Goggan

This is my second time here. I’m a big foodie (I’m from Spain) and I really appreciate a varied and tasteful menu.
We had:
Brussel sprouts
Sweet Potato noodles
Persimmon salad
Sea urchin bibimbap
Porkbelly
Short rib galbjim
Green tea pudding and green tea cheesecake.
Everything was amazing. However my favorite was the short rib, the taste is amazing, so soft and the flavor was out of this world.
This is a perfect date spot, the noise level is low and the lighting and ambience is so soft and relaxed.
I really love it.

Very good! Had no idea what to expect. Had reservations and they seated us immediately. Place wasn’t pack but started to fill up during our time there. They started us off with potato chip and salmon tartare. It was delicious … I would of liked more! We had the Galbi steak and Goggan ramen. Both very good. The steak was so tender and loved the Swiss chard served with it. The ramen was perfect for a cold night! The waiter asked a few times after I ordered if I liked spicy (I do) but because he asked more than once I started to wonder how spicy would it be? It wasn’t even spicy … I’d consider it flavorful. Overall great meal and service.

Delicious upscale Korean food served in a casual, comfortable atmosphere. There are some traditional style Korean plates (Bibimbap, Seafood Pancake, etc.) on the menu, but I wound up having their Brook Trout which was perfectly seasoned and very delicately cooked. Korean Fried Chicken Wings were also really tasy — we got the garlic and soy. Again, cooked and spiced to perfection. Great restaurant which I will definityely go back to.
My only complaint is it is set up in typical NYC-​style fashion in that they tried to add one too many tables in back and they are spaced only 2−3″ apart. Somewhat uncomfortable, but great for eavesdropping on the awkward first date next to you!

Very interesting Korean French restaurant. Cosy warm, very casual atmosphere, wonderful food presentation made from fresh ingredients that’s always a plus.
The dish proportion is not that big, but enough to fill you up. I ordered the dishes they recommend and they are delish! Specially with the Old Fisherman Stew which is a seafood soup, It is so rich in flavor, but it is not so heavy which makes you want more.
I am a big fan of soup and it doesn’t taste any I tried before. Definitely recommend to try it.
SY

Goggan, which translates to «food storage» in Korean, is a Korean fusion restaurant in the heart of Theater District. While you won’t experience a typical Korean cuisine at Goggan, the restaurant offers delicious fusion food meant to appease the Western appetite.
My friend and I shared the Galbijjim and Sea Urchin Bibimbap. The Galbijjim is a long-​cut short ribs braised with maison soy broth and served with pearl onions, carrots, beech mushrooms, and chestnuts with butternut squash purée. The dish is served with a huge bone on top as a decoration. I loved the crispy dried jujube (date) as well as the sweet butternut squash purée. The meat was extremely tender, but that also meant it was quite fatty. The portion is a bit on the smaller side, especially considering the price.
The Sea Urchin Bibimbap was a pretty unique dish made with organic quinoa and rice topped with sea urchin, flying fish roe, seaweed purée, perilla, kimchi, chives, and micro green. The dish is really pretty when presented, but when you mix it up, it doesn’t look too delicious. But don’t be fooled by how it looks! I was happy with the amount of sea urchin. However, there was way too much sesame oil (and oil in general) so I didn’t like how greasy and unhealthy it tasted.
We ordered the Hotoek Fondue for dessert. It came with four, halved hand rolled and pan-​roasted sweet rice gnocchi served with red bean chocolate paste, walnut, cracked hazelnut, cinnamon and brown sugar dipping. I wished it had more of the chewy, glutinous dough because four slices were way too small. The chocolate dipping sauce tasted more like nutella and lacked the red bean flavor that I was craving.

Honestly really good food but over-​rated. I appreciate the effort made but they tried to make the place seem so American and French («maison bouillabisse — old fisherman’s strew for jean-​baptiste cecile»???) that it didn’t feel like I was eating Korean at all. Definitely a big step up from the food quality of KTown but honestly missed the vibe. Seemed upscale but not quiet either. Still good place to check out and only Korean place in Hell’s Kitchen.

