Short answer
The Lai Rai menu is small. Press coverage names three bar snacks and a rotating set of homemade ice creams, and no prices are published anywhere, so check Instagram or ask at the bar.
The Lai Rai menu is short: three bar snacks and a rotating run of homemade ice creams and sorbets, according to press coverage read in November 2026. This guide does not publish the bar’s own menu, because none is posted online. It collects the items that Off-Menu, Time Out New York, SoHo Grand, Resy Editorial and A/TLY have named, so you know what kind of food to expect at 76 Forsyth Street.
What kind of food does Lai Rai serve?
Lai Rai is a Vietnamese natural wine bar on the Lower East Side, and the food is built to sit alongside a glass rather than replace dinner. Time Out says the snacks come from the Mắm kitchen next door. Ice cream is made in house and is described in the press as the specialty.
That makes the order simple. Pick one or two snacks to share, then finish with a small dish of ice cream.
Which bar snacks are named in press?
Three snacks appear across the write-ups. All three are light and meant for sharing.
| Snack | What press says | Texture |
|---|---|---|
| Giò thủ | Sliced Vietnamese head cheese, with a marbled pattern that echoes the marble bar top | Firm, cool, sliced thin |
| Chicharrón | A bowl of crisp fried pork skin | Crunchy, airy |
| Prawn crackers | A round of the classic puffed crackers | Light, crisp |
Time Out also lists corn ice cream among the snacks sent out from the Mắm kitchen, which is why it appears in the ice cream list below.
Which ice cream flavors has press named?
Ice cream is served in small metal coupes, and the flavors lean toward Vietnamese ingredients. These are the ones named in print so far.
- Fish sauce caramel: a salty-sweet caramel flavor named by Off-Menu and SoHo Grand.
- Laughing Cow: a cheese-flavored ice cream named by Off-Menu and by Resy Editorial in July 2025.
- Banana leaf: a grassy, aromatic flavor named in press and in an A/TLY listing.
- Avocado: a rich, buttery flavor mentioned by Off-Menu and SoHo Grand.
- Chrysanthemum: a floral flavor named by Off-Menu and SoHo Grand.
- Guava sorbet: a fruit sorbet that Resy Editorial saw on offer in July 2025.
- Corn: listed by Time Out among the snacks from the Mắm kitchen.
Several of these have their own guides on this site, listed under Snacks and sweets and Vietnamese pantry.
Why does the menu change so often?
A small bar with a rotating ice cream list will not keep one fixed menu. The flavors above come from write-ups dated between 2025 and the present, and some may be gone while others have arrived. The same goes for snacks.
Treat the list as a picture of the style, not as tonight’s board. If a flavor you read about is missing, a different one will probably take its place.
Are prices listed anywhere?
No. None of the sources read for this guide publishes a price for any food item, so this guide does not state one. Prices can also move without notice at a small venue.
The most direct way to get current prices and flavors is to ask at the bar or look at the bar’s Instagram account, @lairai.nyc. There is no phone number listed. The full item list is on the menu page, and the address and weekly hours are on the hours and location page.
How should you order here?
A few habits make sense for a room with 22 seats, as SoHo Grand counts them.
- Share the snacks. Press calls these light snacks, so two or three people can try all three.
- Ask what ice cream is available. Flavors rotate and some may be sold out.
- Mention allergies before ordering. Prawn crackers contain shrimp, and giò thủ is a pork product. Ask staff about ingredients and anything else you avoid.
- Plan around the hours. The bar opens in the evening, and Friday and Saturday run latest.
This guide is independent and takes no orders. For anything that needs a firm answer, the bar itself is the source.
Common questions
Does Lai Rai have a full dinner menu?
No. Press describes food as bar snacks and ice cream only. Time Out says the snacks come from the Mắm kitchen next door.
What are the prices at Lai Rai?
No source read for this guide publishes prices for any item, so none are given here. Ask at the bar or check the Lai Rai Instagram account.
Are all ice cream flavors available every night?
Probably not. Flavors rotate and the menu notes some may be sold out, so treat the list as a guide to the style rather than a promise.
Is there a menu online?
No posted online menu was found. The items here come from press write-ups, not from a current menu board.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Lai Rai itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.