What an amazing and memorable way to experience Korean cuisine in such a modern and elevated form. From the moment we arrived, every detail felt intentional and thoughtful. Before our reservation, they texted days before to confirm allergies, which already showed the level of care they put into the customer experience. When you enter, you take an industrial-style elevator that is manually operated, which somehow adds to the charm and anticipation. Once you reach the 16th floor, you're welcomed into a serene waiting area with a zen garden where they serve refreshing welcome drinks (sweet or sour option) while checking your coat. As the evening progresses and the sun lowers, the shades open up to reveal the city skyline, . It absolutely made sense to me why they earned another Michelin star -- the attention to detail extends beyond the food into every part of the experience, including the ambiance and even the fragrance throughout the restaurant and bathrooms. They even gifted us a goodie bag that included the wonderful fragrance sample from the bathroom, which was such a thoughtful touch. The bag also included something for visual inspiration with artwork postcards and sunchoke tea leaves good for 1 brew/2 cups that we drank with dessert to promote good digestion. Basically the bag cared for all senses like the experience at Joo ok. The meal itself was stunning from beginning to end. One of my favorite bites of the night was the first teaser bite with Korean gochujang-style sauce and raw yellow tail fish sandwiched within a delicate wonton cracker and joso leaf -- so flavorful and refined that I honestly could have eaten 10 more. Another standout was the Gangjang quail egg topped with caviar and raw clams dish finished with perilla oil, which added such an earthy yet light aroma that brought the whole dish together beautifully. You can truly admire the craftsmanship and creativity behind every course. The multi-colored mandu was impressive as each different pasta colors were naturally derived -- you can only imagine the amount of effort and precision behind each piece. The plum sorbet was such a refreshing finish and then we were surprised as they roll out a cart of three tiered mini desserts ranging from redbean/ black sesame rice cakes finishing off with a sweet baklava like bite served with the healthy sunchoke caffeine -free tea. Even though it was a 15-course tasting menu, the portions were thoughtfully sized, so by the end we felt comfortably satisfied instead of overly stuffed. I also appreciated that the dishes were not overly greasy or heavy. Their pride in aging their own soy sauce and making their own Korean gochujamg sauce really comes through in the depth of flavor. Many of the broths tasted incredibly rich while still feeling clean and delicate at the same time. Overall, this was more than just dinner -- it was an immersive culinary experience that celebrated Korean cuisine with elegance, artistry, and heart. IG:Jubes111 Youtube:Jujubi Fam read more

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We had such a lovely night at Joo Ok on the first night of our NYC trip. Every dish was, at the very least, enjoyable, and many were truly excellent. My favorites were the gochujang, ganjang, makgeolli, japchae, and the byeonggwa. The presentation was beautiful, and dinner service was paced thoughtfully throughout the evening. Sometimes dessert can be the weakest point of a thoughtful menu, but the byeonggwa course was such a delightful way to end the dinner. I was told that the byeonggwa is prepared by Chef Shin's talented wife on daily basis. We also had the pleasure of chatting with the sommelier, whose name I believe was Simon. He was so kind and genuinely personable. His warmth and hospitality really added to the experience and made the evening feel even more memorable. The entire service team delivered excellent service without the stuffiness and rigidity. We would not hesitate to return to Joo Ok the next time we're in town. read more

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From the moment you step out of the historic freight elevator and enter the tastefully decorated sitting room you know you're in for a lovely night. They bring you some tastes and fermented apple or grape drink to sample as you wait to be seated. Once seated, the storytelling begins. Every dish is a tender love song to Korean culture and food. The night ends with a beautiful display of Korean desserts. An incredible experience! read more

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I do not give this five star review lightly. Hubby and I always try to go for an exceptional dinner to celebrate our anniversary. This year hubby suggested two Michelin star Joo Ok. Mind you, in my mind I was expecting this to be just another "Korean" Michelin star restaurant. We've been to many of the others, and although the food has always been wonderful, I would not have said there were any strong elements of Korean cuisine. The specialty at Joo Ok is the house made jangs which are the base of the foundational flavors of Korean cuisine. The waiters explained what flavored each dish and what made it so special. I forgot to mention that our experience started with a simple tea service in the waiting area outside of the main dining room. It was a nice touch. We then entered into the main dining room where we were immediately in front of an island with some of the ingredients for our dinner and we were able to see/smell the jangs that were specially made. I don't recall now each dish, all I remember is how impressed I was with each one, the flavors and the textures and the presentation. I was afraid the portions would be too small but ended up taking small bites of the main course dishes (and giving to my husband to enjoy) as I was completely full. Their wait staff were completely professional, courteous and attentive. For a 2 Michelin star restaurant, I did feel some patrons were underdressed but I guess dress codes have disappeared. Last thing to mention, we originally went to the wrong building entrance as we did not realize that Joo Ok had a separate entrance through warehouse looking street doors that lead you to a private freight elevator. Lol interesting deviation for a 2 Michelin star restaurant. read more

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This is the best Michelin star KOREAN meal we have ever had! This is not to say that the food was that much better than Atomix, Jungsik, Jua, Cote, etc., but this is the first Michelin Star meal that really tasted like Korean food. I would classify most of the others as French Korean fusion or mostly French with Korean inspiration. But before sitting down to eat, the real challenge was finding the right entrance. There is a main entrance that is also the one you use to get to Jongro BBQ but that is not the right entrance. You have to go in the freight elevator entrance that is further West on 32nd. And you take the freight elevator up to the 16th floor. I have to admit that this entrance did have me pondering how this restaurant got 2 stars. But once you enter their welcoming indoor patio for a little tea and crackers, it all becomes clear! Everything is wonderfully prepared and delicious! I will not go into details but have included a photo of the menu so that you can read with envy and appreciate the photos of all the amazing dishes. Every one of the 12 course meal was so good that I cannot pick a favorite although that Wagyu entree may be the closest to my favorite. Although we came here for our anniversary dinner, I do not think we could wait another year to come back. Cannot wait!! read more

