Extremely disappointed with the food experience here. We came for our anniversary dinner and thought it would be nice to splurge and do a more expensive omakase style dinner. To our surprise, this was definitely our least favorite and we would not return. Many of the dishes flat out were not good. We saw many other people spit out some not so favorable dishes as well so it wasn't only us who thought so. It seems like the menu changes so we probably caught it on an off cycle. For the price, I don't think any of the dishes warranted this higher price. Some dishes didn't even have fish or meat to go with it. Every single dish seemed to have gochujang and I know this is a korean fusion restaurant but there has to be more inventive ways to make a dish fusion than just adding gochujang to it. Anyways, wish I had better things to say but we will not be returning. read more

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We came here on my birthday and I would definitely recommend it! The service was very friendly, check on us regularly, and multiple staff members wished me a happy birthday. I had read some of the other reviews beforehand, but I thought the meal was well timed and the whole experience took around 2 hours. We were never waiting around for too long or rushed. The restaurant wasn't full so you can probably walk in. We had reserved counter seating and could see the staff preparing each course. They also have a dining area in the back if you prefer to sit at a table. I loved all the appetizers and hand rolls. Some of the hand rolls had an extra crunchy seaweed shell which I liked, the fish was fresh and the portions were generous. The broth of the pho was good, but I thought the noodles and ban chan were just okay. The hibiscus dessert was light and delicious and so was the birthday dessert they brought me. Overall we had a great time and I definitely recommend this for a birthday or nice dinner! read more

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Mari looked really good online so we decided to come here with a friend to celebrate them. We sat at the table seating so it would be easier to chat but we could barely hear each other over the other diners' conversations. Despite us already entering food allergy information, staff seemed unaware and asked us again. I'm being nitpicky but i think it would have looked better if they were confirming food allergies instead of asking again. We could hardly hear staff explaining each dish because other people's conversations were so loud. The first two appetizers were delicious and made us look forward to the rest of the dinner which we would find out that we would be disappointed. The hand rolls were fine. They didn't stand out and that's the main point of the restaurant. If you asked me which one was my favorite, I wouldn't be able to tell you because nothing was memorable. The desserts delicious. The pear and yogurt sorbet and coffee and donuts were addicting and honestly were the best part of the meal. Our friend almost paid the bill but we mentioned that it was his birthday and our server immediately gave him back his card and took ours which was superb! Overall, it's a place to try but definitely feels overpriced for non-memorable food. read more

Such an amazing experience! I loved how different the flavours are from what I'm used to at Japanese handroll places (obviously), and every item was so delicious. I also love that they give you a "main" dish of noodles too in addition to the hand rolls. The dessert was amazing, as were the complimentary chocolates at the end. Service was super attentive and friendly, and they took the time to explain everything. I will say it didn't feel like an incredibly high end restaurant, but still was great!! read more

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First off, I am a huge fan of Kochi and when I heard the chef had a sister restaurant a block away I just had to try it - and I'm glad I did! We sat at the counter, and thought the set-up of the kitchen in the center of the restaurant made the dining experience feel like a performance (like one of those cooking shows). We had the pleasure of being served by the head chef, which gave us a glimpse of what it's like orchestrating a Michelin star restaurant. Each course was unique and flavorful and I truly can't think of one course that was disappointing. I'm not a dessert person but the dessert here absolutely blew me away. The mochi donut coupled with the apricot sorbet was spectacular and really put the cherry on top of the whole experience. Worth every penny. Don't walk - run to Mari! read more

