REVIEW

  My friend took me to Hortus for my birthday during lunch and the food was so delicious. The presentation was out of this world as well. I didn't know what... read more to expect on this snowy cold day, and the menu looked pretty plain but was I wrong.

I started off with the oolong cocktail (soju based) and it was so beautiful that I didn't even want to drink it. Obviously I did. The drink was not too sweet and you got a strong taste of the oolong and didn't feel like the soju dominated. It was such a great experience.

We ordered the seafood platter, autumn salad and crab noodle. It was honestly amazing. The seafood platter was perfect to share with my friend and so we got ago try a bunch of different seafood. The crab salad was literally so good I almost just ordered this for my entree again. There was only one piece of crab/noodle though. The autumn salad was really good where each bite was very unique and fall-like, but I didn't love it and wouldn't go out of my way to get it.

For entree, I forgot to take a pic bc I wanted to try out what else was in store for us but we got the mushroom donnabe and ribeye. Mushroom donnabe was honestly so good, especially if you like mushrooms. It was so flavorful but not overbearing. FYI it's a rice dish. I didn't know until I got the plate lol The ribeye was just ok I think it was like any other steak out there. I usually like my steak by itself so I thought the sauce ruined the steak but that's just my opinion.

I would give it an almost 5 stars with the unexpected but pleasantly surprised decadent food. Unfortunately, I thought the service was a bit lacking, especially for a fine dining restaurant. I came in and the host told me my party was waiting upstairs so I went up and got totally lost -- I ended up looking for her outside and so confused and realized there was another set of stairs on the other side. I think the host (or hostess) should always walk you to the table. That was weird. Also, how do you know I belonged to that specific table? At least he was able to get that right 🙂 Secondly, the waitress was very awkward and uncomfortable. She took plates out of the way while we were still eating. She didn't ask if we wanted another drink when we clearly were done, so I didn't ask for another round. She also brought my friend the wrong beer. She also brought us the wrong mushroom donnabe (with hanger steak) and then took it away when we told her. It was a lot minor things, but they were mistakes regardless.

In conclusion, it would have been a perfect dining experience but the host and waitress needs improvement. I'd like to return to introduce others to this to this awesome spot, but hopefully it will be a better time.

  Nice place with good service. The food testing should improve a little bit. For an example, the cold lobster appetizer should not use butter as dipping sauces, etc.

  We found Hortus on NYC restaurant week list. And ordered the pre fixe  dinner from hortus on Saturday. Food presentation was lovely. We ordered the grilled hanger steak, beef short... read more ribs and the sea bass. The sides were pumpkin soup, Autumn salad, king crab noodles, shrimp toast, and grilled egg plant. Oh my they were all delicious and tasted so good. Had plenty of LO's for Sunday lunch as well. The beef short ribs were so out of this world- tasty n juicy. And so was the sea bass and hanger steak. And the pumpkin soup was really really good. If I am in the area again I will go back to hortus. Restaurant staff were v friendly too when we went to pick up.

  They do an exceptional job considering that only outdoor dining is currently offered in NYC. The outdoor area was extremely warm with heated lamps and the ambience of the setting... read more was great. The service was extremely friendly and the food was cooked perfectly.

  My husband has been dying to come to Hortus for awhile. So in a spontaneous moment on the way home last night I suggested we go. We called and they... read more had a table available. All the stars were aligned.

And this was a tailor-made no-brainer. We love Korean food. We love tapas. We love Korean tapas. This should easily have been a can't miss win.

This wasn't just a flop, but a huge and miserable one to the point where the dinner ended with the remark, "why the hell did we want to come here?"

Let's start with the good and why they eeked out the two stars. Service was good. Tables were socially distanced (more or less) reasonably. Although, one does have to wonder how an enclosed patio area on the second floor that has no air vents is considered outdoor dining. But, in light of the disastrous meal, I'll give them that.

That said, for an enclosed area with two large fire torches, there wasn't a warmish-spot or well-heated spot anywhere up there. So many other K-Town restaurants have more heating with actual outdoor dining areas.  

But again, had the food been decent that stuff might have been less significant.

We started with the oysters. They were pleasant. Certainly nothing remarkable.

Jayson had the Autumn Saland, while I had the tuna tataki, the latter being one of my favorite things. They seemed to spend more time on the presentation than on the tuna itself. Small (even for tapas) and not particularly fresh. So disappointed that I ended up having a bite of my husband's salad (also very pretty looking) to get the taste out of my mouth, and I hate that type of salad. And I love tuna tataki.

But Hortus saved the greatest disappointments for the main course.

Jayson was so excited to see duck on the menu, it was another no-brainer. Two bites in he sent it back. It was so tough and overcooked. He literally spit it out. And I've never seen him spit out duck, much less send it back. He said it was like biting into rubber. He went from starving to really upset. (He even skipped dessert, and my husband NEVER skips out on dessert even when the meal has been less than expectations.)

I had the rib eye. Overcooked. Flavorless. I don't know what it was supposed to be, but it was more like something you'd expect at one of those all you can eat buffet restaurants for $9.99, not a respectable Korean tapas restaurant where culinary talent should be on tap.

Sad because this had all the makings of great and was the ULTIMATE DISAPPOINTMENT!

  Had the most delicious birthday dinner here! We were really here mainly for the oysters, but everything turned out to be beyond great. We got the Royal Platter and loved... read more the lobster tail and shrimp the most! Got some extra oysters on the side and can honestly say these are the best ones I've
had! The mignonette is to die for!

Beautiful heated covered outdoor seating while enforcing social distancing. Service was great and everyone was friendly. Will definitely be back.

