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Umi No Ie
Category: Restaurants Japanese Japanese [Edit]
86 E 3rd St(between 12th St & 11th St)
New York, NY 10003
Neighborhood: East Village
(646) 654-1122
- Nearest Transit:
-
2 Av (F)
Bleecker St (4, 6, 6X)
Astor Pl (4, 6, 6X)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 7 pm - 1 am
Fri-Sun 7 pm - 2 am
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
64 reviews for Umi No Ie
Review Highlights
"The pork belly is a religious experience."
(in 19 reviews)
"friendly staff, huge shochu list."
(in 19 reviews)
"...friend and have a go at the tasting menu (only $30 a person."
(in 7 reviews)
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64 reviews in English
-
Review from Timothy T.
New York, NY
A Japanese speakeasy? (o_O)
I will perhaps regret making that comment. Not because it is mostly inaccurate, but because any time "speakeasy" is mentioned, that venue blows up and loses its exclusivity and seclusiveness. And if Umi No Ie has anything, it has seclusiveness.
This place is hidden. On the outside, it looks like nothing. Maybe an apartment. Maybe a back entrance to a corner store. Maybe a laundromat. But on the inside, it is as if one has entered a teenage Japanese fisherman's basement. While group-friendly, the venue also makes an excellent date spot.
There is nautical themed decor strewn about, and the spacing is quaintly cozy. We were welcomed by a casually trendy (as many japanese are) host (who would later be revealed to also be a server, bartender and dish washer) who made arrangements to (satisfy?) my party of 6. There are both chair-and-table arrangements and more traditional Japanese seating. My legs are too thick (ie: muscular) for traditional seating, so we used chairs.
Regarding the service: they were courteous and helpful, but definitely overwhelmed. The venue was near-full and there were only 3 people working: 1 cook, and 2 doing everything else. They did what they could but it did take a while for us to receive our food.
Food-wise: everything here is small. Thankfully, they are priced appropriately by NYC standards (~$6), so one can order 3 items or so. You likely will not leave on a full stomach, but at least the food is presented well and tastes good. I had the warm udon noodle soup, dumplings and fried chicken. The noodles were the best of the three, but lacked protein. The chicken was tender but as far as taste, was saltier than flavorful. The dumplings were dumplings.
Drinks: cheap and plentiful. Even if you wait a while for food (remember, 1 cook, and a tiny-ass kitchen), you can still get your drink on to pass the time.
Speakeasy-esque (^_^)
Taste (o_O)
Cheap drinks (^_^)
Ambience (^_^)
Portion sizes (T_T)
[3.5 stars rounded up]
Glad I came. Not much return factor for me unless I go with different people, but I will definitely recommend to friends looking for a non-touristy Japanese experience or to impress a date. -
Review from Jan Y.
Long Island City, NY
10/6/2011
Very hidden hole in the wall, can easily walk by the restaurant not knowing it was there. Small, cute date spot. Food was home-y , I had the $35 tasting menu which was really a set meal than a "tasting" First came string beans and another vegetable, then potato salad, rice and chicken & egg lastly a large meat ball. All in all it was a satisfactory meal, nothing really stood out but I enjoyed each simple dish.
Minus 1 star for bringing me a bottle of sake that was opened and drank from by someone else.. -
Review from Zach P.
New York, NY
9/17/2011
Sadly, Umi no Ie is yet another Japanese place I really wanted to like, but it just didn't live up to my expectations.
I like the vibe of the place - a relaxed, hole in the wall shochu bar. And as a shochu bar, it's great. They've got a good selection of different types, and some interesting cocktails (I really enjoyed the shiso mojito).
But the service, while friendly, is slow and inattentive. Perhaps they're just not used to American-style service where we expect to be checked on every once in a while. Maybe it's my fault for feeling awkward about shouting "sumimasen!" when I want some service.
