Sinsa

Eh. Had high hopes for this place based on the creative-looking menu, but delivery fell flatter than a creationist's world view. - Scallop Crudo: Good portion size but not enough flavor. Most of the umami came from the trout roe. - Celery-Salted Fries: No celery flavor, just an ordinary basket of fried potatoes with a bit of roe to punch up the price - Rice Thief: A signature dish from the founder's other restaurant, I believe. This wasn't bad--uni, Argentinian red shrimp, assorted tobiko, baek kimchi rice, quail egg, roasted seaweed, etc.--and beautifully presented. - Southern K.F.C.: Interesting in print, lackluster in person. I couldn't taste much Korean influence from the accompanying sauce and slaw, and the chicken itself was on the dry side. - Blue Crab 'Fettucine': Fine on flavor, but small on portion--I could've used a LOT more crab, noodz and sauce to justify this price point. Service and ambience were fine, but for a place purporting to be a Korean wine bar, there was very little vino from, well, the Korea lands. As someone with a personal passion to try wine from every country in the world capable of producing it, color me disappointed to find that the wines on Sinsa's list came from all the usual (and boring) suspects.

I love a good wine bar and this one definitely hits the spot, especially if you love Korean tapas. The servers are knowledgeable and super friendly. We asked our server for recommendations and actually ended up ordering them all haha. The wagyu tartare and rice thief were my personal favorites of the plates we tried. Next time, I’ll be sure to arrive hungry so we can try the other dishes!! Highly recommend if you’re in the area!

Sinsa offers an exciting approach to Korean American food - taking traditional dishes and adding a modern twist. The drink menu offers cocktails and A LOT of wine, even non-alcoholic versions. For food, we ordered the blistered shishito peppers, sinsa oysters, hwe ceviche, wagyu beef tartare, southern KFC, and duk-galbi bourguignon. All the dishes were fantastic, but standouts were the hwe ceviche (especially loved the sauce's kick), the beef tartare, chicken wings, and duk-galbi. The vibe and service are top-notch. Everyone is knowledgable about the wine, so definitely get wine and ask a ton of questions! The only feedback is that I wish there were more items on the menu so I can try more things :) All in all, highly recommend everyone check out Sinsa!

I enjoyed this place a lot! We ordered the Rice Thief, Hwe Ceviche, Southern KFC, and Donkatsu Au Poivre. I thought the rice thief was okay, but the ceviche was great—I loved the tanginess and tartness of the sauce. The fried chicken was super juicy and tasted amazing with the gochugaru ranch sauce. The donkatsu was super crispy and went sooo well with the pepper sauce and garlic rice. So delicious!!!

We really enjoyed our sunday lunch but bummed that they were out of many dishes that day. Probably have to go back to try the others! They definitely do deserve that @michelinguide inclusion :)

Went to Sinsa with a couple of friends last weekend, and honestly, it was one of the best meals I’ve had in a while. We had been talking about checking this place out for weeks, so we were pretty hyped walking in. The vibe was exactly what we wanted—cozy but lively, with dim lighting, exposed brick, and a cool, laid-back crowd. We kicked things off with the Hwe Ceviche, and after the first bite, we all just looked at each other like this is going to be so good. The fluke was super fresh, sitting in this light, tangy Korean dashi with sweet Korean pear—refreshing but packed with flavor. Then came The Boat Salad, which we almost skipped because, well, it’s a salad—but I’m so glad we didn’t. It’s their twist on a Caesar, with shishito dressing and candied anchovies that added this crazy good umami crunch. And the oysters? Perfectly chilled, briny, with a cucumber mignonette and a little jalapeño kick. Then the mains showed up, and all thoughts of taking pictures went out the window. The Branzino was absolute perfection—crispy skin, flaky inside, melt-in-your-mouth good. And the Southern K.F.C. fried chicken? Forget it. Insanely crispy, juicy, and served with this smoky gochugaru ranch that I wanted to bottle up and take home. We were passing plates back and forth, just hyping up every bite. The wine list was on point, the service was super friendly without being overbearing, and we ended up staying way longer than planned, just soaking in the whole experience. Already thinking about what I’m ordering next time.

