There's a new place called "Seoul Bros." (haha) at Lake and Cordova in Pasadena, but as you might guess from the catchy name, it is Korean fast food and located to draw the lunch crowd. It's run by two brothers, and the wife of one of the brothers makes the kimchi. Not a chain (yet), but the decor and general design make me think the intention is to take this idea elsewhere in the near future. The food is not spectacular but passable and cheap--I've been once and I'll go again.

I just visited "Seoul Soondae" in Annandale, VA... soondae and pork and potato hot stew was excellent.
Soondae is Korean sausage, made from pork cassing filled with rice, noodles, pork blood, and meat.

not the biggest fan of soondae, but i had leftovers from there, and thought it was pretty good

No recommendations for restaurants in NYC, Flushing or Northern NJ? I am surprised since all 3 areas have plenty of Korean restaurants.

I just tripped over this thread and rather than reading 3 pages of replies, I did a search for "queens" or "york" hoping to find a new recommendation for East Elmhurst, Flushing, or the Boro of Queens....nothing!!

When I'm in this area, I am usually travelling solo, so most of the Korean BBQ's won't light the grill for a single. However, there is a little gem on Northern Blvd. called Picnic Garden, this is a buffet restaurant where the meat is raw and you bring it back to the table and start grilling it. As it grills, you can start on some appetizers, salads and soup. Its a real bargain at around $21 or so. Its even a better deal for lunch because the price is reduced. The buffet works for me because I can sample many different items, for example, I never had lamb growing up, but I saw some marinated meat on the buffet that looked pretty good (there are no signs) and while it was grilling, I asked the waitress "what am I grilling here" and found out it was lamb. I'm hooked, and now I have it when I'm at a kebab joint.

If you don't want a buffet and you are a party of 2 or more, go to

Jang Tuh Sutbulgui
136-93 37th Ave
Flushing, NY 11354

the waitress will place real charcoal (not the kingsford stuff) in the middle of your table and you order off the menu, grill it up, its really good. There is a municipal parking lot across the street and you should not have a problem finding a spot, its about $1 per hour, there is a also subway stop nearby.

I've only been to K-town in Manhattan once and I was not impressed with the restaurant, but there are many choices so I will go back and find one to my liking.

There are also several Korean restaurants in the Fort Lee vacinity, but when I'm up here, I have to go to:

Boom Boom Chicken
553 Main St, Fort Lee, NJ

This is a take out place that maks Korean fried chicken which is sweet and spicy and not greasy. You will have to wait about 15 minutes because everything is cooked to order.


Todam
344 Broad Ave
Leonia, NJ 07605

this is a small place, but the owners are really great and accomodating.

ive been to a handful of korean places in NY and CT area, but none of them stood out. i would assume there are some great high end and hole in the wall places.

For Korean fried chicken, I have been to Bon Chon at 314 5th Ave (32nd St) in NYC. Its more of a bar atmosphere, but the chicken is good. Around the corner on 32nd St, Mandoo has good dumplings.

Perhaps a bit too far afield for most of you, but I had the pleasure of dining at Mapo Korean Restaurant in Adelaide, Australia over Easter. We dined in the a la carte section (it has a barbeque section also) and the bulgogi scotch fillet that I had was sensationally good. My fellow diners were also very impressed with their choices.

So if you're ever down that way...

Apparently Bon Chon has recently made it to LA, and the reviews have been pretty good. I will have to go soon.

Just be prepared to wait about 20-30 minutes for the Bon Chon fried chicken. They cook everything when ordered. People usually call in advance for takeout to reduce the wait.

Spicy octopus dish sounds very yummy!!!

My favorite restaurant on palisades pkw closed few years back.

Just tried So Moon Nan Jip and Woo Jung in Palisades Park. Both real authentic Korean BBQ places that use charcoal.

OK, for you LA Koreans/Korean food lovers--now I have occasion to drive through Koreatown every day on the way home from work, so what's worth stopping in for and bringing home? (Come to think of it, my better half is out of town all next week at a convention, so I can even meet one/some of you for dinner if we can get an impromptu FT Kimchi DO together. :D )

I have heard of Bon Chon, haven't made it there. Although I have been to Kyochon, very very good!!!

As for my fav Korean BBQ place, it has to be Park's BBQ on Vermont and Olympic. Charcoal grill (altho not completely charcoal), great fan so you don't get stinky. Their pork belly is so delicious.. yumm...