The food is where this place lets you down. Some of it is good - the unagi omelet was a tasty surprise. But burnt gyoza? Why? I can overlook (sort of) the fact that it's obviously the frozen store-bought variety, but what self respecting restaurant serves obviously burnt food?
To sum up: go for drinks, but don't go hungry. -
Review from Evelyn S.
New York, NY
1/5/2012
Passed by this place and wanted to stop in. Months later, I did. Fantastic food and great atmosphere. Really low key and everything I enjoy about eating out in NYC.
-
Review from Jenn T.
New York, NY
8/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ever been to a friend's house and their mother is cooking in the kitchen and huffing because you've clearly invaded her abode and have become an inconvenience because now she has to cook for you? Well that's how my friend and I felt when we came to this hole in a wall.
We enter to a practically empty restaurant and sit ourselves at the bar. There's music blaring in the ghetto stereo sitting on top of a bookshelf. We wait for the server to come over, but after sitting for 15 min, we have to hail him over, arms waving. He comes over - but only after he takes a few bites of his own food. Thanks, buddy, I'm glad you're making sure you're well fed.
My friend lets him know we're going to a show so we wanted a quick bite. He gives us... absolutely no advice. We decide to just get the 'pork special' and 'pork belly'. The lady behind the 'bar' takes out a ziplock container and scoop some stuff into a pan and starts heating it up. (it really wasn't a bar, it was where her electric stove and sink are - a sink full of dirty, greasy dishes. Hello Health Dept... whenever you're ready to come by...)
This stuff she heats up is of course the pork special. Great. She serves it in a clean platter. Tastes like... heated up leftovers. Where's the pork belly dish? Clearly they thought we wanted this as a two-course meal, because she only starts heating up a big pot of 'belly' after she serves us the first dish. It's already been about 40 min and we're going to miss the show, so we ask for the check and ask them to pack up the second dish for us. I swear I see the server making a face and mocking us behind the bar before he drops off the check. I'm thisclose to knocking his hipster hat and thick-rimmed glasses off his snobby face.
As for the to-go food, I get a container of three big pieces of straight-up pork belly. No vegetables, no sauce. Just meat. And oil. This wouldn't be a big deal to me if it weren't for the fact that I just paid $15 for this. I would have thought it came with some fixins. Obviously I'm mistaken. We pay the tab, and for some reason, still tipped them even though they deserved none. We gather our things and leave, vowing never ever ever to return again.
Someone else had a bad review here and was kind enough to say it might have been on off-night. Honestly though, a night as off as this one is just not acceptable, I don't care how 'hip' the neighborhood is. -
Review from Vivian H.
6/19/2011
In the past few 2 weeks, I have already been here twice. I don't like to go back to places in NYC because I would like to try more things. But since my drinking companion really likes this place, I sadi OK.
I have never had any of the food here, but I was very intrigued by their eel over rice. It smelled really good. I want to come back and just try the food.
We stopped in both nights to have some beer. The beer is good and the place is very relaxed. Never a wait and the waitstaff doesn;t rush you at all. I like being able to enjoy my beer without the feeling that someone is waiting for my table.
A nice place to drink with friends and dates. Spacious and unassuming.
I'll definitely be back to have some food unless some other place catches my eye (very likely). -
Review from Priscilla T.
Boston, MA
8/2/2011
-Forgot my shishito peppers and didn't bother to tell me they were out until the bill came
-Forgot my meatballs - no apology
-Brought me shiokura instead (of what I ordered) then argued with me about whether or not I ordered it
-Greasy, fatty karaage :(
You decide if you want to eat here. I've heard glowing things so maybe I just got an off day...
I will say the udon was unique and tasty though. -
Review from Sean S.
4/17/2011
Please pass me an x-large Okinawan Orion. I had a long a** week! A little hot sake too, that can't hurt.
Next I'd like to try the ohitashi, yum! Zucchini salad next, marinated with some chili pepper & oil. Agedashi tofu as next course cooked perfectly, and finally Goto Udon.