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Occasion: My girlfriend & I just celebrated our 2 year anniversary at Mari. This was our first time dining at a Michelin starred restaurant, and didn't fully know what to expect. Our visit turned out to be an absolutely unforgettable experience. Service: Mari's staff was so friendly and provided a super well-rounded experience. Their professionalism went WELL above and beyond what we've experienced from other nice restaurants in our hometown Dallas, and even high end restaurants like The Marine Room in San Diego. The cooks obviously crushed every part of our meal, waiting staff did an awesome job of explaining each dish and made great drink recommendations, and the hostess printed us custom menu's as a keepsake for our anniversary. Drinks: My girlfriend & I ordered 3 drinks total during our stay - Old Fashioned Spicy Margarita Some kind of Korean beer? Each of these drinks were great, but if I could go back in time I think I'd substitute my Old Fashioned for a spicy marg because the margarita my girlfriend ordered turned out to be one of the best drinks I've ever tried. They also coat the rim with this cool black salt that was so bomb. Food: As far as the food goes we knew the meal was going to be good, but didn't understand cooking could get to this level. Mari delivered 3 of the top 3 bites I've ever had anywhere, hands down. The tasting menu opened with "Egg and Caviar" which blew my girlfriend & I away. This was the single best dish I've ever eaten... that is until we got to the Special Mari "Toro and Caviar" about halfway through the meal (we added this to our experience for +$27 / person). This dish takes the cake, and I'm seriously skeptical that another restaurant could serve anything better. The Toro was so rich and flavorful, and stuck with me for minutes after I finished the dish. I'd have to imagine this was like trying an oceanic version of A5 Wagyu. The entire rest of the menu was delicious too, so my girlfriend and I enjoyed everything we were served. Mari also surprised us with an extra dessert to celebrate our anniversary, so they're earning bonus points for the exceptional hospitality. Price: This was a very special occasion for my girlfriend & I, and not something we'd be able to do more than once a year, if that. The total for our (2x) $145.00 tasting menu, (2x) $27.00 Special Mari Toro and Caviar, and (3x) mixed drinks / Korean beer came out to something between $500.00 and $550.00 after tax and tip. Final Notes: If you're an average Joe like me, are trying to plan the perfect date night in the city, and have never experienced Michelin starred dining before... let Mari take your V-card. Everything about our experience was incredible, and we were blown away every time we opened our mouths. On paper our meal was expensive, but having budgeted for this once-in-a-blue-moon *experience* I'd say our trip to Mari was well worth the cost. We'd go back in a heartbeat if we could! --- They're also a 5-10 minute walk from the Eugene O'Neill theater where we saw a broadway show to round out our perfect anniversary date! read more

An absolute feast for my taste buds, this meal was and what a scrumptious one at that too! Every morsel of food I had as part of the omakase was truly amazing. It was elevated Korean Japanese flavours in a playful mix which made you feel, think and analyze, how are these two flavours working so well together! The attention to details from the start to the finish with everything be it the chefs, the amazing waiting staff and host n hostess. This place is truly unique and worth a visit. read more

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Food was really good. My friend did not stop talking about their egg rolls. Some of the fish pieces had a very slight smell at the end, which I didn't like. Overall good ambiance and kind of casual. The mushroom mari was pretty good. read more

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Just went here 2 weeks ago and we're still raving about it. Mari was recommended to me by my local friends and I knew it was a gem when they kept returning. This is the first tasting menu where I loved everything from beginning to end -- that is nearly impossible to master in my opinion. The space is small and intimate, the decor is beautiful and modern. The staff is excellent, they are so friendly and fun. They have great teamwork as well. I highly recommend a reservation here. Their tasting menu changes per season. My favorites were the egg and caviar, which was a delicious strong start, to the mushroom handroll, the spicy tuna and salmon. Honestly, everything was fabulous. It was also nice to have a noodle soup, galkuksu, to end the entrees. In addition, the mandarin yogurt sorbet was "life changing" per my husband. We cannot wait to return in the summer! read more

Attention to details. Unlike other Omakase, each chef in the island has his/her own culinary skills to create one or two courses. Probably total six to seven chefs created a piece of art and explained the piece carefully to us. Since chefs did not say anything other than each course (I believe they were instructed to do so), sometimes the proximity between us strangely reminded me of the movie 'The Menu'- where chefs only focus on each course. Korean inspirations were given to many courses, including the 'Street Market', and I could understand how general manager paired each course with a Korean Sool. It was a great selection which I liked most of - started with very subtle, floral, and smooth soju, then ended with something smoky and strong. My least favorite was 'the Moon in Seoul' which had too strong scent, conflicted with some courses. Over $600 price tag for two- well it is a personal judgement. I went to a similar Korean omakase in Seoul last June, where I had another amazing experience with $200 for two (I couldn't write a review due to location restriction in Yelp). I wouldn't compare the price tag here and there, since I find everything more expensive in NYC than in Seoul, specifically anything related to culinary and dining. I would highly recommend Mari for an intimate dinner with your loved one, but probably not for a big party. read more

