Hodo Kwaja

My goodness, the staff here are SO nice! Always friendly and making sure you’re safe and enjoying your order. And the walnut cakes are delicious. I brought some for my friends and they absolutely loved it. I could eat the for the rest of my life, I swear. Please do yourself a favour and support this business!

Very cute Korean cafe that's been in the neighborhood for 30+ years. They make really hearty sweet snacks such as the walnut cakes, chun byung, and if you are lucky, freshly made pancakes. I grew up eating a lot of pastries with a sweet beans paste filling. Never had I think of using mashed potato as an alternative. It's pretty cool, and I would never guess that it was potato. My favorite was the chun byung. So simple, but with the different flavors, every bite was a lovely surprise. I just wish I had bought more. Interesting that even with the amount of Korean businesses in NYC, I've never seen a shop that's quite like this. If there's anything to complain, I have to say that the oil is becoming a little rancid, and you can really taste it in the pancake when served hot.

On a cold and windy day, the brown sugar Korean pancake was perfect! Made fresh to order ~ I tried a mix of the walnut cakes, and they were all tasty, not too sweet! The waffle cookies half slices of almonds, very crispy. The Madelines were a perfectly fluffy texture. Everything was worth a try! Will definitely be going back 😋

Place just feels so homey, and the family working there is so kind! The walnut cakes are the perfect winter treat, nicely-priced, piping hot, not too sweet, and packed with yummy filling. Just watch out before you eat too many of them, they are addicting!

Hodo Kwaja is such a cozy and welcoming little spot! The shop feels super clean and has a warm, homey vibe that makes you want to stay a while. I tried the red bean sherbet — so refreshing and just the right amount of sweetness. I also couldn’t resist the walnut cakes, and wow — they were freshly made, warm, and full of flavor. You can really taste the care they put into their food. A perfect little place for a sweet treat!