# Short trip to NYC, staying in Koreatown (near Penn Station)- food/activity recommendations? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 16, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-trip-to-nyc-staying-in-koreatown-near-penn-station-food-activity-recommendations/666411 "2013-08-16T13:59:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-trip-to-nyc-staying-in-koreatown-near-penn-station-food-activity-recommendations/666411/1 "2013-08-16T13:59:53Z")
Wife and I are going in September for the weekend of the US Open (Tennis) Finals. Sunday we’ll be at the stadium, but Saturday will be free to eat and explore. Any opinions on the best restaurants/sights near Koreatown/Penn Station? We’d definitely love to try at least one Korean place, but don’t know which one to choose. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-trip-to-nyc-staying-in-koreatown-near-penn-station-food-activity-recommendations/666411/2 "2013-08-16T14:13:19Z")
Penn Station is just two blocks from the Empire State Building, so that’s something to do. Times Square is one subway stop north on 7th Avenue. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-trip-to-nyc-staying-in-koreatown-near-penn-station-food-activity-recommendations/666411/3 "2013-08-16T14:24:01Z")
Here are my recommendations: Korean food and barbeque: Madangsui: [Madangsui | The Best Korean BBQ Restaurant in NYC](http://www.madangsui.com/Madangsui/Home.asp) Korean fried chicken and beer/drinks: Bon Chon: [http://www.bonchon.com/sub03/view.php?idx=11](http://www.bonchon.com/sub03/view.php?idx=11) Drinks and karaoke: Chorus: [http://www.choruskaraoke.com/](http://www.choruskaraoke.com/) Snacks/lounge: 3rd Floor: [http://www.thirdfloorcafe-nyc.com/](http://www.thirdfloorcafe-nyc.com/) Sushi rolls/sports bar/lounge: Players: [http://www.players32.com/page/main.php](http://www.players32.com/page/main.php) ETA: Don’t be deterred by the entrances/elevators for the last 4. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-trip-to-nyc-staying-in-koreatown-near-penn-station-food-activity-recommendations/666411/4 "2013-08-16T15:17:03Z")
Moved CS --\> IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-trip-to-nyc-staying-in-koreatown-near-penn-station-food-activity-recommendations/666411/5 "2013-08-16T15:36:30Z")
There’s a kind of cafeteria-style Korean place, called Woorijip. You pay by the pound or pick little premade set-price boxes – you can try many different Korean style dishes without having to commit to any one dish. It’s not expensive, and it’s open 22 hours a day. It’s always busy so the items are fresh. I just can’t feel the love for Bon chon. Nothing wrong with it… But… It’s spicy wings, not rocket surgery. 🙂 Down the street there’s a crazy all you can eat sushi & Japanese food buffet called IchiUmi. The quality is really nice. Not overly cheap but at around $35, a fair price for what you get (as long as you’re really hungry!). ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-trip-to-nyc-staying-in-koreatown-near-penn-station-food-activity-recommendations/666411/6 "2013-08-16T15:44:30Z")
That all sounds great- thanks for the input. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-trip-to-nyc-staying-in-koreatown-near-penn-station-food-activity-recommendations/666411/7 "2013-08-16T15:59:30Z")
Walk the High Line! Entrance is about a twenty-minute walk from Penn Station. It’s a neat park built on an abandoned elevated freight rail line. [http://www.thehighline.org/](http://www.thehighline.org/) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Righteous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Dr.Righteous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Righteous)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-trip-to-nyc-staying-in-koreatown-near-penn-station-food-activity-recommendations/666411/8 "2013-08-16T17:40:02Z")
I second the suggestions Madangsu, Bon Chon and the High Line.