we come here every time we visit jersey. i was really impressed the first time we ate here, and 3 years later, it's still pretty dang good. last visit we came with cousins from korea who are currently living in poland. so these guys were seriously fiending some delicious kbbq. needless to say they stuffed their faces and left satisfied :) naengmyun is always good and so is the joomooluk (skip the yangnyum galbi).
(5)
Robyn C.
Came here with my family for lunch before Thanksgiving and the individual dishes we got were good, but the raw fish we got was so-so...hence the 3 stars. My sister and I ordered the bi bim nang myun (I know, a bit cold for chilled, spicy nang myun, but a girl wants what a girl wants). It was tasty, clean, and just the right amount of spicy. We also had the raw fish to share, which was good but not as fresh as it could've been. But for the price they were offering it at, it probably makes sense why the quality was the way it was. Service was good also- lots of banchans.
(3)
Jamie J.
I took my out of town friends to this place. But it was closed and being renovated for Brooklyn Brewery.
(1)
Yuya H.
Just had an amazing meal at Zen Zen! The service was exceptional. Lim was attentive and very friendly. We ordered the hyu mit (tongue), Kalbi (short ribs) and bossam (pork belly). All very delicious and highly recommended!
(5)
Jen C.
I really enjoyed this place. I recently went here on my bday. Like any BBQ place be prepared to smell afterwards. But it's worth it. The food here is sooo good. There are numerous varieties of meat and cut which I can't wait to go back and try. I had the kalbi which is always good and the bulgulgi which i wasn't really that impressed with. The dumplings are good. I would skip the pancake, too oily. I had the japchae which was really good too. I just took off one star because this place is sooo expensive. $5 for green tea is ridiculous. Their meat portion runs a little over $30 and it's so small. I may be back but it would have to be for another special occasion. The service was quick which was awesome. I stopped in around sat at 7pm and it was just starting to get packed. By the time we left it was totally packed so you may want to make a reservation.
(4)
Woo K.
If you are a gogi loving person, this is a good spot to hit up. For BBQ/gogi joints, I would rank So Moon Nan Jip and Zen Zen as top two in the area overall. it's gas fire, but they use good quality meat with great marination. They cook the meat for you and ajumas here are quite attentive. As with most of the BBQ places, price is quite steep but they do have specials. I recently went and they were doing galbi at $21 which is like 10 bucks cheaper than usual. They have back room for group reservation as well. A couple of warnings: It's a bbq joint. Your clothes are going to stink up and reek. Do use the valet service for parking as they have towing trucks roaming the area for street parked cars. A lot of the cars get towed...
(4)
Jason P.
One of the best BBQ places around! They just lowered their kabli prices pretty significantly - maybe to attract a younger crowd. The quality of the food and the service; however, hasn't gone down at all. You get a lot of great side dishes with your meal and the open flame grill set up is so much better than the traditional pans that you see in most places. I haven't had their shabu so I can't speak for that, but I promise you won't be disappointed by their BBQ!
(5)
Ani O.
Great food! Best bulgulgi and japcahe ever................. Just don't wear your best clothing going in you will walk out like you just got rubbed with kalbi and smoke. Service is great. Specially if you become a regular they will go above and beyond.
(4)
Mohit D.
Love this place; the BBQ beef is amazing. Flavor of the food is great. Seriously making this place a regular. Glass noodles where so yummy and the OB beer is very good. Not a great dessert section but they fill you up with everything for mains. Plenty of parking.
(5)
Jun C.
Some of the best cooked kalbi in the area. If you don't care about other dishes and just want some great kalbi, eat here. The employees are very friendly and it's a very casual dining experience. The daenjangjjigae is very good too, though it's a shame that they no longer give it to you for free with each serving of meat you order. The anshim steak is high quality too, but dont bother with it since you can get a steak anywhere; get kalbi. The naengmyun is very delicious as well.
(4)
Mark S.
Very good kalbi, though my favorite is the anshim steak. They tend to cook it too well done, so I always try to stop them from cooking it at around medium when there is still pink inside the meet. The noodle dishes here are good too, but I don't remember what they are specifically called. I'd have to look at the menu.
(4)
Tristan O.
We ordered BBQ and more and they Charged for Soup and rice! Really? Over charged price and bad service.
(1)
Jae L.
Korean bbq ftw!!! This place has become my family's usual special occasion dinner place. They have nearly every cut of meat. I usually don't even look at the menu. Just get the regular kalbi or marinated galbi, you can't go wrong. All the other meats are good too, I just prefer the beef. The place has beer and soju to go with your meal too. And of course, the banchan that is complimentary with your meal is in abundance. I'm not sure how many servings of meat gets you the soup and the noodles on the house, but I've never had an issue with that. It happens every time, so I'm not too worried about that. Definitely a great place to get nice and plump and they're not too ridiculous on price. The reason I give it 4 stars, not 5? The ladies who grill up the food for you are too good at it, for lack of a better word. They stood by our table and grilled up all our meat super fast and I felt super rushed to eat my food. Not sure if it was because it wasn't all that busy or they just do that all the time. I ate in such a blaze, I don't even know how much I ate. It's a good and bad thing, but I personally like to slow down and enjoy my food. Other than that, it's great place to get your Korean bbq fix.
(4)
Michelle S.
Good Korean barbeque - Kalbi. Shrimp was also good. Great sides.
(4)
Nicholas M.
The meat is good quality. The side dishes are hit or miss but overall pretty good. Before about a couple of months ago, they had high-ish meat prices but it included a "tasting" portion of bean paste soup or cold noodles. About a couple of months ago, they lowered their meat prices and no longer included the tasting portion. About a month ago, they went back to their "original" pricing. I prefer the lower meat prices but I guess it wasn't tenable. Note: if you order meat, there is a free steamed egg side dish but it can take about ten minutes to come out. And then you have to wait another five minutes or so for it to cool down. Don't burn your mouth!
(4)
Mikyung H.
If you want to go to a Korean bbq place where you want to relax and chat while you eat your pricey meat, go to Zen Zen. Although they cook your meat for you (one thing I hate about Korean restaurants), they don't shovel 10 pieces of meat onto your plate at once or serve you the bill once your meat is cooked. The lady let our meat sit on the outer ring of the grill, while my friend and I were catching up. They also give you a choice of nengmyun (sweet potato noodle soup), or dwenjang jjigae (beancurd soup) as "service". You can have either one of these either during or after your meat course. I personally like wrapping the meat with the noodles. Out of this world! I'm very picky and particular about my meat but this place has left a good impression on me. I've been here twice and my favorite choice so far has been the marinated kalbi. Only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because they make you do valet parking when they feel like it, whether you like it or not. Silly concept..
(4)
Mariel B.
Food was ok not amazing I was done with my dinner before my appetizer even came out they just rushed us out basically little expensive for what they give you to many little dishes I want the meat not little bites
(2)
John C.
What happened! My favorite BBQ place is history. The BBQ is still tasty but the service has gone downhill, no free post meal cold noodles, and prices have gone up. Service has gone downhill, they are also skimping on the side dishes and meat condiments. The winds of change and time have been cruel, if this place doesn't ante up, I'm not coming back, better options nearby.
(2)
John H.
I remember years ago when this place was one of the best Korean BBQ spots in north jersey. That was a long time ago. The last few times that we have gone here, it has been increasingly disappointing -- the quality of the food was down and the service was nonexistent. It's no secret that they have been getting worse and worse as it's often empty during peak dinner hours now. We went again tonight for dinner and this is definitely the last time that we will be going there. When we sat down, the waitress immediately told us that they no longer give you the stew (dweanjang jjigae) or noodles (nengmyun) when you order meat. She explained that instead they lowered the cost of meat by a WHOLE DOLLAR -- from $31 to $30. Now you must pay $11 for the stew or $8 for the noodles. Uh... no thanks. That was literally the only reason to still go there, on occasion of course. The kalbi was super thin and very bland, quality was just poor. We paid $100 for 2 galbi, 1 stew, 1 beer, including tip. A terrible and ridiculously overpriced experience. Definitely the last time we will be there. Zen Zen, you had a good run but it's time for you close and make way for a better management/restauranteur.
(1)
Shaza K.
Zen zen is my favorite place for KBBQ in NJ. Tops some of the places I've been to in the city as well. Staff is very attentive. I go there late night and we're usually the only table ( probably for the best because there's usually 5-7 of us and we can get pretty loud) The Kalbi is my fave along with the pork belly. They also have the best sides. More selections than most places.
(4)
Michael P.
Went there last night (9/28/14). Wondered why the restaurant was so empty. Guess what. They no longer give out the free small size cold noodle when you have bbq. Have not reduced the galbi price (higher than other galbi places), but now charge $7.99 for that ridiculously small sized noodle. Well.. this place used to be my family's favorite galbi place, but not anymore. The quality of food and service has declined dramatically to below par, but still ridiculously overpriced. The owner doesn't seem to know how to do business. I am not going back..
(1)
Matthew C.
I have work for the past three years for a Korean company. One of the many perks of that is the fact that you get to try some excellent Korean barbecue. This is one of the places that the Korean executives would often take us. And boy am I glad they did, it's incredible . The assortment a fresh veggies that you get at the beginning of the meal are wonderful. The atmosphere is very very nice. The service is exactly what you would expect from a good Korean barbecue house. And the food, the food is amazing. I've had several assortment of meats and other grilled things here in all been delectable. If you are in the mood for Korean BBQ I would highly suggest stopping by this location.
