Tong Sam Gyup Goo Yi

"Murray Hill is no stranger to Korean food, but this prized, pig-loving barbecue destination is always packed. Inside, the bright room’s décor forgoes all frills to focus on regional specialties. Smiling servers are earnest and hospitable. Begin with the usual but very exquisite banchan-like pickled turnips, fermented bean paste soup and specially aged house kimchi—funky, garlicky and a total pleasure. The kimchi pancake has a delightfully delicious crust and sear that recalls a slice of pizza. Yet what makes this place unique is that barbecue grill on each table, used for sizzling slices of flavorful duck with miso, garlic cloves and bean sprouts; spicy, tender bits of octopus; and sweet, fatty pork with soy sauce, red chili paste and scallions." - Michelin Inspector

19 Standout Korean Restaurants in Murray Hill, Queens

@eater

"The porky, savory goodness just doesn’t end at Tong Sam Gyup Goo Yi, which is aptly named after samgyupsal (pork belly). The grilling starts off with slabs of pork belly at the top of a domed cast-iron pan (sottukong). As it cooks, the fat drips onto generous helpings of kimchi and bean sprouts laid out towards the bottom of the grill. With anything left over, you can order a fried rice with a choice of fixings like eggs, fish roe, and spam. In true Korean fashion, order the mul nengmyun — cold noodle soup in beefy broth served here in an ice bowl — as a refreshing break from the lardaceous barbecue." - Caroline Shin

"Begin with the usual but very exquisite banchan-like pickled turnips, fermented bean paste soup, and specially aged house kimchi—funky, garlicky and a total pleasure. Bowls of glassy naengmyun noodles dancing in a chilled broth with kimchi are just as popular. Yet what makes this place unique is that barbecue grill on each table, used for sizzling slices of flavorful duck with miso, garlic cloves and bean sprouts; spicy, tender bits of octopus; and sweet, fatty pork with soy sauce, red chile paste and scallions." - The MICHELIN Guide

Julia Hsia

Google

Another place for authentic Korean BBQ! The meat portion was not a lot but various side dish options to enjoy with. 🥄✨Fried rice: this will be the one I recommend the most, adding rice and some topping to fry on the pan at the end of the meal. The rice took the oil from pan, mixing with egg, and what we ordered (roe, cheese.) super flavored and tasty. 🥣🥢Cold noodles was outstanding too. The soup was refreshing!

Emi T

Google

A great hidden gem in Queens. Right outside of the LIRR Broadway station, only a handful of items on the menu, if you don't ask for drinks, they don't even bother to ask you. Seems like all customers were locals and regulars. It's only 25 minutes from Penn Station, the pork belly was very tasty and so was everything else. Big portions, reasonably priced, and friendly staff. Will definitely go back to try more!

Kaede Ryuko

Google

Yum yum in my tum bro! I give it a 5 ⭐️ prob bc I didn’t pay but still ✌️😻 the service was great, I didn’t expect them to sizzle it up for us and cook it for us too but they did! We were given the biggest sizzle pan thing which made me feel so alpha 🐺

Julie Kim

Google

Inflation must have bypassed this restaurant. The price was a steal for sure, especially for pork belly. Meats were of high quality. I was surprised to come across pork rinds on the menu. My favorite was the pork jowl. Mmmmm delicious! No complaints on the service. It was pretty clean inside; no sticky tables, etc. You have to finish the meal with some fried rice! Watch how the server mixes on my video. For add-ons, they charge $1- $1.99 (eggs, spam, cheese and so forth). Will definitely be back when I’m around.

Nathan Chang

Google

This spot has the best Korean BBQ Pork and plenty of lettuce to go with it. High quality meat, good texture, no smell. Setup is simple and look exactly like those in K-drama. The air suction device work well here. Got some bbq smell on my clothing but it's minor.

