NR

NR Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: If someone had told you there was a speakeasy on the Upper East Side, you'd be surprised. And, if someone had told you the speakeasy was a Japanese one, you'd be really surprised. NR is exactly that. It is located in a former seamstress factory and is a revelation on the Upper East Side. Tucked away on a side street, innocuously located among low-rise apartment buildings, NR seats nearly 150 people but you wouldn't know it when you enter. Subdued lighting and retro wallpaper create an almost Prohibition-like feel to the dining area, comprised of two corridors of tables and a large-ish room with a very retro wooden bar. Along the bar are myriad backlit bottles giving a hint to the cocktail wizardry here.

Likes: Outdoor seating in front still doesn’t detract from the surprise of NR’s speakeasy vibe.
Dislikes: Gets very busy and can be difficult to score a seat.

Food & Drinks: A menu of creative Asian bites and mains complements the three-category cocktail list. You’ll want to pick a few appetizers, like the melty pork bun and the fantastical mussels brewed in beer with cotton candy, yuzu and garlic. The presentation is a fun one and the ingredient list reads like something out of a “Chopped” episode. East and West coast oysters are offered. The menu’s focal points are the ramen selection of three Tokyo-inspired versions with chicken or pork belly and the medley of soup curries with one to please the vegetarians in your group. No desserts are offered but wines from Europe and Argentina are available in addition to cocktails.