Republic
Category: Asian Fusion [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Manhattan/Gramercy-Flatiron, Manhattan/Union Square37 Union Square
New York, NY 10003 (212) 627-7172
- Nearest Transit:
Union Square (4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W)
14th St-6th Aves (F, V, L, 1, 2, 3)
14th Street (PATH)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
254 Reviews for Republic
Overall good quick asian food. The big space that includes the kitchen too makes it terribly noisy and hard to hear your companions.
Pluses: basket under table to place purse/bags, speedy service, tasty menu options, reasonably priced for Union Square
Minuses: the Asian Chopped Salad lacked flavor, so we drizzled the yummy Japanese eggplant soy sauce over the salad instead. Very noisy. Had to share table with other couple (not a huge problem but not very conducive to intimate conversation)
For ambiance or dining experience, 1 star. For tasty, quick, affordable Asian noodles 7 stars.
So overall, 4 stars. The food is sooo good. That's why I don't mind sharing a table with all these random people. None of us are really there for anything other than very good, very fresh Asian noodles, soup and tasty drinks.
Anticipate $20 a person including a drink.
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This place is really loud but something about it makes me want to continue going there every time Im back in NYC. Overall its just a great joint. Classy with excellent food without that pretentious feeling.
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GOOD FREAKING LORD! CAN THIS PLACE BE ANY LOUDER?! I HAVE TO TYPE IN ALL CAPS JUST SO PEOPLE WHO READ THIS CAN HEAR ME!
the food is tasty, but good lord it is noisy in here. every few moments some loud whistling noise would come from the kitchen mixing in with the 100 people eating dinner at the same time while talking about how much they "love meat" and cant believe how they couldve slept with that guy.
shut up and eat already.
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I've eaten at Republic numerous times and I've always been pretty happy. I like that you can come in alone and just sit at the bar area, it feels very spacious. Though I did sit in the back one time and it was loud and crowded.
I always order the wonton, it's amazing. I did however stop by this past weekend and order my usual. Oh my, seems they changed the recipe and now it's cilantro soup (blech!)
It's always nice to get a buddah beer too!
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I've never been to LA, but Republic's interior is what I imagine eating there to be like-- dark, slightly auteuristic, and full of sceney people. That being said, I really like the food here. It's one of my go-to places for lunch if I'm meeting someone in the Union Square area. The eggplant appetizer is my absolute favorite and the main noodle and rice dishes give you hearty portions. My dad's enjoyed the pork chop, although I usually go with the noodles. The lime chicken packs more than a hint of lime, and the curried duck broth noodles are savory and delicious. I wouldn't call Republic authentic, but it's tasty, cheap, and makes you feel like you're miles away from corporate America-- which I need. I don't think I ever even contemplated this being a "Thai" restaurant. It's asian-y, and that's about it.
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I took some coworkers here for lunch, based on a recommendation from a friend.
The food was pretty good, but I think the 3 stars is really based on the quality of service.
It felt like no one was paying attention to us when we needed extra dishes or wanted to order some rice.
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Communal seating.. food is decent.
If anyone finds a blue umbrella under the table pocket, please let me know. Thanks.
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VERY manufactured asian food. This spot is great for tourists that are looking for a franchised, hip, noodle restaurant, but if you're searching for authentic asian food, I'd advise you to walk further down University Place.
I've only been here once, but would not return. My order was wrong when they brought it to me (I normally would have just eaten the incorrect dish- but I was highly allergic to it in this case), which caused me to begin eating far after everyone else had finished. The picnic table style seating is less than comfortable, made of wood and concrete.
Service is next to none. We saw our waitress walk past once. She took our order. Other than that, bus boys refilled our drinks and brought our food.
The air conditioner was broken in the wrong way. It had to be at least 50 degrees in this place. We had to hurry up and leave because we were afraid of frostbite.
Meh. I've seen better.
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My love for thai is really ridiculous!
However, this place was good for more than thai! Their mojitos and other mixed drinks were really good and strong. Their thai is a bit different from most places with all the veggies they add to it, and they don't have tofu on the thai which is kind of weird, but I got used to the veggies and it is just as good. I have never been there for dinner, only lunch and it was fast and yummy.
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Asian Fusion is not the same as authentic Chinese cuisine. This restaurant caters to Westerners who are not a fan of Chinese cuisine or is complete ignorant of the Asian culture. It's rather an extreme insult to Chinese culture as well as other Asians. It's good for Western children to introduce them to Asian cuisines; otherwise it's rather an insult.