(4)
Vincent D.
My go-to spot for Korean BBQ in Jersey. Very attentive and friendly staff. Great Galbi.
(5)
Marko G.
I wanted to eat BBQ, but I didn't realize that it will be my arm and a leg on that grill with prices around $50 for a descent meal. Probably more with drinks. Perfect diet place, a total hunger damper. With those prices no wonder there is a porche parked outside, probably the owners.
(1)
Marcus D.
Barbecued meat and delicious rice dishes - maybe I'm just an ignorant round-eye devil that doesn't know any better, but I loved the food here. Me and my friend each got a meat dish to cook on the grille - along with the side dishes and the bang, that was plenty! I came here on a Saturday night and the place was packed with Korean people - good sign. The service was good - waitresses were always there to help and serve us.
(5)
Gabriel V.
I was brought here for my birthday and I was looking forward to it all week. I love Korean bbq and I was very excited. But after eating in this place I became very sick with stomach pains and diarrhea. I am still recuperating four days later (which is why I wanted to write this review). My boyfriend also got sick, but he got better sooner. Something was wrong with the food. After I took several bites I felt very bloated ; I had a meat platter - grilled , vegetables, white rice with an order of steamed dumplings. The service was okay, the waiters hovered around you which made the eating a bit annoying. The ambience was okay; I felt the attached seating by the wall are to far from the tables. You have to lean in in order to eat... It was very uncomfortable. I was very disappointed with what happened at this location because it's close to home. I will not be coming here again.
(1)
ghost g.
I don't know why they bother with the shabu shabu. The shabu shabu is no different that what you would get at Pho32. Real shabu shabu connoisseurs go for chinese hot pot, end of story. However, what there is to talk about at Zen Zen is the Korean BBQ. I think the beef bbq is just as good as any korean BBQ place in NY/NJ. The pork shoulder and belly is average. I have not tried the duck BBQ even though its suppose to be their speciality. The deal I believe is for every order of meat you get a free small order of cold noodles which is a great compliment to the BBQ. The other treat is on I believe Fridays and Saturdays spicy raw crab is included in the free sides dishes and it is awesome. The place is roomy and good for families. The servers are attentive and very nice. On my rotation when it comes to Korean BBQ, also very good for parties greater than 6 as they have a couple of large tables.
(4)
Lo V.
Solid korean bbq here. Not mind-blowing but good and dependable. The galbi is very tasty, but not many places can poo-poo galbi. I felt it was overpriced for the offering. The bolgoogi was good but slight for the price point. The service was prompt and friendly. I probably will re-visit, but as a slightly secondary option.
(3)
Albert Y.
First let me say I'm a regular here - like once every other week I come by myself and have two Kalbi (ju mo lok) - best Kalbi in the country. Period. End of discussion This is the best in the east coast - west coast sucks. Their meats are fresh, and they have them on display like some kind of butcher shop. My only gripe (which doesn't sacrifice a star) is that they never have jakopbap...friggin throw some dumb beans in the rice cooker. Helps with my G.I The owner/manager loves me, and always prepares a plate of spinach - my goto panchan. The staff are very nice and their service is top notch (at least for me) - I guess I tip well Don't know enough about nengmyun but the free one they give you, according to my mom, brings back memories of childhood. That's how good it is But you go here for Kalbi and it's the best. It's away from jersey ktown (fort lee) in fair view. That's a good thing. They have valet parking too. There used to be a toothless ajashi there who would park my car but he left. I actually miss seeing his toothless smile Go grab some meat- zen zen
(5)
Jay P.
Marinated Kalbi - so goood!!!! Pork Belly!!! - Oh it was good!!! One of the best Korean BBQ in the area I would definately go back for those two And dive myself to try some other stuffs, too. I wonder if their shabu-shabu section is good, too.
(5)
sammy s.
Don't get Oyster when your waitress tries to pitch it sucks! Grand Central oyster rocks!! We had duck be nunseasoned. fresh, unfrozen, thick cut nice!!
(3)
Kevin L.
This used to be the best Korean BBQ place in NJ. Past three times I went the quality of the meat (sang kalbi) went down so much I probably won't go back. Service and everything is the same except for the meat. Not sure what happened. Maybe change the meat provider? Pretty disappointing. Now I need to find another Korean BBQ place in nj.
(2)
Jordan L.
I visited here with my husband and fell in love with the korean barbecue ! Service has improved so much better than before. The kalbi was $20.99 for one dish. At first, I was suspicious of the quality cause the pricing of the kalbi dramatically decreased. However, it turned out to be the best kalbi of my family. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR KOREAN BARBECUE GO HERE ! I am planning to bring my whole family here. At the end, I love their food ! Service is awesome ( the waitress I had was super nice)
(5)
Master J.
My review has disappeared. Service was just horrible. The food is average at most. I came with two non-koreans. The bbq is supposed to be cooked front of you in an open flame grill. They sat us down in a electrical grill and it tasted like crap. When I asked them in Korean why I didn't get an open grill, they openly admitted that they thought we were "non-Koreans", so that's why thehy gave us the crappy table. They really said that. On top of that, when I came with Koreans, they always rushed me during our meal. I will never ever ever ever come back here ever.
(1)
Brian L.
I don't know if there's anything I can say negatively about this place. It's a family favorite, and both the food and service are just phenomenal. I can't say that I relate to the other reviews posted here, but I have only come with my parents, who live nearby. I can't say if I'd be treated differently if I came on my own or with my non-Korean wife. So, as far as my personal experiences go, service is always friendly and quick, refills come before you need to ask, and the sides and mains are just great. Highly recommend eating here!
(5)
J C.
Decided to make it a day trip from Queens and check this place out. I read a few of the reviews commenting about the service but most Asian places don't pride themselves on service anyway, and we all still go. *shrugs* There were 4 of us and we had 4 of the BBQ dishes. The marinated kalbi, the salt kalbi, the sirloin, and then thin beef slices as well. My korean friend did the talking and said they were giving us free half portions of the cold noodles since it was our first time there. Pretty cool. The cold noodles were pretty good, not gummy or stuck together like some types. The free little dishes were a bit odd compared to places in Ktown and Flushing. My korean friend said these were more authentic. I didn't like them as much but the koreans in the group liked it. We started with the sirloin and it was very tender. Off to a good start. Then we had the thinly sliced beef. Very flavorful and better than the sirloin. Then we had the marinated and salted kalbi. It was in chunks and amazing. Probably some of the best kalbi I've had. We went on a Sunday afternoon and we were the only ones there at first. they did proceed to seat people next to us as they came in despite the fact that the restaurant was empty - a bit odd, but I didn't mind really. probably makes things easier for the servers and bus boys? The waitresses were very attentive, almost to the point of being overbearing as some other reviewer commented. The koreans in my group thought it was normal though.... they grilled all the meat quickly and didn't let any of it burn which was good. I think at one point we told them to slow down and they did. They did grab things from the grill and put it on people's plates since we weren't eating fast enough I guess... The goods: fresh salted kalbi, cold noodles. pickled cold soup to start and the chilled cinnamon tasting sweet desert drink was very good. The bads: not your typical side dishes, no free extras like egg custard, cheesy corn, and jigae - like some other restaurants have. Definitely will come back and try the pork, duck, and pajun!
(4)
Michael R.
I am a big fan of Japanese Yakiniku and I have never had Korean BBQ before. The basic difference is that the waitress cooks your meat for you, and you get a ton of sides. They setup our table with the various side dishes super quickly. The meat came out right away as well. We ordered the marinated Kalbi and Pork. The Kalbi was super delicious. However it cost $30. Looking at menus online before I went I saw the price as $20 so maybe they recently increased the price. The pork was alright. It was just plain pork with no seasonings. I was prepared to deal with a hovering annoying staff after reading the reviews but that did not happen at all. The waitresses were all very nice. Although we did not park the car valet, the valet guy quickly ran over to open the main door for us. Overall it was very nice. But very expensive. I wish I could have had one more order of Kalbi but I could not justify spending another $30.
(4)
Alex C.
This place should be five stars. It is legit the best KBBQ in all of Jersey/New York if the service wasnt such crap. As a Korean American, I am used to expertly navigating what others may see as rude or hurried service with a little bit of native tongue. As a celebratory birthday lunch for my sister, we were the only people in the restaurant on a Sunday at 1pm. Our server slammed all if our expensive short rib on the grill and furiously cooked it, even though we had ordered appetizers and sides to start. Even after we told the waitress to slow down, she mashed round 2 on immediately after. We were perplexed at the hurrying, since there was literally no one there. A family of five came in and was promptly seated right next to us despite thirty large tables being open. Why were we being rushed out the door? I left with a bad taste in my mouth, which is rare considering this is the place I recommend to others for galbi. I shook my head in realization that this unacceptable service overtook great food, and I will not be coming back here again.
(2)
Karen N.