Vincent G

Google

Oh man came here on a Friday afternoon 3pm with our group being the only people in there at the time. Staff was pretty attentive (though it could be because we were the only ones in there) I would mostly come here for the black pork. It was the first time having it and it was Soo good. We ordered the normal pork afterwards and decided that next time we'd only get the black pork. The other meats we ordered weren't too bad as well but I don't think it was anything you can't get from other kbbq places around the area. One other thing I like about this place is the amount of kimchi and beans sprouts they put on the grill. It helps cut the fat of all the meat and even gets some flavor of the meat since it soaks up the juices One tip I have is get the naengmyeon after the BBQ. The cold noodles were soooo refreshing and a great finish to the meal!

Peter Baek

Google

This was place was shockingly bad. Ordered the pork belly and bulgogi. First thing you realize is that the portion is tiny. The pork belly isnt fresh. The bulgogi came out precooked. The cast iron grill didn't properly cook or burn anything. The kimchi was soggy even though it was cooking on the cast iron grill. This place somehow succeeded in making pork belly taste bad. Do yourself a favor and go to any other kbbq spot.

Caleb Varghese

Google

This place is a cheaper version of Hahm Ji Bach, for those who know of that restaurant just a few minutes away. However, that is by no means a knock on Tong Sam. The food here is good, and I love the more casual atmosphere. I always come to these type of places with my friend who lived in Korea for two years, so he generally does all the ordering. We got pork belly and a kimchi soup. Both were good, and I was surprised that this kimchi soup had pork in it. I appreciated how generous they were with the kimchi and bean sprouts on the grill. Would recommend coming here if you’re in the area.

Anita J.

Yelp

We came here for lunch on a Saturday and our party of 2 was seated quickly. The service here is no frills, very to the point, getting the job done (which was fine) but I felt a bit confused at times. For food, we got 2 servings of the pork belly, fried rice w/ cheese, and the cold noodles. Overall, I thought the food was okay. The banchans were good and had a bit of variety. The servings of the pork belly were decently sized although for the price and the area, I thought they could've been a bit bigger. If I came again, I would pass on the cold noodles - felt store bought and the ice bowl felt like a gimmick.

Charmaine T.

Yelp

A very interesting experience with a giant cast iron grill. I was very surprised to see eel and duck on the menu for a Korean BBQ experience outside of Korea so I got both of them. - The eel was slightly disappointing because it felt a little just like a frozen pack. It didn't taste bad, but just not what I had in mind for a Korean bbq experience - Duck - If you've never had bbq duck at a Korean spot, buy it! This was very unique and delicious. - Pork belly - this is their signature dish. while it didn't blow my mind, it was still good. But just like the other reviews have mentioned, the lack of Korean staff in the restaurant took away some points from this spot.

Michael C.

Yelp

We came super early on a Friday night (~4 pm), and there was literally no other table at the restaurant. Naturally, the service was super attentive! We got one order of the pork belly and one of the pork shoulder. Each order is suprisingly small (pork belly = 2 slices), and definitely didn't seem to be proportional to what they were charging. The meat was also just ok. Not as tender as I expected, and honestly about the same quality as pork belly we get from Costco when we do home Korean BBQ nights. I did appreciate the huge mounds of bean sprouts. The garlic on the other hand had a slightly off taste, almost like freezer burn. We also got a cold noodle, and this was fairly good. Nice tartness, but the only downside was that it had a pretty strong alcoholic taste to it, which was off-putting. The noodles were nice and bouncy though, and overall it contrasted with the pork well. Overall, didn't quite live up to the hype, but still a solid meal.

Amy M.

Yelp

A friend wanted to try this place and when I arrived, I realized I been here before maybe a decade ago. The interior is worn but the food is still pretty decent. The only thing to get here is the pork belly. Don't make a mistake like us and try other meats that will not be as good as the belly. Everything is cooked on a cast iron. Love all the bean sprouts and Kimchi they cook with the pork. Limited amount of side dishes and table is small. Service was good as the waitress came often to cook the food and cut it for us. This place is à la carte so can be a bit cheaper than all the AYCE places just blocks away on Northern especially if you don't have big eaters.

Andrew K.