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At first I was reluctant to review Republic, because it's one of those places that everyone who lives below 25th street has been to and already reviewed. However, the more I thought about it, I realized that this restaurant was a favorite of mine, and I wanted to share my opinions of this place.
Expect to wait-A LOT. This place is jam packed any day of the week. The waiting area (well, the space behind the bar) is small, so it gets pretty crowded and panic inducing, so I'd recommend waiting outside if it's a nice night. Once you finally get seated, you're sat cafeteria style, meaning that you're sharing a table with strangers. However, it's never awkward-you don't have to talk to them, and I don't think I ever have struck up a conversation with my table neighbors.
The thing about Republic that makes me give it the 3 star rating is really the food. First of all, the portions are HUGE-something rarely seen in New York. Despite this, I always manage to finish my meal here, which is usually pad thai. In my opinion, I think that it's probably the best pad thai in the city. It's a little bit more expensive than other Thai places, but I think it's worth it considering the portion size and flavor.
The photography on the walls is really fun, as is the whole decor of the place. It's a little dark for my liking, but I think it adds to the scene. It's a good place to go if you have a real craving for Thai and have some time to spare.
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I give it a somewhat lackluster 3 stars. I actually go here often because it's extremely convenient for me but I have learned to stick with three specific and delicious dishes. Venturing outside if these boundaries results in disappointment. I have also learned not to go there if expecting a romantic, quiet atmosphere. It should be pretty obvious to anyone who walks in that it's enormous, loud and a little crazy in there.
I usually pop in to sit at the bar for a quick lunch between classes. Service is without fail extremely quick. My first dish of choice is the spicy fried tofu cubes with a mustard/soy sauce. SO GOOD. Sometimes I will eat the leftover sauce if nobody is looking. It is that good. Then, if it is warm out, I will order the Vietnamese veggie noodles. Fresh, cool, minty, with nice tofu slices, veggies and egg. Yum. If it is cold out, I will order the tofu udon broth, a simple hot fresh soup with tofu and choy. I used to order the spinach noodles too which were the best dish ever but they for some crazy reason discontinued them. I remember them fondly.
I would not expect amazing gourmet food here but it's reliable, quick and good enough for a simple lunch on the go.
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I didn't think you could screw up Pad Thai but apparently it can be done and Republic does it quite well. Weird bitter taste and calamari that tasted like rubber bands. Also it is so freaking loud in here you can't hear yourself think. Service was good though and I really liked the blood orange mojito.
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The food here is pretty good. It seems to get very noisy. The bathroom is clean and the seating areas are large and spread out. The seating at the bar is also nice. The food comes nicely prepared at a high cost as well. The menu as good as it is seems to change frequently.
I go only when I'm in the mood for something from Republic though, not really my crowd of people. Oh, and benches with backs would be nice.
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This is one of my go-to places in the city that I have been coming to for years. Its fast, enjoyable, and pretty inexpensive. I don't mind the noise or table sharing, its really just about being able to rely on this place to never disappoint. The drink pitchers make a nice addition to any meal- definitely chose the berry mojito over the sangria. I always get a duck soup, its guaranteed to make me happy.
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Uhm so apparently the menu has changed, and its not for the better! What happened to my coconut crusted shrimp and dumplings? The pad thai is so so and the broth noodles are only good on hungover days. very disapointing. used to be a 4 star place for me.
Three & a half stars. Yelp doesn't allow half stars.
The good:
SERIOUSLY tasty frozen lychee martini... check.
Big portions for a low price... check.
Vegetarian & non-veg options on the menu... check.
The bad:
Bitchy hostess... check.
Confused server... check.
The ugly:
Crazy woman grabbing shit off our table* on the patio... check.
*She also grabbed a drink from another table, took a sip & then threw it at the shocked person who the drink belonged to. This was totally a New York minute.
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Most reprehensible Asian restaurant in the area. With its well-known "ambiance of an airplane hangar", Republic serves Asian food as if its patrons neither know any real-life Asian people nor have ever seen a real Asian meal before. Its take on the Asiatic classics borders on racism.
The chicken broth noodles presents chicken of direst nightmares: dry, slender, nearly artificial in taste and texture. The noodles are either styrofoam or freshly opened instant noodles.
The BBQ vietnamese bun, although Republic does not actually label it such, has a strange sour pungent taste. It is not clear how one can screw up the taste of cold rice vermicelli + a meat + bean sprouts, but behold.
