K'OOK

"Similar to Cho Dang Gol, K’ook isn’t attempting anything fancy. The little East Village space has a homey feel, and if you stop by for a solo meal in your sweats, no one will look at you with disdain. The menu consists of some very decent versions of classics like gimbap, bibimbap, and LA galbi, and you can easily eat here without spending more than $30. Try the crispy fried chicken, and get a side of kimchi to take home. The soondubu jjigae is also fantastic in a comforting sort of way that’ll remind you of when people used to pick you up from soccer practice and make dinner for you." - Bryan Kim, Kenny Yang

"Some outdoor heaters are more effective than others. For example, the ones in the three-sided tent on the outdoor patio at K’ook are fine, whereas the ones on the tables are phenomenal. Those come in the form of Korean soups, like yukgaejang with spicy shredded beef, or budae jjigae with ham, sausage, and a lot of ramen noodles." - Matt Tervooren

"Let’s say it’s a Friday night and you’re looking for something quick and easy, but every place you walk by appears to be as crowded as a Best Buy on Black Friday. Go to K’ook. It’s a Korean spot in a basement on 6th Street where you can hang out with a friend and eat some good tofu stew or bibimbap. There are also roughly 30 other things on the menu, most of which cost less than $20. Split an order of Korean fried chicken or rice cakes with someone, and avoid telling other people about this place." - Bryan Kim

"There are any number of ways you could go about a weeknight dinner at K’ook, and one of them involves a dish called “Corn Corny Corn.” If you don’t want a plate of corn and melted cheese, however, you can get some stew, bulgogi, bibimbap, or fried chicken. Everything at this East Village Korean restaurant is pretty affordable, and the food is consistently great. There isn’t anything too fancy about the little basement space, but the little wooden tables and K-pop soundtrack are perfect for a Monday night." - Bryan Kim

"In the East Village, there are good restaurants hidden everywhere - and K’ook is one of them. It’s a Korean spot in a plain little basement space that you could walk by without even noticing, and it’s where you can eat some rice cakes and fried chicken while you listen to K-pop. The menu is pretty big, with stuff like bulgogi, kimchi stew, rice rolls, and dumplings, and it’s some of the best homestyle Korean food you’ll find in the area. Portions are also large, and the prices are ideal for weeknights." - Hannah Albertine, Matt Tervooren