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    Sono

    4.6 (18 reviews)

    Sono Photos

    SONO ATMOSPHERE

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    Minna C.

    My friend and I went to Sono for my birthday dinner and we had the best time! They're very accommodating when it comes to allergies and even let us switch up some things from their tasting menu due to said allergies. Everything here was immaculately plated and the flavor profiles of each dish worked perfectly to create a well balanced dish of flavors and textures. We thoroughly enjoyed every dish we tried and can't wait to try more items as their menu evolves through the season! Definitely grab a reservation before you go!

    sesame cake
    Morlene C.

    I have to say the PR team here did a great job presenting Sono as a unique restaurant serving Italian dishes with Korean flavors. In execution, none of the dishes were bad, but they also don't stand out in my memory at all. It's only been a couple of weeks since I visited and even while staring at the photos I took of everything I ate, I'm struggling to jog any vivid flavor memories. When I dine out even at this marginally high price point I always hope it won't be a meal that blends together with so many others. That being said, the food tasted good enough, so I feel that four stars feels appropriate, but note that it is a very soft four. The chef/owner has quite the restaurant portfolio under his belt, with names like Gramercy Tavern, Oiji Mi, and Ddobar, which was one of my favorite eateries in the city before they closed, so this place seemed very promising. We ordered the octopus, scallop crudo, bottarga spaghetti, charred yu choy, and meringue cake. The best out of these dishes was undoubtedly the scallop crudo. Our server checked on us often, was very knowledgeable about the menu, and we didn't feel rushed. The pacing of the meal was great and I could hear my dining companion over the din of the music and restaurant noise. So for a date, catch up, or casual night out, Sono will do the trick.

    Patrick W.

    TLDR: Sono is a new Italian/Korean concept in the East Village. Not your typical gochujang pasta. There's definitely a lot of intentionality behind each dish. Octopus, chitarra/mafaldine, pesce razza. Sono has been on my list for awhile and finally stopped by. They are kid-friendly, a very nice high chair I might add. Food-wise. Octopus great, very light crispy coating but super tender. The sauteed cabbage will remind you of nakjibokkeum. Guanciale was listed but I didn't taste much of it, sun-dried tomatoes were a nice touch. Black sesame caesar good but a bit on the sweeter side. Candied Korean anchovies instead of the usual anchovy fillets. Crescentine (bread side) we got so the baby could eat too, very tasty. Bagna cauda if you've never had is a salty anchovy-based dip. Pastas. Mafaldine invoked cacio e pepe but with oxtail. Could have been a bit more tender but sort of a seolleongtang taste? Chitarra was cooked well but I felt the sweetness of the Korean squash covered the roe for me personally. I liked the ideas for both though. I'd be curious to try the other two pastas on the menu next time. Mains. Pesce razza we got. A tasty dish but a lot going on. UBER tender skate wing topped with dashi/rice almost like a play on juk and basil pesto. Felt like it would be on a tasting menu but a much larger portion. Mushroom side reminded me of perilla noodles especially the way they were cut. All in all - service was attentive and curious to see how the menu evolves over time.

    Oxtail Malfadine
    Tiffany C.

    Beautiful meal at Sono! Overall very impressed with the service and I believe the cooking is very high quality at the restaurant but a few of the combinations were a little perplexing for me. My husband and I ordered the: - Grilled octopus app: flavorful, well cooked and delicious, would recommend - Picanha app: solid but nothing special - Squid ink pasta: noodles were fab but kinda wish the shrimp had some acidity vs a purely creamy pesto sauce. Made the pasta quite heavy to finish - Oxtail Malfadine: oxtail was a bit too salty and the pasta was a bit too peppery for my husband's taste. - Sesame Tiramisu: The sesame cake layer is so delicious but felt it was a little overpowered by the marscarpone. - Yu Choy side: must order, star of the show Overall it was a solid meal with good cooking technique but I do think there are areas the menu can be improved to take this restaurant to the next level.

    Olivia S.

    Sono enters with a fresh take on fusion, collaborating Korean and Italian flavors. The squid ink fettuccine is freshly made and cooked slightly softer than al dente and pairs perfectly with bits of squid cooked to perfection. My fav of the night was the mushrooms, but I'm also a mushroom gal. And lastly, we had to top off the night with dessert! The black sesame tiramisu is a light, soft roasted black sesame cake topped with mascarpone and dusted with shaved cocoa bits. Sono makes a cute date spot for those looking in the East Village.

