Food quality was fair but the service was terrible. We ordered the nonmarinated beef and marinated pork. Since they require you to order two minimum. The service was awful. They cooked the beef first and placed it on the side of the grill as it's ready to eat. Then they threw on raw pork on to the same grill and touch the already cooked beef. Besides that they also didn't do any tea refills or any of the side dishes. It's absurd at a Korean restaurant not getting side dishes refilled. Would we come back again? Definitely not with this kind of service. read more

Second time around, Mapo BBQ still has the best kalbi in town and they definitely rein supreme among the rest of their contenders in this clustered filled K-Town community. We came here on a Saturday night around 6pm and the restaurant was super packed while the nearby restaurants were empty. We decided to wait it out and finally got seated after 40 minutes. Although the wait was a bit long, it was well worth it as we were immediately served with a slew of banchans (Korean side dishes) that filled our table to savory goodness. Best of all they never once snickered when we asked for more banchans and they still kept them coming as they emptied the plates of banchans onto our table. As for the kalbi, the taste was seriously out of this world! The meat was super tender, juicy and delicious. It was not overly marinated so we could still taste the freshness and essence of the beef. Without a doubt, if you're looking to taste really good Korean food and you don't mind trekking into Queens, then I would say this restaurant is for you! It's one of the best Korean restaurants I've been to thus far and I highly recommend it!!!! read more

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Long time didn't come it is over price and bad service. Minimum is 2 order for the barbecue $50 per order but the size of two order just like one piece of Costco prime steak and the bill is not clear if you don't ask, you never know what they charge read more

Korean BBQ at its best. Great, friendly service, delicious sides and best of all, chargrilled beef chunks wrapped in lettuce. I stopped coming here for awhile after I thought the food wasn't as up to par as it used to be. Good thing we took a chance and walked in a blistering cold Friday evening. I always, always get the marinated beef -- the seasonings not only tenderize the beef but the sugars help with the caramelization. The sides are all you can eat -- although they'll give you a look after your 3rd request. read more

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I wouldn't recommend this place unless you come here with a large group of Koreans. My mom and I came here for dinner, and the servers were all pretty rude even though we talked to them politely (in Korean)--in fact, I can't remember the last time I experienced such horrible service at a Korean restaurant. The meat was just OK (but pricey), though I admit the ssamjang (the paste that goes w/ the meat and lettuce wrap) they use is pretty tasty. But it definitely wasn't enough to offset the negative experience we had here. There was a group of eight or so middle-aged Korean men sitting next to our table, and they were extremely loud and even smoking in the restaurant. My mom and I complained to the staff about the cigarette smoke, but they just ignored us. But the staff was so nice to the men sitting next to us (maybe b/c it was a large group and the men were borderline flirting with the servers, who were all middle-aged Korean women...?), it was kinda sickening and laughable. They kept giving the men all sorts of side dishes (that we didn't get) as well as other various dishes that they said were on the house (which we also didn't get). Ugh, the discrimination is real at this place. read more

MMM pretty tasty kalbi! The reviews don't lie. I wasn't expecting much but it was satisfying. Also, food coma inducing. Note: you need to order 2 kbbq dishes in order for them to cook at your table. Otherwise, you'll just get a plate from behind the kitchen. That's what we did and it seemed like the portions were abysmal. But then we tasted it and it was sooooo delicious! Kalbi. That's all you need. read more

Mapo BBQ - Galbi - Korean Near Me - Flushing, New York

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My go to kbbq. Great food quality and great service. Just love love every thing in here read more

Their food is super delicious. The marinated kalbi or even the non marinated one just tastes so amazing. If you have a craving for meat and just want to stuff your face until your food baby grows an extra few inches, definitely come here! The staff are polite, sometimes. If we need refills or want to order more, they will come to us right away, sometimes. I went during rush hour and it seemed like there were only 2 or 3 staff manning the whole entire place. So I give it up to them for still being able to be calm in such a hectic environment. read more

Mapo BBQ - Korean Near Me - Flushing, New York

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This review is long overdue. We've been Coming here for years with immediate and extended families. My kids started dining here when they were still in my wife's womb and grew up eating their BBQ. It's not a fancy place, but the food is always fresh and delicious. The ladies who work here are always attentive and helpful. They use real charcoal to cook their BBQ, which In itself is a rarity. I highly recommend this neighborhood gem. read more

Mapo BBQ - Galbi on real charcoal - Korean Near Me - Flushing, New York

Had food poisoning after eating here. Been sick since Tuesday. Ruined my Christmas holiday.

