Really small, dark, hot in the place. Sweating a lot, took a really long time to get served, especially for the money and exorbitant pricing. The portions were pathetic for the price. The food was brought out left on our table and then someone returned to take it away to sear it? The waiters stopping in to cook the food constantly interrupts conversation. Between my friend and I, we ordered over $100 worth of food and I was still starving after finishing it. The special on the board had no price and was way more expensive than anything on the menu which wasn't mentioned until after the fact. Disappointing experience.
Renz Sarayba
Another slam dunk. I've eaten at Don Don twice (and planning to go more soon!) and the cuts of dry aged pork, side dishes and black sesame ice cream is immaculate. Staff is super attentive and friendly as well.If it's your first time, definitely try out the dry age pork tasting. I've also eaten at a handful of KBBQ joints at NJ and although this isn't all you can eat, I left Don Don feeling just as full and satisfied. Will definitely swing by again in the near future after work!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Kimchi Stew
Jee
I come here probably once a month, servers are friendly and attentive plus pork belly with kimchi noodle is just perfect ❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tiffany L.
Pleasantly surprised by my experience at Don Don :) We got the tasting menu for $47 pp and the kimchi fried rice. I loved all three types of the pork -- so delicious!! I wasn't a huge fan of the deoenjang stew though and the pancake was ok. But I would definitely go back just for the pork!!
Deborah W.
I came here with two others for a business lunch around noon on a Thursday. The restaurant was pretty empty so we were seated at a table and all of the patrons were well spaced out from each other. The tables themselves were a bit low and the chairs were not the most comfortable; however, they did have the ability to open up so you can put your bags and jackets inside which was very cool. Service was great. Everyone was friendly and all of our items came out in a timely manner. We ordered and shared: -DONDON SIGNATURE PORK: Yum! The pork had a good amount of fat that was well rendered and had a great flavor. The lunch portion comes over a heaping amount of rice and kimchi. -SPICY PORK: Moderate amount of spice and good flavor! Again, a ton of meat over a bed of rice. -BULGOGI: I think the flavor could have been a little stronger but otherwise was tasty! -EGG SOUFFLE: Mm the steamed egg was nice and the flavor was wonderful. The light egg really goes well with all of the rice dishes. They also came with a few banchans as well which were great starters. All in all, a great lunch spot with a nice KBBQ lunch special!
Josh Trif
This restaurant is phenomenal! Not only is the food delicious with lots of flavor, but the service is a 11/10. Highly recommend for anyone looking for great food near Times Square. Also want to give a shoutout to the manager, Jun, who made my groups experience that much better.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Genevieve Dunn
kimchi fried rice w egg and cheese was great. flavorful and comes with lots of cheese so you can have cheese with every bite. note that it has small bits of ham in it if you are vegetarian. and you get a free soft serve at the end of the meal.
YEVA W
All types of aged pork and iberico was good. And like their side dishes and kinchi noodle.Free dessert ice cream was the best?
Guillaume Slama
Move over bulgogi, Don Don is the sexy way to eat Korean food. I went there expecting a traditional Korean BBQ and I was blown away. They have a pork dégustation menu for $47 per person with fresh belly, 14 day aged collar and 21 day aged pork belly. The space is very small but very smartly arranged, with small tables that each feature a small cooking grill in the center with a downward hood and small bucket seats (literally) which double up as trunks to keep your belongings, such as coats and purses (or the quintessential NY back pack). They turn on the grill and start boiling some garlic, then cook the meat for you. The accompaniments were plentiful and delicious. There was rice, radish and onion kimchi, scallion pancakes, an egg soufflé that was just out of this world, salad and a bunch of other sides. They also give you lettuce and cucumber peppers so you can make wraps. I also got a delicious spicy soup. They finish the meal with ice cream to cleanse your palate. It was so good, there was nothing left, which is not surprising if you consider that both their sister restaurants, Kochi and Mari, have a Michelin star. The only warning I would give the unsuspecting diner is to bring a change of clothes if you can, as you will definitely wear your meal on the way out. But it's all worth it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Julie K.