I easily made reservations on OpenTable. A big selling point is that it’s close to Port Authority so it was easy to get home afterwards. It’s much closer to 9^th Ave.
This is a high-​end Korean fusion restaurant. I’m not Korean but I eat a lot of it and would say this was fusion done right. We had the persimmon pomegranate salad. It was lovely (and very lovely presentation). We also had an amuse bouche of carrot ginger soup. Yummy.
We ordered the seafood jeon but the server didn’t write it down so we didn’t get it. He felt really bad especially after the table next to us got theirs and comped us a side of kimchi.
I got the uni bibimbap. I loved the texture, and there was def sesame oil present to make it luscious. I only semi-​mixed it because I didn’t want to destroy the uni. I really liked this dish and it was a large portion, HOWEVER, if you’re on a date, eat it very carefully. I was super scared of having seaweed all over my teeth and drank a lot of water.
My date got the galbijjim. Very yummy. Loved the purée and the presentation.
For dessert, only the ho dduk fondue stuck out. I wasn’t a huge fan of it, but it was fun. There is def more than enough dip to go around.
All in all a nice meal. Budget, no. Clean, good quality food? Yes. Service was also very attentive.

Nice atmosphere and more spacious table space compared to the restaurants in K-​town. The food was hit and miss, but the service was good.
We started with mushroom salad and scallion pancakes, both of which were quite unmemorable and the salad sounded much more interesting than what it actually was on the plate. For entrée we had uni bibimbop (tasty and loved the crunchiness of tobiko and quinoa), kalbi (good), kimchi fried rice w/​steak (the rice was good but the meat was very chewy) and the pork (very hard and not very good). For desert I liked the fried rice with chocolate sauce. Not sure if it wasn’t enough for me to go back however…

I really wanted to give this place 5 stars, but I really couldn’t. There were some dishes that were outstanding, but some I wouldn’t care to eat again. The prices are also outrageous for what it is. This is probably more of a 3.5 star review rather than 4 stars. Just a warning — I might sound a little cheap in this review, but I swear, when it’s worth it, I wouldn’t mind splurging at all… but this really wasn’t the case. Menu is also a bit all over the place in terms of cuisine (you see some french influences, some mexican influences, etc).
We ordered a couple of popular dishes:
*Meal started off with an amuse bouche — small serving of cauliflower soup. Super creamy, but I thought the texture tasted a little gummy… kind of like when you over mix a mashed potato. Flavor was good though!
Mushroom salad $ 17 (Grilled French baby horns, hen of the woods, ginger snaps, fine herbs, mustard greens with citron-​pine nut vinaigrette)
Really expensive salad… came on a really cute tree stump serving plate, but it was just a small bunch of mixed mushrooms in the center, surrounded by a ring of greens. It was really just an average salad — good, but nothing special.
Crevette Cru $ 26 (Fresh giant shrimp cured with maison soy sauce, topped with fish roe, sea urchin)
This is the item that prompted my bf to want to come try this restaurant. Looks amazing in photos haha. It used to come with the black fish roe, but ours came with the more common red fish roe. I thought that the raw giant shrimp was actually really good, but it was only topped with a teeny single piece of sea urchin on each shrimp. Again, very expensive, not sure how this is worth $ 26.
«Goggan» Pork Belly $ 30 (Roasted doenjang marinated pork belly, served with barley, apple, pickled jalapeño, kimchi purée)
This was DELICIOUS. I would order this again for $ 30. This pork belly came in a long strip — crispy on the outside, and super moist and soft on the inside. YUMMMMMMMM. The kimchi purée was also something interesting that I’ve never seen before, complimented the pork belly really well. Apples and pickled jalapeño also helped cut the fattyness of the dish. THUMBS UP.
Sea Urchin Bibimbap $ 28 (Organic quinoa and rice topped with sea urchin, flying fish roe, seaweed purée, perilla, kimchi, chives, and micro green)
Another lackluster dish. This is what I wanted to come to the restaurant for!!! When it arrived, it looked pretty amazing, and there seemed to be enough sea urchin and fish roe. They suggest that you mix it all together and eat it like a regular bibimbap, but once you do that… all is lost. Literally, everything gets lost in the abundance of rice, and you don’t see any sea urchin or roe anymore. I felt like I was just eating a pretty standard cold fried rice :(kinda sad… all for $ 28. Another dish I thought was totally overpriced/​not worth it.
Green Tea Cheesecake $ 11 (Homemade green tea cake served with a scoop of ice cream)
AHHHHH A++++++. I would get this again in heartbeat. The cheesecake was creamy yet not heavy. The icecream it came with was red bean (I think), and wasn’t overly sweet. There was also a sprinkle of ginger snaps, which gave everything a nice crunch. The only complaint I have is once again the price. If I were to pay $ 11 for a dessert, it better be a decent size! This piece of cheesecake was literally he smallest serving of cake I’ve ever seen, probably a third of a regular cake slice you usually see. Why???
Service was A+; servers definitely knew what they were talking about, and were super cordial/​nice. They definitely seem like they were very well-​trained like you would see in any fine dining establishment. Restaurant was also super cute with some modern rustic charm.
If they worked with the pricing a bit more, I feel like a lot more people would think, «that food was excellent, and wayyyy worth it!» and want to come back again and again!