0 star. Burned all our meat. Trash service. All foods overpriced. There's a reason why there's no customers anymore

Good food. Great setting in terms of restaurant location, neighborhood and for the purposes of people watching. This is a true Korean neighborhood restaurant. Love Flushing aka Korea of the East Coast. read more

Amazing Korean BBQ. Everything was great. Meat high quality and all sides were fantastic. Highly recommend!! read more

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Aaah, why is Korean barbecue so hit or miss?! Yes, the galbi here was tasty. But the uncomfortable and harassing service makes this place a never-again. Couple that with the fact that there's such great kbbq for less wallet damage, seconds away... Nope nope nope. Mapo's specialty is galbi - a steak sized chunk of it, unmarinated. $40 for a single person portion. Like many kbbq spots, there's no tabletop grilling unless you get 2+ orders of meat. If you only get 1 order, they just cook it in the back and talk shit about you. We walked in with a group of 5 at 6:30pm on a Friday. The place was empty, with all the waitresses gathered at a table gossiping. I told our waitress we wanted to start with an order of galbi and one naengmyun (cold noodle) while people who had arrived late decided the rest. The woman began to insist that the galbi was just one portion and refused to take the order, even when I promised we were going to add more soon. She wouldn't even put in an order for non-bbq items. When I exasperatedly added more meat (samgyeopsal), she said that those were cooked on separate grills, and therefore didn't "count," and continued insisting, "Galbi only one person. Very small. Just for one person." I kept a submissive and respectful tone, because pissing off the people prepping your food is a bad idea, and a restaurant can enforce arbitrary policies if they'd like. But her demeanor was so condescending while being totally uncommunicative, it was infuriating! -- Look, lady, at a place where I'm spending over $40 per person, I would've thought we could order at a reasonable pace and not be harangued out of your paranoia that you won't make a good enough tip. We had a group, you think we're just getting one order of meat? The galbi was good, but nothing spectacular. The charcoal grilling makes little to no difference. The fact that all the meat came at once and was ready at the same time meant that half was cold and overcooked by the time we put it on our mouths. Thanks, Mapo. Banchan were not bad, I liked their gyeranjjim. We had to request rice when none appeared. When they had charged my credit card, the waitress returned within seconds and attempted to take the bill back before I had looked at it. When I said I wasn't ready yet, she stood RIGHT NEXT TO ME while I was scribbling tip. Wow. Really classy. I would've tipped lower, but I'm sure they are totally shameless in yelling at us right in the restaurant about not tipping 20 percent. We didn't get any orange slices or any other fruits for dessert like we saw another table getting. Overall, they made us feel extremely unwelcome, which is pretty much a foremost consideration if you choose to go out. I sense that others, especially if your group is white or appropriately Korean, will have better luck - this seems like a place that judges based on that. read more

Mapo BBQ - Banchan - Korean Near Me - Flushing, New York

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The only thing better than meat cooked over the coals is the unforgettable smell it leaves on your clothes. Came early around 6PM and luckily had a table. This place gets busy. read more

Came here to treat friends parents and ordered 3 kalbi, brisket, and few other dishes with Soju. First of all, the exhaust and AC were not working correctly. They had no choice to leave the door opened and a small table fan blowing. The place was completely filled with smoke to a point that we started to tear and other tables all started to complain. The worst part was one of the waitress stated to rush us, Cooking all the food while we were still trying to eat. And just put the check on our table while we were still eating. The smoke was really hurting our eyes and we were sweating like crazy. So we had to leave. The same waitress even had the gut ask for more tip when we left 15% cash tip. If you like to be rushed while you eat. This is the place you go. Horrible service and bad accommodation despite decent food. read more

It's really between a 2 and 3 stars, but I asked myself if I would ever return to this place and the answer was no. The service is hit or miss depending on which waitress you get. One of them was slightly rude and inattentive and then there were a couple who were super nice and attentive. The food was average and the ban chan was a bit lacking. The prices were a little steep for what you get. Given the amount of great places nearby, I can't give this more than 2 stars. read more

