Great chickpea gnocchi and lychee mocktail! Came here to celebrate graduation— really thoughtful of the owner to stay open for graduation despite it being a Monday!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
madhavi kandula
My husband and I love all ethnic food. While most of the restaurants we love are definitely not upscale(Chilispot, Tikka Tangy, Saffron), they are delicious. We decided to try an upscale version and were not disappointed. Most fine dining is lost on me as I grew with heavily seasoned food(Indian). The food here was wonderful. It was a beautiful blend of spices with nuanced flavors. We had the wontons to start. They were amazing. We had the lamb shank and the drunken noodles and left nothing behind(unusual for us). Cocktails were equally great. The wine list is beautiful. So well curated. We normally bring our own bottle but next time we will try one of the long list of champagnes. Great meal, beginning to end.
dereklsept
Akar was an interesting place. It had a mixture of things like lamb shank, short rib, and duck breast. As well as blue crab donabe, and pork loin. With a Southeast Asian spin, essentially a French/Asian fusion restaurant. Their menu changes regularly apparently, so Im definitely interested in going back. The food was executed very well, and the service was attentive, without being annoying.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lamb Shank
Nicole Latham
Always amazing. The staples stay the same with some rotating dishes. Lobster rangoons are always a must for us. Otherwise, you cannot go wrong here!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stephanie Phillips
Uh-mazing. The staff was friendly and attentive, kind. The lamb shank was the best thing I've eaten in forever. The Blossom cocktail was delicious. Will be back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sarah Ray
Came here on a rainy Tuesday evening for dinner with a friend and could not have been more pleased! Without a reservation, we were seated immediately. They have the coziest booths nestled in a modern open design layout. We ordered the gnocchi, popcorn chicken, rangoon ravioli, and asparagus risotto. All of them were absolutely delicious! Flavorful, cooked perfectly, and came out quickly. The restaurant is clean and well kept and the staff are attentive and very knowledgeable about menu items. I am looking forward to returning so I can try the duck breast and shrimp PKM!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kha Huynh
The spread we had recently was not packed with in-your-face flavors as before. But the lamp shank special I had when I visited last was the best lamb shank I’ve had. Very tender and flavorful, the mint and pomegranate were a nice touch without over shadowing the lamb. And all of my visits have been amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Anne Morris
The food was ok, but almost $200 for 2 cocktails and 2 entrees is a bit much We will not be returning
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 2
Jade Harrison
This place wow’s me every time! I’ve been trying to eat through their menu and I can say everything has been a delightful experience.
Service is good for a slow dining experience. The ambiance is very moody and intimate.
Rating this place a 5/5 because it really has that WOW factor :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
LindaColleen Anderson
From the moment we walked into Akar, the ambiance set the tone — stylish and comfortable. It struck just the right balance for an evening out.
Emily, our waitress, made the evening seamless. She was warm, attentive, and thoughtful with her recommendations — and she kept our table looking spotless and running smoothly the entire time.
The food? Absolutely delicious. We started with the scallops and lobster ravioli as appetizers, and the kitchen was more than happy to add a fourth to each so our party of 4 could all enjoy. The scallops were beautifully seared, clean-tasting, and paired with forbidden rice that added a nuttinesa and texture. The lobster ravioli was rich and creamy without being too heavy — the perfect indulgence.
Emily suggested the cabbage as an accompaniment, and it was a standout — tangy, crisp, and refreshingly bright. It cut through the richness of the dishes with just the right balance.
For mains, we shared the duck, the short rib, the fish of the day (halibut), and the shrimp drunken noodles. Every dish was spot-on: the short rib was fall-off-the-bone tender, the duck was rich and satisfying, the halibut was fresh and perfectly cooked (and honestly, the sauce deserves to be bottled and sold), and the shrimp noodles brought a spicy kick that was flavorful but never overwhelming.
Even the drinks — which were all a little outside my usual go-to choices — were fresh, inventive, and really tasty.
Akar delivered across the board: atmosphere, service, food, and drinks. We left happy and full.
