Excellent service, welcoming atmosphere. However I was not impressed by the food (given the price).
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Jeannie Kim
My friend and I had the most wonderful time dining at Shia in December (extremely late review, I know...). Every dish was deliciously curated and it was an unforgettable night of exceptional cuisine. My abalone did have some small sandy grits in it which was disappointing, but the juk was so delicious and well-balanced that it did not detract too much from the overall enjoyment of the dish. The cold app (pine nut, doondubu & apple juk, Maryland crab, Jeju tangerine vinegar) and dessert (nurungji rice, laver, persimmon, boricha ice cream) were my favorites. The beverage pairing was also perfect. Chef Lee was very personable and I appreciated his thoughtful explanation of the dishes. The staff was so friendly and went above and beyond to make the evening a delightful experience. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stephanie Gram
Me and my partner went there as we wanted to try dishes from/inspired by Chef Edward Lee. We were not disappointed! Especially our first two dishes, pumpkin soup and korean sausage, were our favorites and absolutely fantastic. We can definitely recommend this place to anyone wanting to try a different and creative take on modern korean cuisine.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Han Lee
Excellent service !! The team of Chefs and staff are warm and welcoming ! The Innovative menu with incredible flavors !!!! Absolute Must Try restaurant!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dan Silver
I had a wonderful birthday meal at SHIA with the 7-course tasting menu and Korean alcohol pairing. The food was absolutely delicious and the service matched as well. Seems like a matter of time before they get their Star!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Joon Bang
My girlfriend and I had the 5-course menu with the Korean soju/wine pairing in the bar area.The staff was fantastic and the ambience was understated and warm. Even more so, each course was exquisite, flavors and textures layered, and simply delicious. We very much appreciated learning about the vision of SHIA as a nonprofit. Thank you and keep up the great work!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sarah J
Great! Lovely and cozy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jerry
This is a special meal, prepared with great care. Every bite was delicious. Service was wonderful and friendly. Pairing was adventurous.
Milan WANG
I was excited to try SHIA’s $90 tasting menu, especially because of Chef Edward’s reputation from Chef in Black & White, but the entire experience was a huge letdown. The dishes looked fancy on the menu, but reality was disappointing: “Mul Hwe” was basically a sad fish salad with radish, melon, and mustard—nothing about it said fine dining. The “seared fish with fried abalone” felt like a random, awkward pairing, with no harmony or thought. Even the supposed highlight, “duck with black garlic sauce,” was bland, uninspired, and lacked depth. Dessert was equally forgettable and felt like an afterthought. Side dishes were insulting: we were three guests asked to share just two tiny plates of kimchi and marinated tomatoes. When we expressed shock, the server reluctantly brought a third plate. My friend even joked about bringing a whole bucket of kimchi the next day to prove it’s not expensive and there’s no need to be so stingy. And honestly, the kimchi tasted worse than a $5 jar from a Korean grocery store. The meal felt like a photo-op tasting menu rather than a carefully designed fine dining experience. Plates were mostly empty space, portions were laughably small, and not a single dish felt refined or special. The service was cold and mechanical, and the space itself was tiny and uncomfortable. You need a reservation not because it’s truly popular, but because they’ve intentionally limited seating to create a false sense of scarcity. It’s not the kind of restaurant worth scrambling to book or making a special trip for. We spent over $400 for three people with a little wine and left hungry, disappointed, and feeling ripped off. Don’t be fooled by Chef Edward’s TV fame—this place is all hype and no substance.
If you want to spend $400+ to leave uncomfortable, underwhelmed, and laughing at how absurdly stingy and uninspired the experience is, this is your place. Otherwise, save your money, your appetite, and your evening.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Richard C
We had a wonderful time at Shia on a Saturday evening for their 7 course set menu. The ambiance is wonderful. It is a very small restaurant with only 8 tables. The kitchen is open, offering an excellent opportunity to see the skilled chef team preparing each course. The food was wonderfully inventive. There is a very strong Korean overlay, obviously, but it goes well beyond the Korean flavors that tend to be emphasized in most US restaurants that seek to celebrate Korean cuisine. Chef Lee's vision is clearly to draw out the full panorama of Korean flavors and not just those that have typically been emphasized in America. The food was great, but the best part may have been the service. Really impeccable, thoughtful, generous, and attentive service. Every little piece of the experience was well thought out. The price point was high for us, but it was well worth it for the experience and also to support the incredible team and their vision for sustainability.