This place was so different than the normal casual Korean food that I’m used to.
It has been on the radar for a while and then finally we decided to go try it.
The food was done so well and left us satisfied and very happy with the meal.
Food:
–The Kimichi fried rice was so ridiculously good! It seem that their chef really cared for the food and took time to ensure that it was perfection before serving it.
–the Short Rib was the winner of the night, a must get when trying this place out. The presentation was beautiful and it tasted just as good as it looked.
–The steak was really nice and tender, and the veggies that came with it were all roasted to perfection, super flavorful.
It is a bit pricey but definitely a good choice for a night out.

Skeptical of «fine» Korean dining but I gave it a chance — and glad I did!
Service on point, flavor on point, ambience on point. We had the galbijjim, seafood pajeon, japchae, brussel sprouts, and the omija sorbet. Got a complimentary amuse bouche and green tea pudding as well — all delicious. Our server was knowledgeable and friendly, and the food came quickly — on a Friday night. I’ll definitely be returning to explore more of the menu!
P. S. This is not traditional Korean food at all.

This restaurant is owned and designed by a professor from the Fashion Institute of Technology, who was very present and solicitous on the night we were there, Gog-​Gan offers a warm and creative setting in which to enjoy «nouvelle» South Korean dishes.
Be sure to spend a few minutes looking at the use of thread spools and other artifacts, as well as clever disguises and uses for industrial and building code must-​haves, so carefully arranged and integrated that you will miss them if you don’t make a point of searching them out. The owner’s touch is clearly everywhere.
As with the creativity of the décor, each dish was inviting, unique, and delicious. A kimchi Jeon (Korean pancake) was both creative and traditional, with the right balance of crisp exterior, chewy interior, and laced with pork belly, scallions, and onions. It was large enough for two of us to share.
My friend selected a daily fish offering for her main course, it was beautiful and perfectly cooked and presented. I had the Bibimbap with tofu, a dish I have enjoyed in other restaurants. The rice was appropriately «warm»; the vegetables and fried egg topping could have been a bit hotter. Still, the flavors were as good as and probably better than any bibimbap I had previously eaten.
Our shared dessert, hotoek fondue, was definitely «worth the calories.»
A word about the staff: I don’t know whether they are genuinely nice and caring people. If not, they sure put on a good act! The service was not just attentive but thoughtful and kind.
I suspect Gog-​Gan gets a bit noisy as it fills. We arrived when the restaurant opened – but it was filling fast by the time we left. Definitely make a reservation.