Yelp

This place is super unassuming but worth the try. I'm always a but skeptical about non-AYCE establishments. However, the meat we got was great and not a skimpy portion. I especially appreciated the bean sprouts, not used to this at BBQ spots. The additional items that come on the side were a great touch and the sauces were nice. The portions are a bit pricy so in the end we opted to add on some of the rice with an egg-this is a must. The char for the rice ends up being delicious and the flavoring of the rice was nice. Additionally, this is a nice portion for not a terrible price so worth adding on. We had asked for a portion of the cold noodles that was forgotten, which I wish we had tried. The venting system itself is great, they do a wonderful job whisking away the smell of the BBQ itself so you don't feel like you smell afterward like you usually do.

Windcloud1224 ..

Yelp

Super delicious! The food was quickly prepared in front of us. The food was delicious. Pork and beef was of high quality. The end was top off with fried rice. The fried rice was a perfectly ending to our dinner. Love this place. Recommend to everyone.

Katie A.

Yelp

Mm mm mm. I'd give it a 4.5 stars. I thought everything was solid, clean and one of those meals you could walk away feeling satisfied, like every penny was well spent on this meal. The cold nengmyun in the ice bowl was the part I was most excited for, but it actually tasted pretty bland. IDK if the ice melted pretty quickly but it lacked flavor and chewiness that I was looking forward to. The black pork belly was pretty fire, as well as the thick pork belly cuts. Keep in mind that 6+ people starts to get a littleeee tight of a squeeze because the grill itself takes up 90% of the round table. It's a great time though I'd definitely go back with some buddies to crush some KBBQ.

Andrew K.

Yelp

This is a hole in the wall spot that serves bbq but they are known for their samgyupsal which comes with bean sprouts and kimchee that is grilled on a large circular grill pan. My favorite was the black pork belly but their premium pork belly was also great. Finish the meal with their kimchee nangmyun which is serves on an ice ball that was refreshing end to the meal and I also got the fried rice which which I added egg, cheese and spam as topping with the leftover veggies/kimchee on the grill pan. I also tried their soy marinated raw crab which is rare to see served and reminded me of a place in Korea and was pretty good. Service was great and prices were reasonable for what you get.

A A.

Yelp

Came here handful of times. Food 5 : Pork belly and cold noodles are good. Tried LA galbi this time bc had to order minimum 2 orders, it was not as flavored. Portions aren't huge which I like. Love the ice bowl cold noodles. Fried rice is fun, I wish there was less bean spouts. Deco 5 nice came on Sunday lunch and not as crowded. Dinner is usually pretty busy. Smallish space. Service 5 fast.

Ming W.

Yelp

We saw the video online and came to check it out. We were not disappointed by this hidden gem. The restaurant is smaller than your typical KBBQ restaurants. The table and the stool are small but sufficient and comfortable. The vent is super efficient, our clothes did not have the smell of grease when we left. The menu is simple and limited to a few general cuts of meat at a KBBQ restaurant. We opted for pork belly and marinated crabs. The pork belly was fresh and satisfyingly thick and juicy. The grilling was done perfectly by the staff. They were extremely helpful and attentive. The marinated crabs were delicious and well seasoned, paired perfectly with a bowl of rice. Overall, this KBBQ is definitely top rated in the business. Good quality meat and great customer service. Will be coming back very soon! Hint: you'll probably need more than 1 order of the pork belly. Each other comes with 2 slices.

Jessica L.

Yelp

I cannot wait to come back here again. The pork belly is cooked perfectly and the right thickness. I loved the ice bowl naengmyun. I probably can't just have the regular naengmyun next time but I really did enjoy the ice bowl for the gram and just for extra cold noodles throughout the meal. I absolutely loved the service here. We asked for more garlic and the waitress brought a whole container and spilled it on. That happened for a couple of more items. The fried rice at the end should not be skipped. The restaurant itself gives off pocha vibes and feels very authentic. It's definitely not a fancy date kinda place, but more focused on amazing food.

Karen L.

Yelp

Love this ! It is such a hidden gem but with delicious pork belly. Wow! The quality paired with the sprouts kimchi in a wrap is delicious. Two orders can feed 3 people and 2 people if you are really hungry! I like that they offer fried rice at the end with multiple topping options. They also serve pork skin and other meats too. We had the fish roe as a topping but you can add egg,cheese and more too. Super full and satisfied by this meal. I do not recommend the jigae as its a bit overpriced since its a small serving. Otherwise I will come back!