Mapo BBQ - Yukejang - Korean Near Me - Flushing, New York

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Came to Murray Hill thinking we have a nice Korean BBQ lunch. We had planned to go to another restaurant but stumbled into this one and decided it was too crowded inside so I wanted to sit outdoors. At the time no one was sitting outside and the woman staff rudely asked "why do you want to sit outside" and as we were leaving she goes "okay you can sit outside" and says to her friend in Mandarin that "she wants to sit outside because she's pregnant" (in no way do I look it & regardless it was rude). We ended up with a more pleasant waitress and felt pressured to stay which was stupid but we ordered. The food was decent - not great just average. We ordered meat for kbbq classic table top grilling however it came already cooked bc apparently if you order 1 order for kbbq, they won't turn on the table grill for you! Unbelievable experience and won't be going back! read more

Amazing Galbi BBQ! Great service! And great sides dishes with roasted corn, steamed eggs and tofu dishes! read more

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2 words. Pork belly. Just order it. It's soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo freakin' good. Yep. That's what I liked most about the place, in case you didn't notice. The meat was great and flavorful. It makes my stomach growl thinking about it. The rest of their items are decent - most notably the kalbi which was flavorful and substantial. Unfortunately the prices here aren't much lower than many of the BBQ joints that you find in the city, which is a bit odd given the homey nature and location of this restaurant. Nonetheless, the food was generally good and the service was decent. This place isn't all that big, so don't be surprised to find it crowded especially on weekends. One plus is how close this place is to the Murray Hill LIRR station so that's a bonus for anyone who's not eager to drive and look for (hard to find) parking in this area. However, with the prices here I'm not 100% sure it's worth the schlep from Manhattan. I would still come back because I really love their pork belly ... it's so delish. Now excuse me while I drool for a bit. read more

The Beef bbq is the best NY here!! A bit expensive but worth it! I should try beef more than pork!! All crew was kind and nice. read more

You can tell they don't like Asian people from the waitress's face, Unpatience and rude during entire time , It's close to me so we've been there twice but received the worst service ever . read more

This place was recommended by a friend so we decided to give it a try. People here are friendly yet a little bit pushy when ordering. They basically want you to order more food. You have to order at least 2 BBQ plates for them to cook in front of you or they'll just cook in the kitchen and bring it to you. We ordered the marinated beef and beef tongue BBQ. Both are delicious. In terms of side dishes they definitely give you more variety but in smaller quantity comparing to other BBQ places. We also ordered the seafood pancake. It was crispy and filled with scallion...very delicious but not a lot of seafood. I asked them about the 5% off while check-in on Yelp and they said they don't honor it anymore but still gave me the discount. Comparing to Han Joo, which is 2 doors down this place is definitely more expansive whilet the food is about the same. I am going back to Han Joo~ read more

The kalbi is better than a lot of other korean bbq places. I feel this is mostly due to the grill- actual charcoal being used makes a big difference in the flavor of the meat. However, it definitely isn't the best kalbi in NYC. Their price (almost $40/serving) and portions aren't great- very pricey for what you get. Service was great- very friendly waitresses who always check to make sure you get what you need. Their side dishes (banchan) is really lacking. If you're looking for great side dishes- this is not the place to come. While they do have a lot- it just doesn't taste that great- Lacking in flavor and mediocre at best. To be honest I probably wouldn't return. There are many better places out there. Parking: valet is a plus (no charge, just tip). read more

I have been there a few times. I only go to Mapo Kalbi when someone wanys Korean Beef bbq. I go to Hanjoo next door for pork bbq. I went in for lunch bc my friend wanted Korean bbq. I got the cold noodles. I went on Sunday afternoon AFTER the lunch rush. There wasnt a big crowd. Their beef is consistently good. It is marinated well they bring out the wood? Coal? To your table and you can grill there. Only issue is I wasn't having beef that day. So my friend didnt get the the labor intensive beef BBQ and got the Kalbi and cold noodles combo. And then because I'm the queen of changing my mind I got the same. I realize we couldve gotten the full BBQ from at that point but whatever. The thing is, when you get the combo you don't get all the extra side dishes. I get that. I'm not asking for eggs I'm not asking for bean paste soup in not asking for 3 diff dipping sauces nor am I asking for shredded radishes. I just wanted some bean paste. Which should've come with the meat. - 1 star for surly attitude, passive aggressive service. Again. Their beef BBQ is very good. Ive had it. Multiple times. The ones that comes out in the combo? Forget it. It's probably left over bits. Now for cold noodles. It is VERY common to have cold noodles and bbq beef together. VERY very common. Hence the combo set. The cold noodle stock was very bland. It's like they didnt even try. I get stomach aches if the MSG is heavy handed but I think they completely forgot seasoning completely let alone msg. -1 star. I don't think I will be going back. Actually I wont be going back. I still stand bt their beef BBQ quality. But not any more. read more

