THISBOWL — Restaurant in New York

ThisBowl is like a boujee Sweetgreen. I can't even believe those words are leaving my lips, but here we are.

I wanted something clean and healthy after a mediocre workout, and had been recommended this place by a few trusted sources. I walked up at 7:52pm and was shocked when I was met with a line out the door. I was even more shocked when I opened the door and felt like I had just entered a wormhole to Beverly Hills.

It felt like a designer clothing store more than a restaurant: House music thumping, expensive art on the walls, and beautiful people draped in Artizia Puffers, Dover Street Market Hoodies, Arcteryx Beanies, baggy jeans paired with Jordan 4s, etc. Like who are y'all in here trying to see lmao.

I, in my zip up Kirkland hoodie, got to the front and ordered the Braised Beef bowl ($17) which consisted of braised beef, kale, cucumber, sweet potato, red onion, tamari ponzu, wasabi mayo drizzle, and umami nut crunch. It's sad that $17 is essentially the market price for a good fast casual bowl these days, but such is life. It's an evil world we live in.

I'm beast so I opted for double protein, but felt like I took a spinning back kick to the ribs from Jon Jones when it rang up for an extra $8. I should have told them to cancel it, but I'm really shy and insecure so I tapped that apple pay like the good little boy I am. $8 for some extra beef is NASTY WORK.

In fairness, this bowl was DELICIOUS and that extra beef was a true mound of beef. The sticky rice paired so well with the beef, kale, and sweet potatoes. I mf love sticky rice. But at the end of the day, that extra $8 was just pain. Pain everywhere.

Sadly, I'm a masochist so I'll 1000% be back. Just no extra beef for me anymore smh.

IG @jnov_ Tiktok...

This is actually my first time going here, all because of the hype, and boy, it did not disappoint! Lively, the atmosphere invites one in for a healthy meal. Ingredients are super fresh, and you can tell the staff are making each bowl to perfection right before your very eyes, adding to the experience. I went for the steamed chicken bowl. The chicken in itself was pretty basic, but it married really well with the flavorful and varied bowl combos. The dressing was great-adds just that perfect amount of zest to the dish. The kitchen works at such a fast pace that even when the restaurant is busy, the waiting time is super reasonable. One thing to be noted: this place is not laptop-friendly at all; thus, you'd better come with friends or family rather than plan on working here. It's a great spot for a casual meal, as the seating is ample enough for small parties. Given the quality of the ingredients and vibe in general, the prices are very reasonable and on par with other fast-casual options such as Sweetgreen. If possible, I highly recommend going off-peak or on a Friday night, considering how crowded this place is. This place was worth a trip, for sure; I just can't...

This is the first fast casual I’ve gotten in NYC that didn’t overcook the salmon. Perfectly cooked! Came within first week of opening, food took a bit but I didn’t mind because they’d clearly been busy! Overall, portion size is on the smaller end compared to similar places, especially if you don’t get a carb (my base was cabbage and greens), so either choose rice or be in the mood for a lighter meal. Hostess was very kind but I was a little bummed when she asked unprompted if I wanted chili jam because it was “really good” to which I said “sure”, only to realize after she rang me up that it was an additional charge (I guess that’s on me for not reading the menu carefully). Bowl with tip came out to $20 so not the cheapest option, but the Japanese-inspired ingredients/flavors are awesome. Be aware that the build-your-own-bowl option, depending on what you get, comes out to be more expensive than the pre-defined options (e.g., the miso salmon bowl that comes with avocado is cheaper than a build your own with both miso salmon and avocado). Overall I’m not rushing to get back for the reasons above but I might give it another shot...