On a recent trip to New York City, my friend and I made plans to meet up with our sorority sister for dinner. She recommended a place to eat, but told us that we had better meet her at her apartment so we could all head down to the restaurant together—she said we wouldn’t be able to find it on our own.

She was right. Kuma Inn, an Asian-fusion tapas restaurant on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, could easily be classified as a hole in the wall. The restaurant is located on the second floor of its building, so there isn’t much to see from the street. In fact, it is only marked by a sign put out on the sidewalk during business hours.

However, once we made it up the stairs, it was an entirely different story. The restaurant is small and cozy, with only about 30 seats, and its open kitchen is located right next to the entrance, so while we waited for our table we got to watch all of the food being stir-fried and steamed.

The atmosphere is perfect for small parties—it would be an ideal spot for a date, with lower lighting and an intimate feel, but slightly bigger groups would also have a great dinner sitting around a table and sharing dishes.

Kuma Inn is a tapas restaurant, which their menu defines as “small plate appetizers that usually accompany sherry or other aperitifs.” Started by King Phojanakong, Kuma Inn features dishes inspired by the cooking of his Filipino mother and Thai father, as well as some influenced by Spanish and Chinese cuisine.

In addition to the long list of options on the menu, there are several specials offered each night. We ordered about 6 dishes to split among the three of us, and since each plate ranges from $1.50 to $10.50, the meal was reasonably priced and we were happily full by the time we left.

Everything tasted amazing and was full of flavor, and the variety of the menu allowed for contrasting tastes. Stand-out favorites included the drunken shrimp (spicy!), seared ahi-tuna, and simple coconut rice. Each dish was brought to the table on its own small plate or bowl, with just enough for two or three people to share, and chopsticks were provided as utensils (although this did make getting a hold of the vegetable dumplings a little difficult!).

Kuma Inn is BYOB, though they do charge a corkage fee, so we enjoyed a bottle of white wine with our meal for a much better price than if we had each ordered a glass there.

Overall, I really enjoyed eating at Kuma Inn. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was inviting, and the service was attentive. I will definitely be back to try it again—assuming, of course, that I can find it on my own.

Kuma Inn is cash only, and reservations are recommended due to the small seating area.

Kuma Inn
113 Ludlow St
(between Delancey and Rivington)
New York, NY 10002
(212) 353-8866