We tried to order and she questioned the portions we were ordering and was very rude about it. The food was great until a piece of metal was in our tofu soup and a family member choked on it. We told the staff about it and they were not remotely sorry and not even surprised. Definitely a restaurant that should be looked into read more

Three star for the price, after trying most of the BBQ along the 149th pl, we think Mapo price is a little bit higher than most family style restaurants around the area, however, compare to Hahm Ji Bach it should be similar. Price just a tiny bit higher like $10-20. Another reason why three star is on Yelp, the business said they will discount 5% or one free dish if order two more BBQ but it not happen to us, well we kind of not knowing until after but they don't even mention. Food: was great, although they brought wrong order. I order non marinated beef and marinated pork, they brought both marinated. This place is the only place on 149th pl using real charcoal to grill, which made the meat so tender. Seasoning is not too sweet unlike others, that's what I love. Banchan selection is okay, not wow, the table next to us has a crab banchan which we don't, I assume it's because they are the regular and we not. Lol. Other places also offer free soup, this place don't. I paid for my clams and tofu soup with $12sth. Not too happy about it. This place is definitely worth a try, only the price is a bit higher read more

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Came to this spot for my first kbbq since before the pandemic and it hit the spot. Because we can't grill our own meats, it was definitely not as amazing as the real experience but that has nothing to do with the restaurant and more to do with how I feel about kbbq P.C. (post Covid) We ordered the beef tongue, galbi, and pork and the galbi was definitely my favorite. The tofu soup was also not bad! If you're going to get soju, I recommend apple over peach. The staff here does a pretty good job with social distancing customers. Hand sanitizer, napkins and disposable utensils are available at each table read more

Mapo BBQ is known for their SUTBUL KALBI! And that's exactly what we ordered. Banchan, kalbi, and the charcoal for the BBQ all arrive quickly after ordering, and the waitresses will assist in cutting the meat as it is grilled in front of you. Before you know it, you'll be packing kalbi, onion, rice, garlic, jalapenos, and ssamjang into lettuce wraps and trying to stuff the entire thing in your mouth in one bite. The kalbi is tender, juicy, and super flavorful. SO GOOD! After BBQing, we followed tradition and had naengmyun. We tried 2 different types of the cold noodles-- one in an icy broth, and the other in a spicy sauce with no broth. Both were very refreshing after all the heat from the BBQ, and the texture of the noodles were on POINT! I see a lot of comments/complaints on the price of this restaurant. Yes, a serving of kalbi costs $39... BUT we ordered 3 servings for 5 people and it was more than enough. We were stuffed by the time the noodles came out and rolling out of the restaurant by the time we were done. With tax and tip, everything came out to $37 per person which I agree isn't cheap enough for an everyday meal, but it's certainly not expensive enough to stop me from coming back for more delicious charcoal-grilled juicy kalbi! read more

Mapo BBQ - 3 portions of Kalbi was enough for 5 people! - Korean Near Me - Flushing, New York

The most authentic and solid kbbq I've come across in nyc. They tend to cater toward local Koreans (which honestly explains their lackluster rating) so if you have a Korean friend bring them to get some dishes on the house read more

