KO Modern Korean Cuisine
2817 S Eagle Rd, Newtown, PA, 18940
KO Modern Korean Cuisine Menu
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Address :
2817 S Eagle Rd
Newtown, PA, 18940 - Phone (215) 860-5515
- Website https://www.eatko.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Dave T.
I thought that the owners of the Korean run Oishi could bring a good Korean restaurant to the area. The bulgogi I had was decent, a bit steep at $26. The beef had a good spice, not too overpowering, and the gochuchang dipping was good too. the banchans i got with the bulgogi looked like stuff you can buy from the freezer of H-Mart- they were shrimp shumai, pot stickers and a cold tamago omlette. what the heck? No kim-chee or vegetable banchans to go with the $26 entree? guess my hope that a real korean place coming to town was squashed pretty quickly. My wife got the ramen. Ok, not korean, but it's here. and it's awful. I had no expectation of it tasting like Ippudo in NY or even the new ramen joints in philly, but come on. The noodles were "oodles of noodles", the broth totally salty-but-bland and tasted like it came from a ramen package. bean sprouts and pork thrown on top of a 50 cent ramen package, just like I made after coming home from school. On a positive note, The korean fried chicken with yuzu shio flavor was also bland, no yuzu flavor found, however the chicken itself was very crispy. the service was good and the atmosphere is nice. Overall, I'm sure this will be a hit with people who like oishi (dumbed down mediocre expensive "japanese" food in a swanky atmosphere), but for people who want non-bland, real korean food can look elsewhere. I think in the general area, Mirim near the oxford valley mall has the food at this place beat significantly.
(2)Kevin V.
Disappointed. I was excited to try this place based on the star-rating here in yelp (not to mention that it's owned by same family that owns Oishi), but afterwards, I'd wondered what all of these people giving it high marks were ordering. I had the Korean chicken wings and sadly they were a bit bland. I was expecting much more flavor. I've had Korean fried chicken at a few places in the past and this just didn't have the zing I was expecting. My wife ordered the Pad Thai which, wasn't the Pad Thai that we were expecting. Missing was the tang from the tamarind and the sweet finish. Maybe it's a modern spin on the dish that we just weren't prepared for. Maybe, we were just there on a bad night. Perhaps we'll give this place a shot again when we've re-realized there aren't many modern Asian spots way out here in the 'burbs.
(2)Jenn F.
Great food, even better drinks. The Ginger Gimlet was awesome. Atmosphere was casual and modern. Hip place! Way to go John on 2 very successful Newtown restaurants.
(4)Whitney A.
Food and service were outstanding, as was the decor (beautiful). We went for lunch and I got the bento box ($14) with beef bun, garlic bok choy, and meat dumplings. The beef was excellently seasoned and the garlic slices in the bok choy were like candy for me. The dumplings were tasty and came in a bit of light broth. My meal came with rice (brown or white) and salad with that delicious carrot ginger dressing. My husband got the pork belly ramen ($11) and asked for chilies on the side and he loved it. Service was very fast and our waitress was very sweet! They don't have their liquor license yet, but said they will soon. Looks like they'll have a decent selection on tap. We're super psyched to return and try more off of their large and intriguing menu!
(5)Phi N.
I went 2x in last three weeks. First time was a Tuesday night w/ friend and we had a great experience. Pork bao buns and wings to start-so much flavor and beautifully played. I had the stone rice with spicy pork. Also liked the gin drinks. I couldn't wait to go back so I went back on a Saturday with DH. We had happy hour btw 4-6pm! The banging shrimp, Bao buns, wings were so good! We're on HH special. Then we had dinner, I had the seafood rice in hot stone. DH had the ramen. We were in love!!! So needed in a town where good ethnic (tho modern) food is limited. Great bar menu, but keep the happy hour on Saturday please! Only bad thing is service-waiter needs to be trained better. They didn't have the basics down and were not efficient. Can't imagine how it would be when its dinner rush time. We were one of four tables.
(4)Sasha V.
Went to KO with my husband last weekend. Simply put it was amazing. Upon arrival we were greeted warmly and sat immediately. The atmosphere was great and the wait staff was very attentive without being overbearing . Our order consisted of the dumpling soup, cellophane noodles, short ribs, and the seafood hot pot. each course was delicious! All the food was brought timely and correctly- which is important to me since I'm not a fan of mushrooms and had asked they be held in some of the dishes. And after enjoying our meal, we paid the check- which was very reasonable- and made our way out. We'll be returning soon! So glad to know there's such a quality place so close to home!