Sometimes when you're in a strange city and need to eat, you leave all caution to the winds and enter "Asian" in your GPS and hope for the best. My Garmin didn't let me down, taking me through winding streets, over speed bumps and residential neighborhoods to Zen Zen BBQ. Very authentic Korean. All the wait staff is Korean and the menu is all in Hangul, with English subtitles. We don't speak (or read) a word of Korean except "Kamsamnida (Thank you)" and we did fine, so don't be put off by all the hangul! Half the restaurant is set up for BBQ with braziers on the tables and the other for hot pots with stoves on the tables. So you get your food prepared right at the table and it's super yummy. The wait staff were absolutely fantastic, the food was great, the bill wasn't too excessive, so three thumbs up! The only weirdness was that it was valet-parking, but since the lot was so small, we can understand.
(4)
Young-Hoo L.
A little dirty secret about this Korean place: Galbi is not real Galbi (rib meat). They serve a portion of disconnected meat wrapped around Galbi bones making them look legit. The price can be ridiculous as well. I would avoid if you want the real thing.
(1)
Charlotte P.
I have gone to this restaurant a long time ago, I was completely satisfied....loved the food, amazing service, but once I went to the bathroom I never wanted to come here again. Not because it was dirty, but there was an unconscious intoxicated on the floor with vomit on her side! This sighting was really disgusting. Anyways the food is great I really want to come back even though that happened.
(3)
Brian C.
This is probably one of the best Korean BBQ places in the area. Like other Korean BBQ restaurants, they grill the meat at your table while you help yourself to one of the many complimentary side dishes. The flavor of the kalbi and the quality of the meat is very good. I've brought many people here from out of town for dinner and they all left satisfied. Many of them have never tried Korean BBQ. If you have a client from out of town that likes the whole BBQ meat environment, I highly recommend this place. I've had several different cuts of meat and marinades here, but I recommend the kalbi. The service is excellent with many attentive people waiting on you, helping you cook your meat (if you wish) and refilling your side dishes. There is valet parking during dinner hours. If you want to avoid valet, you can find parking on the side street across Bergen Blvd, but valet is most convenient as the restaurant can get busy during dinner hours.
(4)
Ranley K.
Valet in the palisades area? Really? So unnecessary. Yes, ladies and gents. They have valet. Which can be a good and bad thing because they will literally park your car right next to the entrance and you still have to tip them! I mean the lot they have in front and in the back is tiny as it is! It would have been nice if the party of 8 I was in drove one or two cars...which we didn't 8 people, 6 cars lol whoops? Food was great. The place was super authentic Korean. I walked in and was greeted in Korean. At first I was flattered, but realized the hostess kept looking at me and responded with a "Oh, I'm sorry what?" We sat down and all the traditional korean dishes were already in on the table. My favorite! The kimchee was by far the best kimchee I've ever had..and I'm not even a big fan of kimchee! The service is like any other high end korean bbq place, they cook the meat for you and everything! So all you have to focus on is EATING! Bottom Line: It's korean bbq prices, so don't expect to pay anything under $30. My advice is, bring someone that is korean. It will make your experience much much easier! We even got free korean style seafood pancakes! I would definitely hit this place up again. One thing I did notice was that it was not that busy on a Saturday night at 7:30. Maybe because there are so many korean bbq places in the area? Who knows. Highly recommend!
(4)
James L.
Rude staff. Waitress was very rude to my grandmother and it took a lot to not blow up. Food was decent but I would never go back because of the rude service. Ribs were good, service was horrible
(1)
Paul C.
my friend was raving about this place so much...so we decided to come here for post hiking dinner...we ordered 2 orders of marinated galbi and 1 order of ribeye steak...funny thing about this place...food comes out within minutes of ordering...super fast speed..both orders of meat was very tender and absolutely delicious...each of the order also comes with either denjang jjigae or nengmyun...downside was that I thought meat was bit pricey...1 order of galbi was little over 30...and was bit unhappy about the portion...not sure I will be coming back here again...but I'm giving 4 stars for the meat.
(4)
Inpyo H.
Went here twice for company outings. I dont know how much the food cost but the beef here is good. You have to eat the non marinated beef first then marinated beef. Side dishes are ok. Bottom line I would go here for bbq!
(4)
S L.
This is our go to dinner place on the weekend. It's shabu shabu or bbq. I usually go for Chinese hot pot places but this is a great alternative, it feels much healthier because they give you a ton of veggies and mix the soup with rice to make a congee at the end. The BBQ is not too different from the usual Korean bbq joints, but it's also delicious as usual =) one of the meats is SO tender, but I can't remember the name of it lol Service is very good and very consistent
(4)
Tre R.
By no means am I any kind of Korean food aficionado but I really enjoyed this place. The food was high quality, fresh and flavorful so what more can you ask for? The servers were patient and explained the dozen sides that accompanied each dish and I really loved the table side service. Our server brought out my raw ribeye and seared it, trimmed it and cooked it to order in front of me... Love that! All in all it was well worth the excursion into Fairview.
(3)
Susan C.
great food! one of my newest faves
(5)
Juju K.
I love their denjjangjjigae ( soybean paste) soup. It is crazy good. Even my Korean parent thought they were pretty special. I've tried the galbi, which is tasty, but that's hard to mess up. I wasn't a fan of their duck BBQ, not as good as the ones I tried in Korea. By the way, duck BBQ is pretty big in Korea. Once they had oyster special(raw), and the waitress was selling them hard. I wouldn't have ordered them, but my dad is a bit more adventurous and he's not frugal like me. I'm glad that we got them because they were super fresh, big, juicy, and delicious. Overall, a solid place for Korean food.
(4)
Patricia L.
I dined there for dinner. The beef is fine, just like any other Korean barbecue place. You get your little side dishes and stuff. However, I don't think they always give the spicy crab side dishes on Fri and Sat, as I dined here on a Saturday night, and there was no spicy crab side dish. Just pointing it out, not that I dined there just to have that! I was extremely disappointed in the seafood pancake that they served. It is the WORST seafood pancake I have ever had at a Korean barbecue place. There was no shrimp, just some pieces of octopus or something, with lots of overcooked/burnt scallions... It also had no taste, just horrible. Not sure if it was a bad night for it or something, but I would not order that ever again. Bad bad bad!!! The nice thing is, like some people already mentioned, they give you cold noodles with the barbecue you order. The noodles made up for the terrible seafood pancakes, so I didn't leave dissatisfied! Would dine here again, just for the barbecue though!
(3)
Jill L.
This is my family go-to for galbi (BBQ) in NJ. There are other places in NJ but I found this place has one of the better galbi's. As a matter of fact, I fear that NJ is shinning more and more with Korean food instead of the ones in Manhattan/Flushing! They are super friendly as well...and it's not because I am Korean. (Well, I guess you have more benefit - if you have little babies, they will babysit for you for free while you eat.) In any case, I had a Non-Korean who arrived there first and the ladies was friendly and accommodating and he didn't feel awkward at all. Okay, so we were given a VIP room (there were 13 of us and because it was early dinner, I didn't make any reservation) - yes, if you have a large group they lead you to the back room which is the VIP and no, they don't forget you at all. In any case, as you walk through the back, they have their beef in a window displace fridge and you can see how fresh the beef are. Second, the ladies are super attentive and efficient - and you don't need to bbq the marinated beef either because they will do it for you. As matter of fact, because it's a large group and you don't want to have hungry people drooling and waiting for the beef, they will bbq more on the other table. This is as authentic and delicious as it gets!
(4)
Mike T.
Just for the record, this place still IMO has great Korean BBQ. Although I have to demote this place by one star for the crazy service I can't seem to get away from in this place. This was my third trip to Zen Zen and I decided upon my arrival to sit in a different location of the restaurant, thinking this would change my luck on the frequently overly enthusiastic waitstaff. At first I thought it was kind of funny, that the waitress who waited on me the last two times followed me into the new area of the restaurant. That feeling didn't last long as I was again bombarded by this overly eager waitress. Then, I stopped and thought, maybe it's just the way they treat everybody here and I should just expect this when I come. Well, during my stay here I observed a group of four Korean ladies sitting a table away from me and their waitress was helpful, yet not overbearing. Hmmmm......I thought, maybe it's me, the only white guy in the place. Not long after my brief moment of peace, did my waitress again return and began hovering over me again....before I even finished my last slice of seafood pancake, she was already slapping down a new slice on my plate. By this point, 15 minutes into my meal, this lady was driving me bonkers and I just could not keep my cool any longer. So I starting giving my waitress this please leave-me-the- hell-alone-so-I-can-eat-in-peace vibe. Finally, that worked and for the last five minutes of my stay, things were relatively peaceful. Zen Zen, while I still love your food, please work on your service....I want to eat in peace and not feel like I'm eating in SNL skit.
(3)
Henry E.
Dont know much about Korean BBQ but (almost) everytime I pass by this place its always packed... So one day I decided to try it out... A dinner for two and first I would like to say that you're probably better off coming here with a group rather than coming for a date (like I did) Its a lot of food and you get your own cook/bbq-er (which I didn't know), and ordering from the menu there was sort of a language barrier and made it awkward between the cook and I... anyway I was definitely still pleased with the outcome of everything.... I'll try to make it less awkward next time I come
(4)
Stacey K.
No Korean restaurant ever has service this good unless you own the damn place. These waitresses are on point!!! I had everything I needed and more, they basically fed and fanned me. The Kalbi was delicious- each order comes with either a cold noodle soup dish or bean paste soup. The oysters are fresh and cheap! I must have had 2 dozen. Great side dishes. The ambiance is modern and its clean. Go here.
(4)
Jackson S.
