NUBIANI — Restaurant in New York

It was past 11 p.m. on a Saturday night. My colleague and I had just gotten out of a late function and was ravished, ready to eat anything that stood in our way. The issue was the time and the day it was situated in..

We didn't have any reservations, and we both knew walking in anywhere worthwhile at that time would've been impossible to secure a seat.. My colleague had just remembered an Instagram post about last-minute reservation venues, and luckily, we were in the vicinity of their most recent post.

Nubiani had been featured as a top-notch Korean BBQ venue that accommodated late-night reservations, and we gave it a blind shot.

We called ahead just to confirm their last call for food (tl;dr 11:30p.m. on weekends), and it seemed like we'd arrive a couple of minutes before cutoff. We followed up with availabilities and lo-and-behold, we were in luck. We eagerly headed our way to the foothills of Koreatown.

We arrived at an almost speakeasy-esque restaurant (no sign, just 315 5th Ave. Entrance on the 5th Ave side. Enter the lobby and head on up to the 3rd flr). The elevator doors opened, and we were taken aback by the chic yet somewhat "homey" ambiance. As we reveled in the rest of its glory, we were quickly whisked away to our seats.

The menu seemed "tailored to fit." It was minimalistic and appeasing to the eyes. It had all the details and items we impatiently sought. Everything looked so good. We opted for the "half and half" package (beef & pork), complimented it with Kimchi stew, and balanced out everything with some appetizers.

The shrimp and chive pancake was to die for, as well as the beef tartare. The marbling on the meat was extraordinary. We weren't sure if there was fat on the meat or meat on the fat. Regardless, it just seemed to have snow sprinkled onto it. The stew reminded me of home. It's definitely a flavor profile that is hard to come by, especially in the presence of many similar options. It was hands down the best Kimchi stew ever.

The food was great, the ambiance and setting even better, but what took the cake was our server Yelim. She was super kind and informative. She was gentle yet well spoken. She was very intimate, yet she did not impose on us at all.

All in all, this was the best last-minute decision ever made in a city where the minute ticks differently, albeit in a similar time zone. We will definitely...

All my Korean friends told me this is their favorite Korean bbq in town, and even with such high expectations, this place didn’t disappoint.

The entrance is on the corner on the of the Ginseng cafe, and it is on the third floor. Upon entering I was greeted by the host and sat at the table, even when my friend didn’t arrive.

Key things to know before come: they offer a cash discount of 10% if you pay by cash, and they have an ATM in house so it is very convenient. The water and the sparkling water they offer are FREE at no extra charge. All the banchan come with the meat you ordered and are UNLIMITED refills, as long as you can keep on eating.

The service is too-bar. I never ask for my refills, my waitress, who is also my griller, took care of all the refills, cutting, serving, before I even asked.

When it comes to food, I really I have to say that the meat quality is paramount to their service, and considering the price, it feels like cheating almost. I ordered the small beef combo (with ribeye) considering it was two gals. The quantity of the meat is more than enough and I love how my server cooked eat meat to different doneness. The ribeye was medium rare, and ribs were a bit over medium, tender and juicy. The flavors alone were beefy, fatty, savory, and satiating.

The banchan is always my favorite part of the Korean meals. The steamed eggs they have are one of the best I have had. I like their pickled onions, kimchi stew, scallions, and their pumpkin/squash mash (which is a dessert on its own). The tanginess and the acidity of the banchan are keys to keep me digging on meat without feeling heavy.

Then another highlight, the complimentary dessert: a soft serve ice cream with yuzu honey. The pleasure of getting that at the end of the meal is like when I got my first IKEA one dollar soft serve. They didn’t skimp on dairy even though it was free. You can taste the milkiness and the dense fragrance of the cream, complimented by a light sweetness from the honey. Totally recommend.

If you cannot choose between beef or pork, they also have a NUBIANI package that includes both kinds of cuts. And I heard their other a la carte items were also good (seafood pancake, beef tartare etc). I think from this day onward, it will become my favorite bbq...

Took one of my good friends to treat him for his birthday. I'm a Resy Global Dining Access Member and requested for a nice table and it's usually accommodated esp. if it's the opening hour 12 noon on a weekday, which was last Friday. I loved everything about Nubiani except for the hostess who was dismissive and rude when she was headed to the bar counter seating area and I kindly asked if there are other tables we can get since I indicated it. She was just dismissive, there are none. Oh really? How come there were at least 8 to 10 available? Also no need to be rude esp. if you're in a customer-facing role.

Anyway, once we sat in the area she chose for us, we just chose to take the higher road since it's a celebratory treat. Thankfully, Ethan, was fantastic. Warm, kind, attended to us really well. Proactive w/ the service and explaining the special Banchan that came with the Small Beef package. That being said, this package was very filling for 2 and we really enjoyed it. Chose Ribeye and the quality of meat was great. The rest of the meat options were delicious as well as the dipping sauces, honestly the meat was good enough to eat on its own but I found it elevated w/ a bit of salt & wasabi. The Kimchi Stew was delicious and one of my favorites! And the special Banchan were overflowing, some were new to me in fact. Elevated Banchan I'd say! We also enjoyed some wine, their only Prosecco offering was actually very good and my friend chose a great glass of Red. Ethan reminded us of our remaining 15 mins and then gave us some soft swerve ice cream w/ orange marmalade. Think it's a good way to refresh your palate and the heavy meal.

Overall, 5 stars just for Ethan's service (Thanks, Ethan!) and for the quality of meat & food. Wish the hostess was better and more professional. Checked out the ladies room before heading out and it was very clean, albeit dark, but organized and even had mouthwash etc. There are definitely cheaper Korean BBQ places but this one's a solid option for when you want to indulge...