Best kalbi in NYC, hands down. *Drop mic, walk away.* Seriously though. This small, intimate eatery located in the heart of Murray Hill (across the street from the LIRR station) specializes in marinated, thick cut angus beef kalbi grilled over charcoal - gas lighter cannot compare! Most recently, a group of ten of us came here on a Saturday... And it was insanely packed! It is usually very busy on weekends, but I've never seen it like this before. Turns out, recently there was a New York Times article that featured Mapo, so now of course, hordes of foodies have all gathered here. (Curse you, NYT.) I was speaking with the owner and she said that between 7-9 is the busiest time (of course), so if you come before or after that time, the wait shouldn't be too long. After hovering by the entrance breathing in the intoxicating smell of grilled meat for about half an hour, the group of ten in the corner left and we were seated. Hurrah! My advice would be to order the marinated Mapo Kalbi. That's it. As much of it as you can devour. The end. But, on this day, I was dining with several non-Koreans so we ordered some other non-meat dishes that were on the menu. Seafood pancake, Japchae (Glass noodles), dumplings. My group enjoyed them all, though I didn't try em so I can't testify to it myself. Towards the end of the meal, we got some soft tofu soup on the house and the group enjoyed that as well. Onto the meat. How to eat kalbi: Once one of the ladies cut the meat into chunks and declare it to be ready, grab a lettuce. Place meat, marinated onions, bean paste, garlic and pepper on lettuce. Make a wrap. Eat it. Repeat. And repeat. And repeat. If raw garlic is not your thing (or if you're on a date or something), ask them to grill garlic for you. They will give you a little tin 'bowl' with garlic and sesame oil. Once the sesame oil starts to boil, wait another 5 minutes (mix occasionally so it doesn't burn). This will result in a very soft, savory cooked garlic that is without the sharp smell and taste of raw garlic. Since Mapo is a Korean restaurant, of course you will be served a variety of side dishes. All are tasty but of note are the grilled corn ("Best corn ever" -said J) and fluffy egg. Sometimes they will have spicy raw marinated crab... So good! At the end of the meal, Koreans typically finish with a bowl of mool nengmyun. This is a chilled soup with buckwheat noodles; in it are slices of radishes, cucumber, pear, beef and half of a hard boiled egg. Add vinegar and mustard to taste. Enjoy! read more

This review is about their false advertisement ad that is posted outside their restaurant. Went around the area to find a restaurant for Korean bbq. Found this place because we saw a picture outside the restaurant that saids "when you order bbq, you get all the dishes below for free" so we went in. But the menu didn't have that option. So we asked the server about this. She said "no no, no all free. Only one." Maybe it's because I'm not Korean, that's why it's not all free? Or is it just false advertisement? I would've stayed to try their food but the server was trying to make us order food immediately to seal the deal so we can't leave the restaurant after we order. Didn't like how they tried to pull a move like that. So I didn't give them my business. Maybe next time! read more

Mapo BBQ - False advertisement. Went in to ask about this and she thought I was crazy. ???? - Korean Near Me - Flushing, New York

I went to this place in lunch and I will never go back to this place again food is so expensive I understand the food inflation but however the waitress and manager give dirty looks about the tipping, I , gave a tip more than 20%and I feel very uncomfortable and they never bring and serve more water or asking how was the food , and the all waitress sit on the table and gossip ... the owner needs the educate to the waitress for customers treat manners and hospitality . , bottom line I do not recommend this place. read more

