Mari - Korean Handroll

Location: very accessible via public transit .If driving in make sure to check for a parking lot in the area (it a busy area and might not have street parking) Service: Just one sound - WOW .The staff is incredible and looks like they truly enjoy their craft which makes it a delight to watch them work. The team knew it was my friends' birthday and allergies,even had a special birthday menu printed so she could have a memento which I found very thoughtful Ambiance: Very intimate and relaxed, we sat at the counter and enjoyed seeing the team at work.The space is very welcoming Now to the most important part- the FOOD. We had the chef's tasting menu. The starters were light and fresh . The first starter with egg and caviar was so beautiful it was a shame to eat it, and it tasted like a hug. The handrolls were magnificent.Each one had layers of flavors and textures condensed to a single bite. My favorite ones were the Spicy Tuna with a crunch and the Chef's special with sea urchin. The handmade noodle and soup were a very nice savory dish , great on a cold day like today. For dessert there was an assortment of items, my personal favorite was the Coconut sorbet and lemon curd.But all were wonderful, not too sweet and perfect ending to a greateal All and all 10/10 definitely recommend for special occasions

Very special tasting menu! The first course was immediately one of the bests - caviar over an egg cake in mentaiko butter sauce. All 7 hand rolls were layered with flavor and so elegantly plated. Works of art! The noodle + banchan course was a simple contrast to the rolls and had the most perfectly cooked shrimp. Lastly, the desserts were excellent. The service was very gracious, but the pacing a little slow so I’d recommend sitting at the counter to keep the momentum.

Very good food. It is inevitable that one might compare it to an omakase although some of the offerings might be more unique. Price wise you could probaby do two omakases for the price of mari. I was not a big fan of the sorbet but the rest of the desert was great. The egg +rice cake appetizer was the standout dish of the evening.

Always found my self walking by this restaurant and it looked so intriguing. Finally decided to try it and had such an amazing experience. Everyone was so friendly. The food was exceptional. Tried a red makgeolli which was new to us and delicious. But who really stole the show was our server, Jin. She was so knowledgeable, warm, personable, fun and enthusiastic. She made sure we had the best evening and we did!! Will definitely be returning to Mari and requesting Jin!

Another great dinner at Mari last night. Sarah was an excellent guide for our experience. So many excellent courses with complex flavors, it’s difficult to say which ones were our favorites. Akami special was outstanding as well as the scallop, zabuton, and mushroom Mari. We recommend getting the wine pairings. Each one complemented the food. Sarah did a great job describing the wine and how to worked with each course. Mari continues to be one of our favorite spots in NYC and can’t wait to return soon. Thanks again.

We had a great dining experience from food to service at Mari and recommend a visit for people who are interested in a blended experience of traditional and creative takes on Korean cuisine. From a service perspective, they were super accommodating with our time constraints and didn’t make us feel any type of way about not having as much time as what’s recommended. I don’t remember the bartender’s name, but he was super friendly and personable. The food was overall amazing, and in my opinion, punched above its weight class for the price point and star status. The bites played a lot with different textures, the layers of flavors were also very well constructed and thought out. The jjamppong broth was excellent, had a great kick. The banchan wasn’t a standout, but that also wasn’t the main point of the dish.

The service is extremely good but unfortunately, the food was underwhelming and failed to justify the tasting menu price point. I was genuinely surprised that this meal warranted a star. The concept is Korean hand-roll omakase Many of the dishes lacked the depth of flavor, often felt like a flurry of ingredients without a cohesive vision, and some were frankly confused. The quality simply does not match the cost. It felt like paying a premium for a concept rather than for genuinely exceptional ingredients Overall, nice presentation of the food but the taste simply just lagging behind