Went to Mari after a solid recommendation from a trustworthy foodie friend and I was not disappointed. I've had Michelin star meals before but this meal was one of the better ones I've had. I definitely favor Asian flavors or foods and this meal was no exception. I like how the menu was not repetitive in that there there was some progression. The appetizer portion was very different from the mari section which was very different from the second entree which was a noodle soup. The appetizers were pretty good, the pepper and crispy kimchi rice were my favorites on that "serving". I would've gladly eaten a couple more of those. The maris were great! The salmon was hands down the best one (I'm sad I don't have a picture) in my opinion. The spicy tuna was a close second for me. Probably my least favorite was the pastrami duck only because I don't like the taste or flavor of pastrami. For dessert there was an ice cream sandwich which I don't think was anything too noteworthy. The noodle soup was my favorite dish out of the whole meal which was a surprise to me. I'm not a soup gal but that was a nice addition that I wasn't expecting after the light maris. By the end I left full and happy -- and with an unexpected opinion I'd honestly go back just for this soup. read more

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Straight up, this place is not nearly as good as their sister restaurant Kochi. I came here 10 days after going to Kochi with high expectations. Sadly the food quality was night and day in comparison. Allow me to clarify, the quality was fine but the flavors were uninspiring and at times bland. They used soy sauce in so many dishes in overpowering amounts that many dishes tasted the same. I would also attribute this is having so many pieces wrapped in seaweed paper, which has a powerful taste on its own. Compounding that feeling were the long wait periods between dishes. No wonder the guy next to us was able to down 6 full cocktails over the course of dinner. I was quite disappointed. Side rant: this was the first restaurant I've been to recently that touted using "summer truffles" in their dishes. Let me say this loud enough for those in the back... SUMMER TRUFFLES ARE CRAP... they are NO WHERE near as flavorful as in season black and white truffles. These taste more like a shaved commercially grown mushroom. It is not worth the hype, and honestly, my palette would prefer to skip it altogether. (Looking at you @Chemistry Room). The service and atmosphere are great though, and maybe this was just an off night given how positive reviews there have been. I'm giving a 3 star vote for overusing soy sauce and seaweed wrap. Change these and I think the fish quality and everything else would be an easy 5-star vote. read more

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What an amazing meal! Every single bite is just expertly prepared with so many flavors and nuances and the pairing is fantastic! A mix of French and California wines, sake, shochu, and makgeoli. They said the menu rotates out every few months, so it's definitely going in our pre-concert rotation. read more

Loved it here more than I expected! definitely do not come expecting your traditional Japanese handroll place, but Mari definitely puts an authentic Korean touch into all these unique dishes and handrolls. Some highlights of the meal included: - the Hansang to start off with! I typically do not even like oysters, but the oyster here had such a special flavor that made it so good! Was also a huge fan of the gochu jeon and the beef tartare here as well. - the cod mandu was so light and savory and came in such a fragrant broth. - maris: my favorites included the snow crab (which was wrapped in a nori chip! so unique), caviar salmon (the salmon was so fresh), A5 Wagyu and Truffle supplement (opt for this one! They do NOT skimp on the truffle and the wagyu is the most tender), and the pine mushroom (very earthy smell and taste with 3 different types of mushrooms!). The scallop one was a bit spicy for me, the spicy tuna was alright as I am not a huge fan of texture of shredded tuna, and the duck tasted like pastrami which is not typically my favorite. But it was so fun to try all of them! - the guksu was so good, although spicy. the broth was so soothing and the noodles were so thin and slippery. - I don't usually like caramel, but the ice cream sandwich was so light and not sweet at all! Perfect way to end the meal. Would definitely come here if you are looking for a korean twist to your traditional japanese sushi/omakase/handroll spots. read more

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From the team behind the nearby Korean skewer spot Kochi, Mari brings another grand slam to the neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen, this time with a hand-roll omakase that's delicious from start to finish. With a set menu, there's not much decision making on your part, aside from drinks and maybe an extra hand roll after your set and/or the addition of sea urchin. Since there isn't much room for choice, I'm going to spare details surrounding the food from this review - for Mari, the journey is part of the experience. You should just know that they will ask you about allergies and intolerances, adjust as needed if required, and the rest you'll leave to them to take your taste buds on a journey with little to be desired at the end as you've been completely fulfilled from savory to sweet. Keep in mind, not everything is a hand-roll: you'll start with a few appetizer courses, finish off the savory with a noodle dish, and then the sweet. Don't worry if you don't like the offered cocktails. We asked for a margarita and it was one of the best margaritas we've had around. Non-alcoholic? Try the Red tea. Each pot of tea is good for about 4 1/2 cups. Mari is a great spot for a special occasion too: anniversary, birthday, or just a solid yet special date night. read more

Mari - Dessert + something special for a birthday visit - Korean Near Me - New York, New York

From the first bite to the dessert each dish was full of flavor. Each dish was different from the last and has such a unique flavor fusion. The service was spot on and the attention to detail made the experience better. The place was lively but loud enough where you could hear people at your table. read more

