First off, not sure why this place doesn't have better reviews. Secondly, go try it. Seriously ... if you're in the mood for a Korean feast with lively dranks, then this is your place. I came here with some friends over the Halloween weekend, we had a blast. The place is kind of scary looking by on the outside, but inside ... it's so fun. It was decorated to extreme, which was amazing for Halloween. It is kind of college-y though. I feel fortunate that I went with a good group of friends, which allowed me to try many dishes. The duck ... amazinggggg!!! 110% recommend that dish!!! Everything else was pretty yummy too. The only thing that I'd probably pass on is the kimchi pancake. It was pretty weak compared to others I've had. Not crispy and kind of mushy. We did get the watermelon soju drink too, which I honestly didn't want to get, but I'm so glad we do. It was not too sweet at all ... and also very hydrating, which is super important for drinking. LOL!!! The service was also really good. Everyone was super friendly and attentive. They made our experience even better!!! Will definitely go back!!! read more

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We went to Myung Dong 1st Ave on a Sunday night with a group of 6 for dinner and drinks to celebrate a friend's birthday. Servers were attentive and kind. They accidentally gave us the galbi instead of the galbi tang, so they ended up giving us the galbi on the house! The galbi ended up being better than the galbi tang, so we'll be getting this in the future! Galbi was very flavorful and juicy. It also started down pouring and we saw one of the employees walk a group of customers to their cars with an umbrella so they don't get drenched. They went above and beyond, and we were very happy with the food and service. We'll definitely be coming back! read more

I went to Myung Dong 1st Ave on Wednesday, February 12th, 2025. I ordered the Corn Cheese appetizer, 6pc Soy Sauce Fried Chicken, and three beverages from the Valentine's Day special menu: one "Razz Fizz" and two "Cherri-Sh Me"s. Everything I ordered was extremely delicious: the Corn Cheese was rich, sweet, and creamy, the chicken was crisp and tender--it's definitely up to the caliber I expect of Bostonian restaurants. Drinks were a little small in proportion, but they were still very good. I would probably only order one or at most two. I hope to be more adventurous and sample more of their expansive menu options. It was a bit of a slower day, and I came just as the restaurant had opened so it was not too busy. The staff were also very friendly towards me--especially my server Gennifer Kim-- and my order arrived promptly. I ended up spending around $60 for all my food and drinks, which was about standard for the amount I got, but the food portions were larger than I expected and suitable for more than one individual. The restaurant itself was very clean and well-decorated with K-Pop music videos playing on the TVs which ultimately made it feel very modern and trendy. I will definitely be bringing more people with me for my next visit to Myung Dong 1st Ave, but I can guarantee there will be a next time for sure. My only recommendation would be to list the menu more easily online so customers can think about what to order before arriving. Thank you so much Gennifer and staff for a great experience; have a good day!! P.S. I learned from the staff that the Instagram page listed for this restaurant on Google is inaccurate. The proper account is @md_allston90!!! And I got a story shoutout for sharing to my own story :) read more

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Came here with a reservation for over 10 people and they were pretty patient with people slowly filing in within 30 minutes of our reservation. We had some of the higher tables in the corner and other than the poor placement of a stereo right next to two of our party's ears, it was an okay spot to eat. They constantly have music blasting and kpop music videos playing in the background which was fine as well. They also were fine with us splitting into 2 tables for ordering and were pretty quick to take our orders as well. Their menu has a decent selection of Korean classics and the execution was overall fine. I found the portions to be small for their price honestly though - the budae jungol was barely enough for all of us to even get a bite and the tteokbokki was also really tiny. The pork and octopus bulgogi was definitely the highlight of the meal - decent size and a good mix of protein. The pancake was tasty, but again super small for its price. The bowl we got was a good amount of alcohol, but make sure you mix it well before serving or else it'd just be super sweet in some areas and super strong in others. The fish also should be eaten early - we had it at the end and the outside had disintegrated to a pretty gross consistency that was soggy and hard to eat. Overall, I'd say that this place is a solid place to meet friends and just have a good time. The food is mediocre at best and their drinks are okay, but the service was pretty good and I wouldn't mind coming back in the future for a fun meal in the future. read more

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Pretty standard Korean and drinking place. They have K-pop playing pretty loudly so it's a good weekend place with friends. read more

Myung Dong 1st Ave - Seafood Scallion Pancake - Korean Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

