Sunn’s
Restaurant · Chinatown
139 Division St, New York, NY 10002
Highlights
Korean wine bar with creative banchan, hwe, and mochi cake
Korean wine bar with creative banchan, hwe, and mochi cake
"Over the past couple of years, Sunny Lee has built a name for her Banchan by Sunny pop-ups. Sunn’s (a partnership with Grant Reynolds of Parcelle Wine) is her new wine bar serving dishes like tteokbokki with tomato-gochujang brown butter sauce topped with stracciatella and mozzarella cheese, served in a glass Pyrex dish: “Sunday baked ziti-style,” as she calls it. Banchan continues to be a focus, but there’s a lot more to the menu than just that. For those looking to get more vegetables in, this is the way to do it. In Lee’s hands, even dishes like the house salad are creative — and it’s even more impressive knowing she doesn’t have a full kitchen build-out. Reservations often book out, but there are limited walk-ins. Try your luck by heading there at the 5 p.m. opening time." - Emma Orlow
"Sunn’s tiny open kitchen only has one small oven and a single induction burner. It looks DIY, but the Chinatown wine bar with just six tables is deceptively ambitious. Banchan is the main attraction, and the bad news is: You have to pay for it. But here, those little sides—typically free at Korean restaurants—take on new forms. It’s not just kimchi. Depending on the day, you might also find mushrooms in tahini, oxtail pressed into a terrine, or Korean-style giardiniera. Start with a set (around $23), then move on to the more traditional items like big, floppy mandu in a glistening chicken broth." - bryan kim, kenny yang, willa moore, will hartman
"A neighborhood spot serving Korean small plates that exemplifies the expanding variety of contemporary New York wine bars." - Emma Orlow
"A compact Korean spot where ordering broadly pays off: the banchan (six dishes for $24) is a highlight, refined from the chef’s pop-up experience. Standouts include a trout roe–topped potato salad that balances creamy and briny notes, and a flavorful kimchi and egg omelet. Even in smaller groups, the soon dubu chigae ($25) — a warming tofu stew accented with pine nuts — is a must, alongside lauded baked rice cakes with stracciatella and tomato sauce ($26) and a simple, satisfying sesame mochi cake for dessert." - Nadia Chaudhury
"A Red Hook institution for more than 100 years, this onetime longshoreman’s hangout has been the subject of books and theatrical performances alike. Run by Tone Johansen, the widow of the bar’s beloved namesake, Sunny’s is now a hub for the neighborhood that puts on regular art shows and serves $5 Budweisers and Miller Lites and a short but sneakily smart wine list. There’s tons of nautical kitsch, a cozy back patio, and excellent live music almost every night." - Justin Goldman