EDIT: went to Sinsa for a second time and I was impressed! We ordered the scallops again and they were fresh and delicious. The hwe ceviche was refreshing and the rice thief was a texture and flavor paradise. Highly recommend getting the blue crab fettuccine—super rich and creamy. The yuzu custard dessert was light and the perfect way to end the meal. At the beginning of our meal, I was also reassured that no nuts were used in the kitchen as I have a nut allergy. Shoutout to Jay and his team for a wonderful dinner!

10/10 would recommend and I will definitely be returning. Every single bite was delicious and full of flavor. I appreciate the uniqueness and creativity that goes into all the dishes. My party especially enjoyed the uni toast and wagyu beef tartare, which we ordered second servings of. The service was excellent and all drink suggestions were fantastic. The vibe is classy yet not overbearingly fancy — perfect for a date night or birthday celebration.

A korean Italian fusion place with lots of available reservations (hard to find), overall very tasty and would go back for the blue crab fettuccine! Food: Blue crab fettuccine - 10/10 super saucy and creamy, great noodle texture, could've used a bit more crab but the flavor was def there. Would return just for this dish Shrimp toast - 8/10 new addition to the menu, nicely crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Has cilantro so would prob avoid if you have the soap gene. Tasty but was a bit $$ for what it was Scallop crudo - 9/10 if you like raw scallop you'll like this. Sauce was good and well balanced, not too sour. Would order again Truffle risotto - 7/10 a bit too citrusy & salty for my taste but truffle flavor def came through. Would probably pass Galbi - 7/10 meat was really tender and I liked the addition of the mini rice cakes, but felt a bit bland. Would pass next time Price: Spent about $50/pp incl tax and tip (4 of us total), felt fairly on par with other similar restaurants Service: Great service, wasn't sure if it was because the restaurant wasn't super busy but we had like 4 different servers helping us. Everyone was really friendly & water glass was never empty :) Ambiance: Cozy vibes, not too loud, perf for a small group or a date

The food is so beautiful and presented well - my expectations were super high for this Michelin Guide wine bar! Reservations were pretty easy and my friend was seated before my other friend and I got there. I only wish they had closed the doors that also served as wall to the restaurant because between the heat and noise from 2nd Ave, it didn't really to make sense to keep them open. Fairly small menu - we got the shrimp toast, scallop crudo, blue crab fettuccine, and rice thief all to share, along with wine and half a dozen oysters during the happy hour ($12 wines and $1.50 oysters) . My favorite was the scallop crudo ($28) - soooo refreshing and the sauce was just right, not too runny and slightly tangy. The blue crab fettuccine ($39) had really good texture noodles but way too thick and salty of a sauce without much crab flavor - prob needed more noodles! The rice thief ($37) was good texture too but sometimes I wanna appreciate each flavor and it was a bit too homogenous for me, especially after being mixed and wrapped in the seaweed. The shrimp toast ($24) was good and crispy but not anything I'd highly recommend. I'd come back to try other dishes! It came to just under $200 including tax and tip.

Sinsa was so delicious! There is plenty of seating inside along with outdoor seating, and the ambiance is perfect in the summertime since they keep the doors wide open. The service is also really fast! For a group of 3 girls, we ordered the following (which was more than enough food!): - Hwe ceviche (4.5/5): fresh, tangy, with a bit of spice. I really loved how fresh the fluke was and how refreshing the overall dish was! - Rice thief (5/5): a must order! The rice was cooked perfectly and had the perfect texture with the tobiko and egg. You also get seaweed to assemble your own hand rolls - Truffle gim risotto (4/5): a bit liquidy but delicious truffle flavor and plenty of mushrooms - Grilled sea bass (4.5/5): my favorite main! The branzino was really soft and I loved the sauce - Blue crab Fettucine (4/5): Was not crazy about the sauce but the noodles were clearly knife cut. Had the perfect texture and was cooked al dente, just the way I liked it! The crab was also extremely flavorful

A Bold, Brilliant fusion of Flavors. Korea and Italian fusion pair so lovely together Ambiance feels like an older French wine bar. The menu is spectacular without being intimidating. I was sad that they were out of some items upon arrival, however everything I tried was delicious. One of the standout dishes was the galbi bourguigon sh--tender slow-braised beef balanced in a wine sauce with carrots, and veggies, the Truffle risotto is the best risotto I've ever had. Service was gracious and knowledgeable--our server walked us through the flavor profiles and recommended great pairings. This is not just a meal, it's an experience. The chef clearly understands both traditions and isn't afraid to push boundaries. Can't wait to come back and try the other items in the menu.

