For seven years Ugly Baby was the Thai restaurant New Yorkers used to test each other's tolerance for chile, and then in late 2024 chef Sirichai Sreparplarn simply walked away from it. He reopens on August 27 in a Williamsburg room roughly twice the size of the Carroll Gardens original, with a full liquor license and a menu he has rebuilt to run broader than the one that made his name. Labor Day weekend is the first holiday weekend to eat there.
What to expect
A bi-level room seating about 70, with a bar and a dedicated waiting area where you can drink while the queue moves - a real change from the cramped original. The kitchen is not reprising the old menu wholesale; the team has promised a wider range of dishes and styles, and the new liquor license means cocktails alongside the wine and beer. Resy listed no bookable tables across the whole Labor Day weekend as of August 25, but the restaurant states
Good to know
- Friday and Saturday service runs 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Sunday is 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Closed Mondays.
- Resy listed no bookable tables for September 4, 5 and 6 as of August 25 - walk-in is the realistic plan.
- The restaurant says walk-ins are always welcome, and there is a waiting area with drinks service.
- It seats about 70 over two floors, so larger groups and family-style ordering now work here.
- This is a new address, not the old Carroll Gardens shop - go to 364 Grand Street in Williamsburg.
Planning Sep 5–6, 2026 in NYC?
This list keeps changing as events are verified. We'll send you the final version the Thursday before — and you can unsubscribe right after if that's all you need.
Common questions
Is this the same Ugly Baby that closed?
Yes. Chef Sirichai Sreparplarn reopens his restaurant on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at a new Williamsburg address, after closing the Carroll Gardens original in late 2024.
Can I get a reservation for Labor Day weekend?
As of August 25, Resy listed no bookable tables for September 4, 5 or 6. The restaurant's own site says walk-ins are always welcome.
Is the old menu back?
Not exactly. The team has said the menu covers a wider range of dishes and styles than the original, so expect changes alongside the classics.
Does it serve cocktails now?
Yes. The Williamsburg restaurant holds a full liquor license, which the Carroll Gardens original did not, so cocktails join the wine and beer.