The spinach noodles are a mess of green glop. The waiter, in those fleeting moments when she attended to us, warned us: "Just to let you know, the spinach noodles are really really weird. Alot of people don't like it."
The pad thai is servicable.
Your attendance at Republic is understandable if you are an NYU freshman, out-of-towner, or clueless, tasteless lout. For the rest of you, shame.
Alternatives? None nearby. Your best bet is walking southeast about 8-10 blocks to St. Mark's Place, and getting some Japanese food there.
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Can I get a seat with a back please?? I'm not at an interstate rest area having a picnic. Other than that the sauteed rice with shrimp and calamari was sold and filling. My GF's curry duck was pretty nice and the $6 Tsing Tao was a good accompaniment. I could do without the 'chamber of echoes' effect though. God, I sound like a 70 year old.
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Republic is pretty decent. It can be REALLY freaking loud, which irritates me, but I think the food is solid. If you're in Union Sq craving a little asian fusion, it's not a bad choice. The pad thai is tasty, so is the beef satay, the glass noodles, the duck curry. The drinks are more notable than the food in my opinion. There's this honey drink? I forget what it's called, ask them about it. DELICIOUS. And the basil lemonade...a friend of mine stopped in during a visit to NYC last week and the next night I asked him where he wanted to go for dinner - back to Republic we went so he could get some more lemonade!
Something I feel I should share: about three years ago some friends and I went for dinner, one person got soup and there was a giant cockroach in it. Yep, nasty. Of course they brought her something else on the house and then comped all of us dessert, but still. Just thought you'd like to know.
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I have been to Republic several times now. Why? Not sure.
1) Food is not very good.
2) They take forever to seat you, even when they give you a time estimate.
3) There is no scene.
4) The decor sucks.
5) There were noodles and nipples on the wall next to my table. WTF
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Duck noodle soup is disgusting, but curry duck noodles are delicious!! I love this spot if only for its location and airy interior that is easy to pop into during the summers. It is cheap and an easy eat, but definitely not a favorite or a staple.
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more Pan-Asian cuisine... sigh.
Republic did make a refreshing noodle salad and my pork chops over rice was quite tasty.... buuutttt I think this restaurant is trying too hard to be "trendy" for me.
The noise level was pretty much unbearable on a Sat night.
Everyone was dressed to the nines. The waitstaff was not very attentive. AND MY DRINK cost AS much as my entree. asflkkjalskfjlkasjf that's how i feel about that. it wasn't even that good!!!
I'm not sure how I feel about the caf seating and the shared tables. Yes the wait was minimal but if I wanted to share tables, I would've headed to Chinatown where yes the restaurants aren't trendy but they're certainly real. And, I can get a side of bubble tea cold please for less than $11. very nice.
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Trendy spot where you're seated at communal tables on little benches so it's not the most comfortable dining experience. The food wasn't good at all (neither my friend nor I finished our meals, not because we weren't still hungry), although it was very reasonably priced for the area. I have no desire to go back, and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
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I really don't see how people can rate this with one star. I love coming here for a casual date with friends (as loud as it might be). The food is delicious, not too heavy, and the atmosphere is really nice. My friends and I come here all the time when we're in the area and aren't sure where to go for lunch.
july 2nd 2008
if your looking for asian bar and noodles place and unique drinks this is a place to go. near train station at 14st union square. i had grilled chicken with special meat in the middle and a salad that has the same of a mountain, wish i bring my camera.
they have a cool system of taking your order with a pda, the waitor click click click and sends it to the receiver and back to the kitchen. fast and unique. music there was awsome its not a typical asian restaurant where you hear people chewing their food and sweet music in the background, it make you tap your feet when you eat ehehhe. it's a good place to bring a date or friends. it is affordable and its a place to get out of the school environment after an exam. i spend less than 20 dollars for enviroment, unique food display, my salad look has a shape of a mountain.
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There's probably a good analogy to describe this place. "Lipstick on a pig"? "Polishing a turd"? You get the point.
Republic is impressive when you first walk in. A nicely appointed bar area, which opens into a massively huge hall, benches filled with the young and the hip. To borrow a line from Tony Bourdain, it's like a "terrordome" of food.
The management, i'm sure with the best of intentions, decided to conceptualize Republic's offerings into sort of a pan-asian fusion cuisine. The quality of the food is akin to watching Timothy Dalton trying to pull a Roger Moore or a Sean Connery. It's a good effort, but it falls way short of the real thing. The last time I ate there, I had the spicy beef noodle soup (aka pho) and kicked myself for not riding out the R train for 4 more stops to Canal St for the real thing.
