Moono is chef Hoyoung Kim's follow-up to his Michelin-starred restaurant Jua, a more approachable à la carte Korean restaurant on the edge of Manhattan's Koreatown that trades a fixed tasting menu for a tightly curated selection of dishes — many of them lesser-known Korean specialties rarely found on other New York Korean menus — served inside a landmarked, three-story building with soaring stained-glass windows. Since opening, it's become one of the city's most talked-about newer Korean restaurants, drawing both serious food critics and a wave of social-media attention after actor Jude Law was photographed dining there.
From Jua to Moono
Chef Hoyoung Kim, born and raised in South Korea, trained at Ecole Ferrandi in Paris before working under chef Pascal Barbot at the three-Michelin-star L'Astrance and spending eight years at Jungsik under chef Yim Jung-sik, rising through the ranks there. That background led to Jua, Kim's own Michelin-starred restaurant, before he opened Moono as a deliberately more casual sibling project. The name "Moono" comes from the Korean word for "gateway," reflecting Kim's stated intent for the restaurant to serve as an accessible entry point into Korean food and culture for a broader, newer audience, rather than a formal tasting-menu experience reserved for special occasions.
A Curated, Not Encyclopedic, Menu
Where many Korean restaurants in New York run pages deep with dozens of dishes, Moono's à la carte menu is deliberately trimmed, divided into nine sections with typically just two dishes each. That restraint is intentional: Kim has said he wanted to reduce decision fatigue and highlight specific, often overlooked dishes rather than attempt a comprehensive survey of Korean cuisine. The menu includes familiar comfort dishes like fried dumplings, mungbean pancakes, and naengmyeon, alongside more unexpected choices — a version of janchi guksu (banquet noodles), typically a cheap, everyday dish, reworked with a foie gras-enriched broth, anchovies, and seaweed. Notably, Moono skips the traditional spread of banchan found at most Korean restaurants, instead treating the menu's cold dishes and ssam (wrapped) preparations as shareable starters that serve a similar function.
The Space and the Signature Dishes
Moono occupies a landmarked, three-story Neo-Romanesque building on the eastern edge of Koreatown that once housed a bibliophile society, with an intimate ground-floor bar serving Korean spirit-based cocktails leading into a two-story dining room defined by stained-glass windows and soaring ceilings. Michelin's own review specifically calls out twice-fried chicken, beef tartare, a dry-aged branzino grilled until chip-crisp and served with soy mustard sauce, and a bowl of Queen's Gold rice topped with a generous mound of uni as standout dishes, alongside bubbling hotpots and the restaurant's noodle offerings.
A Celebrity Moment Boosts Its Profile
Moono's public profile got a further boost when actor Jude Law was photographed dining there, a moment that circulated widely on social media and added to the restaurant's growing reputation among Manhattan diners, alongside its existing critical attention from Michelin and other major food publications.
Moono at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Chef/Owner | Hoyoung Kim |
| Sister Restaurant | Jua (Michelin 1 star) |
| Location | Edge of Koreatown, Manhattan |
| Format | Curated à la carte menu, no tasting menu, no banchan |
| Price Range | Appetizers/entrees roughly $35–$80 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Moono related to Jua?
Yes, it's chef Hoyoung Kim's more casual follow-up to his Michelin-starred restaurant Jua, offering an à la carte menu rather than Jua's tasting menu format.
What does "Moono" mean?
It comes from the Korean word for "gateway," reflecting the restaurant's goal of serving as an accessible entry point into Korean food and culture.
Does Moono serve banchan?
No, unlike most traditional Korean restaurants, Moono skips the customary banchan spread, instead offering cold dishes and ssam preparations as shareable starters.
What are Moono's signature dishes?
Michelin has specifically highlighted the twice-fried chicken, dry-aged branzino, and Queen's Gold rice topped with uni, alongside hotpots and noodle dishes.
Why did Moono get extra attention recently?
Actor Jude Law was photographed dining at the restaurant, a moment that spread widely on social media and added to its existing critical buzz.
Menu items, pricing, and reservation availability can change — check Moono's official website for current information.