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Classy and contemporary restaurant. We sat at the counter and had a great experience with watching the food being prepared, amazing and kind servers and even more incredible food. One of the best tasting menus we've had so far! Fan favorites: - egg and caviar (sooo mine blowing) - salmon hand roll (just very tasty, nothing super unique but would definitely eat more!) - pear yogurt sorbet (absolutely delicious and refreshing - coffee ice cream with caramelized milk foam (the best ice cream dish I've had ever) We will definitely recommend to others looking for a unique and delicious dining experience. Don't hesitate to book! read more

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Best hand rolls I've had. Some bites weren't as memorable as others. But overall I think worth the $145. read more

Mari - Korean Near Me - New York, New York

Thank you for having us, Mari :) Overall, Mari was a wonderful experience. I can see why they they earned their Michelin star and they truly deserve it. My favorite was the wagyu, the salmon and the poached egg with caviar. Everything was beautifully presented and thoughtfully curated. Minus one star because not all of their dishes had merit. See pics for more information. Sort of wish they paid more homage to Korea and incorporated more native ingredients. Found a lot of parmesan and foreign ingredients infused within their dishes which is great but was expecting a bit more of a traditional concept. Great service and amazing ambiance overall. read more

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Mari is simply awesome in every possible way. All of the food is incredibly thoughtful and perfectly executed - we could not stop gushing about everything we were served. The menu, and the special extra ("tuna rose"") were perfect. And the staff are all incredibly friendly, interesting, engaging and talented. And the house music is super cool. We have been to a ton of Michelin restaurants wirh tasting menus, and Mari is our favorite ... You should go too ... read more

Sublime. My husband and I went for our anniversary and the whole experience was divine. A Michelin assortment of hand rolls: my dream meal. The vibe inside is very chill, the service is excellent, and the food continued to surprise us with every bite. Highly recommend sitting at the chef's counter for the full experience, though there are a few tables in back, and if you're looking for a quieter, more private evening. Thank you to the whole staff!! read more

Came here to celebrate my brother's birthday. We chose this restaurant because they have 1 Michelin star. We ordered the omakase course, which is $250 pp. The service met the standards of a Michelin star restaurant. The food came out thoughtfully together (although on the slower side). The restaurant was minimalist, warm and beautiful. Not too big and the chefs made each piece visibly in the middle of the restaurant. I think the layout of the "kitchen" in the middle of the restaurant led to the hold up in the food service because it was so small that all the chefs had to continually squeeze past each other. In addition, for a $250 pp meal, each piece in the omakase was only okay. Some pieces had great flavor but for pieces that aren't raw fish or expensive cuts of meat, I couldn't understand why the course was $250. Would I recommend or return? Unfortunately no. read more

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My friends and I dined at this restaurant on Saturday night. Before we got seated, they took our coats and we sat down at the counter. I actually asked if we could change our seats because the cold air came in everytime the door opened. They were able to make the seat change for us. I would say the service was excellent and on par. We ordered tap water, Sejac green tea (refills hot water by request) and one white glass of wine to get started. I noticed the current menu on their website is a bit different from the paper menu in the restaurant because the fishcake course had shrimp in it whereas the menu on the website doesn't have it listed. They were able to switch mine for a fish. We also didn't get a wagyu. Instead they served a 3 course desserts instead of 2 like it is listed on the website. Overall we enjoyed the 13 course tasting menu. You will not leave here hungry. I would say the noodles were the most bland and unflavoral dish despite having sauces to add in. I really enjoyed the salmon, spicy tuna, scallop and salmon belly. My friend doesn't like mushroom so they were able to switch it out for her. From the dessert course menu, I enjoyed the banana ice cream, carrot cake and the jelly/chocolate/cookie set. It paired perfectly with a glass of red cabernet sauvignon. read more