However, as far as food crimes go, Republic is mostly innocent. It's reasonably priced for the area, and has a good variety of dishes for almost every palette. It's also a great way to introduce noodle newbies to asian flavors before subjecting them to the real thing at Astor Place, Chinatown or K-town.
I won't be returning any time soon, especially with the close proximity of East Village ramen joints, but it's worth a visit if you're new to noodles. Come to think of it, the appropriate analogy for this place would be, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"
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"Never say never? I'm saying NEVER EVER! NEVER FRICKING NEVER FRICKING EVER!!
Ya heard me?!
The BIG mistake was my indecisiveness with arranging a meeting place for a date; whilst I was @ the office furiously working, knowing that my manager was within earshot; I agreed to the first suggestion from my companion for that evening to meet @ Republic. CURSES BLOODY CURSES!!!
My Spidey sense should have immediately begun tingling upon hearing the name given with the address. I mean how in the world could I not know of this bastion of faux fusion Asian food right smack dab in the middle of UNION SQUARE!? I completely had no clue this place existed even though I passed it a bajillion times! A large restaurant nestled in the heart of Union Square folks. . .how the heck did I not know of it?
I saunter into Republic with sheer amazement on my face. This place is FREAKING HUGE and I never knew it existed!!
Imagine a college dining hall located in an airplane hangar filled with communal tables. Got the picture?
Now to the nitty gritty. The food is mediocre for the money. You will hear no accoloades from me regarding food. Plain old mediocre; then again my appetite and sensory of taste were immediately lost and bitterness entered my system upon my entrance into this cavern. Ok maybe one of those spring rolls was tasty but that is all u will get from me!
The ambiance sucks. Boring interior design with boring neutral colors.
The staff is polite and courteous so I can't knock them
Drinks were average.
Now the major monkey killer for me kiddies. YOU CAN'T GET PHYSICALLY CLOSE TO YOUR DATE NOR CAN YOU SPEAK IN A LOW TONE FOR JUST THE TWO OF YOU!!
Now if you have read any of my previous reviews you will know that Uncle JT places a premium on the kissing proximity to ones partner and the ability to whisper sweet somethings in their ear. I mean u have to be able to lean over in some manner and give your honey a smooch, a nibble on the ear, feed them a few bites or at the very least reach out and stroke their hands across the table.
Republic's picnic tables allow none of this closeness to develop. They provide a natural no touch barrier. We are talking not even able to grope and massage the thigh of the desired party. Totally deplorable seating.
I was so mortified by the setup of this place. Truly my spirit was crushed and I grew restless with the the desire to escape this monstrosity of a romance deterrent.
I honestly don't know who would bring a love interest to a place like this. Maybe married people come here or those that don't like to touch while they are eating. Maybe drunk fratboys come here so they can yell out to each other with the bulk of their verbal musings concerning the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue lost in the cacophonous din of the hangar. . .err. . .I mean restaurant
JT don't like.
JT ain't going back.
EVER!"
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The Salmon on rice is fantastic. If you happen to be near Union Square and hating on everything that seems available, try this place and order this one dish. The rest of it is pretty tasty? I dunno, I only ever order the Salmon. If you sit at the counter you can watch the assembly line style food construction as the cooks chat with each other in chinese.
It is loud (big space) and I don't like the photos on the walls (people wearing noodles?) but! its great for the location.
Republic is great if you're hungry in Union Square and don't want to wait on line for another restaurant. The food is just OK and the selection isn't great. The staff is very friendly.
I'm not a big fan of the cafeteria-style seating but this place is nice and large, which is better than most places in Manhattan.
Food: Tasty and reasonably priced. Vegetarian options available.
Drinks: Not as inexpensive, but also tasty.
Decor: Cool, tall ceilings, modern.
Service: Unenthusiastic. We got a table and one of our friends hadn't yet arrived. We proceeded to order drinks. The server was notably irritated that the 4th person wasn't present and even made a snide remark about it after we'd ordered our food. I couldn't figure out why it peeved him so much because we were making purchases... it wasn't like we were sitting at a table taking up space and not making the restaurant any money.
Alright Ive read the reviews....
and I must start my review fully admitting that YES this place is loud, there are no backs on the seats, the food is clearly not authentic, and it is not a romance inducing environment.
However, I felt as though it was a nice place for a quick bite. It wasn't horribly over priced and the food was good. It wasn't a place I'm dying to go back to but I enjoyed my meal.