The location is peaceful. It's a small place though, Inside seating is almost claustrophobic. We visited on a Wednesday, only 2 waiters for the entire place, not a welcoming reception. Ordered Gnocchi w/ Malaysian curry which is good and flavourful and Broccolini, which is just okay. Everything took a lot of time, we've been waiting for about an hour overall for the entire visit. Not worth the price or time if you're a food enthusiast.
Karthik V
The location is peaceful. It's a small place though, Inside seating is almost claustrophobic. We visited on a Wednesday, only 2 waiters for the entire place, not a welcoming reception. Ordered Gnocchi w/ Malaysian curry which is good and flavourful and Broccolini, which is just okay. Everything took a lot of time, we've been waiting for about an hour overall for the entire visit. Not worth the price or time if you're a food enthusiast.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi
Casey Fitzgerald
Amazing food! I got the fish of the day and my friend had the duck. Both meals were amazing. Highly recommend
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Doc \u0026 Bump Vlogs
Loved the food, ambience and service!!
N Y C
We did an early Friday night dinner here since we had heard so much about it. Our initial introduction was quite awkward and unwelcoming. It set the tone for a dinner that made us feel like we were a bother.
Upon walking in one of the servers asked if we had a reservation to which we answered no. She then asked if we preferred to be seated inside or outside. We stated outside and she invited us to sit anywhere we pleased. We sat at a table for four (two small tables put together) since my husband and I like sitting next to each other. Less than 2 minutes after sitting, a man who we now know is chef B. Lee, came over and asked if anyone else was joining us. We answered no and he said we needed to move to another table (other 4 seaters) or he would take one of the tables away and make it a 2 seater. We moved but it was just the strangest thing because 15 minutes later another couple was seated there.
The server was polite and kind, the food decent. I loved the blue crab donabe. The fried chicken appetizer was fine but the soba noodle was described to have a peanut sauce and we could not find that flavour. It was pretty bland. My husband thought his lamb was decent. In addition to my initial grievance, I noticed the chef routinely delivering dishes to all other tables and conversing with them but not ours. It was odd and felt like we were not welcome.
Overall not sure I’ll return since food is only part of the experience. The service, especially from the chef, was disappointing and I urge him to do better. Happy to spend any amount of money an artist assigns as a value to their craft but there are expectations the higher the price tag.
Great chickpea gnocchi and lychee mocktail! Came here to celebrate graduation— really thoughtful of the owner to stay open for graduation despite it being a Monday!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My husband and I love all ethnic food. While most of the restaurants we love are definitely not upscale(Chilispot, Tikka Tangy, Saffron), they are delicious. We decided to try an upscale version and were not disappointed. Most fine dining is lost on me as I grew with heavily seasoned food(Indian). The food here was wonderful. It was a beautiful blend of spices with nuanced flavors. We had the wontons to start. They were amazing. We had the lamb shank and the drunken noodles and left nothing behind(unusual for us). Cocktails were equally great. The wine list is beautiful. So well curated. We normally bring our own bottle but next time we will try one of the long list of champagnes. Great meal, beginning to end.
Akar was an interesting place. It had a mixture of things like lamb shank, short rib, and duck breast. As well as blue crab donabe, and pork loin. With a Southeast Asian spin, essentially a French/Asian fusion restaurant. Their menu changes regularly apparently, so Im definitely interested in going back. The food was executed very well, and the service was attentive, without being annoying.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lamb Shank
Always amazing. The staples stay the same with some rotating dishes. Lobster rangoons are always a must for us. Otherwise, you cannot go wrong here!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Uh-mazing. The staff was friendly and attentive, kind. The lamb shank was the best thing I've eaten in forever. The Blossom cocktail was delicious. Will be back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Came here on a rainy Tuesday evening for dinner with a friend and could not have been more pleased! Without a reservation, we were seated immediately. They have the coziest booths nestled in a modern open design layout. We ordered the gnocchi, popcorn chicken, rangoon ravioli, and asparagus risotto. All of them were absolutely delicious! Flavorful, cooked perfectly, and came out quickly. The restaurant is clean and well kept and the staff are attentive and very knowledgeable about menu items. I am looking forward to returning so I can try the duck breast and shrimp PKM!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The spread we had recently was not packed with in-your-face flavors as before. But the lamp shank special I had when I visited last was the best lamb shank I’ve had. Very tender and flavorful, the mint and pomegranate were a nice touch without over shadowing the lamb. And all of my visits have been amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food was ok, but almost $200 for 2 cocktails and 2 entrees is a bit much
We will not be returning
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 2
This place wow’s me every time! I’ve been trying to eat through their menu and I can say everything has been a delightful experience.
