SHIA (shee-uh) is a modern Korean fine dining restaurant in Washington, D.C., dedicated to sustainability, innovation, and cultural storytelling. Our tasting menu-only experience spotlights the intersection of local agriculture and premium Hansik ingredients, using fresh, seasonal elements with minimal manipulation to honor the environment. As a non-profit restaurant, SHIA is more than just a dining destination; it’s a platform for tackling key challenges in the restaurant industry, from environmental responsibility to fair labor practices and culinary heritage preservation.
**Please Note: Chef Lee's appearance is not guaranteed, and his availability is not given to the team or guests.**
Welcome to SHIA, where each dish is a celebration of Korean-inspired flavors and meticulous craftsmanship. Our seven-course tasting menu ($165 per person) invites you on a culinary journey that blends tradition with innovation, highlighting the season’s finest Hansik ingredients.
SHIA will plant the seed for innovation in the restaurant industry, conducting on-site, real-time research with in-house researchers and university partners to solve for zero-gas kitchens, zero plastics and waste reduction.
We invite you to relax, savor, and let us guide you through an evening of discovery. Thank you for allowing us to share this experience with you—it’s an honor to have you at our table.
**Please Note: Chef Lee's appearance is not guaranteed!**
5 Course Pre-Fixe (Lounge Only)
Multiple dates available
Join us in the lounge for an exclusive $90 five-course tasting menu, crafted specifically for this intimate setting. These seats (lounge + bar) offer a distinct experience, separate from our dining room, allowing you to enjoy a curated selection of seasonal dishes in a more relaxed, up-close atmosphere. Perfect for those seeking a taste of SHIA with a unique perspective—these seats are limited, so reserve yours today!
**Please Note: Chef Lee's appearance is not guaranteed!**
*A La Carte* Drinks and Bites In The Lounge
Multiple dates available
Unwind in our cozy lounge with expertly crafted cocktails, fine wines, and spirit-free creations paired with a selection of elevated small bites sold à la carte. Perfect for a relaxed evening or casual gathering, this experience offers a taste of modern elegance in every sip and bite.
*This is not a coursed tasting menu - à la carte only. *
Menu
Our Seven Course Dinner in our main dining room
Dinner
Pumpkin Mandu
Scallop & Fried Oyster Ssam
Pine Nut Soondubu & Apple Juk
Sustainable Tuna "Bibimbap"
Doenjang Pork Belly
Roseda Farms Kalbi-Braised Short Rib with Fermented Black Bean & Root Vegetables
"Nurungji" Rice and Boricha Ice Cream
What 64 people are saying
Overall ratings and reviews
Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant
4.9
4.9 based on recent ratings
4.8Food
4.9Service
4.9Ambience
4.6Value
Noise • Moderate
Loved For
Washington, D.C. Area
Best Ambience
Washington, D.C. Area
Innovative
Virginia - DC Suburbs
Best Service
Virginia - DC Suburbs
Best Ambience
Virginia - DC Suburbs
Innovative
Review summary
AI-generated from verified diner reviews
SHIA Restaurant delivers a "fantastic" dining experience with Chef Edward Lee's innovative Korean-American culinary journey. Patrons appreciate the "thoughtfully curated" menu, blending familiar flavors with creative flair. The modern, "intimate" setting and attentive service enhance the experience. Seasonal menu rotations keep the offerings fresh and exciting, making SHIA a must-visit for food enthusiasts.
64 Reviews
S
Shreya
Denver
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
Overall 5
Food 5
Service 5
Ambience 5
Shia is absolutely an amazing experience. It’s not just the food and ambience , but also the mission to reduce waste and going green is something that’s outstanding . It was a pleasure to meet chef Edward lee who recommended how to eat oysters and Tuna Hwe both of which are delicious and fresh.
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J
John
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
Overall 5
Food 5
Service 5
Ambience 5
Extremely impressed. The interior is very modern and classy, nice open kitchen concept where they have you come in right at the start of the meal to show their process and goals for the restaurant. A very unique Korean tasting menu that takes a fine dining approach to classic Korean dishes without it feeling too alienating to those familiar with the cuisine but also approachable for those who aren’t. Definitely interested in coming again as they said they’ll be rotating their menu seasonally.
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M
Matthew
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
Overall 5
Food 5
Service 5
Ambience 5
It’s kinda difficult to put into words why I felt like eating at SHIA was such an awesome experience. I think Edward Lee is cool because he seems to have figured out how, as an Asian American, to take pride in being both Asian, and American. I’ve heard him in an interview call that process his “weird Korean journey.” The dining experience at SHIA almost felt like a story, written by Edward Lee with food instead of words, to sum up his “weird Korean journey.”