Above average Korean BBQ, attentive service. Only reason to go to this part of town
(4)
chris m.
Expensive , small portions. Kalbi BBQ is tasty, but there are better Korean BBQ nearby in comparison. Sides are also small. Never had a korean BBQ that I end up hungry after spending $62. They never even give us rice or extra lettuce leaves when we run out. Service is below average for Korean restaurant. There is very little parking space.
(1)
Stanley R.
I've been to this restaurant several times, and so far I've found only one thing on the menu that truly stands out: the yooksoo bulgogi. Everything else ranges from decent to average; in fact, I'd kind of given up on this place until I tried the bulgogi. Yooksoo bulgogi differs from the standard version in terms of cooking style. Instead of being grilled, the thin slices of meat are placed on a round metal pan lined by a moat of semi-sweet marinated broth. Diners then place the meat - shabu shabu style - into the broth, along with glass noodles, green onions, white onions, and other veggies. Once the ingredients are cooked, scoop them up and enjoy with ssam (lettuce wraps), rice, and ssamjang, plus some broth ladled on top. This cooking method results in a lighter, more tender, and arguably more flavorful style of bulgogi than the more common pan-grilled version. Yooksoo bulgogi definitely isn't for everyone, since some people only like pan-grilled bulgogi. But if you're looking for a Korean meat dish that's different from the typical NYC-area Korean barbecue (and without the smoke), this is definitely worth considering. I've also tried the galbi, which I did not enjoy nearly as much as some of the other yelpers here. Don't get me wrong - it wasn't bad at all, as the meat quality was pretty solid - but I've certainly had better in the NYC area. If I remember correctly, they use a gas grill rather than wood charcoal, which is unfortunate; the latter really makes a big difference in terms of taste, since it imparts a smoky flavor that you just don't get from a gas grill. Other dishes I've sampled include the ohree ros gui (duck barbecue), dwenjang jjigae, kimchi jjigae, and yook gae jang - all of which were average or decent at best. The duck was especially disappointing since the waitress had hyped it up so much. Not to mention, good Korean-style duck barbecue is very difficult to find in the NYC area. When prepared well and with high quality meat, Korean-style duck is extremely flavorful and tender, but Zen Zen's version was bland and a bit chewy. To be fair, there's only one Korean restaurant in the NYC area where I've ever had great duck barbecue, and that place is long gone. And Zen Zen's version, while nothing special, was still better than most other spots I've tried in the region; at least this place cooks the duck meat on the grill at your table, which is more than I can say at other Korean restaurants who pan-fry the duck in the kitchen and consequently produce a really subpar, dried-out dish. In the end, I give this place a 4 star rating for their yooksoo bulgogi, clean/modern decor, and good service (for a Korean restaurant). The rest of the dishes merit 3 or 3.5 out of 5 stars, but I don't want to deduct a star from the overall score because this is still one of the better all-around Korean restaurants in North Jersey. If they could ever improve their jjigaes (stews) from merely ok to well above average and start using wood charcoal instead of gas for the barbecue, this place could really become something special.
(4)
Stella Y.
I'm going to get straight to the point with this review: Their shabu-shabu is very very lackluster. Don't get it. Their kalbi is AMAZING however. The marinade is done perfectly and the meat is incredibly tender, so do get the kalbi. Our meat was prepared in the kitchen, and I'm not sure if there's a sootbul (table BBQ) option here, but if they have it, go with the table BBQ because that's always better! I was still impressed with how well they cooked the meat themselves though--usually I'm very picky about my Korean BBQ; my meat has to be cooked a certain amount of time yielding a certain texture of the meat. What else? Their side dishes here are also good, and the wait staff is friendly and efficient--but not overly efficient like lots of Korean restaurants. Lastly, this restaurant is next door to a shady room salon so beware :/ Haha.
(4)
Krystle C.
I had an early dinner last night with a friend... It was the 1 st time I have ever eaten korean BBQ.... I was extremely curious. We had the chicken and short ribs, and also had some noodles I forgot what they were called. The chicken was served to us still raw, the noodles were great,and the highlight was the short ribs. They were delish! No one really spoke English at the restaurant so it was a little difficult to understand what the sides were. I'm a type of person I need to know what I'm eating . All in all it was alright. The only reason it was alright was because of the short ribs . I rather go somewhere else where I don't come out smelling like smoke.
(3)
Dave M.
the best korean BBQ in north jersey. you get jjee geh and nyang myun for service. side dishes are plentiful and tasty. BBQ is bomb
(5)
Albert K.
Kalbi is great, but everything else is very average IMO. However, prices are higher than average. Often out of jab gok bap (korean mix-grained rice), which some peeps want..
(3)
Andrew L.
Great food! Awesome service!
(5)
uyen d.
Definitely good! We ordered 2 orders of Kalbi, 1 different type of kalbi and the spicy duck. Everything was excellent. I would come back again. Cute little old man that does your valet too.
(4)
Homer S.
A pricey option, but worth a visit. We had some nice galbi and sam'gyeop'ssal. We finished the meal with complimentary nang'myeong (you gotta ask). Nice touch.
(4)
Chang K.
Great korean food, attentive service! Not sure why it's categorized as Japanese food.
(4)
Edwin E.
Great service! Love the fd but have definately had better Bulgogi
(4)
Charles C.
The best Korean BBQ in Bergen County, and therefore, best in New Jersey. Enough said.
(5)
Kathy S.
Service was SO FAST and SO FRIENDLY. very unusual for a korean restaurant. Banchan wasn't great. We had kalbi and jaeyuk bokum - both very very good. At the end of the meal the ahjuma tried to offer a bowl of noodle soup for the table on the house, but we were way too full.
(5)
Michael O.
Wow! Zen Zen is a great place to find your Kalbi fix. The only place that could have topped this was my friends late mother who used to cook for us back in the 90's. May her soul rest in peace. But back to the food! The Kalbi is very delicious and the way the waitress cooks it for you just barely charred makes all the taste better. The Kimchi is lacking the spice, to me it is just a tickle, nothing to fan your mouth about. Dumplings are decent. Everything else is fair compared to the Kalbi! The staff is great, environment as well is a nice touch. Highly recommend this to anyone who is trying Korean food for the first time, you will not be disappointed. Yeah their maybe better ones in Queens, but if your in NJ why bother going to somewhere that is always packed and plus the traffic?
(5)
Jeffrey C.
Maybe good enough in NJ but there are far better BBQ restaurant in NY and Queens that can top their Galbi easily. OK at best but doesn't deserve 5 stars that others gave.
(3)
Adani C.
good Korean food... good for taking your business customers. a lil pricey though
(5)
Foodie L.
great service! great food! great atmosphere! You can go with friends or with your family members. They have separate rooms for bigger groups. The Korean BBQ is cooked right in front of you and is delicious. Their meat melts in your mouth and is delicious. They have more selections of Korean food which are also delicious. You get service side dishes. The prices are affordable!
(5)
Yosub K.
Holy cow, Batman! This place is the best. Never have I ever eaten a whole plate of yumyum beef and then asked for more when someone else was paying for it. (Okay, so it was my brother. Perks in being the younger Asian brother) We had chadolbegi and yumyum kogi and boy, was it yumyum yum yum. I could probably just say that in the entire review and people would get the point. YUM YUM YUM YUM YUM YUM YUM YUM YUM YUM. Waitresses are excellent too. A bit on the older side but super friendly. A+
(5)
Bern H.
The best Korean BBQ int he tri-state area. They also throw in either a jjigae (stew) or cold buckwheat noodles (nengmyun) if you order kalbi ribs. It's a little removed from the rest of NJ's Koreatown, but more then makes up for it with food quality and service.
(5)
Kenny J.
Tried Zen Zen and ordered their Shabu Shabu. It was so-so. Only 7 slices of beef + standard veggies. They provided "service" (complimentary items) and gave us some udon noodles into the meal. The banchan side dishes and kimchi were good. Although it wasn't the most authentic meal, no left hungry. We were satisfied with the meal. Price felt a tad high for the meal we had. Would we go back? Sure...but I'd look for another place to try out if we had the chance before going back again.
(3)
Tae K.
The best galbi I've ever had anywhere (it also comes with nang myun or dwen jang jjigae). And they also have shabu shabu. You have to try the galbi. If you're feeling adventurous, try their roast duck. And say hello to the skinny old valet parking man for me. lol
(5)
Julie N.
The food tasted good, so thats why I'm even giving this place 2 stars. The portions are tiny for the price paid, and the service was absolutely horrible. They didn't replenish our little sides fast enough & had to ask like 5 times to bring more kimchi...the waitress that was cooking the bbq for us reached right over my left shoulder rudely every couple minutes to cook the meat & nearly elbowed me every time. Our drink order when we first sat down took forever. They didn't even bring the rice with our meal until we asked for it!! They didn't speak English very well at all either. One of the dishes we ordered was supposed to be cooked on the bbq and was not & it came from the kitchen. Will I go back....NO!!!!
(2)
Michael A.
Excellent table BBQ. I didn't know what to order so the Waitress suggested a trio. Chicken was ok, but steak and short ribs were phenomenal! Tons of sides that they would refill even before it was empty, awesome. Wonton appetizers were great but unnecessary because the meal was more than filling. Great service. Little old valet man was a little pushy, but it's alright cause he is adorable.
(5)
Julie L.
