Maria Yu

Excellent Korean tasting menu for $140, the quality was superior for the price. Caviar Kim was a favorite, excellent amuse bouche. The mulhoe with raw shrimp was cold and refreshing, nice acidity. Jook was very savory and creamy, the branzino had the richest sauce, and the lamb was a gorgeously plated course that was a nice take on Korean bbq and banchan. Every course was perfect. Didn’t love the wine pairing, would have preferred a bottle of full bodied white instead. The atmosphere is a bit cold and cavernous, but overall great experience.

+13

Fernando Graham

Visited based on a strong recommendation, and the dishes had a lot of thought put into it. It is Korean, but inspired by other types of food as well. I really liked their jook and the dessert was also very good.

+6

Sue Trinh

Amazing culinary experience yet again at Jua! My second time dining here, brought out of town family members and they thoroughly enjoyed. The Cavier and tartare appetizer was delicious. The striped bass had different textures and flavors profiles in each bite. The Jook with abalone was comforting to the soul, abalone was sweet and tender. The sticky donut completed the dining experience. Service was a 5 stars. Our third time back dining at Jua celebrating my daughter and husband birthday, it didn’t not disappoint! A few courses changed, all delicious.

+9

Anthony

JUA Food: The jook here is seriously next-level. Spicy comforting, and full of flavor. You can tell the ingredients are high quality. Everything else we tried was clean, balanced, and beautifully presented, but the jook definitely stole the show. Drinks were on point too - creative and well-mixed. Service: Friendly, professional, and relaxed in the best way. The staff struck that balance of being attentive without hovering. They were happy to chat about the dishes and make drink recommendations, which made the whole experience feel personal. Ambiance: Warm, modern, and just a little moody. The minimalist decor and soft lighting make it feel cozy but still sleek. Great for a date, a chill dinner with friends, or just treating yourself to something nice. Overall: JUA nails it. Fantastic food, great drinks, and an easygoing, refined atmosphere that makes you want to come back. Definitely worth adding to your NYC list.

+8

Saddmun Ahsan

Exceptional experience. FOOD The food was delicious. Truly amazing. The 7-course dinner was very well thought through and kept us on our toes throughout the evening. My favorite bites was surprisingly the Jook - as the nights get colder this time of year, this traditional Korean porridge dish with a twist warmed me up right away. The dessert was also amazing - loved the orange and yuzu sorbet! Each dish was very memorable. AMBIANCE The restaurant is beautiful and sort of fits this long narrow space but is gorgeously decorated with the kitchen in the back. Note that they only have 2 seatings (6:00p and 8:30p), so we had to book quite a bit in advance for our dinner. SERVICE Exceptional as you'd expect for a 1-Michelin star (at the time of writing) restaurant. The staff remembered my wife's birthday and mentioned / celebrated the event throughout the dinner (culminating with a candle accompanying the final dessert course) Overall, I really enjoyed the experience. The couple at the table next to us mentioned that this was their 3rd time here and I can see why - a must try restaurant here in the city (by former chef from 3-star Jungshik) before I'm sure it accumulates more Michelin stars.

Shawn Kim

Still great. Having said that, based on the recent meal, it’s no longer the best bang for buck restaurant in the city for me (until recently, it was the best restaurant for me). Again, not saying it’s not good, it’s still excellent and it’s enjoyable. Service is excellent as always. Still would go back over and over again.

+6

Queeny Qiu

Recommended to us as one of the best one starred Michelin restaurant in nyc and it did not disappoint. We enjoyed everything on the tasting menu. Portions were actually better than we thought cause we were satisfied at the end of our meal. Highly recommend and the staff were super amazing as well!

