Fresh seafood and tasty meat. Love the surf and turf combo. It's my second time here.

Quick to be seated and serviced by 2 very nice auntys. Ordered the pork combo for two with egg soufflé and kimchi soup and for drinks, sweet raspberry wine. Side dishes were delicious, favorite are the salad (with yogurt dressing possibly?) and pickled radish! Kimchi soup was also yummy. They also grill the meat and veggies for you, plattering the cooked meat on top of the veggies. Restaurant is overall very ambient with clean tables and complimentary posters/wall art. Would recommend checking this place out! read more

Obaltan - Soju frog decor - Korean Near Me - Fort Lee, New Jersey

We ordered the Clam Gui Combo, Prime Beef Combo, & the Tteokbokki with Seafood and Ramen. The star of the show was definitely the clam combo the portion was great for the price! We also really enjoyed the rice cakes! Our party of 3 was already getting so full the the beef combo came out and ended up taking some of it back. Service was great as well! Make reservations you won't regret it! read more

The grilled intestines and clams here are incredible. The intestines are cooked perfectly so you really taste the quality of the meat. The grilled clams are just as good. Fresh, juicy straight from the grill. Each bite has that perfect balance of briny ocean flavor and smoky depth. If you're into bold, flavorful grilled dishes, this place nails it. Highly recommend ordering both the intestines and the clams--you won't regret it. read more

First time here and we really enjoyed it! The lady server we had was so amazing but we found out in the end that even though she was with our table mostly that in the end the tip gets shared! We wanted to tip her so well but it's okay we still left a decent tip! Food was yummy. Some of the items took longer than expected and was forgotten about but they were very quick to fix the issue.we only got seafood because that's what we wanted but the meat that others were getting looked very good ! On top of getting the big seafood thing we add corn cheese and at the end got sujebi ( hand pulled noodle thing )! Place was a vibe definitely will go back if we are in the area again! This is a must try place !! Oh prices have definitely gone up from some of the menus that were posted previously but I get it everywhere prices are going up. But for we what got for our family to share it was worth it read more

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Amazing food and service! The meat was so fresh, we got the brisket and duck. Service was also very good, they were always checking up on us and were very helpful read more

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Best Korean bbq in town. Highly recommend ordering the unseasoned short rib pared with their Cass beer! read more

My friend and I shared the prime beef and seafood combo. The ribeye, brisket, and short rib were all very fatty. My favorite cut was the short rib, as it had the most evenly distributed marbling. To my surprise, the meats were not seasoned (1 star off); they provided salt, soy-wasabi dip, or soybean paste separately for dipping. The soy-wasabi dip was good. The seafood bowl came with lots of clams, few mussels, and few shrimp; everything was steamed, which again meant unseasoned (1 star off). The radish kimchi fried rice was seasoned -- hooray! -- and I enjoyed it quite a bit. The kimchi stew and egg soufflé were just okay. The portions were big and we were very full at the end and even packed several items to-go. To some extent, I rather have smaller portions with better seasoned food, but don't let me stop you. read more

Food and service were incredible. Highlights were kimchi stew, brisket, shrimp and kimchi rice. Will definitely be back.

Great food great vibes great service. The gigantic clams in the clam steamer is what I come here for. The thick cut pork belly is also amazing read more

Excellent service!!! If you're looking for a dining experience that combines the lively atmosphere of a Korean BBQ with the freshness of the sea this is your perfect spot. From the moment you sit down, the sizzling sound of the grill and the aroma of garlic butter set the tone for a meal that is both interactive and indulgent. read more

Obaltan - Excellent service!!!! - Korean Near Me - Fort Lee, New Jersey

TLDR: Korean style grilled seafood and seafood soup. The restaurant does get busy but worth the wait. The grilled clams are very delicious but the scallop with cheese.. that's the win. We waited quite a long time for Obaltan because the restaurant just isn't that big. It is very comfortable inside though with tables spaced out well. Because how long we waited, we probably went a bit overboard with the food but whatever. We got the grilled combo AND the seafood sauna. We also added a stir-fried pork too. The clams here are huge. For the grilled combo you get a large platter with both clams, shrimp, scallops. That charred smoky taste with the seafood is so deep with flavor. The sauna is also equally tasty, you can opt to add dough flakes (sujebi) or noodles to it. I'd say if you're into seafood and you also like Korean - definitely worth a trip. read more

