Mapojeong

Kept seeing this place as I drove past and thought the branding was cute. Bills itself as a Korean barbeque restaurant, but only a third of the place has grills and most folks here at noon were at the bar. We ordered the meat platter for BBQ, which came out quickly with some salad. There was some beef and pork, but unfortunately it was clear that this place's forte is not the barbeque. There were multiple issues with the grill getting too hot or not cooking the meat, and the staff was clearly inexperienced with cooking KBBQ. Additionally, they were not sure which sauces to bring out to pair with the meat. Last, they left the meat unattended for several minutes at a time, even though we were the only KBBQ customers in the restaurant. With the flames rising as high as the actual smoke vent at one point, we took things into our own hands and started cooking it ourself. The meat cuts were okay, nothing you couldn't get at H mart already marinated and cook yourself. For the price, there are multiple KBBQ spots in town that have better meat and service. It's clear that the draw for this restaurant is the ambiance and bar rather than the KBBQ. In order to improve the KBBQ experience, I recommend sourcing the correct sauces/more options, teaching staff how to properly cook the meats, and sourcing better or more meats for the platter.

I was craving Korean food and I didn't want to drive all the way to the other side so I decided to give this place a try. I live close by and I always drive by this spot soooo.I actually am not a big fan of Korean bbq dining bc your entire body will smell like bbq after dining in.Walking in, I thought it was interesting bc it was totally a american brunch spot vibes not a kbbq vibe. They have areas specifically for bbq, and then the bar, the dining room and the outside patio.I personally really liked this layout. Their menu has a lot to choose from, mix of Korean food, Japanese and other American plates.I got the bulgogi rice cakes (spicy) and it was so good! It wasn't spicy spicy but it still have some spice to it. You can always go with mild. The flavor and portions were great. The egg on top really helped bc it was quite strongly seasoned. I ended up ordering a bowl of rice to eat with the leftover bulgogi. It was delicious.Overall I can see myself coming to this place again. Customer service was good and everyone was welcoming. They have a separate parking lot which is great. Cool murals.

Great find. The drinks were fantastic and perfectly balanced, Collin did a great job. The food was also flavorful and on point. We had a little bit of everything and it did not disappoint. The atmosphere/ decor is lovely. I don't understand why it was empty (my only complaint, but not really). It's a hidden gem and I'll definitely be back.

I travel a lot for work and often walk around lively neighborhoods until I'm drawn into a place. It was only a Thursday but everything seemed very busy. I circled around a few times and finally decided to go into Mapojeong because I saw room at the bar. I am so happy I did!Daniel greeted me so warmly and I immediately knew I was in for a special treat. His sushi is pure joy and zeal for life--infused with his art and positive energy. I had the sashimi special and it was absolutely delicious and a piece of art! Mama-san, and some of the other servers were equally warm and hospitable.I will be returning for sure! In a couple of days!!!Daniel is a gem!

A hidden gem!!! Love the new upgrades at Mapojeong. Sushi is fresh and delicious (small menu but very fresh). Asian fusion cuisine (KBBQ experience, yaki mandu, etc) comes in large portions. The cocktails are also really good and aesthetically pleasing. All of the greenery in the restaurant is real and the new concept creates a fun experience. Fun to go to dinner on Fridays before heading over to the Ready Room for Jazz. Lots of outdoor seating, and isn't too loud. The staff is super friendly, and always very attentive.

