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    HanGawi

    4.1 (1.5k reviews)
    Closed 1:00 pm - 9:30 PM

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    HANGAWI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Intimate
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - HanGawi

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    Three flavors of pancake with three delicious sauces
    Blair S.

    Delicious vegetarian food. Move traditional environment, friendly and helpful staff. I met a friend for dinner to catch up and it was a great environment for both the unique dining experience and the catching up part. We shared everything - a veggie bulgogi dolsot bibimbap, Korean pancake, ginger tofu soup, and spicy veggie dumplings. I highly recommend a dolsot (Clay pot rice bowl) dish if you do a la carte dining. The Korean pancakes were fun flavors though a bit salty. The dumplings were good, although the "spicy" was just a little kick. Our waitress was excellent, helping us when we need it and disappearing so we could catch up over conversation.

    I've had better.
    Vincent P.

    For a vegan Korean fine dining??? A little overhyped AND overpriced. So for starters, Korean food has always included veggies in their cuisine so this feels like exoticizing Korean food, and I think people are just being too dramatic when they have kikimbap but in mushroom style. Like??? Ok? The setting is very much a sensory grabber. You take your shoes like just entering an Asian home. Cozy, almost theatrical ambiance. For the food, the kimchi jigae is so expensive but the taste factor ain't there! It's small, and overpriced for just bland tofu kimchi stew. The scallion pancakes are also meh, overpriced because the put in on a stone! Lmao. I think for me it's the mushroom kikimbap that saved it from being a disaster. Love the burnt bottom rice as always. Great taste and flavors. The cocktail is just too small for that price, like ridiculous. We also had a tofu truffle dumpling which is interestingly made but lacking in texture and flavors. Will I come back? I don't think so. But A FOR the effort and ambiance gimmick. But for the love of god, don't exoticise Korean food!

    Ssam bab
    Katrina M.

    I went to Hangawi with a couple family members and we had a lovely time. The atmosphere of the restaurant is lovely and peaceful (you take off your shoes at the front and sit at low tables - the tables still have an open space underneath, so if you are not particularly good at sitting cross-legged on the floor like me, you can still sit as if it is a bench seat). Our server was quiet and attentive. We tried: - todok salad: fresh and fried todok (Korean root vegetable) with watercress, cabbage and carrots in bean paste lemon dressing - Korean pancakes platter: leek, kimchi mushroom & mung bean pancakes with bean sprouts and kabocha pumpkin - kale dumplings in tofu skin wrap: kale, tofu, edamame beans and vegetables wrapped in tofu skin - plant based bulgogi stone bowl rice: plant based 'bulgogi' with vegetables and mushrooms with rice sizzling in a hot stone bowl - ssam bap: build your own lettuce and perilla leaf wraps with a variety of vegetables, tofu, sautéed mushrooms and bean paste sauce, served with 3 kinds of rice What a wonderful meal! The standout for us were the dumplings with a delicious bright green edamame sauce. And also the crispy rice at the bottom of the stone bowl, of course! While I do wish some of the flavors were punchier, we ordered the non spicy items to cater to my cousin so I can't comment on how the spicier foods might taste. I understand this facet of Korean cuisine is focused more on the nourishing properties of the foods. I am so happy I finally got to try this restaurant and highly recommend the experience to anyone!

    Jessica S.

    Such a beautiful space that is rare to see the likes of in the US! I loved sitting on the floor and having a space for my feet. The food was all fantastic, i especially liked the twigim and the perilla leaf tofu appetizer. Melisa and i were catching up w someone from high school and we closed the place out on a sunday night it was awesome. Also look at that freaky Alien (1979) egg vessel the twigim (fritters galore??) came in lol. Idk if the nonvegans liked the food as much as me i was coming off vegebruary but i was LOVING it

    Spicy and non spicy kimchi
    Shuba S.