Super cute little place, much nicer on the inside than the outside. I guess that keeps out people walking by. This place screams date, especially with the vintage french music playing as the soundtrack! -
Review from Stacey S.
New York, NY
10/11/2011
Not a bad place but given the many Japanese places in the city, esp in e. village, don't think I'm tempted to return. Food was ok and it was nice that the place was sort of empty (but why so empty on a Friday night?). Decent place to catch up with your company if you happen to be nearby and want to share some tapas and sake.
-
Review from Jeff C.
Jersey City, NJ
2/16/2011 3 Check-ins Here
First off, I need to note how annoying it is when people complain about the small portion sizes at Umi No Ie and other izakaya-style places. People, THESE ARE NOT ENTREES. You're supposed to order multiple.
OK, now that I've gotten that out of the way, let's talk about the food. Stunning is the only word that comes to mind. The pork belly is a religious experience. And I don't think I've ever had gyoza this tasty. They've got a handful of great sakes (six or so), but the Shochu is the real star here, with about 10 times as many, including the often hard to find sesame shochu.(try it!) The atmosphere is funky and cozy with exposed brick and very reminiscent of the real deal in Japan.
It's a great place for dinner, snacking or just hanging and drinking, or any combination of those activities. -
Review from Misa M.
Brooklyn, NY
10/8/2011
Umi no Ie is so weird. It makes me feel like I'm at some "dive bar" in the Japanese countryside. I accepted that this was the situation-- it's not a restaurant, it's a bar. With ALL the lights on. They didn't have anything I tried to order from the menu except edamame. But kurosawa sake is only $5. Only thing missing was a couple tables of loud drunk townies-- there was no one else in the bar except 2 other quiet girls nursing their wine.
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Review from Ina C.
1/6/2011
No one mentioned that this place is a CAVE. A divey cave. And that dinner service starts LATE.
At 7pm, we were the first customers. I was a little embarrassed to bring my parents and in-laws here on New Year's Eve when our other dinner plans fell through. The low ceiling, unsexy brick wall, the unframed home photos of the staff, the Japanese soft rock... Not all that classy.
But Sushi Man's recommendation brought us here, and I was glad that the excellent food diverted our attention away from our dumpy surroundings.
The regular menu and specials menu were filled with small plates mostly under $10, and instead of picking and choosing, we decided to go with the $35 tasting menu. We asked how many courses this usually entails, and our friendly server told us four to five. How many did they end up bringing out? Seven!
First was a tiny black seaweed course. Second was cold soba noodles in a very light broth and tiny chunks of new potato. Third I think was something similar to Korean galbi jjim - potato and short ribs braised forever in a soy sauce broth. Then came the kara age (fried chicken) which didn't come with any seasoning, and didn't need it, in my opinion. A little greasy for the parents, but delicious to me. Fifth was a curious dish: mapo tofu, exactly as you might find at a Chinese restaurant. Sixth was a small bowl of udon. Seventh was dessert which...I can't remember! Sorry.
It was a pretty exciting meal, and the dishes got better and more interesting as we went on. Really great food that I imagine is a lot like Japanese homestyle cooking (I wouldn't really know, but...). -
Review from Karin G.
New York, NY
3/19/2011
One star for the soup base of the noodle- NOT THE NOODLE...
One star for the POTENTIAL OF A YELP FIVE-STAR RESTAURANT
Honestly, I was geniunely pissed off by the lack of hospitality from this place where I just felt ignored. I guess the bigger your party is, the more attention you would get. Also, I kind of feel ripped off b/c I am paying nine bucks for a bowl of noodle soup literally! There are not any substantial toppings whatsoever unless you are a diehard seaweed and scallion fan. Even then the seaweed are small amount of shredded pieces. The udon noodle was definitely not what I expect it at all. It tasted like bland flour noodle.