Was able to get a reservation for a Saturday night dinner pretty easily. They gave us a free glass of champagne for my birthday which was very appreciated! The service was great and it's a great restaurant for a date or to catch up with a friend. For food, my favorite was the donkatsu. I thought the dukgalbi was a little salty and wasn't a huge fan of the noodles they used for bibimguksu. I thought the drink was wonderful though!

We really enjoyed our sunday lunch but bummed that they were out of many dishes that day. Probably have to go back to try the others! They definitely do deserve that @michelinguide inclusion :)

I was excited to try Sinsa. Four of us ordered kimchi Uni toast, celery salted fries, rice thief, southern KFC, and Duk (short rib). I found the portions were very small given their price point. Rice thief, at $37, tasted like a big pile of mush. Southern KFC and Duk were good, I didn't feel the flavors were particularly appealing and the short ribs meat was a bit tough. For Duk, each of us took one bite and the dish was gone. Service was attentive, nothing to complain there. But it didn't justify the price point and the mediocre food given the abundance of other "modern" korean restaurants in the city.

A cute place in the East Village. It is a sister restaurant to Rice Thief in LIC. Some of the dishes here are a hit or a miss, but overall a pretty decent restaurant for a date night. The service was very good. I was greated warmly upon arrival. The waiter was very friendly and made some recommendations and small talk. My friend and I ordered a dozen oysters, the rice thief and uni toast for appetizer. We ordered the pork katsu and the crispy fish as entrees. The best dish was the rice thief. The version served here is not crab, it's with raw shrimp and it was so delicious. I could just eat that. It's 5 stars. However, everything else seemed lackluster. The oysters came with a green sauce, it would have been better if it was on the side as the sauce wasn't that great. The uni toast was such a disappointment, the cream cheese overwhelmed the uni and the toast was soggy. The crispy fish dish was not bad. The pork katsu was okay, but I don't know how I felt about the peanut based sauce. They gave us complimentary drinks as it was my friends birthday. That was very nice. We also has the yuzu pudding which was refreshing.

Rating 3.5 We got a reservation for dinner during the weekend. I didn't realize Sinsa was the sister restaurant of Rice Thief until I started looking at the reviews ahead of dinner, so I was excited to stop by. The ambiance was nice - upscale and not too loud. The menu is on the smaller side. We got the scallop crudo, truffle gim risotto, and donkatsu au poivre. Flavors were good but the food is definitely pricey and the portions were very small, but I guess that's the vibe of the place. Sinsa also doubles as a wine bar, which might be nice for some, but I'm not a huge wine drinker. Overall glad I dropped by but personally not my favorite.

I was excited to try this place seeing that it was a sister restaurant of Rice Thief, which I absolutely love, but I was quite disappointed in my experience. The dishes that we tried were all quite mid in flavor and nothing special to warrant the price tag. They weren't bad, but also not great. The gogi jeon pancake was thick; more like a cake. The scallion salad was flavorful and we enjoyed that a lot. Flavor of the pancake was okay. The hwe crudo was our favorite of everything we tried. The dish is a good balance of sweet and spicy. Fish was yummy and the pear added a nice crunch. We were excited about the kimchi uni toast but unfortunately the toast part was too soft. With everything on top being soft, biting into a layer of soft bread was not pleasing. The flavors of the butter and uni were good but texture overall was off. Truffle gim risotto was pretty disappointing. There was very little seaweed in the dish and didn't taste like anything special. You also get a very thin layer of it on a plate. The risotto itself was cooked well but flavors disappointed. Lastly, we tried the donkatsu au poivre. The cutlet itself was pretty good, on the thinner side. The cucumber salad on top was flavorful and crunchy. The sauce was okay. The dish also came with a side of potato salad that was quite unpleasant and I couldn't eat it. It was lacking in flavor and the texture was grainy. It might be a new side they're trying with the pork because on the menu, it said it came with a lemon herb rice, which we didn't get. We didn't try any of the drinks or wine so we can't speak on that. But the food overall was not worth the price tag. The dishes sounded interesting but the execution maybe wasn't there. The service was also kind of lacking as well. The hostess was sweet and greeted us right away. Waiters didn't seem too friendly though and we came early in the night when the restaurant wasn't busy. Our water was always tended to though. The ambiance of the restaurant is nice and intimate. It's a small space with some bar seating. Doesn't feel crowded which is nice for a restaurant in the East village. Decor was pretty throughout!