    Terrific food; 10/10 for the innovation, but the service left a lot to be desired! Let's start with the positives-- the food. We ordered the Kale dumplings in tofu skin wrap. It was delicate and paired really well with the spinach sauce. For the main course, we ordered the Avocado Rice bowl bibimbap and Spicy Kimchi tofu soup. Loved both! It was very filling. The avocado rice bowl came with a wonderful miso soup! Loved the concept-- sitting on the floor. The floor cushions were comfortable and there was an enclosure below the table to put your legs. The restaurant has mood lighting, and was full for a weeknight. Impressed!!! Service was practically non-existent. I think it was just the person who waited on us. He took our order and didn't bother to check in if we wanted anything more! I wanted to order a drink mid-meal and after 15 minutes of waiting and trying to get his attention while he was walking back and forth (which was unsuccessful; he didn't pay attention at all), I gave up. I could tell other staff were not like that. I have to deduct a star for that.

    Mushrooms with black truffle paste bibimbap
    Tiffany L.

    I've been here a few times for dinner and just realized I've never written a review! I really love bringing people here since the dining experience is so unique. I prefer to sit at the low tables, and you'll have to take off your shoes when you arrive (they store them for you and have them out and waiting for you when you finish). It can be a little bit tricky to sit down and get up since there's not a ton of space, so just be mindful of that. I also appreciate that they will give you slippers when you use the restroom, but they are communal slippers so I would wear socks! We ordered off the a la carte menu and got: - Vermicelli Delight (5/5) Wish this came with more noodles though!!! - Korean Pancakes Platter (5/5) Comes with three sauces and three types of pancakes (leek, kimchi mushroom, and mung bean with pumpkin). All tasted great! - Mushroom Stone Bowl Rice with Black Truffle Paste (3/5) This was fine but I didn't taste the truffle at all. - Spicy Mongolian Hot Pot (5/5) I loved this dish! So good. - Spicy Rice Cakes (5/5) Wish this came with more rice cakes! The service was nice although they never refilled my cup of hot water. Props to them for serving us and navigating the low tables!

    Beet & Avocado Tartare & Mushroom Skewers (front). Korean herb noodles & emperor's rolls (back)
    Vivek D.

    One of the more unique Korean Restaurants I've ever seen. Most likely because it's a vegetarian Korean restaurant. But also, how often is it where you take your shoes off at a restaurant? So yeah, we were here for restaurant week. As part of restaurant week, we had the 3 course menu. For the appetizers, we split the beet & avocado tartare, mushroom skewers, korean herb noodles salad, & the emperor rolls. For the main menu, we ordered the perilla leaf bibimbap w/ tofu crumbles & the crispy rice cakes in spicy sauce. For the dessert, we split the red bean and ice cream rhapsody & the chocolate mocha cake. Of the appetizers, the beet & avocado tartare was one of my favorites. The skewers were good, but maybe not the most authentic skewers you can find The salad was also pretty decent too. The appetizers were all very light. Very easy to digest. For the main meal, the crispy rice cakes stole the show. It had a great amount of kick. I loved every bite. The bibimbap was good, but the rice cakes were so much better. I personally loved the mocha cake, but my girl loved the ice cream rhapsody. Win-win in any case. This was perhaps our favorite restaurant week dining experience of the summer of 2025.

    Inside
    Jenny K.

    Flavor is amazing. Taking a star off for value. Inside reminds me of a local Japanese izakaya I've been to so it's nostalgic. Service was good but seemed a little rushed.

    Nishad J.

    I love this place. It's rare to find a Korean vegan restaurant and this place overdelivered. The ambiance, the uniqueness, the taste of the food, and the service all delivered. You really can't go wrong with the food options or the cocktails. Everything is excellent. The plant based meat can be hit or miss for people but I loved it.

    Bulgogi bossam bites
    Mia H.