This place was utterly a disappointment for me. -
Review from Naoko I.
New York, NY
8/26/2010
I finally debut going to Shochu-bar the other night for. I've been this place before with my colleague and his wife one time. But this time, it was very first time to visit there by myself and sat at counter. I had such a great time.
I ordered Pork Belly and Ei hire. That satisfied me for me to get going drinking. I have a sweet teeth so I normally order Umeshu. I was drinking dark Umeshu. Believe me it is delicious. If you like sweet cocktail drink, you'll love it.
Unfortunately, their Umeshu bottle was finished and they didn't have another one for my glass of Umeshu. I challenged one of those Shochu which I never really explored before. I carefully informed that I have sweet tooth and I don't like any bitterness in my drink. One of the shochu they've selected was so smooth and has citrus flavor (sudachi or kabosu? like green lime) and delicious.
I've never knew I can drink that many of glasses of Shochu. I may have to start buying the bottle and keep it in the bar. This may turned out cheaper, rather than ordering per glasses. Once I know exactly what kind of Shochu I want, I may do that. But for now, I would like to try as many Shochu I can and decide my favorite kinds.
You will see me at counter there. :) -
Review from Erica L.
8/25/2010
I live a block away and I walk past this door every single day. I've been meaning to go in for awhile; there's something about the handmade sign and slightly downhill entranceway that sucks you in. I finally went about a week ago and had a surreal experience. I was the only person in the entire restaurant on a Monday night, pouring rain. There were two very friendly staff members in the "kitchen" in the middle of the restaurant, chopping onions.
I had an appetizer of cold, raw tofu with scallions (I think?) and it was really tasty. I then had a delicious bowl of rice, broth, chicken, egg and onions. It was seriously so simple yet so good. Very fresh, strong flavors, filling but not greasy or overbearing. I loved it.
I will probably come back with friends and hopefully experience a bit more of the ambiance. I'd also love to try Shochu, but didn't on this occasion.Listed in: Dinner in Manhattan
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Review from Alex C.
Berkeley, CA
6/2/2010
like Jane wrote, i didn't want to yelp about this place. It's been a secret of mine for awhile, but it seems like people have caught on. plus, i am sadly leaving NYC so I might as well share!
Japanese food but no fish or sashimi so probably new to a lot of people. It really reminds me of my food adventures in Japan
Home-cooked flavors (they cook it behind the bar!)
The biggest selection of shochu i've seen in NY
Reasonable prices
Killer pork belly
Great date place
Cheap beer specials -
Review from Kevin L.
10/29/2010
I really wanted to like this place since I love Japanese food. I thought Umi No Ie would have excellent food since they featured authentic Japanese Cuisine from Goto Island. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by what they had to offer and left unfilled and with a much lighter wallet.
Although their dishes are pricey (ranging from 6-10 for many appetizers and up to 20 for larger dishes) they were nowhere near filling or even shareable with a table. Best example was a $6 plate of shrimp my friend ordered. We thought for $6, we'd get enough shrimp for a table of 8 to share but out came a plate of 6 regular sized shrimp and a wedge of lemon. I know shrimp is not cheap but at a $1 per piece, I felt it was a horrible value. Tastewise, it was okay but it still left me feeling ripped off.
Although several of the dishes we ordered did not live up to expectations, there were a few hits. The udon we ordered for $9 was very good, even though the portion sizes were a bit small. The eel omelette for $9 was also good but it was a little too fatty for my tastes.
I guess this place is good if you want ultra-authentic Japanese food and have enough of a wallet for the food and sochu. However for me, I left wanting much more and wound up at Pommes Frites later in the evening instead. To satisfy my izakaya cravings, I'll stick with Sake Bar Hagi and pass over Umi No Ie. -
Review from Jane K.
"So, you're not allowed to Yelp about this place. I mean, my friend told me about it in the strictest confidence and we don't want too many people to know about it."
