"3-Hour Wait as Standard, Fiercely Hot"... 'Kisa' Becomes a New York Landmark in Just 2 Weeks [Curiosity Lab]

Menu Items of a New York Korean Diner
Photo by Kisa Instagram

"It's a new gem worth waiting 2 to 3 hours outside for." "Crazy, insanely hip."

‘Kisa,’ a restaurant inspired by Korean gisa sikdang (driver’s restaurants), has become a New York landmark just two weeks after opening in the heart of New York City. People start gathering before 5 p.m., and you have to wait in line for 2 to 3 hours to get in. The restaurant is located in the Lower East Side, known as Manhattan’s last remaining retro town where the 1980s-90s and 2000s coexist.

Signboard of a cafeteria [Image source=Google Maps]

Inspired by Gisa Sikdang, $44 per serving... A Generous Taste Spot in Retro Town

Kisa describes the restaurant as follows: "It is a relaxed Korean restaurant that has been serving taxi drivers since the 1980s. Famous for delicious and affordable meals, Kisa offers authentic Korean cuisine that satisfies both taste and cost." The operating hours are from Tuesday to Saturday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., focusing on dinner. Reservations are not accepted. The menu features Baek Ban (set meal). The restaurant explains, "Baek Ban, a traditional Korean meal consisting of rice, soup, and side dishes, is the representative menu of gisa sikdang, easily accessible to anyone and served quickly for a hearty meal."

One person must order one menu item, with four options: bulgogi, spicy pork stir-fry (jeyuk bokkeum), spicy squid stir-fry (ojingeo bokkeum), and barley bibimbap, all priced at $32 (about 44,000 KRW). Side dishes include kimchi, braised potatoes, shrimp soy sauce, mung bean jelly salad, seasoned seaweed, so-tteok (sausage and tteokbokki), and rolled omelet. Baek Ban and side dishes are served on one platter. The atmosphere inside and outside the restaurant is distinctly Korean. The exterior signs read ‘Baek Ban Specialty Famous Gisa Sikdang’ and ‘Original Gisa Sikdang at Dongnam Intersection.’ Dongnam Intersection is the Korean translation of Lower East Side. Inside, there are Korean calendars, an old TV, wall-mounted fans, and a coin-operated coffee machine common in Korea. The restaurant gives customers 25 cents.

Interior view of a New York diner. There is a coffee machine in one corner.
[Photo by Kisa Instagram]

Generally Positive Reviews on Korean Atmosphere, Taste, and Price... Some Complaints About Large Portions

Currently, there are 34 reviews on Google with an average rating of 4.6 out of 5. On Yelp, which provides local restaurant ratings mainly in the U.S., there are 10 reviews with the same 4.6 rating. Customer responses are mostly positive. One user said, "The atmosphere was nice, and the spicy pork stir-fry and spicy squid stir-fry were the best. You can request side dish refills (though officially not allowed). I drank Korean soju, and they even brought an old-fashioned coffee machine. The service was kind and attentive." Another user who waited about 2 to 3 hours on a Tuesday night said, "It felt like home, and we shared all the dishes and soju. I was really happy when they gave me 25 cents for coffee at the end."

Of course, there are negative reviews as well. Unlike typical gisa sikdang that operate 24 hours or from morning or lunch, this place focuses on dinner. Regarding the price, some comments say, "They claim to be a gisa sikdang, but it’s expensive. Is this where the bosses’ drivers go?" Korean restaurants in New York usually charge in the high teens or around $20 (about 27,000 KRW) for lunch dishes like galbitang, samgyetang, or stews. However, some rebut, "The sundubu jjigae in the next alley is $28, so this price seems reasonable. Hope it thrives." There are many praises about the portion size, but some complaints as well. Since the rule is one menu per person, some customers wonder what happens if four people order only three servings and leave food. Some customers are unhappy about having to wait 3 hours despite arriving at the 5 p.m. opening time.

From the left, Choi Jae-woo, Yoon Joon-woo, Kim Yong-min, and other operators of the Gisa Sikdang [Photo source=Kisa Instagram]

Led by Young Korean Americans: "Reverse Exporting Gisa Sikdang Culture... Sharing Korean Jeong (情)"

Who created Kisa? According to an article in an American culture magazine, it was led by Choi Jae-woo and Yoon Joon-woo, later joined by Kim Yong-min. Choi and Yoon were both born in Korea and grew up in Atlanta. Their first restaurant, ‘C as in Charlie,’ gained attention for blending Southern U.S. and Korean flavors. They explained why they thought of opening a gisa sikdang:

"Korean gisa sikdang used to thrive but are disappearing as times change. Current operators are retiring, so they will vanish completely. We hope opening this concept in New York will create a butterfly effect in Korea. We are neither 100% Korean nor 100% American. But customers started saying how much they loved Korean food on their first try, and we felt guilty for not offering traditional dishes. We thought the second restaurant should be somewhere in the Lower East Side filled with Korean food. Gisa sikdang is why we return to our heritage and roots."

They emphasized the culture and spirit of Korean jeong (affection) and said, "More than just serving Korean food, it will be a joyful gathering space where guests can enjoy Korean spirit, Baek Ban dishes, and love for Korean culture together."