ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! The friendliest staff and the menu is fantastic. So many to choose from at such good prices. Going back every time i have the craving for Korean food. read more

Amazing little place! The owner is so nice, and the food is awlays delicious! Their veggie bibimbap with egg on top is my go-to! Me and my friends always come here after college, if I could eat here every day-I would! read more

Yep its our new favorite "Go To". Great service great flavors the kim-chi is bangin!!! We'll be back soon. read more

Ordered take out from Koreander and it was fantastic! The Bulgolgi deopbap came with amazing kimchi and soup for $14.93. I highly recommend this place! I had been craving Korean food and there really aren't too many options in the Essex county area but Koreander didn't disappoint. read more

Koreander Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Very good! Kind of small interior but we had no problems! Great portion sizes as well

This was weird. We came here on a Tuesday night and were the only ones eating in until most of the way through our meal when one other couple showed up. The owner came to take our order. We asked if we could split the Korean kimchi taco. No. I asked if they would cut it in half. No. I asked if they would take the toppings and put them in two taco shells. No. Okay then. We ordered it anyway, because I really wanted to try it. It was lackluster, at best. The kimchi wasn't even that spicy. For an entree, I got the bibimbap. My husband wanted to order one dish, but no. He shouldn't get that, according to the owner, who then told him that he should get this other dish instead. Okay? Just weird. I liked that my bibimbap came out in a fiery hot stone bowl, and that it made the rice become crispy and sweet, but aside from that, I wasn't impressed. The egg was overlooked and I added a lot of chili sauce to spice it up. The whole time the owner was on his laptop watching God knows what. He didn't come check on us until we were finished, and actually come to think of it, even then he didn't, he got the guy in the kitchen to do it. I was going to give this place 3 stars, but after writing this review I've settled on 2. read more

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Ok - first of all this is not real Korean Food. If you want real Korean food, go to Fort Lee, or better yet - K town in NYC. This place definitely caters to the Caucasian clientele - for those who feel they want to be adventerous, but still be in the confines of ubber-Anglo, Montclair town, or the twinkie Asians. If you want to "try" and be authentic - order one of their dishes in the Hot Stone Pot, and get it with the fried egg on top - this is probably the best dish, or most unique dish. Just be prepared with a glass of water - once you burn your tongue on the food. The bubble tea here is comical, and mediocre at best. I tend to not trust bubble tea that doesn't come with that hermetically sealed top. read more

This place is absolutely amazing, from the minute you walk in, you can smell the aroma of fresh ingredients being put together into a delightful meal. Initially my friends and i initially went there on a Thursday for a group dinner and then i went back with my parents on Saturday for my dads birthday, that's how delicious the food is. The staff is very attentive, friendly and makes you feel welcomed. Our waiter even remembered my girlfriend and i from Thursday. The meals are priced very well, there is plenty of street parking, byob, and a must try. read more

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So happy that Montclair finally has a Korean restaurant! The food was delicious, on par with what you would get in Koreatown in the city. I had the seafood pancake (haemul pajun) and the marinated short ribs (l.a. kalbi). Both were really yummy. In addition to the more authentic Korean food, they had some more modern creations (my husband had the bulgogi burger with cheese, and he said it was very tasty). They also offer frozen yogurt and bubble tea. The service was a little slow, but they just opened, so I figure that they just need to work out their kinks. I will return again. Cash only at the moment. read more

Koreander Restaurant - Gopdol bibimbop. Yum. - Korean Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Cosy place to try authentic Korean cuisine. Staff is amazing and very accommodating. Food is excellent and portions are quite generous. The only drawback the place is very tight. We came on Friday night had a good table but then people started to pour in creating traffic. Folks were bumping on our table all the time making our overall experience less enjoyable. Everything else was just fine. Enjoy the food and will go back on the less crowded day. read more

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Having never had Korean food before, we had no clue what to expect. We asked the lady there to pick the most typical meal; 1 app, 2 entrees. The app was a Seafood Pancake and Bibimbap (wt beef) and a beef glass noodle stir-fry. The seafood pancake tasted like potatoes with mostly squid; decent. It came with a flavored soy sauce which was good. The bibimbap had a nice presentation but was pretty bland but tasted healthy and with enough of the hot sauce and soy sauce it was definitely edible. The glass noodles and beef was nothing special, but good. All together it was a little over $40. The place is cute and the staff was friendly. Seemed like it would be a good place to try Korean. Maybe we'll give them another shot and try something else. read more