    I came here for dinner with one of my friends for dinner and had a great time trying their menu! Located near Koreatown, this Korean restaurant offers vegan Korean food in a traditional environment. As soon as you walk in, you take off your shoes (which is then taken care of by staff) and you're seated at a table where you sit on the floor (under the table there's an opening though so you don't have to sit on your feet). Service here is great. Their menu offers a HUGE selection of various Korean foods, made vegan. My friend and I ordered their bulgogi bossam bites, ddeokbokki, mushroom truffle bibimbap, and spicy baby dumplings. Our favorites were definitely the ddeokbokki and the mushroom truffle bibimbap. Both were SO flavorful, didn't feel like it was trying to imitate anything or felt like it was missing anything. I would not only reorder both but also recommend these dishes to others. The bulgogi bites were pretty solid but I probably wouldn't reorder. And, the spicy baby dumplings were unfortunately a miss for both of us. Nonetheless, I do think this restaurant does have some good dishes to offer and I wouldn't be opposed to coming back to try more!

    Steph W.

    Ambiance (5/5): This was such an immersive dining experience! As soon as you walk in, you are asked to take off your shoes, where you walk up an elevated level to then descend into the floor where the tables are. There are some tables that are normal as well but I think has to be selected when you make your reservation and/or request them. The staff are in traditional outfits, the dividers between the tables are decorated, the furniture/walls/pictures are ornate. The restaurant is fairly dark and noise level was okay to louder since we're nested so close. Service (5/5): Our server gave us good recommendations and was very attentive to our needs. It may be harder to flag someone down but there are plenty of servers/busboys helping throughout that we did not have any issues. Cauliflower bites (5/5): There is a nice breading that soaks up the spicy sauce. It was my favorite of the 3 apps that we ordered. Baby dumpling (5/5): These cannot be fried. I still enjoyed them! Bossam bites (3/5): The skin of the bites were not to my liking. The whole dish is something I would have skipped. Before the entrees, they provided some free kimchi dishes (spicy and non-spicy)! Mongolian Hot Pot (5/5): I felt like there was so much flavor and tons of ingredients that were in the dish. I had enough to take home to-go. My friend's tofu dish was also very flavorful (and I slightly preferred hers over mine!) I can concur that this place is worthy of a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Amazing that the whole menu is vegan-friendly!

    No onion no garlic menu
    Aashal P.

    Made a reservation for lunch on Saturday. Loved the allium free menu for my dietary restrictions. We did the floor seating experience. Overall food was good, just a unique flavor palette for me. Thought the cauliflower and dumplings could've used a bit more spice / flavor. Stone bowls were yummy. Recommend for vegetarians to get to experience Korean food!

    Korean Kochi Skewers ($19)
    Ameya B.

    Second time visit - continues to be excellent in all departments - service, food quality, and ambience! Serene was our server - very good at what we does !

    Trisome desert

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    HanGawi Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - HanGawi

    I don't know New York well what neighborhood is this considered? Ty!

    Koreatown

    Are there a lot of onion and garlic free options?

    Yes

    Is the restaurant vegan or vegetarian?

    Vegan!

    Would it be best to make a reservation before coming?

    Yes, definitely make a reservation... especially for dinner. It's a small restaurant and is always full.

    Do They use MSG?

    No they do not :) And it's Vegan!!

    View All 6 Questions

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    PLANTA Queen Nomad - CALIFORNIA ROLL*

    PLANTA Queen Nomad

    4.3(934 reviews)
    0.2 miFlatiron
    $$$

    Tucked away and worth the find! This little gem was near an errand I was running and glad I found…read moreit. The team members are all great! They take pride in their restaurant's offerings, as they should. My server was wonderful, offering suggestions to this first-timer. I started with a Volcano Roll - hearts of palm substituting for fish. Well balanced and delicious. Next was broccoli "beef" - fresh broccoli and shitake "steak" with mushrooms really balanced the dish. I ended with something so unnecessary and so wonderful, I'm glad I did it: The sticky toffee pudding. Just pure delight. It was relatively quiet when I was there. I could see how it could get a bit noisy if it were crowded. But even so, the people who visit are friendly and I ended up having a great conversation with the table next to me. I'll be back. I'm not exactly local, but it's definitely worth the trip! Planta is on my faves list now!

