SHIA Restaurant

Review summary

1. J

   Joe

   Washington DC

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great drinks! Vibes! Food! Best restaurant in DC!!!!!!!
   

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2. C

   Christy

   Washington DC

   1 review

   4.0

   1 review

   Dined 5 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Got the four course menu and was overall a great experience. I was a bit taken aback since the reservation on OpenTable says the menu is $65 but in-person, the menu said $90, did not appreciate that discrepancy. But food was excellent. I didn’t love the dessert, the apple syrup the ice cream sat on was a bit too syrupy—would’ve enjoyed the ice cream more without the apples. The main entrees with the short ribs and rockfish were good but not as special compared to the rest of the menu. The mandu, soondubu, jook were amazing and unique. The kalguksu that came with my rockfish was really good as well and because of that alone, I would recommend the rockfish over the short rib entree.
   

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   SHIA RestaurantResponded 4 days ago

   Thank you for your thoughtful feedback, Christy! We're happy to hear you enjoyed the food and service at SHIA overall. I'm sorry that our four-course bar menu pricing communication was not clear. We could have done a better job, and we appreciate you letting us know so we can improve this. We had indeed started our four-course bar menu at $65 for a short period but then updated it to $90, which is likely what we'll keep. Given that our menu is seasonal, we'll continue to note how we communicate menu details and prices better. We appreciate you taking the time to let us know. Thanks also for letting us know what dishes you loved and what dishes we missed a bit. We strive for the best and will review your kind insights to continue to get better! Happy holidays, and see you again!
   

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3. j

   jacquelyn

   Wilmington

   5 reviews

   3.0

   5 reviews

   Dined 5 days ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The ambiance and service was amazing! 10/10 In fact 11/10, everyone was perfectly professional yet warm and welcoming. I loved having a bite at the bar and the kitchen before sitting down for our meal. That was so much fun. I looooved the soft R&B 90’s music. Tables are close to each other yet we never heard our neighbors. We never heard the bustling kitchen just steps away. I loved the volume of everything. So cozy and wonderful. Now on to the food. I must say I was surprised that I didn’t quite like anything. Everything was fine but not exciting. Flavor was lacking big time. Presentation was not lacking. Everything looked beautiful. My Rockfish felt wildly unseasoned. It was not flavorful at all and I usually really enjoy steamed fish. The bibibop was really beautifully done. I enjoyed that because of the fish and who doesn’t like bibibop. The kimchi lacked flavor. The 7 grain jook was not enjoyable at all for me. The noodle dish was bland and the noodles did not hold the broth or any flavor. The desert tasted exactly like pops cereal. I can get that along with a scoop of ice cream at the grocery store. It was not new or exciting. I wish the tiny desert cube duo was the actual desert because those were phenomenal. I enjoyed the drink pairings very much. Each course was gorgeously complimented by a nice Sojou, wine or other alcohol. Overall even tho I found the food to be quite underwhelming , I did love the experience because of the amazing ambiance and perfect staff.
   

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4. H

   Hyung jin

   Washington DC

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Was unhappy that chef lee was not present but the food was good 😁
   

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   SHIA RestaurantResponded 5 days ago

   Hyung Jin, we're so happy you enjoyed the food and time at SHIA! It was wonderful having you. And yes! We hear you. Given how busy Chef Lee's schedule is, we're always delightfully surprised when we see him, too. Still, regardless of his presence, we're happy that SHIA's experience can be fully felt and enjoyed in terms of food and service, and we look forward to welcoming you again soon. Thank you for taking the time to share this. We look forward to welcoming you back again!
   

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5. K

   Kenny

   VIP

   Washington DC

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Amazing experience. Food and service were on another level. After each delicate course, I was left wanting more which is ingenious because now I have to come back again. Darn. Thank you SHIA.
   

   SHIA RestaurantResponded 5 days ago

   Thank you, Kenny, for this heartfelt message! We strive for the best in every element, so we're thrilled you enjoyed the food and service at SHIA. Thank you for taking the time to share this. We can't wait to welcome you back with more yummy food at SHIA! See you soon again!
   

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6. J

   Joyce

   Washington DC

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on 15 December 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   From beginning to end, the thoughtfulness behind each decision made was what really made this experience so worthwhile. Each chef and host/hostess was so present and personable; I’ve never felt so welcomed and “at home” at a fine dining restaurant such as this. The food was, of course, delicious and reiterated the homey feelings of being in our grandparents’ kitchens. Thankful to have experienced Chef Edward’s dishes and to have met him in person. He is just as kind as one would imagine him to be.
   