(5)Veronica D.
****See update below***** Went here within the first few days that it opened. Its not real Korean. You know like you get in NYC on 32nd Street which is real Korean? I would call it some kind of fusion. Its not even Asian tasting really. We had this tuna sushi pizza that was great and a green curry dish. The sliders.....what was that? Ilk. And the chicken wings.....decent but nothing special. If you are expectingreal Korean, you will be disappointed. If you know no better....then its another place to go. The decor is a bit sterile. I think they are gettinga liquor license so will go back to check out the bar scene (but am I really expecting to meet some really cosmopolitan people in Newtown.....No.... but....let's see if they can make some good drinks) ****Tried again. Now they have the bar open. Nice to have a place in town that is on the nice side and has a decent drink menu. Still not sure of the category of the food but its good and different than your standard American fare (or is it fair?.....help me writers of the world). Danny the host is definitely has good energy and you will feel welcome when you enter because he is not just your standard restaurant host polite.....he connects with you. I still can't quite upgrade my stars though because there is something still a little bit missing. Maybe the personality of the place is just not developed enough yet. I would try some different types of mood music but not too loud and see the effect.
(3)Cochon I.
We tried this place last night, the day they opened. It was only about half full, but those of who went were fortunate, indeed. The setting will be familiar to patrons of nearby Oishi, which used to occupy the same space. Same owners, too, and pretty much the same open, minimalist East Asian decor as before, albeit tweaked here and there. This was our first go at Korean food, but after last night it won't be our last. We started by sharing two apps: five skewered slices of baby squid -- disappointingly little food but excellently prepared -- and black cod w/miso. The black cod turned out to be a winner and a highlight of the dinner. For mains, my wife had chicken bulgogi, which the Korean-American waitress explained to us so it could be eaten properly by hand. It didn't sound very interesting to me, so I went with Katsu style Japanese curry. My mistake. The bulgogi was a wonderful offering, almost a feast! As to the curry, it arrived so boiling hot that I blistered the roof of my mouth, presumably (and hopefully) the result of opening day jitters. That aside, it was somewhat bland initially. But the more it was eaten, the better it tasted. Still, even after it was made less molten with a handful of ice it didn't match up to the yummy bulgogi. Both dishes came with rice -- we selected brown, which was as good as it gets. Another opening day glitch: While press reports and their website indicated they serve beer, sangria, sake and whiskey, and nothing to the contrary was said when I phoned in reservations, when we arrived it turned out their liquor license won't be in force for another month or so. Thankfully, on this first night they made amends with comped red wine. In the meantime, be sure to tote along your favorite adult beverage or make do with tea or soda. No desserts, which offers an excuse to go to oWowCow near Newtown Grant. HuffPo says it is one of the ten best ice cream parlours in the United States, and it's hard to disagree. For those watching carbs, KO has a number of pretty good choices, especially if you go light on the rice. Our meal was carb-light, and we felt anything but deprived. Nothing was overly salty, either. Service was first-rate: cheerful, helpful and unpretentious, even if the pleasant bus person was a little too anxious to clear plates. How things will work out when the place is full remains to be seen, but there is a can-do spirit throughout. Rounds up to five stars, even with the child's-menu squid portions, because all hiccups were almost certainly the result of opening day. If that turns out not to be the case, it would merit one star less.
(5)Greg B.
Not as good as the owner's other restaurant (and former site) Oishi, but it is very good and definitely more upscale. The edamame dumplings are my favorite, as well as the Korean BBQ wings. This reminds me of a great happy hour place, as the dinner prices can be a bit much. I have visited several times and the service is always great.
(4)Jiyeona Y.
The food was very good , I usually go to Philli but I figure I try it and it was great and thats good coming from a true Korean ... There a little too modern but it's a new era .
(4)Veronica V.