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Food is amazing. Service is impeccable. Atmosphere is fun and lively of those who want good food and good drinking atmosphere. Prices might seem high to some, but with the amount of food that you get with the sides included, this place is a steal read more

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We had a just ok experience celebrating my wife's birthday here. We had the beef and seafood platter. Definitely the best thing about this place was the beef dishes. The steak, kalbi and beef tartare were top notch. We saw that they only serve USDA prime beef here and it was indeed pretty good. Just fyi they cook all the meats here in a cast iron with lots of butter over a gas flame. If I could do it over I would just get beef tartar instead of beef tartar bibimbap. Just because bibimbap is something we easily make at home. If we are paying for expensive good stuff it's better that we just get stuff we can't make at home. The seafood, which came in a big metal pail was just ok. Some of it was good such as the big cherrystone clams and big mussels and crabs. Some of the cruddy little mussels and clams were quite sandy though. For the price I would not order this again. They did offer to put noodles into the seafood, which would make for a tasty dish with the seafood broth. We were too full to try it. The gopchang was not really good here especially when factoring in the price point. It didn't taste good. A little stale. The side seasoning didn't really help much. Definitely I will stick with specialty gopchang restaurants for this in the future. Daehan Gopchang in Fort Lee was great for this fyi. Another downside here some of the servers didn't look too happy about working there. Nobody came to clean the table (until I asked) after we asked for my wife's birthday cake. Nobody came by to sing happy birthday either but I guess that isn't really something to expect. read more

Obaltan - Gopchang - Korean Near Me - Fort Lee, New Jersey

Came with a group of 7 and could barely fit around the table. Waited 45 minutes on a Sunday night. Ordered the surf + turf. Excellent value and loved everything they had to offer. Ribeye was the best meat followed by the short rib. Steamed clam soup was also amazing! Adding the flour dough at the end really changed the flavor for the better. Also had the golbaengi jjolmyun that was a crowd favorite. read more

Came here for a family birthday celebration without a reservation and was seated right away! There is also a parking lot right outside the restaurant, which is such a plus. Our servers were great I remember them being very efficient. The restaurant was fairly spacious. The menu, however, was a bit confusing to me, we wanted to have seafood on the grill but ended up ordering the seafood that was already cooked. I wish that was more clear bc each set was decently pricy. Still though the cooked seafood was also delicious! The beef of course was the highlight and it was amazing and tender. We also got the beef tartare, it was good, but parts of it were frozen so would have been nicer if it was thawing a bit longer. My favorite part of the meal was how we got fried rice at the end and there was a flame show! Loved it and would go back to try to the grilled seafood again! read more

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Great service, great food, and great vibes. We drove miles to come here and waited about 30 minutes on a Saturday night and it did not disappoint. We will come back again!! read more

Absolutely incredible food and presentation, filled with flavor and showy in a way that isn't to compinsate, but to add to your incredible experience. The waiters are kind and explanatory, and trust me they have a lot of very good info on what to eat with what (try the meat with the onions). The resterount itself is warm and has K-pop and Korean drink posters all over the walls. All in all, a 10/10! Would definitely come again! read more

Obaltan just doesn't hit the same as it used to. They changed the cuts of meat for the pork combo after Covid-19 and it tasted a lot lower in quality. Also, the kimchi stew used to be rich and flavorful, but now it's so...plain. Atleast the salad and banchan were still good. On a more positive note, the 12pc scallops and fried rice were delicious! ...But...they did not cook it in front of us which was disappointing. read more

Took me forever to eat here since it seems I've hit up almost every BBQ place in this area but it was worth the wait. In short, the beef platter was fab. The meat selection was good and the quality was solid. I will even say the brisket here was better than most places I've tried in the area which is saying a lot. The ribeye was good and the short rib was fine, but who can say no to the nice fried rice they cook at the end with all of those meat juices and butter from the ribeye? I was surprised the rice wasn't as salty or as heavy as I expected it to be. It was a delicious and fabulous way to end the meal. The egg side dish and the miso stew were all fine, with the latter having some nice flavor (thought it was a bit salty). The service was pretty decent and the vibe here was nice. I generally was very satisfied with the experience and will most certainly be back again. read more

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Obaltan is an interesting place where it looks to be a drinking/post-dinner place yet they have great dishes to substitute for dinner. The theatrics behind the clam grilling is a gem as the broth and food will warm up your soul (and belly). The hidden gem at this place is the tteobokki. Something about that flavor and texture is a good balance to cut the briny-ness of the seafood. Definitely a 5/5! read more

