Ahjae Gookbap

Korean restaurant · Palisades Park

Ahjae Gookbap

Korean restaurant · Palisades Park

1

339 Broad Ave, Palisades Park, NJ 07650

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Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null
Ahjae Gookbap by null

Highlights

Korean comfort food, especially well-marinated raw crab  

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339 Broad Ave, Palisades Park, NJ 07650 Get directions

ahjaegookbapusa.com
@ahjaegookbap

$20–30 · Menu

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339 Broad Ave, Palisades Park, NJ 07650 Get directions

+1 201 429 2449
ahjaegookbapusa.com
@ahjaegookbap

$20–30 · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 8, 2025

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Dinsdale Lee

Google
Aesthetically this is a very unassuming place but give this place a shot and you will be very pleasantly surprised with the quality of food and service especially with such a small staff! The marinated crab is delightful the gamjatang is 🤌. Prices are very reasonable for the quality and quantity.One of the other diners left a takeout dish and the one server thay was taking care of all of us ran outside to chase after them. She really was running that place. Give them your patronage because these folks truly deserve all the love.

Xin

Google
We were really excited to try the food here given all the hype. We got a small order of marinated blue crab, marinated red shrimp, and ahjae gookbap. I've had Korean marinated shrimp and crab before, but the marinate felt like it was more salt than flavor. The marinate honestly overpowered the delicate flavors of the crab and the shrimp. I couldn't even suck on the shrimp head and that was a real bummer. The beef flavor of the ahjae gookbap was good, but the broth itself was also very salty. The egg and kimchi were a lifesaver to cut the salt. I drank so much water after this meal that I felt like a water balloon :(

Britney Huynh

Google
This is my first time coming here and definitely won’t be my last! The food is amazing and so flavorful! I got the new korean raw crab and it came out bigger than my hand! For the price and quality it was definitely worth the try! The service was great and really nice. Plus the atmosphere felt very cozy!

Maydonshoots

Google
Ahjae Gookbap is a small Korean eatery that surprised us in a good way. We went in for their soy-marinated crab (ganjang gejang) and found it fresh, tender, and delicately seasoned. Their house-made kimchi was full of flavor, and we also recommend the chive shrimp dumpling balls. It’s a humble place, but the service was incredibly kind, which made the experience memorable. Good value and a solid alternative if you’re in the area and craving Korean flavors without the wait.

Chloe Tran

Google
I visited Ahjae in Palisade with my ajumma, and we truly enjoyed the food. The flavors were so authentic that it felt just like when I visited Korea. A wonderful experience!

Avery Lee

Google
I have wanted to try raw marinated crab for a while! This place was a bit far from my home but so worth it! The raw marinated crab was so good and my boyfriend got beef

Carmi Huang

Google
Hands down the best marinated crab in Fort Lee! The gejang here is super fresh, flavorful, and tastes just like what you’d get in Korea. You can tell they really know what they’re doing! Everything was delicious and I can tell this would def be my go to when I’m craving for gejang!!

Danyo Ip

Google
Surprising delicious. I came without any expectations but I am a picky eater. Is rarely I give a place 5stars. All the dishes we had were great besides the seafood combo. That was way too salty. But every other dish made up for that one bad dish. Very well balanced flavor nothing over powering. Raw crab was fresh and delicious.
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M W.

Yelp
Great (게장) crab in soy sauce Tasted as good as my mother used to make Unfortunately they don't have too many other dishes for my wife who didn't want the crab Small place Good service- gave vinyl gloves so your hands don't become soaked in soy sauce. I will be back again
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Yu Ya H.

Yelp
Tiny gookbap place on the Korean restaurants row! They only have like five tables and the tables are on the smaller side. Went on Christmas day and service is phenomenal! All the side dishes taste so good and they give you refills. Suyuk muchim was so fresh and the meat was tender. I got the ahjae gookbap and it might have been one of the best ones I've tried on the east coast. The soup is well balanced and not bland too. They also give you the chili mixture you can add and it gives the soup a nice kick. Their gookbaps are worth it for the price but I think appetizers and other dishes can get a little pricey. -8.9/10
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Emi B.