    Yu Choy
    Annalise W.

    Overall I enjoyed some dishes more than others, but found the dining experience to be enjoyable with unique dishes / ingredients. Biggest thing was dishes needed more salt. But I would consider checking out this place if you're curious. Ambiance / Service: this place was "fancier" than I thought it would be. Servers wear suit jackets, they change out your plates and utensils each course, fold your napkin when you get up, etc. I think most diners didn't realize it was nicer too because everyone was dressed casually in jeans and tshirts haha. With that said, service was impeccable. Shoutout to James our server. It really elevated the experience. This would be a great date night spot. Food: I shared the below among two people and it was a lot of food, but we finished it. -Polpo: cooked perfectly, good flavor. But has some heat! Would order again. -Insalata Di Cesare Nera: flavorful. Would order again. I just wish there was more black sesame. -Pettine Crudo: fresh and creamy texture. Almost has a lemon yuzu cheesecake flavor to the sauce. Would order again. -Spaghetti: this had an unusual taste to me - can't even pinpoint what it is... didn't not like it per se, but didn't love it. Not sure I'd order again, but I think that's mostly just personal preference. -Mafaldine: reminded me of cacio e pepe. This was our favorite main, but it needed more salt. -Funghi: creamy, rich earthy. Reminded me a little of beef stroganoff. Enjoyed but needed more salt. -Yu Choy: this was just ok. A little bitter for my taste. Probably wouldn't order again. -Black Sesame Tiramisu: loved. I'm not sure I'd call it tiramisu, but it was so light and delicate and the perfect amount of black sesame.

    Caesar salad
    Lizzy L.

    Loved this elegant and cozy Korean-Italian fusion spot in the east village! The menu is on the smaller side, but everything we had was a hit - the octopus was deliciously tender, the pasta had the perfect QQ texture, the yu choi was super garlicky and flavorful, and the panna cotta was such a cute delight. We ordered à la carte, but there is a tasting menu option, and I definitely would go back to try that next time. The staff were really knowledgeable and personable, and very attentive. When we dined there, they had just recently opened so they were only serving wine but I love that they had a nice selection de-alcoholized wine.

    Yu choy
    Cassidy H.

    Chef's counter. Absolutely amazing. We ordered a la carte. Every dish was delicious, lots of interesting and rich flavors. Top dishes for us were chitarra (lemony sweet and umami) and the black sesame tiramisu (blew our minds how good it was, this is the dish you fight over). Very nice midweek date night vibe: soft lighting, deep woodtones and earthy interior. Will be going back to try the chef's tasting menu next time! Pulpo: 5/5 Chitarra: 6/5 Lamb: 5/5 Yu choy: 5/5 Patate: 4/5 Panna cotta: 5/5 Tiramisu: 6/5

    Spaghetti
    Maria R.

    Unrelated to the food I must say the bartender is extremely nice to look at and chat with. I was able to get a reservation at the bar. I had a nice sparkling wine. The octopus was delicious and I could taste the korean flavors in that dish. The spaghetti with the roe was very delicious and creamy I also got a side of the mushrooms which went perfectly with the spaghetti. For dessert I got the panna cotta and the crunchy cookies,banana and the foam chefs kiss the ducky was yummy too and I did feel bad about eating it. The service was wonderful everyone was friendly,smiling and attentive. My water was constantly refilled when my dishes were ready who ever was available brought my food and cleared my plates when I was done. Sitting at the bar is probably the best seat you can watch the cooking and the handsome men.

    Left to right - Patate, Abbacchio alla Romagna, Pollo alla Cacciatora

    Sono is one of our new favorite restaurants in the city. Mixing Italian and Korean cuisines everything we had was excellent. Octopus - delicious, the accompanying sun-dried tomatoes were phenomenal. Caesar Salad - excellent, particularly liked the fact that the anchovies were candied adding some sweetness rather than bitterness. Mafaldine - favorite dish of the meal, it's served with braised oxtail and is a must order. Abbacchio alla Romagna - Lamb Shoulder - slow cooked, tender, and awesome. Pollo alla Cacciatora - some Korean spice to this dish and it was very good. Patate - side of crispy potato's, very good. Tiramisu - there version was a black sesame sponge cake topped with mascoproene, excellent. Service was top notch. Sono should be on your list to visit.