Myung Dong (known as MD to locals) is always packed on the weekends! There's usually a 30 minute wait or so, but it's worth the wait. Myung Dong may not be the classiest bar, but it's always lots of fun and guarantees a good time with friends. They have plenty of fun drinks and Korean music videos playing in the background. They're known for the drinks here and their food is decent (but other restaurants nearby are better). In order to order drinks you do have to order at least one food item. The drinks here are awesome. I recommend their watermelon or pineapple fruit bowls which comes in an entire fruit. You also can't go wrong with their many flavors of soju. I like their ice cream soju which is very sweet and comes with a cold popsicle inside. If it's your birthday, order the birthday shots and the staff will bring out 6 shots, birthday music and video will play in the background, and the whole restaurant will cheer you on as you take all the shots! The service here is quick and the servers do make small talk and give good recommendations. read more

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Went to this korean restaurant with a friend on Thursday evening. It wasnt very busy and our service was quick! The restaurant had k pop music videos playing constantly which added to the quirky but fun vibe of the place. We ordered a LOT of food, Toekbokki, bibimbap, regular fied chicken, soy sauce fried chicken snd seafood scallion kimchi pancakes. Between the two fried chickens I enjoyed the soy sauce more. The toekbokki was to die for, we got it with extra cheese. It was not too spicy. I highly recommend this place. Plenty of street parking and also a large cvs parking lot down the road if you are driving! read more

Myung Dong 1st Ave - Fried Chicken - Korean Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

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Gets pretty busy here on the weekends. Come here with the expectation of a bar and the experience is great. They have a good selection of food that you can order with your drink. Most drinks are soju based. We got the watermelon soju drink and it was enough to split amongst 4 people. It was well worth since we were able to scrape down the watermelon for some fresh fruit read more

Myung Dong 1st Ave - Korean Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

So the ambiance is ok and the food is decent. But if you're going to this place you HAVE to get the fried chicken. It was soo good i recommend the soy and spicy flavors read more

Myung Dong 1st Ave - Korean Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

food was great and service was even better. different staff checked on our table about 4 separate times and made us feel extremely welcome. bibimbop was great and so were the scallion pancakes read more

Myung Dong 1st Ave - tofu bibimbop - Korean Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

I think this spot is to cater for Americans but also to make native Koreans to feel at home. Good spot for pregame. The food is good but again, for Americans :) read more

In Allston there are certainly better choices for Korean food. For starters the sides were cold and the fish cakes were dry. The food was good enough, the army stew was good but it's hard to mess that up. The kimchi on the fries were clumpy and somehow dry making it unappetizing. The food as a whole had a repeating theme of being passably good but like I said, I would rather go anywhere else for Korean food. read more

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Not the best Korean meals here, but it's a nice hangout place with friends. The corn cheese was very good. Spicy pork bulgogi was not the best, there was so much gochujang in it that it just made the sauce a bit bitter. The Boodae Jungol was alright with the rice, but it was a bit bland. There was only 1 ramen pack in there. We had to share that between the five of us, so I wish they put in more ramen noodles in there. The Fried Chicken was mediocre with the mustard sauce. It wasn't really crispy, and it was just plain mustard. The service was really quick, but I would get here by 6 at the latest, or else you would have to wait for 30min-hour to get a table. read more

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The best dishes are the Army Stew and Galbi. Really happy they served the stew over a portable stove cause it kept the food fresh. Besides those two dishes though, everything else was very meh. The Tonkatsu was dry and their cheese corn was oddly sweet. The fried chicken wasn't good either. Ironically we got the kimchi fries but only ate the fries (for a Korean restaurant their kimchi is surprisingly flavorless). It's a restaurant that delivers what you're looking for, but keeps you feeling like you should go elsewhere for something better. Also, even though the food came out fast, it took foreverrrr to get the check. read more

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I came here with a few friends on a Friday night. It was packed but we were able to get a table immediately. A solid hangout spot if you're looking for Korean food and in the mood to drink beer and soju. We got a beer tower and a bottle of soju - you can't pick the brand of beer but it wasn't bad. We got a kimchi pancake, army stew, and cheese corn. Everything was pretty good and we all left full. I would have liked if service was a little more attentive, although I understand that it was super busy and I didn't feel rushed at all, so it didn't bother me too much. read more

This place was packed so we had to try it. food was great! We got the seafood scallion pancakes, the chicken bolugi and the fried chicken wings...I recommend then all! The service was very friendly and good but seemed like she had too many tables to cover so we were neglected for a bit. I would definitely come back. read more

Myung Dong 1st Ave - Chicken bulogi! Definetly get this! - Korean Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

We absolutely love this place! It's always busy which says a lot about a restaurant. It's very lively as they play K-pop throughout the restaurant and it makes for a fun atmosphere. We were blown away by the food as well. Our favorite is the Ddok Bokghi with cheese- it's so unique and we honestly crave it pretty often. The Kalbi Tang is another great dish with such rich broth without being too heavy. Lastly, you can't go wrong with the Korean Style Spicy Chicken. We also noticed that they have fun drinks, including one that's served in a pineapple. Service was also wonderful! The host was very friendly and staff was very attentive despite how busy they were. read more

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This place was sooo good! I really recommend the seafood yaki udon. The service was also really good too. Very attentive.