Mii H.

Yelp

Not impressed with the food, for $29 you get two stripes of pork belly, this with lots of bean sprouts. The unique part was to bbq in a huge plate. However the meat n all dried out. Servers were generally nice n bbq for you, however the male owner was not nice. He had an attitude n wasn't nice. And shove the check on my table to kick us out. I don't find good value for the money I paid here. Will not go back.

Sally W.

Yelp

The eel and naengmyun are so good! I still dream about the eel here! I came here with the objective of getting the naengmyun in the ice bowl, but was really happy with all the kbbq we got. My friends and I came early afternoon Sunday and we were the only ones here, so if you're dying to try this place out, maybe lunch will be your best bet because I heard it gets crowded here around dinner. It's pretty convenient with a parking lot across the street and the LIRR train station across the street as well. Super casual restaurant but definitely unforgettable!

Mahamitra K.

Yelp

Food was great, I recommend the black boar pork belly. The duck is also pretty good and tender, but the banchan and condiments are alright. The mul naengyeon is also very good, it also came in a bowl completely made of ice! Be sure to ask for the vinegar and mustard to adjust to your own taste. Service was pretty standard. The ambiance is nice, the lighting seemed a little fluorescent, but generally a very bright setting and it's kind of like pocha style where you have a big stone slab and small chairs around it. I'd definitely come back for the black boar pork belly and mul naengmyeon!

Tatiana T.

Yelp

Both the food and the service are very mid, not flavored. Probably one of the worst kbbq I ever had. Not exactly sure how it made into the Michelin guide. The place is not subway reachable so we ubered here. Uber cost + food cost are not really worth it, unfortunately.

Mia K.

Yelp

Big FUN factor eating from an ice bowl and having bbq off a huge lid with ok marinated kalbi, especially considering the lower price point. Service was minimal but no issues. Bean Sprouts & Kimchi They start by add a really big amount of plain boiled bean sprouts, kimchi and raw garlic ok the hot lid. By the time the meat came and was grilled, the veg was hot and ready to be eaten along with it. Was first surprised the bean sprouts were unseasoned but it paired so well with the cooked spicy kimchi, grilled garlic & pickled pepper BanChan because of it. 5* Beef Short Rib (Galbi) traditional marinated LA cut short ribs that was decent tasting, meaty without too much fat but did wished was a bit more tender. They grill the meat for you. $33.99 3.5* Kimchi NangMyun served in a thick ice bowl that kept it cold til the end. Noodles aren't Al dente or chewy as expected. Broth a bit sweet but refreshing. $15.99 3.5* Located -on Depot Rd close to Northern Blvd. -across from the parking lot and Broadway LIRR train station Parking found a lot of parking spaces along Depot Rd at 5pm on a Friday

Patrick K.

Yelp

We came here on a Saturday night, the place was busy but the staff is very efficient and friendly. We shared mul naengmyeon which comes in a ice bowl and had sam gyup sal which came with kimchi and bean sprouts cooked on the BBQ grill. We really enjoyed our meal and would come back here again. A no frills delicious Korean spot. Highly recommend if you like authentic Korean food.

Iris C.

Yelp

I came here last Sunday with my boyfriend. We originally wanted to go next door to get the raw crab dish but I think they share the same owner now! This place has the *SAME* raw crab dish. (It is advertised on their store fronts) Was excited to try this place since it seems like more KBBQ options. Very homey vibes when you enter and it starts to get packed pretty quickly. We got the raw crab, the cold noodles (in the ice bowl) and an order of the Kalbi. I did not have time to look at Yelp before we ordered or else we would've known to get pork belly instead! We were originally thinking of getting both but didn't think we would be that hungry. Apparently they marinate their pork belly in house and specialize in pork belly!! Will need to come back and try this. The kalbi was a miss for us.. the flavor wasn't really that good. I'd rather get this from Hmart! But the raw crab was goood and packed w roe. The cold noodles were so refreshing and flavorful. Really liked these two dishes and will be back for them!

Esther P.

Yelp

They had good and fast service, but the food was just alright. Nothing too special about it. The sprouts were a bit bland, and kimchi was a bit too sour.