This was our second time since March and the bar/lounge system had changed to a pre-fixe menu with optional pairing of Korean or Western beverages. I must say the food has definitely changed in a good way! Previously the food felt like it was catering to non-Korean palates (ie a slight twist and tweak on more well-known Korran dishes in the US like bossam and raw oysters), but this time the food was phenomenal in terms of creativity even from a Korean perspective! Flavors were bursting despite the bite-size portions (because these were tasting menus) but I could see that Chef Lee himself had undergone a culinary experience as a chef absorbing all the knowledge about Korean ingredients and flavors less well known outside Korea. In particular his take on mulhwe and soondae was phenomenal, as was his makgeolli sauce. And we also got a complimentary dessert made from ssamjang and oatmeal which tasted like chocolate. Looking forward to seeing how the menu evolves as Chef Lee experiments with authentic Korean flavors and ingredients.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
J A
My wife and I enjoyed a 7 course menu, set at 185 a head, with one drink ordered. We would give a 4 out of 5 star rating for the entire experience.
Pros: Textures, flavor, presentation, service was all excellent and performed at a top notch level. 3 out of the 7 dishes blew us out of the water, with the Sundae being my personal favorite.
For those who have made it this far into the review, I will be a little more harsh with my criticism.
Cons: The halibut was overcooked, something that was disappointing for the cost that we had to pay. The Mul Hwe was a little too fishy for my taste, albeit, this is just personal preference. And the Kimchi that was provided tasted about as good as one you can find at any American supermarket.
All in all, we were amazed at the creativity and talent performed by the chefs; however didn't think it was worth the $500+ price tag that the bill ended up being after tax and tip.
John McKinzie
I recently went here for my birthday and it was an outstanding experience. The space, food, and particularly the staff, were great. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable, making it a birthday dinner to remember. The European pairing was very well done. I want to thank Soo, Chef Lin, Geoff, Carly, Audrey, Hyun, Wendy, Doules, Mason, and Joe!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jess Shin
My family and I came here for my birthday dinner. This was very exciting experience for my family since it was their first time in the US. The service was top notch and we enjoyed the food too! The course meal experience starting at the bar area was really unique and when we were taken to the dining area, it was like being transported into another dimension.
The actual meals were very unique in so many ways. They had flavor of Korea but with twist of Chef Lee's unique artistic style. My family loved every single course! I definitely recommend if you're someone who is very adventurous and love tasting something unique 😍
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brad Wilkof
From start to finish our dinner was exceptional. The staff were attentive without being over bearing. The food was refined but still had a ton of soul. My wife and I shook our heads more than once when biting into something that far exceeded our expectations. Great food, great people, great restaurant.
Excellent service, welcoming atmosphere. However I was not impressed by the food (given the price).
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
My friend and I had the most wonderful time dining at Shia in December (extremely late review, I know...). Every dish was deliciously curated and it was an unforgettable night of exceptional cuisine. My abalone did have some small sandy grits in it which was disappointing, but the juk was so delicious and well-balanced that it did not detract too much from the overall enjoyment of the dish. The cold app (pine nut, doondubu & apple juk, Maryland crab, Jeju tangerine vinegar) and dessert (nurungji rice, laver, persimmon, boricha ice cream) were my favorites. The beverage pairing was also perfect. Chef Lee was very personable and I appreciated his thoughtful explanation of the dishes. The staff was so friendly and went above and beyond to make the evening a delightful experience. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Me and my partner went there as we wanted to try dishes from/inspired by Chef Edward Lee. We were not disappointed! Especially our first two dishes, pumpkin soup and korean sausage, were our favorites and absolutely fantastic. We can definitely recommend this place to anyone wanting to try a different and creative take on modern korean cuisine.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent service !! The team of Chefs and staff are warm and welcoming ! The Innovative menu with incredible flavors !!!!
Absolute Must Try restaurant!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I had a wonderful birthday meal at SHIA with the 7-course tasting menu and Korean alcohol pairing. The food was absolutely delicious and the service matched as well. Seems like a matter of time before they get their Star!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My girlfriend and I had the 5-course menu with the Korean soju/wine pairing in the bar area.The staff was fantastic and the ambience was understated and warm. Even more so, each course was exquisite, flavors and textures layered, and simply delicious. We very much appreciated learning about the vision of SHIA as a nonprofit. Thank you and keep up the great work!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great! Lovely and cozy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is a special meal, prepared with great care. Every bite was delicious. Service was wonderful and friendly. Pairing was adventurous.
I was excited to try SHIA’s $90 tasting menu, especially because of Chef Edward’s reputation from Chef in Black & White, but the entire experience was a huge letdown.
The dishes looked fancy on the menu, but reality was disappointing: “Mul Hwe” was basically a sad fish salad with radish, melon, and mustard—nothing about it said fine dining. The “seared fish with fried abalone” felt like a random, awkward pairing, with no harmony or thought. Even the supposed highlight, “duck with black garlic sauce,” was bland, uninspired, and lacked depth. Dessert was equally forgettable and felt like an afterthought.