This is absolutely my favorite KBBQ spot for pork. The moment you enter, you're hit with the nostalgia of old korean music and decor. The servers here are very attentive in making sure your meat is cooked well. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of pork, but I was blown away by how juicy and flavorful all the different cuts of pork were and the pork noodle was so delicious I had to keep pouring more and more into my bowl. Would love to come back and eat here again whenever I'm craving pork!
Awesome place and reasonably priced. We got the tasting with a lunch box rice, the pork was delish and paired well with all sides. The service was great and with such a small space they had storage chairs and hot top table that was convertible. Overall great experience and would come again.
Steph Y.
To put it bluntly, this place is extremely overpriced for what you get and it's clear they relied heavily on the cute decor and tableware, cool induction grill, and strong soju to distract customers from the lack of quality. The only reason this place is getting an extra star is because of our server and the bussers. Their tasting menu is $47pp and boasts egg souffle and vegetables for the ssam so we were expecting a good amount of refills on the vegetables and gyeran jjim. However, please note that if you come with a party of more than 1, everyone has to order the tasting menu and you don't get a proportional amount of sides and vegetables. Imagine our surprise when we were told that we all had to share a small tin cup of vegetables and that we would only be given 1 order of gyeran jjim. Laughably, we had to ration out the food to one another in order to make sure everyone had enough by ripping lettuce leaves in half. That alone makes the near $400 bill so laughable. The iberico was priced at $45 for one portion and I was expecting something amazing but it was evident that the restaurant didn't put any care into it because while it was seared, it still had a strong smelly taste. When you're paying that much for a cut of pork, you don't expect the taste of bad odor when paying for a supposedly higher quality cut of meat. I've also had doenjang jjigae numerous times and this was the first time I've had it taste like the mildewy, dirty water you use after washing a rag in it? The various cuts of pork belly that were aged differently were also nothing to write home about. Notably, it was also off putting that they would put the cuts of raw meats on the ledge near our heads when the table didn't have enough space. That's just weird...how about just not bringing all the cuts of meat out at once when it clearly takes time for the other cuts to cook properly? TLDR: Avoid this place and take your money to one of the other kbbq restaurants that have an established reputation of having quality cuts of meat and aren't stingy about giving side dishes. Else, you'll end up clowns like us and begrudgingly accept the fact that we should have went to a tried and true place instead. We sadly kept repeating "at least we tried it, now we know." Don't say I didn't warn you!!
Kaleb Mount
The service was amazing and the food delicious. Highly recommend the Old School Lunch Box.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Angela Shon
It's just a place I'll never come back to... Overpriced,, dry meat.. There was no juice at all when I chewed,, I thought I was eating beef jerky. I paid for the kimchi, but they gave me a can of kimchi and just reheated it for me. Among all the k-bbqs in New York, it was actually the worst. ㅠㅠ
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 5
Anthony P.
RATING: 7.8/10 New a la carte KBBQ spot near Bryant park opened by the same people behind Kochi/Mari, michelin-starred restaurants. Overall it was a bit pricey for the volume of food you get (we got 3 meats and the egg souffle + kimchi fried rice) but not terrible pricing compared to the rest of Ktown - came out to be around $60 pp. However I will say I wasn't super full after. Quality is good though - we got Iberico, Jowl and Pork Belly (as of this writing their pork belly is dry aged 30 days) and the quality of the meat was definitely on the higher end esp compared to AYCE or other casual places. The egg souffle was nice and savory and fluffy. They gave us banchan which included the pajeon, which is def better than your typical pajeon for sure. I think overall, the quality is good and if it fits your budget it's worth checking out. The menu focuses on pork; you won't find bulgogi or galbi here. They also gave us soft serve with black sesame crumble on the house which is nice. The service was attentive, thorough and great! They cook the meat for you and even distribute it when it's done. It's a small space and gets loud. As of now, reservations are still easy to obtain. FINAL CATEGORY: GOOD/GREAT (terrible / bad / ok / GOOD / GREAT / excellent)
Really small, dark, hot in the place. Sweating a lot, took a really long time to get served, especially for the money and exorbitant pricing. The portions were pathetic for the price. The food was brought out left on our table and then someone returned to take it away to sear it? The waiters stopping in to cook the food constantly interrupts conversation. Between my friend and I, we ordered over $100 worth of food and I was still starving after finishing it. The special on the board had no price and was way more expensive than anything on the menu which wasn't mentioned until after the fact. Disappointing experience.
