Oiji Mi Review: After attending a Formula 1 rooftop party at 9:00 in the morning and a World Cup rooftop party at 3:00 that afternoon, I arrived at Oiji Mi facing an unusual problem: I already felt completely full.
I had been eating and drinking throughout the day. Canceling dinner briefly crossed my mind, but I had been looking forward to this reservation and did not want to miss it. My dining partner and I sat down wondering how we would possibly finish a five-course tasting menu.
Somehow, we ate everything.
That may be the strongest endorsement I can give Oiji Mi. We arrived without much appetite, yet the kitchen kept placing food in front of us that we genuinely wanted to finish.
Oiji Mi earned a Michelin star in the 2022 New York guide and continues to be recognized for its polished, modern approach to Korean fine dining.
Oiji Mi Review: Modern Korean Dining in the Flatiron District
Located at 17 West 19th Street in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, Oiji Mi describes itself as a contemporary Korean restaurant created specifically for New York City.
Owner and Executive Chef Brian Kim takes recognizable Korean ingredients and preparations and presents them through the structure and precision of a modern tasting menu. The cooking is polished and ambitious, but its Korean identity remains clear.
The restaurant itself feels refined without becoming cold. Warm wood, softly illuminated lanterns, pink banquettes and carefully selected tableware give the dining room a sense of occasion. It is sophisticated enough for a celebration but comfortable enough to let the evening unfold naturally.
At the time of our visit, the five-course prix-fixe menu was $150 per person, with optional supplements. The restaurant’s current online menu lists the experience at $155, so dishes and prices may change.
A Meal That Began with Caviar
We added the caviar donuts before the tasting officially began.
These were small fried pastries topped with crème fraîche, caviar and chives. The contrast worked immediately: a warm, crisp exterior, a soft center, cool cream and the clean salinity of the roe.
They were playful, luxurious and easy to eat. More importantly, they established the tone for the rest of the evening. Oiji Mi uses premium ingredients, but the kitchen does not treat them as museum pieces. The food is meant to be enjoyed.
Oiji Mi Review: Three Introductions to the Kitchen
The first course arrived as a trio: spotted prawn, beef tartare and gyeran jjim.
Spotted Prawn
The spotted prawn was served in a shell with a gochujang panna cotta, pearl rice and a bright accompanying sauce. The presentation was delicate, but the flavors had enough acidity and spice to keep the dish from becoming overly sweet.
It was a light beginning and a smart way to wake up an appetite I was not sure I still had.
Beef Tartare
The beef tartare was one of my favorite dishes of the entire dinner.
The beef delivered the expected richness, but pickled radish and caviar gave the dish contrast. The acidity of the radish cut through the meat, while the caviar brought salinity without dominating the plate.
This was technically polished food that still tasted satisfying. It did not disappear under unnecessary decoration or technique. The kitchen understood that excellent beef should remain the focus.
Gyeran Jjim
Gyeran jjim is traditionally a comforting Korean steamed-egg dish. Oiji Mi’s version elevated that familiarity with king crab, anchovy and roe.
It was soft, warm and deeply savory, with the seafood adding layers of sweetness and salinity. Of the three opening preparations, this was the most comforting—a refined interpretation of something that still felt rooted in home cooking.
Together, the three dishes introduced Oiji Mi’s point of view: recognizable Korean flavors presented with fine-dining precision.
Scallop and Spicy BBQ Squid
For the second course, we chose two different preparations so we could try both sides of the kitchen’s approach.
Scallop
The scallop was another highlight of the night.
It arrived beautifully seared, with a deeply caramelized exterior protecting a tender center. The scallop’s natural sweetness remained intact, while the sauce and accompanying vegetables added richness and an earthy edge.
A restaurant can surround a scallop with expensive ingredients and complicated technique, but none of that matters if the scallop itself is overcooked. This one was handled properly.
Along with the beef tartare, it was one of the best dishes before the meal reached its undeniable high point.
Spicy BBQ Squid
The spicy barbecue squid offered a more assertive counterpoint. It arrived beneath a generous layer of greens, with heat and sweetness working underneath.
The dish showed another side of the kitchen. Where the scallop was controlled and delicate, the squid leaned into char, spice and stronger seasoning. Ordering both allowed us to see how comfortably Oiji Mi moves between restraint and intensity.
The Oiji Bowl
Then came my favorite course of the evening.
The Oiji Bowl combined sea urchin, spotted prawn, eel, ikura, cucumber, oiji and seasoned rice. It carried an additional charge, but this was not a supplement included merely to make the menu appear more luxurious.
It was the dish I kept thinking about after dinner.
The uni was exceptional—some of the best I have ever eaten. It was clean, sweet and creamy, without the metallic or bitter finish that can ruin lesser sea urchin.
The spotted prawn added another kind of sweetness. The eel brought richness and depth, while the ikura supplied small bursts of salinity. Cucumber and pickled elements provided freshness, and the seasoned rice gave the ingredients a foundation without competing with them.
There were many expensive components in the bowl, but it never tasted like a pile of luxury ingredients assembled for social media. Everything had a purpose.
Even though I had been eating and drinking since early that morning, I finished every bite.
