A Guide to NYC’s Crunchy Korean Corn Dogs

Two Hands’s Signature Set is one of my top picks. Photo: Grace Chen-Ngu

By GRACE CHEN-NGU

Tricked-out corn dogs, a popular street food in South Korea, are now having a moment in NYC. Who knew that sausage or mozzarella (or both) on a stick, wrapped in batter, coated with panko breadcrumbs, deep-fried until golden, and drizzled with sugar or sauce could be so addictive? Without further ado, here’s my take on some of the most popular locations in New York for this sweet and savory treat.

CrunCheese Korean HotDog (★★★★★)

249 W 57th St (Midtown), 133-36 37th Ave (Flushing) 

We’re starting off strong! CrunCheese has two locations in the city: one on the second floor in Tangram Mall in Flushing, and the other at Turnstyle Underground Market at Columbus Circle. This place puts good quality mozzarella in their corn dogs. You know it hits when the cheese string pull is melting in your mouth. 

CrunCheese offers more of a variety of sauces than the other places I’ve been, including garlic parmesan, sweet chili, and jalapeño ranch. One flavor to try is their special Squid-ink Mozza and Hot Dog ($6), covered with a special black batter, sausage sprinkles, and crunchy bits of breadcrumbs and sugar. Another is the Jumbo Beef ($5), which is literally what’s described: a huge beef sausage with a crispy outer shell. 

CrunCheese’s Combo Special includes two corn dogs and a lemonade, a literal steal for two friends to snack on. The price range for their corn dogs is $6-8, and the wait time can vary, but the employees do seem to work diligently. 

OH K-Dog(★★★☆☆)

159 Ludlow St (Lower East Side), 885 9th Ave (Hell’s Kitchen), 136-17 39th Ave (Flushing), 7159 Austin St (Forest Hills)
At every OH K-Dog location, there is almost always a long line that awaits you, but it’s a great choice late at night, as they close at 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

If you're looking for corn dogs on the crispier side, come to OH K-Dog, though to me they’re always over-deep-fried. On my last visit, my friends and I ordered a Classic Hot Dog ($6) and two Premium Beef Hot Dogs ($6). We all agreed they tasted way too burnt, and I noticed other customers had posted burnt corn dogs on their Yelp reviews. 

Jongro(★★★★☆)

33 W. 32nd St (Koreatown)

Jongro is located at the center of the bustling Koreatown, Manhattan. Their convenient ordering kiosks stand out, but heads up: they do not take cash, only card and tap.

Their menu offers many appealing options, including the Ramen Noodle Chip Dog, Volcano Hot Dog, and highly popular Sweet Potato, though prices are a bit steep at $7-9.

Jongro’s cheese pull always hits. It's steaming hot and stringy on the inside when the mozzarella cheese is melted with just the right amount of heat, and there are six sauces available in the corner that you can add to your corn dog without limit.

If you ever pass by, Jongro is one to check out.

Kim’s Korean Corn Dogs(★★☆☆☆)

5919 8th Ave (Brooklyn)

Kim’s, which opened recently in Brooklyn’s Chinatown, was not one of my favorites. First of all, the wait time was pretty long. But the reason I’m giving this place a low rating is its mozzarella, which was still hard when I took a bite, though other than that, the food was decent. 

On the plus side, Kim’s offers deals from time to time, like “buy 1, get 1 50% off” and student discounts. "Kim's Kombo" gets you tteokbokki (Korean rice cakes), signature fries, a triangle kimbap (rice ball with filling), and drink for $10-$16.

There are also a few fun corn dog options on the menu, such as the Rainbow Dog ($7), coated with cereal flakes, and the Spice Lover ($6), covered in hot Cheetos crumbs.

Two Hands(★★★★★) 

250 Mott St (Nolita), 95 Macdougal St (Greenwich Village)

I saved the best for last! If I had to choose one Korean corn dog shop out of all the options listed here, it would be this one for sure. Two Hands’s menu gives me such a hard time choosing what to fill my stomach with, but I usually end up getting their Signature Set ($14), which comes with three corn dogs: a Classic Dog, a Two Hands Dog, and a Spicy Dog, with your choice of filling. (They do charge for sauces.)

Two Hands also has some popular sides that are definitely worth trying, including their Dirty Fries (with dirty sauce and hot Cheetos powder), Kimchi Fries, and Elote (corn on a cob coated with Two Hands’s signature sauce and seasoning). The price is about $5-7 each.

And yuppppp, they have drinks here, too – like a good amount. The Lemonade Slush and Fruit Punch Slush ($4 each) are popular options, but one that stood out to me was the Horchata Slush (also $4), a sweet and creamy rice milk drink with a smooth texture. 

My personal favorite item is the Spicy Dog ($6), with full mozzarella on the stick and hot Cheetos crumbs sprinkled on top. The taste is super flavorful and juicy, so I totally recommend it.

But there were two other corn dogs that also attracted my attention: the Crispy Rice Dog and the Injeolmi Dog, both $6. The first features a coat of crispy rice puffs, and the second has bean powder with sweet sauce. I will for sure get both on my next visit.

Did this rundown make you hungry? I hope so! Now get out there and grab a K-corn dog after school!