    Spaghetti, Fettuccini al nero

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    4 days ago

    Sono was a decent experience. The appetizers and pastas were delicious. The mains a little less so. Service okay.

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    Her Name Is Han - Yeolmu Kimchi Cold Noodles & Dumplings - $20

    Her Name Is Han

    4.3(2.3k reviews)
    1.2 mi•Midtown East
    •$$

    Shae and I were able to get a table after waiting for 45 minutes (it was so worth the wait!) our…read moreservice the entire night was excellent. The menu was a joy to read and it was soon obvious that we weren't going to go wrong with anything we ordered! The Han dumplings are *chefs kiss* y'all need to order them for sure. For my main course I went with the LA galbi. I had a hard time eating the steak with my chopsticks so I ended up using my hands, (our waiter said that was normal, but he may have just been nice) because the flavor was so good I didn't want to leave any meat uneaten. Seriously some of the best flavors of my life!!! Though I'm still learning how to eat green things I bet the salad was amazing too!! The restaurants vibe was so much fun, we feel very grateful to have been able to eat at Her Name is Han and will recommend it to anyone who asks. 100/10 would recommend :)

    The Better Half and I secured a highly sought-after lunch reservation here, but it turn out to be…read moreone of the worst meals in NYC. We were first in line waiting for them to open their doors. I think this might have been a huge mistake. You will see why I say this later in the review. The workers were pretty nice and maybe a little too attentive as we felt a little rushed. Constantly checking on us while we were trying to eat, right down to giving us the check. Hey I get it, people are waiting to come in and you want to grab all the customers you can get. However you shouldn't let your customer's feel like you are trying to get them out the door. The better half ordered the Perilla Chicken Porridge. I saw her tase it, one bite at a time and all of a sudden I see her putting a couple of spoonful of the soup that came with the meal into her porridge. I thought that was strange and asked her why did she do that? She said both the chicken and the porridge was really dry as well as lacking flavor. I tried it and I had to agree, so much so that I asked if they could bring me some sesame oil. I ordered the LA Galbi and was really excited to eat it. Unfortunately, it was served lukewarm, dry, and lacked the flavor you expect from Korean BBQ. To me the best thing was the different types of banchan (side dishes) as it had a modern flare and not so much the traditional ones you have at a authentic Korean restaurant. Maybe you should come in last so they give their pre-cooked food to the first people so you will get a fresh cooked meal. Or better yet, go to K-town if you want authentic fresh Korean food and skip the hype!

    Photos
    Her Name Is Han - Back dining area

    Back dining area

    Her Name Is Han - Yeolmu Kimchi Cold Noodles & Dumplings - $20

    Yeolmu Kimchi Cold Noodles & Dumplings - $20

    Her Name Is Han - Mushroom Croquettes (3pc) (@joeynht)

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    Mushroom Croquettes (3pc) (@joeynht)

    Nubiani

    Nubiani

    4.5(536 reviews)
    1.2 mi•Koreatown, Midtown East, Midtown West

    I came here with my family and we had a wonderful experience! The service was great and the food…read morewas excellent. We ordered their large beef package which was more than enough for four people. We even had some leftovers! The meat was so tender and practically melted in your mouth. I especially loved that the waiter cooked and cut the meat for us. Their side dishes were fresh and well-seasoned, too. I also loved how spacious and clean the restaurant was. The whole space felt luxurious and upscale which made the experience feel extra special. Another thing I really appreciated was that I didn't leave the restaurant smelling like Korean BBQ! It is on the pricier side, but if you're looking for high-quality Korean BBQ with excellent service and a luxurious atmosphere for a special occasion, this is a great place to go. It was worth every cent!