Food: 9/10 (too much sauce / toppings) Service: 9.5/10 (so attentive; offered alternatives bc my mom doesn't like scallop and didn't eat it; only issue is that it was sometimes hard to hear / understand the food explanations) Ambience: 9/10 (very small space but great to be close to the chef and see what they're preparing) Came back because I absolutely love this spot and was once again impressed. Since I last came, they've added a duck piece to the menu, which was such a unique fusion flavor that I've never had before. Reminded me a bit of BBQ and was nice and thinly sliced. They didn't have the abalone add on which I was a bit sad about but the uni + tuna was still good. Dishes were topped with more sauces than I remember from last time which overwhelmed the fresh flavor of the seafood a bit. A5 Wagyu was my favourite by far. Fam rly liked the salmon + caviar for the pyrenees of flavors and fattiness. Dessert this time was a chocopie with strawberry jelly. For my dad's birthday they brought him a sesame ice cream sandwich (same dessert as Kochi!!) which was great. Overall amazing visit once again with extremely attentive service. read more

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In the tons of Michelin star restaurants I've tried across the globe this is amongst the worst, if not the worst. Most troubling is that the restaurant is trying to cut corners by having only one chef crew for a restaurant that's outfitted for multiple (just look at the bar for perspective). It resulted in a waiting time for food that was beyond pale. For perspective, the reservation was at 7pm, sat early at 6:50pm and the main course had yet to be served by 9pm. The manager was non-existent (called out for an emergency I was told) and the staff was ill equipped to handle the massive backup in the restaurant. The food is tasty, sure, but in a city (and world) with a lot of good food it's the service and experience that could make or break it. In this case, it broke it and badly. Would strongly not recommend to visit and would strongly recommend Michelin to re-review this restaurant that's clearly lost its way or gotten lazy, at best. read more

Mari - Korean Near Me - New York, New York

Looking for a date night with something a bit different? Then you definitely should be stopping in trendy Mari in Hell's Kitchen for Korean omakase. Every dish was definitely flavorful - I loved the shrimp hand roll, the noodles & their take on the choco pie in particular. Each hand roll is specifically packed with full flavor, with a nice mix of textures too. The omakase doesn't look much but it's more than enough to fill you up. The last dish of noodles is definitely more heartier than expected, yet it's a surprise because of how delicate & thin the noodles and pork belly were. And to end it with that choco pie? Woo-wee! Unfortunately, I did have to take off one star because service was extremely slow between the first and second hand rolls. I believe the staff was trying to get everyone who had Broadway tickets out first but should've at least notified us? Our dinner ended up being almost 3 hours because of waiting around. But other than that, seriously no complaints. :) read more

Mari - Korean Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here for my birthday because we had a great time at their sister restaurant Kochi. But I was quite disappointed at Mari, from the service to food, nothing wows me. It really doesn't match the price tag. Reservation was easy just have to make reservation couple weeks in advance if you want chefs counter. I was greeted at the door and wished me happy birthday be seated right away. The whole tasting experience took 2 hrs. There are a long wait between each course, the handrolls took 5 seconds to eat but takes 10 mins for the next one. A lot of wait you will have to be really patient and not in a rush. I came to celebrate birthday they do not offer any celebration, no cake no drink no candle. Only just a "happy birthday" upon arrival. Nothing special spending birthday here. All the food are mediocre, a lot of them are just soy sauce marinated. The "summer truffle" they use is the size of the potato that I had never seen, but there's no fragrance at all. all the hand rolls are over powered by seaweed. read more

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One of the most innovative meals I've had in a while. Amazing combo of flavors in each dish. The servers were all super sweet - they gave me a new napkin because mine fell on the floor which was so thoughtful. Will definitely be back! read more

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I'm truly surprised that anyone would give this spot less than 5 stars! Came for a birthday dinner and the meal was everything I was hoping it to be. I like that their restaurant model only offers a standard pre-fixe menu (with some optional add ons). The appetizer bites and the hand rolls were all amazing. There wasn't a single one I felt meh about. The steamed egg was perfectly textured with great flavor. The noodle soup course that closed the meal before dessert was definitely a more neutral broth but I thought it was good to do something without a ton of flavor to transition the palette for dessert. The chocopie dessert was such a cute nostalgic twist on one of my favorite childhood snacks. Because we were celebrating a birthday, they brought out an extra chocolate Swiss roll dessert and I'm so glad we got to try that too because the cream in the roll was divine! I would absolutely come back here in the future. read more