Jiyoung C.

Yelp

I think my first visit here was in 2010. Since then I had occasional visits when I am in town. The food is good and consistent. I love getting the ice bowl cold noodle in the end.

Tastes Just L.

Yelp

Cuisine - Korean Food: 5 out of 5 - Pork belly and nengmyun (cold buckwheat noodles) were really good. Ice bowl was super impressive. Ambiance: 4 out of 5. Not the just luxurious of places but it is kept clean. Service: 5 out of 5. Service was fast, the owner runs a tight ship and was super nice to my friend. Will we come back? Yes! The food is pretty good and authentic. Would I suggest you come here? Only if you're into Korean food and you're a snob about your bbq. Arguably better than JongRo.

Vincent G.

Yelp

Ro C.

Yelp

Great food, especially the fried rice at the end. Owners seemed to have changed. Not as homey as before, but service is still good.

Andrew Y.

Yelp

Old school sam gyup sal restaurant. Right out of the back alley neighborhood! The pork belly was delicious and the naengmyun (cold buckwheat noodles) were fire! Presentation was fabulous as it came out in literally an ice shaped bowl!

Jane L.

Yelp

Tong Sam Gyup Goo Yi is a no frills, home style K-BBQ joint that is conveniently located within steps of the Broadway LIRR stop. It is reminiscent of casual BBQ joints in Korea in terms of its ambiance and vibe. My husband and I wanted to check it out because we heard that they have black pork, which is one of our favorite dishes when we visit Jeju Island; however, the black pork they serve at Tong Sam Gyup Goo Yi is not Jeju pork. It's from Pennsylvania. It was delicious nonetheless (but definitely not the same). We also tried the shoulder, which was also tasty, and we shared the kimchi mul naengmyun, which is served in a bowl made of ice (visually stunning and functional). Everything was flavorful and the portions were very generous for the price, especially given the unlimited bean sprouts and homemade kimchi they pile on to the grill. The rest of the banchan is limited and modest, but that seemed okay given the main attraction. They also serve hot bean sprout soup, which was a nice touch. The service was efficient but also no frills. (They keep things moving to accommodate the endless stream of hungry people waiting at the door!)

Priyanka D.

Yelp

We had the 돼지불고기 (pork bulgogi) which was pre cooked and the fried rice at the end. It was enough for three people who were all very very hungry ! (We came here for lunch at around noon and this was our first meal of the day). I honestly was expecting it to be really really good since it's also on the Michelin lost and everyone said the pork was really good, but I think that it didn't meet up to my expectations. It was definitely good, but not the best pork bulgogi I've had in the states. I also think that the side dishes here were much fewer than what I am used to in other KBBQ places - they had green onion, pickled radish, and they also kept kimchi and beansprouts on the grill. Highly highly recommend getting fried rice after your meat dish! The rice soaks up extra flavour from the meat and is absolutely delicious!!

Gina P.

Yelp

I've been craving this for quite some time. Was super excited and traveled all the way out here. The service was fine, the pork belly was good (but not amazing), and the part I was looking forward to the most was the fried rice at the end. But, it was under seasoned and didn't hit the spot. The place is small and very casual. I wouldn't come back unfortunately, as it is very far for me.

Jando S.

Yelp

Though it may not be the same animal it once was, I still have high regard for Tong Sam Gyup Goo Yi. Their reputation as a pork belly specialty bbq house hasn't gone unnoticed (#1) and they've built a strong following for KBBQ enthusiasts all throughout the area. I would venture to say that their samgyupsal is a must order when coming here. When indoor dining was still a thing, I loved their pseudo intimate interior and their "metal shield" grill setup. It was always best to show up in with a group of 4 max and their ventilation wasn't enough to keep the odor off the clothes, but certainly enough from seeing beyond the smokey haze. The lively atmosphere was a draw on any weekday night and when they were on point, there would be a wait on the weekends. Currently they have some outdoor seating out front and in the back. They pride themselves so much with the samgyupsal that they note the meat has been marinated over the course of several days to overcome the meat impurities and pork odor. I will say the slabs of porkiness are impressive and I would also emphasize that pork jowl is a must order. The banchan isn't particularly exciting, but I absolutely love the grilled fried rice at the end of the meal. The soakage from the burnt porky bits, juices, and such produce a smokiness in the rice with just a hint of salt from the added seaweed. I think their strongest asset is the service. Even if the food doesn't wow me from time to time, it would always be the service that would lure me and my group back since KBBQ'ing is such a communal, social experience. I also entrust them to handle the grilling and serving from start to finish since they're really that good. The only thing I'm good at is eating everything they throw my way, which I hope I get to repeat at some point in the 2021. _____________ (#1) It is practically their namesake. Literally.