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My husband and I were in town and we obviously wanted to try a two star restaurant in one of the most competitive restaurant cities in the world!!! We were looking for an interesting fine dining experience that would be unique. We thought it was so cool how you had to enter through a private freight elevator. Before being seated, you have to wait at the front but they make it a great experience with the tasteful, calming decor and a welcome drink and snack. I loved how it set the tone for the restaurant. My husband picked this restaurant because we were like, how good can fine dining Korean food really get?? Don't get me wrong, I love Korean food but you have to admit that some cuisines (like Japanese) are just way easier to elevate. Let me tell you, fine dining Korean can get really good!!! Each dish was very elevated - from the flavour to the plating - but yet each dish still tasted very obviously Korean and comforting. I think comfort food vs fine dining can sometimes clash, but the chef did a great job merging the two. If you're Asian, I would definitely come here just to see how that can be. For example, they had a steamed fish dish that was so comforting and reminded me of my mom, but the flavours were so elegant and refined. The waiter shared with us that the chef wanted us to feel like we've been invited to their home and it honestly feels just like that!! They even gave us some tea as a parting gift!! (Iykyk) We also got the 7 beverage pairing which I felt was ok. It was more white forward, which I guess makes sense since there's more seafood on the menu. I don't regret us getting it but it felt like a one star experience. The choices felt somewhat typical and there was only one or two drinks that wowed us. Unfortunately, I didn't think their service was of two star quality. It didn't feel like a perfect dance. For example, the wait staff had to often whisper to each other to communicate and check in, which is reasonable, but I feel that some wait staff at other places just "get each other" and I didn't feel that synergy here. In addition, they were sometimes dodging each other because they would be in each other's way. I understand that the restaurant space is a bit tight (it is NYC after all), but some restaurants have a "way of traffic" that makes the experience more elegant. I also don't think they quite have the service down because while I was away at the bathroom, one of the servers came to serve the food and asked my husband if he should present the food now or later. It would be a no brainer for other two star restaurants that they need to wait for all guests to be present before serving and presenting the dish. I think service can really elevate the dining experience and while this didn't take away from the taste of the food, I wish it was more of two star quality. (If you think I'm harsh, go to "Kiln" in SF). WOULD I COME HERE AGAIN? Honestly no. It was a great experience, but I don't think it's special enough for us to come again. I would recommend this if you want to try fine dining Asian food that still somehow feels comfortable and nostalgic. The food is definitely two stars, but it can be a stronger two star place with better service and drinks. read more

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Absolutely wonderful and unique experience. I loved every moment of it. The experience starts upon entering the building. They take you up a very rustic elevator which reveals the entrance to a minimal, quiet, and calm ambiance where you are greeted with an hors d'oeuvres style small drink of your choice and snack. Then you are welcomed into the man dining area and seated. Every item on our 12 course meal was amazing. So thoughtfully created and delicious in unique ways. Every item felt like a fun surprise and there were a lot of video worthy moments to capture. You can tell that there was a lot of care and effort put into each dish. We left feeling completely satisfied! It was the perfect amount of food. I especially loved the dessert itself and its three tier display. Another one of my favorite dishes were the colorful handmade noodles. The service was impeccable. They were attentive and friendly. The bathrooms and entire establishment were very clean and aesthetically pleasing. Quite a lovely and special experience! Highly recommend for a date night or to celebrate and occasion! read more

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What amazing and delicious flavors. This is a must try place for Korean food. Very minimalistic decor but the food and service make up for it. The service was just super. All dishes had such rich depth of flavors and the progression was amazing. The fish course for me personally was meh but everything else was absolutely delicious. read more

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From the elevator entrance, to the explanation of the dishes and sauces, to the presentation, this spot was really excellent and highlights the importance of great service in elevating the dining experience. Each dish they brought out was followed with a helpful explanation of the vision and preparation of the dish, and was so neatly placed in front of us. Particular standouts for me were the Ganjang dish, which had such a fragrant home-pressed perilla oil on it, the scallops and pine nut sauce, and the smoked lobster, which was so tender and flavorful. These were such great dishes that really impressed me with the attention to detail in both preparation and plating. The mandu was ok. The colors were nice, but the flavors felt so lacking in comparison to everything else on the menu, which did subtract from the experience for me. They didn't notice that I was left handed the whole meal, however, which was surprising, given their attention to all other details. Something that I'd expect a 2-michelin star to be able to catch, almost immediately. read more

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Was not dinner.... It was an EXPERIENCE! I am so truly lucky and blessed to have been treated to this meal by my wonderful aunt. Literally every bite was perfect. Prob the best meal i have ever had fr. If i has to pick favorites, i cannot stop thinking abt the seasonal winter root veg with pine nut (jat) sauce, gim makgeolli bread (ssul bbang) w. Jellied soy sauce and eel hello???? , and a truly mind bogglingly delicious rice and banchan set, the beef which they kindly switched out w prob the most delectable fish i have ever had for me. Just wow..... this made me want to start WASTING MY MONEY on tasting menus read more

