This Park Slope restaurant is truly a gem. Listed as a Michelin guide restaurant, Haenyeo(@haenyeobk), set a high bar for any Korean restaurant in Brooklyn. Surely, there were no lies told when the Haenyeo Michelin Page stated, "so memorable you'll find yourself craving the same meal well after your visit". I promise you, I can still taste my entree as we speak. Not to mention two days after my visit, I doubled back for some beignets.
Could this potentially be the best Korean restaurant in Brooklyn? I haven't tried them all, but for now, Haenyeo is my top pick. They also switch their menu pretty often, so you can visit several times and try many different dishes.
About Haenyeo
Haenyeo's website states, "Haenyeo's main focus is creating everyday Korean dishes that are deliciously authentic with a touch of urban influence." It seems to hit that right on the head. The restaurant is named after legendary female divers from South Korea, who inspired owners with their "iron spirit, precision in craft and devotion to community" (https://haenyeobk.com)
According to their website, Chef Jenny Kwak is the head of Haenyeo. Jenny also brought her authentic Korean home-cooking to Dok Suni's in east village and Dohwa in west village. Certainly, i'll be adding these restaurants to the list!
Haenyeo Review | Korean Restaurant In Brooklyn
Ambiance
The ambiance at Haenyeo was pretty laid back and romantic. It was an open space that seems pretty large at first, since people were not on top of each other when we got there. However, as the night went on, it started to get packed (I recommend a reservation!). Despite this, the experience still felt very intimate. I went on a Thursday afternoon, but I can foresee it being packed on the weekend (but that was not my personal experience).
Each table was dimly lit with candles. Without a doubt, this spot is perfect for a date night, and just as good for friends and family to catch up.
The restaurant played a type of low-fi house music (I was intrigued, and actually enjoyed it). Of course, the volume was low, so you could enjoy conversations with no issues, while still enjoying the tune in the background.
Rating: 8.5/10
Food
The food at Haenyeo was taste-bud awakening. I raved about it for days. As my girlfriend put it, "I haven't been this excited about food in a while". Basically, it lived up to the hype.
We started dinner off with a seafood pancake. It was a perfectly crisp savory pancake, and I was pleasantly punched with the tastes of shrimp, squid, green onions and pepper in each bite. It came with a sesame vinegar dip that took this appetizer to the next level! (let me emphasize that I'm usually not a fan of vinegar)
Korean Seafood Pancake W/ Sesame Vinegar Dip
My next dish was a spicy squid bowl with a beautiful array of sides and a white rice base. The dish housed sautéed spinach, white rice, lettuce, kimchi, carrots, onions, jalapeños, cucumbers and seaweed. Top that all off with some squid, an egg yolk and red spicy sauce, and you're looking at an entree that belonged in a museum.
Not one ingredient over powered another. The spinach was sautéed without being bitter, the flavor of the egg yolk gracefully faded to the back, veggies like cucumbers and seaweed provided the crunch and the squid was almost melt in mouth tender. I almost ran to the kitchen to see the chef with my own two eyes. The dish was savory, spicy and the squid offered a slightly sweet flavor to bring it all together.
My girlfriend got the fried chicken and enjoyed her food as well. Oddly enough, our favorite part of the night was the taste of their house made kimchi. It came included with my meal, and as a side for my girlfriend's rice. Their kimchi was both spicy and tangy, and unfortunately was not available for purchase.
Rating: 10/10
Toasted Seaweed Spicy Squid Bowl
Service
Want to reiterate that we did come here on a Thursday evening. I expect service to be different on busier days. With that being said, we had no complaints.
My girlfriend and I walked in about 10 minutes before our reservation, and we were seated immediately. By the time our jackets were off, our lovely waitress was present offering the options of still or sparkling water.
She was very attentive, answered all our questions and cleared our table after every dish to ready up for the next course. She even mixed my entree for me to ensure I got a taste of all the ingredients in each bite. Looking back, I don't think I could have mixed it as well, if I'm being honest. The icing on the cake here was the chef coming out with each dish and explaining the contents of our meal.
The wait time on the food was also great! By the time we finished our appetizer, the entrees were brought to our tables shortly after. I didn't come here looking for anything over the top, just good service, and our waitress did just that.
Rating: 9/10
Final Thoughts On Haenyeo
All in all, Haenyeo was truly a great time and I will likely be back in a few weeks. This is honestly one of the best restaurants near me. If by now you're planing a trip to Haenyeo, or if you jumped in your car in the middle of this post, my job here is done. You're in for a treat!
There are many good restaurants on 5th avenue Brooklyn, in Park Slope, and this is bound to be one of your favorites.
Is Haenyeo the best Korean restaurant in Brooklyn? Do you know a really good Korean restaurant worth trying? Have you been here before? Let me know your thoughts or any places I should try in the comments.
Total Before Tip: $108 (No Alcoholic Drinks Ordered)
Pescatarian Friendly: Yes!
Total Score: 27.5/30