After my first time here, I longed for an occasion to go back. When my Korean food aficionado/withering Yelper friend visited New York this past weekend, it was a foregone conclusion that I would bring him to Mapo, come hell or high water. There's no doubt that the fact that ***YELP'S INCORRECT MAP*** trapped us into walking over a mile (no exaggeration, and no cabs in sight) in Saturday's wind and rain from the 7's dreadful Flushing-Main Street stop contributed to the negativity of the overall experience. But it's the contrast of the food and service with my last visit that leads me to temper my original evaluation with an update. I even recognized some of the ladies who sat us down, which makes it even weirder that everything went wrong. They were nice enough, especially since I was scrutinizing them for any hint of the "oh, it's an Asian girl with a white man, and therefore we can pass judgement" attitude. I was surprised anew when they informed us that we had to buy TWO meat orders ($25-$30 each) in order to get the real coal at our table. I was also re-shocked when they said that certain cuts of pork couldn't be ordered with beef because the pork fat would cause an inferno over coals. Humbly, I remembered that these were not arbitrations, but rules I'd learned the last time. But then, the side dishes came out in strange intervals with no rhyme or reason. A short-ended (in my opinion) slab of raw, cold beef preceded half the items, and faced off with us while we chewed on raw garlic cloves, vinegared onions, five different types of similar tasting kimchee, and lettuce. Finally, I if rice was included just as the hot coals were placed in the center of the table. "Yes, of course. Why, did you want it now?" The woman asked in Korean. It's like no, I want it next year...Jesus. The thought on my mind at the moment was just that I had wanted to know if it would arrive eventually. A woman came up and diligently cut both meats into tiny bite-sized bits, which I appreciated. Both preferring our meat rarer than not, we quickly rescued them from the astounding heat of the coals. Another woman came to sweep them back into the center, and I had to explain to her that it had been no accident that we'd neatly taken all the meat off the heat. At this point, my friend really sacked up and asked in perfectly comprehensible KOREAN whether he could please have a glass of water. "EH?" The woman shouted, but not in an intentionally mean way. When she realized what he'd said, she cackled, and said "Why yesss, yesssss, I will get you some niiiice, cooool, water," in Korean while my face probably turned purple for my friend's sake. at this point, I asked when we were going to get our denjang jjigeh. She said, "Well, of course, if you would like jjigae, then we will add it as a service." Service my pale white ass - it is a part of the meal! Foodwise: *Meat was great quality, but the marinade was sweeter than I remembered, rendering the prime grade stuff cheaper than it really is. The proportions were smaller, too; maybe they adjusted it because there were only two of us, but we both happened to want to bust a gut. *Gerran jjim (egg casserole) was suitably hot, but a bit on the salty side. *The baked corn was again a highlight of the ensemble. *Jiggae was watery; more like miso soup with some zucchini and onion falling apart in it. Still a relief from the rainy weather, though. After I flagged them down to remind them that we were ACHING to pay them, we got some orange slices and a bill, which I told them to split 50/50 on our cards. More like 100/100, because they charged us twice, and the wrong amount at that. So then I had to get REALLY native and go up to the table and get a cash settlement after which I did not leave any tip. It's clear to me now that this place has very on and very off days, but it's hard to want to roll the dice when it's in bumfuck Queens, confirmed as accessible only by the LIRR (unless you prefer to walk over a mile each way from the 7). Maybe I should get over my aversion to Manhattan's Koreatown and see what's there after all. It can't be more unpredictable than Mapo, and I can't take risks anymore when I'm trying to feed my best friends. read more

Too Overpriced, bad service, horrendous and dirty place!! People who gave 5 stars to this place are people who never tried good food and service ever in their life!!! I chosen this place because of the reviews on Yelp, usually korean BBQ places if you order 1 portion is enough for two. So I was planning to order only one. I saw the price and I thought it might be because is a big portion. I order two portions and it was a portion for kids meal.... Hahahahahaa.... This place is way overpriced. Side dishes the worst ever. Outside of the location has a huge sign with the NY times comments and column, but I'm sorry NY times you chose the wrong place to make a article on your pages. This place is horrendous. The waitresses are very rude. This restaurant is very disappointing. I've had better BBQ and for reasonable price!! And because of a few crazy people who spend their money like nothing and supports this kind of places they still overcharge customers and still in business... read more

Mapo BBQ - Too overpriced, I paid $90 for this 2 portions. It looks like 2 portions???... It's a kids happy meal... These ppl r crazy. - Korean Near Me - Flushing, New York

Heard a lot about this place and was really disappointed. The minute we got in, our waiter looked annoyed as she gave us our menus. When we asked her a question, she seemed to be even more annoyed. Ordered 2 servings of galbi and not going to lie, it was amazing. The meat was well marinated and it was good quality meat. The portions aren't that big, and it's $40 per serving. The workers were all 40 year old woman who looks miserable to be working. They all looked so angry. They were also all in such a hurry and running around everywhere. TERRIBLE SERVICE ! don't know if I'll be returning ... read more

Mapo BBQ - Two servings of Galbi - Korean Near Me - Flushing, New York

This is my favorite place for korean bbq in NYC area including queens Manhattan and New Jersey. Their beef isnt the highest quality (not super overpriced like some places) but the season is superb. Charcoal grill rather than gas grill is a huge plus. The banchans (sidedishes) are plenty and tasty unlike most Manhattan spots. The service is courteous and attentive. However some of the serving staff isnt great at English, so you might have slightly more difficult time if you don't speak Korean or Chinese (like most of other Korean restaurants in the area they almost always have bilingual Korean/Chinese staff) They do serve soju and other alcohol, so BYOB isnt necessary. read more