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Mari is a Korean hand roll restaurant which only serves a chef's choice tasting menu. To me, it's essentially a Korean version of omakase. As a Korean American who loves omakase, I was really excited. However, I think the food ultimately did not meet my expectations. The meal starts with a selection of appetizers, most of which were good. I thought that it was a strong start to the meal and it made me excited for what was to come. But then they served a soup course which was unfortunately lukewarm, making the soup less enjoyable. Then finally the mari came, served one at a time. Some were good (i.e. wagyu, caviar & salmon), but some were uninspired and even bland. None of the pieces were particularly exciting or mind-blowing, which is what I expect to get at the better omakase places in the city at this price level. You end the meal with a cold noodle dish (good) and then dessert (okay). Everything is beautifully presented and service was great. We did the drinks pairing and they were very generous with the pours. The service and presentation is why I am giving Mari an overall strong 4 star review, although the food is more like 3.5 stars, especially given how pricey it is. I wanted to like this place as much as I like their sister restaurant Kochi, but unfortunately it ultimately fell short in comparison. read more

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Made a reservation for Saturday night here for their tasting menu. Got a seat at the bar and it was a pleasant experience seeing the chefs preparing all the food. Prior to this experience, I have tried kochi, I thought this Mari was more worth it terms of the amount and quality of food. Like kochi, everything at Mari was delicately prepared and everything was precisely placed. There was really nothing I didn't like. Everything was really tasty. The Uni was great and their side dishes were a nice palate cleansers. The drinks here were also pretty good. Service was too notch and I would definitely come back! They have outdoor option, bar/countertop seating, and dining table options. For the experience, it was definitely worth the price! read more

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TLDR: inventive, cool concept but falls short of the hype and pretty expensive/not worth it unless you're in the area. My boyfriend and I were REALLY looking forward to Mari. The hype around this place has been unreal, and we were seeing it everywhere including Eater, Infatuation, Instagram, etc. so we made a reservation for a Wednesday night at 9pm and excitedly waited for our night. SETTING: the restaurant is nice and modern. There is a big circular bar with people sitting counter style, watching the production of chefs making food, and a small room with tables towards the back. Cute space for a date, dinner with friends or family, etc. FOOD: The tasting menu was good.... But it was just that. Good. Nothing to write home about and certainly nothing too special. Not once during our meal did we do what we usually do when we omakase- stop dead in our tracks, silently chewing in ecstasy and savoring every single bite of sushi. I can't even remember most of what we ate because it was just not memorable. This would be fine for a casual weeknight dinner at a reasonable price but somehow our two tasting menus (with the add ons which honestly weren't even worth it), and two drinks came out to almost $500..... that is a LOTTT of money to spend on a meal that you walk out of being like "yeah, that was pretty mediocre". VERDICT: if you're in Hell's Kitchen and want to try something new and Korean / sushi adjacent, by all means. But if you're looking to not spend almost half a grand on an okay meal, I would pass. read more

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Really wanted to like this place but was sadly disappointed. The hand rolls are awkwardly sized - too large for one bite but can't really be eaten in two bites. The best pieces were the salmon with caviar and the wagyu but the rest were unremarkable. Best dishes overall were the non mari - the egg custard with seafood (tasted like an amazing soon dobu) and the noodle soup. Not a huge fan of the choco dessert. Service was also a bit off. The meal took almost two hours and I felt like there was too much time between each course, which left me pretty hungry. For the price ($125pp before drinks or special add ons), don't think I will return. Much prefer places like Jua and Kochi! read more

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A new restaurant by the same people as Kochi a couple streets away. Mari is focused on handrolls vs. skewers. It's about 13 plates for $125. While most of the dishes were creative and tasty, there were a couple we thought were just ok and didn't really justify the price. Everything is beautifully presented, and I loved their little details like custom made silverware. They chose spoon sizes based on the dish, and every plate was described to us before we dug in. My favorites of the night were the white shrimp and scallop maris, the guksu noods, and the cute little chocopie at the end! The broth of the guksu was soo rich and hearty. It was such a comforting dish. Each mari has a burst of flavors and different textures, which were very well thought out. The mushroom one was my least favorite. You'll definitely leave full! unlike other set menu restaurants, where you're still down for a slice afterwards. It is carb heavy though because of the all the rice! Overall, it was a unique experience! but I probably wouldn't come back. There are too many other tasting menus to try read more

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3.5/5, rounding up to 4 because we had a nice time and service was great. There were two tasting menu options, we chose the $145 option and added $37 toro caviar. Personally, I was not a big fan of the cold watermelon/tomato soup and the bibim guksu. The bibim sauce was too overpowering for me. My favorite rolls were the salmon and urchin. The toro caviar was good but not worth the $37. Overall, I was disappointed by a few of the pieces, but I'm glad I gave it a try! read more