The Oiji Bowl was not simply the most indulgent course. It was the most complete.
The Oiji Bowl—and That Uni
Staff told us that Oiji Mi is one of New York City’s largest buyers of uni. I could not independently confirm that claim, but after seeing—and tasting—the Oiji Bowl, it was easy to believe.
The bowl arrived loaded with exceptionally fresh uni, spotted prawn, ikura, cucumber and seasoned rice. The uni was clean, sweet and luxuriously creamy, without the bitter or metallic finish that lesser-quality uni can have. It was easily some of the best I have eaten.
At a $35 supplement, the Oiji Bowl was not inexpensive, but it was the clearest standout of the meal and the course I would order again without hesitation.
Sea Bass and Galbi
The fourth course moved the tasting into heavier territory with sea bass and galbi.
Sea Bass
The sea bass arrived with octopus, crispy rice and a truffle-scented seafood broth.
The fish had a crisp, properly rendered skin and a moist interior. Crispy rice added texture, while the broth gave the dish depth. The octopus made it feel substantial enough to serve as a main course rather than another delicate seafood tasting.
Truffle and seafood can compete if the kitchen is not careful. Here, the broth connected the components and allowed the fish to remain central.
Galbi
The galbi was sliced to reveal a beautifully pink center and served with a smooth pommes purée, dark vegetables and jus.
This was the richer of the two main courses. The beef was cooked with precision, and the sauce provided the savory finish the course needed after several seafood-forward plates.
By this point in the evening, I had no logical reason to still be eating. Neither did my dining partner.
We finished it anyway.
Chamoe Bingsu and Oksusu
Dessert continued the restaurant’s practice of using familiar Korean ingredients in polished, contemporary ways.
Chamoe Bingsu
The chamoe bingsu was built around Korean melon, honey-oat crumble and cashew.
After the richness of the Oiji Bowl and galbi, the cool shaved ice and fresh melon were welcome. The crumble was served separately, allowing us to add texture without losing the lightness that made the dessert work.
It was refreshing without feeling like an obligatory palate cleanser.
Oksusu
The oksusu dessert explored grilled corn with dulce de leche and sesame.
Corn’s natural sweetness made it an easy fit for dessert, while the toasted flavors gave the plate more depth than a conventional sweet ending. The presentation separated the components, encouraging us to combine the creamy, crisp, sweet and savory elements in each bite.
The two desserts approached the finish from opposite directions: one cool and refreshing, the other richer and more roasted.
Cocktails and the Dining Room
Oiji Mi’s beverage program follows the same creative approach as the food. The cocktail list incorporates ingredients such as makgeolli, soju, bokbunja, omija, yuja and shiso alongside spirits and techniques associated with contemporary cocktail bars.
The drinks look playful, but the menu is clearly serious about structure and balance. Oiji Mi also offers wine pairings and nonalcoholic options for the tasting menu.
Visually, the dining room occupies an appealing middle ground between a formal tasting-menu restaurant and an energetic Manhattan night out. The lantern-like lighting and warm color palette make the room feel elegant, while the open layout keeps it from becoming stiff or overly ceremonial.
Service
The service was excellent from beginning to end. The staff was polished, attentive and knowledgeable without making the experience feel stiff. Courses were paced well, each dish was clearly explained, and the team made the tasting menu feel welcoming rather than overly formal.
Oiji Mi Review: The Verdict
We arrived at Oiji Mi after a Formula 1 party, a World Cup party and an entire day of eating and drinking. Neither of us was hungry when the first course reached the table, yet we both finished everything.
That does not happen because a restaurant is fashionable, expensive or beautifully designed. It happens because the kitchen understands pacing and knows how to keep each course distinct enough to renew your interest in the meal.
The beef tartare was rich, balanced and precise. The scallop was beautifully cooked. The sea bass and galbi gave the tasting enough substance to feel complete, while the two desserts ended the evening from entirely different directions.
But the Oiji Bowl was the reason this meal became memorable.
The combination of sea urchin, spotted prawn, eel, ikura and seasoned rice could easily have become excessive. Instead, it was focused, balanced and genuinely delicious. The uni alone ranked among the best I have ever tasted.
Oiji Mi presents Korean food through the language of a modern New York tasting menu, but the cooking does not lose its identity in the process. Technique supports the ingredients rather than replacing them.
Would I order the Oiji Bowl again? Without hesitation.
Would I return to Oiji Mi? The fact that I am still thinking about that uni answers the question.
Oiji Mi Restaurant Information
Address: 17 West 19th Street, New York, NY 10011
Cuisine: Contemporary Korean
Format: Five-course prix-fixe menu in the main dining room; à la carte service in the bar and lounge
Website: oijimi.com
Reservations: Strongly recommended
Price during our visit: $150 per person before supplements, drinks, tax and gratuity
Current listed price: $155 per person before supplements, drinks, tax and gratuity
Oiji Mi Review
Oiji Mi Review
Oiji Mi Review
Oiji Mi Review
Oiji Mi Review
Oiji Mi Review
Oiji Mi Review
Oiji Mi Review
Oiji Mi Review
