Dining at Meju was a tremendously memorable, phenomenal experience. The food pays homage to more traditional Korean cooking and fermentation while still reflecting the chef's unique touch. What surprised me the most, however, was what I can only describe as refined comfort. I found myself thoroughly enjoying both the comforting food and ambience throughout the evening. Each course was excellent, and Chef Hooni Kim's passion is clear (both in his food and in his explanations). He appeared happy to answer any questions regarding the food or Korean fermentation. This kind of experience, even in somewhere as diverse as NYC, is rare and special.
And yes, this meal left me feeling healthier but also happier the next day. Thank you for a great time!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kathleen Y
What an incredible meal! The space, service (with great attention to detail- they moved my utensils since I’m a lefty), food, and drinks were incredible, but the thing that really made it special was Chef Hooni’s stories through out the night. Getting the opportunity to ask him questions through out the meal really took advantage of the chef’s counter-style seating. Really felt like at least a 2 Michelin star level experience. Thank you Meju!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
E K
Passionate chef but very average food. The only fermented items on the menu are just sauces and kimchi. It’s def not worth the price. He kept saying he wanted to get away from the truffle and caviar which is fine but for the price he is charging there should be more upscale ingredients..? The highlight was when he served kimchi, rice and a fried egg at the end. I mean I understand the storytelling like it’s mom’s cooking but come on. Overall, taste was very average. Service too slow.
Mona Liu
Fun experience with a passionate chef, but the service falls short. They are not very accommodating to service dogs and come across as patronizing in their (email) communication.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 2
Christopher Kim
It was one of kind experiences with Korean traditional fermentation and Chef Hooni’s story telling was extremely inspiring!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Eugene Rhee
Please note that my 4-star review is cost adjusted. The timed seating is $300 exclusive of beverages and lasts 3 hours. They have a pairing option, but I don’t drink. Meju was an incredible experience. Chef Hooni Kim focuses on “jangs” - samjang, gochujang, soy sauce… he has studied in Korea and most of these jangs were made by him in Korea. He’s proud and excited to share his experiences, which is infectious. Objectively, the food is all VERY good. I left satisfied, neither overly full, nor at all hungry (that said, I ate half of my wife’s main course). Though I’m glad I went, I don’t think I would go back. It was a special experience, but the food didn’t blow me away given the price and 3 hours was too long for me. 3 hours is fine if you are at a table of friends, but the timed experience broke up conversations regularly. Not all the food served is pictured, I missed a bit of the meat - which was truly incredible, but limited as the focus was on the jangs.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Louise
The ambiance of Meju is exceptional. It exudes a speakeasy atmosphere as you enter from the little banchan shop. The culinary experience commences with traditional Korean music. The intimate setting, accommodating only eight guests, enhances the overall dining experience. As previously mentioned with the other google reviews, the chef provides informative explanations about natural fermentation, encouraging questions from patrons. While this may feel slightly overwhelming for introverts, the chef’s genuine passion for his craft shines through in his explanations, which are infused with enthusiasm about his food. At the conclusion of the meal, I felt quite satiated. This was undoubtedly an exceptional dining experience. I was particularly impressed by the chefs’ vision, which manifested in his culinary creations, embodying the essence of cooking for one’s own home. The service was exceptional and personalized. The entire team demonstrated their utmost dedication, ensuring the satisfaction of eight guests. The whole experience takes about 3 hours. I would definitely return for a new menu
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stephan Herard
The atmosphere of the restaurant with the friendliness and stories from the chef makes this a must go for any fan of korean cooking or cooking in general. Chef encourages questions between meals and each meal has a speech before it. Really wonderful time
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dennis Jang
Meju was an excellent dining experience, both in food and ambiance. Chef Hooni is obviously extremely dedicated to the craft of fermentation, as evidenced by the careful preparation of each dish and the details he shared along the way. Everything was delicious and well-worth the trip to LIC to have a fantastic meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rishi Watts
Meju is an absolute treasure in Long Island City. Chef Hooni’s passion for homeopathic cuisine resonates deeply within his food and makes it not only a delicious experience but also a very knowledgeable one. Also, you should definitely buy some banchan before you head home! The trip to Long Island City is well worth it.
