For over three years, I’ve been trying—without success—to secure a reservation at the two-Michelin-starred Atomix in New York City. Every month, like clockwork, I’m poised at my computer the moment bookings open, only to watch all the tables vanish within seconds. It’s been stressful, to say the least.
This spring, however, I finally had a breakthrough: I managed to snag two seats at ‘Bar at Atomix’, the intimate upstairs cocktail bar that offers its own exclusive tasting experience. With only six seats available per seating and just two seatings each evening, it’s just as elusive as the main counter—if not more so.
Unlike the flagship Chef’s counter downstairs, the Bar offers a unique, research-and-development-driven tasting menu crafted by Atomix’s R&D chef. Each of the ten courses is paired with a creative cocktail, low-alcohol wine, or glass of wine, served in thoughtfully chosen glassware. The experience is distinct in content, length, and format—and at $285 per person (versus $395 at the counter), it’s also a bit more accessible.
Despite the differences, the Bar maintains Atomix’s signature philosophy: refined, innovative Korean cuisine, executed with meticulous care and creativity. Every dish and drink pairing felt thoughtful and deliberate—intimate, immersive, and deeply memorable.
Located in a discreet brownstone at 104 E 30th Street in Murray Hill, Atomix greets guests with quiet anticipation. The front door remains locked until your exact reservation time, and guests are asked to wait outside. The rules are strict: no flash photography, no substitutions for allergies. And yet, the atmosphere inside is warm, friendly, and surprisingly relaxed—especially for a Michelin-starred establishment. Casual attire is welcome, and the staff engages comfortably with diners. At any given time, four to five chefs and servers attentively cater to the six guests.
We were especially impressed by Noah, the brilliant mixologist, and Chef Junghyun, our chef de cuisine—an American Korean culinary artist who performed magic using just a portable burner and toaster
oven. Many dishes served at the Bar are experimental, and the most successful often find their way to the main counter menu. Atomix, by the way, is the follow-up to their acclaimed first restaurant, Atoboy—named after the Korean word Ato, meaning “gift.”
Our favorite dishes included the wagyu rolls, the delicate fluke, a standout egg jjim with morel, guanciale, and truffle sauce, and a show-stopping Iberico pork dish served with golden rice and oyster mushrooms—a refined take on bibimbap. Fermentation, a pillar of Korean cuisine, was showcased in exciting and unexpected ways throughout the meal.
Though a full bar and wine list are also available, the beverage pairings alone made the experience sing. Each course was elevated, educational, and delicious.
This is one of the City’s most coveted reservations—and for good reason. The menu is ever-evolving, and the experience is unlike any other. Now, if only I could score two seats at the Chef’s counter!
Highly recommended.
Happy dining.
Shanea
05/22/2025