Patrick W.

Yelp

TLDR: Unsuspecting Korean BBQ right off the LIRR Broadway stop. Pork belly is the specialty here - finish it off with fried rice cooked on the grill. No frills, good KBBQ. Tong is one of those restaurants that you're just as likely to walk past if you didn't know about the magic that's inside. It's right off the LIRR Broadway station if you're coming in from outside the area. I'd say it's worth the trip out here. While they do serve beef, duck and offal cuts - if you look around, everyone gets the pork. More specifically, black pig pork. Black pork is a Korean specialty that just, tastes better. It's like comparing between regular jamon and Iberico jamon. The pork belly here is reasonably priced at around $25 an order. The owner and wait staff here are very attentive. If you want to try something a little different, get the black pig pork jowl. For me, this is my favorite KBBQ for pork anywhere. It just gets charred on the edges, mix and match with the bean paste and/or sesame oil with salt and pepper. Once you've finished off the meat, ask for the fried rice. It'll be crisped on the grill and you can add-in fish roe, cheese, spam, butter, etc. I eat here frequently so my advice would be for 2 people, 2 orders of meat, 1 order of fried rice (spam/cheese/butter) and you're good. The total will set you back around $70 including tax/tip. In exchange, you'll leave with a belly full of pork and a smile on your face. Your taste buds will love you. If you like Korean cold noodles, they're also known for their naengmyun which is served in an ice bowl!

Irene Z.

Yelp

I heard great reviews from this place but the taste is ordinary. The owner of this place is the same as the restaurant next door that sells crab. This restaurant specialize in pork belly however it tasted like any other pork belly. There was nothing special about this restaurant. The cold noodle in ice bowl was delicious but I think they reuse the ice bowl .... Not worth the hype. I would eat next door since there is much variety of food and you can eat pork belly there too.

Kathy V.

Yelp

Wow. I've read all their reviews, but you really don't know until you dine in. The pork belly and cold noodles were uhhhmazing! We stumbled across this place as it is only a couple blocks away from our home... wow wow wow I have a new go-to spot now. Also ordered the beef tongue, but it was more chewy than I anticipated. Can't wait to come back again!

Sandy D.

Yelp

Grilling your meat on a pot lid? That cool concept got me there! And so, my foodie friends and I ventured to Northern Boulevard for KBBQ and the unique concept. The exterior was really cute with the cartoons of pigs. Inside, you can definitely see the old school style of the restaurant, as if this place has been here for a while. Depending on your party size, there are bigger and smaller pot lids! KBBQ isn't cheap, with pork belly (2 strips) being priced at around $25 and beef short ribs (4 strips) at $32. An ahjumma cooks the meat right in front of you. She'll let you know when you can eat when she says "Everything's ready!" With each order of meat comes beansprouts, kimchi, and garlic cooked on the lid. The kimchi is less red than other places as its sourer and less spicy. It tasted unique and delicious combined in a wrap. We all enjoyed the pork belly more than the expensive short ribs. The ribs were too cooked and burnt for our taste. Lastly, one order of fried rice to put on the lid was 4 bucks and they give it to you at the end. Nothing special, as they just use your remaining kimchi on the lid, some lettuce, and throw in some seaweed. Unless you are going here for the authentic old school KBBQ vibes, this place was not worth the price. It was a nice first experience but I wouldn't go back.

Doreen H.

Yelp

:( Apparently they have changed owners. The original owners were attentive, friendly, and really showed that they cared about everyone's dining experience. The new owners/crew are OK, but you can also tell they're only there to do their jobs, nothing more. It just feels like another BBQ joint in Flushing now.

