ARIARI
Korean restaurant · East Village ·
Busan-inspired Korean seafood & comfort food; shareable plates
Busan-inspired Korean seafood & comfort food; shareable plates
"Ariari, from the team behind Atoboy and Moono, is the only place in the city where you can eat bibimbap topped with pastel yellow uni cream. And that isn’t even the best dish here. This restaurant with the brown vinyl seats of a ‘72 Buick serves a menu inspired by the coastal Korean city of Busan. Seafood is the focus, and it’s what you should order. Try the DIY gimbap with luscious raw scallops and the perfectly poached octopus sook-hwe." - will hartman, bryan kim, willa moore, kenny yang, neha talreja
"If you hadn’t noticed by now, the team behind Atoboy cranks out new Korean restaurants like Disney pumps out Marvel flicks. Unlike Quantumania though, Ariari is totally worth your time. The food at this ’70s basement-looking spot in the East Village is inspired by Busan (a South Korean port city), so prioritize things from the sea like the DIY scallops handrolls and bibimbap with sea urchin cream. But there really are no bad choices. Just when you think the next dish can't get any better than the last, you’re proven wrong." - bryan kim, kenny yang, willa moore, will hartman
"Ariari is just one restaurant in the burgeoning empire of prolific Hand Hospitality restaurateurs Kihyun Lee and Jinan Choi. The menu i is inspired by the food of Busan, with dishes like mak hwe, thin-sliced seasonal fish served with lettuce wraps; scallop DIY gimbap, a seafood butter-gui with shrimp and baby scallops, a seafood pancake, and soft-shell crab. The space looks like a stylish diner, with dinette-style metal furniture, framed photos of Korea, and a bustling kitchen and bar at the rear." - Melissa McCart
"Ariari is another Korean spot from the team behind Palpal and LittleMad. Like a lot of their restaurants, this place in the East Village warrants a priority visit—especially if you love seafood. Start with the poached octopus with white kimchi followed by crispy rice that’s sweet and rich from uni cream. You’ll see groups around you sharing big simmering cauldrons of soup, as well as couples out for a casual date night." - team infatuation
"This Korean spot has a cool, vintage vibe that comes complete with wood paneling and banquette seating. Framed artwork highlights a maritime theme which comes as no surprise since this contemporary, shared plates-style menu zeroes in on the seaport city of Busan. Seafood specialties span every section and even include a bibimbap made with uni cream. Be sure to try the scallop DIY gimbap, with thinly sliced raw scallops served alongside squid jeotgal, scallion mayo, apple kimchi and crispy gim/seaweed squares for assembling. Corn crème brûlée mixed with shaved white chocolate is a creative take on the classic, with a savory-meets-sweet appeal. Cocktails are definitely worthy of a sip." - Michelin Inspector