Danji

Very delicious Korean food — I love being at the bar and grabbing a few dishes like braised ribs with my dear friends. Highly recommend place in midtown!

Solid 3.5 stars but I’ll round up because: 1) the area isn’t known for great restaurants, and 2) I wasn’t that hungry so I didn’t eat that much.
Anywho, things that were really, really tasty: the japchae, the shrimp/​scallion pancake, and the braised pork belly (awesome actually)
Dishes that were really good, but not great: the KFC and the spicy rice cake
We didn’t really like their drinks, but the ambiance was decent (though «cozy»), and the service OK.
We came here for some light eats after a Broadway show so I think it fits the bill for that sort of thing. We’ll probably return if we’re in the area.

Came here before the show of Wicked during Broadway show week. As a one Michelin star restaurant, the food itself is so so, compared to many other Korean restaurants out of there which tastes better. Feel like it’s a bit of fusion style, not very impressed after having the kfc chicken wing, bacon fried rice, jab chae. Will not recommend to friend.

This place was a solid 3-​stars, but made 1 star better because they support natural /​organic /​sustainable ingredients. Service was really attentive too.
Between the 3 of us, we ordered:
Spicy Yellowtail Sashimi: Solid 3 slices of sashimi (wild caught /​sustainable seafood).
Tofu with ginger scallion dressing: The fried tofu was done really great and liked the tangy vinaigrette dressing.
Garlic honey wings with sesame seeds: Pretty good wings, although small (but it’s because these are hormone-​free chickens that haven’t been force fed to be fat).
Scallion & korean pepper pancake: Not as good as pancakes at other Korean restaurants. I wouldn’t order this dish again.
Short ribs: Ok taste, and definitely still had fatty parts. I liked the fingerling potatoes, but couldn’t tell there were pine nuts on this dish. I wouldn’t order this dish again.
As I finished my review of Danji, I would say none of the dishes stood out and I thought it was a little on the pricey side for the portion size (although I was full by the time we stood up to leave). However, as I read more about the restaurant’s mission, I see that they take stock in the natural /​organic preparation of their food, as well as the sustainability of their ingredients. I can appreciate that and know that these choices require higher prices passed on to the consumer. With that in mind, I changed this rating from 3 to 4 star — because there are behind-​the-​scenes choices that make this restaurant solid and worth supporting.

So good… and the cocktails are delicious. Service was acceptional

What a find! Came here for an early dinner before a Broadway show. Incredibly small restaurant so make reservations.
We ended up getting their set «favorites» menu and was not disappointed. The black cod entrée was one of the most decadent things I’ve ever tasted. Buttery cod! Their famous wings failed to impress me but it might be due to all the Unilocalers who over hyped it before I got there. The daikon wrapped pork belly was tasty as well.
Great service and atmosphere and such flavorful food. A must and gem in this area. Too bad they didn’t have hot tea or dessert on their menu!

Fantastic. Well made cocktails and reasonably priced. Loved the sliders. The wings were awesome. The tofu looked and smelled great. Barmates loved all their food. Sangria is good too. Small so get there early or make a reservation.

Korean tapas place — definitely innovative! I came here with my family for dinner before a Broadway show. Food was average, ambience was better.
Food: we ordered the butternut squash soup, yellowtail sashimi, honey wings, bulgogi sliders, spicy pork sliders, steak tartar, the japchae, and the kimchi bacon fried rice. Standouts were the spicy pork sliders, yellowtail sashimi, and the fried rice. The sliders were super juicy and flavorful. Sashimi was deliciously buttery with a spicy kick. The fried rice came out on a sizzling black plate, topped with soft scrambled egg, and had a generous amount of sweet bacon throughout — YUM. Honey wings and japchae were a bit too sweet for my taste. Butternut squash soup tasted good but not memorable. Steak tartar was okay — interestingly paired with quail egg and Asian pear, but would’ve been better with some sort of bread to dip.
Ambience: this restaurant is small! There were probably 3 or 4 long tables, and you’ll be sharing tables with strangers. Still, there was definitely enough room for dishes (they bring about 2 out at a time) and the environment was quiet and intimidate enough so you could still carry on a conversation. I think it’d be a great place for a date.
Main con is the price of the food. The dishes were small, but came with hefty price tags. They recommend 2 dishes per person, so it adds up real fast. I guess that’s what you get when going to any tapas place.