such a funny place with funny management. I don’t think the food are any better than any place in the K town. BUT if you are looking for experience with horrible service, just come, and the Korean lady (should be the manager?) at the front desk won’t surprise you for sure!!!
Plus…your tea will never be refilled until the 3^rd time you ask for!
And guess what… When waiting for ur car in this place, the waiter came and ask me to leave since I already paid the check… What else should I say…
Just do not understand why Cant rate 0 star on yalp, otherwise I will 100% to that!!!

Beautiful place and amazing food!
I like the interior design of this restaurant. The foods I tried today are not the traditional ones, but are pretty surprising.
I like the plating here. The fried squid as epitizer is a great start. The coating is very crispy. If the sause can have a stronger personality, that would be even more perfect.
The seafood bibimbap is my favorite tonight. Mixing all ingredients together make a rich taste! The short rib is a popular one, which is tender and have natural flavor.
We ordered green tea cheesecake as our desert. It is a pretty rich and cheesy one. But what surprises me even more is the icecream that comes with the cake. It’s very light and soothing after the diner with rich flavors.
I will come back again.
Ps: I didn’t reserve and ate here on Friday, at around 6:30. There’s only few small table and bar tables left. Luckily we don’t need to wait any minute.

This place is a gem!
The décor feels very different than you’re typical Korean restaurant. If I didn’t know what kind of food they served, I would have guessed it was a more rustic take on the French bistro.
It’s strikes the fine balance between authentic and modern by staying true to the traditional flavors but giving them a unique plating or pairing.
I also love that everything tastes incredibly healthy. I know, it’s rare to say that about anything other than a straight up salad, but this place doesn’t make you feel guilty for indulging in comfort Korean food.
We had the poisson cru bibimbap and the «Goggan» pork belly.
The poisson cru bibimbap comes with a hefty portion of sashimi and vegetables and the entire dish all taste super fresh.
And the pork belly was the largest portion of pork belly I’d ever seen! The meat was perfectly tender and fatty, but not greasy or oily and came with a nice side mixture of barley, corn, apple, and arugula.
If you want Korean food that’s off the k-​town strip and are down for a little modern flare, definitely give this place a try.

Born and raised in Korea for more than 20 years, I would dare say that Goggan would be a potential competitor to Danji, which was awarded the first Michelin star every for a Korean restaurant and is now ranked as one of the top korean tapas style place in the city. «Goggan» (in Korean) means a storeroom or warehouse. A new, small cozy place on the busy 46^th street near 9^th ave, Goggan definitely exceeded my expectation.
Came here for a Saturday dinner with my friend. Made a reservation in advance through OpenTable. Started with seafood & scallion pancake and korean fried wings with soy & garlic sauce. It was great — highly recommended! I need another hour to talk about best NYC places for korean fried wings, but Goggan’s was definitely one of the best. Galbijim (short rib braised in soy sauces along with pearl onions, chestnuts, butter squash purée) was great too. But the last dish for our dinner — sea urchin bibimbap — was amazing. Very fresh, flavorful, and healthy. Strongly recommend to try this one with sea urchin rather than plain, regular bimbimbap.
I will be definitely coming back for dinner again. Cocktail selections are good too!

Had a solid lunch here. They have very nice décor, dimly lit with brick walls accompanied by nice wood everything else, tables, wall supports, etc.
We started with the tortilla ssam with bulgogi appetizer. You get two mini tacos filled with grilled beef and topped with avocado. It is incredible. Seriously, do not skip it. We were blown away by the flavor. For entrees we had the bibimbap and kimchi fried rice. The rice was very flavorful and tastes like it has been marinated in kimchi for hours it was so infused with the flavor. Real good. It comes with small pieces of pork inside that worked perfectly.
The bibimbap is good but pretty standard and quite pricey for what you get. Service was solid and quick, and always ready to fill up the water when necessary. It’s not far from times square but off the beaten path enough that it doesn’t get overrun with people.
If you’ve got a korean craving (kraving?), I would highly recommend it.