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Food was delicious. Good amount of portions and decent price. Would visit again. Service was great also

One of the very few Korean restaurants in the area, probably the only one. However, it wasn't the best compared to Fort Lee/Palisades Park. On top of that, it was overpriced. Don't bother with the bubble tea except maybe green tea flavored but the fruit ones were made with powder which is pointless for the amount they cost ($4.95 each). I went out of my comfort zone and ordered the bulgogi lunch box for $10.99. The portion was good: 4pcs Cali roll, white rice, shrimp & veg tempuras, salad and miso soup. Bulgogi was too sweet for my taste and mind you, I have a sweet tooth. I also ordered a spicy scallop roll with an order of tako (octopus) sushi which were fresh and delicious. Most importantly, I was not impressed by the ban chan they offered; one of the biggest deal breakers for me. A side note on the service, the order of the food that was given to us was out of whack. First, the couple that came in 5-10 mins after us got their miso soup same time as my bf and I. Second, we didn't get our bubble tea until I was half way through the sushi/roll that came after the soup. The soup was half way full btw, not that i minded because it would have filled me up too much. Then shortly after that came the entree which didn't not give us ample of time to finish the "appetizers". There was only 1 waiter but there were only 3 tables. Although he did fill our water in a timely manner, we did have a little trouble getting the waiter's attention when it came to getting the check. Honestly, I wouldn't come back. I prefer Ho Ho restaurant in East Rutherford and Hwang Bu Ja in Parsippany. read more

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I've never had Korean food before but I will be going back. My husband has been to South Korea and loved every bit of it. This reminded him of those good memories and he is super happy to have a great Korean Food place near by. Staff was very pleasant and courteous. Location is a plus and they have outdoor seating as well. read more

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Been at spot a couple of times and have enjoyed the food immensely. Highly recommend it.

Decided to have an early lunch here. Came like 20 minutes after opening (11:30am) and the owner quickly seated us. It's a smaller, cozy place and the atmosphere was calming. The owner was a pretty friendly guy small talked with us now and then and was very attentive even when other customers started rolling in. We mentioned how we liked spicy food so he gave us a sweet/spicy sauce with our entrées. Menu is on the small side, but you're going to love everything there anyway There's a hot plate option for several foods so y'all should definitely get it. The rice gets very crispy at the bottom if you leave it for a bit. Forgot the name of the food I got, but the portions were enough for 2 people ¡ Banchan was made there and it was delicious..kimchi was also made there and it was delicious. read more

Koreander Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

We ordered the vegetable japchae and bibimbap bulgogi. We sat outside at one of the 2 small tables available. Seating is limited due to covid. Service was good and fast. Flavor stayed true to the Korean cuisine. read more

Koreander Restaurant - Vegetable japchae - Korean Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Decent bibimbap in this oddly placed, cash only, family owned spot. I can only dine here with a set of head phones on, as the piped in Muzak is horrendous. A symphonic reworking of greenDay's "good riddance" flows seamlessly into Whitney Huston's "greatest love of all".... While my review is turning into more of an audio critique rather than gastronomic, the ambiance of this place does not sit right. The hallow sound of this music is far to loud for this small place... Perhaps if it were played lower it would serve as a background wallpaper.. Instead, electronic guitar solos take center stage. I've dined here 3 times and have always enjoyed the food, and it is certainly more accessible than heading to Palisades Park for my Kimchi fix. This place is never busy and I wonder how long before it becomes a self serve yoghurt joint. read more

This is by far my favorite restaurant ever! The owners are so kind and welcoming. The food is amazing! My favorite dishes are the kimchi jjigae and samgyeopsal dupbap. I eat from Koreander AT LEAST once a week. Some of the best korean food I've EVER HAD. Love love love this place read more

The best korean food in the town! The owner is so nice and welcoming. I have tried their bibimbap and soon du bu! Both are delicious and great. read more

