New Korea - Marina

Fantastic food! Very authentic. Must order the Kimchi pancake and the spicy chicken! I had the seafood soup and it was really good. The restaurant is also very clean.

The food was really good. The quantities were less than a sub par Korean restaurant (quality over quantity, yay! . Good selection of banchan. We found it after a day in Monterey and were looking for a place to eat on our way home. We arrived around 6:30pm on a Saturday evening of a 3 days weekend, and we had one of the last available tables. When we left at 7:30, 4 groups of people were waiting outside. Most were speaking korean (for me, it is a good sign for an authentic restaurant . Probably because of people waiting to be seated, as soon as we paid, the waitresses started to wipe down the table while we were still grabbing our things. I felt a little bit rushed but I understand. Even with that, I give 5 stars.

I was first introduced to Korean cuisine in the 80s living in NYC, and it became my favorite food, so I visited restaurants in Korea town on 32nd and around that area as well as other points around the city for decades. With stints in the Bay Area and now the Pacific Northwest, the options have not been as plentiful, but a yearly work trip to Pacific Grove has come to include a requisite evening at New Korea Restaurant, which I’m here to say is my favorite Korean restaurant of all that I’ve tried. The proprietress is gracious and obviously a phenomenal chef, bringing nuance to every item ordered from the packed menu that leaves one wondering how so much goodness can fit into such a small kitchen. Details such as using traditional rice, kimchi that hits all the right notes, or the bountiful banchan that precede your order keeps me thinking of this gem hidden in a residential part of a quiet seaside town when I’m hundreds or thousands of miles away.

Friendly service and very authentic, delicious food. Just like visiting a small diner in Korea. Definitely plan to return next time I'm in the area!

This is one of the best Korean restaurants we've visited. We've tried many Korean spots throughout the Bay Area, and we particularly enjoy small, family-owned places. They always seem proud of their cooking. We're from Vallejo, and whenever we're in the Monterey area, we make it a point to stop by this restaurant!