So yes the food at SHIA is fantastic. But I think that Edward Lee himself somehow makes the food more meaningful than just food. It was like the dishes became the tangible distillation of one person’s Asian American experience. There wasn’t just American food, or just Asian food—there was a new food created by an appreciation of how the best in both can actually work in harmony. And I think in that harmony was Edward Lee’s own story as an Asian American, which he weaved into the flavors and textures and aromas. I know that might all sound pretty kooky but that’s how it felt.
Bottom line: 10/10 on all of food, ambience, noise level, and somehow giving me a deeper understanding of what it means to me to be Asian American
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K
Kelly
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
Overall 5
Food 5
Service 5
Ambience 5
We had the best tasting experience in SHIA thanks to Chef Lee and the whole team. We can feel that all the dishes were prepared with so much care.
We enjoyed every course, it was a adventure of flavors that brought us through different level of surprise. I totally want to come back to SHIA when the menu changes to explore Chef Lee’s new visionary.
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E
Eric
Baltimore
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
Overall 5
Food 5
Service 5
Ambience 5
Third time coming. Excited to return when the new menu is up!
SHIA RestaurantResponded 2 days ago
And we can't wait to have you back again, Eric! Thanks again for your kind message and for sharing how you've enjoyed your time at SHIA. We look forward to seeing you soon again as we prepare our new menu. :)
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E
Elisa
Washington DC
5 reviews
3.0
5 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
Overall 3
Food 3
Service 4
Ambience 3
Too many ingredients in each dish that clashes with one another instead one full concept. For example, apples don’t go well with silk tofu soup mixed crab and Jeju tangerines. Where are you going with this. Was it supposed to be a sweet and savory soup? I see the Korean concept in the ingredients, but the sweetness of the diced raw apples in the cold soup with the crab texture and the deep fried kelp threw me off. Korean gazpacho? Keep it simple.
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E
Ellen
Washington DC
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
Overall 3
Food 2
Service 4
Ambience 4
service was fine, however the food was disappointing
SHIA RestaurantResponded 2 days ago
Ellen, thank you for taking the time to share this review. We appreciate you joining us at SHIA and sharing how you felt about your experience. We strive to provide excellence in our service and food, so I'm sorry we missed a mark on your dinner experience. We appreciate every feedback and look forward to having you back again for a better experience. Thank you for joining us at SHIA.
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C
Carla
Washington DC
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
Overall 5
Food 5
Service 5
Ambience 5
Dream come true to try Shia’s tasting menu! Everything was excellent
SHIA RestaurantResponded 2 days ago
And it was our joy to serve you and share the evening with good food! Thank you for your kind words, Carla!
We're so happy you had a wonderful time. We look forward to seeing you soon again with an evening of excellence in food and service!
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G
Ginny
Washington DC
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 25, 2025
Overall 5
Food 4
Service 5
Ambience 5
What a spectacular experience! We felt truly blessed to have the opportunity to dine and experience Chef Edward Lee's culinary innovation and vision.
From the interior to the food itself, every detail felt very intentional. Service was impeccable and attentive, immediately the host asked for our coats and we sat at the bar for the first course. I believe it was mentioned that this is a new item, a play on hotteok with grilled eel on top. This was my husband's favorite and we thought the presentation was so adorable and dainty as it was really made to look like a little plant on a bed of what appeared to be roasted barley seeds.
We were then moved to the dining area where our second course was at the kitchen and there we were briefly introduced to the chefs and staff. We really appreciated the vision and goal of the restaurant, a non-profit focused on sustainability, zero waste, and innovation. We enjoyed the ssam with the perilla leaf which was a clever way to cut the fried oyster.
The rest of the courses were at the table. Another notable mention was the soondubu apple juk. This felt so homey and humble! I really felt a surge of nostalgia of my mother in law making pine nut porridge for us for breakfast :) The only dish that didn't resonate with us as much was the iconic bibimbap. Though we knew the vision, we felt that it strayed too far away from the traditional dish, but it was still very delicious! We also wished that the (well fermented) kimchi banchan of the braised short rib had a wee bit more of "엄마손맛."
Overall, highly recommend, 7 courses later we left STUFFED. We also got the beverage pairing and felt the price was worth it, though it would be fine to skip it. We are excited for the addition of Drinks and Bites at the bar and look forward to coming back (hopefully) soon!
1 person found this helpful
C
Caroline
Washington DC
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 24, 2025
Overall 5
Food 5
Service 5
Ambience 5
The food was all 5/5 and I did t leave hungry like I do with some other tasting menus.
SHIA RestaurantResponded on January 26, 2025
Caroline, we're so happy you enjoyed your dinner and left full! Thanks so much for your kind words and for taking a moment to share this note. We look forward to seeing you soon again!
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FAQs
SHIA Restaurant is rated 4.9 stars by 64 OpenTable diners.
Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.