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I was excited to get obaltan another try, but I think it just wasn't meant to be. Every time I come here, nothing good happens. I made a reservation for a table for 7 at 5: 30 PM on a Saturday. We got seated fairly quickly (15 mins). When we got seated the server came to ask are we ready to order. We were not because we were waiting for our last member to arrive. He said ok but you guys only have 2 hrs to eat. 2 hours is plenty. When we were about to order we asked if we can order the clams combo ( the poster on the wall). He said, "no, you have a 7th member. The 7th member is in the way of the server cooking. You can order the grilled meat and everything else." We asked can the 7th member sit on the side because there was room to fit him and the server bluntly rejected and just kept saying no. Mind you, we drive 1.5 hrs just for the clams. So we decided okay we're here already, let's order the clam stew and leave to another restaurant afterward. The clam stew tasted very basic. Something we could have made at home. When the server came back to see if we would like to order meat, we explained no it's fine, we only came here for the grilled clams and we can't get that so can we just get the check? At that point, the server quickly changed his mind and said, "I can give you grilled clams if your friend sits at the side." We agreed and got what we came for. (My initial thought was we suggest this to you and you said no. After we said we're going to leave from just ordering one thing is when you can grill us clams... like what ????) Grilled clams on the other hand was pretty good. While eating the grilled clams, 2 events occurred that made us lose our appetite. 1. I'm guessing he's the owner( the guy with the elephant pants today). -- I thought he was going to come up to us to ask if everything was okay and if we enjoyed our meals but NOPE. He just came to remind us no more than 6 people can sit at a table next time for grilled clams. We've been reminded a handful, we didn't need an extra reminder. 2. One of the servers dropped a beer bottle by accident. Partially empty. And the guy with the elephant pants yelled at the server and death stared at him. There's one thing being rude to a customer but another is being rude to your employee. People make mistakes, and mishaps happen. It doesn't justify rude behavior. I don't think I'll be coming here. read more

Obaltan - Korean Near Me - Fort Lee, New Jersey

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Making my rare trip to the other side of the Hudson River to visit friends, my Jersey buddy brought the group to this Korean spot. And we feasted. We order two items and that was enough to feed the four us. This included the Gopchang Combo, which comes with egg soufflé and stew. Highly recommend making the request to have more large intestines than small intestines as the large intestines are fattier, which means tastier! We also got on order of the Seafood Combo, which came with a boatload of "unshucked" clams, and some shrimp, mussels, and clams in another form. This was plenty to feed us and fill us up. Come on an empty stomach for sure! read more

Obaltan - Seafood Combo - Korean Near Me - Fort Lee, New Jersey

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Service is amazing, seafood is very fresh. Great relaxed vibe! If you're in the area, this place is definitely worth the visit!!

Stopped by for dinner with a large group on a weeknight at 7 pm. When we got there we registered for the digital wait-list, where there were already a few parties ahead of us. Good system they have, but since the establishment is small there isn't a waiting area inside. We got the surf and turf and the seafood combos as well as the gopchang combo. There weren't too many side dishes but we did get two large salads. Seafood combo was primarily clams and muses. Clams were sweet, some were steamed/boiled and others were grilled. The workers cooked our food really quickly. I loved the noodles that we can add on to the soup at the end which really soaked up the fresh seafood flavors. Overall great experience and good calue, but it's not exactly the place to come if you have a larger party. We felt rushed a bit but left feeling happy and full. read more

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You walk in knowing you're ordering clams. The dinner is served and it's the best display of seafood you've ever seen. We ordered the clam sauna - a bucket filled with mussels and clams - they'll take the left over liquid and make soup out of it - we ordered the sujebi instead of noodles though. First the wait was extremely long. But worth it! You queue in line through the qr code. We queued 7:30- we were seated around 8:30. And you can't reserve beforehand. Parking lot is free after 6pm. Clam Sauna 5/5 Sujebi soup 5/5 Clam gui 5/5 Spicy bean stew 5/5 loved that jalapeño kick Steamed egg 5/5 Surf and turf 5/5 I loved the thin roasted pieces of squash with the beef Salads 5/5 fresh and seasoned Defineatly recommend read more