Side dishes were insulting: we were three guests asked to share just two tiny plates of kimchi and marinated tomatoes. When we expressed shock, the server reluctantly brought a third plate. My friend even joked about bringing a whole bucket of kimchi the next day to prove it’s not expensive and there’s no need to be so stingy. And honestly, the kimchi tasted worse than a $5 jar from a Korean grocery store.
The meal felt like a photo-op tasting menu rather than a carefully designed fine dining experience. Plates were mostly empty space, portions were laughably small, and not a single dish felt refined or special.
The service was cold and mechanical, and the space itself was tiny and uncomfortable. You need a reservation not because it’s truly popular, but because they’ve intentionally limited seating to create a false sense of scarcity. It’s not the kind of restaurant worth scrambling to book or making a special trip for.
We spent over $400 for three people with a little wine and left hungry, disappointed, and feeling ripped off. Don’t be fooled by Chef Edward’s TV fame—this place is all hype and no substance.
If you want to spend $400+ to leave uncomfortable, underwhelmed, and laughing at how absurdly stingy and uninspired the experience is, this is your place. Otherwise, save your money, your appetite, and your evening.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
We had a wonderful time at Shia on a Saturday evening for their 7 course set menu. The ambiance is wonderful. It is a very small restaurant with only 8 tables. The kitchen is open, offering an excellent opportunity to see the skilled chef team preparing each course. The food was wonderfully inventive. There is a very strong Korean overlay, obviously, but it goes well beyond the Korean flavors that tend to be emphasized in most US restaurants that seek to celebrate Korean cuisine. Chef Lee's vision is clearly to draw out the full panorama of Korean flavors and not just those that have typically been emphasized in America. The food was great, but the best part may have been the service. Really impeccable, thoughtful, generous, and attentive service. Every little piece of the experience was well thought out. The price point was high for us, but it was well worth it for the experience and also to support the incredible team and their vision for sustainability.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
This was our second time since March and the bar/lounge system had changed to a pre-fixe menu with optional pairing of Korean or Western beverages. I must say the food has definitely changed in a good way! Previously the food felt like it was catering to non-Korean palates (ie a slight twist and tweak on more well-known Korran dishes in the US like bossam and raw oysters), but this time the food was phenomenal in terms of creativity even from a Korean perspective! Flavors were bursting despite the bite-size portions (because these were tasting menus) but I could see that Chef Lee himself had undergone a culinary experience as a chef absorbing all the knowledge about Korean ingredients and flavors less well known outside Korea. In particular his take on mulhwe and soondae was phenomenal, as was his makgeolli sauce. And we also got a complimentary dessert made from ssamjang and oatmeal which tasted like chocolate. Looking forward to seeing how the menu evolves as Chef Lee experiments with authentic Korean flavors and ingredients.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My wife and I enjoyed a 7 course menu, set at 185 a head, with one drink ordered. We would give a 4 out of 5 star rating for the entire experience.
Pros: Textures, flavor, presentation, service was all excellent and performed at a top notch level. 3 out of the 7 dishes blew us out of the water, with the Sundae being my personal favorite.
For those who have made it this far into the review, I will be a little more harsh with my criticism.
Cons: The halibut was overcooked, something that was disappointing for the cost that we had to pay. The Mul Hwe was a little too fishy for my taste, albeit, this is just personal preference. And the Kimchi that was provided tasted about as good as one you can find at any American supermarket.
All in all, we were amazed at the creativity and talent performed by the chefs; however didn't think it was worth the $500+ price tag that the bill ended up being after tax and tip.
I recently went here for my birthday and it was an outstanding experience. The space, food, and particularly the staff, were great. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable, making it a birthday dinner to remember. The European pairing was very well done. I want to thank Soo, Chef Lin, Geoff, Carly, Audrey, Hyun, Wendy, Doules, Mason, and Joe!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My family and I came here for my birthday dinner. This was very exciting experience for my family since it was their first time in the US. The service was top notch and we enjoyed the food too! The course meal experience starting at the bar area was really unique and when we were taken to the dining area, it was like being transported into another dimension.
The actual meals were very unique in so many ways. They had flavor of Korea but with twist of Chef Lee's unique artistic style. My family loved every single course! I definitely recommend if you're someone who is very adventurous and love tasting something unique 😍
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
From start to finish our dinner was exceptional. The staff were attentive without being over bearing. The food was refined but still had a ton of soul. My wife and I shook our heads more than once when biting into something that far exceeded our expectations. Great food, great people, great restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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