Tl;dr: nice ambiance but pricey food for what it is, not bad but not a stand out given other awesome contemporary Korean offerings in town…
This was my second time here. First was not long after they opened. Food is good but not sure it’s head and shoulders above some of the new crop of non Michelin starred Korean restaurants around town.
The experience is cute — from menus hidden in table drawers to the décor with rows of wooden spoons. The service is ok.
We had:
Butternut squash jook (congee) — which was really more of a butternut squash purée/​soup with a Korean twist, pieces of mochi rice cakes, pine nuts, and I think dates under the surface. This was my favorite dish from the meal.
Tofu appetizer — also great, like a traditional Korean cold tofu side dish but the tofu was fried (warm), and the sauce was tasty
Bo Ssam — pork belly you wrap in thin sheets or daikon. Nice twist but not impressed especially after the strong opening appetizers.
Spicy cod — again not impressed
Kimchi side was very standard.
Now it could be that we just ordered the wrong things, but a number of these were recommended by the waitress. So I’m inclined to think it’s representative of the overall quality.
Was hoping for the tasty multigrain rice a lot of Korean restaurants have, but it’s white rice only.
No dessert menu — a little surprised. The first Michelin restaurant I’ve tried that didn’t bother with any kind of dessert, even a piece of chocolate with the check.
Overall, wasn’t impressed. Ambiance is pretty but food wise, I much prefer Oiji, Barn Joo, or Goggan.

I’m a fan, but I do think that Danji is hyped up with its michelin star rating. The space is small, trendy, modern, playful — pretty cramped by the bar since it shares the space with coathangers. We were seated at a communal table, veering on uncomfortably close to the couple next to us. The butternut squash vegetarian ‘jook’ is a simple comforting pumpkin soup but the mochi were just a little doughy, would probably work better with smaller mochi. Spicy ‘k.f.c.’ korean fire chicken wings are seriously spicy, but addictive. We ordered spicy pork belly sliders based on Unilocal recommendations, but honestly they were way too fatty for my taste. Delicious flavor combo going on, but the fat to meat ratio was like ⁷⁰⁄₃₀. The ‘danji’ braised short rib is like galbi jjim — tender, good flavor, classic Korean cuisine. The spicy rice cakes were disappointing — the rice cakes were not soft enough, and overpriced for the portion. Overall the portions are fairly small, encouraging tapas-​style dining. The food and atmosphere are a step-​up from ktown, a bit on the pricier side but not outrageous. Overall I enjoyed the meal but wasn’t blown away.

Meh. It’s essentially tiny tiny portions of Korean food at severely jacked up prices… aka tapas. And if you’re Korean or familiar with the culture, you would know that «Korean tapas» is an absurd oxymoron, because Korean food is all about generous portions. Your dishes shouldn’t be smaller than other Korean restaurants’ banchan, for crying out loud.
If you’re expensing lunch/​dinner on the corporate card, that’s one thing but if you’re actually going to pay with your own money, there are hundreds of other places to get better, tastier food.

GREAT fancy Korean food. Friendly accommodating service, modern décor, loved the light fixtures! Tofu was crispy and light, spicy pork belly sliders are a MUST. I like that you can add on an extra slider for $ 7 in case you have 3 people. Rice cakes were some of the best I’ve had, with sweet asian Bershire sausage. Kimchi bacon fried rice with egg was also amazing. Almost wish it were a poach egg instead of soft scramble but would easily get again. Wish they had a dessert menu. Asian pear drink was okay, a little too tart with lemon. Either way we’ll be back for sure because it was one of the more satisfying meals I’ve had where everything tastes great and had zero complaints.