Service is good for a slow dining experience. The ambiance is very moody and intimate.
Rating this place a 5/5 because it really has that WOW factor :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
From the moment we walked into Akar, the ambiance set the tone — stylish and comfortable. It struck just the right balance for an evening out.
Emily, our waitress, made the evening seamless. She was warm, attentive, and thoughtful with her recommendations — and she kept our table looking spotless and running smoothly the entire time.
The food? Absolutely delicious. We started with the scallops and lobster ravioli as appetizers, and the kitchen was more than happy to add a fourth to each so our party of 4 could all enjoy. The scallops were beautifully seared, clean-tasting, and paired with forbidden rice that added a nuttinesa and texture. The lobster ravioli was rich and creamy without being too heavy — the perfect indulgence.
Emily suggested the cabbage as an accompaniment, and it was a standout — tangy, crisp, and refreshingly bright. It cut through the richness of the dishes with just the right balance.
For mains, we shared the duck, the short rib, the fish of the day (halibut), and the shrimp drunken noodles. Every dish was spot-on: the short rib was fall-off-the-bone tender, the duck was rich and satisfying, the halibut was fresh and perfectly cooked (and honestly, the sauce deserves to be bottled and sold), and the shrimp noodles brought a spicy kick that was flavorful but never overwhelming.
Even the drinks — which were all a little outside my usual go-to choices — were fresh, inventive, and really tasty.
Akar delivered across the board: atmosphere, service, food, and drinks. We left happy and full.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
The location is peaceful. It's a small place though, Inside seating is almost claustrophobic. We visited on a Wednesday, only 2 waiters for the entire place, not a welcoming reception. Ordered Gnocchi w/ Malaysian curry which is good and flavourful and Broccolini, which is just okay. Everything took a lot of time, we've been waiting for about an hour overall for the entire visit. Not worth the price or time if you're a food enthusiast.
The location is peaceful. It's a small place though, Inside seating is almost claustrophobic. We visited on a Wednesday, only 2 waiters for the entire place, not a welcoming reception. Ordered Gnocchi w/ Malaysian curry which is good and flavourful and Broccolini, which is just okay. Everything took a lot of time, we've been waiting for about an hour overall for the entire visit. Not worth the price or time if you're a food enthusiast.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi
Amazing food! I got the fish of the day and my friend had the duck. Both meals were amazing. Highly recommend
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Loved the food, ambience and service!!
We did an early Friday night dinner here since we had heard so much about it. Our initial introduction was quite awkward and unwelcoming. It set the tone for a dinner that made us feel like we were a bother.
Upon walking in one of the servers asked if we had a reservation to which we answered no. She then asked if we preferred to be seated inside or outside. We stated outside and she invited us to sit anywhere we pleased. We sat at a table for four (two small tables put together) since my husband and I like sitting next to each other. Less than 2 minutes after sitting, a man who we now know is chef B. Lee, came over and asked if anyone else was joining us. We answered no and he said we needed to move to another table (other 4 seaters) or he would take one of the tables away and make it a 2 seater. We moved but it was just the strangest thing because 15 minutes later another couple was seated there.
The server was polite and kind, the food decent. I loved the blue crab donabe. The fried chicken appetizer was fine but the soba noodle was described to have a peanut sauce and we could not find that flavour. It was pretty bland. My husband thought his lamb was decent. In addition to my initial grievance, I noticed the chef routinely delivering dishes to all other tables and conversing with them but not ours. It was odd and felt like we were not welcome.
Overall not sure I’ll return since food is only part of the experience. The service, especially from the chef, was disappointing and I urge him to do better. Happy to spend any amount of money an artist assigns as a value to their craft but there are expectations the higher the price tag.
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