Yelp
Ughhhhh want to love it but sort of slightly off. Gul-jun Oyster Pancake - taste very good and fresh but also very greesy Gamjatang - uhmmmm flavor not bad, pork was pretty tender. Potato was not cooked enough and just not better than any other places we've had. Ahjae Almandu Shrimp Ball - so so more like a vegetable ball. Looks better than it tasted. Ahjae Gookbap Premium beef bone soup - so so unfortunately granted the name. Hejang Gook Hangover Soup - same with Ahjae Gookbap but with vegetable with made it better. Ahjae Ppyojjim Braised prime beef meat bones - it was fine, could braised longer, sauce was sweet.
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Sumi K.

Yelp
Korean @ Palisades Park, NJ The restaurant is very small but the food was delicious! We ordered soy sauce crab, ahjae gookbob, gamjatang and suyook and they all tasted delicious! The crab was not too salty and I really liked suyook which came with marinated cabbage, cucumber and scallions. Due to only two people working, the service wasn't too attentive and had to ask for napkins and a check.
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Said E.

Yelp
4.5 stars rounded up for being a small business. The food is pretty amazing but some of the food can be too flavorful for some people (although I like it - my wife prefers plainer versions of some of the dishes). Service is a bit slow. The interior design is meant to maximize people who can sit (which is not surprising). They serve some dishes that are relatively difficult to find in other Korean restaurants. This was our second time and we'll probably be back. (The bathroom could use some upgrades like a better paper towel).
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Johnny W.

Yelp
The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming, whereas the ambiance was on the casual side with not that many seatings. The best dish we got was the large raw crabs (ganjang gejang) for 36, which priced out around 9 per crab that was cut in half. The marinade was so incredibly delicious and the crab was filled with fresh meat! I know some diners say it's pricey, but honestly for its high quality and freshness, I think it's relatively reasonable. We also got the braised prime beef (ahjae ppyo jjim), which has an intense and rich flavor, but the amount of bone to meat ratio was overwhelmingly imbalanced, where each piece had about 20% meat versus 80% bone. I definitely liked the dish but hope they can choose more meaty cuts next time! Lastly, we got the buckwheat noodle in cold broth (mool naengmyun), which was refreshing and tasty, just be careful not to add too much vinegar! Overall we had a really good time and we can't wait to come back, especially for more of the raw crabs! Thank you for reading and best of luck! (:
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Christie S.

Yelp
Came here as a group of 3 at around 6pm on a Sunday and this place was pretty busy! The restaurant was already full by the time we got there but luckily, we were able to get seated after a 15 min wait. We ordered the gookbap, dak do ri tang, bibim naengmyun, and a small marinated raw crab to share. The portion of the dishes was pretty big and they came with rice. I love everything that we ordered but my favorite dish among everything that we ordered was the dak do ri tang. The stew was so flavorful and the chicken was so tender that the meat just fell off the bone. The potato and carrot also added a lot of natural sweetness to the broth. Food was yummy and price was so reasonable! It was only around $75 before tips and we had so much food to bring home. Highly recommend this place! Make sure to come early because the restaurant is small and they can get very packed!
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Taylor Z.

Yelp
Small place that serves some great Korean stews. Really liked the clear beef broth. Pretty quick service and reasonably priced for the amount of food.
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Kevin T.

Yelp
Holy crap, what a gem of a restaurant - the place itself is super small but the owner is legitimately the nicest man I've ever met and even offered us hot water when we were waiting outside for a table and it was cold. I'm glad that the food matched up to the service - they had some of the best geotjeori (fresh, unfermented kimchi) which was the perfect balance of spicy and crunchy and paired really well with the gookbap. (P.S. they sell the kimchi for $10 per quart if you want to take some home, which we did) Everything was really phenomenal, but I'd definitely recommend getting the Ahjae gookbap if you're only looking to try one thing from the menu. Just a heads up that "spicy" actually just means you're given a side of green chilies and you can choose to add to your own soup, so it's functionally the same thing as non spicy.
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Elizabeth A.

Yelp
Over ordered between 2 people and I would do it again. Place is kind of small. We luckily got the last table on a Sunday at lunch time. I was craving raw marinated crab and this place delivered. All the food was great for the price. I'm not local but I would go again when I'm around.
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Charles W.