Stunning. No other way to put it. Tasted flavors that were entirely new to me in dishes that were composed beautifully. Sitting in the kitchen with the chef is such a fun twist on the fine dining format too, and it helps that he's extremely personable. Felt like a dinner party with friends by the end of it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bianca Nguyen
Incredible space, attentive staff and service, delicious all around using locally sourced ingredients, and learned so much from Chef about fermentation!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Anna Morrione
Incredible special experience at Meju <3 delicious and educational all in one. Service was impeccable and the restaurant only seated 8 people so it was a very intimate experience
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Joy Zhu
One of our most unique dining experiences with such a personal curation. It was elevated yet casual. Perfectly done and loved every bite.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jea-Hyoun Feng
Meju was a memorable and amazing dining experience. When my husband told me about a Korean fermentation tasting menu, I was already sold - being Korean American and loving all the fermented things.
It was such an adventure! You walk into the little banchan shop (and buy cute things and kimchi), then get invited into a hidden door, down a beautiful hallway into Chef Hooni's sleek kitchen space with 8 counter seats. The space has the look of modern yet Korean touches - like the rice cooker in the corner and a giant celadon vase holding flowers.
Chef Hooni comes in and starts roasting seaweed over the fire. It evoked memories of my own mother doing this when I was a kid (before roasted seaweed was packaged and sold in stores everywhere, even Costco). He presents his journey in studying and learning fermentation and each step of the tasting menu showcases different jang (sauces) - doenjang, gochujang, and ganjang. He pairs the sauces with food and talks about how the more time something ferments, the flavors change. Each course was perfectly paired.
The ingredients are all so fresh and high quality. The presentation is sleek and modern, yet the food is true to traditional Korean style. It evokes memories of my own mom and grandma's cooking.
The dessert was brilliant - frozen shikhye with red bean and a touch of cinnamon. It combined shikhye, pat bingsoo, and sujeongwa into one delightful dessert.
The beverage pairing of wine and Korean spirits was lovely as well.
Set aside 3 hours - dinner is an involved, engaged experience. Honestly, I was so sad it was over and I didn't even realize so much time had passed.
Dining at Meju was a tremendously memorable, phenomenal experience. The food pays homage to more traditional Korean cooking and fermentation while still reflecting the chef's unique touch. What surprised me the most, however, was what I can only describe as refined comfort. I found myself thoroughly enjoying both the comforting food and ambience throughout the evening. Each course was excellent, and Chef Hooni Kim's passion is clear (both in his food and in his explanations). He appeared happy to answer any questions regarding the food or Korean fermentation. This kind of experience, even in somewhere as diverse as NYC, is rare and special.
And yes, this meal left me feeling healthier but also happier the next day. Thank you for a great time!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
What an incredible meal! The space, service (with great attention to detail- they moved my utensils since I’m a lefty), food, and drinks were incredible, but the thing that really made it special was Chef Hooni’s stories through out the night. Getting the opportunity to ask him questions through out the meal really took advantage of the chef’s counter-style seating. Really felt like at least a 2 Michelin star level experience. Thank you Meju!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Passionate chef but very average food. The only fermented items on the menu are just sauces and kimchi. It’s def not worth the price. He kept saying he wanted to get away from the truffle and caviar which is fine but for the price he is charging there should be more upscale ingredients..? The highlight was when he served kimchi, rice and a fried egg at the end. I mean I understand the storytelling like it’s mom’s cooking but come on. Overall, taste was very average. Service too slow.