I've been to a lot of korean places...and this place has the best korean bbq i've ever had!!!
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Jess K.
we come here every time we visit jersey. i was really impressed the first time we ate here, and 3 years later, it's still pretty dang good. last visit we came with cousins from korea who are currently living in poland. so these guys were seriously fiending some delicious kbbq. needless to say they stuffed their faces and left satisfied :) naengmyun is always good and so is the joomooluk (skip the yangnyum galbi).
(5)Robyn C.
Came here with my family for lunch before Thanksgiving and the individual dishes we got were good, but the raw fish we got was so-so...hence the 3 stars. My sister and I ordered the bi bim nang myun (I know, a bit cold for chilled, spicy nang myun, but a girl wants what a girl wants). It was tasty, clean, and just the right amount of spicy. We also had the raw fish to share, which was good but not as fresh as it could've been. But for the price they were offering it at, it probably makes sense why the quality was the way it was. Service was good also- lots of banchans.
(3)Jamie J.
I took my out of town friends to this place. But it was closed and being renovated for Brooklyn Brewery.
(1)Yuya H.
Just had an amazing meal at Zen Zen! The service was exceptional. Lim was attentive and very friendly. We ordered the hyu mit (tongue), Kalbi (short ribs) and bossam (pork belly). All very delicious and highly recommended!
(5)Jen C.
I really enjoyed this place. I recently went here on my bday. Like any BBQ place be prepared to smell afterwards. But it's worth it. The food here is sooo good. There are numerous varieties of meat and cut which I can't wait to go back and try. I had the kalbi which is always good and the bulgulgi which i wasn't really that impressed with. The dumplings are good. I would skip the pancake, too oily. I had the japchae which was really good too. I just took off one star because this place is sooo expensive. $5 for green tea is ridiculous. Their meat portion runs a little over $30 and it's so small. I may be back but it would have to be for another special occasion. The service was quick which was awesome. I stopped in around sat at 7pm and it was just starting to get packed. By the time we left it was totally packed so you may want to make a reservation.
(4)Woo K.
If you are a gogi loving person, this is a good spot to hit up. For BBQ/gogi joints, I would rank So Moon Nan Jip and Zen Zen as top two in the area overall. it's gas fire, but they use good quality meat with great marination. They cook the meat for you and ajumas here are quite attentive. As with most of the BBQ places, price is quite steep but they do have specials. I recently went and they were doing galbi at $21 which is like 10 bucks cheaper than usual. They have back room for group reservation as well. A couple of warnings: It's a bbq joint. Your clothes are going to stink up and reek. Do use the valet service for parking as they have towing trucks roaming the area for street parked cars. A lot of the cars get towed...
(4)Jason P.
One of the best BBQ places around! They just lowered their kabli prices pretty significantly - maybe to attract a younger crowd. The quality of the food and the service; however, hasn't gone down at all. You get a lot of great side dishes with your meal and the open flame grill set up is so much better than the traditional pans that you see in most places. I haven't had their shabu so I can't speak for that, but I promise you won't be disappointed by their BBQ!
(5)Ani O.
Great food! Best bulgulgi and japcahe ever................. Just don't wear your best clothing going in you will walk out like you just got rubbed with kalbi and smoke. Service is great. Specially if you become a regular they will go above and beyond.
(4)Mohit D.
Love this place; the BBQ beef is amazing. Flavor of the food is great. Seriously making this place a regular. Glass noodles where so yummy and the OB beer is very good. Not a great dessert section but they fill you up with everything for mains. Plenty of parking.
(5)Jun C.
Some of the best cooked kalbi in the area. If you don't care about other dishes and just want some great kalbi, eat here. The employees are very friendly and it's a very casual dining experience. The daenjangjjigae is very good too, though it's a shame that they no longer give it to you for free with each serving of meat you order. The anshim steak is high quality too, but dont bother with it since you can get a steak anywhere; get kalbi. The naengmyun is very delicious as well.
(4)Mark S.
Very good kalbi, though my favorite is the anshim steak. They tend to cook it too well done, so I always try to stop them from cooking it at around medium when there is still pink inside the meet. The noodle dishes here are good too, but I don't remember what they are specifically called. I'd have to look at the menu.
(4)Tristan O.
We ordered BBQ and more and they Charged for Soup and rice! Really? Over charged price and bad service.
(1)Jae L.
Korean bbq ftw!!! This place has become my family's usual special occasion dinner place. They have nearly every cut of meat. I usually don't even look at the menu. Just get the regular kalbi or marinated galbi, you can't go wrong. All the other meats are good too, I just prefer the beef. The place has beer and soju to go with your meal too. And of course, the banchan that is complimentary with your meal is in abundance. I'm not sure how many servings of meat gets you the soup and the noodles on the house, but I've never had an issue with that. It happens every time, so I'm not too worried about that. Definitely a great place to get nice and plump and they're not too ridiculous on price. The reason I give it 4 stars, not 5? The ladies who grill up the food for you are too good at it, for lack of a better word. They stood by our table and grilled up all our meat super fast and I felt super rushed to eat my food. Not sure if it was because it wasn't all that busy or they just do that all the time. I ate in such a blaze, I don't even know how much I ate. It's a good and bad thing, but I personally like to slow down and enjoy my food. Other than that, it's great place to get your Korean bbq fix.
(4)Michelle S.
Good Korean barbeque - Kalbi. Shrimp was also good. Great sides.
(4)Nicholas M.
The meat is good quality. The side dishes are hit or miss but overall pretty good. Before about a couple of months ago, they had high-ish meat prices but it included a "tasting" portion of bean paste soup or cold noodles. About a couple of months ago, they lowered their meat prices and no longer included the tasting portion. About a month ago, they went back to their "original" pricing. I prefer the lower meat prices but I guess it wasn't tenable. Note: if you order meat, there is a free steamed egg side dish but it can take about ten minutes to come out. And then you have to wait another five minutes or so for it to cool down. Don't burn your mouth!
(4)Mikyung H.
If you want to go to a Korean bbq place where you want to relax and chat while you eat your pricey meat, go to Zen Zen. Although they cook your meat for you (one thing I hate about Korean restaurants), they don't shovel 10 pieces of meat onto your plate at once or serve you the bill once your meat is cooked. The lady let our meat sit on the outer ring of the grill, while my friend and I were catching up. They also give you a choice of nengmyun (sweet potato noodle soup), or dwenjang jjigae (beancurd soup) as "service". You can have either one of these either during or after your meat course. I personally like wrapping the meat with the noodles. Out of this world! I'm very picky and particular about my meat but this place has left a good impression on me. I've been here twice and my favorite choice so far has been the marinated kalbi. Only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because they make you do valet parking when they feel like it, whether you like it or not. Silly concept..
(4)Mariel B.
Food was ok not amazing I was done with my dinner before my appetizer even came out they just rushed us out basically little expensive for what they give you to many little dishes I want the meat not little bites
(2)John C.
What happened! My favorite BBQ place is history. The BBQ is still tasty but the service has gone downhill, no free post meal cold noodles, and prices have gone up. Service has gone downhill, they are also skimping on the side dishes and meat condiments. The winds of change and time have been cruel, if this place doesn't ante up, I'm not coming back, better options nearby.
(2)John H.
I remember years ago when this place was one of the best Korean BBQ spots in north jersey. That was a long time ago. The last few times that we have gone here, it has been increasingly disappointing -- the quality of the food was down and the service was nonexistent. It's no secret that they have been getting worse and worse as it's often empty during peak dinner hours now. We went again tonight for dinner and this is definitely the last time that we will be going there. When we sat down, the waitress immediately told us that they no longer give you the stew (dweanjang jjigae) or noodles (nengmyun) when you order meat. She explained that instead they lowered the cost of meat by a WHOLE DOLLAR -- from $31 to $30. Now you must pay $11 for the stew or $8 for the noodles. Uh... no thanks. That was literally the only reason to still go there, on occasion of course. The kalbi was super thin and very bland, quality was just poor. We paid $100 for 2 galbi, 1 stew, 1 beer, including tip. A terrible and ridiculously overpriced experience. Definitely the last time we will be there. Zen Zen, you had a good run but it's time for you close and make way for a better management/restauranteur.
(1)Shaza K.
Zen zen is my favorite place for KBBQ in NJ. Tops some of the places I've been to in the city as well. Staff is very attentive. I go there late night and we're usually the only table ( probably for the best because there's usually 5-7 of us and we can get pretty loud) The Kalbi is my fave along with the pork belly. They also have the best sides. More selections than most places.
(4)Michael P.
Went there last night (9/28/14). Wondered why the restaurant was so empty. Guess what. They no longer give out the free small size cold noodle when you have bbq. Have not reduced the galbi price (higher than other galbi places), but now charge $7.99 for that ridiculously small sized noodle. Well.. this place used to be my family's favorite galbi place, but not anymore. The quality of food and service has declined dramatically to below par, but still ridiculously overpriced. The owner doesn't seem to know how to do business. I am not going back..
(1)Matthew C.
I have work for the past three years for a Korean company. One of the many perks of that is the fact that you get to try some excellent Korean barbecue. This is one of the places that the Korean executives would often take us. And boy am I glad they did, it's incredible . The assortment a fresh veggies that you get at the beginning of the meal are wonderful. The atmosphere is very very nice. The service is exactly what you would expect from a good Korean barbecue house. And the food, the food is amazing. I've had several assortment of meats and other grilled things here in all been delectable. If you are in the mood for Korean BBQ I would highly suggest stopping by this location.
