Simple

7/30/2016

• 1 check-in

I absolutely LOVE this place!  The poke was delish and if I wasn't so stuffed, I'd go for seconds.  I normally do not order bubble tea with my meals, but I really had to try their version.  The Harney & Sons was terrific as the hint of jasmine fragrance was not too overpowering and wonderfully creamy.  This one definitely takes the cake.  

The service was delightful and family-oriented, it was genuinely nice to see everyone working together as a unit as opposed to the typical grunts and gags coming from the kitchen.  They were so nice that they even entertained my toddler who was going through her terrible two's.  Between a ukelele concerto and some ice cream mochi, we will definitely be revisiting this place.  My teen daughter loved this place so much that she wants to try every item on the menu.

My daughter had the salmon poke while I had the king crab.  Maybe one of these days, I'll ask them to put extra add-on's since I'm such a glutton for this.  The decor was cute and we can't wait to be back!  Thank you guys for accommodating us and thank you for such a wonderful experience!

8/1/2016

• Listed in 2016 Yelp 100, Best Food Places in NY

I came here with a few friends for dinner one night. My friend told me that their well-known for their poke bowls, so I had to give them a try (even though the chicken katsu curry was calling my name). i ordered the salmon poke bowl with brown rice and wonton crackers with a passionfruit bubble tea with boba.

The poke bowl was surprisingly good. It tasted very fresh. I was surprised by how many ingredients are in the bowl. I honestly couldn't tell you what half of it was, but it went well altogether. It's almost enough for two people. I couldn't finish my entire bowl. The bubble tea is also amazing. I recommend getting passionfruit - it wasn't too sweet and there was a lot of flavor. I'm usually not a fan of boba, but I decided to take a chance on it. The balls are smaller than usual and they're pretty tasty. They're made of brown sugar, so they are quite sweet.

Overall, had a great dinner here! I'll certainly be back!

7/29/2016

• 1 check-in

Poke is the newest food craze sweeping the nation. I love Simple for serving up deliciously tasty poke bowls without the New York premium.

Salmon Poke Bowl (~$10) - You pick the fish, the base, and the topping that you want. I went with salmon, salad, and wonton chips. They toss the salad with a light Asian dressing and then load up your bowl with guac, edamame, carrots, cucumbers, and an orange wedge. Delicious and healthy!

If you're looking for a light meal, Simple's got you covered. You can also get katsu curry here if you're looking for something heartier.

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  Salmon salad

  Salmon salad
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  Spicy tuna

  Spicy tuna

7/28/2016

This mom-and-pop shop serves the biggest, baddest bowls of poke I've seen since the poke craze hit NYC!

For me, the poke bowl is less about the fish - although the quality of the fish and the marinade are still important - and more about the toppings. Simple truly delivers with a wonderful variety of toppings that come with every poke bowl, from fresh guacamole to edamame to purple and green wakame. Everything was delicious! I'd knock off a half star for the quality of the fish though. I'm not sure if it is the cuts of fish themselves or the way the sashimi cubes are prepared, but my tuna had quite a bit of tendon (? the white stringy stuff) in it which made it difficult to chew thoroughly. Otherwise, the entire bowl was extremely enjoyable and we devoured everything!

The cafe itself is very small, but there's quite a bit of seating. It just requires some careful maneuvering. Thankfully, they do a great (and polite) job of getting people to finish up their food and relinquish their seats so that it didn't take long for us to grab seats after our food was ready, even during peak dinner hours.

I can't wait to be back to try the bento boxes or another poke bowl!

7/27/2016

• 2 check-ins

I enjoyed my poke so much. So much.

This whole poke craze was kind of random to me. I feel like I've had chirashi sushi at a bunch of Japanese places and that it wasn't so different.

After trying my first bowl of poke earlier at Simple because Yelp said so, my earlier confusion has been tempered with satisfaction and delight that I could get some for less than ten bucks!

I had the salmon with brown rice-so good, tasted light but was so filling-let's just I had my happy face on after lunch today.

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  Foodgasm

  Foodgasm
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  So trendy

  So trendy

7/17/2016

• 1 check-in

This place just opened near Chinatown so I thought I would give it a try since this is the summer food that everyone's been talking about. Poke and Pokemon Go just goes together. So, before heading out in the boiling heat wave, I'd made sure I looked through the Yelp photos and see if I like anything. Which I did, the king crab poke caught my attention.