This place is on the corner of 41st ave and diagonally across from the LIRR. I walked in expecting the cliche korean bbq experience, however, I was surprised with the level of authenticity and quality. I got a "secret" set - the MDST set. I have no idea what it stands for, that was what was written on the check. It basically includes 3 orders of their Mapo kaibi , 1 puffy egg, 1 small plate of grilled corn, and 2 mini dishes of spicy tofu soup. I don't think they advertise this special. The only reason I know about it is because the waitress was nice enough to let us in on the deal. She didn't charge us extra for rice either. If you want to get in on this deal, try to find the one waitress who is actually Chinese and speaks Mandarin. I don't think she speaks English, so brush up on the Mando. Or you can order 3 orders of KaiBi and hope for the best =). The number of small appetizer dishes they give you is amazing. The dishes themselves are even more amazing. They gave us: 1. watercress with sesame seeds - not bitter like most places, mild spiciness 2. squid with seaweed - cooked squid with hearty pieces of dark green seaweed, moderate spiciness 3. bean sprouts - mild spiciness 4. jap che - the noodles are cooked well - not chalky or rubbery, includes, peppers and some onions. 5. kimchi 6. cold past salad - mayo with some pasta and veggie pieces 7. steamed broccoli with onion 8. spicy sauce and garlic covered peppers - this is new to me, try it. 9. string beans with sesame seeds and spicy sauce - I liked how crisp the green beans were. The kaibi, of course, was extremely tender. I stopped eating it with the lettuce (I usually put beef on top of a lettuce leaf, add a treat from every single small dish, roll the leaf, and proceed to stuff the whole thing in my mouth. No it's not pretty, but yes, it is delicious) and just started appreciating the beef by itself. It is not marinated heavily, but it just tastes good because it is high quality. The free tofu soup was excellent. This also had an idiosyncratic taste. To me, the soup foreshadowed the burnt-rice-tea flavor, and then revealed its spiciness. (The burnt-rice-tea flavor refers to the tea they add to the rice stuck on the bottom of a clay bowl, it tastes awesome.) The tofu was soft and the rice hit the home-sweet-home note. Overall, come here for a cut above the rest. read more

The only reason I even found out about this place was that Han Joo Chik was temporarily closed. However, seeing all the crazy signs on the outside and even seeing all these 4-5 stars on Yelp, pushed me to just choose this place for dinner with friends...(it was also snowing like crazy and we probably did not want to go searching for another restaurant anyway) After walking out of the restaurant, I cannot believe the amount of 4-5 stars I am seeing for the reviews for this place. This place is just terrible. Flat-out horrendous. The prices suck. The side dishes suck. The pancakes suck. The stews...yes, you guessed it..suck. The galbi is mediocre at best. And the service? Yeah, it also sucks pretty badly. The worst. You'll probably have waitresses egging you on to order the galbi (which happens to be the most expensive option on the menu) and whine about people ordering the pork. All this complaining about how they must cook it separately and have to bring a different grill for it. Wahhh, call the wah-ambulance please. If there are two grills, then I'm sure we wouldn't mind having a mix of beef and pork. And the prices. $40 dollars for a serving of galbi? I'm sure a two-year old will have a feast with these portions. There are definitely cheaper options out in Flushing. Come on, it's Flushing. Anyways, 4-5 stars? It's crazy how they're still in business. I mean, it can just turn out to be that maybe I'm a lunatic and my mom just cooks better than any of these restaurants in this side of town, and my mom just doesn't realize how talented she really is. Who knows? To show I'm not a cynical, judgmental, and terrible person, I will say that the corn side dish was decent. Oh, and for the Koreans, the kimchi sucks. That really says a lot. Why trust this review? I'm Korean. Stereotypical enough? read more

This may be the first charcoal korean bbq ive been to and i must admit, the charcoal gives the meat that taste like no other. the meat is very tender and flavorful. your meal also comes with an abundance of side dishes. Place gets packed and it was always packed on the nights that we go, which is usually a weekend. This isnt a typical weeknight eatery, we need to drive and parking is always touch and next day is a work day. This place will keep you smelling in bbq, so do not wear your nice clothes are anything loose for the matter. read more