Ama Raw Bar — Restaurant in New York

My life is better because Ama Raw Bar exists. The restaurant opened in my neighborhood in January 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic began. My wife and I had the opportunity to visit during their soft opening and immediately fell in love with the staff, the menu, and the atmosphere. Once the pandemic hit, things slowed down around the city, but we kept coming back time and time again. We got to meet the staff on a personal level and they made life seem less lonely and they developed community with other restaurants on the block. When I decided to propose to my then-girlfriend, I knew who to call. Ama graciously hosted us in their private Kiki Room and helped me transform the whole space with candles and rose petals and a romantic meal after she said Yes. More recently, we hosted our engagement party at Ama and it was an easy decision to make. They welcomed 40 of our closest friends and family in a private setting and served their delicious food and cocktails throughout the event. Everyone was thrilled and impressed with the smooth operation.

Staff: Everyone is friendly, knowledgeable, caring, and highly professional. Special shout-outs to Will, Harvey, Brandon, Megan, Jenny. They make our lives better every time we visit and they are all veterans of the NYC restaurant scene.

Menu: I could name many of the dishes and cocktails, but I’ll narrow it down to the best of the best. Must try the Salmon Ceviche Tacos, the Fried Chicken or Shrimp Bao Buns, the Mussels (mellow sauce or angry sauce are amazing), and of course the incredible Oysters that are the best I’ve had anywhere and are a steal during Happy Hour pricing. In terms of drinks, I love the Mezcal Negroni and the Spicy Palawan and the rotating Pinot Noir wine.

In summary, if you’re in the East Village and looking for a delicious and fun time then go to Ama. And if you’re not in the East Village, then go to the East Village...

Passed by Ama a few times before and loved the lively crowd and ambiance they would always have, so finally decided to stop by during HH. We ordered their HH oysters (east and west coast). I liked the west coast more because it had a hint of sweetness to it. The ponzu sauce made it taste even better! Their cocktails were amazing and a bit strong, which is a good thing! We ordered the crispy rice tuna and crispy oyster bao buns. The crispy rice tuna was just okay for me- it was super crispy that it kind of scraped the roof of my mouth and got stuck in between my teeth. The crispy oyster bao buns was solid and yums! The drunken and mellow mussels were plump and amazing! The lemongrass coconut broth in the mellow mussels was my favorite- it was super flavorful. The mussels also came with a side of nori fries, so we used the broths as our sauce instead ketchup. Wish they had bread so I can soak up the sauce from the mussels, but they only had steamed or fried bao buns (which didnt really soak up the sauce well enough). They also gave us complimentary...

Super vibey new raw bar that opened up and when you walk in you immediately feel cooler. Had $1 oysters and $6 lychee martinis all night on a Friday which is a great deal. The cocktails were excellent and the lychee martini was not the usual syrupy sugar bomb that other places usually have. Also tried the spicy Palawan (tequila) and their spin on the old fashioned.

The best thing (besides oysters) was the spicy tuna rice, which had individual little bites with perfectly crispy rice bottom. Only wish it was a tad spicier! Also the seared tuna was served in this gorgeous slightly sweet sauce with a smoky salt. And the crispy chicken bao had perfectly tender and crunchy karage style chicken. Still on "soft open" menu so must go back to try the full thing.

The venue renovation is gorgeous with dark moody tones. Also they have a cute private event space with a back patio that...