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Really enjoyed my experience here! I love the attention to detail put into the service and the food was incredible! This is a great place for a special occasion. The dining area feels very quiet and intimate and you can get a nice view of the city if you have a window seat. The beginning bites started the meal off to such a good start. The ganjang braised chicken was like a mousse that just melted in your mouth. The gochujang yukhoe was marinated perfectly and it was tender too. I thought it would be hard to beat the starters, in terms of taste, but the dishes from the winter section were increasingly delicious as we went down the list. The langoustine prepared 4 ways was like trying 4 dishes in 1. The pine nut, yuzu sauce on the jat jeup jae was refreshing and light and probably my favorite sauce of the meal. The pheasant mandu was beautifully constructed to look like a saekdong. Even though it was small, it was packed with umami flavor. The deul gi reum dish was my favorite of the night and packed with so many flavors in one bite. I was worried that I wouldn't be full from the sizes of the dishes in the winter section, but the mains pulled through in filling us up. The gui was cooked perfectly and it went really well with the side dishes. The desserts were a great way to end the meal. The chestnut dessert was not too sweet and had good texture. I also liked how they did a more western dessert and an eastern dessert with the byung gwa. The ddeok was made in house and so soft. read more

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Absolutely marvelous experience here at Joo Ok. Got the tasting menu and wine pairing and it was absolutely sensational. Every course and wine paired with it were perfect and had me itching for more. The burdock root japchae was one of my favorite bites of the evening. Service was impeccable and staff were very nice. The epitome of a 2-star Michelin experience. read more

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Celebrated dinner for a birthday and a promotion with travel besties at Joo Ok. Situated in Ktown, via a dedicated freight elevator, upon arrival you will be greeted with a welcome drink and snack. Aesthetic is minimalist vibe. A staff will guide you to your table, highlight the fresh ingredients for the night and get you seated. It's a set dinner course so you just need to pick your drink. We're non drinkers - so we got the mocktails to enjoy. The strawberry one was yummy! Not a fan of the grapefruit. Through the courses, we had small bites and a variety of texture and flavors; colorful use of ingredients and flight of savory to dessert. While a few items (perilla oil over powered, razor clams didn't have the wow) didn't quite hit but scored 8/10. Truly a Michelin star meal. Most memorable was the colorful play on a deconstructed mandu, the broth was soul warming and comfort. And the fig + mascarpone dessert. read more

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Out of all the michelin star new age fancy korean spots, this one stood out as being very creative without sacrificing on flavor. The ambiance is amazing, especially as you come up on the private elevator bank with the old time industrial vibe (you'll see!). The staff also provides a welcome mocktail in the well decorated waiting area, which was cool. Course after course impressed my table, with some of the favorites being makgulli bread, the lobster, and the very generous entree course! The stafd was also very helpful throughout the evening with our drink orders and questions, without being overbearing with their presence. read more

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Food: 10/10 Service: 9/10 Ambiance: 9/10 My love language is Korean fine dining and this place made me feel loved. Every single food on the menu was chef's kiss and though I don't live in New York, the next time I come I'm so excited to try this place again. read more

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We came here to celebrate my birthday and enjoyed the seafood based tasting. The entrance is hard to find, but once we found it, we were taken in an old style freight elevator to the top floor. We started off with welcome drinks and then were seated at our table. The tasting was predominantly seafood based, and some of my favorites were the ganjang, gochujang, jong mool hoe and gui. My least favorite was the branzino, it was nicely done but just seemed like a piece of steamed fish compared to the other dishes. Overall presentation was great and the pheasant dumpling came with a nice postcard explaining the colors and what each one was made out of. The meal ended with various desserts, the the last bites were all small desserts made by the chefs wife. Service was excellent. It was slightly more expensive than other Michelin restaurants, but it's really probably the same in the end since there's no add on surcharges and it was a filling meal. read more

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The experience starts the moment you arrive, you take a freight elevator up to the restaurant for that extra thrill. It's unexpected and totally different to the dining room's calm, traditional interior. The course itself is authentically "modern Korean" and very reminiscent of their former Seoul service A lot of familiar dishes like the king prawn & quail egg. My favorite was the poached lobster covered with thinly sliced cucumbers and pine nut sauce. It's creamy, rich, and delightful Their signature is the perilla oil dish named "Flavor of Joo Ok" - a seafood base (spotted shrimp & geoduck this time) topped with quail egg, caviar, and a generous amount of perilla oil. This oil is absolute gold ‍ I loved this when I visited in Korea and appreciate how perfectly it's been recreated. We visited during opening month so the service was a bit wonky but even then, a lot of potential!! Can't wait to see how far they'll go now that they've got the star. Tasting Menu $180 입장부터 특별한 뉴욕 주옥! 화물 엘리베이터 타고 올라가면 전혀 다른 분위기의 고즈넉한 다이닝룸이 펼쳐진다. 서울에서 먹었던 느낌을 잘 가져와 미국이랑 어울리게 만들었다. 한국적이면서 모던한 코스다 잣소스 얹은 랍스터 디쉬가 베스트였고, 들기름 듬뿍 들어간 시그니처 메뉴도 여전히 인상깊음!! 오픈 초기에 방문해서 서비스는 살짝 어수선했지만, 별 받은 지금이 더 기대됨 read more