Another slam dunk. I've eaten at Don Don twice (and planning to go more soon!) and the cuts of dry aged pork, side dishes and black sesame ice cream is immaculate. Staff is super attentive and friendly as well.If it's your first time, definitely try out the dry age pork tasting. I've also eaten at a handful of KBBQ joints at NJ and although this isn't all you can eat, I left Don Don feeling just as full and satisfied. Will definitely swing by again in the near future after work!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Kimchi Stew
I come here probably once a month, servers are friendly and attentive plus pork belly with kimchi noodle is just perfect ❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pleasantly surprised by my experience at Don Don :) We got the tasting menu for $47 pp and the kimchi fried rice. I loved all three types of the pork -- so delicious!! I wasn't a huge fan of the deoenjang stew though and the pancake was ok. But I would definitely go back just for the pork!!
I came here with two others for a business lunch around noon on a Thursday. The restaurant was pretty empty so we were seated at a table and all of the patrons were well spaced out from each other. The tables themselves were a bit low and the chairs were not the most comfortable; however, they did have the ability to open up so you can put your bags and jackets inside which was very cool. Service was great. Everyone was friendly and all of our items came out in a timely manner. We ordered and shared: -DONDON SIGNATURE PORK: Yum! The pork had a good amount of fat that was well rendered and had a great flavor. The lunch portion comes over a heaping amount of rice and kimchi. -SPICY PORK: Moderate amount of spice and good flavor! Again, a ton of meat over a bed of rice. -BULGOGI: I think the flavor could have been a little stronger but otherwise was tasty! -EGG SOUFFLE: Mm the steamed egg was nice and the flavor was wonderful. The light egg really goes well with all of the rice dishes. They also came with a few banchans as well which were great starters. All in all, a great lunch spot with a nice KBBQ lunch special!
This restaurant is phenomenal! Not only is the food delicious with lots of flavor, but the service is a 11/10. Highly recommend for anyone looking for great food near Times Square. Also want to give a shoutout to the manager, Jun, who made my groups experience that much better.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
kimchi fried rice w egg and cheese was great. flavorful and comes with lots of cheese so you can have cheese with every bite. note that it has small bits of ham in it if you are vegetarian. and you get a free soft serve at the end of the meal.
All types of aged pork and iberico was good. And like their side dishes and kinchi noodle.Free dessert ice cream was the best?
Move over bulgogi, Don Don is the sexy way to eat Korean food. I went there expecting a traditional Korean BBQ and I was blown away. They have a pork dégustation menu for $47 per person with fresh belly, 14 day aged collar and 21 day aged pork belly. The space is very small but very smartly arranged, with small tables that each feature a small cooking grill in the center with a downward hood and small bucket seats (literally) which double up as trunks to keep your belongings, such as coats and purses (or the quintessential NY back pack). They turn on the grill and start boiling some garlic, then cook the meat for you. The accompaniments were plentiful and delicious. There was rice, radish and onion kimchi, scallion pancakes, an egg soufflé that was just out of this world, salad and a bunch of other sides. They also give you lettuce and cucumber peppers so you can make wraps. I also got a delicious spicy soup. They finish the meal with ice cream to cleanse your palate. It was so good, there was nothing left, which is not surprising if you consider that both their sister restaurants, Kochi and Mari, have a Michelin star. The only warning I would give the unsuspecting diner is to bring a change of clothes if you can, as you will definitely wear your meal on the way out. But it's all worth it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is absolutely my favorite KBBQ spot for pork. The moment you enter, you're hit with the nostalgia of old korean music and decor. The servers here are very attentive in making sure your meat is cooked well. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of pork, but I was blown away by how juicy and flavorful all the different cuts of pork were and the pork noodle was so delicious I had to keep pouring more and more into my bowl. Would love to come back and eat here again whenever I'm craving pork!
