Beating the crowds at Momofoku Noodle bar/Ssam

[msjess]

Hey chowhounders, I am traveling to NYC for my birthday. I'd love to eat at either ssam bar or noodle bar. However I'm only in town for the day and will need to catch a train that evening. Since they don't take reservations can someone give me an idea for what the average wait time would be for early Saturday night? Would my best bet be showing up as soon as they open?

[Bkeats]

Get there before 6 and you won't have much of a wait. At 7 the wait could be an hour or more.

[RCC]

Will you be dining alone?

[msjess]

no with my husband

[mitchleeny]

As early as they open.

[RCC]

I'll speak of the Ssam Bar, where we go to very often, as I really haven't been that impressed with the Noodle Bar at all and have been there twice for lunch.

If you and husband go to Ssam between 6 and 6:45 on a Saturday, wait time is 4 - 16 minutes. If you go between 6:46 and 7:05 , wait time is 4 - 26 minutes. After 7:06, wait can be 4 - 31 minutes. I find that Momofuku has fine-tuned their table turnover techniques very well over the years. Most tables, and including the bar stool area, are communal and that accounts for waits that are short and bearable. In a lot of instances, we didn't have to wait at all, as long as we weren't picky about the communal or bar seating. They also now have a bar next door that can help tide you over.

[ellenost]

I love the precision of the expected wait times! Need to make a return visit to Ssam Bar so I greatly appreciate this. Thanks!

[quddous]

Thanks (also) for the very precise wait times.