(4)Vincent D.
My go-to spot for Korean BBQ in Jersey. Very attentive and friendly staff. Great Galbi.
(5)Marko G.
I wanted to eat BBQ, but I didn't realize that it will be my arm and a leg on that grill with prices around $50 for a descent meal. Probably more with drinks. Perfect diet place, a total hunger damper. With those prices no wonder there is a porche parked outside, probably the owners.
(1)Marcus D.
Barbecued meat and delicious rice dishes - maybe I'm just an ignorant round-eye devil that doesn't know any better, but I loved the food here. Me and my friend each got a meat dish to cook on the grille - along with the side dishes and the bang, that was plenty! I came here on a Saturday night and the place was packed with Korean people - good sign. The service was good - waitresses were always there to help and serve us.
(5)Gabriel V.
I was brought here for my birthday and I was looking forward to it all week. I love Korean bbq and I was very excited. But after eating in this place I became very sick with stomach pains and diarrhea. I am still recuperating four days later (which is why I wanted to write this review). My boyfriend also got sick, but he got better sooner. Something was wrong with the food. After I took several bites I felt very bloated ; I had a meat platter - grilled , vegetables, white rice with an order of steamed dumplings. The service was okay, the waiters hovered around you which made the eating a bit annoying. The ambience was okay; I felt the attached seating by the wall are to far from the tables. You have to lean in in order to eat... It was very uncomfortable. I was very disappointed with what happened at this location because it's close to home. I will not be coming here again.
(1)ghost g.
I don't know why they bother with the shabu shabu. The shabu shabu is no different that what you would get at Pho32. Real shabu shabu connoisseurs go for chinese hot pot, end of story. However, what there is to talk about at Zen Zen is the Korean BBQ. I think the beef bbq is just as good as any korean BBQ place in NY/NJ. The pork shoulder and belly is average. I have not tried the duck BBQ even though its suppose to be their speciality. The deal I believe is for every order of meat you get a free small order of cold noodles which is a great compliment to the BBQ. The other treat is on I believe Fridays and Saturdays spicy raw crab is included in the free sides dishes and it is awesome. The place is roomy and good for families. The servers are attentive and very nice. On my rotation when it comes to Korean BBQ, also very good for parties greater than 6 as they have a couple of large tables.
(4)Lo V.
Solid korean bbq here. Not mind-blowing but good and dependable. The galbi is very tasty, but not many places can poo-poo galbi. I felt it was overpriced for the offering. The bolgoogi was good but slight for the price point. The service was prompt and friendly. I probably will re-visit, but as a slightly secondary option.
(3)Albert Y.
First let me say I'm a regular here - like once every other week I come by myself and have two Kalbi (ju mo lok) - best Kalbi in the country. Period. End of discussion This is the best in the east coast - west coast sucks. Their meats are fresh, and they have them on display like some kind of butcher shop. My only gripe (which doesn't sacrifice a star) is that they never have jakopbap...friggin throw some dumb beans in the rice cooker. Helps with my G.I The owner/manager loves me, and always prepares a plate of spinach - my goto panchan. The staff are very nice and their service is top notch (at least for me) - I guess I tip well Don't know enough about nengmyun but the free one they give you, according to my mom, brings back memories of childhood. That's how good it is But you go here for Kalbi and it's the best. It's away from jersey ktown (fort lee) in fair view. That's a good thing. They have valet parking too. There used to be a toothless ajashi there who would park my car but he left. I actually miss seeing his toothless smile Go grab some meat- zen zen
(5)Jay P.
Marinated Kalbi - so goood!!!! Pork Belly!!! - Oh it was good!!! One of the best Korean BBQ in the area I would definately go back for those two And dive myself to try some other stuffs, too. I wonder if their shabu-shabu section is good, too.
(5)sammy s.
Don't get Oyster when your waitress tries to pitch it sucks! Grand Central oyster rocks!! We had duck be nunseasoned. fresh, unfrozen, thick cut nice!!
(3)Kevin L.
This used to be the best Korean BBQ place in NJ. Past three times I went the quality of the meat (sang kalbi) went down so much I probably won't go back. Service and everything is the same except for the meat. Not sure what happened. Maybe change the meat provider? Pretty disappointing. Now I need to find another Korean BBQ place in nj.
(2)Jordan L.
I visited here with my husband and fell in love with the korean barbecue ! Service has improved so much better than before. The kalbi was $20.99 for one dish. At first, I was suspicious of the quality cause the pricing of the kalbi dramatically decreased. However, it turned out to be the best kalbi of my family. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR KOREAN BARBECUE GO HERE ! I am planning to bring my whole family here. At the end, I love their food ! Service is awesome ( the waitress I had was super nice)
(5)Master J.
My review has disappeared. Service was just horrible. The food is average at most. I came with two non-koreans. The bbq is supposed to be cooked front of you in an open flame grill. They sat us down in a electrical grill and it tasted like crap. When I asked them in Korean why I didn't get an open grill, they openly admitted that they thought we were "non-Koreans", so that's why thehy gave us the crappy table. They really said that. On top of that, when I came with Koreans, they always rushed me during our meal. I will never ever ever ever come back here ever.
(1)Brian L.
I don't know if there's anything I can say negatively about this place. It's a family favorite, and both the food and service are just phenomenal. I can't say that I relate to the other reviews posted here, but I have only come with my parents, who live nearby. I can't say if I'd be treated differently if I came on my own or with my non-Korean wife. So, as far as my personal experiences go, service is always friendly and quick, refills come before you need to ask, and the sides and mains are just great. Highly recommend eating here!
(5)J C.
Decided to make it a day trip from Queens and check this place out. I read a few of the reviews commenting about the service but most Asian places don't pride themselves on service anyway, and we all still go. *shrugs* There were 4 of us and we had 4 of the BBQ dishes. The marinated kalbi, the salt kalbi, the sirloin, and then thin beef slices as well. My korean friend did the talking and said they were giving us free half portions of the cold noodles since it was our first time there. Pretty cool. The cold noodles were pretty good, not gummy or stuck together like some types. The free little dishes were a bit odd compared to places in Ktown and Flushing. My korean friend said these were more authentic. I didn't like them as much but the koreans in the group liked it. We started with the sirloin and it was very tender. Off to a good start. Then we had the thinly sliced beef. Very flavorful and better than the sirloin. Then we had the marinated and salted kalbi. It was in chunks and amazing. Probably some of the best kalbi I've had. We went on a Sunday afternoon and we were the only ones there at first. they did proceed to seat people next to us as they came in despite the fact that the restaurant was empty - a bit odd, but I didn't mind really. probably makes things easier for the servers and bus boys? The waitresses were very attentive, almost to the point of being overbearing as some other reviewer commented. The koreans in my group thought it was normal though.... they grilled all the meat quickly and didn't let any of it burn which was good. I think at one point we told them to slow down and they did. They did grab things from the grill and put it on people's plates since we weren't eating fast enough I guess... The goods: fresh salted kalbi, cold noodles. pickled cold soup to start and the chilled cinnamon tasting sweet desert drink was very good. The bads: not your typical side dishes, no free extras like egg custard, cheesy corn, and jigae - like some other restaurants have. Definitely will come back and try the pork, duck, and pajun!
(4)Michael R.
I am a big fan of Japanese Yakiniku and I have never had Korean BBQ before. The basic difference is that the waitress cooks your meat for you, and you get a ton of sides. They setup our table with the various side dishes super quickly. The meat came out right away as well. We ordered the marinated Kalbi and Pork. The Kalbi was super delicious. However it cost $30. Looking at menus online before I went I saw the price as $20 so maybe they recently increased the price. The pork was alright. It was just plain pork with no seasonings. I was prepared to deal with a hovering annoying staff after reading the reviews but that did not happen at all. The waitresses were all very nice. Although we did not park the car valet, the valet guy quickly ran over to open the main door for us. Overall it was very nice. But very expensive. I wish I could have had one more order of Kalbi but I could not justify spending another $30.
(4)Alex C.
This place should be five stars. It is legit the best KBBQ in all of Jersey/New York if the service wasnt such crap. As a Korean American, I am used to expertly navigating what others may see as rude or hurried service with a little bit of native tongue. As a celebratory birthday lunch for my sister, we were the only people in the restaurant on a Sunday at 1pm. Our server slammed all if our expensive short rib on the grill and furiously cooked it, even though we had ordered appetizers and sides to start. Even after we told the waitress to slow down, she mashed round 2 on immediately after. We were perplexed at the hurrying, since there was literally no one there. A family of five came in and was promptly seated right next to us despite thirty large tables being open. Why were we being rushed out the door? I left with a bad taste in my mouth, which is rare considering this is the place I recommend to others for galbi. I shook my head in realization that this unacceptable service overtook great food, and I will not be coming back here again.
(2)Karen N.
