Are you searching for Korean dining experiences in New York? This article will introduce you to 12 must-visit best Korean restaurants in the city. From traditional Korean cuisine to modern Korean fusion dishes! Whether you’re traveling to New York or living there, it would be great to visit these places at least once.
Table of Contents
- 1. Samwoojung
- 2. Okdongsik
- 3. Octo
- 4. NUBIANI
- 5. Olle
- 6. Jeju Noodle Bar
- 7. Naro
- 8. Atomix
- 9. Joomak Banjum
- 10. HoJokBan
- 11. Haenyeo
- Discover Haenyeo’s Innovative Korean Menu in Brooklyn, NY
- 12. Meju
1. Samwoojung
A New Taste of Seoul in New York
Samwoojung, a Seoul-style bulgogi specialty restaurant, recently opened its doors in New York. Located a block away from Koreatown, Samwoojung stands out among New York’s Korean restaurants for its unique hot pot style bulgogi as the main menu item.
Popular among those who enjoy sweet bulgogi, the restaurant spans two floors and features a cozy interior. The music reminiscent of Seoul in the 80s and 90s adds to its charm. However, the close arrangement of tables may give a somewhat cramped feeling.
The menu is simpler compared to other restaurants, with bulgogi as the main dish, and other popular items include kimchi rolled noodles, soy sauce marinated crab, and shrimp pancakes. Bulgogi is available in small, medium, and large sizes, with the small size being sufficient for two people. Considering the high cost of living in New York, the prices are regarded as reasonable.
Additionally, for insights into their modern Korean soul food experience, you can search for “Samwoojung reviews” on Google.
| Menu | Go See Samwoojung Menu |
| Address | 138 W 32nd St, New York, NY 10001 |
| Phone Number | (212) 517-1963 |
| Homepage | Go to Samwoojung Homepage |
| Reservation | Make a Reservation |
2. Okdongsik
Best Korean Restaurants with Dweji Gomtang
Okdongsik, specializing in gomtang (Korean soup), first opened in Seoul in 2016 and launched a pop-up in New York’s Manhattan in November 2022, followed by an official opening in April 2023. Located on 30th Street in Manhattan, the menu features the dish as it is called in Korea: Dweji Gomtang (Pork Bone Soup).
This Dweji Gomtang is known for its clear, golden-hued pork broth and has been praised for its meticulously balanced flavor, from the rice to the soup. Okdongsik’s menu focuses solely on this dish.
When ordered, it is served in a bronze bowl containing white rice, pork broth, cooked pork, and minced green onions. The broth of the Dweji Gomtang is prepared with meat and vegetables, without bones or innards, creating a clear and well-balanced flavor.
| Menu | Go See Okdongsik Menu |
| Address | 13 E 30th St, New York, NY 10016 |
| Phone Number | (929)-237-8164 |
| Homepage | Go to Okdongsik Homepage |
| Reservation | Make a Reservation |
3. Octo
Explore Octo’s Unique Seoul-Style Chinese Menu in New York
The recently opened Octo is a Chinese restaurant that features Seoul-style Chinese cuisine. Its menu is diverse, encompassing everything from traditional Chinese dishes to fusion cuisine, including soul foods like Jajangmyeon.
The restaurant highlights hotel-style Chinese course meals as its signature offerings, with main dishes including Beijing duck, truffle Jajangmyeon, and truffle Shumai. The restaurant’s interior is unique, offering an atmosphere that is both antique and comfortable.
| Menu | Go See Octo Menu |
| Address | 1 E 33rd St, New York, NY 10016 |
| Phone Number | (646) 833-7864 |
| Homepage | Go to Octo Homepage |
| Reservation | Make a Reservation |
4. NUBIANI
Where Luxury Meets Traditional Korean Barbecue in NYC
Opened in June 2022, NUBIANI, a modern Korean barbecue restaurant in Manhattan’s Koreatown, is famed for its view of the Empire State Building. The restaurant has been praised for its clean and luxurious atmosphere, as well as excellent service and food quality.
