. Milk Tea Pudding - O M G. This is sooo dangerous. I love earl grey and pudding so I had to get this. It had a strong tea taste while being so creamy. The Crumble and honeycomb added the texture and shocks of sweetness. I could've had a bucket of this. Only way it would've been better is if it was a panna cotta. I'm drooling as I'm typing. Maesil Soda - This was surprisingly good! It was refreshing, sour and sweet which helped cut the richness of some of the food. We left so full and so happy. I will definitely be returning.
   

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3. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   New York City1 review

   4.0

   Dined on June 29, 2024

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   Food, service and atmosphere was good. Would have given 5 stars but the menu changed from what is advertised online, and they were out of a lot of things on the menu. Would go back again
   

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4. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Washington DC3 reviews

   1.0

   Dined on June 28, 2024

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 3

   We really want to love this place but the food didn’t live up to expectations. Things started off fine enough with the golden crab bao, two healthy sized “bao” generously filled with crab meat with a creme fraiche sauce and flying fish roe. The bun was toasted or lightly fried maybe which gave it a unique crispiness you don’t expect from bao but made it kind of hard to eat. Either way this was a fine dish but things went downhill from there. Pork belly wraps were overcooked to the point they were hard to chew, though the accompanying peri peri dip was great - bracingly acidic and went very well with the pork. But it was impossible to get past the next dish, the barbecue chicken with fried skin and gochujang honey mustard. The chicken was overcooked and dry, slathered in an unnecessarily-sweet sauce that honestly made it indistinguishable from elementary school cafeteria bbq chicken. Who doesn’t like fried chicken skin but it couldn’t even come close to saving this dish.
   

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5. J

   Jane13

   New York City85 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on June 15, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   To say that Driftwood is a neighborhood gem is beyond an understatement. It almost seems criminal that this place isn't being featured in every foodie blog/magazine or going viral on social media, because it deserves to be. Perhaps it's "too creative and exciting" for the stretch of Grand Avenue in Maspeth that it happens to be located on, but for anyone looking for a unique and exceptional dining experience, I urge you to make this a destination. The food is so delicious and perfectly executed, and the service is really amazing as well. My husband and I ordered the BLT fried rice, the seafood boil, and the roasted bone marrow. I was fully expecting to have leftovers to take home, but everything was so tasty that we left nothing behind. :) We even ate the deliciously seasoned peanuts that the server brought us to snack on while we waited for our order. The most impressive aspect of the dishes was how balanced they were in terms of flavors and textures. The fried rice was unlike any fried rice I've ever tasted. The contrast between the pork and the veggies and tobiko, along with the rich yolk of the soy egg....just amazing. The bone marrow was so good too and was topped with a fresh herb sauce and crispy shallots. The seafood in the boil was perfectly cooked and tender. If Driftwood was in another Queens neighborhood (Sunnyside, Astoria, LIC), it would be packed every single night. I really hope more people check it out, because they deserve to be truly successful.
   

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6. r

   reviewer626

   New York City13 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on May 9, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Amazing! I am so glad we tried this. Everything was delicious and inventive.
   

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7. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Miami2 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on April 12, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great new restaurant in Maspeth! Would come again in future!
   

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8. LH

   LeslieH VIP

   New York City24 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on February 11, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Creative menu, delicious food, friendly service, reasonable prices. Great new find!
   

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9. DB

   DaBestChoice

   New York City3 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on February 3, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We ordered every option of appetizer on the menu as well as an entree and two desserts…. Everything was brought us at an even pace as to not overwhelm us. Every item was made to perfection. The menu is so unique and the presentation of each item was on point. This place is neighborhood gem and I am so happy to have them here in Maspeth.
   

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10. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New York City6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on January 12, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4

    Great food as well as a fun time with bibs and gloves
    

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