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KenScale: 8.75/10 Visit: November 2024 [Note: After some deliberations, I have decided to upgrade all restaurants receiving 8.5 or 8.75 KenScale to five Yelp stars from four.] It's not easy for a top restaurant to decide one day to just uproot its entire operations and move to a different location. The team behind Joo Ok decided to do the unthinkable by leaving behind its home in Seoul, Korea (where it has had two Michelin stars) to start over in New York City. During our trip to New York last month, my wife Jun and I decided to check out with a long-time friend of ours what the restaurant led by chef Shin Chang-ho was cooking up in the middle of Koreatown. Following a peculiar ride on a freight elevator, we were led to a lovely space with some welcome drinks and snacks and then to the main dining room. At this point, Jun and I had been to some of the top Korean fine dining restaurants in NYC and Seoul and I was somewhat worried that our heightened expectations from the previous experiences having dined at places like Atomix might make us too spoiled to enjoy the meal at Joo Ok. We were pleased to be proven wrong; the dinner at Joo Ok was quite outstanding. Even after moving to America, chef Shin's sustainable farm-to-table approach to his original restaurant hasn't changed. In fact, he has doubled down, growing ingredients locally at a farm in Upstate New York and making the jang (Korean sauce) in-house. A few of the snacks that greeted us made me realized that Joo Ok was not an ordinary restaurant, with using three different types of jang (ganjang (soy sauce based), gochujang (red pepper based) and doenjang (soybean based)) and a variety of ingredients such as braised chicken, American wagyu and foie gras to great effect. The beautiful looking dish of mool hoe (think chilled raw fish soup), consisting of an assortment of squid, sea urchin, scallop, persimmon and butternut squash in dashima jelly, was wonderfully refreshing, and the playfully plated langoustine prepared three ways, in combination of ingredients such as caviar, herring roe and scallion wrap, was also delicious, especially with the spicy kick from sauce made of chungyang gochujang and serrano pepper. One dish that Jun couldn't stop admiring was the jat jeup chae. On top of cucumbers which covered lightly poached lobster, lotus root and Korean pear, our server poured a sauce made of jat (pine nut), which provided a nutty flavor that worked so harmoniously with the other ingredients. My favorite dish, on the other hand, was deul gi reum (translating to perilla oil). The oil itself, according to our server, was prepared in person by chef Shin's mother-in-law. It was a small dish but the complexity of flavor spearheaded by the earthy perilla oil underneath the quail egg, caviar, spotted shrimp and geoduck was nothing short of exceptional. We also enjoyed other dishes from the Fall & Winter menu such as makgeolli bread with eel and sweet corn on top and then wrapped by deep-fried gamtae (a rare type of seaweed from Korea) as well as the colorful dumpling made of sekdong (modeled after Korean traditional clothes hanbok) sujebi dough with pheasant meat inside. For the main seafood course, we both appreciated the kitchen's attempt to show a different side of texture from a semi-dry aged striped bass, but also agreed that it might not be for everyone who is not familiar with this texture. For the main meat course, the Mishima wagyu striploin was not surprisingly quite tasty, and even better with an assortment of radish rice, burdock and mul kimchi. The dessert also stood out, with walnut ice cream and sweet potato mousse showing that the kitchen is just as ambitious when it comes to desserts as all the top-quality savory dishes that came before. For the finale of the meal, we were pleasantly surprised to find an assortment of byung gwa (Korean traditional sweet delicacies) as well as tteok (rice cakes) created from scratch. It really showed that, even with its modern approach, the core Korean identity of Joo Ok has not been compromised one bit. I made to book a table at Joo Ok as soon as the reservation window opened. As I'm writing this in December, all the reservations other than Christmas specials this month were fully booked, so I would make sure to keep in track when the next reservation window opens and open the Resy app ASAP. The modern dining space modeled in the style of hanok (a traditional Korean home) was very thoughtful, and I was also very impressed with the beverage list featuring an expansive collection of wines from all over the world as well as a variety of native Korean beverages to complement the meal. We hope this restaurant thrives and is rewarded handsomely for its bold adventure across the Pacific. read more

I could yap all day long about how phenomenal my friends' and my experience was at Joo Ok, but I'll do my best to keep it short and sweet while emphasizing what an incredible experience this was. It's pretty hard to leave such a strong impression on my friends and me at this point because we are such big foodies and we go to so many restaurants, but I would say that Joo Ok is probably in my list of top three most memorable restaurants. From start to finish, the experience and menu was thoughtful and incredibly well prepared, and you can tell that the chef poured his heart and soul into this restaurant. It's so touching to hear that his wife gets up every day to make pastries for the menu, and her parents even ship sesame seeds all the way from Korea just to provide the kitchen here. They give you keepsakes to take home, and did I mention they just earned their second star?? What a surreal experience to visit Joo Ok with some of my best friends and find out two days later that they are one of the few restaurants in the city and in the entire world to have two stars -- so, so, so incredibly well deserved. I don't need to say much about their service because it speaks for itself. Their staff is carefully trained on the menu, but they also take the time to get to know you and laugh with you too. From welcome drinks to ending cocktails, they make sure you're well taken care of from start to finish. This was one of the most incredible meals of my entire life, and my friends and I found ourselves gasping and groaning the entire two and a half hours. I will never stop raving about Joo Ok. read more

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Congratulations on the Two Michelin Stars. The food, the service, and the ambiance were excellent. I can taste exceptional Korean food here! Thank you very much, Chef & the team! I hope I can experience this food in LA soon! Of course, I will definitely visit here again! read more

