For the last few years, Korean cuisine has really been having a moment in the United States. Particularly in New York City where there are Koreantowns—or “K-Towns,” in the local parlance—in Midtown Manhattan and in Flushing, Queens.
Korean barbecue is especially popular. If you’re with a larger group, say four or more, Korean barbecue becomes a deliciously fun eating activity, as it is cooked right at your table by a chef. In the Big Apple, there are no-frills spots as well as dazzling upscale versions of Korean barbecue. You can decide.
If you’re looking for the perfect Korean BBQ experience in NYC don’t miss these spots.
10 best places to feast on Korean BBQ in NYC
COTE Korean Steakhouse
Chef Simon Kim hand selects the meat at his Michelin-starred spot in Flatiron near Koreatown. COTE Korean Steakhouse is one of the most elegant Korean barbecue restaurants in town. And you won’t regret forking out a bit more for a high-quality experience. For sure, opt for the famed “Butcher’s Feast,” a dazzling array of banchan and Korean starters followed by four select cuts of prime beef cooked right at your table. Dessert is also included.
Daori BBQ
Located in Queens, Daori BBQ has a menu loaded with excellent Korean staples such as hand-pulled noodle dishes, kimchi pancakes, and pork stews. But the best reason to make the journey here is for the duck barbecue, one of the few barbecue spots that offer duck. If the fowl isn’t to your liking, Daori also has pork and beef ribs, Angus ribeye, and various other cuts of beef.
Insa
Located in Gowanus, Brooklyn, Insa is owned and run by the Korean-American couple who own the Good Fork Pub in Red Hook and who are also co-owners of steakhouse Gage and Tollner. Start with a pig ear salad and/or cured pork jowl before sliding into the barbecue portion of the meal. Choose between shrimp, short rib, pork belly, ribeye, or other meaty options, and then feast on the ultra-tender barbecue. If you have some extra energy after the meal, Insa also offers karaoke.
Dons Bogam BBQ & Wine Bar
Korean-born Woo Kim is the top toque at this perineal favorite in the heart of Manhattan’s Koreatown. The signature dish at Dons Bogam is 24-hour wine-marinated three-layer pork. And it’s a delicious must for any first-time visitor to Don’s Bogam. In addition, the restaurant has a menu of choice American Kobe beef, seafood, bulgogi, and chicken that sizzles on the grill right at your table. And did we mention the restaurant is also a wine bar?
Jongro BBQ
Tucked away on the second floor of an office building in Manhattan’s Koreatown, Jongro is an export from Korea—a well-respected South Korean chain, actually. What makes Jongro next-level Korean barbecue is that they butcher their meats in-house. So, whatever you order—be it brisket, ribeye, skirt steak (or all of it via the beef platter)—the meat is going to be super fresh.
Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong
Not all the makgeolli—the popular milky white, lightly effervescent Korean rice wine drink—will help you pronounce the name of this spot in Manhattan’s Koreatown. But it will add to the fun. This eponymous chainlet was founded by—wait for it—Kang Ho Dong, a famous wrestler-cum-comedian in Korea. The Omaha beef Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong is top-notch.
The Kunjip
The Kunjip is a Koreatown stalwart, having been smack in the center of the Manhattan neighborhood since 2002. Translated as “big house” in Korean, Kunjip is always a bustling affair. In pre-pandemic times, the restaurant was open 24 hours per day. Now it shutters at midnight on weekdays and 2 AM on weekends. Here you can choose various meat combos or just order a la carte. Kunjip also has a nice selection of Korean staples such as variations on the theme of bibimbap and kimchi stews.
Let’s Meat BBQ
Despite the terrible name, Let’s Meat BBQ is actually a great barbeque spot in Koreatown. It’s also one of the few places that offer all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue. Choose your price point and then get ready to AYCE (All You Can Eat). For example, you can get a large handful of all-you-can-eat meat options for under $50 per person, plus rice cakes, glass noodles, and various veggies (including kimchi, of course).
Tong Sam Gyup Goo Yi
This Flushing, Queens stalwart specializes in thick-cut pork belly. In fact, there are multiple pork belly options, all cooked under a heavy cast iron lid that renders the meat so gooey and tender you’ll wish you had an extra stomach for more. Tang Sam Gyup Yi is an excellent option for the pork lover in your life. For others, there is also a nice selection of rice and noodle dishes.
Mapo BBQ
Those willing to make the trek out to the Murray Hills section of Flushing in Queens will be rewarded. Murray Hill is a huge, off-the-radar swath of Queens that is loaded with Korean restaurants. And Mapo is the place to go for Korean barbecue, which is cooked with charcoal. Have a seat, order, and soon enough the tableside grills will be sizzling with marinated beef ribs, brisket, smoked black pork, shrimp, and squid.
Update notice: This article was updated on June 6, 2023.
David Farley is a West Village-based food and travel writer whose work appears regularly in the New York Times, National Geographic, BBC, and Food & Wine, among other publications. He’s the author of three books, including “An Irreverent Curiosity: In Search of the Church’s Strangest Relic in Italy’s Oddest Town,” which was made into a documentary by the National Geographic Channel. You can find Farley’s online homes here and here.