Yelp
We were pleasantly surprised to find lots of tables awaiting us on the evening of a Friday, but tables filled up pretty quickly afterwards. We were SUPER hungry since we just came from King Spa and so we ordered lots of food. Our favorite was easily the raw marinaded crab, I feel like the price is way more optimal here on the east coast (compared to the west coast) since blue crab is a lot more plentiful. I would definitely come here again if I was in the area!
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Huiwen C.

Yelp
Favorite spot for cozy Korean food! Came back tonight and they added quite a few soup options, perfect for the cold weather. They serve kimchi and radish kimchi for banchan - the kimchi is fresh, spicy and crunchy! They also sell the banchan for $10 each a container. The oyster jeon was really juicy and fresh - highly recommend for an appetizer. The dakdoritang is full of tender, fall off the bone chicken. It is spicy, slightly sweet, and piping hot. They also serve an egg omelet and seaweed to go with the rice and soup. The bibimnaengmyun always hits the spot - spicy, refreshing with large pieces of pear, and two jumbo pieces of beef bone. The two ladies are always very nice! They give extra napkins without asking and ask how we liked the food.
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Michelle C.

Yelp
I saw on Tiktok that this was one of the few places that offers marinated raw crabs, which I have been craving since my trip to Korea. In addition to the crabs, they also have a simple menu, with offerings like their eponymous $18 ahjae gookbap (a warming beef soup that comes with a giant meaty beef bone, cheek meat, and honey comb tripe) and $16 gool gookbap (oyster soup packed with a ton of vegetables like seaweed, daikon, chives, mushrooms and tofu). Personally, I preferred the latter as it was sweeter and texturally more diverse. However, the ahjae gookbap had a very lovely and strong beef flavor-- dare I say even better than the soup at Parksanbal? As for the soy marinated crabs, they were so flavorful and delicious. We ordered the large platter ($36) which came with four crabs. The crabs were pleasantly savory with an inherently seafoody sweetness underneath. The texture was a little gummy and cold, which can be off-putting to some, but I loved it. My favorite part was scooping up some warm rice to mix in the shell together with the cold sauce and the roe-- it is simply delightful and a creamy bite. My only complaint is that the crabs were probably out of season as they were a little on the smaller side, with only a little bit of roe in each shell. Even the flesh was difficult to squeeze out because of how little there was present. The banchan served was pretty decent, though we were not fans of the spicy cabbage muchim, which tasted like raw, unfermented kimchi. However, the spicy radish kkakdugi was so refreshing and perfectly seasoned that we decided to order a deli container to-go, which they sell for $10. Overall, I did really enjoy my visit to Ahjae Gookbap and would like to return when I have the chance to try the rest of their gookbap. I will point out that someone in my party did call me up the next morning to tell me they got food poisoning (most likely from the crab) as they did not eat anything else after our meal but I personally was feeling fine. As with all raw foods, eat at your own risk!
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Angela K.

Yelp
Recently I've been getting a lot of takeout from Ahjae and enjoying it! It's worth noting that their regular gookbap is sort of like a galbitang. I'm not a ran of tripe but there's not too much so I usually just take it out. I also had the ddbaegi bulgogi and it was a little sweet for my taste. I want to try the samgye tang too. They sell pints of broth too which is great for making soups at home. There isn't a lot of seating inside but you can still get a table if you'd like. Would recommend!
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Samantha D.

Yelp
Came by for dinner after going to the jjimjilbang nearby. The place is fairly small. Besides us, there was only another family in the restaurant. It seems they do a lot of takeout orders though. The ahjae ppyo jjim was a huge portion. It was more than enough to feed three people. The bones were huge, and at times, they were so difficult to eat. The meat took a bit of effort to pull off. They are on the sweeter side for me. Ahjae gook bap was full of meat too. A good contrast to the heavier taste of the ppyo jjim. It was also a lot of food. They gave us the option to have a bowl of rice each on the side. You'll definitely need it for the saucy ppyo jjim.
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Joy Y.

