Saemaeul Restaurant

My friends and I visited SAEMAEUL Korean Traditional BBQ, and the restaurant was clean and refreshing. We ordered a BBQ platter for about $80, which included three plates of meat, soybean paste soup, and a variety of delicious side dishes. The meat was high quality and well-marinated, sizzling over the charcoal grill, releasing an irresistible aroma. With a crispy outside and juicy inside, every bite was bursting with flavor! Paired with authentic Korean side dishes and a special dipping sauce, it was an incredibly satisfying experience. One of the most unique dishes was the old-school lunchbox fried rice (see Image 3). The server first brought out the lunchbox for customers to take photos before shaking and mixing the ingredients inside (see Image 4). The final result was a hand-mixed kimchi fried rice full of rich flavors. The cheese steamed egg was another highlight! It contained onions and other vegetables, making it both nutritious and delicious.

Still the best Korean BBQ place in Orange County that I know. I never understood why people line up at Baekjeong. Their meat is absolutely disgusting. Anyhow the meat quality here is truly the best for the price around $50s per person. Also the staff here really knows how to cook your meat perfectly to keep the juicy part inside but render crispy part outside.I read some people complaining about the bland taste of meat. Ridiculous... Then how should the fresh meat taste as? Sweet? Salty?Peppery? They are probably talking about KBBQ marinated in lots of sugar and soy sauce. Trust me their meat quality here is excellent. Besides they provide the sauce and salt on the side. Just Make sure to order the beef combo. I think That's the best choice for the buck. Also I recommend steamed egg. That was also really good. One of the best ones I ever had. So creamy and buttery!

I love this restaurant and their service atmosphere and food with passion! They welcome you and seat you. They will serve you delicious house soup on the house, they'll even refill it. They will bring you cold water in stainless steel container with a glass of water. Their house kimshe and the rest of the delicious house items are fresh crispy and tYummy The main courses are boiling hot fresh tasty and the egg is ready to crack and miix and enjoy They will keep checking on your needs even as they get busier. They get packed in early evening. Most importantly before I forget THEIR PRICES ARE INCREDIBLY REASONABLE.

Their spread of banchan is plentiful in veggies and their meat is so tender and juicy! I love how they offer so many veggie side dishes because they all go very well with the meat. The meat is great quality and the servers were so attentive here. They refilled our banchan without us having to ask and we were really impressed by that. It's not often you find kbbq places that go out of their way like that. They also frequently switched out the grill so our meat was never burnt but cooked perfectly.

Saemaeul is a standout when it comes to KBBQ. I ordered the large beef combo, steamed egg, and kimchi jiggae, and every bite was fantastic. The beef combo was a highlight--high-quality cuts, perfectly marinated, and grilled right at the table. Each piece was tender and full of flavor. The steamed egg was light and fluffy, an excellent side to balance the richness of the meat. The kimchi jiggae was bold and satisfying, with just the right level of spice.The service was attentive without being intrusive. Our server kept the grills going and made sure everything was cooked to perfection, which really added to the experience. They were quick to refill banchan, which were fresh and varied, from crispy kimchi to savory potato salad.The ambience was lively and welcoming. It had a modern yet traditional vibe that made it a great spot for both small gatherings and casual dinners. The restaurant was clean and well-ventilated, which can be rare for KBBQ spots.Saemaeul nailed it on all fronts--delicious food, great service, and an inviting atmosphere. It's definitely a place I'd return to and recommend to anyone looking for a solid KBBQ experience.

FoodFamily and I came here after finding out this was Paik's restaurant(a judge from Culinary Class Wars). We've had our fair share of kbbq and this place really stood out on top for me. It's not an unlimited kbbq place, so we ordered the XL beef Special combo for our party of 6 and a green onion pancake. I believe that it was just the right portion for us wherein we were stuffed but not too full. The quality of the meat was top notch and we got pretty thick cuts and one of the servers cooked the meat for us. The green onion pancake was a fluffy pancake that just melted in my mouth accompanied by flavorful sauces. Overall, it's a bit more a premium place to go to but pretty worth it in my opinion.Service/AmbianceOn Saturday lunch, we were surprised that there were barely any people inside. The vibe of the place was a bit more of an upscale casual kbbq place. The staff were nice and cooked the meat for us in our special combo.

Came to Saemaeul for dinner and absolutely loved the experience! I always prefer KBBQ that isn't AYCE and the small beef combo was perfect for 3 of us, we even had leftover to take home. I really appreciate that non of the meats were marinated compared to similar KBBQ restaurant combos. The service was amazing and our waiter cooked our beef to perfection, changing out the grill after every type. We came on the early side and didn't have to wait, but the restaurant started getting busy closer to 6! I regret not getting the cheesy steamed egg and will definitely be back again to try it. Food: 5/5Price: 4.5/5Service: 5/5Ambience: 4/5

Of course we had to visit after watching Culinary Class Wars on Netflix!The restaurant is located off Beach Blvd in Buena Park, where a number of other well-established Korean restaurants are located. The place was quite empty on a Wednesday night for dinner but service was really good. All the servers were very attentive, seriously like a hawk watching your every move (and plate). Dishes came out quick and the servers assisted in cooking your meats. Overall, I thought the quality and items were relatively similar to other 'higher-end' Korean BBQ spots in the area. My group thought it was a little better, but not by much. I'd say my favorite items were the Yeoltan Bulgogi (which you can also get $0.01 soju if ordered) and the Rice Balls. The restroom is a bit run down. Things are kind of rusty and moldy. I don't know how effective the ventilation is since there were times when each table had plumes of smoke. The vents didnt seem to work too well.

I could go lengthy into this restaurant, but a lot of what I'll mention will be easily experienced just by coming in yourself. Saemaeul is a Korean BBQ restaurant with some of the highest quality meats you can desire. Before even walking in you might notice the people who come here: they're almost all Korean. Just from the clientele you can tell this is going to be authentic AF.The staff are very kind. Obviously, if you speak Korean it'll be easier to order, but they do speak English and they are helpful. Because this is more traditional Korean BBQ and not an AYCE they will be cooking the meat for you, perfect for anyone who doesn't want to cook their own food. This means you benefit from their expertise and everything will be cooked perfectly for you to enjoy without the stress.The food is incredible in quality. For Korean cuisine it isn't just about the main dishes that make a meal. It also involves the quality of the side dishes and the ban chan here is incredibly fresh and vibrant in flavors. Saemaeul serves one of the best 된장찌개 I've had in America. A lot of places this fermented bean soup is either too watery or too salty, but here it is perfect and accentuates all the adjacent flavors. The meat is high quality with a butcher in the kitchen actually cutting the meats presented to you. Just writing this is making my mouth water. The price will be a bit higher. We got a beef combo that costs $138 but it was meant for 3 people so it made sense. Not to mention the quality is worth that much. Considering the high quality ingredients, the stress free eating experience, and an ambiance that would easily fit in any big city in South Korea Saemaeul is a perfect place to eat Korean BBQ where you'll leave not only full, but satisfied.

It was my husband's birthday lunch with the family and all 7 of us were very satisfied with the service, ambiance and food as usual. It was over 1pm on Sunday, there weren't any parking spot and the restaurant was busy but it felt everything was in control and calm, which was so nice. We were seated and served immediately.Unfortunately, we only had one grill but we didn't feel any inconvenience due to our server being with us the whole time not only serving the food but also cooking the meat. He worked really hard and never lost his smile. We ordered two large beef special, two pork dishes, two cheese egg bombs, rice and cold noodles, which was plenty. This place will always have a special place in my heart and be my #1 Korean BBQ place.