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This place felt like a home where you're the guest. And that home is some really boujee Korean spot above Ktown (above karaoke city). To get there, we entered a freight elevator in some sketchy looking entrance and it took a little while for the host to come down to get us. There is only one elevator that takes you up so I guess the wait time at the lobby can take a while. They said the freight elevator was used to pay homage to New York and I think it did a good job of that. Coming out, it looked like walking into a living room with seat covers, small tables, and an area with eclectic items. There was also a pickled vegetable display which was home-y touch. Onto the food: They started us off with a fizzy elderflower drink and two shrimp crackers. The drink was refreshing and sweet while the shrimp crackers were pretty oily. This felt like eating a snack at home. We each ordered a cocktail and I enjoyed my perilla drink--the perilla taste somewhat neutralized the alcohol, but I couldn't taste much of the perilla as the ice melted. Next came one of my favorite dishes of the night: tuna with gochujang and toro sandwiched between two crisp layers and wrapped in a leaf. The three different textures and flavor profiles worked incredibly well and it made me really wanting more. Next was one of the biggest flavor rollercoasters I've had in a while--a perilla and sesame oil-based dish with shrimp, caviar, vegetables, and a quail egg. The first sensation is delicious, the richness colliding with the bright seafood. But the more I ate this, the noticeably oilier it got. I may be partially affected by the crazy oily lunch I had earlier in the day, but this ended up being my least favorite dish of the night. Third was a razor clam dish on a bed of dubu and onions. I felt like the onion dubu was the flavor focus here instead of the beautiful razor clams. This was the second worst dish in my opinion. The first three dishes were a presentation of Korean Jang, and we moved into the winter section next. We started with a branzino-wrapped shrimp dish which was lightly fried and held a fresh salad on top. Everything worked well here--the fresh salad with the mildly sweet and sour dressing contrasted the fried food. The following course was one of my favorite: Makgulli infused bread with Chilean sea bass, soy sauce jelly, and fried scallion. Incredibly savory with bits of sweetness in every layer, I wanted every bite to last forever... and I ate it in two. The succeeding course was also excellent--a root vegetable lattice atop two types of fatty fish (yellowtail and mackerel), all sitting in a strong pine nut and yuzu sauce. The pine nut flavor is a little stronger than the rest, but I love pine nut so it was great. Up next was the pheasant dumpling which did not hold together well, but tasted like a solid dumpling with noodles and a really soft, colorful skin. This is a unique and creative dish, even though the taste was not surprising. The lobster came out after: three pieces sitting in a gochujang sauce with sea foam and a kale chip on top. This was by far the best kale chip I've ever had. The lobster was also crazy tender and melted in your mouth. I wonder if mine was undercooked because I had a minor stomach for the rest of the meal after this, but unlikely. The sauce had a kick to it too. It was finally time for the mains now, 2.5 hours into the service. We had a Korean fish with mushrooms underneath and while I like the fish and the broth a lot, I think the green garnish on top was not for me. Onto the only red meat part of the meal, the gui with rice and radish, beef jerky japchae, and no fermentation kimchi. The beef was as fatty as A5 wagyu and my knife sliced through it like butter. The only counterweight to the fat was the kimchi so I wish I got some more of that. Overall delicious though. Finally, onto the desserts of the night. We started with a chestnut ice cream with chocolate ganache, not really a palate cleanser, but hit the spot for a sweet dessert after a fatty course. The petit 4-esque finale had a cute arrangement of red bean bites, soybean mochi, citrus candies, rice crackers, and a French toast-like snack. The soybean was my favorite out of the bunch and the French toast the least because it was incredibly sweet. I wanted to shoutout the bathroom that smelled like pine and had a pine tree in it because it was really nice. Top 3 best bathrooms I've seen. The service was incredible, but not synchronized. It was also a little hard to hear some of the waitresses at times when they were explaining the dish. One last tidbit was I didn't like the way they folded napkins when you got up, but it was still a nice gesture. The service was from 8:30pm-12:30am so I was incredibly tired near the end of the meal. If it wasn't for the razor clam dish, I would probably say it's the third best meal I've had, but now I'd say it's solidly top 10. read more

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wowowow. 3.5 hours spent in food heaven. words can barely express how unique and memorable Joo ok was over. the menu was meticulously designed and executed incorporating the freshest farm produce representing Korea's signature flavors. each course was incredibly well-paced--enough time to actually appreciate and savor. you can really tell there was an immense work invested in every ingredient to stimulating the palate (gradually going from sweet notes to savory) highlights of the night included the welcome drinks in the lobby that foreshadowed an amazing evening to come as well as the mid-post card during the Pheasant course all the way to the beautiful dessert section to tie it all together. p.s. sending a whole lot of love to the staff who provided us a special, intimate table to vlog. our corner table was perfect with a view and made us feel like true royalty without bothering the other guests. thank you so much Joo Ok Team! cant wait to see your way to 3 stars! read more

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This is a review for December 2025. A great korean tasting menu. Probably the most Korean tasting fine dining restaurant in the city. All the dishes were balanced and flavorful but there were no stand out dishes with a wow factor. The service was good and attentive. I would give it 4.5 stars if I could. read more

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There is a bit of an explosion with Korean haute cuisine in New York City these days, and Joo Ok is an interesting Michelin two-star iteration of that trend, utilizing fermentation methods and various jiang seasonings to keep its authentic Korean character in a fine dining context. Super hospitable staff and a super creative chef made this more of an experience than a meal! read more

Joo Ok - The tasting menu. - Korean Near Me - New York, New York

I loved Joo Ok! Really up there for value for money, only a bit more expensive than Jua (one of my favorite Korean fine dining for value meals) but a lot more food and also extremely high quality. Food wise, my favorite bites of the night by far were the small bites in the beginning featuring the 3 jangs. I also loved the Deul Gi reum and the Gui! The service here was also spectacular. As soon as you enter, you are started off with a welcome drink and a small snack before being seated. And the food comes out one after another, without having to wait too long between each bite. Was such a pleasant meal and perfect for a special occasion. read more

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4.5 stars. The restaurant is beautifully curated. Every utensil and plate feels like it belongs in a home filled with joy, color, and whimsical fun. The tasting menu stays true to Korean home cooking flavors and refuses to please your typical nyc diners. The misses: the first cocktail looked great on paper but was hard to drink--really off balance. The signature dish with raw spotted prawn had to be modified for my allergy, so their solution was to take out the prawn. Without a sweet substitute, the flavors ended up unpleasant...just salty, oily, and nutty. Service was excellent. read more