I think no restaurant exemplifies "Con-fusion" more than Mapojeong. I'm so sad to say I wish I came to the restaurant when it was purely for the KBBQ experience. I visited on a Friday night after it reopened after it closed for some renovations. We were greeted by the owner and his mom. They were both super nice. I didn't have the heart to tell them the food was bad and the atmosphere off on the side of the restaurant without cook your own KBBQ. I really wanted to come for sundubu jigae. What I saw on the menu was cioppino, which is an Italian seafood stew. I asked our waitress about it and she showed me on her ordering machine that the item was still sundubu jigae but rebranded (and it showed a price jump of $25 on the menu). I was hesitant but she reassured me it was the same dish. It didn't look like sundubu and definitely did not taste like it. The clams were sandy from not being cleaned properly. There was hardly any tofu. No egg. And the broth was lukewarm, when regular sundubu is boiling hot. It was the worst sundubu jigae I've ever had in my life. I wouldn't call it sundubu or cioppino. It was neither of those things. My friend really wanted KBBQ and was a devoted fan of Mapojeong of yesteryear. So he ordered the ribeye. When it arrived, we were both shocked. It came precut in strips on a bed of onions with a jalapeño on top. It was only missing tortillas to make this an epic fajita dish. For $41, this was deeply unsatisfying. I can't say anything good about the food. I guess there was japchae and the fried chicken was ok. But any other Korean restaurant can make these things and do it better. Another odd note, I hated that they didn't give us chopsticks and we had to request them. Anyway, I wish them the best with this new restaurant concept but I will not be returning.

Had a lovely first date here during restaurant week! The ambiance was great, even though there was a mixer going on in the main room. Mama N said hello to my date and I several times. Get the chowder and the short ribs

Came on a Weds night because I know this place has been hot and trending. To avoid the rush and wait, come on a weekday. I came for their march 1 year anniversary special. It was a great deal and I had to take advantage of it. Upon entering the establishment I was seated right away. The whole staff is attentive and engaging throughout the whole experience. I'd have to say, their customer service is top notch and I felt like I was treated like a family member there. Shout-out to Marc and Mama An, they know how to deliver exceptional service and gave me such a great experience. The food is high quality and lots of it is made inhouse, from the kimchi to the soju. Do not skip out on the soju! Its so delicious, but a little dangerous...it's pretty strong. I never had soju that was made in-house before so that was awesome. All the meats were delicious and the king crab was oh so good. Definitely recommend. I also like the fact their ventilation system it allows me to go home not smelling like bbq! Overall this Korean bbq is the best in town. I am critical when it comes to food and service that translates to customer experience. All of that goes hand in hands and Mapojeong gave me their 100%.

We came here for lunch during their 1 year anniversary promotion, which is $25/person for beef brisket, pork belly, and short rib combo. Great deal for quality meats, plus service was great!Food: the Mapo combo was plenty of food for 2 ppl, came with an assortment of banchan (side dishes), but we also ordered the garlic butter king crab as an appetizer (so good, but def on the expensive side so be careful!) overall very good quality meatsService: all the servers were very attentive, you do have to grill the meats yourself tho, and if you're like me it'll burn easily so pay attention lol Atmosphere: they opened the restaurant a year ago so everything is still new and clean. Plenty of space/seating and there's even a second floor. Great for big parties that are craving KBBQ!

Came by for my first time on a Wednesday night 5/15 for some quick oysters while I waited for my table at BBs. I'll start with the good:Restaurant is very beautiful inside. Lots of fresh greenery, ambient lighting, cleanliness. The oysters were very fresh, clean, and delicious. The co-owner, an older lady came by to greet us. Was very nice and welcoming as if I were in her own home. Now to the bad. The bartender, tall white gentleman with glasses. Very poor service. We sat at the bar and there was only 1 other couple there. It took him about 5 minutes to finally greet us (which felt more like 10). Even before he greeted us, he came by ranting about some liquor order drama... hate to say it but I am here to have a good experience- i don't want to be approached with your work drama. He finally took our order. His demeanor seemed as though he did not want to be there. We received our oysters and did not see him until it was time to pay. No two bite check, no water refill. Also when paying on his phone he told us my total "$6.68 plus some fees and handling" and before I tapped my card I noticed he had applied a 10% tip on there by himself!! Very big no no! I told him to remove it that I would tip cash. He tossed my card on the bar top back to me, Instead of handing it to me. And I left a $5 tip. His attitude lightened after seeing the tip.Mamma owner thanked us for coming and I shared about the poor bar service. The restaurant was slow. Less than 10 guests. There is no excuse for the poor service. Good luck to this restaurant on its future.