Nowon in Bushwick serves up a vibrant mix of wood-fired Korean-inspired pizzas, legendary cheeseburgers with kimchi, and tater tots in a lively, neon-lit atmosphere that’s perfect for late-night bites and fun with friends.
"We know the smashed vs. un-smashed debate comes down to personal burger-eating preferences, but after having both options at Nowon in the East Village, here’s where we stand: You’ll taste every ingredient more prominently in their dry-aged, thick, 8 oz burger. Some of those ingredients are tangy kimchi mayo, actual kimchi, and american cheese. If you like high-quality steak meat in your burgers, you’ll love this version, but it's a tough call—and the double smash definitely earns its spot on our Smashburger Power Ranking. Nowon also has a location in Bushwick." - will hartman, bryan kim, neha talreja, willa moore, kenny yang
"This Korean restaurant makes one of the best burgers in the city, and pizza with Korean toppings like gochujang and rice cakes. The original East Village location doesn’t do the pizza, so we prefer this bigger Bushwick edition. The neon-lit warehouse space is a fun place to bring a friend or small group that'll appreciate good cocktails, tiger print, and two different projectors playing early aughts rap videos. " - neha talreja, hannah albertine, bryan kim, sonal shah, willa moore
"Nowon in the East Village is where you go to load up on quality beef, craft beer and '90s hip hop with a friend or two. They're known for their burgers, and offer a few different options, including a crusty, dry-aged steak burger that lives on our Best Burger guide, and a $27 one with smoked truffle. But most often, we find ourselves ordering the appropriately named Legendary Cheeseburger. A double smashburger topped with kimchi special sauce, roasted kimchi and more, it perfectly embodies Nowon’s Korean American menu. Even more exciting than the burgers though, are the set meals, called “mixtapes.” The E.P. ($39 per person) comes with five dishes, including some incredible chopped cheese rice cakes, and half a cheeseburger each, while The Classic has seven courses for $49. Nowon also has a bigger space in Bushwick, where they make great Korean-inspired pizza." - Will Hartman
"Jefferson St. L Unless you have an extra invite to Chloe Sevigny’s fashion week party or something, you could go weeks without seeing your friends in the winter. Entice them with a night out at Nowon, steps from the L in Bushwick. This Korean restaurant serves variations on carbs, meat, and cheese that are much more exciting than another delivery pizza. There’s pizzas with gochujang red sauce and KBBQ mushrooms, chopped cheese rice cakes, a burger with kimchi special sauce, and more. After drinking a few cocktails under Nowon’s neon red lights, surrounded by Ashanti videos on the warehouse walls, you’ll remember why it’s still worth it to break out the big puffer once in a while. " - Neha Talreja, Kenny Yang, Carina Finn Koeppicus
"Ever had a Korean pizza? Since May, you’ve been able to find them at Appa’s, a new pizzeria in the East Village that’s inspired by Pizza Hut, where its owner used to work. Now they have a home in Bushwick, too: Nowon, a Korean American restaurant that’s been open in the East Village since 2019, opened a second location. There are a couple Korean-leaning pizzas on the menu, made in an oven inherited from the building’s previous tenant, Faro. In addition, find dishes like chopped cheese rice cakes, mushrooms with glass noodles, and a burger with a truffle kimchi sauce." - Eater Staff
