Hav & Mar

My friend asked if I wanted to try out this newish restaurant from Marcus Samuellson and I had heard about it and was interested in this culinary fusion of Ethiopian and Swedish, so I eagerly accepted her invitation. Perfectly situated in an area of Chelsea that is ideal for a restaurant of
this size( I was surprised how spacious it was inside), the first thing I noticed after having entered the restaurant was the ambiance and
the artwork. I was also excited to sample the food!
I ordered the Red snapper with coconut rice, Brussel sprouts and a salsa verde sauce. My friend ordered a curry dish with veggies and coconut rice. We also shared a cornbread. I was very happy with the flavors in my red snapper, it was cooked perfectly, beautiful presentation. My coconut rice seemed to have a grilled, smoky flavor and was presented in this cubed form, it threw me off for a minute but the taste was really good. My friend tried the coconut curry and the veggies were cooked nicely but the curry itself wasn't what she expected flavor-wise. We also tried the Blue Cornbread with whipped butter. Please try the cornbread yall, it was on point and the butter was so fresh. All in all, I enjoyed my meal, the price was reasonable and the ambience was great! I would come here again.

This was a hip spot that was considered Ethiopian and Swedish cuisine. The menu had lots of creative and top end dishes with the best sourced ingredients. The service was friendly and helpful.
For dinner, we opted for the chef and staff to choose for us ($95 per person). The waiter asked some questions and based on our answers, the dishes would be selected. It worked out as no deciding had to be done on our end.

For a starter, a biscuit and blue cornbread with honey butter were tried. These were tremendous. It was probably some of the best I ever had. The butter had a hint of flaky salt and very smooth. Both the biscuit and cornbread came out warm and flaky while being moist. This was a great start to the meal. Two other appetizers that we had was the tuna tartare and brown butter scallops. The tartare came with miso, an avocado crema and crispy injera. This was very good. The tuna was fresh and went well with the creamy avocado. The crispy injera was a nice touch with these. The scallops came with peas, turmeric, and a pumpkin coffee crumble with a few Fresno chiles in a coconut curry. This was not too bad. The scallop was cooked to perfection and went well with the curry, but I thought it was a little too much curry present given only two large scallops were given. I thought there could have been a less curry.

For an entrée, the snapper and coconut as well as the havatini were chosen for us. The snapper came with crispy coconut rice, dill salsa verde, and baby leeks. This was great. The snapper had a nice texture to it while the salsa verde paired nicely. The rice was also incredible. I did not think I would enjoy the crispy factor, but I was proven wrong. The havatini was bucatini pasta with crab, shrimp, and uni butter. This was probably my least favorite dish of the night. The pasta was cooked al dente, which I prefer, but there was too much of uni butter and sauce. There needed to be more pasta or less sauce as the ratio was a little off. It also was a tad too fishy. We also had two sides, asparagus and farroto. The asparagus came with berbere crema, white sorghum, and puffed spelt. The crema was spicy, and the plate was loaded with it. The spelt was like tiny popcorn kernels that provided a slight crunch to this dish. The farroto had couscous, farro, and confit mushrooms. Again, another satisfying dish. There was great flavors coming from all the seasonings present here.

For dessert, the chocolate cake was picked for us. It was a large piece with white and dark chocolate with caramel. The end also seemed to have a chocolate ganache or something similar. It was not overly sweet or heavy but provided plenty of chocolate flavor. The different tiers of chocolate made for a compelling and unique offering that worked out pleasantly.

Will I go back? Yes.

Came here for happy hour two days in a row. It's only walk in and starts at 5pm at the bar only. The space is pretty big and gets busy towards prime dinner time hours. My friends and I've tried the oysters, corn bread, and lobster rolls along with a pasta main.

The oysters are fresh but it's not the best deal in the city. The lobster rolls on the first day was great. Great value with it being cut into 3rds with substantial meat filled inside. I was disappointed the second day when I came a little later that it was substantially smaller. Less filled and only cut in half. I don't know if it was portioned b/c of the party size but felt like it.