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Such a solid tasting menu spot. The tasting menu is $125 per person (as of May 2022) and starts off with the Hansang. It is a collection of 5 bite-sized appetizers, which include the Garbanzo-Dubu Mousse, Oyster, Gochu Jeon (green pepper fish pancake), Beef Tartare, Crispy Egg Rice. My personal favorites out of the Hansang were the Garbanzo-Dubu Mousse and Oyster. The Garbanzo-Dubu Mousse was a creamy bean paste, not overwhelming one bit which made it perfect as a starter. The Oyster was really fresh and sweet and I believe they said it was basked in Makgeolli, which would explain it's sweeter taste. After the Hansang comes the Gyeran-Jjim, which was an egg custard that sat in the middle of a spicy Soondubu (tofu soup)-like base. Surrounding the egg custard is an assortment of seafood, all super fresh and perfectly cooked to just tender. After the Gyeran-Jjim, we were presented with a platter of small banchan (side dishes) which was to "cleanse our palates" between courses. Then comes the main course, which is a set of 8 handrolls. Of the 8, my favorites were the Caviar Salmon, Spicy Tuna, and Duck. The Spicy Tuna was interesting because the tuna was cooked, but it really worked with the crispy topping. The Duck was a pleasant surprise for the menu - they referred to the duck as "duck pastrami". It had a bit of a firmer taste but I loved that they included it in the menu as I felt it contrasted the other raw fish. After the handrolls comes the Guksu, which is a bowl of pork belly ramen. I actually felt the ramen noodles were a bit overcooked and too soft, but really, that's the only thing I would change about the whole meal. The pork belly was really tender and the gochu oil was the perfect pairing with the bone broth. The meal is finished off with a house-made Choco Pie as dessert. The black sesame marshmallow was really unique. It has almost a jello-like texture and I enjoyed that the dessert wasn't too sweet. It was very reminiscent of childhood and eating those beloved Hello Kitty Choco Pies. Overall, a really great experience with good service and food. We came on a Sunday night at 8pm and the place was really packed. Even then however, I didn't feel it affected the quality of service so kudos to Mari. Definitely would come again! read more

Mari - Shrimp - Korean Near Me - New York, New York

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I thought this place was really great, especially for special events. It really is just such an experience! We came here for a birthday, and it was loads of fun. I thought the staff were professional, the food was amazing, and it was just such a good experience. I think this is one of my favourite dining experiences in the city because the food is amazing, the restaurant is cute, and I didn't feel ignored/treated poorly (which has happened at other places!). I found all the courses to be really special, and I love the variety of dishes we got. For $145 for the tasting menu, I get how it can be a bit spendy, but I personally think it was worth it for a celebration. I would definitely, definitely return...and I can't wait for my next visit there! read more

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Passed by here looking for a place to eat one late night and was surprised to find this gem hidden away with an awesome tasting menu. Made a reservation for a different night at 9pm last week (there were plenty of reservation slots open throughout the week). I would definitely recommend getting a seat at the bar because you can watch the chefs prepare your food. Even with a reservation, my party had to wait 5-10 minutes for them to clear a space at the bar. Unlike some other tasting menu restaurants, there are no set seating times for the whole restaurant. Luckily the wait wasn't too long. After scanning the QR code for the menu, you can view the tasting menu ($125) and the drink you can order. I got the "Our/ Pair of Lillies" ($15 - East London Dry Gin, Yuzu, Bordiga Dry Vermouth). Pretty nice drink (tart from the yuzu) and not too expensive as far as drinks in Manhattan go. One of the wait staff came by to ask about any dietary restrictions. I was able to get shrimp removed from my tasting menu, so they are pretty accommodating! The tasting menu starts off strong with the first dish being (Hansang) containing a wide variety of items. I particularly liked the acorn jelly and the eggplant. On the other hand, I wasn't a big fan of the oyster, but I'm not a fan of oysters in general. The next dish was a stew (Gyeran-jjim) with egg, clams, and shrimp (in my case, no shrimp). For a cold day, this dish was very comforting. I enjoyed the egg and the broth a lot. The clams were good as well. The next dishes were served alongside banchan. For these sets of dishes, I coincidentally like every other one. The chefs behind the bar first gave us the caviar salmon. VERY good; the caviar had a nice saltiness to it. The second, the king oyster mushroom, I enjoyed less. I don't like the taste of many types of mushrooms, and although the taste did not seem to be strongly present here, I didn't like their texture. Instead of shrimp, I got a similarly marinated fluke. The marinade on this was amazing! The scallop was also tasty but not as much as the fluke nor the spicy tuna that followed. The mackerel on the other hand was my least favorite of the night. I don't like mackerel because it's typically "fishy" tasting, and this mackerel was no exception. I got it down but wouldn't be interested in eating that one again. Pork belly and the A5 wagyu were all very solid, but the pork belly really hit the spot over the wagyu surprisingly. At this point, I was already full, but the night wasn't quite over yet. The wait staff came by to ask if there were any additional pieces we would like to add. You can repeat any that you already ate, and they also had special pieces. I was very excited to hear they had one with uni (I love uni), so of course I ordered that one ($14), and it lived up to all expectations. The second to last dish is Guksu. I appreciated the simplicity of the dish; the broth was also comforting and very rich and tasty. The noodle were thin and smooth; I loved their texture. I would've gobbled this dish up if I wasn't already so full. For dessert, there is choco pie. Although it looks like a pretty but normal chocolate cake, the strawberry jelly inside is a nice addition, and there's a surprising "nuttiness" that I learned later was probably the taste of the sesame marshmallow. Overall a solid menu with great staff. Although there were some dishes I enjoyed less than others, the night was still filled with great food set in a great vibe. I would definitely checking this place out if you are nearby and have a slot open for a meal. read more

