Round K

I hate to do this but I live far enough away. This is the greatest café on the les and it’s not even close. I would do all my work here if I lived closer. They have s huge back area that’s hidden behind a curtain, with a dozen tables. What an unexpected gem!

«One of the reviews says it’s the best iced americano they’ve ever had!» I said.
«Yes, but every coffee shop has a review that says that,» she said.
For once, the review was spot on. We sat there completely flabbergasted that we were both drinking the best iced coffees we had ever had.
And such a cozy, well-​planned space on a chilly day! There are little seats in the back (with lots of hooks to keep coats and things out of the way)
This place certainly triggered one of those «I should probably move back to Manhattan» moments. So glad that places like this still exist.

A true gem and a great find in the LES. It’s a nice and cozy place to get some coffee/​tea/​breakfast or lunch goodies and catch up with some friends. You can even take a date to this casual, yet intimate place. This place definitely leaves a great impression.
Review:
I went here to meet up with some friends on a Friday night around 6 pm.
When you walk in, you order your drinks and/​or food. Then, they tell you that they will deliver it to you.
You go pass these curtains and WOW. The décor and ambiance were great! Their small cushioned seats can sit up to 4 people and there’s a bag hook on the side of the table. So, you can hang your bag. There is also a coat hook on the wall next to each table. This is something that I found unique in this café. I have never seen cafes this accommodating. They really are wise to use the space that they have, which isn’t much. They also hang these stained glass lamps above each table, which does add charm to the place. There is also dim lighting.
We only ordered drinks, so I can only review those. I ordered a Jasmine Oolong Tea, which was $ 5.50 per pot (Don’t worry, the pot is pretty small. You can refill your tea cup 3 – 4 times and can definitely finish it by yourself or share with one other person. I would not recommend sharing it with more than two people). It tasted earthy and great!
My friends ordered the cappuccino and the latte. The cappuccino and latte had latte art on them. I found it interesting that the latte was in a bowl, rather than a cup. They both do have latte art and my friends seemed to enjoy them. Definitely snap a picture of the latte art. They’re so cute!
Okay, I have to talk about the BATHROOM. It is the prettiest, roomiest and cleanliest bathroom I ever been to, seriously. I wish I had my phone to take pictures of it. It has a peaceful vibe, which I know is something that you don’t usually associate with bathrooms. But, it really does! You’ll see what I mean if you go in there. Hopefully, it stays that way!
Overall, service and drinks were great and staff seemed friendly. I will absolutely come back to try some of their food items. I’m sure they’re great!
This is one of the best cafes I’ve been to and I hope it sticks around for a long time!
Definitely check out this place!

It is a bad place for breakfast. Only bagel waffle and some bad coffee. we ordered a whole grains bagel and a banana waffle toast, a cup of green tea, a coffee I do not know its name. All of them are not good as a breakfast. If you live around this café, I suggest you go to Starbucks located cross” ground k «. Even Starbucks is better than «ground k café».

I was walking around lower east side and I needed a good cup of coffee badly. I was surprised by their new menu. They have bagels and homemade cream-​cheese YUM. I just got coffee and bagel to go but I have to come back soon for their brunch food.

Definitely like this place and hope it stays in business for a long time. Cute quiet place tucked away in the LES. Not crowded on a Friday evening either. When you enter, you smell the coffee roasting (burnt popcorn) so not the best smell, but the aromas fill the shop and is very subtle in the back. Order up front, be sure to ask what they have (they have teas too) since they only list a few options on the chalk board. I didn’t get anything to eat, but my friend had the sponge cake and said it was good.
People who work there are nice, and chatty. You can ask them about their coffee beans and such.
The latte was good enough, the only complaint is the sitting area isn’t that comfortable and feels a little awkward. Not sure what a 5 star coffee shop would be, but if they had more comfy chairs, this could be it.

Awesome atmosphere and even awesomer coffee. Ockhyeon is the master of espresso and don’t miss the exciting syphon. Also, ask Kai for a shiso tea. It’s the best I’ve ever had.

A quiet, slow spot in LES. The first time I passed by here, I was hoping to get their food set and coffee but the food set is only served on weekends. I went with two friends on a late Saturday morning and it wasn’t crowded at all. The barista was very nice and explained the coffee menu to us, showed us inside, and left us alone for the most part (except when actually servings us).
The food was delicious! The set of the day was beef over rice, a soup, and kimchi – the food didn’t seem like a lot, but really hit the spot and filled me up. The set is only $ 15 dollars and comes with any one of their drinks. I got the siphon coffee, which was bold, dark, strong, and earthy. My friends got the yu jah iced tea and the grapefruit iced tea; the yu jah tea was similar to the citrus tea mixes you get in Korean grocery stores, but the grapefruit iced tea was on point: faintly sweet and bitter and very refreshing.
The fare was simple but sometimes that’s all I’m looking for. However, I was a huge fan of all the cutlery and everything was so beautiful, that it definitely elevated the experience.

It may look tiny from the outside, but once you go in, there’s more space. This is a great spot to study/​catch up with a friend or two (wouldn’t recommend large groups). The staff and owner are super friendly and accommodating. Their food menu changes everyday so just ask the cashier what’s good. Usually comes out in the basket with the perfect portion for one person. Their teas could use a little less sweetening though, but 5 stars for good vibes!

