Handam BBQ

My go-to KBBQ spot in Houston. It's my all time favorite! I like it more than gen, honey pig, kpot, literally anywhere. portion sizes are huge. you will definitely have left overs.FOOD: first of all, their food is amazing, exquisite, so consistently delicious. I always get their gochujang pork belly and bulgogi. Sometimes if I'm with more people I will order the kalbi as well.Let me first fill you in on the SHOW STOPPER, BEST THING ABOUT HANDAM, their UNLIMITED BANCHAN(sides). Okay, not only is their banchan unlimited and delicious, but they give the most sides of all the places i've been to. I am a girl who loves variety and mixing and matching, trying lots of different dishes. So when handam comes rolling out their banchan cart filled with 10+ different banchan..they have my heart. They have kimchi, cucumber, pickled radish with jalapenos, potato, mashed potato, kimchi squid, tofu with sauce, sometimes fried chicken, sometimes they have egg pancake things, two different salads, fish cake, spinach, brocolli, and probably some more that i do not recall right now. Anyways..enough about the banchan..on to the meat review!Gochujang pork belly: I am usually not a pork person, but I'll gladly eat this up. It is tender, not too fatty, not too greasy. It is seasoned perfectly to have a nice punch and flavor. You don't even need the sauce. Bulgogi: my favorite meat of the three. It is so tender and it just melts in your mouth. Sure, there are some off days but for the most part they are always consistent. It is so soft and the FLAVOR. the flavor is what gets me. It is marinated to perfection. So saucy (the meat absorbs the flavorrr). SO good.Kalbi: Tender, soft, meaty..what more to say.SERVICE: handam's food may be good, but their service is just as great. AMAZING service. Firstly, the banchan comes rolling out fast. You get your drinks and the waiter is so attentive. My server came by the table often, refilled our banchan, got us everything we needed, helped us pack up the to go boxes. Great service!AMBIANCE: nice, clean, fast paced place. Great for family, friends, any occasion. They play kpop videos projected on the TVS all over the restaurant. So fun and lively. It is loud since it's a kbbq place. Also, it is usually busy so i would call in before hand to see if there is a wait.Overall, HANDAM KBBQ is my favorite kbbq place in Houston and I would highly recommend it.

Went here with a few of my coworkers and loved it! The restaurant is pretty loud; there's music blasting at times which I'm not complaining about. It was a nice atmosphere to hang out and have a good time. All of the employees and servers were attentive and so nice. They had no trouble explaining the menu and how everything works to everyone. We did the AYCE and had the steamed egg and cheese corn as our starters/appetizers. We were also given complimentary bowls of rice as well. The meats were all very nice and tender. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of all of the meats honestly. It is really good quality for the price that you pay. I love the sauces that they give you to dip the meats into. It was a variety of sweet, salty, and spicy ones. The Banchans were plenty! There were so many dishes that accompanied the meats really well. My favorite was the pickled radishes and Kimchi. I just like pickled vegetables in general. The only note I have is that the grill changes need to be a bit more frequent. Ours caught fire from the charred bits quite a few times before someone came to change the grill. Other than that, this Korean BBQ place is a great hidden gem located behind HMART! I would recommend this to my friends/family and definitely be going again!

Yesterday, my family and I visited this establishment. There were four of us in total, as we had been recommended to try it and also saw it on social media. The food was tasty, but the service was terrible, starting with the hostess. She was very rude and appeared to look down on us, perhaps because we are Hispanic, or maybe she thought we would try to get free food. She grabbed the menus and hurriedly led us to our table as if she was afraid we would chase after her.The waitress, I believe her name was Kelly, served us in a disrespectful manner. Maybe it wasn't her day or she didn't want to be working. She explained the menu to us in a bored tone. It was our first time at a Korean BBQ, and we chose the $35 menu. They brought us the side dishes, and the guy who brought the additional items almost dropped the plates because he was focused on his phone. Who uses their phone while serving customers?I'm not sure how often they are supposed to change the grill, but it seemed like it was almost catching fire, and the waitress was socializing with her colleagues in the front area, only coming over to us about three times during our entire meal. The food was delicious, but the service was lacking. They should hire people who actually want to work.

