Sonbul - Korean Cafe and Kitchen — Restaurant in New York

Excited to try a new Korean restaurant, but as a Korean, I was disappointed with the experience. Having grown up in Korea and NJ, this was the worst food I've encountered. Lesson learned: be cautious with your native food and skeptical of those unfamiliar with native cuisine.

We ordered two dishes:

Bulgogi doshirak - The meat was under-marinated and overly salty. The rice smelled like haetban (premade rice one can get at a Korean supermarket) 햇반, and the plastic aroma was off-putting. The accompanying japchae was cold, bland, and lacked veggies. The bean sprout dish tasted like a generic side dish from a Brooklyn market, not even from H mart..

Pork belly doshirak - Expected 쌈장 ssamjang for dipping, but the pork had a strong odor. Suggest cooking it with garlic or finding a way to eliminate the pungent smell..

Wanted to support a fellow Korean restaurant, but it tasted like someone unfamiliar with Korean culture or cuisine. If you have a deep understanding of Korean food, I'd advise avoiding this and saving your money. Better off getting kimchi and other Korean ingredients from Korea, especially if you are fortunate to have family there, and cook for yourself, adding some ingredients from H Mart for a more...

I stopped by this spot on a long weekend afternoon, a little past the peak lunch rush. Inside, the vibe was relaxed — a few people were hanging out with coffee, chatting with friends, or working on their laptops. I liked the easygoing atmosphere and decided to settle in for lunch.

I ordered a Korean fried chicken sandwich with a side of gochujang fries. The service was on the slower side, but I didn’t mind since I was just enjoying the downtime. The staff was friendly, and one of them mentioned the kitchen was closing soon, so they served my food in a takeout box instead of a plate. It didn’t bother me, and the portion size was generous — enough that I took some leftovers home.

The fries were okay: crisp but under-seasoned, and the gochujang topping didn’t really deliver much heat or flavor. The sandwich, on the other hand, was excellent. The chicken breast was well-seasoned, perfectly battered, and fried (though a touch greasy). What really made it stand out were the condiments and the pickled radish, which added brightness and balance. It was hearty, filling, and satisfying.

Overall, this place has a laid-back atmosphere and serves good food. I’d definitely return and would recommend...

this is probably the second time i have ever had to write a review on google but this feels too much like a scam to let it go.

We ordered the kimchi chigae, kimchi fried rice, and japchae.

the kimchi chigae does not come with rice and isn’t mentioned anywhere that it isn’t (this is unusual for chigae as it a food that is intended to be paired with rice) but okay i would have ordered a side of rice if i had to… but then the food is nowhere close to what they advertise on the menu as you can see in the picture i posted below.. the soup also comes in a pint container and not the usual 32oz and it only has few pieces of kimchi /tofu and nothing else.

even then if the chigae itself is edible and somewhat tasty it might be forgivable and i’d try to understand and blame the “recession”

but the broth tastes nothing like a chigae has no flavor other than a hint of gochujang and gochugaru and intense sweetness of sugar water my mouth rejected it as i took my first bite…. I unfortunately have to recook it and try to fix...