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The Tomboy-dressin, decent-looking girl-next-door that kisses great- that's what Buk Kyung is. In a city that utterly lacks good Korean food, this place isn't that bad (this really is a 3.5 star review until I can try other dishes).
Very bland-looking establishment, which reminds me of the in-house cafeterias I found in office buildings in Korea when I was stationed there last year, but uber friendly. The food isn't great enough to write home about, but is good enough to consider coming back to when I'm Jonesing for Korean eats.
We had the Jjajangmyeon (noodles in black bean sauce), ojingo bokkeum (sauteed squid and vegetables in spicy sauce), and soondubu jiggae (spicy soft tofu soup). The noodles weren't bad at all, which surprised me, since I can never find a place to satisfy my craving when I'm outside of NY or LA. The squid was OK- nothing great, nothing bad. The tofu soup.... gets a strange complaint from me: too many shrimp. It's not as good as the other Korean establishments in Boston, but, I'll eat it if ordered by somebody else.
I like this place enough to come back again, as I know the real test of their food will involve the meat dishes, pancakes, and cold noodles.
Like I said, come expecting some decent Korean cafetera food (yes, there are such places on the planet), and you'll be just fine. 3 people = $33, which wasn't bad for Korean food (remember that most Korean restaurants gives you ample, unlimited 'banchan', which are the little tapas side dishes of vegetables, seaweed, etc).
Union Square has quite a mix of international foods, stylin pubs, and diveroos and I must put Buk Kyung in the dive/international cuisine category. But please don't judge a book by its cover. From the outside, Buk Kyung is a plain glass front restaurant in need of a face lift, but in the kitchen of Buk Kyung, miracles happen. And I say "miracle" because is it just me or is the couple who you see running from table to table ALSO the cooks for a dozen hungry families/groups of Taekwondo martial artists??
I tend to get a little uncomfortable when I see entrees priced above $12 at such establishments, but when the meals are served, I'm quickly reminded that these items could feed a couple families and they are served with plenty of Banchan.
So my fave Korean offerings are the little slabs of rice cake, but here, are prepared to look like elongated gnocchi and served in a rich, thick, and mildly spiced red sauce. Glub glub glub. And now that I know that the popular black bean sauce dish is called something like Janjangmyun, I will continue to get it over and over. It's a comforting dish consisting of thick wheat noodles (not too thick) and not spicy at all black bean sauce. The flavor is unique and rich and the noodles require a snip-snip-snip just to manage with your chop sticks. Dave's buckwheat cold noodle dish was probably not the satisfying cool and flavorful entree that he was hoping for, but it had merit. It's fun to try new foods anyhow (just be easy on the addition of hot mustard and chili paste!).
And although the service of water can be slow, the host and hostess are ever so kind (have you ever been bantered by hosts from other Korean restaurants? not to be expected here). And unfortunately, there is no alcohol, but if there were, it would do nothing but fill your already full belly. I was grateful to have some extra space for the food!
And so when winter approaches - though I might not make the trek over to Union Square - I will think longingly of the toasted barley tea and bowls of thick tofu chigae, scallion pancakes, and bowls of never-ending noodles at Buk Kyung.
I give this a three star review and reserve the right to update the next time I visit because I really didn't try their specialty.
Buk Kyung serves Korean food and has all the staples but in reality it is a Korean-style Chinese restaurant. All the specialties are Korean takes on Chinese dishes like Ma Po tofu, which I was strongly tempted to get. Instead I wimped out and got a perfectly delicious stone bowl bibimbap.
No complaints, great service and good food but I can't wait to go back and try the dishes they consider their best.
Nice quaint little restaurant, it's less busy than Koreana in Cambridge but I think the food is just as good and slightly cheaper. The service is good! Not much to look at as far as decoration and the outside is pretty plain. But I'm more concerned about the food and if that's what you're about you find then this place is great!!
My trip here started with a friend from out of town stopping by. She's a vegetarian, so my roommates and I started to come up with a variety of options. Eventually my roommate Chris suggested a 'great place called Pot Pot." He swore it was great, and neglected to comment that he'd never been there and was making up the name. Walking into Buk Kyong we weren't even sure this was the place he was thinking about.