In Newtown, PA nice contemporary atmosphere greeted immediately by hostess and seated at the bar (our preference). Not your typical Korean BBQ which is usually served table side. However, had Zombie drinks while waiting served our salads immediately, soup hot and spicy with beef and veggies had a nice little kick to it. Great place to hang out with the girls and meet for a few drinks can be a bit pricey depending on what you order. Wanted to try something new, not a fan of Thai Soba with Udon noodles with shrimp and ginger sauce. Shrimp were dry and flavorless did return dish and gave it another chance they added some steam shrimp waiting to taste the ginger sauce in the dish but it really fell flat. No flavor whatsoever, would not get that dish again. Only second time I was there I would go back the first time around I had Chicken Pad Thai, very good. I would recommend and return.
(4)Van M.
Service And Food were incredibly disappointing. Service was horrible. It was like an amateur cook trying to cook Korean. We could not finish our food or the table next to us. Never coming back. Ever.
(1)Noah R.
What can I say but my experience has been awesome so far. I stopped in on a whim after a business meeting. I say at the the bar and was promptly met by the the friendly bartender. There was a nice selection of draft beers and I took his recommendation on the Indian pale ale. I was fairly distracted with phone calls and work so I look forward to re-writing this review once I come back with my wife. I really enjoy the ambience and beautiful layout. After a long week it was very relaxing to the soul. The music was perfect the lighting on par, and a nice HD flatscreen in the bar area. I'm looking forward to coming back and trying the food. From what I've seen coming out of the kitchen everything looked delicious. I was even greeted by the owner several times simply checking in how everything was. Nice touch. This is exactly what Newtown needs. Perfect for date night! I will be back. Ps. Happy hour is from 430p to 6p with excellent pricing on cocktails beer and appetizers. Nice job KO. Wishing you all the best.
(5)Jea L.
i was just in there for the first time for lunch and it was great. great service and atmosphere. ordered the tuna pizza, the KO Bun, brussel sprouts and some dumplings which were all delicious. they have a great liquor selection and a pretty decent draft selection as well.
(5)Mike Z.
Horrible I would never go here again. I ordered the teriyaki chicken and the chicken came out dry and the sauce was mediocre. Serious how can you mess up teriyaki chicken!!! The mall food court makes it better.
(1)George M.
Killer food and atmosphere. This place is just what newtown needed and truely gives you city vibe in the suburbs. Making my way through the menu and so far not disappointed with anything we've eaten in the restaurant or had for takeout. The bar is very nice, great place for an nice cocktail or to sit have have a light bite. KFC is worth ordering, sounds basic but it's amazing.
(5)Richard G.
The former site of Oishi, which has moved to a larger location just across the shopping center. Ko is owned by the same gentleman but restricts itself to primarily Korean specialties. There is some overlap with the Oishi menu, but no Sushi here. A few things are unique here, such as Sajebi, my favorite dish. Gopdol is available at both but always seems even better here. My only negative is that they acquired a liquor license here, so when possible we still go to Oishi, even when not having sushi.
(4)Debby H.
Very good service. That said, it is disappointing that this is the same kind of Korean food offered by Oishi... small servings, kimchi and banchan do not come with orders. I was hoping KO would be a really good more traditional Korean restaurant. I think once the bar is licensed, their focus will be on liquor and not Korean food. I hope that is not the case. I will come back and have a meal and a drink sometime soon.
(3)Mark S.
So here is the story. Sunday no place to go and the family was not into the usual Sunday Chinese takeout. We decided to try this place as a family and to say that I was overjoyed by the food is an understatement. First.. All the food is cooked fresh to order so realize this going in and yes it is worth the wait. We started out with some Edomoni for the kids and the delicious dumpling soup. The soup was full of dumplings and had a rich consistency of flavors. My 9 and 7 year old children enjoyed this starting dish. We then go the sampler of dumplings steamed and we devoured them as fast as they came out. Really good. Clearly made with great ingredients and I could not say enough about the rich combination of flavors. Sometimes you go to places and order dishes like this and everything tends to taste the same. Not here. Now I do not remember the name of what we orderred next but the girls shared a egg noddle dish with beef, mushrooms in a nice sauce. They loved the dish so that was a testament to the quality in my view. They were actually mad at me when I tried to have some. My wife and I split the beef Gopaki (probably not spelling that right). The menu describes it as a sizzling hot pot with marinated vegetables and a choice of different meats or chicken. WE choose the beef and it was truly a great dish. My wife is typically not a big fan of Asian food and certainly came into this restaurant with some trepidation but she really enjoyed the meal especially this wonderful main course. We also ordered the special fried rice with pineapple and it was hard to stop eating that dish. Overall this is truly a jewel that has opened up in the area and I would highly suggest trying it out. They do not have a childrens menu but they have small plates available and were very open to doing what they can to take care of them. Thankfully we have kids that like this kind of food. Be prepared to wait a bit for your food but enjoy the nice atmosphere and and remember that all good things take time.
