Dons Bogam
Korean barbecue restaurant · Midtown East ·
Korean BBQ & wine bar with stylish setting and great bibimbap
Korean BBQ & wine bar with stylish setting and great bibimbap
"At Dons Bogam, the food is fantastic and service indulgent. From the festive bar up front right down to those two-tops sporting blazing grills, every seat is filled, so reserve ahead. Make no mistake: this is no average K-town joint. Inside, a top-notch venting system lets diners enjoy a smoke-free evening of exceptional grilled meats. Start with fried pork mandu, which are on-point and divine. Pork belly marinated in red wine is smoky and supremely tender, but for the ultimate payoff, opt for the beef platter. It features thinly sliced maeun and yangnyeom galbi set beside meaty king trumpet mushrooms. In Midtown for meetings? Pop in for the BBQ lunch, a fun and interactive midday meal that is leaps above a quick grab-and-go salad, yet just as healthy." - Michelin Inspector
"When there's an open flame situation and a lot of other tables around you, a little bit of space is usually a good idea. In addition to Korean BBQ, this restaurant in K-Town has plenty of items like japchae, kimchi pajeon, and several varieties of dolsot bibimbap. There's also a whole section with sunken seating—which means your butt will be at floor level—and these tables have more space between them compared to the others." - kenny yang
"Don Don is a three-week-old Korean barbecue restaurant in Bryant Park that serves lots of pork and not much else. Owned by chef Sungchul Shim, who also owns Michelin-starred restaurants Kochi and Mari, Don Don offers a casual atmosphere with about 70 seats and portable induction burners at round tables. The menu specializes in various parts of the pig, with prices ranging from $30 to $60 per serving. The restaurant is open Sunday to Wednesday, from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Thursday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m." - Luke Fortney
"I note that the owner behind Jongro BBQ also operates Dons Bogam (and its sibling Dons Bogam Black), expanding those barbecue restaurants across Fifth Avenue and onto 30th and Fifth as part of a broader strategy to consolidate presence in the area." - Sam Kim
"If you’re someone who can expense copious amounts of food and drinks to your company, bring clients to Dons Bogam for high-end Korean BBQ. The big, all-black space feels like it could be in Tribeca or Meatpacking, and the interior is covered with bottles from its long wine list. If you don’t want a Monday morning meeting with your accounting department (or you don’t happen to have a corporate card), then stay away from the $100 steaks and order from the a la carte section of the menu instead. The pajeon (scallion pancakes) are very good, as are all the bibimbaps." - Matt Tervooren