   SHIA RestaurantResponded 5 days ago

   And thank you, Joyce, for this thoughtful and kind review! How do we respond with a hug and gratitude?! :)This means so much, given that we strive to provide an 'at home' experience for all our guests at SHIA. Thank you for taking a moment to share this message with us. We look forward to continuing to improve and welcoming you again at SHIA for another lovely evening. Happy holidays and we'll see you soon!
   

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7. S

   Sarah

   San Francisco

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 13 December 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   From the moment you step inside, it’s clear that every aspect of the dining experience has been thoughtfully curated. Taste, of course, is subjective. Overall, I found most dishes to be not only delicious but also innovative and intriguing. I especially loved the apple juk, lovely flavor profile and texture. One or two dishes that didn’t fully resonate with me were the bibimbap and the grain jook. While bibimbap is so iconic, it was a bit salty for my taste, and the ratio of rice felt slightly heavy especially given that the next dish was another rice-based course. Overall, an amazing experience. I’m grateful to Chef Lee and his staff for showcasing Korean cuisine in such a beautiful way. I’m excited to see how this restaurant continues to evolve. ♥️
   

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   SHIA RestaurantResponded 4 days ago

   Thank you, Sarah, for this thoughtful sharing! ♥️ We're so happy you enjoyed the meal, experience, and service during your last visit to SHIA. Appreciate the detailed reflection on each of the dishes. We strive for the best and look forward to taking the notes you've shared to make your next visit to SHIA even better. Thank you for taking the time to share these notes with us. We loved having you and can't wait to see you soon again!
   

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8. A

   Alexander

   Washington DC

   4 reviews

   5.0

   4 reviews

   Dined on 13 December 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Please thank the staff and Chef Lee for their graciousness.
   

   SHIA RestaurantResponded 5 days ago

   And thank you, Alexander, for your thoughtfulness in taking the time to share this note! We're so happy to hear you had a wonderful time at SHIA and can't wait to welcome you back. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you soon again. :)
   

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9. k

   kevin

   Baltimore

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 11 December 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   12/10/24 didn’t know what to expect as we were hoping for chef Edward lee’s presence, but wasn’t banking on it. Soon as we walked through the door, there he was and our excitement just rose through the roof. First course at the bar was a mandoo with all sorts of flavor profile you never expect from a dumpling. Sweet, acidic, sour, umami, it had everything in a small bite to launch off your culinary adventure. We then were escorted into main dining room where we were able to have a closer look at their kitchen and have another bite sized deliciousness of Saam, which was so clean in plate and fragrance of sesame leave set the tone of Korean cuisine expedition. Third course, the soon tofu soup……. So unexpected, so refined, and clean taste, it was most unexpected flavor punch of the night and to me the favorite course of entire meal. After that, we got the chef’s version of bibimbop. Then comes a dish surprised me which reminded me of traditional duwein Jang Jo gae that has pungent smell of fermented soy bean, which I thought no way he would out this on fine dining but yes he did, and he did not hold back on full flavor profile of Jjang and as I was eating the fish I was so proud that the could represent a Korean dish in such fine tuned way. Then next course was main course od protein which can’t go wrong and it came for time for dessert which ended up being my 2nd favorite dish of the night as it had salty, sweet, sour, all types of flavor, but I never expected to get umami taste out of noo roong ji, which was a huge surprise for me. We were able to take picture with chef Edward Lee and see him in person which was a icing on top, but impeccable attention to detail on dining experience from Shia team has left us with unforgettable memory and experience. Special thanks to Joe for making us feel at home and experiencing Korean “Jung aka service” first hand going above and beyond to make this night to Rember an cherish.
   

   SHIA RestaurantResponded 4 days ago

   Thank you so much for sharing this thoughtful, detailed reflection, Kevin! We're thrilled you enjoyed the food and service at SHIA. We strive for the best and are delighted to hear how the details made you feel at home with Korean 'Jung'! And now you're making us feel the Jung and care in this heartfelt message. Thank you for taking the time to share your dining experience at SHIA. It was great having you, and we can't wait to welcome you back for another memorable evening with good food. Thank you, Kevin!
   

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10. T

    Taekyung

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 8 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    One of the best Korean style foods I’ve EVER had. Thank you!
    

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    SHIA RestaurantResponded 5 days ago

    Taekyung, this means a lot, given how many Korean-styled foods are out there! :) Thank you for joining us at SHIA. We're happy to hear you had a great time and can't wait to welcome you back for another wonderful evening over good food. Thanks for taking a moment to share this note back with us!
    

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