    Probably the best KBBQ experience I've had in NYC so far…read more It's definitely not cheap, but I thought it was worth it. We got the large set for 4 and there was more than enough food for everyone. Didn't order any drinks, but the meat quality was excellent, and our server cooked everything pretty well so we could just sit back and enjoy. The service was top-notch too. They kept bringing out refills of the side dishes including steamed egg without us having to ask, which I always appreciate. We made a reservation, which I'd recommend especially on a weekend, and got seated right away with no wait. The set also came with vanilla ice cream at the end. Another nice bonus is that if you pay in cash (there's an ATM inside), you get about 10% off. If you don't mind spending a little more for really good quality and service, I'd definitely recommend this place!

    Photos
    Nubiani - Bar seating

    Bar seating

    Nubiani - Steamed Egg

    Steamed Egg

    Nubiani - Kimchi Stew / 김치찌개

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    Kimchi Stew / 김치찌개

    Osamil - Avocado and crab

    Osamil

    4.3(912 reviews)
    1.2 mi•Koreatown, Midtown West
    •$$$

    Can be easy to miss if youre not looking for it (especially in my case as they have scaffolding…read moreoutside right now). It has a very chic atmosphere when you first walk in. Sat at a high top by the bar and had a fairly light dinner. The Beef Tartare comes out with a cracked quail egg for you to pour into the meat yourself and the beef sat on top of sone sliced pear. It's a small appetizer but it tasted fresh and clean, the crispness of the pear matches well with the heaviness of the beef. The cured shrimp was delicious, I'm sad there was only 3 because I wanted 5 servings of it. The uni, roe, and soy shrimp practically melted in your mouth. The Uni Bimbimbap has rave reviews and I can see why. It was filling without being overly heavy and each bite had uni in it after mixing it up. If you're unsure about uni, this is definitely a great way to introduce yourself to it's flavor palette.

    Vibes of the place are nice!! Food is standard Korean food, nothing extraordinary. Had a lot of…read moredrink options - Soy & garlic wings: 10/10, flavor is great, and wings were juicy - Sweet potato fries: 8/10, gigantic thick fries. Good but I prefer my fries thinner. Sauce was meh - Seafood rose tteokbokki: 8/10, super creamy, but wish there was more rice cake. Lots of seafood!! Bb.q Chicken's rose tteokbokki is better imo - Pork shank: 9/10, really tender and juicy meat that fell off the bone. Hella pricey tho (-1 point) - Kimchi fried rice w/ prime hanger steak: 6/10, just okay. Not a huge fan of the fried rice, the steak was good, medium rare - Espresso martini: 8/10, really strong lol

    Photos
    Osamil - Inside was such a vibe! Very chill

    Inside was such a vibe! Very chill

    Osamil - Korean Market Fried Chicken (@joeynht)

    Korean Market Fried Chicken (@joeynht)

    Osamil - Cured shrimp (@joeynht)

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    Cured shrimp (@joeynht)

    Hojokban - Hojok Galbi | Instagram: GaoGirlsGrubbin

    Hojokban

    4.5(471 reviews)
    1.2 mi•Midtown East
    •$$$

    hojok galbi ($59) - the price scared me a little at first…read morebut this was absolutely WORTH EVERY BUCK - ive had many variations of galbi before but nothing tasted like this; tender, juicy, well marinated, and not entirely well done almost like medium rare - it wasnt too heavy on the sauce that will make you thirsty but it was perfectly marinated while keeping it light and refreshing; i was genuinely shocked after the first bite - best take on galbi perilla oil noodles ($19) - ive always liked this kind of noodle but after having theirs i loved it EVEN MORE - it was by far the most refreshing, chewy, light yet flavorful perilla oil noodles ive ever had - noodles were perfectly separated from one another and not drenched in oil; it was easy to slurp with layers of flavors; a great summer dish rating: 5/5 - the fact that i rated it as the best korean restaurant in nyc after taking one bite really says a lot about this spot - from texture and flavor to presentation, all of them had perfect execution; i couldnt find a single thing to nitpick about - the dining atmosphere was clean, classy, and comfortable - service was quick and attentive; they kept refilling our banchan which was lovely because other places wouldnt LOL; amazing kimchi and sweet potato - a restaurant that im dying to go back already! Highly recommend IG: @nom.noms.only

