Lalaon is a new Korean restaurant that opened June 17 in the Brooklyn, New York, neighborhood of Williamsburg. It’s situated along the East River as a nod to the Han River in Seoul, South Korea, which serves as a natural gathering place for families and friends.
It’s the latest restaurant from husband-and-wife team Min Sung Kang and Ju Young Oh, veteran restaurateurs who are also behind Brooklyn restaurants Kuun and Atti.
The menu features Korean barbecue and banchan as well as seafood.
Kang grew up near the Han River, and his family operates restaurants, wine bars, and cafés in Seoul. He saw firsthand how food brings people together, and he wanted to recreate some of that energy and experience in Williamsburg.
Lalaon was designed by Oh, who has a background in architecture and interior design. The restaurant features a mix of marble, natural stone, concrete, wood, and glass, giving the space a contemporary look.
The 10,000-square-foot restaurant seats 300-plus guests across the 40-seat bar, 80-seat main dining room, 100-seat outdoor patio, and a mezzanine designed for private events.
Select tables feature built-in grills.
“We were aware that New York’s restaurant industry was moving toward smaller concepts, particularly after the pandemic,” Kang and Oh said via a joint email reply. “At the same time, we felt there were fewer places where larger groups could comfortably gather. Places where families, friends, and colleagues can sit together for a meal have become less common.”
They noted that Korean dining has traditionally been centered around sharing food and spending time together, so they wanted to create a place on the waterfront where people could do that. And Lalaon provided an opportunity to do what they’ve been doing for years, but now on a larger scale.
The kitchen is intentionally team-driven. Two chefs specialize in traditional Korean cuisine, while another is dedicated exclusively to banchan, working each day to prepare seasonal side dishes. The team makes kimchi and a 40-hour bone broth and grows its own perilla leaves, an essential herb in Korean cuisine similar to Japanese shiso.
The bar is pouring Korean-inspired cocktails and wines by the glass and bottle.
The menu is anchored by Korean barbecue, with cuts of beef and pork, alongside steamed eggs, vegetables, traditional Korean stews, and six types of complimentary banchan. There are also add-ons like oysters, shrimp cocktail, and seafood towers, plus an assortment of dishes such as hot stone bibimbap, cold noodles, kimchi fried rice, Korean fried chicken, and corn ribs.
The founders said they are not trying to reinvent Korean food. “We are simply continuing to cook the food we have always believed in.”Drinks complement the food and blend Korean ingredients and influences with contemporary cocktail culture. A couple of highlights are the citrus-forward GGC made with soju, vodka, and yuzu, and the Tan-San, a highball made with Japanese whisky, jasmine, and soda. Guests can also choose from several non-alcoholic cocktails, beers, and wines by the glass or bottle.