Signage alert: Rice Thief on 2nd Avenue

Signage for Rice Thief arrived last week at 95 Second Ave. between Fifth Street and Sixth Street. 

We first mentioned this pending arrival in April when the business received administrative approval from CB3 for a beer-wine license for the space. 

This will be the first Manhattan outpost for the restaurant, which started as a delivery service specializing in Korean crab dishes. 

Some background on Rice Thief from a January post by Eater: 

Richard Jang, alongside his mother, Jong Sook Jang, and girlfriend, Haiqi Yu, started the business in the fall of 2022, specializing in soy-marinated crab that's hard to find in New York, known as ganjang gejang, as well as seafood stews, and rice. The service — which has drawn a waitlist — started at his home, before relocating to a Sunnyside, Queens ghost kitchen. 

Their first restaurant debuted in Long Island City earlier this year. 

No. 95 was most recently Thailand Cafe, which did not reopen following the pandemic PAUSE of March 2020.

On the April CB3-SLA docket: a Rice Thief outpost for the East Village

According to documents on the Community Board 3 website, Rice Thief, a celebrated delivery service specializing in Korean crab dishes, is opening a restaurant at 95 Second Ave. between Fifth Street and Sixth Street.

The CB3-SLA committee meeting is scheduled for April 8, though Rice Thief reps will not appear before the group. (They have received administrative approval based on the method of operation, a beer-wine license for a previously licensed space that will primarily be a restaurant and not a bar.) 

Some background on the business from a January post by Eater: 

Richard Jang, alongside his mother, Jong Sook Jang, and girlfriend, Haiqi Yu, started the business in the fall of 2022, specializing in soy-marinated crab that's hard to find in New York, known as ganjang gejang, as well as seafood stews, and rice. The service — which has drawn a waitlist — started at his home, before relocating to a Sunnyside, Queens ghost kitchen. 

On Dec. 26, Rice Thief announced that it would be opening a restaurant in Long Island City. Meanwhile, in an Instagram post from Dec. 26, TradedNY reported that Rice Thief had signed a lease for 95 Second Ave. (Rice Thief hasn't mentioned the EV location as of yet.)

In an Instagram message last evening, Rice Thief confirmed they'd be opening in the East Village and Long Island City.

According to the CB3 questionnaire, the EV Rice Thief will be open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. ... with seating featuring 16 tables for 32 guests. 

No. 95 was most recently Thailand Cafe, which did not reopen following the pandemic PAUSE of March 2020.