Koreander Restaurant - Kimchi jjigae delicious:) yummy - Korean Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Amazing rice bowls-- had the one with squid and pork belly, so good. Get the stone bowl version--- the bottom of the bowl has crispy rice at the bottom-- delicious . Friendly staff-- recommended read more

I have been eating Korean food since 1967 when I liased with the ROK Tiger Division in the Central Highlands. When a buddy took me to Koreander in Montclair I was really hoping that it would be able to sate my Jones for Korean food without me driving to Pal Park. And, I was not disappointed. The mandoo (dumplings) were crisp and tasty as was the seafood pajun/pancake which was infused with baby shrimp and shredded scallion and sauteed to crispy delight. My order of chapchea was the hit of the table. It reminded me of my friend's mother's version with shredded carrots, cellophane noodles, bugoki, mushrooms - I ate the whole order by myself. The bibimbap and the bulgoki bowls were enjoyed by my dinner companions as well. Service was quick even though all tables were filled (because there are only 6.) Get there early and have a great time. read more

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So, funny and not so funny thing when it comes to being a graduate student in my field- you end up living at school more than at home as in 20 hours out of 24. And so half the time, I call food to eat out, but never taste much that comes close to homemade food or remotely authentic to Asian cuisine. But Koreander became my comfort because the food was cleanly flavorful and they don't pour on oil like it's water to cook them. They don't have a particularly large menu, but that's kind of what I like about it. What I see, I recognise and feel nostalgic for and they make sure they do a good job at what they offer. My personal favorite is the hot stone bowl series, which of course you can only get when eating in, but you can get that in a plastic container when ordering out, though it's not the same. But what's important to me is the simple ingredients that makes it delicious and they do it well. Their japchae glass noodles is nothing to sneeze at either. One last thing is, probably because I ended up buying food from them multiple times, they recognized my voice and laugh saying, "oh it's you again! Welcome! What would you like?". The staff are really friendly and that is what makes any eating experience better than ever. Keep it going, Koreander!! read more

I can't give this place more than a 3. The Korean food was not the best I've had, and the bibimbap burger did not compare to the bibimbap burger at Social Eatz. They added ketchup to the burger which gave it a really weird combination of flavors that did not mesh well together. But the service was good! I've only been here once, and don't think I will be going back anytime soon. read more

Koreander Restaurant - bibimbap burger - Korean Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Enjoyed the Bulgogi an Korean soup. The green tea bubble tea was good, too - hope it's not frozen during the winter months as I want to have a different flavor again, later in the year. Took home the Bulgogi box, and was not the same as what I ate at the restaurant for lunch, was missing the vegetables, but the bulgogi portion was larger. Overall, a pretty nice experience, not far from home. read more

Koreander Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

My absolute favorite restaurant whenever I visit Montclair, NJ!! The owner is really friendly and often greets you as soon as you walk in. He remembers a frequent customer and makes you feel at home. His wife is really great, too! It feels like you're in their home rather than in a restaurant. The food is wonderful, flavourful, and keeps you warm inside (especially awesome on cold days outside). Prices are more than fair for the amount of delicious korean food you get! They make homemade kimchi and this awesome potato side dish. Support this local business and drop by for the best Korean food in NJ!! read more

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I have never tried Korean food, but Koreander has always caught my eye when I've driven past. I finally decided to take the plunge and went for dinner tonight. First, the owner or manager I assume, is very friendly! She immediately greets anyone who walks in. The service was great, they were busy as people were arriving for dinner. I ordered the Bibimbap; it has beef, lots of veggies, white rice, and is topped with a fried egg and sesame seeds. The bowl itself was beautiful presentation and flavor wise. I am interested in trying more items off of their menu. I should mention, it was a hefty portion! I couldn't finish it myself, so I will definitely share this with someone in the future. Also, I tried a vanilla ice cream with red bean paste encased in a fish soft cone, and it was different, but still delicious. I look forward to coming back! read more

We are regulars here, we have been for over a year. The staff is so friendly and sweet. They are so accommodating and take reservations via phone. The best part for me is this summer I found out I have celiac and they will make me almost anything on the menu gluten free. We love you Koreander! read more