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Dinner at Mari was EXCEPTIONAL!!! Every bite was impressive. Service was equal to that of a 2 Michelin Star! Helmed by Korean Chef Sungchul Shim, who also earned a star at his other restaurant Kochi, this restaurant is very well run. We told the hostess that we need to get to the opera on time, and they made sure that we were served in timely manner, but didn't feel rushed at all. $135pp pricing in my opinion is expected for this caliber of food and service. I didn't have to look up twice to get attention, napkin was folded when a person left the table, all the service points expected from a Michelin Star restaurant. Very well deserved! Starting with Jook: This dish is a sweet rice porridge topped with a fried daenjang (Korean fermented bean sauce) cod, perilla puree, and spicy soy. Cod was fried to perfection and melt in your mouth delicious. Han-Sang - meaning "one table" in Korean. Starting from top left clockwise: Yellow tail, Octopus, Pork sausage rice cake, chamchi hwe, and crispy kimchi rice. Kimchi rice is a take on an Italian arancini with a Korean flavor. Every bite was delicious! Palate cleanser between each courses. Pickled cauliflower, beets, onion, and sweet radish. Refreshing between each courses and enhances everything. Mari means "wrap" or in this case "hand roll" in Korean. These are meant to be eaten in one bite. Salmon with caviar Mari : The salmon was the silky and buttery delicious! Scallop mari: excellent combo of crispy micro greens and slithery shell fish. So good! Mushroom Mari: there were three different mushrooms in this wrap and the fried enoki on top was crispy which was a surprisingly pleasant addition of texture. Spicy tuna Mari: topped with crispy potato flakes. Sooooo good. Prawn Mari: topped with crispy rice. Sweet and succulent prawn. Excellent. Truffle chicken mari: drizzled with jjajang sauce. This was my least favorite, but still good. Yookjeon: traditional Korean panfried meat topped with steak tartare on top. Excellent! Their mini servings of kimchi was cut to perfection and perfect portion to accompany the noodle soup. Guksu meaning noodle in Korean: Traditional Korean skinny noodles in hearty chicken broth, topped with soy braised pork belly and chili oil. This soup was just amazing. It was one of those soul warming rich broth that is light at the same time. Hard to describe, but it was an excellent choice for a last dish of the meal. Dessert #1 was Rhubarb in hibiscus syrup served with makgeolli ice cream, topped with a rice puff. Very creative! Dessert #2 : Ice cream sandwich on a stick. Chocolate caramel ice cream dipped in chocolate and topped with cocoa crumble. Yum! I must make a note here that, Mari's seaweed used to wrap their hand roll are of exceptional quality! To get a seaweed that is sturdy enough to hold the hefty content of rice, seafood, and sauce while keeping it crispy but not break, is NOT an easy feat!! If it's too thick, the seaweed can be tough to chew, and if too thin, it is too weak to hold. My hat's off to the chef for acquiring such seaweed and pulling it off to perfection. read more

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3.5 stars rounding up to 4 for overall experience. Finally posting my review from Mari when I visited back in February! Their tasting menu has changed since then, but I'm sure the experience and quality is still comparable. Of the menu I tried, my favorites were the Hansang, Salmon, Scallop, and desserts. This meal was definitely a splurge, and while I enjoyed the experience, nothing particularly stood out. The courses were innovative and paced well, but I'd probably recommend Kochi over Mari for a more unique and memorable meal at a similar price point. read more