I love the service here and the ambience. It's super chill and they accommodate you even when you walk in close to closing, which is very kind. You can't go wrong with any menu items. I went back after this visit and tried the regular fried chicken in their soy and spicy flavor (requested half/half). Bomb (not pictured). If you want a laid back vibe, mood lighting, good music, K-pop on the TV and GREAT food....don't walk, run! read more

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I wish I took more pictures! This place is truly amazing and very unique. First stumbled upon it late at night while in the Allston area and have gone back multiple times ever since! I had never really explored Korean food before and the servers were awesome about walking me through the menu/explaining what different dishes consisted of and then making stellar recommendations. I have had the corn cheese, scallion pancakes, a couple of the stews (spicy beef is my favorite), mini fried shrimp dumplings, shrimp fried rice, and more...it has all been delicious and I definitely recommend. We recently got their "fish bowl" when we went and it was also super yummy! read more

Myung Dong 1st Ave - Korean Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

Good food and good service for a busy Friday night! The watermelon soju fruit bowl was delicious! read more

Myung Dong 1st Ave - Watermelon Soju fruit bowl - Korean Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

Myung Dong used to be the spot. Late night snack, great Korean food and flavored soju that was so good, I would recommend this place if anyone was in Allston. Not anymore. It's such a growing kinetic neighborhood with tons of restaurants that it's becoming competitive. With intensely loud Kpop music playing in the background, the food's subpar and drinks taste like juice, it's hard to have a pleasant time here. Mini Egg Pancakes- I was expecting it to be more fried then soggy. The egg tasted very oily and I ended up not finishing it. Bibibop in Sizzling Pot- A very bland dish. It's just not well-seasoned Beef with shredded carrots and bean sprouts on top of the bed of rice. We ended up just adding a whole bunch of hot sauce into it. At least the pot kept the rice nice and warm for awhile. Yogurt Soju- Super sweet and sugary, did not taste quite the way I remembered it. Overall Service: They could barely hear us so you would have to point to the menu when ordering. No one checked on us and when we needed anything, waving would be the best method here. read more

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Myung Dong is solid if you want some good Korean drinks ~ they have some really good soju flavor options and honestly, think they have some of the best selection in the city if you want more variety. The place is dead on the weeknights (during Covid...I'm sure it was different before) and it gets packed Friday & Saturday nights. The atmosphere is not as good as other asian bars I've been to in Boston and it feels a little run down, like something you would see in the suburbs, but it's still a good spot if you're out of options in the Allston area. The first time I came here, service was bad. The other few times I came, it was decent but still really hard to nail someone when we wanted to place an order. Which is especially disappointing, because one of the times, I was literally the only other person dining in and it still took a good 20-25 minutes to find someone. It's also pretty pricey in terms of "Korean bar food" and it's not that tasty... I ordered the fried chicken wings (which was the most decent out of everything I got here so far), the udon (fish cakes), the tteeokbboki, and kimchi jjigae. They're all pretty generic, not mind bogglingly good - I would avoid the tteokbboki though - the rice cakes came out super mush and it was pretty bland / not spicy at all. I'd say if you really want to eat here, just get their chicken - it's decent, not too pricey and it pairs well with soju! ALSO - huge flex that they have yogurt soju (the bottled one...not the cocktail!). It's my favorite and can't find it in any other restaurant in Boston! read more

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Food is awful. Waste of money, I hate everything about it. We had a Gobchang GUI Combo, $55 for a pot of shit. read more

This is THE PLACE to get trashed. The rate at which at least one person puking each night there is 98%; fits the aesthetic, with their sign taped to their broken window, warning others to not lean against it because a "wildling drunk" broke it. Highly recommend their yogurt soju. Sounds gross, but it's a must try! There's only one size for the yogurt soju, and it can be shared 3~ people. Another good flavor to try is citrus, one of the few flavors that doesn't taste like medicine. Their fried chicken was delicious! Tasted like what you would get at Korean households, and scallion pancakes are perfect for vegetarians. Their hotpot noodles were delicious as well, but the exact name escapes me. It's huge and can be shared with more than one person. read more