I finally made it to Simple while battling the heat wave. I ordered the king crab poke with mixed greens and another salmon poke with white rice. The place is really small with limited seatings. There was a couple of people waiting for their order and I can say they are pretty fast considered how only one person worked in the kitchen area.

The prices are also decent. I can say it's pretty cheap actually considering its fish and crab. Cheaper than most Poke prices at least. And most importantly the fish and crab is fresh. My king crab bowl tasted fresh, sweet, and juicy mixed with the hot aioli sauce over a bed of mixed greens is delicious! The wonton strips also added a nice crunch to the texture. The salmon rice bowl was wonderful and deliciously fresh as well.

They also serve bubble tea and other stuff but I didn't look into it. I will be back to try their other items.

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  King crab and salmon poke

  King crab and salmon poke
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  King crab poke

  King crab poke

7/7/2016

• 1 check-in

Simple-y wonderful!

I've walked by Simple a handful of times but on the opposite side of the street, before ducking into Vanessa's or Shu Jiao. From afar(I'm blind), it looked like a cute spot, possibly serving up Instagram-able desserts. Today, after our first choice for dinner didn't work out, Simple came up in our search and off we went. I had an aha moment once we turned the corner.

The inside is so cozy and cute. Cute paintings. Cute drawings. Cute stools.

So their main offerings are curries, poke bowls and teas. My friend and I split the hamburg curry and the spicy tuna bowl.

Both dishes were solid. The spicy tuna bowl was definitely one of the better ones I've had during this poke craze that has taken over NYC. This bowl is supposed to come with avocado, hijiki seaweed, green onions, mango, cucumber, masago, cilantro and ginger umami. I noticed a few substitutions -- I had beets and carrots, no green onion or cilantro. No matter, all the flavors from these ingredients melded wonderfully together. The brown rice was also cooked perfectly. The bowl was quite large too -- I had trouble finishing it.

The hamburg curry was also good. The patty was as advertised, grilled perfectly. I've had better curry but their version was fine. Lighter and runnier. This dish was also served with a potato croquette which was extremely crispy and creamy.

The staff was very warm and welcoming. Prices are very reasonable. I'd totally come back to try more of their menu and some teas.

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  Spicy tuna bowl

  Spicy tuna bowl

7/7/2016

• 6 check-ins

After coming here a few times, I can whole-heartedly say that this establishment deserves 5 stars.

Food? Impeccably delicious, beautifully presented and extremely well priced. Where else in NYC can you find poke bowls for UNDER $10? Here at Simple!

Drinks? High quality and fresh. They use Harney & Sons tea for their mixed tea drinks and a siphon to brew their coffee (which btw is the coolest thing to see). Definitely try the bubble tea here as they stew the pearls til it's perfectly chewy and sweet!

Decor? SO FLIPPIN' CUTE! Everything about this place screams 'authentic'. From the hand-drawn stools to the handmade food figurines plastered on the walls, Simple is decked out in fun knickknacks that give it a cozy vibe.

Service? A+. The place is small, which means lines can form pretty quickly, but this doesn't stop the owner from patiently answering everyone's concerns. Everyone who works here is so sweet that I almost find myself coming here just to say hello.

Bottom line: Simple rocks and is worth the trip. Also, be sure to ask them about their dessert ;) It's a cooler and more refined version of the ever so popular raindrop cake.

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  Drinks made to order. Here's a lemon-kumquat tea with some seltzer to fizz it up :)

  Drinks made to order. Here's a lemon-kumquat tea with some seltzer to fizz it up :)
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  Raindrop cake with micogreens, sweet syrup and grain powder... What?!

  Raindrop cake with micogreens, sweet syrup and grain powder... What?!
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  Menu part 2

  Menu part 2
• See all photos from Marcia H. for Simple

7/27/2016

• 1 check-in

Ordered the spicy tuna poke... didn't know what to expect since the pokebowl is not entirely customize-able but it came with avocado so I already knew it was going to be good. And guess what? The pokebowl was super delicious! High quality, fairly priced and filling, I recommend this place to everybody especially since it's conveniently located in Chinatown. Wait time isn't long either. Only downside is the limited seating but if you manage to get a seat like I did, you will enjoy the setting especially the cute decor. Definitely my new go-to poke spot!

6/30/2016

• 1 check-in

I finally had the chance to try out this new poke spot in my neighborhood! Employees are knowledgeable about their menu items and helpful in answering questions.