    I am not vegan. If it weren't for our friends who are, and having eaten already at the kopino fest,…read morewe probably would not have gone. Funny enough, we met our only other vegan friend there. So, from the vegan perspective, this is a popular and tasty place. We started with drinks, being lunchtime, we opted for non alcoholic drinks, the matcha colada and the salty maple macchiato. The matcha colada had a nice color but tasted mostly like coconut and pineapple which was still yummy. Friends ordered 3 different kinds of sushi and dan dan noodles with tofu. I was confused with the sushi as I thought vegans didn't eat fish...so yes I asked and was told that they probably made the "fish" with tapioca. I did try a bite of each roll (I was still full from the fest) and I was surprised that it tasted pretty good. They did a nice job with the roll and presentation. The matcha cheesecake was nice and creamy. I would not have known it was vegan. I don't normally like food that pretends to be something else because it usually doesn't live up to the real thing. The idea is that it is not pretending to be something but rather substituting with vegan options, I do think from a health perspective, I am more open to trying more vegan foods. Ambiance felt upscale and wait staff were helpful and congenial. I hear dinner time gets packed here. I may have to try again when I have not eaten already.

    Photos
    PLANTA Queen Nomad - Entrance view of the restaurant

    Entrance view of the restaurant

    PLANTA Queen Nomad - Beef with Broccoli

    Beef with Broccoli

    PLANTA Queen Nomad - MATCHA CHEESECAKE

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    MATCHA CHEESECAKE

    Le Botaniste - Spicy Chili Sin Carne, Chocolate Pecan Cookie, house red wine

    Le Botaniste

    4.4(80 reviews)
    0.5 miMidtown West
    $$

    YUM. This place was so good. I came in after a long day of working (and it was only 2pm) and this…read moreplace revived me in so many ways. It is so cozy inside. It feels like you're entering a library. It is really beautiful and chic. The staff were friendly and I ordered the Tibetan Mama ($15.93) Coconut Curry and it was delicious. It was so flavorful and fresh. Genuinely my only complaint is that they didn't give me more. I also ordered a lemonade (~$4) that had a nice sweetness to it, but didn't taste too artificial. It was a great addition to the hearty curry.

    I had lunch from Le Botaniste last Saturday and enjoyed the meal. I say from Le Botaniste rather…read morethan at Le Botaniste, because - even though the cafe is beautiful and huge (I saw a sign pointing to more seating in another room) - it was a gorgeous day and I took my lunch across the street to enjoy in Bryant Park. And that's really one of the best things about this location of Le Botaniste (there around 7 locations in the city) - being right across from Bryant Park, you can enjoy a healthy lunch while enjoying the park! So what is Le Botaniste? It's an organic, plant-based, and carbon-neutral cafe with locations in NYC and a couple in Europe. So everything is vegan. Everything is organic. The calories and other dietary information are listed on the menu. I had their Chef Priyanka Samosa Bowl (a seasonal offering), which includes brown rice, saag, samosa balls, crispy chickpeas, turmeric onions, tamarind and green chutneys, and yogurt raita. It is 433 calories and 12 grams of protein. I thought it was good - although I thought the samosa balls were quite dry (the chutneys, saag, and raita helped), and I liked that it was light and healthy and wouldn't slow me down for the rest of my busy day. I also grabbed a water and a quinoa peanut butter cookie that I saved in my bag for later. (I noticed that they had some wines that I would have been happy to try - if you eat in, you can have a full experience with a drink.) I showed up right at 11 when they opened, and there was only one other customer. My bowl was ready in seconds and I was out the door and across the street seated in Bryant Park within a minute or two. If you're looking for a healthy vegan lunch in the neighborhood, Le Botaniste is a good option!