(5)Dan C.
We had the yellowtail jalapeno app first. Then we ordered the kalbi tacos app. Then we had the spicy chicken bun and that was great. Best dish thus far. We split the braised short rib and it tasted ok. It came with choice of white or brown rice, tofu, veggie tempura, sliced avacado and some green leaf lettuce , and pickled radish. The braised short ribs were tender and sitting in a bowl of broth with summer squash and other veggies. Overall okay.
(3)Molly M.
5 for food 1 for service. Came on a Friday night and was seated quickly because we had a reservation. We probably had the worst service I've ever experienced. The waitress did not know the items on the menu. Literally every thing we ordered, she'd get a puzzled look and said she didn't know what it was so we'd have to point to it. While she wrote it down. We ordered the Korean fried chicken and she said she did not think they have fried chicken but once we pointed to it, she said "oh I guess so" and copied down while we held the menu. Our reservation was 6:30 and 5 of us got our food at after 8:00 and had to wait 20 more minutes while the other 2 people in our party got their food. We waited for them so by the time they got their food, ours was cold. We asked her again why the wait for the other 2 meals and she said "I forgot to put their orders in, I'll put them in now" one of these orders was the KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN! We left frustrated and hungry.
(2)Ellen M.
Delicious! Can't wait to go back. Just wish it was a BYOB.
(5)Cyndi B.
Went on opening night and we were greeted at the front door by Dan who introduced himself and showed us a nice table for two in the center of the restaurant so we had a great view of the whole restaurant. Texture seems to be important here as the walls, menus, business cards and lighting offers a nice touch to the whole classy but fun atmosphere at KO. From the wooden wall with backlighting and the opposing wall had a white textured, and crisp clean line to it. Very cool! The lighting was well placed and appropriate, comfy seating and seating arrangements looked pretty decent.The staff were pleasant, engaging and checked on us frequently but not interfering at all. Clearly they wanted to make a good impression and that's always appreciated. Our orders of spicy Korean chicken and bao buns which are like little pillows that cradle your pork belly were Delish. So not only did the chef make our food look tasty, it was well presented and delicious. Not too spicy as far as the heat goes but I like fairly hot spices. There were other choices for the Korean chicken so feel free to try the others. That's my goal. The portion sizes were perfect and priced right. I don't like having to leave with extra to justify the price. That isn't the case here. Portion size and price match up nicely. Liquor license becomes effective next month or so and I'll have to go back when they can serve but for now I'm fine with a BYO. When we were finished, our plates were cleared quickly and while a touch of dessert would have been nice, maybe it was a sign to not overeat. Lol As an aside I love the color scheme too. By the time we left after 9 pm, people were still streaming in on opening night so bravo to the whole staff for working to give us a great experience at KO. I'm telling everyone about this place and took a bunch of the cards with me. Can't wait to try so much more of the menu creations. Wishing KO much success! See you all there.
(5)Stephanie C.
Although the food was delicious, the service was close to unforgivable. The waitress, albeit admittedly new, served us appetizers and our salads before our drinks even came and let them sit at the bar even after being asked where our drinks were. She would forget to get forks or straws and forgot to bring one of our appetizers. The manager was made aware of this and said he would take care of our drinks. When the bill came ( which had no problem arriving fast), the appetizer we never got was on the bill and when we mentioned it, she said she had brought it to us. We said no. She then shrugged and said ok. The manager then came over and said we had stated one appetizer had not come but the waitress is saying it was brought over ( what manager does this????). We again stated we never got it and with everything being so slow and wrong, we didn't bother to ask for it, assuming she had forgotten to order it. I will say the bartender who saw what was happening during our dinner, came to expedite everything and would get the drinks to us and even the food as the waitress clearly was not capable. Unfortunately a remarkable bad service experience will ruin any good food.