Victor H.

Yelp

I came here after a day of snowboarding. I was very tired and very hungry. We ordered three orders of pork bellies for three people. Apparently it seems that there were two slices of pork bellies per serving plus kimchi, and bean sprouts. They were all cooked into the big concave down bowl in the middle of the table. The big concave down bowl seemed to be a new thing. It was my first time seeing it. I thought it would do some magic into the cooking. However, nothing extraordinary happened. The food was normal and the pork bellies were normal... A bit disappointed! When you go to a Korean restaurant it is expected that they provide you with unlimited appetizer with lots of variety such as eggs, tofu soup, potato, etc. However, this place offered limited amount of appetizers consisting of soup, spices, and other... At the end of the night we ordered a portion of fried rice. The fried rice was cooked in front of us by using rice, ham, eggs, kimchi, and bean sprouts. The Korean Fried Rice was good. It was the only highlight of the night. Else was meh...

Cam L.

Yelp

This is a solid mom and pop shop. You can expect to be greeted warmly to your table, and then bid farewell with smiles and bows. Come here if you and some old friends or family need a place to sit and relax with food sizzling in the background. Don't come here thinking it's one of the best KBBQs in town - you can impress your date in fancier KBBQ spots in Flushing. Would I come back? Short answer is yes - I still want to try their cold noodles! The staff were really friendly, nothing went wrong with our orders. Would this place be worth a trip out of your way? No because there are many competitive or better options out there if you are just looking to taste delicious Korean food.

Daniel S.

Yelp

Perhaps I have very high expectations for sam gyup sal especially when the name of the restaurant has Sam Gyup in it. Tong has a Korean pub like atmosphere with grills lined up to the back. We sat down in the far back where I noticed the gigantic disc and soon found that it is not the cover, but the actual grill where the meat is layed. The server placed the side dishes and sauce in the perimeter of the grill where there is limited space. The likelihood of your silverware falling is high. We moved some items to the small table behind us to open more space. We ordered the pork belly with soup and it came with bean sprouts and kimchi. The pork belly grease flowed down through the bean sprouts and kimchi, and added a hint of a smoky taste. As a picky pork griller, I noticed the server flipped the sam gyup sal over and over and over. I should have asked for the tongs because the sam gyup sal tastes best when flipped only once. Tip for best taste. We finished the meal with fried rice mixed with the leftover sam gyup sal. Definitely recommend it if you are still hungry.

Cindy G.

Yelp

The food was good but not worth the price. Each item on the menu was for 1 serving, 1 person. I ordered pork belly, black pork belly, and beef slices. The pork bellies only comes with two slices of pork belly for 1 serving. When splitting the beef slices with six people, each person only ate at most 4 pieces. Each item on the menu comes with kimchi and bean sprouts. The place gave authentic Korean vibes. Water and chopsticks were self serve and there were lettuce on the mini tables for free. I came to this place to try the naengmyeon in an ice bowl and it was good for a common price. For most places that serve naengmyeon, there would be some ice chunks in the soup that can get in the way. However, with the ice bowl, there is no ice chunk in the way and it keeps your noodles cold and refreshing. The con about this is that it's difficult to lift up the bowl to drink the soup as it's made of ice so the only way to drink it is by using a spoon. If I were to come here again, I would come when I'm semi-full but is still hungry. Basically for a snack.

Kelvin N.

Yelp

Needed samgyupsal after a vacation and saw the reviews on yelp. Place was unique with the cast iron grill, ice bowl for cold noodles and raw crabs. Had the pork belly and pork neck bbq, and finished it off with fried rice. Absolutely authentic Korean food and made us feel like we were in Korea. In the end, I left my backpack there with my passports. Called owner and she stayed and waited after closing for me to go back there to get it. Thank you for the wonderful food and gesture. Would definitely go back.

XX X.