I ordered the salmon and spicy tuna bowl so I can try out both types instead of just one, with an extra cost of $3...not bad and I didn't mind. the bowl was delicious and toppings that I was surprised when I mixed. It came with guacamole (I loveeeeee guac and it tasted good), shredded carrots, beets, masago, diced mango, and choice of crunches (wonton strips, roasted sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and corn flakes). I could be missing a few more other ingredients since there were so much! Both the salmon and tuna was very fresh. I think it could have used a bit more sauce, but overall it was good enough.

I definitely couldn't finish the entire bowl, so good thing I shared. The amount is pretty generous, but being that I can never finish an entire bowl, for two would be sufficient enough.

It's tucked away in a small street and its little shop resembles a cute and modern area where people can relax and eat at the same time without feeling rushed. I love the decor here and it gives off a welcomed vibe.

I will definitely come back here since it's close to where I work! Also, ordering and waiting is pretty quick so I would definitely recommend if you're looking to eat some fresh poke without having to travel far.

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  salmon and spicy tuna poke bowl

  salmon and spicy tuna poke bowl

7/15/2016

• Listed in MealPass, Poke

Other than the ribbed bowl, which was a terrible fit for quinoa, the best Mealpass* value yet, and ready upon arrival despite the long line of walk-ins. The SALMON POKE W/ QUINOA was quite good, and filling, and a nice balance of flavors.

*where it's listed as 'simple authentic food'

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• See all photos from Harry H. for Simple

7/28/2016

I've wanted to try out a few of their menu items, but thought I would try it on Mealpass today since I signed up for it just yesterday. I had the 'Organic Tofu on Brown Rice' and it was so delicious! The tofu was perfectly sliced and had light flavorings with seaweed, radish, carrots, cucumbers, avocado and ginger.

The dish was fresh, delicious and not too heavy - I can't recommend it more! I'll be back to try the Ahi Tuna as well as other menu items I was drooling over while looking. The staff was very friendly and I could tell they had regular customers.

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  Exterior. Very small with limited seating. Bar stools and one long community style table. Time Warner log-in wifi.

  Exterior. Very small with limited seating. Bar stools and one long community style table. Time Warner log-in wifi.
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  Mealpass - Organic Tofu w/Brown Rice

  Mealpass - Organic Tofu w/Brown Rice

7/12/2016

• 1 check-in

Simple is an awesome new poke spot in LES. With a simple (ha) menu including poke bowls, curry dishes, and teas, there's something for everyone at this place.

[+] I tried the spicy tuna poke bowl with brown rice and it was fresh and tasty. The poke was seasoned well and the veggies + toppings added great texture. Sesame + tortilla strips are great dry ingredients!

To end things off with a sweet note, I recommend trying out one of their milk teas. Simple uses Harney & Sons (yay for supporting local New York tea!) as a base, and then they add tapioca pearls stewed in house. Matcha milk tea is a MUST TRY.

[-] As someone who takes the word "spicy" pretty seriously on menus, I felt that the spicy tuna poke wasn't spicy enough. However, Simple has sriracha available at the tables, so this was a quick fix.

COST: You'll spend between $9-$15 on an individual meal here, but it's 100% worth it!

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  Spicy tuna poke bowl w/ brown rice base and sesame seeds + tortilla strips as crunchies

  Spicy tuna poke bowl w/ brown rice base and sesame seeds + tortilla strips as crunchies

7/11/2016

• 1 check-in

Stopped by Simple today after getting out of work early and did not want to go home as of yet. So decided to spend money when I should have been earning hurray!

Decided to search for pokē since it's finally coming to NYC and founds this little place just one block away from the D train grand north east exit.

I ordered a jasmine milk tea with no boba( the way i like it) and a Spicy Tuna Pokē bowl with brown rice and corn flakes. You have a choice or white rice, brown rice, quinoa, or salad greens.

Jasmine tea is only slightly sweetened with strong tea flavor. If you like tea more than milky sweet stuff this is the place to get tea!

The Spicy Tuna Pokē took some time to make (although I did order it "for here" so maybe that's why). The Pokē was served after drinking around 1/4 of my tea and writing part of this review, by a lady who apologised for the wait told me to taste it very well (hahaha). Why thank you ma'am I will.

