A small, family-run Korean comfort-food restaurant in Flushing known for generous portions, home-style flavor, fast service, and unusually strong value, though seating is limited and one serious food-safety complaint warrants awareness.
I am Kimchi delivers strong food quality and attentive service that keep diners returning to this family-run Queens spot, with generous portions and authentic flavors across stews, rice plates, and cutlets earning consistent praise. The modest, clean setting prioritizes comfort over visual appeal, which prevents a higher grade despite reliable execution across most dimensions.
I Am Kimchi is a tiny, cozy Flushing dining room where the food does the decorating. Reviews describe a clean, calm, down-to-earth room with only a handful of tables, friendly servers, and quick-moving plates; the emotional shorthand is less “restaurant night out” and more “someone’s very good Korean kitchen.” Viral popularity can mean a wait, but tables reportedly turn quickly. The cooking is traditional Korean comfort food with one unexpected detour: a surprisingly popular lineup of creamy, spicy, and shrimp pastas. Kimchi stew, donkatsu, mixed stew, galbitang, gamjatang, and tofu soup repeatedly earn praise for home-style flavor, generous meat and vegetables, and substantial portions. At current menu prices, most mains sit around $14-$19, making the value unusually strong; adventurous diners can try the Korean-pasta crossover, while purists can stay with the stews and rice dishes. Families are welcome, and the menu has practical child-friendly choices such as donkatsu, carbonara, rice dishes, and non-spicy versions of some items. Reviews include a child enjoying gamjatang and staff helping a family recover from an overly spicy bowl. Still, many Korean dishes are spicy or strongly seasoned, and there is no dedicated children’s menu shown, so picky eaters may need a little guidance.
Area vibe: Bustling, diverse commercial district known for Asian dining and shopping.
Safety: Generally busy and well-lit along main commercial streets; side streets quieter at night.
What's nearby: Near Flushing–Main St transit hub, Roosevelt Avenue food corridor, Flushing Chinatown and shopping districts.
Choose between deeply comforting Korean stews, generously portioned rice dishes, and unexpectedly popular shrimp or creamy pastas.
Expect a small room, possible waits, bold seasoning, and unusually generous portions, with a few practical caveats for picky eaters and larger groups.
The atmosphere is cozy and down-to-earth, with the food doing most of the decorating in a very small family-run room.