I went to Republic last weekend for the first time and it was great! Their food was inexpensive but DELICIOUS! I had the pad thai and it's probably the best I've ever had! I highly recommend it! The... More

I went to Republic last weekend for the first time and it was great! Their food was inexpensive but DELICIOUS! I had the pad thai and it's probably the best I've ever had! I highly recommend it! The atmosphere is modern and hip, and the service is friendly!
Less

I personally was put off by the whole fusion thing. my vegetable red curry soup was too weird. mix of indian/thai/chinese. really odd. the starters we ordered were the seafood wontons which were... More

I personally was put off by the whole fusion thing. my vegetable red curry soup was too weird. mix of indian/thai/chinese. really odd. the starters we ordered were the seafood wontons which were oily but okay to taste. the fried tofu was just average. mango-papaya salad was nice. we also got a mixed fried rice which was average. overall, this place is okay for those who like the whole mix-match fusion thing. I did not like it and I did not find the food to be all that great. Pros: pricing, location Cons: food, music too loud
Less

Reasonably priced, delicious food, excellent specialty cocktails (lychee martini is excellent as is the bl ood organe martini) and it is a cool atmosphere. Has a very distinct smell that could be... More

Reasonably priced, delicious food, excellent specialty cocktails (lychee martini is excellent as is the bl ood organe martini) and it is a cool atmosphere. Has a very distinct smell that could be off-putting to some.
Less

I was satisfied with my meal. The menu was interesting, but not complicated. The food was very reasonably priced, and of better than average quality. This place wasn't too edgy or trendy, but it... More

I was satisfied with my meal. The menu was interesting, but not complicated. The food was very reasonably priced, and of better than average quality. This place wasn't too edgy or trendy, but it never promised to be. The decor was actually pretty interesting. The communal tables in the hall-type dining room are kind of fun. I would return the next time I am in the area and am looking for a quick, cheap, quality meal. Pros: Vaule, Soup Cons: Not fancy?
Less

This place is really trendy, fun, and the food is great. Good value for NYC. Only downside is communal seating. Pros: Trendy, Good, Fun Cons: Communal Seating

This place is really trendy, fun, and the food is great. Good value for NYC. Only downside is communal seating. Pros: Trendy, Good, Fun Cons: Communal Seating
Less

The thing I like about Republic is it ability to produce a quality meal in a friendly and efficient manner. Yes, I know the dining environment can be loud at times and a bit overwhelming, but I... More

The thing I like about Republic is it ability to produce a quality meal in a friendly and efficient manner. Yes, I know the dining environment can be loud at times and a bit overwhelming, but I expect it of this busy Union Square Restaurant. How could you not seeing the restaurant's massive size and location? I usually sit at the counter (on a couple of occasions at a table) and have almost always had a friendly and competent waiter. The reason I recommend Republic to people is it's continuous deliverance of the product is promises; quick meals, friendly & skilled staff and a convenient location. Pros: Quick, Friendly, Location Cons: Loud
Less

I must agree with the previous diner's review. I have been to Republic several times, to keep "giving it a shot" but always leave un-impressed by the food and just annoyed by the service. But... More

I must agree with the previous diner's review. I have been to Republic several times, to keep "giving it a shot" but always leave un-impressed by the food and just annoyed by the service. But tonight was the worst, when the hostesses would not seat us (table of 3) since the kitchen was 20 minutes from closing (it wasn't even 10pm). When she finally said we could walk back ourselves and see if there were tables open in the back (which I image should've been her job as the hostess...), we were not allowed to sit at any of the 10 open tables, already fully set for service, but instead were told we had to cram into a packed table, which if the restaurant was busy I could understand, but it was just unneccessary with so many open tables available! The staff was completely rude and didn't even pretend to be accomodating. I've learned my lesson -- will NOT go back. Cons: POOR SERVICE
Less

I have given this place a number of chances because I live in the area and it's convenient, but each and every time it's always been mediocre at best. However, after my experience there tonight (my... More

I have given this place a number of chances because I live in the area and it's convenient, but each and every time it's always been mediocre at best. However, after my experience there tonight (my boyfriend wanted to give it another go), I REFUSE to ever set foot in Republic again. I ordered my usual pad thai (my favorite Thai dish that I get pretty much at any Thai restaurant I go to) and when I was eating it, I wondered why my mouth was burning... it was so spicy! When is pad thai meant to be SPICY? I called the waitress over and she told me she would ask the kitchen what happened. She then comes back and informs me that the dish had "chili flakes" thrown in. Now what restaurant puts chili flakes in PAD THAI? When I asked that she said, "Sometimes the chefs are inconsistent." (That has to be true because I've had that dish at Republic before) She quickly dropped a menu in front of me and asked me what else I wanted or if I was done with the food. I didn't want anything else and the restaurant was near closing time, but I expected she would take it off the bill. I held onto it to try for a few remaining bites. She didn't take it off the bill. And when the manager asked if I wanted my meal wrapped and I said no (it was barely eaten) he didn't say anything, so I added, "It was horrible," and he just smiled. This place is just overly pretentious and the fact that the normal nature of these dishes has to be altered shows that (a) this place is incapable of making a traditional Thai dish that tastes good and (b)they want to be "edgy" and "different" but instead ruin perfectly good staple Thai dishes. A complete waste of money! Pros: Union Square location Cons: mediocre food, rude waitstaff, communal seating, noise
Less

My boyfriend and I were very excited to try Republic -- it's a cute restaurant with a great decor. We ordered food which came promptly, but there was a live WORM in my boyfriend's pad thai. The... More

My boyfriend and I were very excited to try Republic -- it's a cute restaurant with a great decor. We ordered food which came promptly, but there was a live WORM in my boyfriend's pad thai. The others sitting at our table (Republic is cafeteria style seating) asked for their checks as well seeing the slimy, dark creature crawling on top of an egg-noodle. Thoroughly disgusted, we gave the food back to the server and asked for the check. The waiter took about 10 minutes to give us the check, although only about 10 seconds to clear the pad thai w/ worm meal off our table. When my boyfriend questioned a charge, he rudely motioned to speak w/ the manager. The female manager actually seemed upset when he said we shouldn't pay for my meal either (since I had not eaten a bite). She actually seemed annoyed that we would ask her and begrudgingly didn't make us pay for our food -- AND she tried to make excuses for the fact that there was a worm in the food!! We expected much better customer service, and real, fully cooked food. Last time I checked, McDonalds (on the corner of the block) had better quality control in their kitchen and nicer staff. Plenty of other great restaurants to go to rather than go back to this insect-infested one!!
Less

A Union Square institution, this is a good place for a quick casual eat or for delivery. I order their food a lot, but there are two shortfalls. First, eating in canteen style tables in one of the... More

A Union Square institution, this is a good place for a quick casual eat or for delivery. I order their food a lot, but there are two shortfalls. First, eating in canteen style tables in one of the noisiest places I?ve been too is not everybody?s idea of fun. Second, most things on the menu are not great, they are just OK. I love just one thing on the menu ? the grilled marinated salmon is amazing, just can?t get enough of it. Everything else, its OK but not amazing. If you?ve ever been to Wagamama in London which is now opening branches across the US, this is the closest you?ll get to it until they open a location in NYC?
Less