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At a price point of $180, I think Mari has a lot to improve. I came here a couple weeks ago with my friend and left pretty unimpressed. Most of the food wasn't bad, but it had almost zero wow-factor for me, and the quality of the seafood was not consistent at all. For me, the highlight was probably the appetizers at the very beginning. Everything else was fine, but lacked creativity or anything that made it worth more than a budget omakase. I think the kicker for me was probably the uni, which tasted like it came from the Hudson River or something. I've never had such awful uni in my life -- my friend actually compared the taste to the smell of sewage :') Honestly, I think for $180, I'm not expecting all that much. A nice tasting menu can easily be more than that these days. But I felt like I should have at least come away remembering that I ate at least one piece that was really good, and have a fair impression of all the others. That's not how this turned out for me. This is a very pessimistic review -- I still give it 3 stars since aside from the uni, nothing was actively bad. It just wasn't actively good either. read more

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Truly one of the best meals we've had in the city -- food, service, everything was just extraordinary. Every dish was beautifully plated, beautifully presented, and complex in flavors and textures. My favorites of the hand rolls were the bibimbap and the spicy tuna, and the "palate cleanser" at the end with the baby peaches (and I can't recall what else). But I could rave about everything that was put down in front of us, from the opening dish -- the lotus root! The sunchoke! -- to the cold noodles -- that mustard broth! -- to the desserts -- coconut pavlova! Wow. Wow. Wow. I know this place has a Michelin Star, but I didn't go in expecting to be so very very impressed. read more

Mari - Bibimbap hand roll - Korean Near Me - New York, New York

Promising spot with a delicious tasting menu that is hindered by poor pacing and a lack of finesse. I sat at the counter. The feel is modern and a bit cold. The chefs all look like something out of that Bradley Cooper movie "Burnt". One of the new guys messed something up and the awkwardness between the chefs mid dinner was hard to ignore. The one that seemed to be the head chef randomly left abruptly at 10PM. The waitstaff is friendly but seemed nervous. The dishes are a bit overexplained. The menu consists of ~18-19 courses, the middle of which are "mari" handrolls. I liked everything on the menu even if a handful were underwhelming. Many items were both delicious and interesting with excellent preparation. The Korean flavors set it apart from the many Omakases in NYC. There was finesse in the presentation and temperature control but the preparation took a long time. It was 20 minutes after being seated that the first piece arrived. At 300 a person with Sake, the value is just not there. The food is frankly excellent but you get roughly one bite every 10 minutes over the course of 2.5 hours. I found myself feeling a bit bored during the gaps. Overall this spot offers a delicious tasting menu but fails to create an experience around it. read more

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About a 2-2.5: The same team that brought the city Kochi, Mari focuses on contemporary-style handrolls. We came here for dinner for their tasting, but opted out of their 'sool'/beverage pairing: +Jeonchae - fish jeon with gougere and daikon +Mandu - shrimp jeon, crepe, smoked trout roe, and gamtae +Salmon mari +Scallop mari +Mushroom mari +Kampachi mari +Spicy Tuna mari +Salmon Belly mari +Madai, Urchin, Caviar mari +Golden Tilefish - with seasonal veggies and tomato chili jang We also added the supplement for Toro Caviar. To end the meal: +Sujeonggwa - carrot cake with pine nuts +Choco Pie - date cake with banana marshmallow and banana ice cream Based on the offerings in the tasting, we thought the price point was a little steep, considering not all were sushi and some items were cooked. Staff were friendly, and the atmosphere is very relaxed. The decor is simple and clean, but cozy. +mari tasting read more

Food 9/10 Super cool cocktails, really enjoyed the complexity and the various elements in their drinks, all with unique inspirations. The experience and concept itself is very cool, so I appreciate it for what it is. Each hand roll was bursting with sauce and flavor, and there were banchan for us to clean our palettes after each roll. Although I personally prefer tasting the pure flavor of seafood and appreciating the freshness of each bite, this place's Korean flavors were very fun to experience. Flavor explosions with each bite, a tasting menu worth visiting. Atmosphere 9/10 Such cool interior details, really enjoyed the bar experience and watching the chefs put together each roll. Took one point away because we were seated near the door, and there was no distance between us and the cold air whenever customers walked in, so we felt a breeze that disturbed the dining experience unfortunately. Besides that, everything was very thought out. Smaller space than I expected, with the bar at the front and tables in the back. Service 10/10 Great service, great recommendations, and explained each roll in detail. read more

