I really enjoyed this place! It is located in the back of a mini mart. Prepare for a very long meal (so long that there is a 10 min intermission) and an educational experience - chef spent a lot of time explaining the food, the history, the culture, etc - which made for a very unique experience. They focus on fermentation and incorporate it into every course. I wasn't a fan of the natural wine but the margarita was fantastic. Highlights were the meat for sure - so tender and so expertly prepared. It was also really interesting to try the different aged soy sauces and the ssamjang. read more

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TLDR: such a unique dining experience in Long Island Queens. Very informative (learned more at this dinner than any other), and delicious fermented food. If you're into Korean food that is not the typical "fine dining" Korean that's sprouted all over NYC, I'd highly recommend Meju! SETTING: Meju is a beautiful restaurant built out behind a "Banchan" shop (Korean for small side dishes). Soaring ceilings, grey and wood accents, HUGE kitchen counter table with everyone getting a full view into the kitchen. Beautifully designed restaurant that is perfect for date night or a special occasion! You get a 10 min intermission during dinner to go out and get some goods from the shop (we got a lot of stuff and it's lasted us for the past few days!). It was also so good that we're planning to make the trip from BK every few months to stock up on delicious Korean banchan. FOOD: as the Chef described, this truly is Korean home cooking (on crack). I almost got teary eyed as I tried the kimchi jigae and some of the other dishes that fully brought me back to my grandma's cooking and growing up in a Korean household. It's like everything one would eat as a Korean person, but just meticulously prepared/thought through/served by a true expert. The depth of flavor that the chef has achieved across the board in his doenjang, kkochujang, and samjang was unlike anything I've EVER had before. It puts all other jang's to shame. SERVICE: I thought the service was a 10/10. I learned more about Korean food and the process of fermenting Korean food (and the importance of this in Korean culture), than I have anywhere else (even my own family!!). It felt really special to learn more about Korean culture and importance of food here from a chef who has clearly made it his life mission to teach others about this. VERDICT: I so loved my experience at Meju and would recommend to anyone who has an interest in trying something new and learning along the way. read more

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The chef has his own presentation style, which can last up to twenty minutes and is very entertaining. He places great emphasis on food safety, hygiene, and health. Fine dining is definitely worth trying. read more

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AWESOME EXPERIENCE at Meju. Chef Hooni is so passionate about his culture, his mentor, fermentation, the quality of food he serves, and making people happier and healthier. I'm so glad I finally got to try a more traditional Korean Michelin dining experience. No truffle, caviar, uni etc. which was soooo nice and a breath of fresh air from the repetitive bougie overload that many other Michelin Korean spots do in the city. The food was outstanding, and I had the best ssamjang I've ever had in my life during this meal. Everything was top notch, including the service and the ambiance/vibe of the place. This is a must try in LIC. read more

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Loved the food but also the experience. The fact that it looks like a casual restaurant from the outside with a secret entrance to the main restaurant was a surprise! Every dish was carefully planned, the chef goes over the history, the source, the flavors in detail for every dish. Highly recommend! We had a great time read more

Meju - Korean Near Me - Long Island City, New York

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Meju, run by Chef Hooni Kim, is a Korean Fermentation Studio nestled in a banchan shop in Long Island City, Queens. It gained its first star this past year and I can definitely say it deserves it. I've only seen one prior post on this subreddit, so I wanted to shed some more light on this intimate spot. The atmosphere is refined and friendly. Chef Kim is oozing with passion for his art in a way that captivates diners. With each course comes a story -- oftentimes about his experience with his mentor ( a Korean medicine man who taught Chef Kim much of what he knows about the art of fermentation) -- and a mini-science lesson. While espousing the benefits of fermentation initially felt like a gimmick, Chef Kim's earnest passion won me over and I found myself listening with rapt attention each time he spoke up. Food: (Ratings are from two people, Rating A & Rating B). I'm writing as the first set of numbers in these. 1. Yeolmu Guksu: 7 & 8. As an opening bite, nothing special. Tasted like it looked. 2. Doenjang + Tofu: 9 & 8. Warm, hearty dish with delicate and silky tofu. Really enjoyed this. 3. Gochujang + Hwe: 8 & 10. Fresh fish with a solid sesame flavor and delicious garnish. 4. Ganjang + Jeon: 8 & 8. Multiple types of ganjang presented with varying Jeon. The last two jeon were presented with a 125-year old soy sauce. I actually found the flavor of that aged soy sauce overwhelmed by the Jeon, but overall a good dish and cool way to try multiple ganjang. 5. Ssamjang + Beef: 9.5 & 10. Delicious - some of the best cooked beef I've had. Paired with salt and two types of Ssamjang (a comparison between fermentation ages, one recipe being from a commercial farm and the other from Chef Kim's mentor) this was a truly amazing dish. 6. Jeotgal + Pork: 5 & 6. A bit of a let down after the previous course. I found the pork very tough. Didn't like this very much 7. Kimchi / Rice: 8 & 9. Filling home-style meal. Chef Kim touched on how he felt the common Korean meal made by mothers was lost in the fine dining scene. This was his way of bringing light to it. I thought this was good with quality ingredients, but nothing mind-blowing. 8. Sikhye / Red Bean. 9 & 9. Light, refreshing dessert. Notes of cinnamon paired wonderfully with the sikhye. This, per Chef Kim, was somewhat of a combination of three more traditional Korean desserts. Service was overall pleasant, with a few minor hiccups. Most notably select guests seemed to receive refills for the banchan with some courses, while others were neglected despite being noticed read more