Amazing new date night spot!! Very perfect lighting and ambiance for a date night, with good bites of food and great drinks! It's busy so make sure you make a reservation beforehand! FOOD: Uni Kimchi Toast (8/10) - Fresh creamy uni on top of a small slice of bread. Worth trying! Scallop Crudo (9/10) - Really really fresh oysters with an amazing sauce. Highly recommend getting this one. Hwe Ceviche (8/10) - Also an amazing appetizer, sauce is slightly spicy. Gogi Jeon (6/10) - Interesting bite but not my favorite! Donkatsu (7/10) - Liked the cucumber salad on top, but the sauce felt a little strange to me (tasted like clam chowder so was not expecting it). Can definitely see how people can really like this though!

Realistically would give this place a 3.5 stars. There are so many new Korean restaurants these days that it's hard for one to really stand out. I was super excited about this place but it didn't live up to the hype. The food was decent - I enjoyed the uni toast and beef tartare and the hwe ceviche. The mains were good, but not mind blowing. The scallops had too much going on. The portions are quite small as well. We had ordered a dessert but after finishing our mains, the server promptly handed us our check. It seemed like they were in a slight rush to get us out (we had a 8pm res) although there was another party still eating (and the rest of the restaurant was empty). The cocktails were pretty good - we thought it stood out more than the wine list.

Every single bite was delicious and full of flavor. I appreciate the uniqueness and creativity that goes into all the dishes. My party especially enjoyed the uni toast and wagyu beef tartare, which we ordered second servings of. The service was excellent and all drink suggestions were fantastic. The vibe is classy yet not overbearingly fancy -- perfect for a date night or birthday celebration. 10/10 would recommend and I will definitely be returning.

Great atmosphere. Super friendly staff. Some of the best food we've had all year! Crevice was insane and the Chicago Chill was a good time.

Great hospitality and great wine list. The owner Jay spent time with us at the bar discussing the origins of the restaurant the wine list and the menu. This stays on the list of go to places

As a big fan of Rice Thief, I was excited for the opening of their sister restaurant, Sinsa, which specializes in Korean small plates. I came on the opening night (January 10th) and the restaurant was completely full. I loved the decor, music, and ambiance inside the restaurant. The Beef Tartare was pretty good but a very small portion of actual tartare. Rice Thief (uni/shrimp/rice/seaweed) was good as well, but the portion again, was small for the price point and was not worth $35. Favorite dish of the night was the Southern KFC, served with the most delicious Gochugaru Ranch. The chicken was super juicy and sauce was so addicting. We were most excited for the Galbi Bourguignon but that was the most disappointing. The galbi was very tough and hard to chew. At $34, we expected the dish to come with rice or bread to soak up the sauce. We ordered rice with our server, and when the bill arrived, much to our surprise, the 2/3 bowl of rice we got was $4!!! The price point at Sinsa is quite high. We each paid around $80pp (no drinks) and had to get a 2nd dinner afterwards. Overall for the price point, I didn't think Sinsa was worth it. The dishes (besides Galbi) were good but portions were just overall too small for the high price point. Service was quite lackluster as well, but I'll chalk it up to opening week kinks as they're still figuring out everything. I had an empty water glass several times. We also had a long wait between our dishes. Glad I tried Sinsa but with the abundance of Asian small plate restaurants in Manhattan, I don't think I'll be back.

Excellent lunch experience today. The oysters at $1.50 were a steal! All of the 6 dishes we had weee amazing and well crafted. The host was exceptionally nice and we will definitely go again.