Yelp
This is a small place with a few tables, would not recommend bringing more than 4 people here. I was craving soy marinated crabs and decided to check this place out! In photos it looks delicious but flavor wise it was okay. Nothing amazing and its a bit pricey $36 for 4 crabs. They dont give you gloves for the crabs so make sure to ask if you dont want to get your hands dirty. I also had the ddukbaegi bulgogi, it was decent but I've def had better for cheaper.
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Nancy A.

Yelp
I came here through Yelp and it was so delightful. Thank you Yelp for providing such an amazing event and offer to try out Ahjae Gookbap's shrimp ball appetizer called "Ahjae almandu" It is a cute opening and pretty cozy area to dine in with your friends. Once I got in, I was greeted by the waitress who was really nice and courteous. She asked either I wanted to dine in or take it to go. I told her dine in and was seated at a long bench table, which was enough space for my bags! Hehe After being seated, she gave me sauce which was sweet to dip the shrimp balls. I also got daikon and kimchee to try out. The kimchee was good! I love it so much and their spice level was perfectly spiced out for me. Not overly spicy or weak. Then afterwards the waitress brought out the nice display of shrimp balls which was so lovely to eat. I can't fathom the beautiful display and then plate they used. The shrimp balls look like crystals to me. So cute and lovely to eat. I took my first bite and knew immediately it was very flavorful! You can taste the shrimp along with the rest of the ingredients that balance out the shrimp! A must try for anyone who wants to come here. There is also free water for you to grab from the water cooler, either hot or cold water!
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Rosanna N.

Yelp
This place was super close to where I was and I was super excited to try the raw crab. Blue Soy Crab (10/10): This was so good, it was so soft and flavorful. I would definitely get it again. Ahjae Gookbap (8/10): This was good and heartful especially because it was so cold out. It stayed hot the entire time and made you feel warm and full. Ahjae Ppyojim (10/10): The meat was so soft and flavorful. It was super good and there was such a big portion. I would get this again Bibingnaeng (8/10): I was surprised at how good this was and really liked the flavor. It paired well with the other dishes that I got. Bulgogi BBQ (6/10): This was good but I was disappointed by the flavor. It seemed a bit soupy. The service is fast but the place was smaller than other restaurants nearby. I would definitely be back.
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Ashley Y.

Yelp
We saw that there was raw soy crabs and we must try! Around our area there's none besides Dubu which offers spicy raw crab. The place is very tiny and only hold 22 people. We got there at rush hour and had to wait 30+ min for a table... however, the servers were very nice and our food came out quick. We ordered the large raw crabs and cold noodles. The raw crabs was sooo yummy and had lots of roe but it's $39 so basically $10/crab. Cold noodles were good and broth was flavorful. It was such a hot and humid day. We didn't want anything hot and the restaurant was pretty warm too.
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Damon C.

Yelp
First time here and was pleasantly surprised. The food is authentically Korean and very delicious. We got some soups, which had plenty of meat inside already, but of course we had to try the soy marinated crab as well. Super hearty, super tasty, will definitely be back.
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David Y.

Yelp
Came here after my trip from Jamaica. I wanted something warm and soupy so decided to come here. I actually didn't know this place changed ownership, I came for the previous restaurant but since I already parked and was inside decided to give this place a shot. Got seated once we entered. The place was bright and not too big. Pretty small but clean place. Ended up ordering the Ahjae gook bap which was good and gave a good amount of beef. The side dishes were also good, the kimchi could be fermented more but still good. If you're in the mood for Korean food that has a home cooked meal vibe, I highly recommend this spot. * street parking * self serve water station
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Jeongmin H.

Yelp
This is a suuper tiny whole in the wall kinda restaurant but you already know these are the kind of places with the best food. Even their banchan was so good I could probably have a full meal with just that and rice alone. Def recommend if you're in the area looking for some authentic Korean food!
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Stephen L.

