Delivery
No
Payment
Credit Cards Accepted
Parking
Parking Lot
Good for Kids
Yes
Attire
Casual
Alcohol
No
Reservations
No
Cuisines:
Korean
Price Point
$
$ - Cheap Eats (Under $10)
$$ - Moderate ($11-$25)
$$$ - Expensive ($25-$50)
$$$$ - Very Pricey (Over $50)
WiFi
No
Outdoor Seats
No
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04/05/2024 - MenuPix User
02/24/2024 - MenuPix User
01/26/2024 - MenuPix User
01/09/2024 - MenuPix User
12/17/2023 - MenuPix User
01/23/2014 - Steven F.
I was really hoping for the best. This use to be a cute, clean and comfortable restaurant before it changed its owners, food and demeanor. It had been owned for years by a couple who really had their act together. You felt welcome when you came in, and the food was truly down to earth, ethnic Korean, just like mama used to make. The welcome feeling and warmth (as all restaurants should exude) has unfortunately left the building, along with Elvis and the former owners.
It's now sadly owned by a wannabe 'chef'(?) with an "edgy" attitude. Last week, when my wife went into Koreana by herself for the first time since it had changed hands, there was 15 minutes left to go till closing. She didn't know their hours, but that's besides the point. The door was still open, so she walked up to the order counter to place an order. The owner curtly told her that
the kitchen was closed. She said "I won't be staying. It's an to go order." The owner's response was an intense "WE ARE CLOSED!" So my wife left. Unlike myself, my wife is a person who always looks for the good in people. She wanted to try to eat there again (this time to dine in) and I went along. We ordered, and I asked if there was a menu I could take with me just as many restaurants provide, as an excellent and positive way to advertise their fare. I was told to just "Take a picture of the menu above" by the owner in an arrogant tone, the only menu available being the one above the order station. The owner and a friend of his sitting at a table right in front of the order counter continued to harass me with (what they thought) were funny cracks at the serious questions I was trying to get answers to. Needless to say, I stopped asking. I wanted to know more about the food, but lost my interest. It's a small place, so I also heard the owner telling others that you only get what he chooses to give you as side dishes when you eat-in, making it plain as day that he gives less with take-outs. What blew me away was that this 'owner/chef' (as stated on his business card) seemed to relish a very strange type of power he had over his "uninformed but looking for information" customers. I wouldn't say that this
place is on the nasty level of Seinfeld's "SOUP NAZI", but the owner has a very strong "My way or the highway" attitude. It's bad enough to feel uncomfortable in any eating establishment, but it's extremely sad to watch an owner who seems
to relish in the disdain he feels for the customers who walk through the door. The self-importance he exudes when he's strutting around being sarcastic to people is truly sad and embarrassing to watch. The prices would be fair if the food stood up to even half the quality of the former owners, but the pork kalbi was all neck bones with a lot of fat and little meat. Along with the owner/'chef's' creepy attitude and arrogance, the barely okay food, the 'chef's'
friends who feel the need to bother you when your ordering and/or asking questions, I'd recommend staying away. It's bad enough that this place is now such an incredible disappointment on so many levels. Paying for it just adds insult to injury. There's so much better Korean fare available in the WNY area, so why eat here? When this type of unsettling behavior is going on, I also worry
about what my wife and I might be eating health-wise too. I have no idea what this owner/'chef' is thinking, nor do I think it's up to me to find out. All I know is that my wife and I will never be going back to Koreana.
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