I think this place is a figment of my imagination. It’s a unicorn. An delicious restaurant, in Times Square, with phenomenal service. I truly thought that was only a myth.
We came here last night for a pre-​theatre dinner before BOM. The place opens at 530. When we walked in at 535 it was half full. I didn’t think it would be that busy for the early bird special so I didn’t make a rezzy but we were lucky & were still able to get seated.
The service is FANTASTIC. The host if very attentive & personable. I chatted with him for a while & he was probably one of the nicest ppl I’ve met in a restaurant. When I mentioned it was our anniversary he brought us out complimentary sangria on the house. Our waitress was very nice & gave an honest opinion about the food/​drinks without just trying to sell us in the most expensive stuff. Food came out super quick & was played nicely.
The food: (we did the $ 48 pre-​fix for 2)
–yellowtail sashimi: fish was buttery & soft, marinated veggies inside were crisp. They veggies are kimchi style so this dish is a bit on the spicier side
–tofu with ginger scallion: idk how they did it but they made the perfect tofu. It had an awesome crunchy crust & inside the tofu was wonderfully silky. None of that rubber kind of texture I’ve encountered before. Ginger scallion dressing was great & whole thing was covered in crunch tempura flakes
–garlic sesame wings: we subbed these out for the kfc bc we weren’t in the mood for super heat. The sauce was Delish & sticky, topped with garlic chips. They somehow manage to keep the skin crisp while saucing up the wings & the meat inside super moist
–bossum: I don’t eat pork but the bf said this pork belly was on point. He gobbled all of it pretty quick so it must be true
–bulgogi beef sliders: this was prob what I was most looking forward to. The meat was sweet & juicy. Bun was soft, reminded me of a pineapple bun almost. Topped with my fav, a kimchi pickle. This is a must get when here
–soy poached black cod: this dish was hands down the best thing we ate last night & the best cod I have ever had. It was so soft & moist my bc thought it was sea bass. The seasoning/​sauce was unbelievable. The whole thing just melted in your mouth when you ate it
–trio of kimchi: served with the cod & white rice. I am a HUGE fan of kimchi/​all things pickled so this dish was perfect for me. My biggest pet peeve is when the cabbage gets soggy from the marinate instead of maintaining its crunch. This did not happen here. All three types were crisp & delicious. Each had a slightly different flavor but none were so spicy that it was unbearable. Fantastic side dish.
Final note: MUST COME when in the neighborhood. Can’t wait to go back

KenScale: 8.0÷10
Danji (meaing «clay pot» in Korean) has long been a sort of pioneer of modern Korean cuisine in NYC, with chef-​owner Hooni Kim’s Western technique using Korean ingredients. Chef Hooni has since expanded to a more casual gastropub Hanjan but Danji has long been a perennial favorite for a lot of Americans looking to get a taste of various tapas-​style dishes that have displayed how modern Korean foods should look and taste like. I’m always a bit torn when reviewing modern Korean restaurants as I have be objective on how good the food is while also having familiarity with traditional flavor and texture of my home country. Some of my Korean friends clearly do not like what they call «bastardized» version of Korean food, and I do care about authenticity and don’t really like all these Asian fusion places that cater to American clientele without having ideas if the Asian sensibility is still kept intact. I have to say, though, the kitchen at Danji does balance those conflicting elements rather well. Yes, the flavor is a bit on the sweeter side that is probably more acceptable to Caucasians, but the dishes are all well-​executed nonetheless.
By now, the bulgogi beef sliders have become a mainstay at Danji that you almost associate the restaurant with this dish as if this is all they serve. It does have a delightful combination of bulgogi beef and spicy pickled cucumber that work very well together inside the slider buns. Tofu with ginger scallion dressing could’ve been more spicy, but there is no denying that tofu is very fresh to make for delightful texture. Soy-​poached black cod with spicy daikon is another traditional fish dish that has been modernized in a positive direction. The fish was cooked quite well, and the broth underneath gives the rich flavor without compromising the silky smooth texture of the fish. Kimchi bacon wet fried rice looks like an ordinary fried rice, but the combination of soft scrambled egg and bossam (braised pork belly dish in Korean tradition) gravy gives extra dimension to the dish that was so addictive that I couldn’t stop digging it despite its rather large size and small appetite of my dining companion.
The restaurant has that nice modern setting of a cozy dining room that is ideal for a date night or casual dinner on any given day. There is a full bar, and the couple of wines by the glass that I had were surprisingly good. Getting a reservation can be a challenge (the restaurant initially didn’t take reservations but now it does) due to the size of dining room and the popularity of this place, so make sure to book in advance or try your luck at the bar if there is no room at the high table. Yes, Danji may not be for everyone (especially Korean folks who cherish authenticity above all else), but there is no denying that the restaurant does put together high quality into the dishes coming out from the kitchen.

