Bold Vietnamese-inspired flavors, inventive dishes like snails with tamarind butter, and a fun, adventurous vibe. A tiny spot with huge taste.
Molly Fitzpatrick reviews Ha's Snack Bar, a tiny Lower East Side spot with huge Vietnamese-inspired flavors, perfect for a date night or solo dining.
Ha's Snack Bar, a celebrated Vietnamese-inspired restaurant, offers a unique culinary experience with a constantly changing menu of innovative dishes. Diners praise the punchy flavors, often featuring fish sauce and chili, and unique creations like snails with tamarind butter and a pho-like French onion soup. Despite the intimate and sometimes cramped space, the restaurant is a highly recommended spot for those seeking adventurous and delicious food.
Ha's Snack Bar is lauded for its Vietnamese-inspired cuisine with a focus on daily-changing specials. Popular dishes include snails with tamarind butter, a pho-like French onion soup, and various creative small plates and pastries. While most feedback is highly positive, some diners have noted that the desserts can be more American-style than expected, and a few have found the overall experience to be slightly overhyped or not worth the price for very small portions.
"Standout dishes frequently recommended include the snails with tamarind butter, the pho-like French onion soup, oysters with green chili, chicken liver pate on toast, and the black pudding tartlet with kumquats. The menu changes frequently, so availability may vary."
Customers generally have a very positive sentiment towards Ha's Snack Bar, often highlighting the inventive and delicious Vietnamese-inspired cuisine and unique flavor combinations. However, some find the seating cramped and the service can be inconsistent.
Important Note
The restaurant is very small, leading to cramped seating arrangements where diners are often seated very close to each other. Reservations can be difficult to obtain, and many suggest arriving early for walk-ins. Some diners have found the service to be inconsistent, and the hype surrounding the restaurant has led to mixed expectations.
"The user found Ha's to be a potentially cool restaurant but ultimately dismissed it for their birthday dinner due to concerns about the difficulty of conversation for their hard-of-hearing parents."
Neutral"The user found Ha's Snack Bar to be excellent."
Positive"In response to a comment questioning the dish's novelty, this user stated that the origin of preparation (e.g., Paris) is irrelevant when discussing NYC restaurants."
Positive"Following up on their earlier comment, this user clarified that their criticism was about the dish's perceived overhyping and lack of comparison points, not a dismissal of NYC's culinary scene."
Negative"This user humorously pointed out that Parisian escargot typically does not involve tamarind butter, responding to a comment comparing Ha's Snack Bar's dish to Parisian versions."
Positive"This user questioned the inclusion of snails with tamarind butter at Ha's Snack Bar on the list, suggesting it's overhyped and not deserving of a spot compared to Parisian escargot preparations."
Negative"The commenter listed Ha’s snack bar as a recommendation."
Positive"This is a reservation for Ha's Snack Bar for 2 people tonight at 10pm. The user is unable to make it and is offering it to someone else."
Neutral"Has snack bar is listed as a recommended wine bar."
Positive"Ha's Snack Bar is recommended as a place to visit if possible."
Positive"The user lists Ha's Snack Bar as a place they are considering visiting."
Neutral"Ha's Dac Biet was listed as one of several Asian cuisine options available in the area."
Neutral"Ha's Snack Bar on Broome St is recommended for Vietnamese food, described as funky, delicious, and fun, especially for those open to more adventurous options."
Positive"Ha's Snack Bar (listed as Ha's) is recommended for appetizers, specifically mentioning onion soup, tartare or crudo, and pate on toast."
Positive"Ha's Snack Bar is suggested as a wine bar."
Neutral"Ha's Snack Bar is mentioned as one of the best restaurants in NYC currently, known for French cuisine with Vietnamese flavors."
Positive"The user recommends Ha's Snack Bar."
Positive"This user mentioned Ha's Snack Bar as a hot spot for Vietnamese food that requires mustering the mental strength to get into the line."
Neutral"The user's experience was neither great nor terrible. Service felt disorganized and rushed, though staff were generally friendly and corrected mistakes promptly. The food was tasty but unremarkable. They felt the hype surrounding the restaurant made it not worth the trouble."
Neutral