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I hate to keep flip flopping between 4 and 5 stars lol but we came here recently during a holiday weekend. It was early in the day, we had waited maybe 30 minutes for our table, and they had run out of clams! We must have had so much disappointment on our faces that they said we could have 20 clams for our group of at least 6, so we had to choose between clam sauna and clams on the grill. The clam combo is the only reason we come here, so I would have appreciated a heads up so we could have consider other options for our meal. We still had a decent meal and tried some things we normally wouldn't have, like the tartare, which was good. Another time after this fiasco we came here and they had clams, but by the time we finished our fairly early dinner, the sign on the door said they had run out. I understand that things happen, but this restaurant should try to never run out of clams as those are arguably the best menu item... I can't complain too much as it only happened once to us, but now that we no longer live in NJ I would be devastated if I came back for a short trip and found that they were out again. read more

Friendly service and love the clams on the bbq - they grill it for you and make it easy to eat. They also gather the clam juice and give you a broth at the end which was nice. Intestines were also a hit. Marinated galbi on par with other places. But the banchan is lacking compared to other Korean bbq places - less variety. I would return but only if I am craving the clams. read more

My first time @ Obaltan. Heard great compliments about this place especially their clam bake. Not being much of a clam fan, the order was "Surf & Turf" - Beef Combo & Clam Sauna ($120) which consists of brisket, short rib, ribeye, kimchi fried rice, egg souffle, soybean paste stew, and assorted seafood with steamed clams. The cast iron pan was a nice touch for grilling the brisket, short rib & riveted, especially sauteed in butter. I wouldn't say their beef quality is of best, but I would go to Taste 1080 or Hanam BBQ House if in the mood for BBQ grill. Then enter the Clam Sauna, where I found the clams to be too chewy. Again, not a big fan unless fresh. If you are fan of clam bake or steamed clams, this is the only place where they serve it. What we enjoyed the most was the radish kimchi fried rice with torched egg around. Sooo good. Quite pricey but good amount for 4 of us on a Monday evening. The server was very nice and pleasant, but compared to how empty the restaurant was, we had a bit of a hard time getting their attention. read more

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This place was so good! We didn't have to cook the food ourselves and I'm so glad I didn't because I'd be overly cautious and probably dry everything up. The price was also very reasonable too. There was enough for two people for $50. They stayed at the table to cook our food basically the entire time. The clams were nice and plump. Although, not that much seasoning for the scallops, there was sauce to make it favorable. It wasn't super busy but this was probably because it was snowing on the day we went. Would definitely go back! read more

Obaltan - seafood - Korean Near Me - Fort Lee, New Jersey

The best Korean BBQ in New Jersey. What sets Obaltan apart are their seafood combos and seafood appetizers. Scallops on shell with cheese, oysters, grilled clams. Recs: ++Clam Combo ++Prime Beef Combo ($89.99) Service is on point- they do all the cooking for you and cook the meat to your liking ie. medium rare. There's a lot of food in their combos. Prime beef combo- you get 3 different cuts. 1. Thin shabu-like slices 2. Marbleized short rib pieces 3. 1 slab of rib eye Also included is an egg souffle, beef stew, AND fried rice. Plus there's 2 different salads and kimchi at the beginning. The fried rice is cooked from scratch- they stir fry it in front of you and they use a blow torch to cook off the remaining runny eggs. It's a beautiful sight--your fried rice is surrounded by a moat of runny, yummy eggs. It's not cheap but the quality of the cuts and the amount of food you get makes it all worthwhile. read more

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Great place to come to for Korean bbq! While I was dying to eat the clams,y boyfriend and I opted for the beef combo. 1) beef combo was good and perfect for a party of 2 2) egg soufflé was delicious 3) kimchi fried rice and the end was very good and fun to watch the servers cook 4) kimchi stew was perfect 5) fixings for the bbq was excellent. The pickled onion in wasabi soy sauce was literally bomb! Went very well with the steak. 6) pork belly (we ordered this as an extra) was nice and crispy. We were too full to finish this honestly so had to pack it. 7) nengmyun was on point especially on a hot day. Highly recommend but get there early! Wait was about 40 mins through a QR waitlist. Will definitely be back to get the clams! read more

Food is 10/10 and service is 10/10. The seafood is very fresh and light. While the side dishes are simple, they are very good as well. Highly recommend on a cold winter day :) read more

Obaltan - Clam sauna - Korean Near Me - Fort Lee, New Jersey

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What an experience! Separated space to give your party some privacy, clean and welcoming. The place has good ventilation (dire need for K-BBQ). The food was great. We ordered the several dishes - oysters on shell was quite the presentation. read more

