SikGaek — Restaurant in New York

Came in on what looked like a slow Monday afternoon -- only one other table was occupied in the whole restaurant.

We ordered a few dishes, and honestly, everything was pretty mid. Portion sizes were decent, but that didn't make up for the lack of flavor. We didn't even bother trying the KBBQ grill because the prices were ridiculous -- over $90 for just three types of meat? For that price, you could get all-you-can-eat KBBQ elsewhere. Makes no sense. It almost feels like good service is reserved for the people who spend big on their overpriced meats, just because that means a bigger tip.

But honestly, even if the food had been good, it still wouldn't have made up for the poor service. The side dishes were very stale. Dressing on the salad was gross. Kimchee stew was decent (can't go wrong with that), Bulgogi was dry.

Our server, Mike, took our order and then vanished. I'm not exaggerating -- we saw him chilling in the back, fully tuned into his computer screen, smiling and laughing. Just because it's a slow day doesn't mean you get to check out completely. Meanwhile, the couple next to us -- who did order the grill -- were getting great service. Maybe it's because they spent more, or maybe Mike just didn't vibe with us for whatever reason. Either way, it was noticeable.

As a paying customer, I'm not just here to eat -- I'm here to dine in. That includes being taken care of. I might as well have done takeout. I had to literally wave Mike down just to get the check and boxes -- something that should have been offered without asking. And when he finally brought the boxes, he didn't even include a bag. How am I supposed to carry four containers on the train? Does it look like I've got four hands?

I can't imagine what service is like when the place is actually busy. Mike seemed totally checked out, and it definitely impacted the overall experience. And when the service is bad, it makes the food taste even worse.

After reading several past reviews of this restaurant, it seems that the issue of servers disappearing mid-service has happened before. It’s starting to feel less like a coincidence and more like a pattern that could be rooted in underlying discrimination.

Long story short, Mike needs to seriously improve by doing the basics of his job -- checking in, being present, and treating all customers like they matter, regardless of how...

Get a group of people and get the live octopus seafood hotpot. Definitely not for the squeamish but fun for the adventurous. It includes lobster, abalone, clams, squid, octopus, shrimp, scallops, and mussels. The octopus is alive and moving and they cut it up for you in bite sized pieces that is accompanied by a spicy and sweet sauce. It is more than enough food for 5 people and the hot pot has noodles on the bottom making it more filling. It also comes with a steamed egg starter.

The grilled seafood boat isn't as fun and isn't as filling as it didn't come with any noodles. The clams are large and juicy however, but because of that they take a long time to grill. The stuffed scallops with cheese are a bit unwieldy and also because they are in a thick shell takes a long time as well.

The restaurant feels very homey with the wooden tables sectioned off against the wall. The appetizers are quite good as well and very traditional. It also seems like they have some affinity for cheese as it is on a lot of things. They have a roasted pumpkin with assorted seafood and cheese, kimchi pancake, spicy rice cakes are all really good and traditionally prepared as well.

For drinks they have a watermelon soju that is served inside a carved out whole watermelon. It's kitschy and tasty but a bit on the sweeter side for me.

This is a very fun place where the more people, the better. The dishes are meant to be shared and is communal dining. The portions are very large and it is recommended to order a big dish like the hot pot and a bunch of appetizers and side...

Ordered a beef stew dish and specifically informed the server to not put sesame seeds that is also served with the dish as I have an allergy. When the dish was served there was sesame seeds sprinkled on. I informed the servers there were sesame seeds on the dish and I have informed the other server I was allergic. The server brings the dish back to the kitchen and I visibly watch the chef refuse to remake the dish. The server comes back enforcing that I keep the dish and they will not be making another AND I would have to pay for the dish I ordered. I explained to the server how could I eat something I’m allergic to AND pay for it?!? The server then brings the dish back to the kitchen and explains to the chef but he continues to refuse and I was asked by their server to order something else on the menu and that the chef would not be making the beef stew dish again. This is beyond unprofessional and inconsiderate. I’ve been in the restaurant industry for over 10 years and never seen something like this. During the time I was here, I’ve also observed the chef not use a cover while in the kitchen, utilize the same gloves handling raw meat and seafood causing cross contamination and total disregard for a food safety + sanitary environment.

Clearly the cook and staff need to be mindful of customers restrictions. I definitely recommend that that train their staff to be more educated in food handling safety and how to handle situations when faced with customers that have allergies. It goes beyond posting a sign that shows the 8 most common allergy...