    Hojokban has been on my list for such a long time, and I finally made it here! The restaurant is…read morevery small and intimate, which gives it a cozy feel. I will say, though, they were pretty stingy with the banchan. We were only given kimchi and sweet potato. Kkanpung Chicken - The flavor was on point! It had a nice little kick, although I definitely wouldn't have minded if it were spicier. The chicken was super crispy and juicy, so I really enjoyed this one. Octopus Tteokbokki - MUST ORDER! Easily one of my favorite dishes of the night. The sauce was sweet and paired so well with the baby octopus. I could've easily eaten the whole plate myself. Truffle Potato Pancake - This was really popular, but unfortunately, I wasn't a fan. I could barely taste the truffle and didn't think it was anything that special. It was pretty meh for me, so I'd skip this one. Hojok Galbi - The meat was very tender, but unfortunately, it was a little dry. It was a solid dish, but nothing that really blew me away. Overall, I enjoyed my meal and would definitely come back to try some of the other items on the menu!

    Photos
    Hojokban - Interior bar space

    Interior bar space

    Hojokban - SPICY TOFU GUKBAP

    SPICY TOFU GUKBAP

    Hojokban - Spicy Margarita

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    Spicy Margarita

    Five Senses - Dinner

    Five Senses

    3.9(1.9k reviews)
    1.3 mi•Koreatown, Midtown West
    •$$

    Five senses has been around forever and is still a solid staple in k-town! Stopped by on a Friday…read moreevening around 8 and there was no line for two so we were seated quickly. They have a variety of the standard fare Korean options at reasonable prices. We tried the ddukbokki and bulgolgi dupbap which were both good. The portion sizes were on the bigger size and the ddukbokki were giant. I do wish the ddukbokki was a little less watery but overall tasted fine. The bulgolgi was pretty standard for what I'd expect. Overall a solid option in the area if you don't want to wait for a long queue outside of the other popular spots.

    I was honestly surprised by the ratings for this place... I came on a Friday night and it wasn't…read moretoo busy. First time here and it was a really solid experience. Seafood Pancake: Great pick. Crispy on the outside and packed with seafood inside. Beef Belly & Mala Cream Noodle Soup: Loved this one. Udon with tender beef and baby octopus... so good!!! Spicy Braised Pork Rib Stew: Rich, comforting, and full of flavor. The highlight for me was the raw marinated crab. I spotted it on the wall menu and immediately had to order it. It's rare to find in the city! And honestly, this was way better than BCD's. So flavorful. Only complaint... the banchan portions are small and not a lot of variety. Other than that, I really enjoyed my meal and I'd definitely recommend this spot.

    Photos
    Five Senses
    Five Senses - Nice decor

    Nice decor

    Five Senses

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    Jeong Yuk Jeom - Kimchi stew

    Jeong Yuk Jeom

    4.3(72 reviews)
    1.3 mi•Koreatown, Midtown West

    This may be one of the best authentic Korean restaurants I've tried in NYC that isn't…read moreMichelin-starred. I was genuinely surprised by how good everything was! The restaurant itself is huge, with two stories, yet it still has a lively and comfortable atmosphere. The menu is extensive, with plenty of traditional Korean dishes, and the lunch specials offer especially good value for the quality and portions. Everything we ordered was delicious, but the galbi-jjim (갈비찜) and tteokbokki (떡볶이) were the standouts. The galbi-jjim was rich, tender, and deeply flavorful, while the tteokbokki had that satisfying, authentic Korean flavor I look for. Service was excellent--attentive, efficient, and friendly even with such a large restaurant. Great food, great atmosphere, reasonable lunch options, and a huge selection. Definitely one of my favorite Korean restaurants in NYC and a place I would happily return to.

    I highly enjoyed the food at Jeong Yuk Jeom. I ordered the chicken katsu, and I would highly…read morerecommend it as someone who frequents katsu restaurants. It's extremely crispy and very high quality. A large issue I had at this establishment was the service. The server felt unfriendly, and whenever we tried to flag him down, he wouldn't even look at us. It took around 20 minutes after our meal to get our check which was ridiculous. It was a shame because this was easily one of my favorite meals in NYC, but I don't know if I would return solely due to the service.

    Photos
    Jeong Yuk Jeom
    Jeong Yuk Jeom - Beef Platter (@joeynht)

    Beef Platter (@joeynht)

    Jeong Yuk Jeom - Egg souffle

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    Egg souffle

    Sono - italian - Updated September 2026

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