This place is one of my favorites. The service isn't super great, but love the kpop Mvs playing, and the food is good. The drinks are yummy, especially the strawberry yogurt soju! It's technically a restaurant, so you can't order drinks without food (a change during covid?), so just be aware that you'll need to order some munchies as well. But I love coming here with friends and just hanging out. read more

Awesome little spot in Allston for Korean food. Perfect for dinner and also great for some late-night eats and drinks. The budae jungol (army stew), tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), and jokbal (steamed pigs feet) are all delicious and perfect for sharing with a group. Not the cheapest place for Korean food, but it's good and has a nice fun atmosphere. Their drinks also look nice, but keep in mind everyone at the table has to be 21 or over to order any drinks at all. read more

Myung Dong 1st Ave - Boodae jungol (army stew) - Korean Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

I have been here many times, last month I went to my friend's birthday party. We ordered plenty of food, the foods were great but the price now is quite expensive when compared with its portion. Btw service was nice sometimes. read more

Myung Dong is one of the funnest places to visit! An endless K-Pop playlist and fun lights set the stage for a delicious meal. I've tried a few things off the menu: Appetizers: - Fried Vegetable Dumplings: A classic! The dumpling skin is a great combination of crispy and chewy. - Scallion Pancake: Another classic! The dough is slightly crisp on the outside but soft on the inside. The soy sauce dip it comes with is so delicious. A perfect combination! - Kimchi Pancake: A twist on the classic scallion pancake. It boasts a bit more flavor but it's not spicy. I would've liked for it to be more crispy because it was just too doughy! - Ddok Bokghi: stir-fried rice cakes with diced cabbage, carrots, scallions mixed in a sweet and spicy sauce. The rice cakes have the perfect amount of chew to them and the heat factor is great! :- ) If you like savory, spicy dishes, this is the one for you. - Ddok Bokghi with vegetable tempura: a neat twist on the rice cakes dish! Seaweed-wrapped vegetable tempura is a culinary creation I didn't know I needed. :'- ) !!!! Although both Ddok Bokghi dishes are considered appetizers, they're so filling I consider them entrees. The portions are fantastic for the price! - Corn cheese: Sweet corn niblets drenched in lots of cheese. The portion is HUGE (it's served on a long oval plate) and easily shareable between several people. Creamy, cheesy, and oh-so-good!! Entrees: - Kimchi Mandoo Jungol: Kimchi, sliced pork, rice cakes, dumplings, sliced tofu, fish cakes, mixed vegetables, and oodles of ramen noodles in a tangy stew. It comes in a big portable hotpot! Because it's meant to serve two, it comes with two sides of steamed white rice and banchan. The soup is advertised to be spicy, but my friend and I didn't think it was at all! However, it was tangy from the kimchi which gave it a good flavor. Drinks: - Strawberry Yogurt Soju (serves 2 or more): A delicious, creamy drink with a barely detectable boozy taste! - Watermelon Soju (serves 2 or more): A whole carved out watermelon filled with soju. I shared this with my party of four and there was enough for everyone! The soju taste is definitely more concentrated here. *They have lots of creative cocktails such as a fish bowl with gummies in it! I think the service here is super efficient and speedy. Everyone is always super nice, accommodating, and polite. When my friends and I were here on New Years Eve, we were served complimentary soju to toast!! I'd definitely revisit again. :- ) read more

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Good soon tofu. Only 2 pan ban chan. Slowish wait service, food came out fast. Loud k pop music

Came here for a quick meal with a friend when it wasn't too busy. Their service was good (we had to flag down a server near the end because we lost our server) and their food was tasty. They did a great job of customizing the dishes so that they weren't too spicy! We got the seafood scallion pancake, chicken bulgogi, and udon. My top two favorite dishes from my visit would have to be the seafood scallion pancake (it's HUGE and good amount of seafood scattered throughout) and chicken bulgogi (it was super flavorful and a good mix of ingredients)! read more

This is a college age student hangout. I don't recommend coming here for a family dinner. The music selection, displayed on flat screen, is hip hop and rap and with profanity. I don't recommend bringing children here due to the video image and language content. Other than this, the food was very good. We tried a variety of appetizers. We had the sweet and spicy chicken wings. It's not your typical bon chon which is twice fried. It lacked that crispiness. Also, the sauce reminds me of the sweet and sour sauce that you get with your chicken McNugget at McDonald's. We also ordered the seafood pancake. I like that there is large chunks of seafood. It's a perfect appetizer to share for groups. The chicken gizzards was great beer food. As is Jokbal, a sliced pork dish that is very fatty, came with the bone and with two dipping sauce. I have had this dish at another restaurant in Allston called Hanmaru. I have to say that although this dish was done well at Myung, I have had better at Hanmaru. It is still good at Myung. Their hot pot really reminded me of being a college student with the spicy broth, spam, hotdog, beans, and instant ramen. Overall, I think it's a great place if you are young and still in college. See my pictures. read more