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I had been hearing about this place for a while, but we never had the opportunity to go out and try it for ourselves. Finally, we came around to it, and my family and a few friends were able to snag a spot on a busy Friday night--and they did not disappoint. The food was extremely tasty. We ordered the Surf and Turf combo (Korean Beef BBQ + Clams) with fried rice and the Seafood Pancake (Haemul Pajeon). The seafood pancake was solid, and being spoiled living in K-town, it's hard to distinguish great from good seafood pancakes. The surf and turf combo was something new that had caught my eye. One of the reasons I wanted to try this place was after seeing photos of the bucket of clams sitting alongside Korean BBQ! You don't see this type of combination that often, or at least, not done so well. They provide really high-quality beef and clam soup with a follow-up of fried rice cooked straight on the grill, which was a hit with my wife. Their menu is vast, and I look forward to trying some of their other dishes. The service was top-notch. It felt like our waitress was our very own auntie; she took care of us, and it was easy to see that she genuinely cared about how the food turned out. She checked on us to make sure everything was to our liking, but not in a bothersome way. The ambiance of the restaurant is perfect for a night out with friends and family. Like I mentioned, they have a diverse menu that can cater to all foodies, along with a great selection of draft beers and soju. It's a fantastic place to catch up with your friends and family while enjoying good food. The only thing I would nitpick about the spot is that it isn't somewhere I would go again with my baby. Not to say that it's a bad environment, but I think there are more baby-friendly places elsewhere. Overall, I can only describe this place as perfect Korean comfort food. The Surf and Turf provides a nice balance of very tender Korean BBQ and clams paired alongside numerous options for draft beers and a variety of soju. It's an optimal blend of elements for a Korean-style outing with your buddies. There's a reason why they don't take reservations--because they're that good. read more

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Came here with a group of 8 of us for dinner one Sunday and they quoted us a wait time of 45 minutes, then sat us at 2 different tables (I don't think I even saw a table that could accommodate more than 4 people so I wouldn't recommend for large groups). My table ordered the prime beef combo (which included kimchi fried rice, stew and egg soufflé), pork belly, scallops, and corn cheese. I expected the "prime" beef combo to be high quality given the price ($85), but the meat was just average. The pork belly was cooked at a separate station and ended up being really dry, which is strange given the amount of fat involved. The kimchi fried rice tasted good, even though it was a little too oily for my liking. The scallops were pretty good and the corn cheese was probably my favorite out of everything, it was just really overpriced ($16) for corn. and cheese. Overall, I think this place is overpriced for what it is. What it has going for it is that it stays open really late and is one of the few Korean bbq places in the area that serves seafood. read more

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Amazing food and service, it was great and definitely worth the price. Servers are always friendly and the food was done in a timely manner. read more

Obaltan - Spicy Stir Fried Pork & Vegetables () - Korean Near Me - Fort Lee, New Jersey

From the moment the servers drop the first sizzling grill plate, you know you're in expert hands--they do all the cooking for you, turning every cut of meat at just the right second so it lands on your plate perfectly caramelized and still juicy. Why I'm already planning my next visit: - Late-night vibe. Open past 2 a.m. most nights, with a deep soju & beer list and an on-site karaoke bar--perfect for rolling dinner straight into a sing-along. - Lightning-fast, friendly service. Banchan refills arrive before you even notice they're low, and the staff gladly paces courses so nothing feels rushed. Pro tip: Stick to the combos for the best value, add an extra order of the fluffy egg soufflé, and definitely leave room for that flaming fried-rice finale. Obaltan isn't just dinner--it's a full-blown celebration of surf, turf and good times. I can't recommend it enough. read more

Ordered the pork combo for 2 for $65, good quality meat and comes with banchan, steamed egg and choice of kimchi or doenjang jiggae. This is my second time in this place and will definitely be back for more read more

Obaltan - Korean Near Me - Fort Lee, New Jersey

Was trying to find a place open around 10, and came here by chance. Really good Korean kbbq/pocha feel Got the budge jigae, cheese buldak and jaeyokbukkum All 3 was good and spiced well, was not like overwhelmingly spicy which I liked. Everything was fine pretty much right away. Service was great, alway was checking on us, and gave us a steamed egg on the house, and my friend whose birthday it was loved it, and even gave us another when we asked. read more

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