Sister restaurant of Oiji Mi. Chill vibes, cute with good music, and a fun bar area. Felt more like a date spot or to catch up with friends. Service was great overall; however they should definitely do plate changes mid meal given how many dishes you go through and how most of them have sauces. The plates are 7" x 7" or so so they definitely get dirty fast. Food was very good. Favorites were the pork, Caesar salad, and fries. Excellent freshness and flavors. The fish main entree was also large and tasty. They pre squeezed lemon on it so make sure to tell them NOT to if you don't like it. Least favorite was the noodles, as they were room temperature and the leaves inside dampened the taste heavily. The fried chicken was more like tempura texture, which confuses your palette. The Kalbi tasted more like a beef ox tail stew. A bit underwhelming. Note that the pork entree is spicy. There's no fire icon next to it though, while the ones with fire next to it were not spicy. Confused. Drinks are soju only so they aren't very strong. It will be costly to get a good buzz. Would come again, especially for the Caesar salad.

Went to their soft opening and the food did not disappoint. It's a cozy restaurant that serves elegant korean food. In our group, we all had a different favorite but here's what we enjoyed. - risotto - crudo (it was so tender and delicious. Loved the jalapeño slice to kick up the flavor) - fried chicken (the batter was light but crispy) - noodles (haven't had a flavor like this before, it was light but still flavorful They have a great selection of wine and soju cocktails. Would recommend coming here for a date or a group of friends. Service was quick and attentive. Special shoutout to Kaung for being the best server

We celebrated my boyfriend's birthday at Sinsa and had an amazing experience! We had reservations and were seated right away by the hostess. Our waiter was attentive and recommended some of the most popular dishes, which we decided to try, along with a few others that caught our attention. My personal favorites were the blistered shishito peppers, the boat, wagyu beef tartare, and galbi bourguignon. The drinks were also fantastic and please make room for dessert! The shaved ice was delicious! I loved everything about this restaurant and will definitely be recommending it to family and friends.

Incredible food and drinks in a warm and cozy atmosphere. Staff were friendly, attentive, and very helpful with suggestions and wine pairings. The butter service, southern KFC, and samgyetang were all incredible and left me in a nice food coma. The soju cocktails were light, refreshing and full of flavor. Definitely will be returning.

food was so amazing and flavorful!! galbi was our favorite, so tender, apparently was wagyu beef! sam was also so kind and accommodating, drinks were spectacular

came here for the tasting menu on valentines day. the presentation was great and the food was delicious too. my favorite dish was the tteokbokki w/ stewed beef (i think thats what it was idek honestly). and the dessert was light, sweet, and refreshing!

Every dish has heart. The crudos, boat, and donkatsu all have depth beyond my expectations. Service was friendly and attentive in an elegant, yet no frills, environment.

Excellent service! Ordered the Grilled Sea Bass, highly recommend. Just the right the amount of citrus flavor. The Daegu delight compliments the dish well. Modern vibe but with an authentic twist to the ambiance.

New favorite wine bar in the village! Restaurant vibes are upscale yet comfortable and cozy, and service was smooth overall, despite how full and busy the restaurant was when we arrived. Food was thoughtfully prepared, and the wines all paired really well with what we had. The scallop crudo, wagyu tartare, uni toast were especially our favorite. The granita for dessert was also really good. Shared a bottle of Spanish white that was amazing especially for the price point. Also enjoyed a couple of glasses off the BTG list that were thoughtfully recommended by the somm. Great wine bar/ restaurant in the village, will definitely revisit to try the rest of the menu, as well as the wines.

I'm DEFINITELY coming back highly recommend Foods, drinks, esthetics, nice service and they even got the good choice of music taste .

Most friendly staff I've been acquainted with, along with affordable and delicious food. My favorite was the Scallop and the KFC. The drink menu doesn't disappoint either. If you want a good time with good food, here is the way. Every dish is affordable, visually appealing and delicious.

Sinsa provides an upscale Korean food experience within a quiet and humble setting. The oysters, ceviche, & beef tatare is a must have for appetizers

Food was great. Ambiance was cozy & sophisticated. Service was perfect! Definitely a place I will be visiting again.