Hongdae Korean restaurant

Hongdae Pocha Is a Late-Night Paradise in Queens

"A three-year-old Flushing spot modeled after a Seoul neighborhood drinking place, it pairs loud dance music and kitschy decor (including a cardboard cutout advertising a peach drink) with a seriously capable kitchen and a full stock of soju and Korean beer. The chef, who cooked in Seoul for over a decade, cooks through the night; standout dishes include an airy seafood pancake with squid and shrimp, fried boneless chicken tossed in a sweet mustard sauce with julienned scallion, army stew and other hot pots, barbecued pork and short ribs, and a crispy fried ice cream set aflame at the table. Crowds can arrive any time: the kitchen shuts around 2:30 a.m., and on weekends the room often stays full into the early morning hours." - Tammie Teclemariam