(1)Peggy F.
Loved every bite from the kim chi to the pork belly. The dumplings and short ribs were delicious. Will be back again and again and again.......
(5)Irina K.
Was here on a random Thursday night and surprised with how busy the place was. We did not have a reservation but its large enough place and we were seated immediately. I'm pretty sure it was definitely updated since it was Oishi and included a new full bar in place of the sushi prep bar that used to be there. Overall the place is beautiful, I want to say even romantic. My friend and I started out with a lychee martini. After the first sip we both thought it was extremely strong. The bartender did not have an issue with remixing it. It was very delicious on the second round, although I was slightly surprised by the glass being only half way filled for both of our martinis. It was odd, especially for the price. We started with Ko Bao Buns with BBQ pork belly. They were delicious. I thought pork belly was slightly tough (surprisingly, as its mostly fat), but overall the flavor was yummy. Galbi - the Korean short rib had really good flavor, but the short rib itself was sliced very thin and had many bone fragments. I can get these slices at H-Mart fairly cheap. Not what I expected, but again, the flavor was good. Chicken cilantro dumplings were really good. We had them steamed and the skin was wonderfully thin and delicate. We had a seafood Gopdol with a sunny side up egg. When it came out, the egg was actually already broken, which is not a big deal but I think the presentation would have been that much better if the yolk was intact. The dish was reminiscent of fried rice. I was surprised with the little amount of actual seafood that included tiniest baby shrimp. Again, overall flavors were delicious but at a closer examination I realized it pretty much lacked the seafood. The service was good, although we had slightly hard time understanding our waiter and he had a little bit of a difficulty understanding us. I believe the manager (owner?) came up to our table at one point. He politely inquired if everything was to our liking and if our second drink came out better than the first one. I was slightly surprised when our waiter dropped off our check at the end of our entre. We asked the possible manager/owner whether the dessert menu was available. There were desserts available although there was no menu for them. I think our waiter should have pointed that out.
(4)Alex C.
I loved this place! Daniel was the host who greeted me and immediately he told me they were running slow service for the evening and asked if I was ok with that. I appreciated the up front notice and said it was ok. To be honest, it wasn't slow at all. He took my order and made some excellent recommendations. I told him I wanted something robust and flavorful. And that is exactly what I got. The oishi spicy soup was amazing. The pork belly bao was unlike any i have ever had and I enjoyed the galbi platter more than you can imagine. A trick to galbi is that the rice becomes crispy from the hot bowl, so be sure to stir it before you eat it. This place is amazing. I wish I lived nearby so i could go here once a week.
(5)Edward C.
5 star restaurant, with 2 star. Food is fantastic. Everything dish has a distinct flavor. Appetizers have a beautiful presentation, are very well priced and the taste is the best around. The service leaves a lot to be desired. If I heard the phone ring one more time, I would have answered it myself. Hostess nowhere in sight to greet us, leaving us by a cold front door was a turnoff. But honestly, I am so glad we stayed and had a meal to remember.
(4)Annie M.
KO is my favorite place to eat in Newtown. The ambiance, food and staff never disappoints! My favorite items on the menu are the beef bulgogi bun, dynamite shrimp, KFC, and cheesesteak egg rolls. I can't wait to dive in and try all the sushi! There is something for everyone at KO.
(5)Dan R.
The best part is the restaurant is pretty. Otherwise the menu is confused between sushi, Thai, and Korean. I wound up confused why the sign outside said Korean.
(3)Arianna H.
I love this place! The Shrimp Tempura Supreme 1 and spicy Crunchy Tuna are a must try.
(5)Andrew S.
Great food, great concept. I come from Manhattan where Korean/Asian fusion are a popular concept and this was well done. Thanks for the experience!
(5)Jennifer J.
