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- Neighborhoods:
- Koreatown, Midtown
- Categories:
- Restaurants, Barbecue Restaurants
- Price:
- $$
- Cuisine:
- Korean
- Restaurant Special Features:
- Payment Methods:
- General Info:
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At a Glance
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62% ambiance
“The Manhattan location seems to be following because the food isn't nearly as great as the other places.”
50% drinks
“cocktails are not that great.”
70% food quality
“Even though the Kum Gang San in Flushing is better, the restaurant in NYC is still consistantly tasty and better than a lot of other places.”
100% menu variety
“With a variety of dishes to try from, the food is usually pretty good.”
100% overall
“This is a great place for people who have never eaten Korean food and want the experience or for someone who loves Korean food and knows what the deal is.”
0% return potential
“used to not mind that much, but after the terrible service I received the last time i went, i will NEVER go back.”
57% service
“This is a great place for people who have never eaten Korean food and want the experience or for someone who loves Korean food and knows what the deal is.”
77% value
“The food was delicious and worth being treated like second class citizens.”
40% wait time
“service can be slow when the place is crowded.”
Write a Tip for Kum Gang San
What Our Expert Scouts Say
October 06, 2012
Upscale Korean BBQ in k-town. Huge portions. It may be 2 for $55 but it can feed way more than that. Trendy location, great food, and a lot of marinated meats.
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Heart
Tips for Kum Gang San
January 27, 2010
Highly anticipated but disappointed. All restaurant guides point to this place and they couldn't be more wrong. I was prepared to be rushed out since they like to turn over the tables very quickly, but for a Tuesday night it wasn't crowded and they didn't push us through the meal. Unfortunately the meal was very disappointing. The Pa Jun appetizer (scallion pancake) was bland, the shrimp tempura was too crusty, and the BBQ kalbi dinner portion was small and ordinary. Not to mention we had to ask for more rice with our meal. Lastly, the side dishes were minimal at best and no kimchi at all. I've been to other Korean places, most notably Kang Suh in Yonkers, and they were so much better. The hosts were polite but that was about it. I do not plan on revisiting this location.
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Heart
January 12, 2008
Despite bad reviews, I actually enjoyed it!. I loved this restaurant. My friends and I (group of 7) decided to have a late dinner around 11 P.M., but service was great. Others have put bad reviews for service, but that must be during busy times. We came at an odd hour so it wasn't crowded. You would expect food to be bad during slow hours but it was actually great. I would love to taste their food during busy hours. Definitely try the Kal Bi and special beef (? that's what I heard them call it). It was DELICIOUS! We ordered about 7 orders of the beef barbeque. I love the fact they are 24/7. It's a great place to dine after a night out with friends.
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Heart
September 05, 2007
Good food but quite expensive!. The food was great but the portions definitely small. The wait staff was nice and efficient. The atmosphere was very crowded, hardly romantic.
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Heart
August 25, 2007
WHO DOES THAT?.
The food is okay, but overpriced and if you're not korean they're not as nice to you. I used to not mind that much, but after the terrible service I received the last time i went, i will NEVER go back. I went there in a birthday group of ten people. The waitress was rude, but we thought whatever, it's a busy night, who cares? After the meal, some of the group was already downstairs and outside, while the rest of us settled the bill. We put the money on the table and were about to leave when the waitress STOPPED US. She said we had to wait there - that we could not leave - until she had counted out the money we left. I was absolutely STUNNED, and then extremely angry at her rudeness in suggesting that we would try to dine and dash. (it's not like we were a group of teenagers who wouldn't have enough money. we're freakin twenty something asian bankers.) She counted the money painstakingly slow in front of everybody in the restaurant and then bid us a facetiously nice goodbye when she realized we had left her an $80 tip. Afterwards, my friend tried to complain to the manager on duty, but he pretended to not speak english!
My advice - if you're looking for overpriced korean food, just go to the restaurant across the street. their bulgogi is better anyways.
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Heart
March 17, 2007
Just Not Fun Anymore. If you don't mind dropping $60-$70 in 20 minutes flat for so-so food, this is your place. We used to come here, both as a couple and in a group, and it was always fun - an experience - not rushed, food decent, service not great, but okay. The last couple times have been awful. They hovered over us until we were ready to order, and no sooner did they drop the kimchee plates, they were bringing the main course, and insisting on cooking it on the BBQ for us, despite us making it clear we like to do it ourselves... on our own time, at our own pace. The beef was grisly (again) and the chicken was bland. The Shumai appetizer (which came AFTER the main course food) sucked. Trader Joe's has better frozen Shumai. This place is now like a fast-food joint, with 4-star restaurant prices. We will NEVER go here again.
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Heart
February 26, 2007
Overrated. This restaurant is enjoyable for the decor only. The food is bland and mediocre. Furthermore, the service that i had received was terrible. The Manager himself spilt soysauce all over my bag and my coat, and he expressed no remorse or heartfelt apology for his actions. In fact, when i confronted him about it, he accused me of being oversensitive and rude. I felt having black soy sauce over a four hundred dollar bag was good reason to be upset, especially when he did nothing to help or ease my frustration. He was belittling and condescending. I will never go there again. For better food, friendlier service, and a more authentic korean experience, i highly recommend Kunjip restaurant, further down the block near fifth ave.
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Heart
January 30, 2007
One Word: Delicious!. The food was unbelievable. This was my first time eating Korean BBQ and I'm hooked. This restaurant has an wonderful and speedy staff. I can't wait to go back.
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Heart
January 27, 2007
Indifferent management / rude staff..
We had a very shocking experience during our meal when a member of staff threw a table number from the balcony above at one of our party hitting her on the head, luckily missing an eye. A member of staff was informed and said he would tell the manager, but as it turned out did not do so. We later spoke to the manger and found his attitude indifferent and unconcerned and can only assume such rudness is the norm.
Rather than enjoying a relaxed meal, we felt embarrassed, slighted and horrified at the disregard in which we were held. Obviously we will not dine there again.
.
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Heart
January 24, 2007
Great Korean.
Kum GangSan (in Manhattan) was fantastic. We sat upstairs. The people were all friendly. The service was great.
We had the jap chae, bulgogi(beef) dak qui (chicken) and a shrimp dish you also cook at the table.
The waitress couldnt have been nicer. They stamped our parking ticket (you pay them $12) and hand the ticket to the garage attendant. So you end up paying $12 instead of $35 for parking. Don't listen to negative reviewers. I couldnt find one thing to complain about.
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Heart
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