The wine was great, but the lemon drop was too sugary.

Overall, good place for a happy hour deal to try still, but they're a bit inconsistent.

Came here for a birthday dinner and we enjoyed our meal. Our server Kwame made great recommendations. We had the seafood lasagna, whole branzino, snapper, havatini, tuna tartare, bread basket, fried rice, and the lasagna. The food was delicious. We all enjoyed every single dish. For dessert get the plum tart, you won't regret it. Wasn't a fan of the cheesecake or chocolate cake.
Definitely looking forward to coming again. Service was great, no complaints.

A big fan of Marcus Samuelsson so after having been to Metropolis recently, was looking forward to visiting Hav & Mar.

The restaurant was busy even on a Sunday night but they were managing the customer flow well.

We started with the Lamb Meatballs and the Uni Caesar salad and both were good. For our entrees we had the Havatini and the Grand Lobster Jubilee. The latter is an impressive dish though perhaps just a little too spicy for us.

For dessert, THE Chocolate Cake provided a nice finish.

It was a little bit of a hike to get to but was definitely worth the trip.

I went to Hav & Mar with a couple of cousins who love seafood and we all had an absolutely fantastic time. The location of both of Marcus Samuelsson's NYC restaurants aren't the most convenient but are definitely well worth the trip. As for what we ordered, here's a summary of standouts in no particular order-

Drinks- We got a bunch of zero proof cocktails including the oceanside, berry ti punch, and mar'hattan. The first two were great, third one was really uh not great. One of the bartenders actually told me that the two latest drinks on the menu fall flat which would be the mar'hattan and social breeze so I'd pass on those! Honesty is the best policy!

Appetizers-

Mini Lobster Rolls- I got these from the bar as I was waiting for my family and they're quite tasty. A generous amount of lobster given and has a great flavor.

Hav Bread Basket- a must. Definitely save the bread to dip into sauces based on what you order for entrees as well!

Trio of Crudo- there's an option to try all 3 of the fish options on the appetizers section. You only save $5 but hey why not try everything? The hamachi was average IMHO. The swediopian was better and the salmon was truly melt in your mouth delicious. However, the favorite by far was easily the tuna tartare and all three of us agreed on this. Eating the tuna tartare on the fried injera was delicious and innovative for sure.

Crispy Brussel Sprouts- fantastic side to complement the entrees and were truly crispy unlike other places I've been to.

Entrees-

Banana Leaf Snapper- Albeit this dish is very popular, it didn't stand out to us. This could be because it tasted like it could be found at any kind of restaurant- American, Thai, etc. Or maybe because there wasn't much fish given. Either way if you're looking to be "wowed" I'd pass on this.

Wild Mushroom Curry- This was certainly a surprise hit as it was our favorite dish of the night. The curry is super flavorful and the shiitake mushrooms and vegetables were great. Yes there's no fish/meat on it but it still stands out.

Havatini- as indulgent as it sounds but a little bit too oily. However it was still really good and I loved dipping those biscuits aforementioned or the sauce.

Desserts-

Chef Ashley's Hummingbird Cake- In honor of Black History Month, every week our server informed us that they would be doing a different dessert. This week it was the hummingbird cake which was pretty good but a bit too dry for my liking, I prefer my cake more moist.

THE Chocolate Cake- This cake completely redeems and knocks the other one out of the park because my god is it good. Every layer of chocolate plus caramel, super moist and decadent, what's not to love? Even if you're not a chocolate lover I'm convinced this dessert will make you change your mind.

Overall, we had a fantastic time at Hav & Mar and I highly recommend it to anyone, especially if you're a seafood lover. Last but not least, I wanted to give a special shout out to our server Carlio. He is an absolute gem of a person and made this experience even better, hats off to him. I will most certainly be back here :).

