Bann Restaurant
“I am not a huge fan of kimchi but their kimchi was very mild so I was able to eat it with the white rice.”
“I was really sad when Woo Lae Oak closed down in SoHo thinking there was no alternative.”
“We went on a living social deal for $20 for $40 off, so it was still expensive, but so is NYC.”
Bann Restaurant
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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Came here for the happy hour. Had 2 soju cocktails, 2 orders of the beef kimbap for myself. Shared the beef buns and chicken wings. Wings were very delicious. They were nice and brought me a side of kimchi upon request 2x!
Came here for the 2nd time last month.. Definitely not your traditional Korean food. I understand catering toward a more western palate due to the area but really, if you're used to Ktown or Flushing, this place will absolutely disappoint. The first time around I had the bibimbap which was fine but the kimchi pancake was very thick and consistency seemed off. The second time I had soy noodles b/c I figured they didn't do the korean staples that well, but this was also bad. Tasted like oily lo mein noodles from a Chinese joint. For $24 bux, this was a terrible waste of $. Also my starter which was ahi tuna sashimi was frozen. They serve it on a block of ice which is freezing the tuna. Not a good way to serve it.. needless to say I didn't finish it. I'm just glad it was a business lunch and I didn't have to pay. I would have been upset otherwise!
Food is excellent. We returned on Wednesday and Saturday. We loved the dishes. My daughter had the tofu soup and I tried the dol sot bib bim bap and galbi jim. We also had the man doo, chap che, and pan jan l. Everything was tasty. My only comment is that I wish they had more sides.
While this was not the best Korean food I've ever had, it was solid and authentic enough and when combined with fast and attentive service, made for a very good dining experience. To start, all tables come with grills which is not the case in all Korean restaurants- therefore we didn't have to make a special request.
When we sat down a waiter came by right away to explain the menu and take our drink order. We ordered various BBQ items including bulgogi and vegetables. The price for the vegetables on the menu was a shocking $20 but it was a huge bowl of fresh veggies including beautiful, large mushrooms, peppers, carrots, plantains and more. Maybe not $20 worth but certainly a generous serving. The beef was delicious and it's always fun to grill your own meat.
We also ordered the ginger soy glazed short-ribs which were not particularly tender or complex but were tasty nonetheless. The starter salads were fresh and yummy. I missed the many small dishes of pickled veggies that are typical at authentic Korean restaurants but Bann had its own smaller version of these 'free' accompaniments. We were in an out in under an hour and left feeling satisfied with the food. Not a replacement for a Little Korea restaurant but we'll go back for a solid meal.
Large restaurant right next to New World Theater. This is Korean food geared towards American tastes.
The scallop appetizer was decent, the presentation was cool since the bottom was briefly lit on fire. I could taste the chopped up mushrooms in the mix, but couldn't find any scallop in it.
I liked the hamul gook soo the best. The noodles were either frozen or dried, but the soup was pretty good. This noodle soup had some shrimp and inexpensive vegetables in it (zucchini, red pepper).
The kalbi came with a bowl of rice, a salad, some lettuce, carrot, and cucumber with sambas, and banchan. The marinated meat tasted pretty good but took a long time to cook since it was cut into thick rectangular cubes. (Gas grill)
The banchan (kaktugi, shredded daikon, broccoli, and kimchi) was mediocre. The salad was much better.
The presentation here looked better than the food. Service was attentive.
We loved it here; the inside is nicely decorated, the service was great, and the food was delicious.
We ordered one barbecue and one bi bim bap — the bi bim bap came cooked, but for the barbecue, we had to cook our own meat, which we didn't realize was going to happen. But our waitress was very helpful and it was fun!
(I have to admit, I kind of felt like I was in an episode of Sex and the City)
I had a date with a friend of mine and she suggested Bann. I am rarely in midtown and admittedly did not know what to expect.
When we were escorted to our table, I was surrounded by high ceilings, huge pieces of E. Asian Art, large Buddhas, gorgeous archways and an aura that was perfect for a tv shoot. We were seated in the main dining room – it was relatively empty and the servers were really attentive (again, I'm usually dining at spots catered to hipsters in Brooklyn or family-owned restaurants in Queens, so I definitely felt pampered).
Our martinis were GORGEOUS. The lychee martini was perfect – not too sweet. My friend ordered the Saketini and it tasted like a spa.
Then the appetizers came out… The presentation was enough to win me over. We ordered the ahi tuna sashimi, calamari and duk bokki. It was all tasty. The duk bokki was definitely not as spicy as it is at other Korean restaurants, nonetheless still tasty.
It's important to note that this is an upscale Korean fusion restaurant. (I've stated in many reviews that my favorite Korean restaurants in the City are BCD Tofu House in Flushing and Cho Dang Gol in Manhattan. Those are excellent, though always crowded. I would go there for different reasons… Definitely not for drinks and appetizers).
What is special about Bann is that those high ceilings, calming art, and ambiance create a *unique* space to bring out those fierce and necessary conversations that you can only have with your girlfriends. It was a lovely treat.
I tried this place as a big group with bunch of friends to celebrate the year's end. This place was picked because it was a well regarded Korean place. Well, actually, I should say, even though they serve Korean bbq and side dishes, it feels more like Japanese style bbq (like Gyu Kaku).
The portion is small. We chose a platter for 4 to 6 people which was 135 dollars. Well I will give you that the platter was shared by about 7 people. Still we all thought the amount of food is too small. definitely smaller than the equivalent portion from baengjeong or Jongro bbq while the price is on the higher side. We also ordered tuna sashimi, marinated, which was ok.
Service was ok, but sometimes showed lack of attentiveness. Oh, they take credit card, but requested 2 per table. Most of us got cash for the day so it was fine, but people should keep that in mind.
I really don't see the reason to come here to have "good Korean food". 32th street is like 2 subway stations away.