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Everything was very very salty in my honest opinion and Im the type that tops every off with salt at home. The non salty top hits were egg and caviar app and mushroom Mari. The main was a Guksu which is a knife cut noodle, ours was paired with lobster broth it was still a little salty but paired with the mustard side sauces it helps to balance things out. Outside of the salt, the broth had so much umami and depth of flavor. With one drink and the standard tasting menu it was about $180 including tax and tip per person. For that price without the extreme salt factor I would have thought it was worth it, but this is not a fave based on my visit. read more

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My SO and I picked Mari because the menu indicated a good variety of courses along with a reasonable price.  The service was attentive as soon as we were seated...water glasses were consistently being filled.  The courses were being served efficiently and there wasn't too much time between courses. A majority of the dishes weren't typical of daily Korean cuisine and were more like open, handrolls for a majority of the courses.  The handrolls had style, great presentation and were flavorful. Some of our favorites were the salmon caviar, duck, galbi and guksu. Bottom line, the service was speedy, the food was delicious and there is good value for what they're currently charging for the tasting menu. read more

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I really wanted to love Mari and was very excited to try this spot. However, it missed the mark for me. While it wasn't bad, i definitely didn't feel wowed by the place. For me, the price point just couldn't be justified. We started with a series of small appetizers, super cute and a fun start to the tasting menu. The cod mandu was next. Aesthetically, this dish was beautiful. Taste-wise, it felt like I was eating a mish-mash of seafood. To be blunt, it tasted exactly like a frozen fish ball at shabu. The hand rolls were good, but there was often TOO much going on that I couldn't really taste the hand roll for what it was. Because you essentially have to eat the hand roll in a mouthful (to avoid the ingredients from falling through) the multitude of layers in the hand roll made nothing stand out. I almost wish the hand rolls were simpler. With that said, my favorite hand roll was the soy-marinated galbi, which we supplemented with the A5 Wagyu and Truffle for $15 extra dollars. I think because my favorite hand roll on the menu was an "extra"/"addition", i don't consider it to be a part of the tasting menu. At this price point, they should just make the supplement a standard of the menu and add 15$ to the price - it would make the tasting menu feel more well rounded and have a standout in an otherwise monotonous menu. My boyfriend said that he enjoyed the duck one a lot, so adding that as a positive! My favorite part of the menu was actually the noodles. The chicken broth is cooked to PERFECTION - so flavorful and thick, yet still light. If Mari became a noodle house, I would be the first in line! The sujeong-gwa and the ice cream sandwich were pleasant and who doesn't love ice cream? but again, nothing to write home about. Overall, this place is a fun spot to try once. The service is great and chef is very nice. However, I probably won't return (except maybe for the noodles!!). I feel like there are many better places for hand rolls at a lower price point. read more

Mari - Korean Near Me - New York, New York

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Very very good. There was not a single bite I disliked, which is saying a lot because I left feeling completely stuffed after around 20 different dishes. The handrolls were all unique and well balanced, but I really appreciated the first few opening bites as well which weren't handrolls. My least favorite was the guksu (duck soup) and the banchan, all of which I would have been fine skipping. Everything else knocked my socks off though. I was also a fan of Kochi when I visited a few years ago, so clearly this chef and his team are doing something right. All the reviews comparing this to omakase and complaining about the rice, fish, and seasoning are completely missing the point. This is not an omakase, and has nothing to do with Japanese sushi. Quit embarrassing yourselves and educate yourself on the chef/menu. read more

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

I can't say enough about how wonderful this restaurant is. They serve the most creative and thoughtful dishes that are presented by some of the most amazing and intelligent staff I have come across in my travels. The restaurant is setup in a rectangular chefs counter that surrounds the open kitchen. At each end you have a dedicated team that creates each masterpiece of a dish. In the middle you have the executive chef who is overseeing and orchestrating service like a symphony. Each dish, in what they say is a 9 course tasting menu but is more like 12-13, is so innovative and creative. There was not a single dish I wouldn't eat again but definitely some standouts such as the salmon roll, scallop roll, and the spicy tuna. In reality they are all truly amazing. The staff is wonderful. Our server was just so great. I love the fact she came to table each time with a smile on her face and love talking about the cocktails and food. The restaurant is gorgeous, maybe one of my favorites. Very clean, not cluttered, and perfectly lit to show off each dish. If you are in NYC then Mari is a must visit. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone and would gladly eat here again. read more