Like the yelp star rating I gave it - Yay! I'm a fan. Living in a sad food area of Hamilton, I have to venture out a bit further to find something that passes as Korean food. Thankfully KO does it for me when I need Korean flavors and don't feel like going to NYC or even to Edison. While not 100% authentic, and tailored for the American palette, KO has become my go to. The bao buns are delicious and probably one of my fav. things on the menu. Kalbi is always tender and flavorful - albeit on the sweeter side. I usually go with the set platter of dwaeji bulgogi - again always on the sweeter side and not as spicy and authentic as I'm used to but it settles my cravings. I always have to ask for extra doenjang - they never give you enough. Service is always excellent and attentive. They have someone that walks around just to fill water glasses, which is nice during busy peek hours when you can't always readily flag down your waitress. The environment is sleek & modern - but not stiff - very comfortable. KO offers a variety of flavors in the asian spectrum, mostly korean - but for those picky eaters like my bf......chicken & steak teriyaki is always the choice and it's been consistent each time. I always leave full and most importantly, satisfied!
(4)Lauren K.
The decor is lovely, the staff is meh, and the Korean food is Americanized. My meal tonight: Japchae - stir fried sweet potato noodles, vegetables, and beef When I put the Japchae into my mouth the first two flavors i tasted were sugar and sesame seed oil. It's delicious but sweeter than needs to be. Spicy pork bulgogi - marinated pork, whole lettuce leaves, bean paste, and steamed vegetables. Pork bulgogi is one of my top 10 favorite things to eat. Unfortunately many places don't make it well because they see a white woman ordering it so they tone down the heat. With out the heat it's usually on the bland side but still delicious because of how the meat and onions keep cooking on the hot dish - like fajitas. This was a big let down. They didn't server it to me on a pipping hot plate that make the meat sing to me while it releases fragrant hot red pepper smells. They put it in a bowl, one of the bowls they server the soft tofu soups in, and at the bottom were steamed vegetables. The meat was tough, probably because it wasn't sliced thin enough. The pork barely had any heat, even though I asked for it extra, extra, extra spicy. Usually when I ask for something extra spicy the server will come over and ask me how the heat was ... that didn't happen here. It was also too sweet. If they had prepared it on the sizzling hot plate the sweetness wouldn't of bothered me. There were no caramelized onions at the bottom :( Banchan -cold spring roll, Korean pancake, and dynamite shrimp. The cold spring roll was delicious but not a great pairing with the pork because it was also very sweet. These rolls typically come with a sweet chili sauce on the side so I wasn't surprised by the sweetness. Korean pancake was the best part of the meal. The texture and taste were spot on and the dipping sauce was perfect. The dynamite shrimp was a poor version of ones I have eaten at other restaurants. The shrimp was over cooked and the sauce was just ok. They didn't serve me any Kimchi and I missed having something picked to eat with my meal. Miso soup The soup was flavorful and on the saltier side - but not in a bad way.
(2)Kristine H.
I was in tonight. I had a great drink, Musko Mule. It was nice and refreshing. I had the bento dinner with beef bulgogi, wok fried brussel sprouts, tuna and salmon sashimi and the kimchi trio. The whole meal was delicious that I ate every bite! The brussel sprouts were the best I have ever had. The beef was well seasoned and tender. The sashimi melted in my mouth. The kimchi was good and in my opinion the radish kimchi was the best. My husband had a bento dinner with chicken teriyaki, meat dumpling and dynamite chicken. The teriyaki was sweet and the chicken was moist. The meat dumplings were okay. The dynamite chicken was crispy and seasoned well. The spice on the chicken was well balanced. We will be back again, hopefully soon. I would love to try so many things on the menu but not sure I can pass up the bento dinner!
(5)David D.
UPDATE I'm raising this to 5-stars, because Ko is that fun. I've been venturing more into their Korean dishes and this is where they really shine. Gable (Korean short ribs), delicious, perfectly marinated. Grilled squid, kimchee trio, yum, and triple yum. Service has improved measurably, although still can be somewhat spotty. The ambiance is hip in a non-pretentious fashion, and the bar area does rock. There is one classy TV so it's not overwhelming, but more importantly, there is a wonderful drink menu including rarefied Japanese whiskeys as well as a number Asian beers, and Japanese sakes. Kanpai! (Earlier review) I have been enjoying Ko recently, as they seem to have settled into their groove. This isn't your traditional Korean BBQ restaurant, as there aren't BBQs on the tables, but rather it's a Korean-inspired fusion restaurant. Some of the highlights are the dumplings, all the shumai options are great, and I have enjoyed the Miso Black Cod, Grilled Squid, and even the Salmon Teriyaki. They can get a little overzealous with the sauces, so I usually ask for it on the side. Their bimbimbop (not sure on the spelling), i.e., Korean hot pot is really, really great. I wasn't too crazy about their sashimi salad, as the fish had not been sliced too expertly - looked as though it was plated in a rush. Decor is very clean and modern. There is a bar area where they serve a good selection of beers, whiskeys, wine, and sake! I have found the service to be more pleasant than Oishi's, but some of the attendants were obviously still learning the ropes. ;) All in all, a fun place. If I'm going to veer into fusion territory, I'd still err toward the Japanese side of the equation although Ko fills a nice spot.