Great macchiato made with love. There is a vinyl record player and a quiet study room behind the fitting room. You can even use the typewriter. The music set is good as well if you like electro swing :) Loved the hidden concept!

Really great coffee! When you come in early they have small pastry treats that are really cute. The pastry I got that day was the sponge cake with ginger and strawberry jam. It was a bit sweet and messy for me but overall appearance was adorable.
The coffee is what gets this place the stars. I ordered an ice coffee and it was super delicious because it was freshly grounded coffee shaken up with ice. Most ice coffee places have coffee that taste like a fridge.
The chairs in the back are a bit too low and small. But I get that the space is small so the decors are matching the space.

Amazing coffee (and brewing techniques) and the owner/​barista definitely knows what he is talking about. The place is quiet, definitely recommend for those that wants a nice place to study. If I live around the area, I would make this my local coffee shop.

Disappointed that their food is served «random», so missed their food; however, tried their cappuccino. The coffee is very good, the barista, who also is the cook lol, knows his art. He explained that M-​F there is a menu, and weekend, there is a set menu. However, he only serve first 10 customers. And whatever he makes for the «1^st» customer is what will be served for the day, so if you are the lucky first to decide on the menu for the day, then kudos to u.
The café is named «da-​bang», which is what café used to be called back in the days. Its fun place to stop by, quirky, retro in its ambiance and design, with old record player and han-​bok on the wall. Almost reminds me of a Korean War movie set… think of the recent Korean movie «Assassination».
Come enjoy the travel back to the old days of cafes in Seoul.

Unexpected yet awesome addition to the Manhattan coffee scenes not to mention this place screams 90’s Korea in the most positive (and quiet) way. Being there made me all reminiscent but don’t get me wrong. This place is «modern». I am a coffee snob and to me their coffee is properly made and tastes great. I will definitely go back for their lunch menu.

Great staff and great coffee. From Syphon coffee, pour overs, and cold brews, this is the place for coffee lovers. They also serve set lunches/​dinners but you will have to ask as it extremely limited.
UPDATE: they now service brunch menus now from eggs benedict, waffle, and yogurt.

Great place and also real espresso with the right taste.
For Coffee lovers.
And they also made food you just need to book (saturday and sunday)

Super friendly staff with a hipster vibe. A Korean inspired food meal with classic café drinks, Round K is a super mellow spot for a cup of afternoon joe.
I would recommend this place as a work café if you have a strong back (chairs have minimal back support) and hotspot. The wifi isn’t really fast and only one table has an outlet close by (second table from the back on the left). The place isn’t crowded and most groups are relatively quiet (compared to other Korean cafes). You order up front and pay when you leave. I was pretty surprised with their honest system as they don’t write down the orders of each table and recall them by memory/​trust with the customer.
We ordered an americano, a cold brew, a herbal tea and a kimchi tofu egg sandwich. Everything was perfect in terms of the drinks and food. The barista definitely knows his drinks and the chef definitely makes an uniquely delicious and healthy sandwich. I really like the focaccia-​like bread with the kimchi/​garlicky spread.
They also have lunch sets, but they only serve ten of them daily. So come early if you want to catch one of those here. (I came here around 1:30 PM on a Sunday and they were sold out).
FYI, bring cash as they currently don’t accept credit cards.

As a self proclaimed coffee snob (connoisseur, really), round k is a GREAT addition to the NY coffee scene. The dude who owns this place (I write about him as if I know him, I really don’t) seriously knows how to make a mean coffee.
Yes. I may be biased bc I’m Korean and he is Korean, and koreans KNOW their coffee.
May be the best cold brew I’ve had in NY. And I am a cold brew SNOB (I had one a few hours later at whynot coffee a few blocks north and regretted it immediately).
Also, the Korean grandma in me loves the old school Korean décor and the 80s Korean music. I’m a fan. Now if it didn’t take me 1 hr to get there I would frequent you more.
Haven’t tried their their coffee, but I usually can get an accurate gauge on a coffee shop by their cold brew, which, I’m not sure if I made clear, is UHMAZING.
Six stars if I could.
Btw. Not a great study spot since the tables are low and the chairs have no back support. Fine place to read a book I suppose. But saturday mornings it is very very empty so if you can deal with the lack of back support definitely haul your behind here.

Firstly, I’d like to add that from so many places we visited during our stay in New York, Round K boasted a simple, rustic flare that was very comfortable and welcoming to be in.
I ordered a capuccino, a panino and a dessert. Everything was well presented and delicious, the service was quick and the atmosphere welcoming.
So if your looking to sit down in a relaxed atmosphere, with quality food and drink, then definitely give Round K a look, you surely won’t be disappointed, I surely wasn’t.

The coffee is amazing! I am a coffee enthusiast and I can’t get enough of this place! The owner is really awesome and he gets rare beans from around the world. All his coffee is roasted and grind fresh daily! Enjoy some of the delicate sweet treats or take advantage of the wifi and cute studying area. This is definitely perfect for students or readers that want a quiet and relaxed environment.
This place is perfect for locals because they constantly change the coffee menu and offer a wide variety of beans. The owner mentioned renting out the location which would be a great location for an open mic or book club meeting. Give this place 5 stars because the quality of beans are out do this world!!! Must try!!!