Yelp

My and my boyfriend were craving for cold noodle. So we decided to go this restaurant. We ordered soondubu, Korean kimchi pancake, and this noodle. My boyfriend ate all cold noodle, and I ate all songdubu. I felt nothing the day after we ate in this restaurant. But my boyfriend got severe stomach problem after eating this noodle. I think the ice bowl is not clean. All ice bowls are recycled I think???? So this caused him the upset stomach. He went to doctor and asked for some medicine. Don't know whether those medicine would help. I'll give update tomorrow. The owner is nice, but she should really take care about the food problem and the overall restaurant environment especially under pandemic. Update: my boyfriend has been sick for a week, he went to go see a doctor. Doctor gave him some Chinese med to heal and required him to eat congee for a week. It sounds so bad.

Joyce B.

Yelp

One of the best Korean bbq I've ever had! My husband LOVES there galbi and pork belly

Lou K.

Yelp

I've been here a handful of times through the years and every time I come is a real treat. Meat is always of quality and so is the service. My favorite part of korean bbq here is adding fried rice to all leftover meat and juices. Delicious! I'd totally recommend it and it's very affordable.

Viona C.

Yelp

If you're looking for a refreshing bowl of cold noodles on a sweltering hot summer day, look no further because this place hits the spot. The kimchi naengmyun is served in an ice bowl and keeps the noodle cold at all times. Broth isnt really vinegary enough for my liking, but you can ask for vinegar and mustard on the side to adjust to your liking. Everything else is cooked perfectly.

SJ L.

Yelp

Best samgyupsal + naengmyun combo ever! I used to go to hanjoo chik naeng myun for naeng myun cause they used to have chunks of ice floating in their naeng myun and the broth was on point. Iykyk, naengmyuns gotta be in a frigid broth. But they were subpar couple times and I stopped going there several years back. But enough about elsewhere, samgyupsal on the sote ddukkung (cast iron pot lid) is delectable with the kimchi and mungbean combo + the naengmyun in the ice bowl is perfection. I have to say the additional fried rice has been declining in flavor.

Tina S.

Yelp

I don't know what's happening. Did the world all suddenly doesn't care about customer service? I feel sad to keep writing bad reviews. The food was not good, they barely ever came to check on us and also I even went somewhere and came back lol they didn't even know I was missing for 30 min. I came back and paid so that was nice of me

Shirley H.

Yelp

After craving KBBQ for so long and much delayed planning, me and my two friends finally went to eat it for lunch early this month! This was also a place we were intrigued by their style of BBQ with the use of a black lid and the fried rice everyone seems to rave about. Now with all these expectations accumulated, we finished our meal feeling a little disappointed and still wanting some more. We order one serving of pork belly and beef short ribs with one serving of fried rice. The owner lady gave an awkward, disapproving look when we ordered just one serving of pork belly and said it wouldn't be enough because it turns out, one serving is only two long pieces. But tbh, after eating everything, it still wasn't enough when shared by three. I like the pork better than the beef (personal preference). The owner cooks and cuts up everything for you btw (It was nice she told us when to eat tho she cooked the beef a little too long that it got a little burnt). The fried rice was nothing spectacular. $4.99 for a serving is quite hefty for the amount & taste. It was nice they gave more bean sprout, lettuce and kimchi when asked but I say it's rather minimal compared to other places. Overall, for the price of the meal, I would say it wasn't worth it and I don't think I'll go back. But you do you.

Diana C.

Yelp

Lovely, thoughtful servers, and delicious food. We ordered the naengmyun and one order of pork belly on the side. Both are very delicious. It came out very quickly and the service was excellent. They brought tables from inside for us since a reservation had the rest of the tables outside. They also have a backyard area that can seat more people. Definitely recommend!!

Joanna L.

Yelp

This place is great ! Very delicious pork belly and so worth it for the price! They even provide lots of free side dishes as well. You will definitely get your money's worth if you come here

Joyce L.

Yelp

A hidden gem in northern blvd! I have been eyeing this place for quite some time now and I'm extremely happy i made the decision to come! the staff are extremely friendly here and the kimchi was also perfectly fermented. when I asked for seconds, the owner was really delighted that I liked the kimchi and said it's homemade Definitely will be coming back here again and it's not overpriced either!!

19 Standout Korean Restaurants in Murray Hill, Queens

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