    Photos
    Le Botaniste - Photo 3: Interior

    Photo 3: Interior

    Le Botaniste - Energy Cookie

    Energy Cookie

    Le Botaniste - Sweets ahead

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    Sweets ahead

    P.S. Kitchen - Sweet Thai Chicken Sandwich w/ fries

    P.S. Kitchen

    4.3(879 reviews)
    1.0 miTheater District, Midtown West
    $$

    Three of us had a very nice after-theater meal here this evening…read more We started with two appetizers and a soup. The crabby cakes (three in the serving) were delicious. Somehow, they were able to approximate the flavor and texture of crab with a combination of chickpeas, artichokes, hearts of palm and panko. Very well prepared and tasty. The roasted brussel sprouts were "fine". The menu says they are prepared with a citrus balsamic reduction. No one was very impressed with these. The Colombian potato soup was flavorful and we all enjoyed that. The broth was not very hot (temperature-wise), which was a disappointment. We ordered soup because it was a very cold day and were looking forward to a hot soup. Of the appetizers we shared, we agreed that the crabby cakes were the strongest of the three. The brussel sprouts none of us would get again. They were essentially a small bowl of brussel sprouts with no special characteristic flavor. The entrees were all a big success. I loved my PS Lasagna. It tasted like a meat lasagna in a very flavorful and very nicely seasoned marinara. It was outstanding. And a very nice portion. The Chicken Pot Pie was delicious also. The crust was flaky, with lots of pieces of "chicken". Could have used more peas and carrots. But a very flavorful dish that is an excellent example of how comfort food can be made in vegan style. The chicken Caesar wrap was enormous and delicious. The service here was excellent. We were well-attended to, especially with respect to filling of water glasses. We had a reservation and arrived over a half hour early, but they were able to take us right away. When we were done, we did notice a long line of people waiting to get in, so we couldn't linger. The restaurant has a nice, comfortable atmosphere. It's a bit dark, though. Staff were attentive.

    I tried this vegan restaurant with a friend for dinner. The interior was super adorable, clean, and…read moremodern, featuring exposed brick on the wall, cool lights over the bar, pink lighting, and plenty of space for seating. There was a cozy atmosphere to the place. We decided to share the Steak Marsala, Chicken Pot Pie, and Truffle Fries. The Steak Marsala truly resembled steak, and my friend actually thought it was real steak meat. I could definitely discern the difference though. It was tender, well seasoned, covered in a savory, tasty mushroomy Marsala sauce, with plenty of mashed potatoes topped with mushroom and garlic spinach on the side. Truffle Fries were perfectly crispy with strong truffle flavor, dusted with herby spices. The Chicken Pot Pie looked pretty good with spices and rosemary on top. The crust was satisfyingly crisp, flaky, buttery, while the inside was a mixture of chicken substitute, peas, carrots. However, the filling wasn't thick enough for me, and I think the addition of potatoes would have made it much better. Service was lovely. Our waiter was welcoming and knowledgeable about the offerings. Prices were decent for the area. Menu was creative, especially given that it is all plant based. We enjoyed our time here! I probably won't be back for a while, as I like meat too much, but a solid choice for vegans and vegetarians!

    Photos
    P.S. Kitchen - Ambiance

    Ambiance

    P.S. Kitchen - Crab cakes - combination of chickpeas, artichokes and hearts of palm, chopped onion and garlic with herbed panko breadcrumbs and lemon.

    Crab cakes - combination of chickpeas, artichokes and hearts of palm, chopped onion and garlic with herbed panko breadcrumbs and lemon.

    P.S. Kitchen - Tiramisu

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    Tiramisu

    Beyond Sushi - Rainbow Roll

    Beyond Sushi

    4.5(878 reviews)
    0.4 miMidtown West
    $$

    Soo many great food and drink options. Thank you to my…read moreserver (Dare) & the amazing service . He helped me out with the best selections. I tried the ginger beef dumplings, nutty buddy wrap & spicy tuna w/ Easter Garden mocktail. The ambiance is simply gorgeous. The greenery plus the lighting and fixtures was well put together. I will definitely be back to try the other great options in the menu. Thank youuu beyond sushi for satisfying my sushi cravings !