I really wasn't terribly impressed by Buk Kyung. Seeing the 4 star reviews, and the location, I would think this was going to be a hidden gem of Somerville, however, the "unpretentious" atmosphere I was hoping for struck me as slightly bland and cafeteria like. There were no vegetarian options listed, you had to ask to prepare the food sans meat, but there was no reduced price for it either.
On a positive note, the staff was friendly and patient (with a slight language barrier this was appreciated). The abundant 'sides' were present (like every other korean restaurant.) The food was all pretty good, but not superb. The fried chicken my roommates got was tastey, and in great supply, but after half the mound was gone, it just was a bit too much for fried food.
In the end, the four of us walked out with a 68 dollar tab, pretty stuffed, but not gunning to head back here. I might pick up an order or two of the fried chicken for a poker game or party where some snacks are in order, but otherwise I'm willing to bet that better Korean food can be found in Boston, even though there was nothing particularly wrong with this place.
Before I start my review, I need to say....I did not like the food. Not because the food was bad, but because I guess I don't really like Korean food and it is way too spicy for me.
I ventured in here after the Improper Bostonian voted this place Best Korean Food. I'm moving to Korea in June and figured that this would be the best place for me start.
I probably should've brought an expert in with me so they could point me in the direction of what I would like. Korean "pad thai" if you will. There must be something universal, but I went in knowing nothing.
Can't even tell you the name of what I ordered, but it was noodles in a black bean paste with pork. I got the lunch special which, for under $8, included those noodles kimchi and a few other sides that were just a little too spicy. The quanity was impressive.
The service was great. The place was clean. And even though you wouldn't expect it from the outside, it was very nice inside. It was a little too quiet though. I would've prefered some music or something going on.
Since moving away from Cambridge, I realize that the restaurant I think of the most when a Korean craving hits is Bukkyung (not Koreana, Seoul Food, or Kaya...sorry guys!). And how sad it is that I never let my love for this little place be known when I was there.
So, to Bukkyung, the one that got away:
You were always so damn far, and I too lazy to make the trip out to Somerville. I think this is why it didn't work out between us. Even on a really cold day, when I knew I could just pay $7.50 for a damn cab and get the mandoo guk I really wanted...I settled for Koreana's instead.
But the times we had were good. Your japchae and scallion pancakes never disappointed. They were huge and reheated for days and made all my roommates jealous. Your ddokbokee made me think of home and wasn't ketchup-y and weird like Seoul Food's. You never overcooked your vegetables.
And though your owner kept insisting that I looked Japanese...which freaked me out just a little bit...she always brought me complementary miyuk guk and that pretty much made us ok.
Your dolsot bibimbap was not perfect. But, really, who's is? I still miss it and that's not just because I can't have it anymore.
Yours,
Jess
Ok...I have eaten here and must say that it was very very good. Besides the fact my Korean Mother in law kept saying she could have made it for me instead of having to go there the experience was great. I would highly recommend.
I haven't eaten here yet, but want to give them three stars out of anticipation....I am from Philadelphia and miss ja-jang-myung..not sure if i am spelling correctly, but honestly who is...
I tried to order to go on Saturday, but the wait was mad long and WuChon would have been done with my other food way before that. I will try again........MMMMMM
Buk Kyung has been in Union Square for a long time. It's a pretty good-sized family-run restaurant. The owners are really nice people, and have treated us well for years. They actually catered our wedding almost six years ago, and did a great job.
They serve a decent variety of Korean fare, but their main strengths are the jja-jang-myung (black bean sauce) noodles and the jjam-bbong (spicy Korean seafood noodle soup). If you're really hungry, add a small tang-soo-yook appetizer (deep fried pork with vegetables in sweet sauce). It's really hard to beat these dishes in the Boston area. I really liked the jja-jang-myun at Seoul Kitchen in Brighton Center, but I understand they closed down. Pity.
Unfortunately, you must make the trek out to Somerville, becasue Buk Kyung II over in Allston is just not the same.
My search for zhajiangmian (black bean sauce noodles) in the Boston area has ended.
Buk Kyung I makes these in three varieties with what they say are handmade noodles. I LOVE these noodles!! Here they are very good and sated my cravings.