Popped by at almost midnight and we were lucky to get a table. We ordered spicy wings, pork belly sliders, kimchi and dumplings in chowder. Everything was really tasty. It’s not cheap but neither is it considered expensive, just above average but it is indeed a trendy hipster type of place!

Found myself craving some Danji. Vey crowded and cramped. Opted for the tasting menu this time. Black cod excellent and my favorite. Just the right amount of spice, salt and heat. Yellowtail sashimi was refreshing starter. No panchan as is typical of Korean restaurants. Bulgogi sliders tasty and filling. I could eat a whole jar of kimchi cucumbers. Nice selection of drinks including Hitachino White Ale and rice beer.

It’s a small small shop. Make sure u hv reservation cuz the community tables are crowded and loud… Which is where we sat and I kept touch the other person’s elbow.
The food is honestly a little over-​priced since the location isn’t that central and the food is not big portion/​as fancy.
We had egg over rice– yum but not as great as expected; spicy wings– nah, if it’s fried, the breading is way too soggy; tofu– just ok; slider– just bugalgi in small buns…
The drink wasn’t that great either. I had spicy guava margarita but I cannot taste any guava. It’s just a sweeten margarita that has guava color lol

Danji was actually easily being overlooked by me when I walked by, and it looked not at all special from its inside décor. However, as one of those Michelin falling angels, Danji present itself nicely.
We opt for the tasting menu, which was probably too much for two girls even both of us were starving at that point. I would strongly suggest the tofu with soy sauce, crispy at the outside while soft in the middle. The kimchi slider was also delicious, with meat cooked towards perfection. I was even able to squeeze out the juice from the mini burger!
Atmosphere was very ordinary, and very noisy. Me and my friend would have to shout at each other in order to be heard and we both found this very disturbing. However given the tasty food, I leave it as five star. Keep in mind, this is not a good place for conversation.

Came here on a Saturday night right when they opened and managed to grab a 2-​top. Place really filled up fast.
I ordered the kumquat gin n juice and it was very lighthearted. I don’t think I would order it again because the kumquat was quite overpowering.
The waiter recommended 5 – 6 plates for 2, so my friend and I got pork belly sliders, kfc wings, octopus and thick noodles, and kimchi fried rice. Kfc wings were quite disappointing to me because the breading was too thick and flavor too sour. I am probably not a good judge because I developed my taste in Korean wings at boca on st marks. Pork belly sliders were cooked very very well but I would definitely order bulgogi sliders next time because I would have preferred more seasoning to balance out the fat. The octopus was really amazing. It was the most tender piece of octopus I’d ever had, and the sauce in that dish was spot on — but only if you can take spice. The noodles were not that thick and were more cooked than al dente but really worked with the soft and tender protein. The fried rice was forgettable, could have used more salt.
Tasting menu available. No dessert. Service is awesome. Price on the higher side.

Pork Belly Sliders is the bomb!
Prepped in delicate fashion, the pork belly was extremely soft and almost melted in the mouth. They had the pork belly served on top of special sauce with thinly sliced green onions. On the other side of the plate were leaves of napa cabbage. The napa cabbage seem to be marinated and also cut thinly. Your suppose to get a piece of the napa cabbage leaves and wrap it around with the pork belly inside. Also include a few pieces of the spicy marinated pickles. Superb is all I can say.
The other thing that I liked was the Kimchi Fried Rice served on sizzling hotplate. They also included a fried egg!
If I come next time, I’ll be trying out the Wings and order a Cass Beer to go with it.
^^^^
Korean style, ya’kno