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Mari was a special experience! My friend and I did the tasting menu and it didn't disappoint. Every dish was so fresh, the staff were so friendly and attentive, and the restaurant was the perfect ambiance for a tasting experience at the sushi bar. Will definitely be returning! read more

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Another great meal at Mari. New dishes were all wonderful. New desserts were impressive. 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

Wonderful dinner experience here! Interior was modern and clean, service was speedy and attentive, and food was excellent. The meal started with a box with 5 small bites, each of which presented a different flavor/texture. Then, we were served a series of mari handrolls, each unique concepts filled with flavor. The meal was finished off with a warm bowl of guksu (a simple dish, but the depth of flavor was amazing!) and a korean ginger punch, which ended dinner on a sweet note without being overwhelming. One of my favorite meals in NYC, definitely recommend! read more

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Had high expectations of this place since I LOVED Kochi, but have to admit that I came away a bit disappointed. Overall, the place is OK in regards to the food. None of the hand rolls really stood out to me in terms of taste. I kept expecting/hoping to like the next piece as they came, but never really had anything that wow-ed me. It's not a good sign when the finishing noodles was my favorite part of the meal. The restaurant itself is quite pretty, and the servers were nice. To be honest, I was a bit surprised that Mari earned a Michelin star this year. At this price point, I'd recommend going to their sister restaurant Kochi, where you'll get a much more impressive meal for the same price. Probably won't come back here unless I hear from trusted sources it's improved. 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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Mari presented a fantastic dining experience from start to finish. We went as a party of 4, and we were there a bit early for our reservation, so we did wait in the front standing area for a little while. They offered to get us started with cocktails while we waited for our table. The restaurant is modern and chic in its decor. They have a large rectangular counter area for dining, and you see the open kitchen in the middle with the chefs hard at work. The tasting menu concept features Korean hand rolls, which are similar to sushi rolls. We opted for one person in our group to add the wine/sul tasting. The rest of us ordered cocktails. We also opted to add the caviar roll to our tasting menu, and it was so worth it! The highlights of the menu included the toro caviar hand roll, the salmon hand roll, the mushroom hand roll, and the spicy tuna. There was a memorable roll that was a play on a salmon and lox bagel, which we thought was super creative but was not our favorite flavor. The best wine we tasted was the German Riesling (picture attached). We loved the mini carrot cake and the warm spice tea. This meal was truly incredible. I would definitely come back here. The food was delectable, and the service was very courteous. We had a great time! read more

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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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TLDR: good food and definitely a positive experience but for this price point, I would not return. Came here spontaneously on a weekday and was able to get two seats at the bar. I had no expectations; I actually only learned about the chef and his relationship to other Michelin starred restaurants in the city after my meal. Me and my friend did the Mari Tasting menu which included a few small bites to start, several hand rolls, a noodle soup, and a couple of sweet bites for the end. Our favorites of the night were the cod mandu, the mushroom hand roll, the noodle soup at the end, and the cinnamon-ginger drink as part of the first dessert. My absolute favorite was the noodle soup. It felt like a warm hug after a long day. I would return to Mari just for that soup. I will say that everything felt so clean and light to eat; nothing was heavy or made us feel as though there was too much. While we did enjoy a few dishes and everything was plated so attractively, we both felt that the meal lacked the luster that appeals us to these kinds of establishments. I've been to kochi and I've been to jungsik and for both of these restaurants there's something special about the meals that make us want to return; something unique. We felt that at the price point that Mari was, this would be replicated here as well, but it was not. Perhaps this was an anomaly and we came on an off night. I'm willing to try it again if anyone invites me - I'm a big fan of kochi and it's hard for me to believe that was all Mari had to offer. read more

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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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