This is how Hana prefaced our maiden voyage to Uminoie. My response: Yeah no, I'm definitely allowed to write a review considering that there's already 24 Yelp reviews for the place. Yelpers know their shit.
Though tempted by the $35 tasting menu we (perhaps mistakenly) decided to try some of the tapas out a la carte. Looking back I wish that one of us was Japanese since we just kept staring at the dishes on the table next to us. Neither of us really had a compass for what to order so I just went with what sounded good.
Memorable plates:
- Japanese-style chicken wings (of course I ordered these)
- Mama's special udon (sooo goood)
While I'm pretty sure that between us we had six dishes they weren't remarkable enough to have made an imprint in my holiday-fogged memory. Though overall everything was tasty. They have a huge and fantastic sake menu (lots of sakes that you don't typically see on menus) and really interesting, authentic Japanese dishes. It took a bit long for each dish to come out but it's a pretty small family-run operation so don't go starving and enjoy! -
Review from Julia Z.
9/23/2010
Slow down or you'll miss this place! No kidding. There's no big fancy sign or neon lights, just a very subdued but charming exterior.
On a Wednesday night, this place is pretty empty, but I can imagine how jam packed it can get on fridays/saturdays. There's a bar when you enter, and the back is a long narrow hallway with more seating.
Since we were one of two parties there, the service was very good, and fast! We ordered the famous (and very delicous) pork belly, and it literally came out in 5 seconds. The other dishes took a little longer, but it wasn't an excruciating wait. I really liked the fried chicken, beef stew with potatoes, and eel omelet (it was a special that night). Wasn't a big fan of the octopus with pickles! Most of their dishes were very delicious, and it tasted like a good home cooked meal. The only thing preventing this place from getting more stars is the portion. Don't expect to get full, unless you want to spend a fortune in here! Gluttony is one of my vices, what can I say? My tastebuds were happy, but my stomach was bummed. So, we finished up our beer and went in search of less expensive, more filling food.
Good place for a snack, but keep on walking if you want a truly filling meal! -
Review from Yora K.
New York, NY
6/7/2007
This place takes me back...
it's a J-heaven
everything about this place is real J
from small dishes to the bar stocked with shochus
drinking shochu here is a must
it's a small place, so it's best to go during the weekdays -
Review from Alex K.
Brooklyn, NY
8/22/2010
I brought my roommate and my sister here a while back. We were seated at a low table (meaning that we were sitting on an elevated mat), a setting that I enjoyed though my companions squirmed.
The setting was impeccable, and the food was both good and authentic, but two problems bar this place from earning five stars.
1) We left very hungry. We ordered five or six plates but remained unsatisfied. All three of us had to eat a second dinner.
2) The service was uneven. Food was brought in unpredictable intervals and only after a lengthy wait. -
Review from jason o.
Manhattan/East Village, New York, NY
3/20/2007
I'm Korean. I don't know all THAT much about Japanese food beyond sushi and udon and ramen. But bear with me.
Uminoie is a hidden little restaurant in the E Village (it's next to a psychic reader and very easy to miss, even when you're looking for it) that serves Japanese comfort food in the style of Goto Island. See, I barely even know what that really means.
What I do know is that the food here is not your usual square plates of sushi and mochi ball fare. It's kind of like Japanese small plate/tapas style dining, where you can order delights like impeccably seasoned seaweed salad, chopped marinated beef, pork belly, their signature Goto udon noodles, dumplings, stews, pancakes, gyoza, tofu in a variety of styles... the menu is packed but the nightly specials are a must.
I highly recommend to bring a friend and have a go at the tasting menu (only $30 a person! what! that's like the price of a bottle of water at an airport!), where the chefs (two young Japanese girls without any restaurant experience but plenty of humor - they misidentified my girlfriend as their "best friend" [???]) bring out six or seven or eight plates of whatever they feel like cooking up that evening.
