Guide to Koreatown
Published 11/19/2021
Koreatown (aka K-town) is a pocket of Midtown Manhattan east of Herald Square, a stone’s throw from the Empire State Building and other major NYC attractions. The neighborhood makes for a convenient stop while sightseeing or as a main destination in itself—NYC’s premier place for visitors to satisfy their K-pop and K-beauty cravings, not to mention Korean barbecue and karaoke.
During its nascent years in the late 1970s and ’80s, Koreatown was a tucked-away ethnic enclave frequented mostly by Korean immigrants and Garment District workers, but bustling modern-day K-town is a magnet for international and local cool-seekers. Its vertical density offers restaurant hopping, dessert savoring, 24-hour partying and detoxing all by climbing a few sets of stairs. Most New Yorkers and visitors come to K-town for the food. Traditionally, Korean cuisine is all about abundance, variety and sharing, so it’s fun to go with a group. But I’ve found it just as exciting to venture out alone for comfort food or take a chance on something I hadn’t tried before—there’s always a new restaurant or seasonal menu that catches my eye. Read on for some of my neighborhood favorites.
1
Old-School Eatery: The Kunjip
1
32 W 32nd Street
The hallmark of a classic K-town restaurant is its everything-but-the-kitchen-sink menu—usually a hardbound laminated booklet featuring traditional fare like bibimbap (rice bowl with marinated veggies and meat) and jjigaes (stews); barbecue selections; hot and cold noodles; and a bevy of complimentary banchan (side dishes). An old guard in the ever-evolving neighborhood, the Kunjip (which literally translates as “the big house,” though in Korean the meaning is closer to “the big uncle’s”) lives up to its name with a hefty menu and two floors that accommodate long-time devotees and new customers alike. A meal here will satisfy everyone from vegan Vinnie to meat-loving Mindy.
See also: Cho Dang Gol, Gammeeok, New Wonjo
Photo: Daniel Kreiger
2
Newfangled Eatery: Her Name Is Han
2
17 E. 31st St.
My parents would be bewildered by Her Name Is Han—first by its name, and then by the absence of free banchan that normally arrive in a flurry and cover almost the entire table, as is the custom in most old-school Korean restaurants. (This is a good metric for distinguishing modernized Korean eateries from traditional establishments.) Han’s curated menu claims to reflect “mothers’ cooking,” but only if said moms went to art school in New York in the 1990s and redirected their energy toward Korean soul food. Staples like jeongol (hot pot), kalbi (soy-marinated short rib) and japchae (glass noodles) are delicious and camera ready, while grilled eggplant and black sesame tofu are total rule breakers.
See also: Barn Joo 35, Take 31, Love
Photo: Kove Lee
3
Fancy Dining: Joomak Banjum
3
312 Fifth Ave.
Joomak Banjum occupies the space that used to house my favorite Korean-Chinese restaurant in K-town, reflecting a trend of experimental chefs and restaurateurs gravitating to an area once known for family-owned businesses serving Korean staples. As its name suggests, Joomak Banjum (meaning “tavern” and “Chinese restaurant” in Korean) offers a fusion dining experience—Korean-Chinese tasting courses executed with French techniques. For example, jjajangmyun, a comfort noodle dish with black bean sauce, has been elevated with sourdough flat noodles, clams, caramelized onions and Parmesan. Two of the chefs have stellar pastry pedigrees, making the dessert courses a real star.
See also: Atoboy, Gaonnuri, Don’s Bogam
Photo: Courtesy, Joomak Banjum
4
Barbecue: Jongro BBQ
4
22 W 32nd St Fl 2
There are basically two types of Korean restaurants: those that offer barbecue options along with other Korean dishes, and those that specialize in barbecue along with other Korean dishes. In short, when it comes to Korean dining, barbecue is ubiquitous, and Jongro is the epitome of a Korean barbecue hall. Entering the restaurant on the second floor of a onetime office building is like traveling back in time to an old-world outdoor market, with the restaurant’s traditional decor and postwar-style signage. Instead of coming off kitschy, Jongro delivers authentic energy and bustle. Add grilled meats and soju (clear grain alcohol) to the mix and you have an intoxicating combination. Chances are no one will be ready to call it a night after a meal, so you and your party should probably consider heading out after to a noraebang (Korean karaoke).
See also: Antoya Korean BBQ, Yoon Haeundae Galbi
Photo: Poupay Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet
5
K-Gastropub: Bangia
5
11 E. 32nd St.
Bangia might make you recall the movie Parasite because of its name, which means “semi-basement,” as well as its mazelike space. But this subterranean gastropub doesn’t have creepy plot twists. You can relax and settle in for a night of straight-up drinking and eating. Koreans typically nosh while they drink, so there are specific dishes that pair well with soju, maekju (beer) or makguli (unfiltered rice wine). Bangia serves up an extensive menu of multipurpose traditional pub food: heavy enough to sop up the alcohol, spicy enough to clear your head and salty enough to keep you drinking. Their most popular dish, budae jjigae (“army stew,” consisting of Spam and a hodgepodge of processed meats, baked beans, vegetables and kimchi in broth), hits all three marks.