(5)Melissa B.
Absolutely AMAZING! We went opening night. It was crowded but we managed to grab a seat right away. Great atmosphere. Very trendy vibe. The service was great. Very pleasant, friendly and knowledgable. We ordered the Korean Fried Chicken (KFC)=====OMG AMAZING!! we got the spicy kind and it was spicy but for all you people who cant handle the spice, it wasn't too hard core. Extremely flavorful and super crispy outside and juicy inside. We got the pork belly bao buns as well. They were presented so nicely and even though it was a "small dish" it was filling. Came with 2 buns with just the perfect amount of meat and fillings. Unfortunately, they don't have their liquor license yet. But from what i've heard, this is the usual for any new restaurant. But i think they will have it by August. Delicious beers on tap along with other delicious looking drinks. I cant wait to go back and try more!
(5)Phillip R.
True Korean flavor profiles, modern techniques, huge menu, delicious beer and drink selections, great ambiance, décor, and wonderful service! What more could you ask for!? (maybe a second location closer to West Chester???) I kid... but no, seriously, could you!? Its not easy to put a modern twist on such traditional flavors, but they have nailed it each and every time. We've tried various dumplings and although you cant go wrong, the edamame dumplings are to die for! We shared some sujebi (hand torn noodles) in a rich a decadent seafood broth. The soft shell curry still reigns as my favorite and most savory dish thus far but there are still so many things I have yet to try! uggg! guess ill have to put in more "research" this weekend so I can report back to you guys! a note to the owners, CHESTER/DELCO IS WAITING FOR YOU!
(5)Carol M.
OMFG. We came last weekend for dinner. First experience with Korean BBQ. Wow!!! Pork belly bao buns ARE TO DIE for. Then we chose a few options from the small plate menu to try different things. Short ribs, yum. Pot stickers, yum. Everything was outstanding!!! Will for sure return!!!
(5)Carolyn F.
Wow, wow and wow!!! I love this place. The salad dressing was fresh and delightful. The Oishi spicy soup was so good with a real rich broth. But my favorite was the beef Bulgogi bun. It was so fantastic I am taking an order home for dinner. Don't pass this place up
(5)Jay E.
Yes recommend. Got a kim chi side first as a test of their authenticity, was great. They have small plates so you can taste a few things. Everything had their own great flavor. Get the dumpling sampler A. Also.had short ribs,. Next time.will get an entree. And the service is good. Spilled martini replaced immediately.
(5)Jane H.
I have finally gotten a chance to sit down for dinner here, so I wanted to make an amendment to my last review. As it stands, it is not a bad restaurant. Their ambiance is very modern, chic and romantique. As such, it boggles me why they don't split up some of the tables to accommodate their high number of parties of two? I made a reservation on a Friday evening for 8PM. When we first got there, there was no host to even greet us and ask if we even had reservations -- there seemed to be some poor chaos keeping someone from checking on who goes through the door. While I understand Fridays are high volume nights for most restaurants, I did not understand why I had to wait over 20 minutes for my table when I arrived on time for my reservation. As I waited, I noticed I was not the only party that did not have a table ready for their reserved time. One couple just asked to be seated by the bar, so they wouldn't have to wait for their table they reserved to be ready. Wish I came up with that idea before they did. This mismanagement of seating should not happen. I tried a few different dishes. The soft shell crab sliders were pretty good and fairly priced. However, I was a little disappointed at the japchae. First of all, it was too sweet. The description alluded to what should have been a more traditional dish, and the sweetness really detracted from that. Second of all, why is something that is so cheap to make (even if you got all certified local, organic ingredients), priced so highly for the amount you get? It boggles my mind. I suppose it is exotic and for those who don't know Korean (or East Asian food in general), there is no way to know value for this dish. The kimchi stew was not bad, except the tofu was firmer than I would have expected for this dish, and I'm pretty sure they left out the rice cakes this time. My husband for the bibimbap, which was pretty good, and I like how they made a seafood version of it. The only disappointing thing is the egg came cooked. I wonder if they do that for the clientele here, who being more suburban white, may freak out at a raw egg being served to them. One nice thing is they have a lot of different beers. My husband was so happy to get Tiger beer, which is a Singaporean import that is not that easy to find. The alcohol list is great and priced well. If you want tea, you have to order it, there is no house tea that just gets refills. Also, their service (once you are seated, that is) is not bad. All in all, not a bad place, and being the only one of its kind, I will probably come again. Really a place for locals to try something different, and not a place I would go far out of the way to try.Also, I am disappointed at the way the owner messaged me several times to try to convince (or harrass, depending on my mood of the day I receive his message) me to give a better review. Yelp is not here for reviewers solely to promote places they like -- it is here for reviewers to give open, honest opinions of places they go.
