Retro Korean diner delights with authentic baekban and nostalgic vibes.
Kisa, meaning "driver's restaurant," pays homage to Korean roadside diners with its baek ban-style meals, featuring a choice of protein with rice, soup, and banchan.
Morgan Carter reviews Kisa, a popular Korean diner on the Lower East Side, praising its authentic baekban meals and cozy atmosphere. The review highlights the generous dinner platters and affordable lunch options, making it a must-visit spot.
Kisa is a beloved Korean diner on the Lower East Side, channeling the vibe of 1980s Korean roadside restaurants. It's celebrated for its authentic baekban meals, offering a hearty spread of rice, soup, and an array of banchan alongside a chosen protein. Despite its popularity and occasional waits, Kisa consistently delivers a delicious and nostalgic dining experience that many find to be excellent value.
Kisa offers authentic Korean cuisine, with a particular focus on baekban-style meals. Customers rave about the rotating banchan, with specific mentions of gimmari and jeon. Highly recommended dishes include the Spicy Pork, Stir-fried Squid, Bulgogi, and Gamjatang. While most feedback is positive, one user found it overhyped and mediocre, and another noted that banchan refills may now incur a charge.
"Customers highly recommend the Spicy Pork, Stir-fried Squid, Bulgogi, and the rotating banchan selection."
Customers generally have a very positive sentiment towards Kisa, frequently praising its authentic Korean food, reasonable prices for New York, and nostalgic atmosphere. While some note it can be pricey compared to Korea, the overall consensus is that the quality and experience justify the cost.
Important Note
Some users note that prices might be higher than expected for its concept, and banchan refills may no longer be complimentary.
"If you encounter a wait at Kisa, consider spending your waiting time at Superbueno."
Neutral"Kisa on the Lower East Side serves only Baek Ban for dinner, which includes a standard platter of banchan with rice, alongside a limited selection of five similar main options."
Neutral"This user acknowledges Kisa's hype but believes it is great and approves of it."
Positive"This user found Kisa to be overhyped and incredibly mediocre."
Negative"Despite being viral on TikTok and having low expectations, Kisa truly lived up to its hype."
Positive"The post describes Kisa as a retro-style Korean "gisa sikdang" (driver's restaurant) in the Lower East Side, praising its nostalgic atmosphere, authentic decor, and delicious food, with special mention of the stir-fried squid. The author strongly recommends visiting Kisa for its unique cultural and culinary experience, noting its popularity and recent move to accepting limited reservations."
Positive"User Dancefloor_Fog_9848 describes Kisa as always a great and reliable spot, despite sometimes having a short wait."
Positive"Expresses doubt that the original poster's mom would enjoy the Kisa concept, as it features food typically favored by male Korean taxi drivers."
Neutral"Acknowledges Kisa is pricey but suggests that purely for the food, it's not a bad place for traditional Korean options in Manhattan, despite the cost."
Neutral"Warns that Kisa's prices might seem offensively inflated compared to Korea, given its concept is based on cheap pit stops for taxi drivers. Compares it to selling diner eggs/toast for $30."
Negative"Suggests Kisa might offer authentic Korean food but cautions that it's reportedly pricier than perhaps desired."
Neutral"Lists Kisa as a favorite for authentic Korean food in Manhattan."
Positive"Likes Kisa in Manhattan for traditional Korean dishes."
Positive"Highly recommends Kisa in LES as having the best food, calling it authentic, delicious, and reasonably priced without being overly fancy."
Positive"Loved the rotation of banchan, specifically the gimmari and jeon"
Positive"Kisa is Korean."
Neutral