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Korean Hand Roll Tasting Menu. That is what Mari is known for. Walking in, you are delighted immediately with a kitchen Center stage where the chef and staff sole focus are to make sure you are tended to. The tasting menu changes every so often and a lot of it tastes experimental and are rolls that you may not find anywhere else! Definitely a spot to try for those who are looking to deviate away from your standard menu. Service: 5/5 Taste: 4/5 Ambience: 4.5/5 When we ate here, the tasting menu is $135 and you can actually add additional hand rolls as well. There is around 13 courses inclusive of appetisers and dessert. We had: 1) Hansang: Oyster, Tartare, crispy egg rice 2) Cod Mandu 3) Caviar Salmon: Nice and pops! 4) Shrimp 5) Scallop 6) King Oyster Mushroom: a bit delicate in taste 7) Spicy Tuna 8) Snow Crab 9) soy braised Wagyu: Great! 10) Guksu: light dashi ramen like base 11) Sujeong Gwa: Gingery in touch 12) Ice Cream Sandwich: Great way to end! All in all, a definite recommendation! If you are in the area and don't want to spend for an Omakase, this is a place to consider! read more

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What a disappointment. We sat at the chef's counter, which takes up most of the restaurant, and ordered the tasting menu in advance. The meal began with a steamed egg with caviar, rice cake, and beurre blanc. Very tasty. A rich way to start a long meal, but a promising one. Then there was a tuna crudo in smoked dashi with peppers, eggplants, and another thing or three. Everything was perfectly good, but a little under-seasoned, and a little muddled by too many ingredients. This was a theme through many of their offerings. Then there was a squid stuffed with shrimp paste, but because of our chef's counter seats, we could see from two feet away that calamari was sitting out at room temperature for at least the two plus hours we were there. Not the most appetizing thing to know. After that was a series of hand rolls. Everything went from slow to often waiting ten minutes for two bites of food. Our counter seats had us watching a team of very skilled, very nice chefs tweezing six ingredients to put on a single hand roll while we waited for our next bite. Premium ingredients were buried under garnishes. Fried oyster and pork belly went on the same hand roll and all you could really taste was the overpowering garnish. Blue fin tuna was placed under so many gochujang potato flakes that the fish could have been anything. It's a waste of both ingredients and money to use blue fin tuna and not to be able to taste the fish. There were a couple of bright spots, at least. The egg opener was great. The mushroom hand roll, with multiple uses of multiple mushrooms, was an absolute delight, and honored the ingredients in a way some of the others failed. These people can cook, but the food seemed more geared toward impressing than balancing flavor or honoring ingredients. By the time we got to the post hand roll dishes, we were ready to be out of there, but we stayed for the lobster and noodle dish. The noodles were nice, but the broth was a miss to me. The lobster was perfectly good, but the red shrimp wasn't properly de-veined. If you're going to take ten minutes, you can at least hold the poop. We were ready to leave without dessert. They offered to wrap up the donuts. We left before they could even bring them out to us. We were ready to stop being there, and we weren't particularly curious to try more of their food. Certainly not one of the better ways to spend two hundred dollars a head (with drinks). This place seems like it's more for Instagram than eating. The food and dining experience would have been a non-repeat at half the price and half the time. read more