Even with its proximity to me, I still can't justify going to Koreander over its competition in East Hanover/Parisppany/Wayne or other surrounding areas. It's just pricey compared to other prices that do the same dishes for less and at comparable (or even better) quality. Fried chicken, for example, was good and tasted homemade but not as flavorful as BonChon in Nutley. Same for bibimbap (go to any tofu/soondubu houses in the other towns). Owner is really proud of his food and does not hesitate to engage you in sometimes unsolicited conversation about how to eat it optimally or how great his hot sauce is (I personally couldn't tell the difference between his hot sauce and any of the other hot sauce I have used at a Korean restaurant). Koreander is not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but with its price point and casual dining atmosphere it unfortunately fails to impress under the shadow of more affordable competitors. read more

Koreander Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

We came here on the later side of lunch (around 2pm), but shortly after we were seated, the restaurant filled up with several more tables. That was certainly a good sign and I had my hopes up. We got a couple dishes: - soft tofu soup with seafood added: It was not even close to the best tofu soup I've had at other Korean establishments, the different components of the soup didn't meld together and it didn't taste like a cohesive soup. Nonetheless, if you don't expect a traditional Korean tofu stew, this is still a relatively hearty and filling soup. - vegetable bibimbap in a stone bowl: ingredients were fresh and when everything was stirred in together, it was a good melody of textures. The sauce wasn't as spicy, but it was still tasty. Even though one dish was a dud, I'd like to come back to try their other dishes. Friendly service also helps draw me back in. read more

This is my favorite plac. I always get the bulgogi and crispy rice bowl. It's nice being able to eat alfresco when she weather is nice. The staff is so nice & very attentive and helpful answering questions. This was a once a week spot when I lived in the area! read more

Just ordered the galbi, jap chae and soy garlic wings for take out. The galbi was seasoned well but the jap chae was missing something, it tasted very plain. The wings looked like they were nice and crunchy but were very soggy. The galbi was all bone no meat. Korean food is one of my go to foods, I was a bit disappointed. read more

Loved the Ramyen soup, the bibimbap in hot stone was really good ! Enjoyed the food and even asked if we could buy some of the hot in-house gochujang sauce .. it was so good and tasty ! We will be back ! read more

Eh. I didn't like the ramen. Overfilled with onions and noodles were really soft. My friend got the pork belly rice bowl and also overfilled with too many onions. Was okay, but nothing exciting. read more

I saw a review online and decided to drive to this place. It is a quaint, relaxed and clean place. I enjoyed the experience and was shocked not only at the affordable price and quality of food but the huge portions given! The ramen bowl with chicken was maybe $9 with chicken but was enough for 3 people! The miso soup was excellent and had a delightful different flavor than any I had previously. The rice bowls in wood bowl was on point! I shall return and bring larger group! The service was excellent! read more

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I love food... and this is the most delicious food I've had in NJ! The food is always so flavorful and cooked to perfection, and the service is consistently excellent. My fiancé are obsessed with this spot! read more

Koreander Restaurant - Sweet & Spicy wings, Ramyen w/chicken, Samgyubsal - Korean Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Derives is always excellent and the owner Benjamin is absolutely friendly. Food is delicious since they have taken over at least what I order. Only been for lunch so never any lines and so glad for convenience for Korean food. read more

My meal was perfectly spiced. Everything was delicious. If you like things spicey you can get it to your preference. I'd def recommend getting any bowl in the stone bowl. The condiments with the kimchi and pickled radish were great as well. read more

I was crazing tofu soup in a rainy day and was not disappointed! I ordered takeout and it came in a huge container that ended up being two meals for me. So flavorful and the perfect amount of spice so I wasn't dying eating it. It also came with kimchi, rice, and a potato side that I'm not sure what was but it was delicious and complemented the spiciness of the soup so well. I also got the veggie dumplings but they were soggy (probably because I got it to go) and didn't have much filling in it. Besides that no complaints and waiter was friendly even in the couple minutes I went to pay for my food. Definitely will be coming back! read more

Chef Ben and his wife warmly great you when you enter their quaint restaurant. Lots of great dishes to try and you will thoroughly enjoy your experience their. Their miso soup I love and their fermented vegetables are delicious. I also recommend their fried chicken (sweet and spicy) flavor. All in all if you want a combination of good food, good service, and a nice atmosphere, Koreander is the total package! read more