I had the fried won-tons and they were really delicious! I got the Asian basil lemonade to drink... which had an interesting (good) flavor and was thirst quenching! For the main course I had the grilled pork also very tasty... but the Vietnamese crushed rice was really difficult to eat with chopsticks because it isn't sticky at all! I finally gave up and asked for a fork.
The only thing I didn't like about the restaurant is the family style seating... sitting right next to people you don't know really limits my ability to convey horrid gossipy details over my bowl of noodles!
While I'm sure there are better places in the area I would totally recommend this place for a quick relatively inexpensive lunch.
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For an Asian Fusion place in Union Square, this quality of service varies depending on what time you visit. Go during a busy night (aka weekends from 8-10) and the service is slow. It's also quite loud. However, if you opt for the earlier dinner hours, you'll have a much quieter setting and a more attentive staff. The decor is enjoyable but the seats are like park benches (no backs!)
The food..well, it's alright and overpriced. Travel for an extra 10 minutes on the train and you can go to Chinatown for authentic and tastier noodles!
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I love noodles. Period. If you love em too, here is the place. Select all different types, all different sauces. The place is big, cafeteria like but with a modern dark flare, it can get loud. Under the long tables there is a shelf, sort of a holding well, where one could put their hand bags, or other stuff. I love that! I love that the waiters take orders via a handheld PDA (long before this was popular). The service is super fast. I brought my 4 year old here, not a problem.
Hm. Where should I start?
I've been here twice and the second time was the icing on the cake. First we get some drinks from the bar. Weak and over priced. Once our friend arrived we were seated right by the door where the hostess was basically yelling in our faces. (If you haven't been here before its pretty much a glorified cafeteria.. if Ikea had a pan asian cafeteria, it would be Republic.) Then our waiter comes up to ask what we wanted to order. No water, no introduction. He takes our order on a palm-piloty-retail-gunish thing. Our food arrived in seconds, luke-warm. My salad and tofu dish side by side. So bad. This place pushes people in and out like a factory. A bad food factory.
I'm giving it two stars because my salmon sashimi salad was pretty good and Jon LOVES the curried duck noodles. Also, I don't really expect much from Union Square. This place actually reminded me a lot of the subway stop there. Only a little cleaner, 90s modern and with really bad fried tofu. Jon might have to find someone else to eat his duck noodles with, I don't think I'll be back.
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I've only had the Thai Chicken Noodles but I still love this place. It's typical New York with a very large and modern design, long tables that you might share with another customer eating alone for lunch or sit at the bar. The menu is what you'd expect: Noodles with all types of Asian leanings. One strange thing that I don't like, they don't have a good selection of beverages. I always want tea when I go there but all they have is some kind of lemon grass green tea, which I don't like.
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I haven't been here in years because the food is simply awful. It's such a shame - its in such a great location right in Union Square and the food is relatively inexpensive. Even the cafeteria-style set up could be cool, but the food is just so disappointing. My advice is to avoid this place.
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The food here is pretty good, although, I'm going to make a very embarrassing admission: it gives me terrible heartburn. The severe kind that made me run directly to Duane Reade and pop two Pepcide AC's and want to lie down immediately. That being said: honestly, I really did like what I was eating, but for whatever reason, I get a very acidic stomach after eating it.
Pros: Good food, reasonable priced (my favorite dish is $10.00 - it's the curried duck noodles) and service is fast. It's good for eating alone - they sit you at the counter and serve you ultra-quick - so if you're in the area and need a quick bite that isn't fast food, then you can stop here. Atmosphere is good.
Cons: Acid stomach! Very loud - very, very, cafeteria loud. It's hard to really hear a conversation here. The seating can be rather cramped as they sit everyone on long benches and tables a la cafeteria (or a sober nod to socialism?).
Overall, I do recommend it.
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You know in college when you started to become a master with Ramen and it became like stone soup?
"Well I've got Ramen"
"Oh and an egg"
"look hot sauce!"
"is that leftover curry?"
"tofu!"
"my roommate can spare some Kimmie"
"ooh look canned mushroom soup"
And the next thing you knew, you had a salty mix of bizarre Asian-y flavors that was perfect college faire....
Well republic is a lot like that, the food is really NOT Asian, or it's a mish mash of several styles at once. it tends to be either bland (vegetarian) or too salty (all else) but for a quick (loud) bite after a few drinks it's perfect...damn lazy NYU students...make your own ramen
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