Sometimes when you're in a strange city and need to eat, you leave all caution to the winds and enter "Asian" in your GPS and hope for the best. My Garmin didn't let me down, taking me through winding streets, over speed bumps and residential neighborhoods to Zen Zen BBQ. Very authentic Korean. All the wait staff is Korean and the menu is all in Hangul, with English subtitles. We don't speak (or read) a word of Korean except "Kamsamnida (Thank you)" and we did fine, so don't be put off by all the hangul! Half the restaurant is set up for BBQ with braziers on the tables and the other for hot pots with stoves on the tables. So you get your food prepared right at the table and it's super yummy. The wait staff were absolutely fantastic, the food was great, the bill wasn't too excessive, so three thumbs up! The only weirdness was that it was valet-parking, but since the lot was so small, we can understand.
(4)Young-Hoo L.
A little dirty secret about this Korean place: Galbi is not real Galbi (rib meat). They serve a portion of disconnected meat wrapped around Galbi bones making them look legit. The price can be ridiculous as well. I would avoid if you want the real thing.
(1)Charlotte P.
I have gone to this restaurant a long time ago, I was completely satisfied....loved the food, amazing service, but once I went to the bathroom I never wanted to come here again. Not because it was dirty, but there was an unconscious intoxicated on the floor with vomit on her side! This sighting was really disgusting. Anyways the food is great I really want to come back even though that happened.
(3)Brian C.
This is probably one of the best Korean BBQ places in the area. Like other Korean BBQ restaurants, they grill the meat at your table while you help yourself to one of the many complimentary side dishes. The flavor of the kalbi and the quality of the meat is very good. I've brought many people here from out of town for dinner and they all left satisfied. Many of them have never tried Korean BBQ. If you have a client from out of town that likes the whole BBQ meat environment, I highly recommend this place. I've had several different cuts of meat and marinades here, but I recommend the kalbi. The service is excellent with many attentive people waiting on you, helping you cook your meat (if you wish) and refilling your side dishes. There is valet parking during dinner hours. If you want to avoid valet, you can find parking on the side street across Bergen Blvd, but valet is most convenient as the restaurant can get busy during dinner hours.
(4)Ranley K.
Valet in the palisades area? Really? So unnecessary. Yes, ladies and gents. They have valet. Which can be a good and bad thing because they will literally park your car right next to the entrance and you still have to tip them! I mean the lot they have in front and in the back is tiny as it is! It would have been nice if the party of 8 I was in drove one or two cars...which we didn't 8 people, 6 cars lol whoops? Food was great. The place was super authentic Korean. I walked in and was greeted in Korean. At first I was flattered, but realized the hostess kept looking at me and responded with a "Oh, I'm sorry what?" We sat down and all the traditional korean dishes were already in on the table. My favorite! The kimchee was by far the best kimchee I've ever had..and I'm not even a big fan of kimchee! The service is like any other high end korean bbq place, they cook the meat for you and everything! So all you have to focus on is EATING! Bottom Line: It's korean bbq prices, so don't expect to pay anything under $30. My advice is, bring someone that is korean. It will make your experience much much easier! We even got free korean style seafood pancakes! I would definitely hit this place up again. One thing I did notice was that it was not that busy on a Saturday night at 7:30. Maybe because there are so many korean bbq places in the area? Who knows. Highly recommend!
(4)James L.
Rude staff. Waitress was very rude to my grandmother and it took a lot to not blow up. Food was decent but I would never go back because of the rude service. Ribs were good, service was horrible
(1)Paul C.
my friend was raving about this place so much...so we decided to come here for post hiking dinner...we ordered 2 orders of marinated galbi and 1 order of ribeye steak...funny thing about this place...food comes out within minutes of ordering...super fast speed..both orders of meat was very tender and absolutely delicious...each of the order also comes with either denjang jjigae or nengmyun...downside was that I thought meat was bit pricey...1 order of galbi was little over 30...and was bit unhappy about the portion...not sure I will be coming back here again...but I'm giving 4 stars for the meat.
(4)Inpyo H.
Went here twice for company outings. I dont know how much the food cost but the beef here is good. You have to eat the non marinated beef first then marinated beef. Side dishes are ok. Bottom line I would go here for bbq!
(4)S L.
This is our go to dinner place on the weekend. It's shabu shabu or bbq. I usually go for Chinese hot pot places but this is a great alternative, it feels much healthier because they give you a ton of veggies and mix the soup with rice to make a congee at the end. The BBQ is not too different from the usual Korean bbq joints, but it's also delicious as usual =) one of the meats is SO tender, but I can't remember the name of it lol Service is very good and very consistent
(4)Tre R.
By no means am I any kind of Korean food aficionado but I really enjoyed this place. The food was high quality, fresh and flavorful so what more can you ask for? The servers were patient and explained the dozen sides that accompanied each dish and I really loved the table side service. Our server brought out my raw ribeye and seared it, trimmed it and cooked it to order in front of me... Love that! All in all it was well worth the excursion into Fairview.
(3)Susan C.
great food! one of my newest faves
(5)Juju K.
I love their denjjangjjigae ( soybean paste) soup. It is crazy good. Even my Korean parent thought they were pretty special. I've tried the galbi, which is tasty, but that's hard to mess up. I wasn't a fan of their duck BBQ, not as good as the ones I tried in Korea. By the way, duck BBQ is pretty big in Korea. Once they had oyster special(raw), and the waitress was selling them hard. I wouldn't have ordered them, but my dad is a bit more adventurous and he's not frugal like me. I'm glad that we got them because they were super fresh, big, juicy, and delicious. Overall, a solid place for Korean food.
(4)Patricia L.
I dined there for dinner. The beef is fine, just like any other Korean barbecue place. You get your little side dishes and stuff. However, I don't think they always give the spicy crab side dishes on Fri and Sat, as I dined here on a Saturday night, and there was no spicy crab side dish. Just pointing it out, not that I dined there just to have that! I was extremely disappointed in the seafood pancake that they served. It is the WORST seafood pancake I have ever had at a Korean barbecue place. There was no shrimp, just some pieces of octopus or something, with lots of overcooked/burnt scallions... It also had no taste, just horrible. Not sure if it was a bad night for it or something, but I would not order that ever again. Bad bad bad!!! The nice thing is, like some people already mentioned, they give you cold noodles with the barbecue you order. The noodles made up for the terrible seafood pancakes, so I didn't leave dissatisfied! Would dine here again, just for the barbecue though!
(3)Jill L.
This is my family go-to for galbi (BBQ) in NJ. There are other places in NJ but I found this place has one of the better galbi's. As a matter of fact, I fear that NJ is shinning more and more with Korean food instead of the ones in Manhattan/Flushing! They are super friendly as well...and it's not because I am Korean. (Well, I guess you have more benefit - if you have little babies, they will babysit for you for free while you eat.) In any case, I had a Non-Korean who arrived there first and the ladies was friendly and accommodating and he didn't feel awkward at all. Okay, so we were given a VIP room (there were 13 of us and because it was early dinner, I didn't make any reservation) - yes, if you have a large group they lead you to the back room which is the VIP and no, they don't forget you at all. In any case, as you walk through the back, they have their beef in a window displace fridge and you can see how fresh the beef are. Second, the ladies are super attentive and efficient - and you don't need to bbq the marinated beef either because they will do it for you. As matter of fact, because it's a large group and you don't want to have hungry people drooling and waiting for the beef, they will bbq more on the other table. This is as authentic and delicious as it gets!
(4)Mike T.
Just for the record, this place still IMO has great Korean BBQ. Although I have to demote this place by one star for the crazy service I can't seem to get away from in this place. This was my third trip to Zen Zen and I decided upon my arrival to sit in a different location of the restaurant, thinking this would change my luck on the frequently overly enthusiastic waitstaff. At first I thought it was kind of funny, that the waitress who waited on me the last two times followed me into the new area of the restaurant. That feeling didn't last long as I was again bombarded by this overly eager waitress. Then, I stopped and thought, maybe it's just the way they treat everybody here and I should just expect this when I come. Well, during my stay here I observed a group of four Korean ladies sitting a table away from me and their waitress was helpful, yet not overbearing. Hmmmm......I thought, maybe it's me, the only white guy in the place. Not long after my brief moment of peace, did my waitress again return and began hovering over me again....before I even finished my last slice of seafood pancake, she was already slapping down a new slice on my plate. By this point, 15 minutes into my meal, this lady was driving me bonkers and I just could not keep my cool any longer. So I starting giving my waitress this please leave-me-the- hell-alone-so-I-can-eat-in-peace vibe. Finally, that worked and for the last five minutes of my stay, things were relatively peaceful. Zen Zen, while I still love your food, please work on your service....I want to eat in peace and not feel like I'm eating in SNL skit.
(3)Henry E.
Dont know much about Korean BBQ but (almost) everytime I pass by this place its always packed... So one day I decided to try it out... A dinner for two and first I would like to say that you're probably better off coming here with a group rather than coming for a date (like I did) Its a lot of food and you get your own cook/bbq-er (which I didn't know), and ordering from the menu there was sort of a language barrier and made it awkward between the cook and I... anyway I was definitely still pleased with the outcome of everything.... I'll try to make it less awkward next time I come
(4)Stacey K.
No Korean restaurant ever has service this good unless you own the damn place. These waitresses are on point!!! I had everything I needed and more, they basically fed and fanned me. The Kalbi was delicious- each order comes with either a cold noodle soup dish or bean paste soup. The oysters are fresh and cheap! I must have had 2 dozen. Great side dishes. The ambiance is modern and its clean. Go here.
(4)Jackson S.