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Visit: August 2025 Joo Ok was such a special meal and so deserving of all its accolades. The experience starts off taking a freight elevator with industrial vibes to step off in a sleek, minimalist dining room. The staff show incredible consideration towards guests at each part of the meal. The menu is nicely designed showing each dish and with the drink pairing, I love how it matches the courses when placed side-by-side. The meal started off with dishes highlighting Jang - gochujang, ganjang and doenjang. The tuna, shrimp and wagyu had so much flavor and was easily the best jang I've had at a Korean restaurant. Next were tastes of summer, highlighted by the beautifully presented "Togather" farm featuring farm herbs, it was presented as an artwork at first glance. Other favorite was lobster from maine w/ lobster yak gochujang and gamjeong, just so much umami and juice to eat with each bite. The pheasant - gulim mandu - presented w/ bright color stripes was a thing of art as well and shows so much skill. The wagyu stiploin w/ burdock japchae and kimchi was unreal - so much juice, flavor and tenderness, wish there was more wagyu! Finally the desserts - watermelon sorbet w/ mascapone was delicious as well but wish it was a bit sweeter. Meal rounded out with traditional delicacies. This dinner was fantastic and well-priced although the priced recently increased to $270 from $180, I would return for sure but would be interested to see how the dinner value changes. read more

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I heard about Joo Ok through the Michelin Star list, and as someone who usually enjoys upscale Asian cuisine, this place absolutely hit the mark. Located centrally in K-Town, part of the charm is arriving via a freight elevator--a unique and unexpected start to a memorable meal. The prix fixe menu is priced at $180 and includes a beautifully curated lineup: BITES - Ganjang: braised chicken, taro - Gochujang: American wagyu, macadamia - Deonjang: foie gras, namul, kumquat SPRING - Jang Mool Hoe: mat jo gae, scallops from Hokkaido, honeynut squash - Langoustine: prepared in 4 ways - Jat Jeup Chae: lobster, Korean pear, pine nuts - Pheasant Mandu: sekdong sujebi, pheasant & beef broth - Deul Gi Reum: spotted shrimp, geoduck, house made perilla oil FROM THE SEA - Tilefish: moo jorim, ssook gat, tilefish sauce MAIN Gui: Mishima wagyu striploin, burdock japchae, house made kimchi DESSERT - Chestnut: walnut ice cream, sweet potato mousse, jochung tuile FLAVOR OF KOREA - Byung Gwa: Korean traditional delicacies and tteok The bites were a strong start--flavorful and refined--but everything in the Spring section truly blew me away. The kitchen has clearly mastered seafood, with perfectly executed and innovative dishes. The langoustine four ways was a standout--each preparation was distinct and thoughtful. I also appreciated the detail behind the pheasant mandu, which came with a card explaining the inspiration behind it. The rest of the meal continued to impress. Each course was well-conceived, beautifully plated, and full of layered, balanced flavors. It's clear that a lot of thought and intention went into the menu--both in terms of technique and storytelling. To top it all off, the staff provided exceptional service--warm, knowledgeable, and attentive without being overbearing. They elevated the experience even further. This is a place I'd absolutely return to, and one I'd recommend to anyone looking for a high-end Korean dining experience that feels both elevated and deeply rooted in tradition. The staff provided exceptional service. read more

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NYC needs another overpriced, upscale Korean restaurant like it needs more rats. At least with some, you get a warm atmosphere and warm hospitality--not to mention, warm takes on K-food--that help you forget the money you're parting with. Joo Ok was none of those things. Everything was cold: from the service doors we entered, to the freight elevator we rode up, to the warehouse lobby we waited in, to the unfriendly and clearly unhappy staff, nothing about our experience made us feel welcome. We could've forgiven all that if the food itself didn't scream cold sterility, the gastronomic equivalent of LIC's luxury hi-rises. All glitter, no soul. It was so soulless that at our fourth dish we asked the person who served it if the chef was a perfectionist, and they kind of nervously laughed and backed away. My $0.02: - Bites: A well-made trio of mouthfuls made with interesting ingredients, but served to us by a bored busboy and described in a monotone that would've put a hyena to sleep. I couldn't distinguish this course from the dozens of other similar "bite-sized" courses I've had at the world's top restaurants, but I'm sure there was a story buried somewhere in all that monotone. - Jang Mool Hoe: Beautifully plated and creative in both texture and flavor. Unfortunately, this style did not continue - Langoustine: Tiny and uninspired, with uninteresting seasonings and accompaniments. I've had langoustine all over its native Scandinavia, and this minuscule version was an insult by comparison Jat Jeup Chae: Gorgeously plated and well-cooked but uninteresting. Pine nuts and K-pear with lobster? And what a tiny speck of lobster. Sigh.... - Pheasant Mandu: Ah, yes, the very Instagrammable rainbow ravioli. Except, they didn't actually seal the noodle around the filling, so it's not really mandu, is it? Yes, the pheasant was pleasant (haha), but the entire dish was too small and too underwhelming once you get past the initial novelty of the EDM pasta. - Deul Gi Reum: Nice ingredients (spotted shrimp, geoduck) but not enough perilla oil to make them taste not bland - Saeng Seon: Well-cooked, as always, but the bass was laughably tiny. And foam, really? Are we back to the molecular gastronomy days of the late 2000s? - Gui: Why. Why why why does every tasting menu restaurant feel the need to insert a Wagyu course that consists of nothing more than a tiny medium-rare filet with some pathetic veggie side that'll likely be ignored? In Joo Ok's case, the striploin came with a tiny plate of burdock japchae, a tiny bowl of radish rice, and another tiny plate of mul kimchi. I still laugh at the memory of our server warning us the course would be, "A lot of food". Sure.....If this were a meal for ants. - Dessert: This was where Joo Ok was strongest. The first dessert of walnut ice cream, sweet potato mousse and jochung tuile was a slam dunk. The second dessert of handmade Byung Gwa was both tasty and lovely. Hats off to the pastry chef, whose food was NOT tiny and did NOT come across cold or sterile. Unfortunately, a good dessert finisher couldn't make up for the lackluster--and miniature--lead-up, nor the consistently unfriendly and impersonal service we received throughout most of our meal. For $180+pp, we left hungry and cold--pretty much the opposite of what any proper restaurant would want. TL;DR: If you're, "ZOMG, Barbie's first Korean Michelin-starred meal!", you might be impressed by Joo Ok (see all the five-star reviews). If you've actually done some Asian fine dining in your life, you'll be underwhelmed by the tiny portions, bland flavors, impersonal service, and generally cold culinary experience. read more

