MADANG Restaurant & Cafe 마당

It's a nice cute spot. I came here few times over the years and each time has been a pleasant experience. Their food is clean and tasty, definitely quality over quantity kind of place. Good traditional korean food with some fusion and western options. The restaurant looks like a converted house and 2nd floor is amazing when the day is nice. Parking lot is bit compact and gets crowded and I would recommend backing in your car if able. It would be nice if they can reprint the menus to get rid of smudges and touch up tables so they are less sticky. Overall a really good spot that i will continue returning to on and off.

First visit tonight.. came to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Did NOT disappoint.. exceeded my expectations! Absolutely LOVED the friendly/attentiveness, food was delicious, and vibe was very welcoming. Will be back again soon!!! Thank you!!

EDIT: Changed my review to 4-stars after coming again. The service is still good but after trying different dishes, some are very overpriced. The mung bean jelly salad is $22 for a small portion, when I can get twice the amount for just $8 at the market. The royal tteokbokki had a very healthy taste, but if you want better tteokbokki for less expensive, I’d also just get it from a market. Some of the more traditional Korean meals here are overpriced and not that tasty. First the atmosphere here is very pretty and peaceful. We got seated upstairs which had a lot of nice natural lighting and there seems to be outdoor seating too. Service is good, everything came out fairly quickly, and I love the complimentary tea they give you! Will definitely be coming back.

Whenever I write reviews for restaurants, I tend to give high ratings. I think this is because I usually visit places that come recommended and feel they’re worth reviewing. The clean and modern interior blends perfectly with the fusion Korean dishes, and the attentive service from the friendly staff adds to the overall pleasant experience. The Abalone Steak and Bulgogi Cream Pasta paired wonderfully with the wine brought by my companion, and I look forward to trying more dishes in the future.

This was an incredible restaurant. My girlfriend brought me here for our 7th year anniversary. We got the dumpling soup, salmon mixed rice, and bulgogi creamy pasta. First off the atmosphere of the restaurant very much feels like a fancy upscale Korean home. We sat outside on the patio and it was incredibly clean, and cute. Would highly recommend for special events! Service was also very good. The waiter noticed whenever our water was low or if the bugs were pestering us. Again gives very home-y Korean vibes. In regards to the actual food, it was delicious and not even that pricey. You can definitely tell they put a lot of effort into the food and thought into how it is crafted. Would highly recommend the salmon mixed rice! Will for sure be back again.

The food here is well presented with high quality ingredients. Every dish looks like it was well thought out and everything I tasted has authentic flavor, is very tasty and not overly salty or overpowering in any one ingredient. For me, I consider this place to be one of the higher end Korean restaurants in Northern NJ and although it is a bit pricey for the area, it is a great value for what you pay and I've always had a great dining experience there. My only complaint is the valet parking which seems unnecessary for a restaurant of this size and caliber but that is only a minor inconvenience.

TLDR: Sort of a traditional yet fusionesque restaurant at the same time. Enjoyed the crown prawns and the gochujang pasta. Came here because I was looking for an outdoor restaurant, they have a nice patio at the second floor that can fit maybe 3 4-tops. It's a cool neighborhood spot, reminds me of something I'd find in Korea. There are some more traditional dishes and then very Western crossover items. It sort of reminds me of Soram and a "bunsik" style resto in one. The dumplings are handmade and pretty tasty. I found the dishes to be a bit on the sweeter side but not off-putting. I really liked the crown prawns, a broiled butterflied shrimp topped with lobster and crab paste. The gochujang pasta was also tasty, reminded me of a vodka sauce but with almost creamy bisque like profile. On the pricier side but enjoyed it enough that I'd come back. I though it was a cool that I can eat something more traditional yet also get a more creative dish if I wanted.