TLDR: Mari is the answer to what elevated kimbap could be. An interesting concept and worth the trip. Go in with an open mind and know that this is not a sushi restaurant, it is something else. Good experience but on the pricier side. Add-ons are available as well if you want to encore your favorite rolls. We liked Kochi and when we heard a new concept was launching, I needed to see it for myself. We went opening weekend and sat at the bar. No liquor license yet and no BYOB. Hot tea with refills were complimentary. The bar area may need a bit more insulation as it got quite chilly, especially near the door. I would recommend sitting at the bar. The open kitchen concept lets you get an up-close look at the work going into each course. Despite the other review comments, it is actually quite dim upfront. I think it could actually use more light. The back didn't seem aggressively lit up but I guess you could say it was brighter back there. The concept of Kochi is Korean ingredients, French techniques and the preparation is a kochi or skewer. For Mari, the techniques are a bit broader and the serving vessel is a mari or roll. In this case, it is a hand roll. The rice is not sushi rice and it's not mean to be sushi rice. Kimbap rice is seasoned with salt, sesame oil and theirs has some ground up sesame in it as well. If you were to elevate the traditional kimbap, I think Mari is the first iteration of that thought. I do love all the custom-engraved dinnerware. First course was a platter of amuse bouche. A rolled raw slice of yellowtail and perilla leaf, acorn jelly with salmon roe, an oyster with white tapioca, an eggplant pancake (served on a skewer) and a rice ball. Each bite was quite interesting, I think I found the eggplant to be the most enjoyable. Unsurprisingly, their skewers or kochi put them on the map. Next, a seafood soft tofu soup. Interesting. Even with all the other fine dining Korean tasting menus - I have yet to come across this. It was small enough to not fill you up but filled with plenty of seafood delicacies. Good heat as well. Probably one of the courses I found most memorable. The "mari" progression begins, house-made pickles are served with the rolls. Lotus root, braised sun chokes, radish and cucumbers. All refreshing and a nice way to clear your palette between bites. The most memorable for me was a soy-marinated raw shrimp roll, their spicy tuna which was flaked out with homemade chili oil and a bit of perilla flavor underneath (arguably the best combo to order from a kimbap restaurant) and the seared mackerel. The pork belly and A5 wagyu rolls were excellent but I feel the proteins do most of the heavy lifting. Especially in regards to the wagyu. The raw shrimp roll was bouncy, salty, the right amount of gumminess and a bit of a crisp topping to give you that contrast. The spicy tuna had a decent amount of heat but you could definitively all the love that went into it. And while Mari is not a sushi restaurant, you definitely need to be on point when you have any tasting menu with a spicy tuna on it. Mari came through. The mackerel was quite special in my opinion. It was seared ever so slightly to give that char reminiscent of a Korean grilled mackerel yet also had a bit of rawness. Very unique. Once the wagyu piece was devoured, add-ons were offered. The add-on menu was a nice surprise (because I didn't think you could have additions) and the prices were very fair. I opted to repeat the spicy tuna and try the chef's special. The latter was a marinated slice of lean bluefin tuna and a healthy dollop of sea urchin on top. Both were excellent. Next, a noodle soup course? I'm not joking, this might have actually been my favorite bite of the evening. Their guksu or noodle soup is a bone broth with these perfectly bouncy noodles, a bit of chili paste and two wonderfully thin slices of pork belly. Every slurp was filled with this luscious meaty flavor and noodles that gripped every drop of broth. A touch of spice from the chili and a side of complimentary kimchi to cut through all that richness perfectly. Management could spin off a concept with that bowl alone. Maybe we'll see that happen one day. Dessert was a homemade Choco Pie. Delicious and hearty. I might like the ice cream bar at Kochi more but this was equally good. All in all, I liked my meal at Mari. I felt the price point could be a bit intimidating for some. I don't feel like it wasn't worth it because they definitely give you a good assortment of premium ingredients. Caviar, wagyu, etc. I did feel however that I may have needed more food if I didn't have the add-ons. It is still less than a week since opening, so there's definitely a learning curve and some kinks to work out. Perhaps a slightly lower price point with an option for premium upgrades might make sense. I plan to come back but probably after the menu changes a bit. Service was excellent and I wish Mari lots of luck. read more

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It's an experience. Each course is a meticulously built piece of art tailored to mesmerize your taste buds. Beautiful to look at, delicious on your tongue. The restaurant also boasts an extensive Korean traditional liquor list that wonderfully compliments their tasting menu. Service is also excellent. read more

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I've been looking forward to coming here for quite some time now. I'm very glad to have finally had the opportunity to dine here this past week! Mari is owned by the same chef of michelin star Kochi which is a few blocks down. I've also had the pleasure of having Kochi a few months ago, so my expectations were high to say the least. Mari is a 12 course meal for $125 with optional add-ons. Our group opt to tack on their white asparagus with caviar, and the black truffle on our A-5 Wagyu. I chose for our reservation to be at the bar table so we can also see the dishes being prepared (my personal preference). They also had regular dining tables if that's your preference. All the dishes below (April Menu) were satisfactory and some exceeded beyond expectations. My personal favorite was the Caviar Salmon, Scallop, and A-5 Wagyu. The flavors of each course not only was delicious on its own, but also it was constructed in a well mannered where the different ingredients complemented each other in a synergistic matter. The white asparagus roll exceeded expectations as well! The oyster was part of the Hansang course (assortment of appetizers), I forget where the oyster originated from, but it was also a memorable course. They used a citrusy vinaigrette (maybe yuzu or some sort?) which was very tasty and matched well with the brine. The drinks were also to not sleep on! The Makgolito and Pear Martini are a must try! My friends tried the Jamong Mule and Mari Blvd, both with positive reviews. Overall, I had a really good experience. The chefs/sous chefs did an amazing job with food presentation and introducing each dish in a proper fashion. Not sure if they're shooting for a michelin star, but I would highly recommend visiting this place before the hype gets even higher! read more

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Mari is the sister restaurant to Kochi offering a tasting menu of hand rolls, these aren't your typical hand rolls though. Each one had a great protein to rice ratio that you could finish in a bite or two. All of their ingredients are really fresh. Each bite was flavorful and we were stuffed by our 4th hand roll. This didn't stop us from ordering extra hand rolls not on the tasting menu. My friend and I ended up ordering an uni hand roll and two abalone hand rolls because it was just that good. By the time we got to the guksu or noodles we were completely stuffed. We loved watching the chefs assemble each handroll in front of us, and we loved that they didn't rush between each handroll so we had enough time to digest a little before the next piece. I will definitely be back since they change their menu seasonally! Check out my foodsta @chiuventure for a closer look and more details of my dining experience here as well as other establishments in NYC and around the world! read more