The atmosphere is tight but cozy. Probably a bit small to bring the entire field trip, but plenty of room for you and a few friends.
Also to note, they've got a rather extensive menu of obscure Japanese shochus and sakes. And they keep their beer in a plastic cooler up front. Totally hilarious. -
Review from Miriam W.
4/12/2009
While the udon was outstanding, the other offerings at Umi No Ie lacked a certain brightness. Punch, if you will. To be plain as day: flavor.
The beef stew was a bit bland. Meanwhile the kabocha and fried tofu came out cold enough to make my teeth chatter, as though it had come direct from the icebox.
The karaage was nice enough, if only for the light flavor imparted by the oil it was deep fried in.
But the udon? I'd go back for that! -
Review from Justine L.
San Francisco, CA
11/14/2008
This is the quintessential NYC tiny hole-in-the wall restaurant that was run by two women the night that I visited it. Lots of warm atmosphere, clippings and photos on the wall. Small tables and a tiny wrap-around counter that gives you a view of the cook making all the home cooked meals.
I was eating by myself so I felt free to be as adventurous as possible. My most favorite dish was the pork belly which was boiled.
If you love authentic Japanese food you need to try this place. -
Review from jeff c.
10/27/2008
4 stars my ass. Not sure how they survive here, as we stumbled across this place and have never heard of it. We were deciding between either this place or Chiyono. 50 shochus for you to choose from here. They also offer a $35 tasting but the entire table must order it. We were skeptical and opted out of that. Verdict: Let's just say some things are better left undiscovered.
Ordered:
-Salmon Onigiri ($3) [rice ball] - preserved salmon bits on top was scarce, nothing inside the riceball, what a rip
-Eihiri ($6) [dried fin of manta ray] - quite interesting, as it tasted like a very meaty cuttlefish, a bit fishy, definitely unique
-Sunomono ($6) [octopus, seaweed, and cucumber in a homemade vinegar dressing] - small, 3pcs of thin octopus, just OK, vinegar was overpowering but good though
-Kakuni ($13) [pork belly] - 2 big pcs, stewed, light broth, very fatty on the outside, just OK
-Karaage ($6) - 5pcs of fried chicken, just OK
-Hijiki ($4) - black seaweed, my favorite dish here, well done.
Total came out to $24/pp after everything -
Review from Dust B.
New York, NY
10/4/2010
Price: $$, not so. Yes each item averages around 6-7 dollars. But if you take into account that each item only weighs about 3-4oz., it is neither cheap nor filling.
That aside, the agedashi tofu was delicious with a wonderful broth. Unfortunately it came with only 4 cubes of tofu. We also ordered the pork belly ($15) and while it was a larger serving and pretty good, it seemed like something my Mom could have made in a crock pot. We also ordered the chicken karaage which was $6 for 4-5 popcorn size morsels.
The food was good as was the service. The servings were a little to chintzy to command such an extravagant price. And as other reviewers have duly noted, you WILL have to go and get another meal afterwards unless you are 1.) rich enough to eat till your heart's content, or 2.) have a stomach the size of a baby's fist. -
Review from Alexis K.
Brooklyn, NY
12/27/2007
I really, really loved this place.
There's so much good Japanese food in NYC, especially in the East Village, that a place like Uminoie can easily fly blissfully below the radar for years.
Sushi chef from some super-famous place? nope.
World class architect? nope.
High profile owner? nope.
Nice storefront? not even.
Food? Special. Simple. Clearly made with love.
People? Incredibly nice.
Cost? Cheap.
What's missing? Hitachino Nest beer. Nothing else.
I'm going to spend many $'s here during the next few years, I can tell.
Can't wait to see you again. -
Review from luca l.
NY
9/9/2007
The tasting menu, now $35, consists of taro jelly, fried tofu in broth, potato salad, shrimp plate entree, 2 big bowls of fresh udon, green tea cake and green tea. We requested a no-meat serving. This menu is based on their nightly specials which were not all included but looked mouth watering good, on the savory side.