  The pumpkin soup is amazing, bread is burnt than toasted. The truffle rice was mediocre, the hanger steak in it was terrible. The steak was burnt. Can't imagine how this... read more place got Michelin 2020.

  We had New Year's Eve dinner at Hortus and it was amazing. They had a prix-fixe menu for $70 that included a glass of champagne.

Service was really good too.... read more All the servers were attentive and accommodating.

The food was exceptional! The seafood platter was fresh and appetizers were so tasty.

I would recommend Hortus and would love to come back again!

  Went there for Christmas Dinner this year. Staff are very friendly and the environment is cozy. With each dish, the waitress gave a brief description of it. The food is... read more delicate. The only thing is that the ribeye was kind of cold by the time my friend finished it. And the portion of the duck was small to me.

  Outdoor dinning in NYC limited table they take the precautions!

Yummy food and awesome service
Shrimp toast is a must sooooo good

The eggplant  and sashito peppers was my least favorite... read more items that we ordered  oh and the tea desert was yuck to me no one ate it

Total of 5 people
2 bottle of saki
5 Drinks
5 entrees
3 appetizers
1 desert  
1 oyster with lobster and tuna

Bill total $497

  Had a post Christmas, holiday lunch here - outdoor dining was so cozy, warm, and safe. We had the price fixed lunch special, the portions were generous and food was... read more delicious. Perfect way to close out the holiday

  Second time stopping by for dine in with a party of 4 for Christmas Day, overall delicious food with great flavors and very accommodating to get a reservation just a... read more few hours before.

Nice heated terrace out back with socially distanced tables. Temperature was sometimes tough due to being too cold or too hot but overall a great experience.

Hero of the night: Truffle Donnabe with Hangar Steak - hands down the best dish on the menu, make sure you order it. Clay pot with mix of mushrooms and beef over a delicious crispy fragrant rice. Umami heaven.

Also Great:
Scallop appetizer
Black Plum cocktail
Spicy Braised Short Rib

  This is for both the delivery and dining. Hands down this is one of my favorite restaurants in NYC. I have been coming for a couple of years now. Been... read more here for dates, group dinners, Christmas dinners, New Years dinners, birthdays, etc. They have a small outdoor terrace in the back that is nicely decorated. Food is beautifully done. If you order delivery, they have probably the best packaging I've seen for a lunch set. I order the pork lunch set at least once a week. Worth it!

  Hortus has been on my bucket list for a while and finally got a chance to visit. The decor is elegant and beautiful with romantic ambiance. Overall it was a... read more solid place for a date with reasonable price & portion.

We had their 2 courses lunch $30 Prix-Fixe with selections of Pumpkin Soup, Tuna Tataki, Hanger Steak and Truffle Donnabe. Their food was decent but with no surprise. Our favorites were the Pumpkin Soup which was creamy & rich and the Tuna Tataki which was refreshing.

However, the entrees were a little disappointing especially the Truffle Donnabe. The taste was flavorful but it looked slightly different from the photos we saw online. We expected there would be a perfect egg in the middle of the Donnabe but it melted already when it was served. The steak was not the best but still tender.

  This gem is tucked away in the heart of Koreatown. The ambience is modern, chic with seductive lighting. The servers were attentive and I felt safe dining indoors last month... read more when indoor dining was available. We had the short ribs special and it was mouth watering. Highly recommend that along with the scallop ceviche, uni and soju cocktails!

  The food is meh. It's not good. Service just ok. The drinks are  just ok . Won't come here again.

  Have been coming here for a couple of years now. Service is always pleasant and food consistently delicious.

  Bottom line - service is good, restaurant is beautiful, and food is okay, but didn't live up to the hype that my friends and colleagues set up for me. Our... read more appetizers were better than our mains. I want to give this place another shot - my friends said that this was not as good as their previous experiences. Maybe it's just Friday the 13th. I want what they had!

I went to Hortus with a group of friends who have already been - they had great experiences and were extremely excited to return so I had really high expectations. There was a prix fixe option on the menu to choose an appetizer and an entree. This was fun and we were able to try several dishes this way!

Appetizers - we shared the King Crab Noodle, Tuna Tataki, Scallop, and Shrimp Toast. The Tuna, scallop, and shrimp toast were a great introduction to our meal. Each were extremely flavorful and well portioned. If I had to choose one to eat again, I would choose the shrimp toast. It was our collective favorite appetizer. I think the most disappointing was the King Crab Noodle. We didn't taste the lemon oil or the onion jalapeño pesto. Perhaps our dish was off, but in sum it was a cold, al dente spaghetti in oil with some crab meat.

Entrees - we had the duck, ribeye, sea bass, and spicy braised short rib. What I loved about the entrees was the intensity of the flavors and how we can taste every component listed on the menu. Unfortunately we had an issue with each of the proteins. The duck was exceptionally chewy, the sea bass had several bones, and the short rib was dry. Additionally, all of our dishes were served on the cooler side of warm, none of them felt like they were just made. Every other component of the entrees were amazing. I'm sitting at home still thinking of the radish and orange of the duck entree, the risotto, and the charred eggplant purée of the sea bass.

Dessert - the green tea tiramisu was my favorite thing we had.

  What a fantastic surprise this this little spot turned out to be! We found it on Seated and the menu looked interesting, so we decided to give it a go.... read more Warm service, excellent food (the pumpkin soup was the best I've ever tasted and the matcha tiramisu was so memorable). Our reserved table was 10 minutes late so they comped 2 rounds of cocktails (!), which made the experience even better. Lovely cozy patio as well.

  Pros
- Great outdoor seating area with heating
- All the waiters and waitresses were friendly and the service was good
- The spicy braised short rib was so soft and delicious.... read more I would recommend this menu!

Cons
- Not that many options for the main menu
- The steak was mediocre