Cote
“One Michelin star over live charcoal: the $118 Butcher's Feast is New York's best group luxury. Book it for birthdays.”
About Cote
Simon Kim's bet in 2017 was that Korean barbecue and the American steakhouse were the same religion with different vestments, and Cote proved it fast: a Michelin star within its first year, the first ever awarded to a Korean steakhouse anywhere, and a Flatiron dining room at 16 West 22nd Street that has run at capacity since. Executive chef David Shim oversees the meat program; the glassed dry aging room by the entrance is both larder and mission statement.
The order that built the empire is the Butcher's Feast at $118 per person: a guided tour of dry aged cuts grilled at the table over smokeless charcoal by servers who know exactly when to flip, flanked by banchan, savory egg souffle, and the stews that close a Korean meal properly. Above it sit the a la carte prime cuts and a steak omakase for tables that want the ceiling. The wine list runs far deeper than the grill smoke suggests.
The model now travels, with a Miami sibling and a second New York room that opened in Midtown in April 2026, but the Flatiron original remains the benchmark and the booking to fight for. Reservations release on Resy and prime slots vanish fast; the dining room's mix of hip hop, charcoal and dry aged beef remains one of the most reliably joyful nights in the city.
The Room
Dark, glossy and loud in the best way: grill tables under copper vents, the dry aging room glowing by the door, a hip hop soundtrack under charcoal smoke. Groups of four fit the format perfectly. Dress is smart casual; the room skews sharp. Servers run the grills, so guests only eat, pour and talk.
Why book it, occasion by occasion
An evening here is an investment of hours as much as money. Spend them on these occasions.
For the birthday that wants fire and a crowd
The grill table is a built in party: meat arriving in waves, servers running the fire, soju toasts landing between cuts. The Butcher's Feast at $118 gives a group a defined, generous arc with a clear per head number, which keeps a celebration among friends free of bill anxiety. Book a table of four to six, add the omakase upgrade for the birthday seat, and let the stews land the plane.
For a first date that needs built in motion
Grill tables solve first date physics: there is always something happening, the format forces sharing, and the room's volume forgives every awkward pause. The Feast's fixed price also removes the ordering negotiation entirely. Book the earlier seating for a calmer room, sit side by side at the grill's corner if offered, and split a bottle from the surprisingly serious wine list.
For the deal that closes better over fire
Not every negotiation wants white tablecloths. For the counterpart who relaxes over shared food, the Feast is disarmingly effective: the grill gives hands something to do, the format sets a natural clock, and the one star pedigree keeps the choice defensible upstairs. Book a corner table for acoustics, and move the serious talk to the stew course when the table quiets.
What to order
The Feast is the spine of every first visit. The upgrades and the drinks list are where regulars separate themselves.
- The Butcher's Feast, always
Four dry aged cuts, banchan, egg souffle and stews at $118 a head. It is the complete argument and the correct first order.
- The steak omakase for the ceiling
When the table wants the full range of the dry aging room, the omakase runs the rare cuts with narration. Book it ahead; it is a different evening.
- The egg souffle and the stews
The supporting cast is the Korean half of the thesis. Do not fill up before the kimchi stew closes the savory arc.
- A bottle from the deep end
The wine program is a genuine strength, with big reds and grower Champagne built for charcoal and fat. Ask the sommelier; the list outruns the room's volume.
Practical
- Address
- 16 West 22nd Street, Flatiron, New York
- Reservations
- Resy · prime slots go fast
- Butcher's Feast
- $118 per person, the signature format
- Above it
- A la carte prime cuts and steak omakase
- Dress
- Smart casual, sharp
- Group size
- Four to six is the format's sweet spot
- Second room
- A Midtown sibling opened April 2026
- Timing
- About two hours, servers run the grill
Questions diners ask
Is Cote worth it?
Emphatically, and it is the rare starred room that doubles as a party. The $118 Butcher's Feast delivers dry aged beef, banchan and stews in a format built for groups, which is why the Value score reads nine. Even with drinks, most tables clear out under $200 a head.
How hard is it to book Cote?
Competitive but fair. Tables release on Resy and prime evening slots for four go fastest; early and late seatings hold longer. Set a reminder when your date opens, and consider the Midtown room that opened in April 2026, which serves the same Feast with a slightly easier book.
What is the Butcher's Feast at Cote?
A $118 per person set format: four dry aged cuts grilled at your table by servers over smokeless charcoal, with banchan, a savory egg souffle, ssam service and stews to finish. It feeds a table completely and is the correct first order; the steak omakase sits above it for special occasions.
What is the dress code at Cote?
Smart casual with a sharp edge; the room dresses more nightlife than steakhouse. Avoid delicate fabrics that hold grill aromatics. No jackets required anywhere in the house, and the energy peaks after eight, so dress for a night out rather than a boardroom.