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Joo Ok was a fantastic experience from start to finish for our anniversary dinner. The restaurant itself is well designed with a welcome area for a non-alcoholic welcome drink, before you are brought into the dining area. Almost all the tables are near the windows. The food was approx 12 courses, starting with some small bites representing 3 main Korean sauces. Then we had the spring menu, followed by a fish dish, meat dish, then dessert and a range of dessert bites. The service throughout was extremely friendly which made for a wonderful experience with a lot of depth and interesting background about the dishes. We also did the 5 course wine pairing which was very good! read more

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It's a while experience starting with a elevator ride up. Just be warned that the door looks inconspicuous and it's the same building as Jongro BBQ, but not the same entrance. You have to go to the right of citibank. When you go down, you have to take the regular elevators which can be crowded with the other businesses in the building. It's a set tasting menu for $180. They start you in the spa-like lounge area for a welcome drink and snack. I won't go into all the details but my favorites were: - Deonjang Foie gras - who knew it went so well together - Jat Jeup Chae: the pine nut flavorings complemented this dish so well - Deul Gi rum: the flavor combination was so tasty. There's a quail egg in this which I was surprised wasn't listed in the menu - Gui: this is a miracle in how a medium steak can be so red and tender. Least favorites: - Dae Ha: thought it was plain and the Prawn was a little rubbery in all 4 ways - Pheasant mandu: you don't really taste much from the wrapping, and it's a deconstructed dumpling at the end of the day While this is more expensive than Jua, I would much rather come back here. I think there are more creative and tasty creations here. read more

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The entrance to Joo Ok is rather nondescript - you have to enter what looks almost like a building that is in the middle of renovation and go up via an elevator that almost gives a speakesy-like vibe. The interior has a quaint traditional Korean and intimate. The service is excellent and all the staff is very accommodating. The food is excellent. Starting from the bites, really every dish was delicious and well curated. Ganjang - mild crisp and very savory. Most of the flavor was from the perilla aoili. Gojugang wagyu was a bit sweet and tart had a firm crust - a bit hard, wish a little softer and flakier. Can actually taste the gochugang. Deonjang - Foie gras is very very rich and smooth. Very umami , almost melts in your mouth good! Jang Mool Hoe - a combination of squid, scallop, and uni, combined with a very unique texture from the seaweed gel. It was very sweet, light and refreshing. Very tender and soft, citrusy but not too tangy. We loved this dish! Langoustine - there are four and there is a recommended order to eat them in. The first is pretty good with the spicy gochugang sauce. The 2nd one with caviar is ok , but you cannot really appreciate the caviar. The 3rd one is nice flavor. The 4th seaweed one is a little overpowering with the seaweed but otherwise nice. All the pieces were soft and chewy. Jat Jeup Chae - Some of the other ingredients included cucumber, sweet potato on top of some w Korean pine nut sauce. This was a unique flavor profile and light mix. Pheasant Mandu - this one had a very beautiful artistic approach and inspiration. It was also very umami. From the meatball to the mushroom, everything complemented each other so well. The soup and pasta were delicious. Deul Gi Reum - the quail egg along with (again) the highlight of perilla with the perilla seed oil elevated the dish to a very refreshing and bright taste, with a nice texture. We liked this dish a lot. The combination of flavors was so good. Saeng Seon - The bass was very flavorful, soft and fresh. Gui - at this point, I was too engrossed in the food to take anymore notes. The wagyu was really good. Delicious. The desserts were all very diverse and small different treats - really a nice, cute way to end the dinner. Would love to come back again some day! read more

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As per my previous review. They earned two stars already. Well deserving. My last visit was showcased a more seasoned team and menu that clearly reflected a direction to firmly root Joo Ok in NY. There was a move toward locally sourcing ingredients without losing the Korean heritage. Even with the price hike, this is a value Korean fine dining at its best at the moment. read more

Loved my experience at Joo Ok. Every part of it was very well curated from the wine pairings to the food to the bathroom to the waiter service to the ambiance. Very knowledgeable staff who have all tried every item on the menu so they can speak to personal preferences but also what is expected and supposed to be experienced with each bite. A very generous pour from the sommelier to accompany the food and an amazing explosion of flavor with each bite. I love to go to places that have thought of it all and joo ok is one of those. Even the waiting experience is thoughtful ahead of being seated. The entrance makes it feel very exclusive and exciting. I hope to be able to return read more

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The food is of course excellent, but the value here is superb!! So many different courses, each with exceptional quality, well executed and relatively unique. It's like a $300 2 star Michelin meal, for only $180! When you first come in you sit at the area out front and get two drinks. These were tasty and a great start. They then take you back to the main dining area. I enjoyed the majority of the courses, but I found their appetizers and early courses to be a lot more interesting than the main course itself. Service was fine overall, and folks were for the most part friendly, though there were a few gaps. Ambiance was a classic fine dining space, but you also got good views if you get a window seat as the restaurant is pretty high up. You actually take the service elevator to the top floor, and they add some music and dim lighting. Still a little sketchy but at least they spruced it up a bit. read more