+3

Jordan Li

IG: @jojo_gourmand This is my second visit to New York City’s beloved contemporary restaurant, Jua. It continues to serve refined Korean 🇰🇷 cuisine that is both luxurious and comforting. This time, they went so hard with the glazed sweet potato donut w/ almond ice cream that it skewed the balance between the savory courses and the sweets. 🗺️ Korean Contemporary ⭐️ Michelin One-Starred 🏷️ US$140+

+4

박희은

Absolutely phenomenal Korean food! The chef is a true master of seasoning—every dish was perfectly balanced. This place offers a highly creative twist on Korean cuisine using local ingredients in ways I’ve never seen, even in Korea. The vibe is warm and stylish, the price incredibly fair. Truly one of the most memorable meals I’ve had. I wish I could bring this restaurant back home with me!

+6

Stephanie Proulx

Was so looking forward to coming here this visit and it was well worth it! I would highly recommend checking this place out! The service was really nice! Each dish was absolutely amazing as well! The only one I didn’t love was the sweet potato donut at the end but it was purely my own taste preference, my husband really liked it! We also did the non alcoholic tasting menu and that was really well done as well! Overall a wonderful experience!

+5

Khoi Pham

I'm speechless how absurdly good this restaurant is. The abalone jook was definitely the highlight for me, the branzino a close second. For desert, the sweet potato donut with the black sesame ice cream was an absolutely amazing way to close it all off. The service is above and beyond, and the Seoul Breeze(?) cocktail was super refreshing. A very very strong recommend if you're celebrating a special occasion.

+7

Jea Kim

The hype was real. The most impressive Korean fine dining experience I’ve had to date. Recently stopped by for dinner and left completely floored. Jua’s reputation precedes it, and now I get why. Reservations were fairly easy to snag, but the space still fills up nightly—our Sunday 8:30pm seating was a full house. The vibe is exactly what you’d want from modern Korean fine dining: elevated casual, never stuffy. The tasting menu here was refreshingly minimal—just 7 courses, no fillers, no theatrics. Yet within that simplicity, Chef Hoyoung Kim (formerly Chef de Cuisine at Jungsik) delivers staggering technique and surprise after surprise. Caviar Kim was an immaculate opener. The Ossetra caviar they used was incredibly creamy and smooth with just the right amount of brine (less briny than typical Kaluga caviar) which let the richness linger without overpowering. Wrapped in subtly sweet seaweed and paired with pickled apple and tuna tartare, it was playful and balanced. I also added on the Uni Kim, which was built on a base of scallop crudo and pickled apple. Delicate and well-composed, but it didn’t hit quite as hard as the Caviar Kim. The uni felt softer, sweeter, but lacked the punchy contrast that the caviar brought to the table. At $32, it’s not a must unless you’re extra hungry or curious. The Jook was one of the most unexpected highlights. A spicy foie gras-based porridge that completely defied expectations. Foie gras doesn’t scream comfort food, but here it became the perfect base—rich, mellow, and gently spiced. The depth lingered, even though the foie gras never tried to dominate. The abalone was optional, but the interplay of white kimchi and spinach added enough texture and nuance to carry the dish on their own. Most memorable porridge I ever had. Then another shocking moment with the Branzino. Dry-aged Spanish branzino grilled over wood with Chef Kim’s signature technique. Honestly hard to believe it was grilled at all—the meat was unbelievably tender, almost poached in texture, while the skin remained crisp and delicate without any harsh char. Smokiness came in two layers: first from the skin, then from the smoked fish bone broth beneath it. The broth reminded me of smoked fish pâté, but with a slight acidity that gave it lift. My favorite dish of the meal. The Duck & Chan, on the other hand, was more straightforward but no less enjoyable. The Duck & Banchan entrée was more straightforward but no less enjoyable. Beautifully cooked dry-aged duck, accompanied by a set of playful banchan. The duck was predictably excellent, but the real fun came from decoding each chan. My favorite from the chan was the perilla leaf salad. And then, dessert. Sweet Potato Joo Ak—so simple it caught me off guard. Up until now, I thought a fine dining dessert needed the holy trinity: presentation, creative ingredients, and a surprise element. This one didn’t chase that. No flash, no gimmick—just a warm sweet potato donut paired with nutty brown butter ice cream. “Comfort Dessert”, yet so thoughtfully executed it felt right at home in the tasting menu. I get why this one is evergreen in the menu. Jua reminded me that a tasting menu doesn’t need to be 18 courses long or overly cerebral to be unforgettable. It’s all about balance: creativity, restraint, and techniques. Highly recommend giving them a try.