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Meju was an experience, in the best sense of the word. The food was impeccable as one would expect, but the true treat was learning about chef Kim's craft and process. We'll be dreaming about all the dishes for quite a while (especially the doenjang+tofu, gochujang+hwe and the ssamjang+beef). Thank you thank you, we'll come by and visit little banchan shop soon! read more

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Meju has been on my list for the longest time (before they got a star as well) and I had to try before they raised prices again. You walk into little banchan shop and it's behind that - the walkway is stunning and the restaurant itself has great interior design. I didn't think I would be full but it was actually a lot of food, definitely more on the homey side. I enjoyed it a lot and the unique-ness of this place! The chef talked about fermentation a lot, and it was great to taste it against traditional foods. read more

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This is an institution. Everything was delicious and well prepared. Love the energy of the chef. read more

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I was initially skeptical about Meju. A lot of the dishes seemed too similar to the home cooking we eat in our Korean household, so I wasn't too sure if it would be worth it. Safe to say I was completely wrong. I left my meal at Meju with a newfound appreciation for Korean fermentation, its philosophy, and Chef Kim's artistry. Our actual meal started a bit later than our reservation time (around a 15 minute wait). Although I would say I thoroughly enjoyed all of the courses, there were a few dishes that really really stood out to me: the beef with the ssamjang and the hui with the gochujang. Chef Kim thoroughly explains each "jang" with how and when he made it, and the science behind the fermentation! He goes through it pretty thoroughly, so each dishes felt a bit more spread out than other tasting menus I've tried. Not really a bad thing, because I got to really savor and appreciate each dish on the menu. Also loved his philosophy on representing Korean home cooking, the matriarchs that established it, and differentiating Meju from other Korean fine dining in the city. No notes on the service either! Our servers were so attentive, knowledgable about the dishes served. Deserves the star and more! read more

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One of the best dining experiences I've had in NYC. Me and my girlfriend live close by and we frequent Little Banchan Shop often, so we always wanted to check this place out and decided to celebrate our anniversary here. It's an intimate space; there are only 10 or so seats, but that's important because Chef Hooni creates an atmosphere where he talks to all the customers as if welcoming us into his home. The food was amazing. There was nothing I didn't like, but in particular I loved the ganjang + jeon and the ssamjang + beef; two of the most incredible things I've tasted in New York. We will definitely be back! read more

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Meju was a memorable and amazing dining experience. When my husband told me about a Korean fermentation tasting menu, I was already sold - being Korean American and loving all the fermented things. It was such an adventure! You walk into the little banchan shop (and buy cute things and kimchi), then get invited into a hidden door, down a beautiful hallway into Chef Hooni's sleek kitchen space with 8 counter seats. The space has the look of modern yet Korean touches - like the rice cooker in the corner and a giant celadon vase holding flowers. Chef Hooni comes in and starts roasting seaweed over the fire. It evoked memories of my own mother doing this when I was a kid (before roasted seaweed was packaged and sold in stores everywhere, even Costco). He presents his journey in studying and learning fermentation and each step of the tasting menu showcases different jang (sauces) - doenjang, gochujang, and ganjang. He pairs the sauces with food and talks about how the more time something ferments, the flavors change. Each course was perfectly paired. The ingredients are all so fresh and high quality. The presentation is sleek and modern, yet the food is true to traditional Korean style. It evokes memories of my own mom and grandma's cooking. The dessert was brilliant - frozen shikhye with red bean and a touch of cinnamon. It combined shikhye, pat bingsoo, and sujeongwa into one delightful dessert. The beverage pairing of wine and Korean spirits was lovely as well. Set aside 3 hours - dinner is an involved, engaged experience. Honestly, I was so sad it was over and I didn't even realize so much time had passed. read more

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Amazing experience with chef Hooni and his wonderful team. It was more than just a dinner experience.

The ambiance is amazing. The lighting has "meju" themed designs. The marble bar and the space are airy and extremely spacious. The service is pretty fluid, mostly because the chef gets involved with serving the dishes directly. The food is pretty good, but nothing amazingly creative or mind-blowing. The dinner is also quite long and drawn out. The drink list is somewhat limited. The different types of jangs are interesting but nothing new to those who are familiar with Korean food. If you are familiar with Korean cuisine, this place may not be as impressive to you. If you are unfamiliar, this place may be a good learning starting point. read more

Meju specializes and showcases Korean fermentation, for food nerds of sorts. You buy tickets on their website and cannot cancel, you would need to sell your tickets if you can't show up, so this place is not for the indecisive booker. You enter their storefront and walk towards the back. There is a door that takes you down a long dreamy hallway. Another door opens and you are transformed into a dimly lit sexy kitchen right into Chef Hooni's fantasy world, it was beautiful! There were 2 counters that seat a total of 8. You are encouraged to interact and talk to the chef, ask questions about the food, history and process of fermentation. He is passionate and it showed. The food was simple yet complicated, familiar yet foreign. Each item served is of utmost best quality, down to the cucumber sticks. At first I thought by looking at the menu that I would have needed to make a pizza stop after, but I was wrong, I left satisfied and wanting to learn more. We tried a soy sauce bump aged 130 years which was mellow but deep all in one lick, I was intrigued. It was a special night. Very happy something like this exists in LIC and I wish the owners success! read more

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This 8-seat chef's kitchen is tucked behind the Little Banchan Shop. From the moment that the hostess popped open the discrete paneled door and we entered the peaceful hallway, we slipped out of the hustle of NYC and entered the serene world of Meju. The food was delicious--we tasted multiple sauces including a 120+ year old soy sauce, and some cuts of meat literally dissolved in my mouth. We learned so much about the history of Korean food and Chef Hooni Kim's personal experiences. Now we're just trying to figure out how to get reservations again to bring more people to this gem. read more

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