The Pokē bowl was served with the spicy tuna in the middle and ingredients formed in a circle around the rice. In the bowl they had cucumbers carrots, 2 types or marinated seaweed( green/red), mangos, masago, konyaku, and a plop of avocado. I enjoyed the bowl very much and everything was very healthy feeling, along with the fish being fresh and nicely flavored. I thought everything went well together. The bowl was a good size leaving me really full after finishing all the toppings and leaving a small portion of rice.

Overall I had a great time here. It was relaxing a quiet when I came, and I would definitely come back for tea and poke. I think I might bring my laptop too, but I dont remember if they had outlet or not, but they have wifi!

6/30/16

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  Spicy tuna bowl with brown rice and corn flakes.

  Spicy tuna bowl with brown rice and corn flakes.
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  Jasmine green milk tea

  Jasmine green milk tea
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  Photo decor on the wall

  Photo decor on the wall
• See all photos from Emily Y. for Simple

8/1/2016

My new favorite place in Chinatown! Super friendly and welcoming staff, soothing atmosphere, and FANTASTIC food!

7/16/2016

Solid taste, simple and healthy without hurting your wallet.  Had a Salmon salad bowl.  Salad and salmon are fresh.  The host is very friendly. The decoration is very homy and clean.
Def will come back

8/1/2016

Such a cool small, hidden spot for food. Great tofu bowl as their vegetarian option. The staff was friendly and the food was great. I personally am not the biggest fan of asian foods doused in soy sauce and that was not the case at this place. The meal with light but filling, and felt pretty healthy overall. Not sure how long it's been open. But really would suggest this place to others.

7/25/2016

• 1 check-in

Decent priced, delicious, and has some bomb a$$ bubble tea... my prayers for a poke spot within walkable distance of my apartment have been answered!

I've been here twice and ordered the salmon poke both times- once with salad because I was trying to be healthy and the other with rice because idgaf. The poke bowls are quite filling, and definitely worth the ~$10 price tag. The miso vinaigrette is YUM for lack of a better word. They have brown rice and quinoa options as well which is nice if you want to switch it up from time to time.

The bubble tea was an unexpected pleasant surprise. It's reminiscent of the bubble tea served at (the now closed) tearrific or st alps. For $3 you get a tasty cup of boba to cool off with during the hot summer days.

This place is good for a quick bite or takeout. Theres one long table and 2 small tables only, which can only fit about 10-12 people in the space at a time. People move in and out pretty quick so I'm sure a sit down meal wouldn't be a problem.

7/3/2016

• 1 check-in

I found this new little gem while in the neighborhood, and it didn't disappoint! I was so excited to see a poke place in the area. I stopped in on a Friday around 8pm to find the little cozy spot filled with customers. I ordered the salmon poke bowl ($9.50), which was a great deal and the cheapest considering all the poke places I've tried out in the city. The people running the place are super friendly, and brought out my food and even asked for feedback. The salmon tasted fresh and all the toppings worked well with the bowl! Although you don't have a choice of toppings, the pre-set toppings are perfect accompaniments. They also sell bento boxes. When I'm in the area, I will definitely be back!

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  Salmon poke bowl ($9.50)

  Salmon poke bowl ($9.50)
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  Seating

  Seating
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  Cashier

  Cashier
• See all photos from Jennifer L. for Simple

6/30/2016

THIS REVIEW IS SOLELY FOR THE POKEBOWLS!!!!!

After hearing about this new poke place opening up from my boyfriend, we decided to stop by and try their poke bowls! (they do sell other stuff too like curry!)
We love to get pokeworks because of all the toppings.
I got the king crab while my boyfriend got the salmon.
you can choose your crispies (decided to opt out of the crispies) !! You can also choose from brown or white rice.

To be honest, I was kind of disappointed. There was way too much rice (took up more than half the bowl...). There was ginger in my bowl which I didn't like so I had to pick them out of my bowl. I like poke works better for poke because you get to choose what goes in your bowl. Also, there was barely any meat. I paid $13 for the king crab, i expect to at least taste it. The salmon also didn't really taste like sushi salmon for some odd reason. Normally, I love salmon. I get salmon everything when it comes to sushi and poke. This time, I did not want to eat it.

The place is kind of small but there are seats. It fits around 10 people. The decor is super duper cute and cozy. The seats have different drawings on them.
The customer service was A+++. Everyone was so nice.

I just didn't like the toppings and the small amount of meat provided.
I would still come back to try their other foods but not the poke.

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  Salmon bowl on top. King crab on the bottom.

  Salmon bowl on top. King crab on the bottom.