Let me start by saying the atmosphere was really lovely. It’s a nice location, cool lighting, and an intimate space. That’s about as high as my compliments reach for this restaurant. Barely any Korean staff, and none seen in the kitchen. I know this isn’t always an indicator, but the restaurant goers were mostly caucasian. Unfortunately the food was such a disappointment. The banchan was okay, but half of it was condiments: no fish cake, Dotori-muk, fish, cucumber, or broccoli. For a Korean spot, the kimchi was embarrassingly dry. As you would expect the kimchi fried rice wasn't great either. It was more akin to dirty rice with bacon. The Galbi, which at virtually any Korean place would be served as short ribs, was over-priced and under-marinated steak. And worst the pork belly was just 6 slabs of bacon which you’re recommended to dip in sesame oil and acorn flour (I would recommend asking for a side of gochujang instead). I do have to say that the pancakes were honestly very good, so that was nice. I really don’t love writing negative reviews, but for the high price and aesthetics of the location, we definitely left feeling disappointed. It seems clear whoever developed this restaurant is familiar with Korean BBQ spots, and with the influx of similar restaurants in NYC, I think it’s absurd to spend this amount of money for mediocre food.
They may have time limit for every table. Not a good experience even though the foods are pretty good.
The food and service were great. I went here for an early anniversary dinner and they gave us a glass of complementary sparkling wine. The food was solid. We got the short rib, the carbonara noodles, fried mushrooms and the chicken wings. Our waiter was attentive and gave good recommendations. We will be back!
Insa is the best place for Korean bbq and karaoke in the area! We were recommended by a local website featuring best places in nyc to celebrate 30+ year old birthdates and we were not disappointed :) :) At first glance the place seems very rustic and a little underrated, but all things considered the approach of the host and servers was authentic and fresh! 5/5 star rating!!
As a Korean, I can say that this place is not an authentic Korean restaurant with an authentic experience. It’s just a place where people who are unfamiliar with the culture come to have a washed up version of the Korean experience. The manager is really uptight about everything and will make your experience uncomfortable.. which really holds against the principle of Korean hospitality. Make the trip to flushing, ktown manhattan, or fort lee..
This place is a vibe. The food is amazing. Come hungry and ready to eat!