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We loved Kochi and went during their opening week so when I heard the chef was opening a new place, I had to go. Plus who doesn't like hand rolls? Do note, they do not have a liquor license yet and currently do not allow BYOB. The restaurant consists of one room with an open bar in the middle with seats all around. If I had known, I would've tried for bar seats. That's said, the tables are fine too. The room is brightly lit and the decor is simple but pretty. The silverware is all engraved and very elegant as well. The menu is a set menu with no add-ons. It is a $125 tasting menu. The pace was good and the ingredients are fresh. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed it with my favorite bring the mackerel and the noodle soup. I do have some constructive criticism that I hope can only make it better. The restaurant is a bit too bright, dimming it would set a better ambiance. The food overall could use a bit more salt. Either that or the rice should be seasoned. I think that was missing in comparison to Japanese hand rolls. Overall the food was good and has a lot of potential. Congrats to the chef and team. Looking forward to your next Michelin star. read more

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Food was very good. We did the tasting with sool paring. I normally don't do pairings but this was actually very good. I would have given it 5 stars but I felt a couple of the tasting menu items lacked a little luster, just seemed normal in taste. I believe if they arranged the tasting in a different order. It will keep building on the taste. I enjoyed that it didn't feel like Japanese sushi but kept to the Korean flavors. A couple of note worthy rolls were the Salamon Caviar, Scallop, Mackerel, Kampachi, Madai Urchin Caviar and the supplement Toro Caviar read more

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All I can say is that I love this restaurant. I have not been back in a while but i was one of the best meals I have had in a while. I still think about it all the time and I left stuff. The resultant is so warm and inviting and all the staff is very friendly! The hand rolls are delicious and the drink selection is good too. This is defiantly a place for an special occasion but well worth it. The fish is all very fresh and you can tell the restaurant takes great pride in what they offer. read more

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We came for v-day dinner this year and it was overall great. Food - 4/5, everything was flavorful and tasty, but somehow inconsistent. Gyeranjjim was a bit spicy and every roll was very acidic than it's supposed to be. pork belly was dry and A5 wagyu did not taste like A5 at all.. my favorites were hansang and guksu (UMAMI to the max - but not sure if they needed that much ssamjang paste in the soup). I just wished we were able to try their signature dessert; choco pie, but they switched to macaron for v-day which was disappointing.. Service: 4/5, the servers were very attentive and friendly, but we just couldn't hear a darn thing when this Korean lady really rushed to explain dishes and disappeared quickly. Drinks: 4/5, tried every single cocktail they have on the menu, but highly recommend pear martini and jamong mule I wanted to try Kochi after Mari, but I am hesitant to go after our visit here. I still recommend Mari to those who are looking for a date night in the city. read more

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New sister restaurant by michelin star Kochi team around the corner, the service, decor, vibe, and level of detail are unsurprisingly impeccable Their timing between each omakase piece is very well done for a new and already busy restaurant Some that pieces are filled with umami: tofu soup, ramen, salmon, yuzu Only feedback: some pieces that combined very strong ingredients are a bit over the top. For example, there is a piece with both quality and equal amount of wagyu and uni but it was hard to truly enjoy the quality of each since their pure flavors masked each other read more

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I ate at Mari for the first time...it was amazing!! Every tasting was a pleasure to the palate. The service was every bit as good. The staff was attentive and truly wanted you to enjoy the experience. I would highly recommend! read more

We had such high expectations, but unfortunately, the food was too salty, not seasoned correctly, too fishy, and the meal was very overpriced for the quality of the dishes. Fluke roll was in edible. The service was quite good, but immediately when we sat down we were reminded that we had to leave within a particular period of time. In general, we are quite quick eaters. For a Michelin star restaurant initial impression was poor. Kimbap roll concept was interesting but did not taste as good as it looked! read more

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Go for the hand rolls. Rest was mediocre. The handrolls were delicious. I particularly loved the salmon, wagyu and beef tartare but the banchan was nothing special. The big disappointment was the Korean noodles with the broth and meat. The noodles were the standard cold noodles but the broth was served with raw meat under the assumption that the hot liquid would cook the meat but it didn't and my friend and I could not bring ourselves to enjoy the soup as it was barely uncooked read more

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Meh. Underwhelming experience at Mari. Food was... fine. Nothing mind-blowing, but not bad either. The pacing felt rushed -- like they were more interested in turning tables than letting diners enjoy the meal. The servers were kind, which I appreciated, but there were some hygiene issues that really took away from the experience. One had noticeably bad breath and kept handling my utensils by the part that actually goes in your mouth. It just didn't feel polished or professional. Of all the Mochilin-starred places I've been to, this one felt the least deserving. Definitely the lowest-rated in my book. Not sure I'd return. read more