Yelp
Small local spot in Palisades Park for authentic Korean soup dishes. I got the Ddukbaegi Bulgogi, which was a tasty and comforting bowl of hot soup. The marinated beef ribeye inside was nice and tender. The glass noodles were nicely cooked as well. The veggies added some healthy greens. There were a couple rice cakes too, although I would have hoped for more of them. This was good quality for the $20 price. As mentioned, the place is pretty small and homey. There are a handful of tables inside for seating, although we were able to be seated without a wait for Sunday dinner. The lady who was servicing the tables was friendly and attentive. They also brought us a couple traditional bonchon dishes to start. Overall, if you are looking for some authentic tasty Korean gukbap / soups, then this is a great spot for you.
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Hyunmee C.

Yelp
Very small hole in the wall type. If you have 4+ you should call ahead or make reservations. There's street parking but metered. Prices are moderate to pricey. But tastes great. The shrimp balls were great but only 5 pieces. The spicy noodles were good but I wish the meat was not on the bone as it was difficult to eat and the texture was a bit tough along with it being cold as it was in the noodles; I didn't eat my two pieces of meat in it. Note that if you get the blue crab - you can not take any leftovers home.
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Zoe C.

Yelp
This little restaurant is really charming, we almost missed it as we were walking down the street even with Google maps on LOL. The crabs in their ganjang gejang or soy marinated crabs were super fresh, but the soy flavor seemed a bit weaker than other places I've been. Maybe because of how fresh the crabs were? The cold noodles were really refreshing and chewy, perfect for a summer day, but I think it doesn't stand out too much from other stores. I will definitely come back to check out the rest of the menu and I wish I tried some of the other items they're more well known for, but the day I went was too hot for the other items.
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Sallie D.

Yelp
Oyster pancake here is really delicious - must get. Soy sauce marinated crab was good with lots of roe but not as sweet as I liked. It tastes more lightly flavored than other places, with a bit of sesame oil. Beef soup and chicken soup were both good. I also really liked their lightly fermented kimchi - really refreshing. Service was good.
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Brenda C.

Yelp
Intimate but dearly loved by the locals. This place is truly a hidden gem. Their menu is very focused and what they offer are things that locals and newbies to their place love and want to come back for more. This local small eatery is a favorite for a reason. The food is that good. The service is good. They have a waitress who's the only one who's really taking care of all the tables. We did see a gentleman from the kitchen come out bringing their famous marinated crabs out but that's the only time we saw anyone helping the lady. Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 3/5 Note: street parking only.
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Chaiyeon L.

Yelp
I heard a lot of great things about this place so I drove two hours to come here and it was definitely worth it! There's not a lot of places that do raw marinated crab, so I was really excited to try this place. The soy marinade was so delicious and probably the best I've had in the U.S even compared to a lot of the famous places in LA. The crabs were fresh and the portion was really good for the price. We ordered one large raw marinated crab and one gookbap for two people and we were super full at the end of it. The place is pretty small and cozy less than tables, and it got pretty full around 7:30pm on the Friday, but there was no wait for us when we went at 7pm. The service, food, and price were all amazing and I can't wait to go back.
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Ron R.

Yelp
Looking for something new to try when it comes to Korean food, it was perfect to visit Ahjae Gookbap yesterday. Having lived in Asia for a number of years I was use to being in Korea and having a meal that was perfect. The visit yesterday was like that. But a bit less than expected. It was more about take-out than a formal lunch especially at this price. I did order some of the items I always enjoy: Shrimp Ball appetizer, followed by Bibingnaeng and an order of Ddukbaegi Bulgogi . This was a good idea of what to have on a nice day. The food was fresh, tasty and well made. It was a fair proportion and rich with fine items to enjoy. The Shrimp Ball was of a fair amount to start with and even share. It was perfect. The Ddukbaegi Bulgogi was like a typical bowl of soup borth with meat, noodles and some vegetables. It is always added with a bit of spice and sauce to make it a little stronger to enjoy. As for the Bibingnaeng it had the right proportions of meet and vegetables that, once more, could have an addition of sauce and spice if you prefer. The service was good. The variety was perfect for choice. The price, a bit higher than expected in this environment. There is a fair amount of individuals art the lunch time. Dinner might be something else. It was worth the visit in an area where there is a large arrangement of Asian cooking and establishments. Kamsahamnida (thank you)!
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Ana M.