    When I was visiting NYC a few weeks ago, I made sure I would have one meal at one of the City Roots…read morerestaurants. Beyond Sushi was in Midtown near where I was staying, so I ended up coming here---on Valentine's Day, which happened to be a mistake! Since I didn't have a reservation, the lady who checked me in told me I had to find a seat at the bar. Her attitude was not the best, as when I looked over the menu and made a decision on what I wanted to get, she dismissed me when I waved her over, saying she is not the person taking orders. Um, okay? Then who is? One guy at the bar was nicer, and was able to take my order. I started off with a hot tea since NYC was cold in February, and then decided to have as much as I could of two dishes---the "chicken" yakitori skewers and the Korean BBQ skillet. The skewers came in a set of two, with a white mayo-like sauce drizzle and pickled cucumber on the side. Super delectable, though very filling because of the protein! The skillet was made with classic Chunk Foods protein, the go-to plant-based option for all the meat dishes at City Roots restaurants as far as I know. This was incredibly filling, but the sauce and the texture were all around delicious as well. I could NOT bother to finish the brussels sprouts the skillet came with---way too much to stomach, and I was going to focus on the "meats" since I can always have brussels any other time! The bill by the end of it was PRICEY. That's why I only go to one of these restaurants as a special treat when I visit NYC. Watch out if you order hot tea...$13!! I guess that's the NYC way, but still!

    Photos
    Beyond Sushi - Interior view towards front of restaurant

    Interior view towards front of restaurant

    Beyond Sushi - Nutty Buddy Wrap

    Nutty Buddy Wrap

    Beyond Sushi - Sakura Sangria

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    Sakura Sangria

    BCD Tofu House - L.A. Galbi Combo, Stir-Fried Pork Combo

    BCD Tofu House

    4.0(2.7k reviews)
    0.1 miKoreatown, Midtown West
    $$

    The bonchon was unique and different compared to what's typically being served in the Bay Area…read more What surprised me was the hot dog bonchon, which looks simple to prepare at home. The tofu stew was not bad, but it could use aromatics and addition of zucchini to make it a balanced.

    Manhattan, NY (Koreatown) - I love BCD and frequent the one in Fort Lee pretty regularly, but for…read moreyears have assiduously avoided this NYC location as it's always a madhouse every time I've come here for dinner with friends or co-workers, and because there are so many other great Korean options on this strip. But there's no denying that BCD has upped their soondubu game considerably in the last decade+ with a thicker, more deeply flavored broth, and now easily rivals my longtime favorite and gold standard, the OG So Kong Dong in Fort Lee. Then I stumbled into a hack that changed my view: lunch! I ducked in for a late lunch on a whim while walking by one day, and this turned out to be a much chiller hour, unhurried and no reservation needed. I was promptly seated, my order taken, and the banchan swiftly laid out. The banchan spread is solid across the board (the little fried fish does nothing for me, but seems to be a highlight for everyone else). I especially love the kimchi, near-perfect IMO, and the pickled cucumber. There's a modest lunch discount, which is a nice bonus for someone who likes to order aggressively. I usually get an oyster, seafood, or assorted soondubu (with a raw egg cracked in), danger spicy of course! Or go the C1 combo route with a galbi (marinated bbq beef short ribs) + smaller soondubu. It's an enormous amount of food, so I take most of the galbi home and feel no shame about it. The galbi, by the way, has also gotten noticeably better over the years - meatier, tender, and the flavor is on point. I've also enjoyed their bibimbap, bulgogi, jap chae, and seafood pancake. Finally, let's talk heat - this chili-head loooves fire! And BCD's danger level is one of the rare instances where the spice level actually meets my punishing tolerance for heat, not some pretense at "American spicy.," despite this being a chain. Their danger level actually means business and brings tears to my eyes, literally. It's still not my favorite place ambience wise, and dinner remains a contact sport I've mostly opted out of, as gone are the days that I can tolerate a culinary mosh pit, and any wait longer than 10 minutes (and only for a superlative place) will trigger an automatic ejection of my presence. But for lunch? Unexpectedly great. 4 stars for dinner, 5 for lunch.

    Photos
    BCD Tofu House
    BCD Tofu House - L.A. Galbi

    L.A. Galbi

    BCD Tofu House - @sujungchronicles

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    @sujungchronicles

    HanGawi - vegetarian - Updated May 2026

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