Stylish restaurants in the big city are a dime a dozen, especially in the age of social media when any brick and mortar establishment knows that postability must be first priority. A place where patrons can throw on their best, vibe out and capture some content of themselves, the ambiance and the food and drinks is a guaranteed win, right?
As a girl who’s frequently out and about and always throwing on a cute ensemble to do so, I know better than anyone that what often comes with that is a compromised dining experience. Too many times I’ve visited some of the city’s most sought-after dining establishments, got dressed up to do so and been disappointed with just about everything but the ambiance and cocktails.
There’s usually a caveat — probably that the food won’t be too good. KYU NYC, however, isn’t that kind of spot.
Coming after Miami and Mexico City locations, the newest addition to the KYU family is tucked into the stylish intersection of Lafayette and Bleecker on the Lower East Side, and boasts a vibe that’s wildly chic yet also inviting.
On any given night you’ll spot chic Loewe bags sprinkled around the dining room, parties of model-esque friends donning sunglasses in the dimly lit space (because that’s what New Yorkers do), chic couples in coordinating outfits and even entire families giving only the most elevated kind of Vineyard Vines energy.
The dishes are equally as stylish, but actually taste as good as they look. My favorites: the Roasted Cauliflower, King Crab Fried Rice, Krunchy Kale and the Lamb Saddle. And while yes, all of them are served in ways perfect for an Instagram moment, it’s the taste that will leave you coming back over and over again.
So what occasions should you choose KYU for? The quintessential girls’ night, a celebratory date night, when you just feel like getting cute, or if you’re trying to impress your coworkers with your knowledge of NYC restaurants that are actually worth the hype.