Kisa

Kisa Restaurant in Manhattan felt like stepping back in time in the most beautiful way. From the moment I walked in, the warm lighting, nostalgic ambiance, and vintage details made me feel like I had entered another era back in late 1970 to early 1980 when I was in Korea. The service was welcoming and attentive, and every dish carried a comforting, old-world charm that you rarely find today. The flavors were deep, soulful, and perfectly prepared — each bite reminding me why hidden gems like this make New York dining so unforgettable. Kisa isn’t just a meal; it’s a full experience that transports you. Truly a wonderful and memorable "back in time" dining night. Highly, highly recommend!

From the moment you step in, it’s like stepping back in time to an old-school Korean diner. The interior design is absolutely immaculate. It gets a little small and cramped but it’s super homely. The food was also honestly perfect and the right portions. They offer free refills of three side dishes but I didn’t even need it, as I left feeling very full and satisfied. The service was also great and the staff were very friendly. The little black bean latte at the end was also a great touch! As a Korean person, the food really hit the spot and I felt right at home. My only complaint is that it does run quite expensive for almost 40 per person including tax. However, I do feel like I got my money’s worth from the food and overall experience! Also: we got there at a good time almost right after it opened, but the restaurant fills up very fast. Be aware that it’s quite a busy spot especially since it’s small and limited seating.

I had lunch with my husband here today. This restaurant has absolutely become one of my favorite Korean restaurants in NYC. The first egg drop soup was so flavorful with dried fish, dried shrimp, soybean sprouts and thin winter melon slices. We ordered bulgogi and spicy pork as our entrees. Both tasted very good. The side dishes were really amazing. My favorite was the sashimi which tasted so fresh. The sauce they made for the soft tofu was out of this world. They added persimmon in the fruit salad which was so refreshing. I will definitely come back with my friends soon. If I am around downtown Manhanttan, this will be the go-to place for any of my meals. The diners sitting next to us were all Koreans, so you know how authentic this Korean restaurant is!

I know this ain’t no lowkey hidden gem but despite the hype it did nottt disappoint. Kinda pricey coming in at an inflexible $36 (no other options, must order 1 dish per person). But it’s a lotttt of food and a lot of variety. The banchan are great and pretty unique. We got sashimi, apple mayo salad, kimchi, tofu, chicken wings, japchae etc etc. and all were excellent. The only mid one was maybe the japchae. The bulgogi is a must. It’s even better than the squid imo, but both are great. Don’t leave without a free (very sweet) coffee or black sesame tiny coffee. Delish. Only complaints are that you can’t order less than 1 set per person. And they don’t have sparkling water. Other than that, chefs kiss. No vegetarian options. Good for gluten intolerance.

Knocked my socks off!! Such a fun, rotating sampler platter. The calamari was so good. The beef was like candy. Absolutely delicious with no complaints. Great service. Need a reservation!! Only complaint is I wish they had a slightly smaller version. My three friends and I were sooooo stuffed, we could have really survived on two platters instead of three, but they make you order 1 per person. Need a "women’s size" lol

Love love love Kisa! I have been here 3 times already with my husband and can’t wait to go back 🙂 We really like their Spicy Pork platter and every side dish and soup are soooo good! Even rice is another level! And their portions are HUGE. My husband and I eat a lot and yet every time we went, we still couldn’t finish everything and ended up taking leftovers home (and turn them into bibimbap 😋). My mouth is watering just writing this review haha. I grew up in Korea and Kisa’s foods are one of the BESTEST Korean foods I’ve ever had. Enough said 😉

Came here for lunch on a weekend and waited almost an hour for a party of 4. We got their signature at menu for roughly $30 (came close to $45/pp after tax and tip). While somewhat pricey, there was definitely a large volume of food. As a somewhat large eater I still had a little bit of food left to take home. All of the dishes I felt were particularly tasty. The soup had a strong seafood flavor that was deeply satisfying. The cold tofu, especially, was dressed in a seaweed flavored sesame oil that was so unctuous and packed with umami. The seasoning was so good I scooped up all the extra with rice, which made a perfect bite. The japchae, while not a particularly amazing dish traditionally speaking, was executed surprisingly well and was unexpectedly one of my favorite dishes of the day. Overall I was very satisfied with my experience here. While I wouldn’t wait an hour again to eat, I wouldn’t mind spending maybe 20-30 minutes in line to get a guaranteed filling meal packed full of flavor and fresh ingredients again.