See also: Pocha 32, Osamil, Turntable Chicken Jazz
Photo: Poupay Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet
6
K-Japanese: Udon Lab
6
43 W. 32nd St.
In the past few years, a surge of restaurants have opened on 32nd Street serving up Korean takes on Japanese food. (Though the history of the cultures’ relations is fraught, there are many crossovers, and younger Koreans seem to be embracing the cuisines of the neighboring country.) Udon Lab is one such example. Duck in here for a bowl of steaming hand-pulled noodles or Izakaya-style grilled, fried or pickled small dishes. There are also heartier items like dons (rice bowls) and lunchtime bento sets. The Lab is a rustic, rectangular den adjacent to a hotel lobby, which makes it feel a little disjointed from the rest of the block.
See also: Hana Michi, Koku Ramen, Kushi Yaki
Courtesy, Udon Lab
7
On the Go: Food Gallery 32
7
11 W 32nd St
Food Gallery 32’s charm is seemingly inexhaustible—this multi-floored mall feels like an international food fair. Want tteobokki (spicy rice cake) and kimbap (Korean seaweed roll)? Check. Crave churros and bubble tea? Got ’em. How about macarons and espresso? Yes and yes. Coin karaoke? Um, duh. They also have KFC (Korean fried chicken), Taiwanese crepes, Japanese sushi rolls and katsu and many more items that are modestly priced and prepared at lightning speed. No wonder this food court is always swarming with out-of-towners as well as local workers and teens—and you know they know what’s up.
See also: E-Mo Kimbap, Jongro Rice Hotdogs, Woorijip
Photo: Poupay Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet
8
Dessert: Grace Street
8
17 W. 32nd St.
Grace Street opened nearly 10 years ago, but it hasn’t lost its shine. If anything, every time I visit there’s always something new and delightful to discover at this dessert destination that looks more like a shared workspace than a café. (Sure enough, laptops abound in its airy, concrete-slab interior.) This past summer I was obsessed with their iced jasmine milk tea, taken by how refreshing it is; its scent is seductive, not perfume-y. I brought their burnt cheesecake to a dinner party and it was a hit, and the matcha cream puff was pretty darn delicious too. Their menu is for reading; the food for oohing and aahing.
See also: Keki, Paris Baguette, Tous Les Jours
Photo: Courtesy, Grace Street Cafe
9
Nightlife: Karaoke City
9
22 W. 32nd St.
In K-town, epic birthdays, bachelorette parties and even office get-togethers end in karaoke. (Numerous karaoke joints dot 32nd Street, but you’ll have to look up to see the spinning disco ball or blue-light tinted windows—they’re usually above a restaurant or a hair salon.) Karaoke City is perched on the seventh floor of a building that also contains Jongro BBQ and a Citibank. Karaoke City can accommodate over 100 people in its largest private room, so you know this place is huge. In addition to private rooms, a boisterous karaoke scene at the bar keeps things lit, as the kids say.
See also: Maru Karaoke Lounge, The Maze, Space Billiard
Photo: Poupay Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet
10
K-Beauty: The Face Shop
10
25 W. 32nd St.
The Face Shop is one of the OGs of the K-beauty craze. Its New York City flagship store opened in the late 2000s on 32nd Street, and its shops have proliferated throughout the City ever since. The beauty brand offers cosmetics as well as skin-care products, but for many K-beauty fanatics, it’s their face mask sheets that have become a cult item. They’re also known for kooky collaborations with brands like Coca-Cola and The Simpsons. Whenever I’m in K-town I make a point to pop in and grab an eyebrow pencil, lip tint and a couple of mask sheets. Then I hop over to Grace Street for that iced jasmine milk tea and feel peak millennial Korean.
See also: Besfren, Juvenex, Kosette
Photo: Poupay Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet
11
Shopping: Koryo Books
11
35 W 32nd St
When Koreatown was still just a mildly wild, 24-7 restaurant block, I used to go to Koryo Books often, mostly to kill time before meetups and after Christmas because they gave out free calendars that included the lunar cycle, which my mom loved. Now when I poke my head in, the sections where there used to be magazines bulge with K-pop merchandise, from masks to plushies. Inside, a third of the shop has been sectioned off to Kosette, a K-beauty vendor. Also on trend is their website, which only sells K-pop music. Although it has become more a specialty shop than a bookstore, Koryo is still a fun stop for browsing everything from traditional tchotchkes to BTS stickers.
See also: H Mart
Photo: Poupay Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet
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Carol Joo Lee is an artist and creative director who has been visiting K-town for decades.
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