Yelp
Perfect spot for heartwarming, wholesome, comfort eats. I ordered the oyster soup with chives and it was perfect for the rainy and cold weather outside. My partner got the cold buckwheat noodles with beef and he really enjoyed it too. We both enjoyed our meals. We also ordered the small soy marinated crab (comes in S & L size) and honestly I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm picky when it comes to eating raw seafood (took me a while to open up to sashimi!), but I was pleasantly surprised. I never would've ordered this for myself, so I'm glad my partner did because I really liked the crab! The crab tasted like uni - but better! I'd say it was a sweeter and smoother version of uni. If this spot wasn't so far from home, I'd love to regularly come back just for the crabs. I had a great meal here.
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lmno p.

Yelp
Maybe because our expectations were so high after reading the reviews. The meat in the soups was too chewy and the crab was good but not very meaty. The young female server was very nice. The ramp to the bathroom is kind of dangerous for older folks.
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Cecilia L.

Yelp
Went back and they expanded their menu! This time we also tried their marinated raw crab and moo naeng myun (cold noodle). It was my first time trying raw crab and that didn't disappoint The cold noodle was even better - noodle super bouncy and soup base was just right.
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Mel Z.

Yelp
Come here because the place speciality is gookbap or beef ribs soup. My kids ordered so much from gookbap, gamjatang this was so yummy full of flavor the meat tender, the soup has the right spiciness, bimbim naeng myeon, I think they have one the best naeng myeon in NJ it's the right sweet, sour and spicy. Galjun it's pancake with oyster it's very yummy. Overall I was blown away with the food in here. The service was fast and very good. The restaurant is small. Lots of middle age uncles and aunties eating in here. Actually I want to gate keep this place, lol.
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Michelle T.

Yelp
I stumbled upon this hole-in-the-wall restaurant on Yelp, specializing in raw marinated crabs. The restaurant's cozy home-cooked atmosphere was instantly welcoming. We ordered the Hangover soup ($18 lunch special) and a small portion of raw marinated crabs ($18) for two. The Hangover soup was generously packed with chunks of beef brisket, and it became an instant favorite. I was surprised with the numerous sides that came with our order - including seaweed, scallion eggs, and banchan. We visited on a Sunday afternoon at 4 pm and were seated right away. The portions were generous, and the prices were reasonable. I can't wait to come back for more!
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Julie K.

Yelp
A small, intimate restaurant in palisades park. The waiters are quick to take my order and the food came out quickly too. I was excited to try the marinated crabs and it did not disappoint! I've had alot of bad soy marinated crabs but the ones here were perfectly marinated and tasted so fresh. Would love to come back again and get a large size next time!
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Wen L.

Yelp
Interesting small spot with festive decor. I like that they have heat lamps and aluminum covering the glass even indoors, this attention to detail shows how they care about the comfort of their customers. My overall rating for this restaurant is 3.5/5, I tried the raw crabs, it did seem fresh but lacked flavor, didn't quite feel like other spots I tried where the flavor pairs well with rice and it didn't quite satisfy my craving. The beef bone soup was good though, very hearty and beef was tender and fell off the bone.
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Khanh N.

Yelp
Upon arrival, the place is very small. So be prepared to have extra time because there might be a wait. My friend and I had to wait almost an hour on a Sunday night. Once we were finally seated, the menu is just one page double sided. We got the large soy marinated crabs and their specialty soup I forgot what it's called. The food was pretty pricey for what it is and the amount you get but it was excellent quality. I would come back for the crabs. I also ordered a small for takeout but I would suggest not leaving the crabs in the marinated sauce for too long as it can get overly salty.
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Anna S.

Yelp
I will only recommend this place for their soup items. The soup was very authentic! The spicy duck dish was normal, nothing special. But don't order the raw crab. It wasn't smelly but the flavor was not well marinated into the crab, so I didn't taste anything but drinking plain soy sauce + tasteless raw crab. There was only one person working in the kitchen & one person to serve so it took longer to wait when we were there during the dinner time. The dinning area was small but the environment was relatively clean. I will go back again for just their soup menus & kimchi side dish! p.s. I was unexpectedly surprised by their kimchi side dishes, it was very authentic & fresh & tasted like homemade kimchi!
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Helen C.