Operated by the dining consulting group KTM, NUBIANI is a restaurant created based on over 25 years of expertise in the dining service industry. It offers a chef’s table style where the chef personally cooks and serves the meat to guests. There are also regular tables where staff can cook for the guests. The menu includes a variety of items, including Makgeolli cocktails and premium traditional Soju.
| Menu | Go See NUBIANI Menu |
| Address | 315 5th Ave #3FL, New York, NY 10016 |
| Phone Number | (917) 623-0807 |
| Homepage | Go to NUBIANI Homepage |
| Reservation | Make a Reservation |
5. Olle
From Naengmyeon to Pyeongando-style Delicacies
Olle, located on 30th Street in Manhattan, New York, is a Korean restaurant famous for its “premium Naengmyeon (cold noodles),” which gained attention after being featured in the New York Times weekend magazine.
In addition to its renowned Naengmyeon, the restaurant offers a variety of dishes in its lunch and dinner menus, including steamed skate, Bossam (pork belly), eel, Pyeongando-style braised short ribs, Pyeongando-style Gukbap (rice soup), winter greens and short rib soup, Chueotang (mudfish soup), oyster soup, stewed yellow croaker, and braised short ribs with kimchi. The restaurant offers unique menu items not commonly found in other restaurants, making it worth a visit.
| Menu | Go See Olle Menu |
| Address | 11 E 30th St, New York, NY 10016 |
| Phone Number | (646) 368-9922 |
| Homepage | Go to Olle Homepage |
| Reservation | Make a Reservation |
6. Jeju Noodle Bar
Redefining Korean Ramyun in New York City
Jeju Noodle Bar, a restaurant showcasing Korean ‘Ramyun’ as its main dish, is helmed by Chef Kim, who trained at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and served as the head chef at Zuma, a Japanese restaurant in New York. This restaurant presents a modern reinterpretation of Korean Ramyun, emphasizing its uniqueness with the term ‘ramyun’, differentiating it from Japanese Ramen.
As a Michelin-starred and popular restaurant located near the Empire State Building, it offers a modern setting where you can enjoy Korean-style Ramyun. Jeju Noodle Bar started with a modern take on Jeju Island’s signature dish, pork noodles, and now serves a variety of ramyun dishes, including spicy ramyun, Jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles), and mushroom ramyun.
| Menu | Go See Juju Noodle Bar |
| Address | 679 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10014 |
| Phone Number | (646) 666-0947 |
| Homepage | Go to Jeju Noodle Bar Homepage |
| Reservation | Make a Reservation |
7. Naro
Elevating Korean Fine Dining in Rockefeller Center
Naro, located in Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center in New York, is a fine-dining Korean restaurant opened by Chef Park Jung-hyun of Atomix. It boasts a modern interior decorated with Korean-style ornaments. The restaurant serves Korean dishes inspired by various classic cuisines, using traditional Korean ingredients and cooking methods.
The menu features universally appealing dishes such as Tangpyeongchae, Ssambap, Kalguksu, Nurungji soup, and Galbijjim, and it also incorporates Korean culture into desserts like Dalgona and Kkwabaegi. The New York Times has praised Naro, stating that it “reinterprets traditional Korean cuisine in a modern and restrained manner.” The restaurant offers a variety of course meals, and a sommelier is available to assist with wine and other beverage selections. It is recommended for special occasions.
| Menu | Go See Naro Menu |
| Address | Rink Level CO, 610 5th Ave #04, New York, NY 10020 |
| Phone Number | (212) 202-0206 |
| Homepage | Go to Naro Homepage |
| Reservation | Make a Reservation |
8. Atomix
A Michelin-Starred Korean Culinary Journey
Atomix is a Korean fine dining restaurant located in the NoMad area (north of Madison Square Park) in Manhattan, New York. Operated by Chef Park Jung-hyun, the restaurant offers a unique Korean dining experience through a tasting menu inspired by traditional Korean culture and techniques, and is known for its luxurious plating and creative combination of ingredients.
The ambiance of the restaurant is characterized by a cohesive gray and charcoal gray tone, and the menu leans more towards fusion rather than traditional Korean cuisine. Atomix has garnered attention from New Yorkers with its unique strategy of writing the names of Korean dishes in Hangul on the menu and providing explanations.