So I was in town for a conference and decided to meet a partner of the firm at this joint for lunch. Now before I jump in, just to be clear, this is not a typical k joint on 32^nd street and is definitely a upscale Korean fusion place so just keep that in mind. These guys take the traditional dishes and class it up with a new twist. This joint is not too far from times sq so I walked over for lunch on a Friday at noon (when they open). When I stepped in, I was warmly greeted by the folks at the door and pointed in the direction of my table where my company was already there. The décor of the joint is simple and «cutesy» which reminded me a buncha of the cafes in korea.
After sitting down, I started perusing the menu and we decided to order the seafood pancake as an appetizer and my company had the Uni Bibimbap with myself ordering the kimchi fried rice. The pancake itself was a bit thicker than traditional Korean pancakes I have had. The ingredients were solid and the inside was not soggy with the outside being perfectly crispy. This was a nice way to start this lunch. Soon after, our main dishes came out. The kimchi fried rice was with steak and it was really solid. The rice was cooked perfectly and the tender pieces of steak were absolutely delicious. I was able to grab a few bites of the uni bibimbap and it was interesting. It was a good texture with of course the delicious uni on top. The dish was well balanced with seaweed, kimchi and uni topped over it.
All in all, a solid lunch spot if you are looking for a twist on Korean food. Definitely somewhere where I will be back to try some of the other plates.

Occasion:
Casual Friday dinner
Ordering:
Sea urchin Bibimbap
Galbi Medallion
Review:
Overall it was a great experience. It is very modern/​chic korean food. But unlike other modern Korean places (such as Jungsik), Goggan’s food feels very modern but also holds on to its Korean roots. The dishes I tried are quite innovative in themselves but you still feel the Korean authenticity in their essence.
Sea urchin Bibimbap:
Very smart use of uni and flying fish roe in a rice dish that is well balanced with traditional korean ingredients — kimchi, seaweed, Shiso leaves, etc. Every bite came with a surprise :)
Galbi Medallion:
Medallion is a western concept but the Maison soy sauce keeps reminding you of its Korean roots. Server recommended medium instead of medium rare which made the medallions very juicy inside. The watercress salad on the side was a refreshing complement to the dish.
I’ll come back and try other items on the menu.

Seriously, you MUST try this place! It was spectacular. Aside from having a cozy atmosphere, the food and service were phenomenal. My friend and I opted to order and split the bibimbap with spicy chicken ($ 18) and the le grand bulgolgi ($ 36). I probably liked the le grand bulgogi a bit more, but the bibimbap was tasty as well.
The bulgogi is Chef’s cut prime beef rib-​eye marinated in Korean barbecue sauce, grilled on open fire served with kimchi and brussels sprouts. The barbecue sauce has a nice mesquite flavor. The steak should be eaten completely together with the kimchi and brussels sprouts for an absolute perfect bite. The bulgogi, which we ordered medium rare, was tender, melt in your mouth perfection.
The bibimbap with spicy chicken was served with a bowl of rice with bean sprouts, zucchini, shiitake mushroom, julienned carrots, seaweed chips, gochujang (a red chili sauce) and a fried egg. You mix everything together yourself for a sizable portion of bibimbap. It was a nice blend of flavors.
For dessert, we opted for the green tea pudding ($ 8). If you like the flavor of green tea ice cream, you’ll definitely enjoy this. It’s served in a shooter and topped with house made whipped cream and a cookie crumble. The pudding is not too heavy or sweet, so I left feeling like I could still fit in my clothes.
Just a note: Although our dishes came out at the same time, at the tables to the left and right of us, their food was served at different times. It would be nice if the restaurant could address this issue. Either way, don’t let that deter you from coming here.