Fun experience with a passionate chef, but the service falls short. They are not very accommodating to service dogs and come across as patronizing in their (email) communication.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 2
It was one of kind experiences with Korean traditional fermentation and Chef Hooni’s story telling was extremely inspiring!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Please note that my 4-star review is cost adjusted. The timed seating is $300 exclusive of beverages and lasts 3 hours. They have a pairing option, but I don’t drink. Meju was an incredible experience. Chef Hooni Kim focuses on “jangs” - samjang, gochujang, soy sauce… he has studied in Korea and most of these jangs were made by him in Korea. He’s proud and excited to share his experiences, which is infectious. Objectively, the food is all VERY good. I left satisfied, neither overly full, nor at all hungry (that said, I ate half of my wife’s main course). Though I’m glad I went, I don’t think I would go back. It was a special experience, but the food didn’t blow me away given the price and 3 hours was too long for me. 3 hours is fine if you are at a table of friends, but the timed experience broke up conversations regularly. Not all the food served is pictured, I missed a bit of the meat - which was truly incredible, but limited as the focus was on the jangs.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
The ambiance of Meju is exceptional. It exudes a speakeasy atmosphere as you enter from the little banchan shop. The culinary experience commences with traditional Korean music. The intimate setting, accommodating only eight guests, enhances the overall dining experience. As previously mentioned with the other google reviews, the chef provides informative explanations about natural fermentation, encouraging questions from patrons. While this may feel slightly overwhelming for introverts, the chef’s genuine passion for his craft shines through in his explanations, which are infused with enthusiasm about his food. At the conclusion of the meal, I felt quite satiated. This was undoubtedly an exceptional dining experience. I was particularly impressed by the chefs’ vision, which manifested in his culinary creations, embodying the essence of cooking for one’s own home. The service was exceptional and personalized. The entire team demonstrated their utmost dedication, ensuring the satisfaction of eight guests. The whole experience takes about 3 hours. I would definitely return for a new menu
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The atmosphere of the restaurant with the friendliness and stories from the chef makes this a must go for any fan of korean cooking or cooking in general. Chef encourages questions between meals and each meal has a speech before it. Really wonderful time
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Meju was an excellent dining experience, both in food and ambiance. Chef Hooni is obviously extremely dedicated to the craft of fermentation, as evidenced by the careful preparation of each dish and the details he shared along the way. Everything was delicious and well-worth the trip to LIC to have a fantastic meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Meju is an absolute treasure in Long Island City. Chef Hooni’s passion for homeopathic cuisine resonates deeply within his food and makes it not only a delicious experience but also a very knowledgeable one. Also, you should definitely buy some banchan before you head home! The trip to Long Island City is well worth it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Stunning. No other way to put it. Tasted flavors that were entirely new to me in dishes that were composed beautifully. Sitting in the kitchen with the chef is such a fun twist on the fine dining format too, and it helps that he's extremely personable. Felt like a dinner party with friends by the end of it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Incredible space, attentive staff and service, delicious all around using locally sourced ingredients, and learned so much from Chef about fermentation!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Incredible special experience at Meju <3 delicious and educational all in one. Service was impeccable and the restaurant only seated 8 people so it was a very intimate experience
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of our most unique dining experiences with such a personal curation. It was elevated yet casual. Perfectly done and loved every bite.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Meju was a memorable and amazing dining experience. When my husband told me about a Korean fermentation tasting menu, I was already sold - being Korean American and loving all the fermented things.
It was such an adventure! You walk into the little banchan shop (and buy cute things and kimchi), then get invited into a hidden door, down a beautiful hallway into Chef Hooni's sleek kitchen space with 8 counter seats. The space has the look of modern yet Korean touches - like the rice cooker in the corner and a giant celadon vase holding flowers.
Chef Hooni comes in and starts roasting seaweed over the fire. It evoked memories of my own mother doing this when I was a kid (before roasted seaweed was packaged and sold in stores everywhere, even Costco). He presents his journey in studying and learning fermentation and each step of the tasting menu showcases different jang (sauces) - doenjang, gochujang, and ganjang. He pairs the sauces with food and talks about how the more time something ferments, the flavors change. Each course was perfectly paired.
The ingredients are all so fresh and high quality. The presentation is sleek and modern, yet the food is true to traditional Korean style. It evokes memories of my own mom and grandma's cooking.
The dessert was brilliant - frozen shikhye with red bean and a touch of cinnamon. It combined shikhye, pat bingsoo, and sujeongwa into one delightful dessert.
The beverage pairing of wine and Korean spirits was lovely as well.
Set aside 3 hours - dinner is an involved, engaged experience. Honestly, I was so sad it was over and I didn't even realize so much time had passed.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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