Atomix was the first Korean restaurant in 20 years to be selected for the ‘World’s 50 Best Restaurants’ and has achieved the top rank in New York’s best restaurants in 2018, along with receiving two Michelin stars.
| Menu | Go See Atomix Menu |
| Address | 104 E 30th St, New York, NY 10016 |
| Phone Number | – |
| Homepage | Go to Atomix Homepage |
| Reservation | Make a Reservation |
9. Joomak Banjum
A Fusion Culinary Experience in Koreatown, NYC
Joomak Banjum, located in Manhattan’s Koreatown, is a Korean-Chinese fusion restaurant specializing in tasting menus, with frequently changing offerings. The restaurant reinterprets sophisticated Korean and Chinese cuisines using French culinary techniques.
It is considered an ideal place for special occasions, and some courses in the menu are customizable. The menu includes unique dishes such as squid ink Jajangmyeon.
| Menu | Go See Joomak Banjum |
| Address | 312 5th Ave, New York, NY 10001 |
| Phone Number | (212) 268-7888 |
| Homepage | Go to Joomak Banjum |
| Reservation | Make a Reservation |
10. HoJokBan
Modern Korean Soul Food in the Heart of NYC
HoJokBan is a restaurant offering modern Korean “soul food” NYC operated by HAND Hospitality, which also manages other famous Korean restaurants in New York, such as Her Name Is Han and Ariari. Located in Manhattan’s Koreatown, HoJokBan introduces a Seoul-based concept to Manhattan.
The menu at the restaurant includes a variety of dishes that blend Korean, Chinese, and French culinary techniques, featuring a small but rich and high-quality selection of dishes. One of the house specials is Galbi, a popular choice ordered at every table.
Additionally, the restaurant offers other comforting dishes such as Budae Jjigae (army stew), truffle potato pancakes, and tender pork jowl, perfect for enhancing an ordinary weeknight. The ambiance of HoJokBan is casual, described as an ideal place to enjoy a meal with friends, making it a recommended spot for weekday dinners.
Additionally, for insights into their modern Korean soul food experience, you can search for “HoJokBan reviews” on Google.
| Menu | Go See HoJokBan Menu |
| Address | 128 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016 |
| Phone Number | (646) 952-0068 |
| Homepage | Go to Hojokban Homepage |
| Reservation | Make a Reservation |
11. Haenyeo
Discover Haenyeo’s Innovative Korean Menu in Brooklyn, NY
Haenyeo, located in Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York, is a Korean restaurant that has received two stars from The New York Times. Haenyeo offers a diverse and creative menu, including Marseille-style seafood stew Bouillabaisse, New Orleans-style Beignets, grilled oysters, and a Mexican-inspired Tteok Fondido. The restaurant operates in an attractive corner space, serving Korean cuisine, and operates on a walk-in-only basis, not accepting reservations.
It provides an atmosphere where people can enjoy cocktails at the bar while waiting and have a pleasant dining experience in a busy restaurant. The menu includes a variety of Korean dishes, from Pajeon (Korean pancake) to Bibimbap and barbecue meats, with a special emphasis on small plate dishes. Popular items include grilled oysters, sweet and spicy chicken wings, and Rice Cake Fondido, a fusion of Tteokbokki with Mexican Queso Fundido.
| Menu | Go See Haenyeo Menu |
| Address | 239 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215 |
| Phone Number | (718) 213-2290 |
| Homepage | Go to Haenyeo Homepage |
| Reservation | Make a Reservation |
12. Meju
New York’s Michelin-Guided Temple of Korean Cuisine
This restaurant, which received a Michelin star this year and was listed in the ‘Michelin Guide New York’, is operated by Chef Kim Hoon, the owner of ‘Danji’, the first Korean restaurant in New York to earn a Michelin star in 2011.
True to its name ‘Meju’, the restaurant primarily features dishes using Korean fermented soybean paste (jang) and salted seafood (jeotgal). Rather than following global trends, it focuses on Korean fermented foods, such as doenjangguk (soybean paste soup), jeon (Korean pancakes), grilled meats, and braised kimchi. The various seasonings are directly sourced from Korea.
| Menu | Go See Meju Menu |
| Address | 5-28 49th Ave, Queens, NY 11101 |
| Phone Number | (718) 806-1636 |
| Homepage | Go to Meju Homepage |
| Reservation | Make a Reservation |
It’s recommended to make reservations before visiting the restaurants mentioned above.
In recent years, international interest in Korean cuisine has been growing. It would be great if this interest in Korean food continues to increase. I hope this introduction of 12 popular Korean restaurants in New York will be helpful for those traveling to New York.
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