During my visit here last night, we ordered the first black bean sauce noodles listed in addition to the japchae and the kimchee scallion pancake.
The japchae was a little on the expensive side ($12.95), but the portion was huge. All the portions here are on the large side, which is kind of nice for those who relish having leftovers to eat the day after. What weirded us out about the japchae was that they were really liberal with the stir-fried white onions. The sesame oil taste wasn't as strong as I hoped, and there weren't any mushrooms in the dish as the menu had said. The kimchee scallion pancake had a great crunchiness on the outside, but the kimchee seemed nonexistent in it. Still good, though.
The banchan, although not in great variety, were pretty solid. I really liked the yellow pickled radish. Mmm.
For those reviewers who say that the decor here is sparse, I'm not really sure what kind of restaurants with Asian cuisine that you tend to go to, but this place is a lot nicer than the average Korean or Chinese place around here or anywhere, for that matter. There are a number of nice paintings and prints on the walls, and the walls themselves look pretty bright yellow and clean to me. All I have to say is -- dim lighting does not equal good ambiance.
I really like how this Buk Kyung has a good variety of Korean dishes that you wouldn't always find in a Korean restaurant in the area. I'm looking forward to trying other dishes here, including this fried pork that I saw almost every other table ordering...
For now, Buk Kyung gets three stars. I will be back for the soups, because after going and getting a dish that wasn't, it seemed like everyone else in the place ordered soups. I got a strip steak and onion dish as my entree, while Robert got a spicy chicken dish. To start, we got scallion pancakes and dumplings. Everything was tasty, and came out super fast. The little dishes of kim chee, pickled cucumbers, bean sprouts, and various other goodies were fun, and and eating adventure for Robert. The menu wasn't as extensive for the other reviews posted, but I was happy with the options......except there was only one chicken dish on the menu. The rest are beef and pork.
The service was great, and there only seemed to be three people working. It was quick, except for getting the check. The food was good and authentic. The bill was a little high for a Sunday lunch for two ($50), but well worth exposing Robert to authentic Korean food.
Also, word of wisdom-all credit cards are accepted except for AMEX.
This is a really wonderful TASTY little place in Union Square. (I believe it's the sister restaurant to Buk Kyung II in Allston -- They have the same menu).
This is a Korean restaurant, but it fills a niche that its neighbor Wu Chon House and many other Korean restaurants around Boston have not yet filled. Buk Kyung has many Korean-Chinese fusion dishes -- food that you can't typically find at a solely Korean or solely Chinese restaurant.
These dishes include Tang Soo Yuk (crispy fried pork with sweet and sour sause), Ja Jang Myun (noodles with black bean sauce and vegetables), and Jam Bong (a spicy seafood broth with vegetables and noodles). I haven't found any restaurant in Boston that serves these dishes, and I have to say -- wow, I have loved them all. Their Tang Soo Yuk is by far the best I've had in Boston. Try their homemade steamed dumplings (tong mandoo) -- double wow.
Enjoy!!!
I actually found out about Buk Kyung when I stopped in to Buk Kyung II the week that it opened. A good Korean restaurant just around the block from my apartment? Great.
I go there regularly for scallion pancakes and black noodles. When the weather is cold, stone bowl rice or some other hot, spicy dish. The dining room is no-frills but service is good and the price is not bad at all.
Authentic. The menu is huge, and even if you have eaten Korean before, it can seem overwhelming. Fortunately, the staff will walk you through it & make recommendations. Our waitress was accommodating & friendly; we made substitutions with no dirty glances or hesitations. We tried the scallion pancakes, noodles with black bean paste & pork and a noodle soup with kimchee. All were excellent.
It's tucked away in Union Sq, and the decor is nothing special, but it is one of those places worth a special trip. A hidden gem.
I love how homey and unpretentious this place is...it feels like a little family restaurant that you could wander into in Korea. And their chap chae is so delicious. They have a lot of dishes that other Korean places don't have which other reviewers have mentioned. Also, their portions are huge -- two people can easily share a noodle dish.
I agree with April. After having lunch there, we gave 10% tip. The manager CALLS US OVER as we're leaving and demanded to pay more to fill the 15% tip quota. And she had the nerve to say:
"Do you not know what tip is ?"
... HOW DARE THEY INSULT OUR INTELLIGENCE?! Stupid bitch doesn't know what a tip is -- it's a VOLUNTARY gesture from the customer's part to encourage good service! Parents just paid a few more bucks to make it 15% to avoid any problem, but I would have left, telling her to SUE me for not paying 15% tip -- FOR LUNCH! And it's not even a high class restaurant. How are they going to DEMAND tip?
The food was okay, and i will NEVER go back there because the people there are RUDE. She continued to say "we dont' make enough money so we have to compensate w/ the tip" ... how is that MY problem?!
yum. this little restaurant makes me wonder why i don't jaunt over to union square more.
we had kimchi bokum bap and stir fried squid w/spice saucy (don't remember the korean name). everything was delicious. food came out super fast. it was a saturday night and there was no wait. a bunch of guys at the table next to us (looked to be korean in my expert asian-origin-gauging opinion, if that matters) were enjoying various noodle dishes. looked delicious and i am determined to go back and try some noodles next.
btw: buk kyung = beijing/peking in korean - extrapolate what you need to from that nugget of info
The scallion pancakes are delicious. So is the bi bim bop. Unfortunately, for vegetarians, or non-pork/non-shellfish eaters, there is not much here. Almost every dish is pork or seafood based. Also, a bit short on atmosphere...
Love the black bean curb noodles, but took them a little too long to get me the side dishes....
Ordered mandookook, which was actually better than I was expecting; lots of mandoo and lots of meat. The panchan selection wasn't amazing, but decent. I ordered bulgogi and japchae for take out for later in the week, and she came back and said that they'd actually run out of bulgogi. I'm not sure how a Korean restaurant can run out of bulgogi, but apparently it happens. They also didn't have any kalbi at all, which was surprising. If it were closer, I'd definitely go again.
Update: My japchae takeout has lasted me 2 meals already, and there's still enough left for a 3rd meal. The japchae is super tasty; it has the thicker kind of noodles, lots of onions, lots of mushrooms, and barely any carrots. I hate carrots. My mother insists on putting millions of tiny shredded carrots in the japchae she makes, just so I have a harder time picking it out, in the hopes I'll give up and just eat it. Needless to say, I barely have to pick out any carrots from Buk Kyung's japchae, which bumps it up to 4-stars in my book.
Masheso! Not as good mom's but darn tasty! The 1 of 2 korean restaurants I eat at in the Boston/Brighton/Allston/Cambridge/Somerville restaurant. It's also good value for your money. Its quaint, the ahjima that waits on you is adorable and sweet. Took me 7 years to narrow it down but this so far is my fav korean restaurant. Good Kimchi Chigae! Also try Han River in Brookline.
My friend and I went to Buk Kyung one Saturday evening for dinner. We wanted to try something different and ordered a couple of noodle dishes. Although, the restaurant was not crowded, the service was very slow. We had to ask for water twice and waited for another 10 minutes before we were served. The food was okay, but we were not happy with very slow service. When the bill came, we decided to give less than 15% tip. One of the waitress, who didn't even serve us, came over to our table and demanded, in broken English, that we gave them 15% tip. We ended up giving them the 15% tip and won't go back there again.
almost everything on this menu is my favorite! it's more like chinese-korean dishes.
each dumpling is a size of my fist (the wait is worth it), jjajang myun and tang-soo-yuk tops the list for me.
the service is attentive!
This one is a lot better than its counterpart in Brighton. The soup noodles are pretty decent here and it's a little cheaper than the brighton one.
Cheaper and BETTER than Koreana. Buk Kyung's Yujejang (spicy beef stew) is delicious. The Spicy Pork Bulgogi is tasty and hot, much better than what I had at Koreana. Naemyun's are good. Also tried the bibimbap in a stone pot, very generous portion. You can get a really nice dinner for less than $10, although the BBQ dishes cost a bit more as they should. Highly recommended!
Somerville, MA
Category: Korean
Neighborhood: Allston/Brighton
Category: Korean
Medford, MA
Category: Korean
Neighborhood: Allston/Brighton
Category: Korean
Brookline, MA
Category: Korean
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