The Sapporo Reserve was flavorful.
Uminoie means beach bar, their card states "go to island" , the concept is like a swim up bar, Japanese style. Bar sitting looks fun with cooking directly in front of you.
The decor is sparse with sweet photos of the women with their loved ones, felt like a sea side cabin on Awakuni-shima.
Two tables in front are shoe - less. Owners are gracious and welcoming. -
Review from Shoshie G.
Brooklyn, NY
6/21/2011
Come here for shochu and a few small plates to complement it. I think that's really the point.
The first time was a charming experience. I had a little nosh of this or that...some eel omelet, pork belly, a tofu dish. The second time, the members of my party were famished, and disappointed by the small portions (for what seemed like entree prices). For gluttonous binges, I would stick to the yakitori places at St. Mark's. For a quiet, intimate drink and nibbles, this place has a better vibe and is carefully situated off the beaten path. -
Review from Gabi A.
New York, NY
9/21/2008
My friends & I accidentally went here. As we were walking around looking for some good middle eastern food on 2nd ave, this little joint claiming it had homestyle japanese food caught my eye. My friends gave the OK and we went it.
We went during happy hour so $4 flavorful sapporo reserves :)
An extensive drink menu.
The service is fantastic (the owners are so kind!) and so is the ambience, so home feeling...but do NOT expect to be full from this place.
Portions are small but goes very well with the alcohol.
Expect a lot of sea food based stuff. -
Review from Wendy L.
7/24/2009
Of my weekend of commute of 6 hours ....this is what I want. Somewhere quiet, but with lots of people, alcohol and homey food.
They have an extensive selection of shochu, but carry some good sake such as kubota or the staple otokoyama. Further, they have number of mixed cocktails available. It's a very chill atmosphere...though I've also gone there with about 12 people and they were able to seat all of us. There is a minimum of $15 per person though I believe.
Though their dishes may not be extravagant......the simple dishes are really quite tasty. I got the Shiokara (salty squid), goya champuru (bitter melon, tofu and eggs), and kakuni (my favorite, as it was simmered to a good texture and not TOO fatty). The home made udon is really tasty, but i prefer thicker noodles rather than the thin ones they use here.
I love coming here in the winter because it really does feel like a homey island shack. You begin to forget how cold it is outside.... -
Review from Cheryl K.
1/20/2010
Peeked in last night to catch up with a friend who lives next door to this place. I don't know what I was expecting, but definitely not this.
I figured Umi No Ie would be like any small lower eastside sushi joint. I was wayyy off. They don't serve sushi. They have a sushi bar, but there is NO sushi being served out of there. The place is teeny tiny, which wasn't surprising. It was quiet and cozy; I guess we went at an odd hour- we were the only party there after 9pm or so. My friend who frequents this place ordered a bunch of things that were tasty but not particularly outstanding.
The pork belly was good, as were the fried tofu and udon. The rice in 'insertunknownjapanesenamehere' broth with cod roe was good. Everything else was mediocre. Very unlike any other Japanese joint I've been to. Apparently, this place does "homestyle Japanese cooking" which sort of reminded me of Japanese-style tapas. My friend had a bottle of shochu for us to try and I was horridly reminded of Korean "soju" (yes, I'm Korean, yes, I hate soju) upon my first sip. After my second sip however, it didn't seem so bad. Definitely less reminiscent of rubbing alcohol than soju.
The place was cute and I was with enjoyable company so I've rounded up 2.5 stars to 3. If I happen to be in the area again with a girlfriend or two, I may pop in for some shochu but probably not the food. They play some funky music too; I liked it. -
Review from nxl b.
New York, NY
10/1/2011
The pork belly was incredibly tender. Went mainly for the dining-on-the-floor experience. It was worth it.
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Review from Hideki K.
8/22/2009
Umi No Ie is easy to overlook since it's not located on the heavily trafficked St Marks.