(3)Jeff H.
I have been here 4 or 5 times now. There were some service issues, when they first opened but it seems like they were addressed. The food has been good for all but one bad experience. The food is inventive and tasty. Atmosphere is great with some great mixed drinks at the bar if you are feeling risky. Love the wide range of 1st course options, if you are interested in tasting a bit of everything. KO has what it takes to be a four star restaurant, they just need to keep delivering at a high level, to make up for a slow start.
(3)Adam L.
Like the yelp description of 5/5 says - KO is as good as it gets. It is really hard finding good Korean food in the area without having to go up to Manhattan and KO does just that, it's a knockout. KO was the original Oishi until they moved a year or so ago, so there was a little updating that Jon did. I really like how they blocked off the entrance so that everyone is not cramming into this little tiny wait area anymore while hovering over diners. The new bar is very well stocked - so remember - Oishi is BYO and KO is not. The KO bun was probably my favorite. The food overall is fantastic. The only thing I would like is if they would add the table grill for the true Korean BBQ experience.
(5)Elliot P.
I came in a couple weeks ago for a large birthday gathering for a friend. I was excited as I like Korean food, and had quite a bit of it before I moved to Philly. I had high expectations because one, Korean hard is not too hard to mess up. Yes, there's great Korean and there's awful Korean, but the spectrum is not nearly as wide as it is with other kinds of food. And the food was o.k. - I had a bento box special, and it was rather bland. The bulgogi tasted fine, just like the one I made at home with the jar of bulgogi marinade I bought at the local asian market. I imagine they used the same jar of sauce. It was nothing special. The sashimi was certainly not bad, and certainly not excellent. It was perfectly average. It was not jump-off-your-plate fresh and it was not forgotten about in the back of the fridge for a week either, somewhere in between. I had the salmon and the tuna. But oh, the service- it needs a lot of work. Now we were a very large party, so it's expected that some things will be less than stellar. Like requesting a fork and it being forgotten. I get in, there's a lot going on. But the less understandable deficiencies were things like the waiter not knowing the beers on tap or thinking to mention that there are beers on tap at all. Service was slow and forgetful, but to be fair that's probably because of our large party. On the other hand, I believe the reservation was placed well in advance. Theoretically, KO had adequate preparation time, but failed to do so- at least to our (my) satisfaction. I would advise against coming here with a large party. The decor was beautiful. It looks like a very upscale restaurant. They should match the kitchen and service to their decor.
(2)Kat J.
Asian citrus salad was uninteresting and quite small for what you're paying for but the bao buns were really tasty though and the lunch bentos are a good deal. We all thought the food was good. Just don't order the salad - waste of money. The free salads that came with everyone else's lunches were 3 times tastier!
(4)Jaison M.
Great service. Went for lunch. Got beef bulgogi, kimchi sampler, stir fry vegetables, and meat dumplings pan fried. Everything was delicious. The leanest beef bulgogi I've had yet. A lot of times you get a lot of fat, but not today. The only thing I didn't enjoy too much was the cucumber kimchi. Usually it's still crunchy, but it seems as though it marinated too long and was super soft. The vegetable stir fry with tofu seemed like it was mostly cabbage. Everything still tasted great. Nice atmosphere as well.
(4)