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Super good value for such an extended dining experience. The meal lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes, so make sure you're not tired! It's also cozy, intimate dining experience. When my friend told me they had two stars in Korea, I knew I had to try it for myself. While I don't think this experience was 2 stars, it was definitely 1 star or higher. Each dish was super thoughtful and nostalgic. Even though there was the expectation of fine dining, Joo Ok did not lose the essence of great Korean homestyle cooking. The standouts for me were: (1) the mandu with 10 different layers of dough. A great piece exemplifying how home cooking can be elevated even if the ingredients are simple (2) The seafood bowl -- this was amazing, so many types of seafood combined into one dish, almost like you're eating the low tide! read more

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Since I heard that this Seoul hotpot was moving to NYC, I knew I had to try their food, while it had its Seoul pricing before they likely adjusted it up for NYC fine dining standards ----------------------------- Initial Bites featured the "Jang" trio: Ganjang- the bite is a fried piece of soft taro with a mild chicken interior with a green sauce on the bottom. The taro is earthy,sweet, and super soft, almost mashed and the chicken is tender. The sauce on the bottom is almost like a chimmichurri using perilla leaf. The "whisps"" are perfectly crunchy and dissolve nicely. Good bite, don't taste the ganjang (soy sauce) in it though. Gochujang-basically a tartare tartlet using a crispy wonton wrapper as the base. A super savory and creamy beef tartare with a sprig of green onion and almost a "spicy mayo" on the bottom that uses Gochujang for the spice. The tartare almost tastes like how Korean bbq joints smell, in the best way possible. Very tasty. Deonjang-literally melt in your mouth foie gras mousse with almost an initial hit of wine (which I'm assuming is actually the doejang) with a finish of citrus at the end. The cracker is almost like the ultimate fine dining version of a Ritz cracker with a bit of sweetness to it. Holy fuck, this was amazing. Perfectly done. -------------------- Jang Mool Hoe- a translucent dumpling skin filled with squid, scallop, uni, persimmon, and butternut squash. The sweetness of the squid and scallop comes out super well and so does the uni's richness with a hint of brininess. The crunch of the persimmons is there but I wish the sweetness of the squash came out more. The soup it's in reminds me of naengmyon broth with an earthy bitter note. -------------------- Langoustine prepared 4 ways (from right to left)- 1.Looks fried but isn't with bits of savoriness from the threads that have almost a condensed seafood flavor, similar to crushed seafood shells. 2.The sweetness of the langoustine pairs well with the salty caviar. Not overpowering., 3.Same as above but with a herring roe instead that's basically prepared to taste like popping gochujang, 4.Wrapped with a pickled scallion leaf that tastes like onion and seaweed. Sweet and oceany with a bit of salt to it. ---------------------- Jat Jeup Chae-Tried the pine nut sauce first and it's a lil nutty and almost tastes a bit like how a book smells lol (not in a bad way). It goes very well with the salted cucumber and the water content of the pear, didn't care for the squash or sweet potato though. The sweetness of the lobster is great and comes together with all of it, in a sweet, nutty, chewy bite. -------------------- Pheasant Mandu- The soup is like a cross between mushroom and radish soup with a hint of beefiness. The "dumplings" are super soft with a gentle poultry taste, kinda like turkey. The mushrooms are earthy, and a bit sweet but standard for dehydrated mushrooms. Didn't get any foie gras though or at least didn't taste it, maybe it was used as more of a way to soften the meat. --------------------- Deul Gi Reum-smells like seaweed and sesame oil. Big sesame forward flavor with a bit of sweetness from the shrimp, chewiness from the geoduck, and what I think is a marinated quail egg. I thought because it was hard boiled that it would be pretty bland, but the outside is firm while the inside is super soft. Both textures work in their own ways for the dish. Fun dish, but don't really taste the caviar much. --------------------- Saeng Seon-a fatty relatively meaty fish with fried skin on top for texture. The braised soy sauce is almost like a slightly sweeter hoisin and the lightly buttery foam is subtle but present. The middle section of the fish that has the most fat with a hint of iron to it is the best part but it's all quite good. --------------------- Gui-A5 Wagyu Striploin that they recommend cooking medium along with all the accompaniments. It's done medium with a decent peppery kick to it. It's quite good overall but almost doesn't register as wagyu to me, more like a super good ribeye. --------------------- Chestnut- the warm candied walnuts are absolutely perfect and crunchy and the tuile(baked wafer) on top had what I thought was caramelized honey on it but was actually rice syrup with a hint of sea salt. I also thought I tasted white pepper? The chestnut spread on the bottom is very subtle but nutty and sweet and the walnut ice cream is as well. Overall it comes together very nicely though as a gently nutty dessert, almost like an ice cream version of a hotteok with the "honey" and the nuts and the crispy "dough" on top. Super into this dessert. ---------------------- Overall, good food and great service. Whenever we finished our course, they would quickly reset the table. All the hot dishes were served on warmed plates and retained their temps even after I took all my photos. Service is definitely 2-3 stars though the food felt more like 1.5*. Nothing missed, just expected more to wow rather than whelm. read more

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Amazing! Very attentive service, very calm ambiance and the food wraps it all together to an overall excellent experience for a special occasion read more

the thing is, i do believe you have to have a quite nuanced palette to enjoy each part of this menu. nothing is overpowering, but extremely high quality in subtle, traditional korean flavors, if those flavors are not familiar to you, it can be easy to miss the point of a lot of the courses! the food: my favorite by farrr was the perilla leaf oil course. but i will say there were bites i liked more than others, and sometimes it has to do with the texture or the balance of flavors. most of the dishes here lean more acidic as they pride themselves in creating their own collections of vinegars, jangs (fermented pastes), and more. if you are looking for a more warm, hearty course menu, i dont think this is for you. the drinks: i tried the mocktail and it was great! the space: hidden up a freight elevator, this space is incredibly beautiful and super traditional. read more

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