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Came here with friends on New Year's Eve. It was raining later at night but that didn't stop us from showing up! There was a lot of people but they still have space to seat us. I just followed my friends after like a minute but they are already in a table. I sat down with them took a peek at the menu and after that in like less than 10 mins we got to order some appetizers. We got the kimchi pancakes. And the veggie dumplings to start with while deciding on what to get for food. We also got the watermelon soju for drinks and we got the yogurt soju for our second drink. After we ate our apps we each got some food. I got the spicy soup (yak gae tang) my friends got bibimbap and the fish cakes. We stayed until the New Years and the owner of the place got us all a sake to toast on since it's New Years on the house which was so kind of the owner. It's was also a generous amount of drink in that glass. Still looking forward to come back next time and try some other selections of food read more

Myung Dong 1st Ave - Watermelon soju, yogurt soju - Korean Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

We walked in here since most places were closed around the time we went and wanted some Korean food. I didn't have high expectations going in from what I had heard. I honestly thought the food was better than sojuba's food. I've gone to sojuba countless of times to eat and have always been disappointed by their food (but love the vibes there for a casual night out). Kind of expected the food quality to be the same here but I was actually pleasantly surprised that the food was pretty good, not the best but it beats sojuba. Also the prices are not crazy expensive as well, I would say if you want decent food and more casual drinking then come here especially because the music isn't being blasted here so it's easier to hear ppl around you. read more

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Definitely regulars here at Myung Dong 1st ave. This is the place where we want to unwind and get some soju. Watermelon soju! Enough said. They have the best tteokbokki! Super soft and flavorful. Paired with ramen and cheese and you'll see what heaven's like. Their chicken gizzards also really good. They have other great selections for beer food. Surely it's a really loud environment. But when you're buzzed, it's the best place to be! :D read more

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Drinks are a bit overpriced and it does get quite crowded on weekend nights (but with good reason). This place serves some fantastic food and drinks. Hands down, they have the best Korean fried chicken in town. It's completely unique from the Bon Chon variety. You MUST try it. Also I always get their army "budae" stew, which is a Frankenstein child from the Korean war era, where Korean and US soldiers would combine ramen, tofu, rice cakes with the American hot dogs and spam to create a delicious stew of epic proportions. They have some really great mixed drinks too. Try their watermelon soju or yogurt soju. Very smooth and deceptively good at getting the unsuspecting person drunk! read more

Myung Dong 1st Ave - Army "budae" stew - Korean Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

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Haven't been to MD in years but decided to go to this place as some friends wanted to get some food and drinks. Anyways, after the night was over and was about to call for the check, this waitress accidentally elbowed me in the back of the head and no she was not our waitress. I called for her and informed her that she had elbowed me in the back of the head but gave me a smile. I had repeated myself again and she still continued to smile then walked away smiling. She then came back around to serve another table and a friend wanted to let her know again that she had elbowed me and was like "oh sorry" and walked away smiling once again. She apparently does not know any customer service. I had explained the situation to our waitress (Miji or goes by Tiffany) who was very nice and friendly. She had to apologize on behalf of the other waitress and tried to explain to me that maybe she wasnt aware of it or what not. There was no manager on duty either. That ruined my night and may habe ruined my experience of going back to that restaurant. I would have given it a 1 star if it weren't for Tiffany. read more

If you're looking for comfort drinking food place then this is the place to be. Young, hip and clean. Quick service good affordable menu and efficient read more

Not bad for a small restaurant/bar. We came here for dinner on our first night in Boston, our friend chose this spot. The food was good and the service was friendly. Now i will have to say the one dish that did not wow me which is really surprising was the kalbi, they made it way too sweet for anyone's taste. Everything else that we got was good though, i will post pictures and rate them in the photos as i remember them. read more

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The service is really bad. The attitude of the 2 waitress are really bad, they are very indifferent. I really don't want to give them any tips at all. To be honest, there are so many Korean restaurants on Harvard avenue. This one has no special features. You can try other restaurants if you wanna have a good mood. read more

Myung Dong 1st Ave - Korean Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts