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DO Hwa
Category: Restaurants Korean Korean [Edit]
55 Carmine St(between S 7th Ave & Bedford St)
New York, NY 10014
Neighborhood: West Village
(212) 414-1224
- Nearest Transit:
-
Houston St (1, 2)
Spring St (A, C, E)
Christopher St - Sheridan Sq (1, 2)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
128 reviews for DO Hwa
Review Highlights
"The SSam Bop (spicy pork belly) and Bulgogi (soy/garlic..."
(in 3 reviews)
"Rice cakes was spicy enough."
(in 7 reviews)
"KALBI JJIM - Tender beef short ribs braised in soy sauce..."
(in 4 reviews)
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128 reviews in English
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Review from Wenxiao G.
Brooklyn, NY
2/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
In a city where I'm constantly chasing the next best eat around the corner, I find myself boomeranging again and again to Do Hwa.
*Tasty food that always, inevitably leaves my tongue tingling with spice and gratitude. (And burping dainty puffs of fire. If you're serious about spicy, just ask and you shall receive.)
*Delicious, inspired cocktails to satisfy every positive adjective in the English language. (I have literally asked Caroline to mix me something "earnest and spunky.")
*Hip, aesthetic interior, resplendent with soft lighting for my best face forward. (Even when I'm Asian glowing from my fourth cocktail.)
*Just the right amount of distraction for friends, lovers, awkward dates, and lonely hearts, alike. (The bar area is perpetually lively, and there is always a movie projected silently on the wall, for when minimum eye contact is desired.)
(*I even love the citrus scent they spray in their bathrooms.)
I have eaten my way through most of the menu by now, and everything is simply delicious. Currently my favorite meal: Jap Chae (the sweet potato glass noodles have phenomenal texture), Kimchi Suun Dubu (spicy tofu soup with beef), and a platter of Beignets, all washed down with a few 1st & 7th's (rye whiskey and ginger cinnamon tea). I highly recommend eating at the bar. Most of my most happily drunk Do Hwa memories have been formed on that perch. I have yet to fall off ... yet.
For everyone who keeps whining about how pricey this place is, I just need to clarify, "You DO KNOW that you're in the WEST VILLAGE, right?" If you want cheap Korean food, there's a part of the city called K-town (K for Korea). For me, consistently (bc that's never a truism in K-town) delicious food + sexy ass cocktails + an intimate, cool ambiance + not having to share elbow space and conversation real estate with your neighbors = totally worth it.
There was a time when the mere whisper of the West Village would elicit simpering, covetous sighs. That was before I moved to Brooklyn. Now I just drool for Do Hwa. -
Review from Caroline W.
Manhattan, NY
1/26/2012
This place is BOMB.COM.
I went here with 3 of my girlfriends, after my friend Jackie suggested it... she had been going through a korean BBQ phase and wanted us to try it. SO GLAD I WENT.
This is the perfect place to go with a group of girlfriends because A: It's fun & interactive (you cook the meats and veggies on the round grill in the middle of your table) B: Although it's slightly pricey, you can split a few things and not end up spending that much. We ordered the Veggie Bimbimbop, two meats from the grill table and a salad ....everything was absolutely delicious and spent about $40 each (had drinks too). C: The cocktails are yummy and super fresh. I ordered the Sake Breeze (sake, lime, muddled cucumber + fresh mint)..Aaaamazing. D: the atmosphere is nice - intimate and relaxing.
If you are planning a dinner with a small group and craving Korean ..go to DO Hwa. -
Review from Jane P.
1/20/2012
I'm giving this 5 stars bc its the best Korean restaurant I've tried to date in NYC. Maybe there's better ones out there, but not that I know of.
PROS:
-spacious and great ambience
-incredibly fast service
-amazing food
CONS:
-steep prices
OVERALL:
-I would rather skip eating out two meals in KTOWN and save that money to eat once here. It's that good (to me). I had the kimchi pachun, tofu appetizer, pork appetizer, bibimbap, spicy pork, and spicy seafood dish, I shared with a group of people and I would really recommend getting a bunch of stuff to share! -
Review from Nick W.
Santa Monica, CA
2/4/2012
Very nice Korean restaurant. Authentic style korean food and a great bar.
Great food and great service. Place can get a little loud when crowded, particularly at night. If you can, try to sit a ways from the bar. -
Review from Jen J.
1/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
My review echoes sentiments of others who came before me.
Food was definitely good. The Korean stables Bibimbap and bulgogi were both tasty, juicy, and consistently cooked. Service was prompt and food arrived on the tables very quickly.
Banchan were adequate but we were looking for a little more variety. We got bean sprouts, kimchi, potato salads, and black beans. These are traditional Korean sides but we normally get alot more sides at other Korean places.
The restaurant was dimly-lit and nicely decorated.
What made this a 3 star place was the price. Two people ordering two traditional Korean entrees with a bottle of Soju ended up costing more than $100 after tip....a little ridiculous imo. Korean food can be pricey but I doubt I would come here ever again from a pricing stand point. -
Review from Cynthia O.
New York, NY
Updated - 1/28/2012
Still loving this place, excellent customer service, very accommodating, great food and of course lovely ambiance!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/1/2011
This place puts a unique twist to standard restaurant Korean food. Everything we had was absolutely… Read more »
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Review from Karim Q.
12/18/2011
3.5 stars
I've been to Do Hwa many times because it was across the street from where I lived and I didn't want to trek to K-town. The food here is good. No doubt. But for what you pay and for what you get? Things are much better in K-town. The dolsot bibimbap is a good choice if this is your first foray into Korean cuisine, and the meat specials you can't go wrong with.
Alright, it's the west village, so people will pay more for a little bit of ambiance, but that doesn't mean food quality should suffer. There are amazing ethnic restaurants in this hood. Overall, Do Hwa really is nice inside and they have an interesting selection of drinks. So you couldn't go wrong bringing a date here. Unless she's Korean. -
Review from rachel d.
Hoboken, NJ
12/18/2011 Seated via OpenTable
The food was stellar, but a little pricey if we want to get into details. However, an awesome happy hour with delicious cocktails more than made up for the entree prices. I made a reservation, but for happy hour (being that it is fairly early) I definitely didn't need one. The place was filling up, however, by the time we left. Service was good, the server was a little quirky for the venue - more East Village hipster than traditional Korean, but gave good food and cocktail recommendations, and seemed to know Korean food fairly well. For not being in K-town, we were very pleasantly surprised by the food. It's definitely not equal to many of the spots in K-town for real traditional korean food, but great for a west village night out.
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Review from Meghan M.
11/14/2011
Phenomenal bibimbap, weird service, and, from what I hear, a killer happy hour.
Let's start with the service. When we walked in, it took about 10 minutes for anyone to be available for us to approach for a table. When we did finally get a hostess, they informed us they could seat us but that we had to eat and be gone in an hour. Okay, no problem...we didn't have to dilly dally.
Our order was placed quickly and the food came out in less than 10 minutes (only about 2 minutes after our drinks arrived). The bibimbap with tofu was fantastic. They cleared our dishes before we were done (clearly rushed) and we paid the check. Given that we were way ahead of schedule...it had been about 40 minutes...we decided to finish our drinks but were told that we needed to leave. Okay, I understand that we were in a table that was needed in an hour but now you're booting us out 20 minutes early. That's kind of rude. But given that we were done eating, we obliged and headed on our merry way.
It was relatively pricey for Korean food but since we were in the West Village, I gave them a pass. And despite the price point and strange service, I'd absolutely come here again for the mere fact that the food kicked ass. -
Review from Darcy P.
Updated - 12/27/2011
Just wanted to say thank you to Jenny for all her help with the gift certificate. After having some trouble getting it online, I called and within 2 days I had it. That is the best service anyone could ask for. :)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/10/2011
What a great place to be introduced into the world of Korean BBQ. It may not be in KTown but if the… Read more »
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Review from Christina B.
WALL STREET, NY
1/6/2012
I just came back from an amazing dinner with my family! The service was incredible and the food was delicious! The drink specials were a great deal and the appetizers were really good (mandu gui was our kids favorite!!) We loved the korean barbecue and bibimbap. The dessert was heavenly!
It was our first time there and we had a great experience. I'm already craving it..... -
Review from Louis R.
10/2/2011
Ok, I don't eat Korean bbq often and now I think I should.
Yea, this spot isn't in K-Town...and yea, approximately 80% of the patrons have way less melanin in their skin than I do...and have round eyes...but the food is worth going for and being surrounded by "The Man".
I asked the waitress to guide me throught the maze of bbq options and she was very helpful.
The SSam Bop (spicy pork belly) and Bulgogi (soy/garlic marinated rib-eye) were both savory. The side dishes (spicy tofu, spicy cabbage, greens with spicy sauce, etc.) were all tasty.
The motif is hella cool...dark with these symbols that are illuminated throughout the resto.
Who needs K-town? Me and "The Man" like the West Village. -
Review from HL H.
Brooklyn, NY
10/20/2011
I wish I knew this place existed when I was living in SOHO! WAHH! It's such a good twist to the traditional Korean establishment! So POSH!
Anywho, my friend took me here on a rainy day because I really wanted soup. She got kimchi jiggae and I got kimchi soon dubu. It's pretty good for what it is, and its pretty huge!
We also got fall drinks, apple cider with some kind of vodka..I just wish it was bigger. You could of gulp down that drinks in two seconds...or am I an alcoholic?
Anywho, we finished with the little beignets! Delightful ending! -
Review from Karen S.
Manhattan, NY
12/4/2011
Went to Do Hwa for a bday party- (party of 8ppl). Wanted something a little nicer than K-town. Do Hwa was great: it was definitely a better atmosphere for a celebration, yet still not too shishi
I was also concerned that the ambiance would be better than the food, but fortunately that was not the case. We had tons of appetizers, bimbimbop (sooo good) and we had the bar b q (beef and pork): all tasty
Service was good too. Price- probably a little more $ than K-town, BUT WORTH IT
Everyone was satisfied and had a great time. Glad we came here. -
Review from Christina R.
Brooklyn, NY
8/26/2011
I've been to Do hwa many times and I am always more than satisfied with the food and service. The servers are very knowledgeable about the cuisine and actually spend time explaining the dish and how it is traditionally eaten (unlike the K-town spots that plop the food in front of you and leave you to fend for yourself).
I've probably had everything on the menu but some of my personal favs are the Bibimbops (a delicious mix of 7 veggies and your choice of topping beef/steak/tofu/spicy squid/chicken) It's served in a Dolsot - Hot Stone Pot - and cooked to perfection with just enough heat to make the rice all crusty! The Jalapeno Chicken is fiery deliciousness and the Kalbi JJim - Braised Beef Short Ribs are so tender they fall right off the bone. If your into Korean BBQ Do hwa has a limited number of Grill Tables where you can show off your grill master skills or you can just have the Ahjumas (Korean Ladies) in the back prepare it for you.
Do hwa offers all of the traditional banchan's - Korean Side Dishes - including Kimchi (Spicy Fermented Cabbage), sun dried anchovies, black beans, bean sprouts, and more. You definitely won't leave this place hungry.
The Food, Service, and Ambiance makes Do hwa deserve 5 Stars.
I recommend Do hwa for those who are looking for more than just filling their tummy with Korean Food. The wait staff makes everyone feel like a regular and I never feel rushed like I do when I eat on 32nd street. -
Review from Hye yeon G.
Manhattan, NY
8/16/2011
After our appetites were set on having Korean BBQ for dinner, a friend and I opted for Do Hwa, which happened to be a convenient two blocks from his apartment.
For a Korean restaurant far removed from Ktown, I think it fits in well with the West Village restaurant vibe. I love the sophisticated-traditional, modern decor but also the intimate ambiance that this place has. Save for the Britney Spears track I found myself listening to at one point during dinner, this restaurant has a pleasantly quiet quality to it--I found it to be ideal for two people.
It was a Monday evening and the service was good. Our waitress was polite and attentive to us. I ordered the Ssam Bop (the spicy marinaded pork belly), which wasn't spicy at all but still very yummy! My friend ordered the Seng Kalbi (beef short ribs) and bibimbop. We barbequed the pork and beef at the table and were provided with plenty of banchan, a bowl of rice each, and a complementary egg porridge hot stone bowl (I forget the Korean name for it), so I was full after my Ssam Bop ($21). We also skipped dessert so I felt like I hadn't spent too much on dinner. However, it is pretty easy to spend a lot if you're ordering on an empty stomach!
4/5 stars because I feel like if you're coming here to eat without the novelty of using the grill there are definitely cheaper and perhaps more traditionally authentic Korean options elsewhere. I think this is due to the lack of ajumas running around or something. If you're going for a more modern and hip Korean restaurant, this is definitely a good option.
Overall it was a good experience. I'd go here again. -
Review from Ashley C.
Long Island City, NY
8/1/2011
Came with my 13-month baby and husband for dinner.
The hostess, Samantha, was a complete idiot and a b*tch. Came 15 minutes late for my 7pm and told me she gave up my table. Fine.
I told her I'll wait for the next table. She then told me that a table for 3 is unavailable. I didn't ask for a table of 3. Table of 2 would do. She still insisted that she could not accommodate my stroller and that I needed a table for 3 people. I told her I would fold up the stroller and my baby can get a high chair. She said there was no room.
She kept talking over me and insisted that there was no room for a stroller.
Great to know this place hates babies.
Then 3 women came in without reservations and she told them to hold on, she'll find them something.
Unimaginably furious, I stormed out.
Bunch to idiots. The service is absolutely horrible. There are plenty of Korean restaurants to enjoy without this arrogant pompous attitude.
Don't waste your time! -
Review from Billy L.
Brooklyn, NY
7/30/2011
This being my second foray into korean bbq, I was expecting a mad rush of people and charcoal filling the air like I did in K-town.
As I passed by the underrated restaurant row of Carmine St. located slighyly on the border of Greenwich and the West Village, my mouth began to water as I realized this low key street where Do Hwa was located is the perfect place for an upscale Korean restaurant.
The energy of Korea Town is undeniable, but from the moment I stepped in to Do Hwa, I was greeted with a wonderful smile and a serene setting for a Thursday at 8pm dining spot.
We were quickly seated and provided with a ginger kamikaze and spicy margarita which were both well made and accompanied our meal perfectly.
Went with the bbq for four to sample many dishes and I really fucking hate vegetables but found myself enjoying everything here. They weren't killed with sauce either. The ribs, beef, and jalapeno fried chicken were amazing (chicken was my favorite by far) and the service was impeccable.
This is a top date spot and feels so less chaotic than K-town. Let's call this West Korean food after the West Village shall we?
Also, they use gas grills for all those interested instead of charcoal in case that is a dealbreaker -
Review from Anna T.
Brooklyn, NY
6/22/2011
This was one of the semi-regular spots on my lunch rotation. Notice the use of "was."
I think their food is okay, sometimes above average for some dishes, but maybe I'm just not used to West Village prices. The last time I went, I ordered the appetizer size of the jap chae, not realizing that itself was $14. I was thinking that I was going to get banchan so that would've been okay, but I guess since the noodles were the appetizer, I don't get the extra stuff. So, with tip, I paid close to $20 for a not-very big plate of jap chae.
I just think Korean food shouldn't be this pricey. I'm only an office worker and would appreciate cheaper options at lunch. -
Review from Jennifer K.
New York, NY
8/30/2011
Thanks for being awesome, Do Hwa. By that I mean, thanks for being open during a hurricane. Last Sunday night most restaurants were closed, and all I had left was a bag of Duane Reade white cheddar popcorn. I'm not going to lie, that popcorn is f*ing fantastic, but after surviving the ravages of Hurricane Irene (aka watching 5 movies in my Netflix queue and being bored out of my mind) I really wanted to go to a nice place with other people for dinner.
First of all, it's damn hard to open a restaurant during a hurricane. Without subways, your staff can't all make it in. Without deliveries, you've got to make it work with what you have. And the people who dine in restaurants after being cooped up all weekend are totally crazy.
When we got there for our reservation, they had basically 3 people running the restaurant. You could tell they were totally understaffed, but never once did they make us feel neglected. Our host/manager/server was super nice and did her best to accommodate us when we thought we had a BBQ table but our res was only for a regular table. The drinks are pretty good -- I like the pepper mojito and the hot toddy (a little too sweet, but that stuff's going to be ambrosia when it's 30 degrees outside). The St. Rose of Lima cocktail is beautifully presented -- white with a red rose petal floating in it. It's also a little sweet and tart, but there's nothing wrong with that. Nice scotch list. The food is solid and while maybe not the BEST Korean food I've ever had in my life, still pretty good.
I've been to K-town plenty of times and I really don't see a huge differential in prices. Having read Yelp reviews I would have thought this place was totally overpriced, but it seemed pretty comparable to me. Obviously if you know the cheap and authentic Korean restaurants, the food is a little better and the prices are probably lower, but that's like saying sushi is better in Japan. Do Hwa is a different concept; it's Korean food but it's slightly more upscale and targets a different market. And I'm sure the rent in the West Village is a little pricier than rent in K-town or elsewhere. Maybe I"m just biased because I live near this place and I'd rather go here than actually have to (gasp) take a subway to get Korean food. But count me a fan. I will absolutely be back (probably too much). -
Review from Taiyo O.
6/11/2011
This review is only to Steak Bibimbop ($21)
Their menu says seng kalbi and 7 seasoned vegetables.
It took less than 30 minutes to come to my door. I was very hungry so I rather eat than taking pictures (unfortunate!). Bibimbop came with Banchan in three small containers. Each had two different kinds of dish.
Honestly....
Have you had any Asian food in Europe? Especially East Asian? Their Bibmbop resembled very much like what I got in Hamburg. Since not so easy to find Asian ingredients in Europe, the restaurant had to be very creative to make closer to what Bibmbop should be by utilizing from what they could get. Instead of Nappa cabbage, use regular cabbage or Romaine salad. Do Hwa Bibimbop was closer to that Asian food I had in Europe.
The steak was Seng kalbi (sliced boneless beef short ribs). It was dry tasteless meat and where were all 7 seasoned vegetables saying in their menu? What? Seasoned? There were raw julienned carrot, a lot of sliced onion (sauteed), fresh raw sliced Romain salad and seasoned cucumbers (this was seasoned but one of Banchan they sent was the same thing). The gochujang (chili pepper paste) red sauce on the side needed some sweetness for me. I added drop of honey helped to make its taste like how I remember from most of K-town Bibimbop and in Japan.
Banchan was lame! One container had re-hydrated seaweed and few pieces of steamed broccoli with drizzled of their sauce over to both but didn't work. Second container had Baechu(Nappa Cabbage) kimchi and cucumber (Yeolmu) sweet kimchi. This was good but nothing special. Last one was the best of all. Black sweet beans with peanuts. I've never had it with peanuts before. It was with Ojingeochae bokkeum (dried shredded squid with flavored with sweet red chili paste). It was good.
I wish I took some pictures of them to visually show my case here. I would definitely not pay $21 for this dish. Living in the village, when comes to Korean food, our choices are only Choga or this place..... -
Review from Samia Z.
New York, NY
11/9/2011
This was a really nice surprise! I had dinner here with some friends and have to say the beef dumplings and udon soup were my favorites! These dishes were light yet flavorful. The food is a little bit on the pricey side compared to other restaurants on Carmine, but it was a good dining experience all the same.
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Review from David F.
Hamilton, NJ
10/30/2011
My first grill table experience and I will be back. For starters cold buckwheat noodles topped with kimchi and toasted seaweed. For the grill loh-su gui and dak gui- a perfect combination. I am not a fan of watercress but the watercress salad was fantastic. The service was very attentive and informative. A great start to a good night on the town.
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Review from sue l.
New York, NY
10/13/2011
went here for lunch and was very pleased, the lunch specials are a great deal and the food is fantastic. ordered the sashimi bibimbap but not going to lie, had a little bit of food envy towards my friend with the spicy pork. they also have a dessert that's essentially a plate of mini funnel cakes, amazing. perfect end to a meal.
service was great, the owner/manager was very nice and helpful and i'll definitely be back. love korean food :) -
Review from Marie B.
3/2/2011
Do Hwa was my first introduction to Korean food at my family dinner last night. We all had the classic bibimbop (however, since I am not a fan of the egg over easy, I had asked for mine to be fried - 'twas a good idea.)
After munching on some kimchi, we were super excited when hot stone bowls came filled with our meals. Immediately we mixed the ingredients and dived in with our chopsticks. I loved the salty, meaty mess of this classic Korean dish. It was hard to not finish it, considering the portion was HUGE. Regardless, it was delicious!!
I want to try the barbecue, so I will definitely be back.
P.S. The service kind of sucks; we waited 20 minutes for the waitress to take our order. Waiting is no fun. : ( -
Review from KJ W.
New York, NY
3/27/2011
I love all things spicy, and tend to gravitate to Asian food. I also love tequila and am on a constant search for a great spicy margarita, usually hunting in Mexican restaurants. Imagine my surprise at seeing one on the drink menu of a Korean place. It was one of the BEST I've had anywhere, and totally set the tone for an impressively delicious and enjoyable dinner.
The service (bartender, waitress, hostess) was genuinely friendly and incredibly efficient.
The decor is trendy/cool/somewhat sexy.
The food was fantastic. I especially recommend the Ojingo Bokum (spicy grilled calamari and veggies) and any one of the pajuns. -
Review from Suzanne C.
Santa Monica, CA
I really love this place, as do the people that I bring here. But what I think some people need to know is that:
1.) This is not super authentic Korean Food
2.) It is pricey
3.) It's kind of a trendy looking place
BUT, when you understand that I think you could really enjoy Do Hwa. I've never had a dish that wasn't bursting with flavor and yummy.
We had -
Bae Salad - Juilenne Korean pear with mixed greens in spicy mustard vinaigrette, pine nuts.
DUKBOKI - rice cakes sauteed with vegetables in spicy red pepper sauce
DEJI KALBI - tender, braised pork ribs in chili-ginger sauce.
KALBI JJIM - Tender beef short ribs braised in soy sauce with potatoes and carrots
DEJI BULGOGI - Thin slices of pork in a spicy chili pepper marinade
It was all super delicious - great meal.
I will note that they gave less Banchan/sides then they normally do ... but they were still good.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/18/2010
This place is definitely consistent and reliable. The staff are friendly and I like the decor. I… Read more »
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Review from JaShin T.
8/30/2010
Totto Ramen closed their list by the time we got there, so my (Korean) friend and I moseyed on down to the west village to Do Hwa. My friend had heard of it and I was too tired to make any other suggestions, so we made our way in.
I was immediately worried. No other Asians in sight. Barely anyone in sight, for that matter. Ok, so, it was around 10:45 pm on a Saturday night. Most people are venturing out to the bars and clubs, not going to eat dinner at some random Korean restaurant that's not in K-town.
But one look at the menu and I was annoyed. $16.25 for a bibimbap? Good lord. K-town is expensive enough (someone please tell me why when the ingredients aren't expensive), and this is more expensive?
I asked my friend what he thought we should order since my two go-to entrees are bibimbap and soon dubu jigae. He said, "if they mess up bibimbap, then that's really bad." Agreed. And, well, I wouldn't say they messed it up, but it was a very so-so version. Instead of ground beef, they used chunks of beef. Why? No idea. I didn't like it.
We also ordered some ribs (pretty good), veggie pancake (too thick, veggies not great), and dumplings ("I can't figure out if these are from the frozen packages," said my friend.). The kimchi in the pan chan also sucked, in my humble opinion. Pretty bland.
Thanks to my friend for getting the bill. And thanks to Do Hwa for getting me to appreciate the Korean food elsewhere - the ones I used to find too expensive. Now they're juuuust perfect! -
Review from Sarina H.
New York, NY
12/25/2010 6 photos
As you could have probably gathered, we've been on an Asian kick as of late with all of the restaurants we've been frequenting. Mostly Korean and Japanese.
Do Hwa was on the Asian trolley for good eats. I was having a hankerin for some dol sot bibimbap one Sunday, so I started trolling Opentable for some reservation nice. Do Hwa popped up..and after having done some extensive research - headed on down to the village to try it out.
We had an 8 pm reservation on a Sunday. The room was empty - so a reservation wasn't needed, though the 100 dining points is always good. Hostess was very friendly and had us choose any table to our liking.
Our waiter was also very nice and accommodated our lack of expertise in the Korean fare arena. He let us take our time in ordering. To start we had the pork dumplings (they were good, not great) and the short ribs (sweet, spicy.. mighty tasty). For entrees, we both had the bibimbap served in a hot pot. Perfect for a cold fall night. It had the crunchiness from the charred rice at the bottom that made us goofy with delight.
We were in and out in under 45 minutes. Quick and to the point...but never felt rushed.
Over all, a very pleasant experience. + infinity points for the ability to book a table via opentable. :) -
Review from Talia R.
5/16/2010
Consistent & reliable after all this time. I have been coming to Do Hwa for seven years, since I started working in the neighborhood. First when I was a paycheck-to-paycheck 22 year old for the lunch special. Now I live nearby as well & I've upgraded to dinner.
Nothing crazy-delicious or revolutionary, but will for sure award 4 stars to an establishment where time & again the scallion pancake, the bibimbop, the chipper service, the b movies playing on the wall never, ever disappoint.
Thanks, Quentin! -
Review from john h.
Manhattan, NY
12/14/2010
Do Hwa was an alright sort of place. Nice interior design, friendly and prompt service, good location on Carmine Street. The food was just ok, and if it weren't so expensive, I'd give this place 3 stars.
I had the spicy marinated pork belly - nothing special, really. My girlfriend had the kimchi jigae which was also just passable. The kimchi, although spicy, doesn't really taste fermented at all. Just tastes like spicy cabbage. they did have tasty soju.
All in all not horrible, but probably wouldn't return. Doesn't compare to some of the better places in K-Town. -
Review from Metta M.
New York, NY
8/4/2011
This place is awesome in that the flavors are really good and well balanced. It's a little more sophisticated than a lot of the traditional K-town restaurants, and to their credit, the menu at Do Hwa is NOT as wide nor as flavors as 'home-cooked,' so if that's what you're looking for, K-town style places are more for you.
Yes, the prices are a little more on the steep side. Yes, the selection one could even call smaller. But if you want excellent quality that is consistent, with full flavors that are balanced well, friendly service, and pretty good drinks, (try the Jalapeno Margarita, nice one, esp. at Happy Hour prices,) this is for you. It's good for a casual meal, or one that's a little bit nicer, but then again, that's par for the course for W. Village.
I've been back several times, will be back more. I guess the whole experience is what brings up what would otherwise be a 4 in food, (mainly because the menu is a bit on the thinner side for Korean food) in the excellent overall package of environment, service, and flavors. The fact that I would happily return again and again is what warrants the full 5 stars, -
Review from TV N.
Astoria, NY
2/17/2011
I went to Do Hwa last summer with my friends. In general, the food was a solid and filling korean meal. But it was quite pricey, even for Korean food, although considering it's in a trendy neighborhood and catering to the non-asian crowd, we expected it.
We ordered the Special Menu for 4 at the Grill Table with SoJu. the Haemool Panjun (seafood pancake) was good, just like any other that you can get at a Korean restaurant. The Deji Kalbi (braised pork ribs) didn't have the same Korean signature-taste of the ones I am used to for some reason.. I liked the watercress salad, no one at my table did, so I happily ate that up with no help whatsoever. The rest of the dinner (BBQ portion) was just like any other Korean BBQ place. Nothing particularly terrible but neither memorable.
The place is out of the way for everyone in my party and since nothing really stood out, we didn't plan on making another trip back. K-Town is so much closer to us :) -
Review from Carmen C.
Manhattan, NY
7/10/2011 1 photo
Yummy short ribs & pork belly. Rice cakes was spicy enough!
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Review from Jen L.
5/24/2011
I wasn't a huge fan of the barbeque beef (it was just so-so) but the fried dumplings were delicious - I could have easily eated all six, instead of my rightful share of three - and I loved, loved, loved the cinnamon-scented/flavoured champagne cocktail. An amazing cocktail for five bucks? Yes, please.
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Review from Sienna K.
Philadelphia, PA
4/17/2008 ROTD 1/4/2009
Warning: I am a complete Debbie Downer when it comes to Korean food (amongst many other things). I can't help myself. I ate this 365 days a year (we had kimchi next to the turkey in Thanksgiving, oh yeah), and I ate it for cheap. So I can't help it if my standard for good Korean food is not only high but attached to a low price tag. So most of my complaints here are based on that background ... now that you've been warned ... on with the review!
We got the Kimchi-Pajun for appetizers. Pajun can be best described as a savory Korean pancake; the batter is much less sweeter than the American equivalent's, and vegetables and other toppings (in this case, kimchi) are incorporated into the actual batter itself.
I suppose everyone has their own preference when it comes to the crispiness of pajun, but I'm a big fan of crispy edges, but soft everywhere else. The batter itself has flavor, especially if you were to get something like the kimchi-pajun, and when it's way too crispy, the flavor is lost as the crunch becomes the overwhelming factor. Unfortunately, the kimchi-pajun from Do-Hwa was too crispy and a bit too oily. Yeah, the thing is fried to begin with and I probably can't complain too much, but it seemed that the pajun was too carelessly fried so that the batter took into too much oil.
What I liked most about this place was the small dishes. In Korean cuisine, the rice is the base, and it is supplemented by not only the main dishes but also couple of small dishes that, in most Korean restaurant etiquette, are free. Do Hwa has the best small dishes I've had so far in any New York Korean restaurant. They were also generous with the portions and number of dishes. I believe there were about seven or eight, and each came in good amounts.
-The kimchi was well fermented (crucial) and had just enough kick.
-There was also sweet black beans; this dish doesn't vary too much, but it was a dish that I hadn't seen in a while and was happy to eat. I used to love these when I was little.
-While the tofu of the seasoned tofu was a bit tough, the seasoning was nearly perfect. To be fair, this dish isn't made with silky tofu, but the more rough blocks, but it was still a bit too chewy, which is a gross feature in tofu.
-The marinated bean sprouts were really delicious. They were not only fresh and crisp (I love that crunch of the stalks), but had a real good marinade with a subtle kick. It wasn't too oily as this dish can be sometimes, nor was it over-spiced.
I wasn't feeling too hungry (and possibly too cheap to pay for dishes that I knew I shouldn't be priced so highly) so I only got the dduk-bbok-kki (spicy rice cakes). There's really no equivalent of spicy rice cakes in America, but in terms of their social value... they're like the great American hotdog. They're bar food, party food, cheap food, get-together food, crowd pleaser food, and it just goes on.
Spicy rice cakes were good. I was worried that they wouldn't make it spicy enough (I was weaned on cayenne paste, not milk, thank you very much), but it was plenty spicy. The rice cakes were soft and slightly sticky (they way they should be; jjol-ki, jjol-ki--if yu know what that means), and retained the sauce really well. They even had a sliced hard-boiled egg. Yummy! My only qualm was this sucker was $13 and it had very few rice cakes and no fish cakes. Seriously?
You see... spicy rice cakes are instant crowd pleasers, but they're really cheap and super easy to make. Don't believe me? Here's the recipe:
Ingredients: rice-cakes, red pepper paste, sugar, water (water could be replaced with broth); optional: fish cake, hard-boiled eggs, ramen noodles, spam, diced cabbage, sliced scallions, etc..
1) Boil rice cakes in water so that they get soft.
2)Meanwhile, in another pan (or inside the first pan if you're lazy like I), boil water/broth (I personally loved it when my mommy used left over ox-tail broth to make this)
3) Add red pepper paste and sugar to taste to the water/broth
4) When rice cakes are softened, add to water/broth
5) Keep at high to medium temperature till the water/broth is thickened
6) Add optional ingredients (note: add fish cakes a bit earlier with the rice cakes, add COOKED and drained ramen noodles... not dry)
And really, that's what it came down to for me at Do-Hwa. It was a great place with subtly luxurious atmosphere (loved the decorative clay pots), excellent service, and pretty darn good Korean food, but being the cheap-o than I am, I can't help but balk at the price ... especially when I can make half of this at home.
I'd give it three stars, but their service was amazing. They were friendly, helpful, and even a bit funny. Besides, I had a good time with my friend, but why wouldn't I? He's a Raiders fan and a socialist (like yours truly)--total recipe for non-stop fun. -
Review from Matthew H.
New York, NY
10/14/2010
We very much enjoyed Do Hwa and I am glad we discovered the place. The food was excellent and the service was perfect.
Everything was perfectly fine. Great location, very pleasant and inviting space. The staff is very pleasant and has a good knowledge of the menu. They were out of the Black Cod but other than that everything was great. Definitely pleased with Do Hwa -
Review from Chantelle K.
New York, NY
5/27/2008
LOVED this place. My friend D and I hit up DO Hwa for dinner after munching on some kimchi that afternoon and getting the craving for Korean. For whatever reason, we thought it would be more of a hole in the wall, and were very pleasantly surprised when we walked in to the beautiful dark decor and full bar with stools lining the front. Unfortunately, we didn't get one of the "grill yourself" tables, but for our first time here, we were OK with having the professionals do the work.
We started with the kimchi dumplings which were awesome and had a round of Vodka Mint Gimlets which were tart and refreshing. I'm dinging em one star (as hard as that is for me) because they were out of most of their sakes and some dishes that we had wanted to try.
I got the bulgogi which in a word, was a-mazing. The beef was marinated to perfection and practically melted in my mouth. They also bring out an assortment of wraps such as lettuce leaves and condiments like miso paste and jalapeos to add, as well. D got the sea bass which was a massive portion and absolutely delish. Each entree also comes with an assortment of little dishes to nibble on beforehand including kimchi (sensing a theme, here?), sweet black beans, tofu, cucumber, and much, much more.
I would vote this place perfect for a group (they had lots of large, round tables), a date (we were flanked by two), catching up with a friend or parents. Wasn't pricey if you think about the hood it's located in, as well as the quality of food. I will definitely be back again!Listed in: Greenwich Village in the…
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Review from roderick A.
Jersey City, NY
4/15/2008
Halloween night 2007. All sorts of crazy going on in the Village. People walking around in skimpy outfits like King Leonidas, or dressed up as Edward Scissorhands, or even a bunch of guys armed with video cameras and calling themselves the "Girls Gone Wild" filming crew.
Being all squished while just trying to get around the area, we needed something to eat. And by chance we came upon DO Hwa. Luckily, I have confidantes in the Korean community so they tell me what's hot and what's not when it comes to Korean cuisine. And they told me that this place was H-O-T.
Had the usual bibimbap, which was alot better than I expected. I'll even go to say that it's the second best I've had in Manhattan, after Sura. It was that delicious. Or maybe I was so famished I could've eaten anything and it would've been delish.
Plus I loved the ambiance and atmosphere of the whole place. Not hoity-toity and certainly not snobbish, but its not low rent either. Just a good place to sit back, get your kimchi on, and relax. -
Review from Maria M.
Woodside, NY
4/15/2008
I hate crowds. So after navigating the Halloween Parade crowds, you could most definitely color me pissed. We spent what seemed like an eternity walking around to Do Hwa, a place I had actually been spying since I worked in the area back in the day.
I was not that impressed.
I did stay below 14th street. And I don't particularly enjoy below 14th street. I am strictly an uptown phenomenon.
I should have stuck to K-town. Or at least Sura.
I didn't want to spend an extra $5 on sub-par versions of things I usually love.
I don't really care about dining in style, cause you have to pay a surcharge for it, and in this case, for the West Village location as well.
But I will always trust Joolie's instincts.
