Joo Ok

I have eaten a ton of Asian fine dining, and just fine dining in general. I also made the mistake of dining at Jungsik first, and thus having every other Korean fine dining experience in New York fall short in comparison. It's a bit unfair though to compare Jungsik to the others when it's in a different Michelin Star category. Thus, my expectation was that Joo Ok would be similar to Jua. Thank goodness I was wrong!Joo Ok is a great price point for someone who wants Jungsik quality food without breaking the bank and wants to eat in a more "elevated casual" environment than Jungsik, which leans more formal. It's hard to explain, but although Jua is more affordable, I felt that the meal started on a high note and gradually went down for me, even with the extras. This is no knock on Jua though, because the food is still pretty good! However, at Joo Ok, I understood how it had earned 2 stars in Korea, and I was continuously inspired by the creativity of taking Korean food (which has already been done so many different ways by others), and still finding something new to do with it. Each course raised my expectation, and I loved that we ended on a high note with dessert - I'm not even a dessert person! I love that they also source all their ingredients from a local farm in Korea and upstate New York that they partner with, and how different each course tasted. I never felt that one course tasted the same as another, or even worse, that I could make the food at home myself (which I've sadly felt at other Korean dining establishments). I went here twice, once with my husband and another with my parents who were visiting from out of town. Both times, we didn't do the wine pairing and instead opted to buy two bottles separately. The champagne offerings are great, and really accentuate the first part of the meal. I'm going back and forth on the red wines we tried, because while I thought they were great, I wasn't exactly wowed by the bottle of red we got that was the same as the offered pairing if we had done the wine pairing (a Pinot Noir that has some spice notes). Maybe this is because I have a preference for French and Italian red wines? (I love Chianti and Bordeaux meat and wine pairings, and I'm sorry Ryan! Haha). My husband loved both wines. Although I do think the elevator is hard to find (they let us know they are going to buy a sign to better direct people), the service once we entered was warm and friendly. A special shout-out to Ryan (the sommelier), Kyle, Jimin, and Ryan's friend (whose name I didn't catch sadly). What's even more amazing is that some of the staff, Ryan and Jimin included, came to the US from Korea with the chef and learned English quickly and fluently enough to not only make conversation but also explain the food at a high level. They easily switched between explaining in English for me, my husband, and my brother, and in Korean for my parents. We learned new things each time when my parents translated again for us, because I think the Korean explanation is a tiny bit more in depth (which makes sense!). Kyle also comped our red wine, which he definitely didn't need to do, but was immensely appreciated and was a warm welcome for my parents visiting NY from CA. The corn tea offered with the dessert is also so comforting and my mom said it reminded her of when she used to live in Korea. All in all, I highly recommend Joo Ok and will definitely be visiting again to try their next seasonal menu!

the thing is, i do believe you have to have a quite nuanced palette to enjoy each part of this menu. nothing is overpowering, but extremely high quality in subtle, traditional korean flavors, if those flavors are not familiar to you, it can be easy to miss the point of a lot of the courses! the food: my favorite by farrr was the perilla leaf oil course. but i will say there were bites i liked more than others, and sometimes it has to do with the texture or the balance of flavors. most of the dishes here lean more acidic as they pride themselves in creating their own collections of vinegars, jangs (fermented pastes), and more. if you are looking for a more warm, hearty course menu, i dont think this is for you.the drinks: i tried the mocktail and it was great! the space: hidden up a freight elevator, this space is incredibly beautiful and super traditional.

NYC needs another overpriced, upscale Korean restaurant like it needs more rats.At least with some, you get a warm atmosphere and warm hospitality--not to mention, warm takes on K-food--that help you forget the money you're parting with.Joo Ok was none of those things. Everything was cold: from the service doors we entered, to the freight elevator we rode up, to the warehouse lobby we waited in, to the unfriendly and clearly unhappy staff, nothing about our experience made us feel welcome.We could've forgiven all that if the food itself didn't scream cold sterility, the gastronomic equivalent of LIC's luxury hi-rises. All glitter, no soul. It was so soulless that at our fourth dish we asked the person who served it if the chef was a perfectionist, and they kind of nervously laughed and backed away.My $0.02:- Bites: A well-made trio of mouthfuls made with interesting ingredients, but served to us by a bored busboy and described in a monotone that would've put a hyena to sleep. I couldn't distinguish this course from the dozens of other similar "bite-sized" courses I've had at the world's top restaurants, but I'm sure there was a story buried somewhere in all that monotone. - Jang Mool Hoe: Beautifully plated and creative in both texture and flavor. Unfortunately, this style did not continue- Langoustine: Tiny and uninspired, with uninteresting seasonings and accompaniments. I've had langoustine all over its native Scandinavia, and this minuscule version was an insult by comparisonJat Jeup Chae: Gorgeously plated and well-cooked but uninteresting. Pine nuts and K-pear with lobster? And what a tiny speck of lobster. Sigh....- Pheasant Mandu: Ah, yes, the very Instagrammable rainbow ravioli. Except, they didn't actually seal the noodle around the filling, so it's not really mandu, is it? Yes, the pheasant was pleasant (haha), but the entire dish was too small and too underwhelming once you get past the initial novelty of the EDM pasta. - Deul Gi Reum: Nice ingredients (spotted shrimp, geoduck) but not enough perilla oil to make them taste not bland- Saeng Seon: Well-cooked, as always, but the bass was laughably tiny. And foam, really? Are we back to the molecular gastronomy days of the late 2000s?- Gui: Why. Why why why does every tasting menu restaurant feel the need to insert a Wagyu course that consists of nothing more than a tiny medium-rare filet with some pathetic veggie side that'll likely be ignored? In Joo Ok's case, the striploin came with a tiny plate of burdock japchae, a tiny bowl of radish rice, and another tiny plate of mul kimchi. I still laugh at the memory of our server warning us the course would be, "A lot of food". Sure.....If this were a meal for ants.- Dessert: This was where Joo Ok was strongest. The first dessert of walnut ice cream, sweet potato mousse and jochung tuile was a slam dunk. The second dessert of handmade Byung Gwa was both tasty and lovely. Hats off to the pastry chef, whose food was NOT tiny and did NOT come across cold or sterile.Unfortunately, a good dessert finisher couldn't make up for the lackluster--and miniature--lead-up, nor the consistently unfriendly and impersonal service we received throughout most of our meal. For $180+pp, we left hungry and cold--pretty much the opposite of what any proper restaurant would want.TL;DR: If you're, "ZOMG, Barbie's first Korean Michelin-starred meal!", you might be impressed by Joo Ok (see all the five-star reviews). If you've actually done some Asian fine dining in your life, you'll be underwhelmed by the tiny portions, bland flavors, impersonal service, and generally cold culinary experience.

