Hangawi

This restaurant is an absolute gem and one of its kind. Having a vegan Korean restaurant in the city is truly a blessing and the food, experience, and staff here are all truly exceptional. We tried the emperors mini lunch menu that includes a soup, appetizer, entree, and dessert and it was so worth it! It was a great way to try a little bit of everything and the portions were very substantial. All of the food tasted so fresh, flavorful, and packed with vegetables. I loved the pumpkin porridge, sweet corn soup, and rice cakes. Both the stuffed mushrooms and combination rolls were delicious and so unique. Soy chocolate ice cream for dessert was light and tasty. Lastly, it’s so wonderful sitting without shoes in the cozy environment and heated floors. Would absolutely come here and again and it’s now one of my favorite spots!

Warm service with good recommendations, charming atmosphere and delicious vegan food. We really loved the tofu patties, zen bibimbap and tofu in creamy sauce - those are all delightful options I would completely recommend. The spicy baby dumplings were not too exciting. Overall, definitely with a visit!

Hangwai is an absolute standout—one of those restaurants where every detail feels intentional, from the warm atmosphere to the beautifully plated dishes. The menu is creative without being pretentious, and the flavors are exceptionally well balanced. We especially recommend the mushroom truffle dish, which was the star of the night. The truffle aroma hits you before the first bite, and the combination of earthy mushrooms and rich, silky truffle is unbelievably good. It’s the kind of dish you instantly want to order again, even before you’re finished with it. Service was friendly and attentive, and the pacing of the meal was perfect. Hangwai strikes that rare balance of being refined yet comfortable—an excellent choice for a special night out or a memorable meal with friends.

One of my favorite restaurants in all of New York — the tranquil environment and tastiest vegan, Korean food. Such a relaxing dining experience on the tatami mats, an oasis from the hustle outside! I honestly love any of their stone bowl rice options but the korean pancake platter and kale dumplings in tofu skin wrap steal the show! Every ingredient feels so mindful in creating the most comforting flavors. Our host even brought over a complimentary vegan tiramisu, which was the perfect end to the night. Highly, highly recommend booking a reservation here!

We honestly visit NYC from Philly just to have dinner here. The dishes and sake list are out of this world and always leave us wanting to come back instead of trying somewhere new. The restaurant is beautiful with the best staff. This was our first time having a cocktail and it was perfectly made. Not a single dish we wouldn't order again. Highly recommend splitting so you can try more!

Really cool experience and really good food! Cozy, warm environment, very comfortable. We ordered: 1) The combination rolls (noodle rolls, seaweed rolls, mushroom rolls, and kimchi rolls) 2) The spicy baby dumplings (not spicy) 3) The dandelion and avocado salad (one of my favorite things — the ginger mustard dressing was amazing) 4) The ‘bulgogi’ bibimbap 5) The spicy tofu kimchi hot pot (really good) 6) The spicy rice cakes (another one of my favorites) 7) Korean plum sparkling soda (mildly sweet) 8) The lychee sparkling soda (really sweet) 9) The red beans ice cream rhapsody (not very good)

Ambiance (5/5): This was such an immersive dining experience! As soon as you walk in, you are asked to take off your shoes, where you walk up an elevated level to then descend into the floor where the tables are. There are some tables that are normal as well but I think has to be selected when you make your reservation and/or request them. The staff are in traditional outfits, the dividers between the tables are decorated, the furniture/walls/pictures are ornate. The restaurant is fairly dark and noise level was okay to louder since we’re nested so close. Service (5/5): Our server gave us good recommendations and was very attentive to our needs. It may be harder to flag someone down but there are plenty of servers/busboys helping throughout that we did not have any issues. Cauliflower bites (5/5): There is a nice breading that soaks up the spicy sauce. It was my favorite of the 3 apps that we ordered. Baby dumpling (5/5): These cannot be fried. I still enjoyed them! Bossam bites (3/5): The skin of the bites were not to my liking. The whole dish is something I would have skipped. Before the entrees, they provided some free kimchi dishes (spicy and non-spicy)! Mongolian Hot Pot (5/5): I felt like there was so much flavor and tons of ingredients that were in the dish. I had enough to take home to-go. My friend’s tofu dish was also very flavorful (and I slightly preferred hers over mine!) I can concur that this place is worthy of a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Amazing that the whole menu is vegan-friendly!