Above average Korean BBQ, attentive service. Only reason to go to this part of town
(4)chris m.
Expensive , small portions. Kalbi BBQ is tasty, but there are better Korean BBQ nearby in comparison. Sides are also small. Never had a korean BBQ that I end up hungry after spending $62. They never even give us rice or extra lettuce leaves when we run out. Service is below average for Korean restaurant. There is very little parking space.
(1)Stanley R.
I've been to this restaurant several times, and so far I've found only one thing on the menu that truly stands out: the yooksoo bulgogi. Everything else ranges from decent to average; in fact, I'd kind of given up on this place until I tried the bulgogi. Yooksoo bulgogi differs from the standard version in terms of cooking style. Instead of being grilled, the thin slices of meat are placed on a round metal pan lined by a moat of semi-sweet marinated broth. Diners then place the meat - shabu shabu style - into the broth, along with glass noodles, green onions, white onions, and other veggies. Once the ingredients are cooked, scoop them up and enjoy with ssam (lettuce wraps), rice, and ssamjang, plus some broth ladled on top. This cooking method results in a lighter, more tender, and arguably more flavorful style of bulgogi than the more common pan-grilled version. Yooksoo bulgogi definitely isn't for everyone, since some people only like pan-grilled bulgogi. But if you're looking for a Korean meat dish that's different from the typical NYC-area Korean barbecue (and without the smoke), this is definitely worth considering. I've also tried the galbi, which I did not enjoy nearly as much as some of the other yelpers here. Don't get me wrong - it wasn't bad at all, as the meat quality was pretty solid - but I've certainly had better in the NYC area. If I remember correctly, they use a gas grill rather than wood charcoal, which is unfortunate; the latter really makes a big difference in terms of taste, since it imparts a smoky flavor that you just don't get from a gas grill. Other dishes I've sampled include the ohree ros gui (duck barbecue), dwenjang jjigae, kimchi jjigae, and yook gae jang - all of which were average or decent at best. The duck was especially disappointing since the waitress had hyped it up so much. Not to mention, good Korean-style duck barbecue is very difficult to find in the NYC area. When prepared well and with high quality meat, Korean-style duck is extremely flavorful and tender, but Zen Zen's version was bland and a bit chewy. To be fair, there's only one Korean restaurant in the NYC area where I've ever had great duck barbecue, and that place is long gone. And Zen Zen's version, while nothing special, was still better than most other spots I've tried in the region; at least this place cooks the duck meat on the grill at your table, which is more than I can say at other Korean restaurants who pan-fry the duck in the kitchen and consequently produce a really subpar, dried-out dish. In the end, I give this place a 4 star rating for their yooksoo bulgogi, clean/modern decor, and good service (for a Korean restaurant). The rest of the dishes merit 3 or 3.5 out of 5 stars, but I don't want to deduct a star from the overall score because this is still one of the better all-around Korean restaurants in North Jersey. If they could ever improve their jjigaes (stews) from merely ok to well above average and start using wood charcoal instead of gas for the barbecue, this place could really become something special.
(4)Stella Y.
I'm going to get straight to the point with this review: Their shabu-shabu is very very lackluster. Don't get it. Their kalbi is AMAZING however. The marinade is done perfectly and the meat is incredibly tender, so do get the kalbi. Our meat was prepared in the kitchen, and I'm not sure if there's a sootbul (table BBQ) option here, but if they have it, go with the table BBQ because that's always better! I was still impressed with how well they cooked the meat themselves though--usually I'm very picky about my Korean BBQ; my meat has to be cooked a certain amount of time yielding a certain texture of the meat. What else? Their side dishes here are also good, and the wait staff is friendly and efficient--but not overly efficient like lots of Korean restaurants. Lastly, this restaurant is next door to a shady room salon so beware :/ Haha.
(4)Krystle C.
I had an early dinner last night with a friend... It was the 1 st time I have ever eaten korean BBQ.... I was extremely curious. We had the chicken and short ribs, and also had some noodles I forgot what they were called. The chicken was served to us still raw, the noodles were great,and the highlight was the short ribs. They were delish! No one really spoke English at the restaurant so it was a little difficult to understand what the sides were. I'm a type of person I need to know what I'm eating . All in all it was alright. The only reason it was alright was because of the short ribs . I rather go somewhere else where I don't come out smelling like smoke.
(3)Dave M.
the best korean BBQ in north jersey. you get jjee geh and nyang myun for service. side dishes are plentiful and tasty. BBQ is bomb
(5)Albert K.
Kalbi is great, but everything else is very average IMO. However, prices are higher than average. Often out of jab gok bap (korean mix-grained rice), which some peeps want..
(3)Andrew L.
Great food! Awesome service!
(5)uyen d.
Definitely good! We ordered 2 orders of Kalbi, 1 different type of kalbi and the spicy duck. Everything was excellent. I would come back again. Cute little old man that does your valet too.
(4)Homer S.
A pricey option, but worth a visit. We had some nice galbi and sam'gyeop'ssal. We finished the meal with complimentary nang'myeong (you gotta ask). Nice touch.
(4)Chang K.
Great korean food, attentive service! Not sure why it's categorized as Japanese food.
(4)Edwin E.
Great service! Love the fd but have definately had better Bulgogi
(4)Charles C.
The best Korean BBQ in Bergen County, and therefore, best in New Jersey. Enough said.
(5)Kathy S.
Service was SO FAST and SO FRIENDLY. very unusual for a korean restaurant. Banchan wasn't great. We had kalbi and jaeyuk bokum - both very very good. At the end of the meal the ahjuma tried to offer a bowl of noodle soup for the table on the house, but we were way too full.
(5)Michael O.
Wow! Zen Zen is a great place to find your Kalbi fix. The only place that could have topped this was my friends late mother who used to cook for us back in the 90's. May her soul rest in peace. But back to the food! The Kalbi is very delicious and the way the waitress cooks it for you just barely charred makes all the taste better. The Kimchi is lacking the spice, to me it is just a tickle, nothing to fan your mouth about. Dumplings are decent. Everything else is fair compared to the Kalbi! The staff is great, environment as well is a nice touch. Highly recommend this to anyone who is trying Korean food for the first time, you will not be disappointed. Yeah their maybe better ones in Queens, but if your in NJ why bother going to somewhere that is always packed and plus the traffic?
(5)Jeffrey C.
Maybe good enough in NJ but there are far better BBQ restaurant in NY and Queens that can top their Galbi easily. OK at best but doesn't deserve 5 stars that others gave.
(3)Adani C.
good Korean food... good for taking your business customers. a lil pricey though
(5)Foodie L.
great service! great food! great atmosphere! You can go with friends or with your family members. They have separate rooms for bigger groups. The Korean BBQ is cooked right in front of you and is delicious. Their meat melts in your mouth and is delicious. They have more selections of Korean food which are also delicious. You get service side dishes. The prices are affordable!
(5)Yosub K.
Holy cow, Batman! This place is the best. Never have I ever eaten a whole plate of yumyum beef and then asked for more when someone else was paying for it. (Okay, so it was my brother. Perks in being the younger Asian brother) We had chadolbegi and yumyum kogi and boy, was it yumyum yum yum. I could probably just say that in the entire review and people would get the point. YUM YUM YUM YUM YUM YUM YUM YUM YUM YUM. Waitresses are excellent too. A bit on the older side but super friendly. A+
(5)Bern H.
The best Korean BBQ int he tri-state area. They also throw in either a jjigae (stew) or cold buckwheat noodles (nengmyun) if you order kalbi ribs. It's a little removed from the rest of NJ's Koreatown, but more then makes up for it with food quality and service.
(5)Kenny J.
Tried Zen Zen and ordered their Shabu Shabu. It was so-so. Only 7 slices of beef + standard veggies. They provided "service" (complimentary items) and gave us some udon noodles into the meal. The banchan side dishes and kimchi were good. Although it wasn't the most authentic meal, no left hungry. We were satisfied with the meal. Price felt a tad high for the meal we had. Would we go back? Sure...but I'd look for another place to try out if we had the chance before going back again.
(3)Tae K.
The best galbi I've ever had anywhere (it also comes with nang myun or dwen jang jjigae). And they also have shabu shabu. You have to try the galbi. If you're feeling adventurous, try their roast duck. And say hello to the skinny old valet parking man for me. lol
(5)Julie N.
The food tasted good, so thats why I'm even giving this place 2 stars. The portions are tiny for the price paid, and the service was absolutely horrible. They didn't replenish our little sides fast enough & had to ask like 5 times to bring more kimchi...the waitress that was cooking the bbq for us reached right over my left shoulder rudely every couple minutes to cook the meat & nearly elbowed me every time. Our drink order when we first sat down took forever. They didn't even bring the rice with our meal until we asked for it!! They didn't speak English very well at all either. One of the dishes we ordered was supposed to be cooked on the bbq and was not & it came from the kitchen. Will I go back....NO!!!!
(2)Michael A.
Excellent table BBQ. I didn't know what to order so the Waitress suggested a trio. Chicken was ok, but steak and short ribs were phenomenal! Tons of sides that they would refill even before it was empty, awesome. Wonton appetizers were great but unnecessary because the meal was more than filling. Great service. Little old valet man was a little pushy, but it's alright cause he is adorable.
(5)Julie L.
I've been to a lot of korean places...and this place has the best korean bbq i've ever had!!!
(5)