FABULOUSNESS through and throughout. This seafood forward restaurant really left an impression on me. I was dazzled by the open kitchen and ceilings. Service was above and beyond. The attention to details in hospitality was apparent and greatly appreciated. The food was marvelous. Standout dishes for me were the Scallops & Sunchoke, Havatini, Aunties Greens and Blue Cornbread (the greens and cornbread combo was IYKYK ).

I did find the Snapper being over cooked but appreciated the crispy rice. I was completely underwhelmed by the Queens Ribeye. The Steak was cooked perfectly but didn't have a "wow" factor. I also started with the Hummingbird cake that was on special and although it was good it lacked layers. The cake was sweet on sweet on sweet, nothing to break up that sweetness. Overall Hav & Mar was a great experience and I'll def be back.

Also let me shoutout Ariel our server who was a complete delight and took great care of us.

Just like Marcus Samuelsson's other restaurant Red Rooster, Hav & Mar delivers on all fronts--food, service and ambiance. As a seafood focused restaurant with a creative spin, their menu is quite unique and exciting. The Hav Bread Basket was an unexpected hit, very well paired with various spread options. Queen's Ribeye was perfectly cooked but probably not as exciting as some of the other items on the menu, like Addis York, and I'll likely pass on it next time.

The interior of the restaurant is beautiful with a large bar at the front, a few large high top tables right in front of the open kitchen (BEST SEATS in the house) and many tables for different party sizes. Servers are personable and very knowledgeable and the overall service was timely.

Hav & Mar is a perfect spot for a date, quick drinks or group dinner, and the price point is actually reasonable considering the ambience and quality of food and service.

Hav & Mar's elegant atmosphere drew me in, with low lighting, cozy vibes, and stunning attention to detail. While a 15-minute wait wasn't a huge deal, the complimentary sparkling at the bar softened the blow. Service was excellent throughout - friendly, welcoming, and always attentive.

Now, the food. It presented a mixed bag

The bread basket was a dream, featuring heavenly fluffy biscuits, slightly sweet cornbread, and a delightful tomato chutney that had me wanting to lick the bowl clean. However, the trio of crudo was a major letdown, lacking flavor and failing to impress even with the hamachi offering a glimmer of hope. The uni Caesar salad was similarly underwhelming, simple, and pedestrian with missing uni and prawns saving the day with their good seasoning.

But there were bright spots! The Grand Lobster Jubilee was fantastic, easily serving three with generous protein and an incredible oxtail rice base bursting with flavor. The crispy Brussels sprouts were another winner, perfectly crispy and a delicious complement to the entrees, although their price felt a bit steep.

While the portions weren't as small as some pictures suggested, the food itself had room for improvement, especially considering the "Food Network tax" reflected in the prices of a celebrity chef's restaurant.

However, the stunning service truly elevates the experience. The service was attentive and quick, even though the restaurant was busy. They fixed a mistake with our order promptly and apologized. They also checked on us frequently and made sure we had everything we needed. The hospitality was the highlight of the experience.

Overall, Hav & Mar offers a beautiful dining experience with top-notch service. I think the food can be improved, especially for the price point. But the service and the atmosphere were excellent. I would recommend this restaurant if you are in the area, but I would not go out of my way to visit it. It's a good place for a special occasion, but not a regular spot.

I walk by this spot all the time and heard great things, and finally stopped by for dinner with my husband the other night! First off - food was overall amazing and it was cool vibes inside. Only thing that could've been improved was the speed of service - it felt like it took a very long time for us to get our food once we ordered, although once it started coming it came at a steady pace. As for the food itself!

Hav Bread Basket - this is a must-get! I don't often go out of my way to praise bread baskets but this one was memorable and delicious all around. I couldn't decide which one I liked best - and all the spreads/dips were also delicious!

Wild Mushroom Curry - I enjoy when a curry doesn't hold back on the spice! Spicy but not too spicy, and as a mushroom lover, this is a must-get. Very filling, too!

Hav Fries - super unique, although I think I liked the dipping sauces more than the fries themselves, ha!