The Japanese food here is average, but their shochu selection is unrivaled. -
Review from Kellser G.
Brooklyn, NY
9/4/2008
I LOVED this place.
Uminoie is a hidden little restaurant in the East Village, the kind of place that you'll miss even when you're looking right at it.
I've been here twice. Sat at the counter once and the floor and cushion tables the other time.
It's run by these 2 great ladies who are extremely friendly. If you are a vegetarian I probably wouldn't go, the food is very authentic which means really fish based.
The server is this nice easy going guy that takes care of business without a fuss.
I've tried a lot of great stuff here. Loved the udon. Oh and my lover-boy SAPPORO is here, always good time when he's around. -
Review from Brian C.
New York, NY
11/16/2008
Before last night, it had been awhile since I've been at Umi No Ie. I ended up revisiting it last night after the wait at Decibel spilled out into their outdoor stairwell. After we saw that crowd, we immediately about-faced and I recommended that we go to Umi No Ie.
Umi No Ie has a more expansive shochu menu than sake menu, however, every time I have gone there, I have always been very happy with the sake that I've ordered. Although, we didn't eat there last night, the food is awesome. Their karaage and kakuni are just as good as any of the other east village izakayas.
The space is always clean and the staff is always helpful and friendly. The atmosphere is always laid back and they generally play a great music--sometimes Japanese, sometimes western. I recall being in there one night a couple of years ago where they played Beatles the entire time we were there.
But after seeing the crowds waiting at Decibel last night, I was left wondering why on earth is Decibel packed and Umi No Ie not? Why did I not think to go to Umi No Ie first and keep Decibel as a plan B? As far as I'm concerned Umi No Ie should definitely be giving places like Decibel a run for their money.
This has left me with conflicting desires. On the one hand, I love the fact that the place is never packed. The feeling of intimacy is one of the reasons I love going to Umi No Ie. However, on the other hand, nothing would make me happier if the next time I returned, I saw a mass of people standing outside their door waiting for entry--Umi No Ie is a top notch place and it really should be jam packed with people every night... -
Review from Hamid H.
New York, NY
7/16/2009
It literally looks like somebody's apartment. Cozy with some nice jazzy soundtrack and home kitchen. My friend and I like to have finish our mondays there, sets the tone for the week right. Few cold ones and tako wasabe might be the only thing we order, because the ambience of the place ads to the whole course.
They have traditional Japanese seating which is great. I haven't seen any other Japanese places where you can grab a zabuton and dig in. or maybe I haven't seen enough of them. At any hand, I like this "house by the sea" and I will be there again. -
Review from Matthew C.
Queens, NY
10/28/2009
Had my first visit to Umi no Ie earlier this week - I was pleased!
Why only four stars? Nothing really blew me away.
The shochu selection was great - I especially liked the homemade shiso-jochu (the shiso was steeped in barley shochu). But, just as other yelpers mentioned - the food was average. I felt that the kara-age weren't as juicy as they could have been, and that the order of shiokara that I got was very tiny. On the upside? The dashimaki tamago was very good though, and the gyoza were cooked just right.
I'd definitely go again though to take advantage of the bottle-keep, and to try the pork belly and goto-udon.
One thing that worries me is the amount of seating vs. the size/speed of the kitchen. I'll have to see how they handle on a busier night! -
Review from Hank C.
8/30/2008
Excellent service, quick and discrete staff, cool decor and wonderful food.
A bit small for any large groups, but delicious appetizers.
A bit small on the dessert (one ice cream mochi for $3?) and a policy of minimum $9/person, but the cold tofu w/tobiko flakes was good, as was the selection of a random cold dry sake for the table. -
Review from s k.
New York, NY
11/25/2008
Tiny little hole in the wall with awesome food.
Japanese meatball with sunnyside up egg on top + udon with amazing broth + warm, dry sake = a happy monday night.