Yelp
small cozy restaurant with excellent food. it was my first time trying raw marinated crab and i loved it ! it's a little messy to eat, but so flavorful and great over rice. we also got their signature stew and the soup was v comforting. i'd definitely come back next time i'm in the area ! if only it were a bit easier to get to from nyc :')
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Julie L.

Yelp
Went here to tried the raw marinated crab. Very small mom and pop shop. Crab was good but not the best I've had! Kind of smaller than other crabs that I tried. Side dishes were delicious though! Menu does not have many options but they must specialize in Korean stews and soups!
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Michelle T.

Yelp
This place is so good I can't even begin to explain. Their soups are so warm and delicious and pleasantly surprised by the crab. A small gem that you can't miss.
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Philip W.

Yelp
Personal Rating: [3.5/5], Yelp Rating: [5/5] Small shop, but big flavor. First time having soy marinated crabs and it was great. Service was good, lots of banchan. The oyster pancake (Gul-jeon) was good too, not a dish you see often.
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Bessie T.

Yelp
I've tried soy marinated crab from a few places in NJ, but this place is hands down the best I've had in the area! The flavor is so well balanced, not too sweet or salty, and just simply delicious. I also got the dak do ri tang, which was pretty good/comforting and there was so much chicken. My friends ordered the mool naengmyun and ahjae gookbap, both of which were really good. It's a pretty small space with limited seating so there can be a wait sometimes, but it is definitely worth it. The service was also really good and the food came out pretty quickly. I highly recommend checking this place out!
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Sarah Z.

Yelp
We ordered the ahjae gookbap and the blue soy marinated crabs, both amazing. We really wanted to try raw marinated crabs in this area, and it did not disappoint. While I wished the crabs had a little more meat, it was still a very filling portion and paired perfectly with the rice and seaweed that they give you. I would definitely come back to try their other dishes.
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Smeeth W.

Yelp
Is it the best Korean restaurant in town? Absolutely not, but they have some very reasonably priced dishes. They have limited seafood options but surprisingly cheap. The dining area is small and only about five or six tables but the the staffs are very warm.

Amy C.

Yelp
The food is good, we got 2 soups (which was flavorful but lack of meat and just chunks of big bones) and the oyster pancake. The place is tiny tho, and kind of uncomfortable since you are super close to others around eating (ppl drinking this hot soup and then blow their nose...). The water says its self service, but ive seen others request for it and others dont, so not sure if there is "service".
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Ke W.

Yelp
Ahjae Gookbap is simple and that's beautiful! They offer 4 noodle options, a beef appetizer and raw crab. We went for the raw crab - it's a very difficult dish to find in NYC so we had to try. I had the bibim cold noodles and it was way bigger than I expected. The raw crab Ooey gooey Texture good, crabby flavor better. The bibim cold noodle The noodles arrive in the biggest metal bowl ever and then they offer to cut the noodle for you. SAY YES. You want them to cut it for you rather than trying to pick apart the slightly sticky and very chewy noodles yourself. I got the spicy version and I think it's a great contrast between the heat of the noodles, the literal ice and the cool soup. The beef was really tender but a bit scarce. This is one of those places with just a choices on the menu, and they're all good. I can appreciate that!
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Krystle U.

Yelp
I almost don't want to write this because I want to gatekeep this place. When you walk in, you'll see about 7 tables in a little dining room and that's it. Luckily, I've been able to get a table every time without waiting. This is the type of place where you come with a small party -- anything more than 6 would be rude. I know this place is known for its ahjae gukbap, but the bibimnamyeon is my favorite. They also serve amazing marinated raw crab for a decent price. Banchan are great. Service is friendly and very quick.
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Amanda C.

Yelp
I came on a rainy day, cold and kind of damp from walking around. Nothing hit better than a warm bowl of bone soup that carried just the right amount of spice. The restaurant is small, tables were a little cramped, and the menu is simple, but that means you know that they will do their small menu justice. Also got the soy sauce marinated crab to mix with rice. And wow my mind was blown by how delicious raw crab tasted. I can't wait to return because I don't think you can find a menu like this in Manhattan's ktown!