Mari is a solid operation, consistent with the quality you'd expect from an American 1-star. When you sit down at Mari, you're presented with 2 options-- you can either do the tasting menu with drinks off an a la carte menu, or do the tasting menu with the "sool pairing". The Sool Pairing I found to be a very unique and fun experience. It is a mix of wines, soju, and rice wine that are brought out as your menu progresses along. Honestly, I wasn't really intending to drink this night, but the Sool pairing was too interesting not to try. ** Food & Wine ** Overall, there was a theme of portions that were too small. Of course tasting menus often have smaller portions, but I really do feel that if I didn't have the sool pairing, I wouldn't have had enough food. There was no "filler dish" that could fill your stomach when the rest didn't, as is often at these dinners. The amuse bouches were great. Daikon, a choux pastry, and a delicious fish cake. The first couple handrolls were, sadly, unimpressive. I feel that I've had better salmon & scallop ones many times in my life. The mushroom handroll was great, but not really what I came for. Then the best 2 dishes-- the egg tart & the spicy tuna handroll. Those were the highlights of the night. The drinks were all interesting and great. Good sparkling wine, a great Riesling, rice wine, etc. After one more handroll (sea urchin), we got what I expected to be the filler dish-- Halibut. Unfortunately, it was 2 very small pieces (with delicious sauce). I did not really enjoy the Beaujolais paired with it-- I understood they were trying to pair a lighter fruitier red, but it still didn't really fit that well with the Halibut to me. Lastly, the desserts were fantastic. And the espresso martini paired with it was one of the best I've ever had. ** Service ** The service was great, though again I could see the hiccups that could prevent it from reaching a 2nd American star. The good: On arrival, our coats were checked right away, and we were seated immediately. This was counter seating, and the servers did a great job of making sure they weren't bumping into us as they were managing the carousel of plates & glasses. The waitress was super friendly, and we had an overall pleasant experience. Also, the birthday surprise for Alene was very nice. They did a great job of presenting dessert for her in a manner that was festive, yet not interruptive to other patrons. The room for improvement: The first hiccup was that the drink menu was presented before the food menu, and our order was taken first as well. Then, after maybe 5 minutes, a food menu was presented (the tasting menu), and a minute or two later, we were asked for our decision. This puts us in a tough spot, because we had ordered a la carte cocktails before being presented with the option for the sool pairing. This should be ironed out, as we had to feel quite bad asking for the cocktails to be canceled as we were asking for the pairing. The second hiccup was the interaction with the chefs preparing our food in the center kitchen. At a restaurant with a star, I expect some interaction with the person across from me, apart from just the food being presented. Third, some ergonomic improvements need to be made for the chefs in the middle. They have to reach quite far to serve the food and it seems to present an issue. One chef (who wasn't serving us) looked like she had to literally lift herself off the ground using one arm (think tricep extension) to reach the people she was serving. Lastly, the layout of the restaurant means the side pathways are rather cramped. I was lucky to not have been stuck sitting there, but I can't imagine it would have felt nice to have people moving in and out. Overall, Mari was great, and I'd recommend it to others to try, but it's not a place I see myself revisiting. The Sool Pairing was a real highlight for me, but other than that I can't say I was really wowed by any specific dish. read more

Mari - Korean Near Me - New York, New York

The tasting menu was a lovely experience and a fun concept. I liked the variety in the courses (started off with jook, then some small bites, an assortment of hand roll, noodle soup, and finally two desserts) and the service was quick and attentive. However, the food did not have the wow factor I would expect from this price point. All the food was aesthetically pleasing and the ingredients *seemed* expensive, but blended together, didn't really mesh in my opinion. If the menu were priced at $100 instead of $135, I think this would be a cool experience! But at upwards of $100, I would expect a more refined/thoughtful food experience. read more

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I don't write a lot of reviews, but I have to let people know that although Mari is a fine restaurant, I truly believe it isn't worth the price, and I urge people to dine at some of the other amazing and affordable neighborhood restaurants in Hell's Kitchen. I had the tasting menu and the courses were very average. I was shocked that the price point was so steep for what we ate, of the 14 courses we had, I only really thought the salmon and the scallop were good. Everything else was unremarkable not memorable. Service was fine, a little too aggressive at times, while I was still eating the bus boys would try to take away my dishes. It was also very hard to hear the chef describe the dishes because the groups around us were very loud. I also think the open kitchen, although a cool concept that reminds me of omakase kitchens, created a less intimate dining experience. There was a lot of dead time between courses where the chefs stood around or were frantically platting and it just felt very "the menu" when a chef messed up and got reprimanded Overall, I spent more than $500 for me and my date and I didn't think the cost was worth it. I sadly can't recommend this place because the cost versus perceived value isn't there for me. If the tasting course was priced lower, or the ambiance and presentation was more elevated then, I think the dining experience would be worth it. But I rather just go to Korea town for a meal next time. read more

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Amazing amazing hand rolls and apps, such great ambiance and truly a great restaurant for this area. Service was prompt and attentive. Highly recommend for any occasion! read more