+7

KEVIN

We recently had the pleasure of dining at Jua, and what an experience it was! As a party of three, we embarked on their tasting menu journey, and while many courses were truly exceptional, a couple of points kept it from being a perfect 10/10. The Highlights: * Uni Kim: This was a clear standout. It appeared to be a standard uni gunkan sushi roll, but it was a clever and delicious Korean interpretation. It was layered with various vegetables, creating a delightful crunch and texture reminiscent of gimbap. The crispy nori and fresh uni were a match made in heaven. It was an a la carte addition well worth the splurge. * Goose and Chan: The “Goose and Chan” course was a creative take on Korean banchan. We especially loved the "ssam," which wasn't a typical fresh lettuce wrap. Instead, it was a beautifully prepared bundle of blanched and seasoned greens, wrapped around a spicy gochujang and rice mixture. It was a fascinating and flavorful twist on a classic. * Goguma Jeok (Dessert): The grand finale was a home run. The Goguma Jeok, or sweet potato donuts, looked unassuming but were pure magic. They had a uniquely chewy and addictive texture, with a deep, satisfying flavor. I would return just to have this dessert again. Areas for Improvement: * Branzino: The flow of the menu felt slightly disjointed with the branzino course. While delicious, it was the one dish that didn't feel connected to the Korean culinary theme of the meal, which was a bit of a letdown. * The Wine Pairing: This was our biggest disappointment. The pairing was not only predictable but felt completely uninspired. It lacked any creative synergy between the wines and the bold flavors of the dishes. It was a classic example of a pairing that was merely "fine" rather than elevating the dining experience. In hindsight, we all agreed we would have been better off skipping the pairing and exploring their Korean beverage list—a bottle of soju or a traditional rice wine would have offered a far more thoughtful and enjoyable complement to the food. Conclusion: Jua is a truly special restaurant with an incredibly talented chef. The ingenuity and artistry in most of the dishes are second to none. We had an amazing time and highly recommend it for a unique fine dining experience. Just be prepared to manage your own beverage choices, as the wine pairing may not live up to the high standards of the food itself.

+14

Hee Jeong Kim

Really loved the experience! My favorites were caviar, sorbet, cod. Personally though the last dessert with sweet potato was too heavy and kinda ruined the perfect ending the sorbet could’ve provided. The atmosphere and service was a bit too casual for its price.

+1

James Pipitone

overall, quite disappointing. For starters, the wine pairing was bad. Maybe 2/6 “worked” (if you’d say that) while the remainder didn’t quite make sense. Flavor wise, the wines didn’t expand the experience. Two just barely blended in to the already apparent flavors, while the others didn’t add anything like a wine paring should. For the most part, skip the wine pairing. We both left with an absolute pounding headache. Food wise, the story of the tasting didn’t make any sense. It was very much “food put in front of you”vs “experience the flavor”. I’ve experienced better for less money at this caliber of dining. Service… very friendly but incoherent. Hard to make out what was being said, wine glasses left all over the table, and again nothing was added to the experience. They simply did a good job at servicing the restaurant, which I could get for half the price at most high quality restaurants. Atmosphere was dark and cramped. They could do a lot more but didn’t. The whole experience was rushed as well. Order after order came with mild explanations. To summarize my experience- this is very much a place where you pay high prices, get the food in front of you- and leave. For me, at this price point and caliber of expectation- I was hoping for an experience of dining out expansion of which I could only find at Jua then go on to tell the tale….. which… I did not. Again, for the same caliber of restaurants I could spend less, get more & experience far greater.

+4