Bab N Banchan

**January 2025: Sunday Late Morning Visit**I've wanted to try raw crab for quite some time, but just couldn't get the timing right for my adventurous friends. Thankfully we were able to make it happen and decided to give Bab N Banchan a shot! We visited at opening and were able to get a seat pretty quickly. Medium Soy Sauce Marinated Raw Crab - Two Whole Female Flower Crabs ($89) - My friend had tried Raw crab on one other occasion in k-town and she said this eons better. While this was my first experience, I loved it and felt that it had a subtle sweetness to it that made it feel really fresh and was very decadent. The orange roe definitely made it feel very luxurious. Hinoki Steam Smoked Duck ($107) - I honestly, didn't really know what to expect from this as I've only really had duck prepared Chinese style. When the waitress brought out the box and prepared the settings to be steamed I was really intrigued. After 10 minutes or so she came back and filled our bowls each with a portion. I enjoyed itBanchans - There were so many different side dishes to choose from and I loved the variety of kimchi and other traditional Korean sides. Summary: The amount of food we ordered for two people was definitely a lot; however, we each took leftovers home. I really enjoyed my meal here and would absolutely love to come back as a celebration meal. This experience was definitely a premium meal, but the soy sauce raw crab was chefs kiss. Bon Appetite!

This place is located in the side of Hmart. This place has a lot of seats and typically not busy. Had a wide range of Korean food. I went here for the raw marinated crabs which were good. I've tried the soy marinated crab but felt that the portions are really small. My fav here was the spicy raw marinated crabs and corn cheese. I tried their galbi and monk fish but it was okay. I felt some dishes could be marinated better or longer. The fish would have the sauce outside but the actually fish was plain. I also felt like none of the dishes I had were spicy.I do think there potential but wish the dishes had a more impactful taste.

1. The duck was steamed well, and the side dishes were generous and delicious!2. The spot has fun casual vibes with a big open space!3. There are only indoor seatings available!4. The staff were friendly and timely with our order!5. Parking lot is medium-sized, and nearby parking is easy!Note: This spot was open on Christmas Day!Photo: Hinoko Steam Smoked Duck, Seafood Pancakes, and Side Dishes

Made reservations for a group of 6 for dinner at 7. Surprisingly, it wasn't busy when we arrived or throughout our meal. We ordered the steamed duck, soy sauce marinated raw crab, and kimchi stew. All the dishes are HUGE and there's so much banchan options. I think we would've been ok with just ordering the crab and duck. Food was delicious! I would come back for more.

Was looking for place to eat raw marinated crabs without the long drive to Koreatown, Los Angeles, and stumbled here. Restaurant is clean and spacious with plenty of tables - even tabletop seating if you want to eat solo. Soy Sauce Raw Marinated Crab (5/5) ($89 for two crabs) - Hands down the best tasting soy sauce raw marinated crabs in Orange County (and maybe even in Los Angeles)! They use fresh female Korean caught crabs which makes all the difference. The meat is tender, sweet, filled with roe, and not at all fishy! They marinate the crabs in a delicious soy sauce that has the perfect balance of saltiness and sweetness. Squeeze the crab meat out on hot rice, seaweed, and sesame oil for a delicious bite. Love how the sauce wasn't overly salty or filled with msg like other places, so you can pour the sauce over your rice to your heart's content. The dish comes with a spicy jalapeno and boiled egg.Beef Rib Soup (4/5): ($20 for lunch, $25 for dinner) - Fall off the bone tender beef rib! The soup comes piping hot and has such a depth of flavor from the beef bone and red dates. Dish comes with glass noodles and shredded egg. Very comforting and goes well when taking a break from eating the raw crabs. The banchan are abundant, tasty, and fresh! You can tell they made them with love & care. They're not overly seasoned and really complimented our meal. Service was friendly and attentive. The ladies are so sweet and even gave us warm barley tea to try. Much appreciated in this cold weather!I'd definitely come back to try their other dishes, especially the steamers.

If you love raw marinated Korean crab in soy sauce and you don't want to drive to K-town, now here is a good GG option. They only use good sized female blue crabs for the dish. I love it accented with their fragrant sesame oil on top of a hot bowl of rice. The delicate contents on the inside of the shell is so rich and full of umami flavor. The gochujung version is also delicious. It is not too salty and resides at an easy to enjoy level of spiciness. The steamed duck dish was definitely more than a 1-2 person portion advertised on the menu which justifies the $89 price. I was too full by the time it was ready to eat and it got overpowered by the crab dishes but it was a great meal later that night. The service is prompt and attentive. We will definitely be back.

This ma and pa like shop restaurant, is absolutely delicious and tasty in every way! My partner and I have come and eaten here at least once a week since they've opened bc of how good is it! From their spicy marinated crab, to their kalguksu, chicken ginseng, and various side dishes, we always leave SO satisfied and filled!! The owner is always so respectful and polite. It truly feels like you're being taken cared of and the food comes out in a timely manner as well! Please come and show support if you're in the area!

Good clean food and friendly staff. A fairly new Korean restaurant at the end of the Hmart mall. Plenty of parking right out front. The family had lunch here Christmas Day and enjoyed it. I hope this place does well.

My husband and I ordered Hinoki steam smoked duck& beef and spicy marinated raw crab. We were both very impressed !! Everything tasted so yummy and healthy including their side dishes. Also, the owner of the restaurant was super nice and genuine.I hope this restaurant sticks around for a longgg time:)

Very good spicy crab. Definitely will come back. The beef soup also good. New place here in garden grove