Extremely excited to try Joo Ok, as it got two Michelin stars in Seoul and their first Michelin star in this location in 2024. Nested in the heart of K-town, you take a freight elevator, avoiding the crowds, directly to the top floor and are immediately greeted to their garden lobby with tea and snacks to open the palate. 11 courses, beautifully curated and intentional - my favorite were the wagyu strip loin, deul gi reum, and the bites. Midway through the meal, the blinds on the windows lifted and we got to see a beautiful view of the city at night. Service was outstanding - not a single glass empty, they brought our coats directly to our tables, and we left with a cute postcard and menu to remember our dinner. They deserve their Michelin and wouldn't be surprised if they got their second star again.

I enjoyed a lovely dinner here, it's a set 11 item menu for $180. Great service, great food, and lovely interior. The drink and small bite was lovely as we waited to be seated. The highlights of the night were the ganjang bite, deul gi reum, the main dish (gui), and chestnut ice cream. I tried a mock tail, the homemade vinegar ade, but found it a tad too sweet for my taste. Of note, entrance is a bit hard to find but the email confirmation will provide instructions. Atmosphere:Once inside the ground floor, a staff guides us to the elevator. Stepping into the elevator, we immediately felt the very calm ambience that persisted throughout our dinner that night. Vibes are great for a romantic date.

All the food courses were good and we had no issues with any of them. Only issue is no wow factor to any of the courses (none really stood out) and portions were tiny so despite the price tag, we both left very hungry. I also didn't love either of the two wines I ordered (a white and a red). The entrance was also hard to find and a little odd - you walk into a cold dark building almost like an abandoned garage in the middle of K town. Not really the Michelin type experience one might expect. Over all, the food was good but nothing outstanding. Would rather spend the money at Jua, Jungsik, Atomix, or one of the many other amazing Korean spots in the city.

Super good value for such an extended dining experience. The meal lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes, so make sure you're not tired! It's also cozy, intimate dining experience.When my friend told me they had two stars in Korea, I knew I had to try it for myself. While I don't think this experience was 2 stars, it was definitely 1 star or higher. Each dish was super thoughtful and nostalgic. Even though there was the expectation of fine dining, Joo Ok did not lose the essence of great Korean homestyle cooking. The standouts for me were:(1) the mandu with 10 different layers of dough. A great piece exemplifying how home cooking can be elevated even if the ingredients are simple(2) The seafood bowl -- this was amazing, so many types of seafood combined into one dish, almost like you're eating the low tide!

This place ie great. I love all the dishes. Very filling and delicious. Price is very reasonable. Will definitely come back

Booked this place before they got their first Michelin star. Interesting start to the experience bc you take an old school manual elevator (operated by Joo Ok staff) in an unassuming building to get to the restaurant. Only patrons of the restaurant are allowed to use this dedicated elevator. Restaurant has a clean, mostly minimalist decor with beautiful windows overlooking NYC. Servers were friendly and precise. The courses flowed smoothly and efficiently until slowing done for dessert, which may have been done on purpose. Food was delicious, balanced, and beautiful. The only thing I didn't enjoy was the last course which was a hodgepodge of classic Korean sweets. For cocktails, they offer a limited three cocktail selection and several soju options as well. Overall, an excellent, expensive dining experience for a special occasion.

I was excited to try Joo Ok since I heard they relocated, and it did not disappoint! As others have mentioned, you get to go up a private service elevator to the restaurant once you arrive. We luckily got seated in a window seat, so we got to enjoy the amazing views to the city.Overall, the food quality was excellent! Although I thought the main dish Gui felt a little bit underwhelming (felt more like a filler dish) than the other courses, I was impressed with some standout dishes, like the Makgeolli Bread Bite and the Mool Hui. The dessert was my favorite part of the meal; the sweet potato ice cream with walnut was very delicious. One thing to note: they have a watermelon juice? that is nonalcoholic (iirc you also have the option to make it alcoholic) that is SO SO good. Highly recommend!