Restaurantji Recommends
Awesome place and reasonably priced. We got the tasting with a lunch box rice, the pork was delish and paired well with all sides. The service was great and with such a small space they had storage chairs and hot top table that was convertible. Overall great experience and would come again.
To put it bluntly, this place is extremely overpriced for what you get and it's clear they relied heavily on the cute decor and tableware, cool induction grill, and strong soju to distract customers from the lack of quality. The only reason this place is getting an extra star is because of our server and the bussers. Their tasting menu is $47pp and boasts egg souffle and vegetables for the ssam so we were expecting a good amount of refills on the vegetables and gyeran jjim. However, please note that if you come with a party of more than 1, everyone has to order the tasting menu and you don't get a proportional amount of sides and vegetables. Imagine our surprise when we were told that we all had to share a small tin cup of vegetables and that we would only be given 1 order of gyeran jjim. Laughably, we had to ration out the food to one another in order to make sure everyone had enough by ripping lettuce leaves in half. That alone makes the near $400 bill so laughable. The iberico was priced at $45 for one portion and I was expecting something amazing but it was evident that the restaurant didn't put any care into it because while it was seared, it still had a strong smelly taste. When you're paying that much for a cut of pork, you don't expect the taste of bad odor when paying for a supposedly higher quality cut of meat. I've also had doenjang jjigae numerous times and this was the first time I've had it taste like the mildewy, dirty water you use after washing a rag in it? The various cuts of pork belly that were aged differently were also nothing to write home about. Notably, it was also off putting that they would put the cuts of raw meats on the ledge near our heads when the table didn't have enough space. That's just weird...how about just not bringing all the cuts of meat out at once when it clearly takes time for the other cuts to cook properly? TLDR: Avoid this place and take your money to one of the other kbbq restaurants that have an established reputation of having quality cuts of meat and aren't stingy about giving side dishes. Else, you'll end up clowns like us and begrudgingly accept the fact that we should have went to a tried and true place instead. We sadly kept repeating "at least we tried it, now we know." Don't say I didn't warn you!!
The service was amazing and the food delicious. Highly recommend the Old School Lunch Box.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It's just a place I'll never come back to... Overpriced,, dry meat.. There was no juice at all when I chewed,, I thought I was eating beef jerky. I paid for the kimchi, but they gave me a can of kimchi and just reheated it for me. Among all the k-bbqs in New York, it was actually the worst. ㅠㅠ
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 5
RATING: 7.8/10 New a la carte KBBQ spot near Bryant park opened by the same people behind Kochi/Mari, michelin-starred restaurants. Overall it was a bit pricey for the volume of food you get (we got 3 meats and the egg souffle + kimchi fried rice) but not terrible pricing compared to the rest of Ktown - came out to be around $60 pp. However I will say I wasn't super full after. Quality is good though - we got Iberico, Jowl and Pork Belly (as of this writing their pork belly is dry aged 30 days) and the quality of the meat was definitely on the higher end esp compared to AYCE or other casual places. The egg souffle was nice and savory and fluffy. They gave us banchan which included the pajeon, which is def better than your typical pajeon for sure. I think overall, the quality is good and if it fits your budget it's worth checking out. The menu focuses on pork; you won't find bulgogi or galbi here. They also gave us soft serve with black sesame crumble on the house which is nice. The service was attentive, thorough and great! They cook the meat for you and even distribute it when it's done. It's a small space and gets loud. As of now, reservations are still easy to obtain. FINAL CATEGORY: GOOD/GREAT (terrible / bad / ok / GOOD / GREAT / excellent)