Went for a celebration w about 8 peopleThey only take reservation for 10 minWent early at 5pm- no line but it got pretty crowded by the time we leftFood was decent- all my friend enjoyed itClean and casual vibe

Handam, arguably once considered as the best AYCE KBBQ in Chinatown. How the mighty have fallen. I used to frequent Handam in my earlier days (2020s), however whenever I went this year in April 2024, the food was just bland.Wait times are always minimum 20 minutes plus on any given evening. It's best to join the waitlist on Yelp, so when you arrive, you only have to wait 5-10 minutes. The staff were incredibly friendly and seated us promptly. I ordered the AYCE dinner and got the galbi, bulgogi, beef belly, and others. I'm not sure if I set my expectations too high from my last dine in experience, but the meat was just bland all around. I had to submerge my meat in the dipping sauce provided for any flavor. You get unlimited sides as part of the KBBQ experience and their sides kept rolling in. My personal favorite and go to is always the potato salad. Be wary - their unlimited sides are how they fill you up. There's also a disclaimer for any sides that are left unfinished, you can be assessed a fee (not sure how they enforce this but I've never been assessed a fee at any AYCE restaurant as they are pretty lenient on this rule).Sadly, I don't think their quality of food is up to par anymore and I won't be visiting soon.

I've always been enamored by the rich tapestry of culture and the communal spirit that Korean barbecue brings to the dining table. There's something truly special about gathering with friends to share an exquisite meal, all while embracing the art of cooking and the joy of making each other happy. This sentiment resonated deeply with me as I embarked on a recent culinary adventure with a group of close friends.Our destination? A renowned Korean barbecue establishment that promised not just a meal, but an unforgettable experience. From the moment we stepped through the doors, it was evident that we were in for something truly exceptional. The staff greeted us with genuine warmth and hospitality, their eagerness to share their culinary heritage palpable.As we settled into our seats, the aroma of sizzling meats and simmering broths filled the air, heightening our anticipation for the feast to come. And what a feast it was! From succulent cuts of marinated meat to piping hot bowls of savory ramen, each dish surpassed our expectations, tantalizing our taste buds with every bite.But beyond the culinary delights laid out before us, it was the lively atmosphere that truly made the evening unforgettable. Laughter echoed throughout the restaurant as we shared stories, jokes, and memories, completely engrossed in each other's company. In a world often dominated by digital distractions, it was refreshing to see everyone fully present, their attention focused on the moment and the people around them.While traditional entertainment may have been absent, the camaraderie and genuine connections forged over the course of the evening proved to be more than enough. It was a testament to the power of shared experiences and meaningful interactions, reminding us of the importance of human connection in an increasingly fast-paced world.As the evening drew to a close and we bid farewell to our gracious hosts, I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the unforgettable experience we had shared. Every aspect of the evening, from the impeccable food to the welcoming atmosphere, spoke volumes about the quality and authenticity of the establishment.Without a doubt, I knew that this would not be my last visit. In fact, I found myself already planning my return, eager to relive the magic of that evening and create more cherished memories with friends old and new. For anyone seeking not just a meal, but a true culinary adventure filled with laughter, camaraderie, and unforgettable flavors, I wholeheartedly recommend a visit to this Korean barbecue gem. It's an experience that transcends mere dining and leaves a lasting impression on heart, mind, and palate alike.

I have been here 3 times since writing this review so obviously I am biased and love this place. It's hard to gauge when they're going to be busy honestly but the get in line online is convenient but also not super accurate. The first time I went they told us our table was ready but we still waited 45min at the restaurant, the second time we had a large party of 10 so we were able to make reservations, and the third time it was a saturday night and they said the wait was 50min and we ended up not making it there in time since it decreased down to only 20min but no complaints there since that's our fault! The meats here are seasoned really well and the AYCE option is always great. They have a $30 and a $35 option which has LA galbi and includes two appetizers. I love their sides as well! There is a fried tofu side that is so yummy, the chicken karage is also good but the japchae was a little bland. The vibes are really nice and service is fairly quick on most nights. I would definitely recommend this place and take friends from out of town here often. We came once for my cousins birthday and they sing to you and give you a giant sparkler!

Came back and all the servers here are great, but we were met with the best service we've ever had at Handam With Vivian who is so sweet and goes out of her way to give the best customer service. Please give her a raise!

When I first touched down in Houston, I had to find food. I pretty much could smell them a mile down the road, so I followed that smell to heaven or should I say Handam BBQ. When you walk in the place is not only aesthetically pleasing, but everyone is welcoming and kind. In Cleveland we have Korean BBQ spots, but none of them have a charcoal smell that comes from Handam BBQ. Their Soda option was mid, but the food is amazing. They give you so much food and rice, I was literally rolling myself out the front door. I want more, but unfortunately I live in Cleveland, but if you're in Texas. You should be here!!

Terrible waiting time (close to 1.5 hours) and the manager at the front desk has a nasty attitude when I check on my place in line. With all the other kbbq places opening in the area, I won't be coming back.