ANJU

ANJU was such a hit from start to finish! We had reserved a Saturday date night and were running a bit late because of Traffic and the hosts were very accommodating regardless and we still got our table as reserved.Loved the ambiance, very warm and cozy. Due to being late, we ordered most things at the same time and our items came in perfect order without delay.For food we ordered the Chicken Mandu special they had for the night which was absolutely delicious, especially paired with the sriracha-peanut sauce. We also ordered the tuna Ganjang Guksu, which was so refreshing, the noodles with the tuna and the pears was a combination I would have never thought of but went so great together.For main entrees, we ordered the famous Kimchi Fried Rice and the Kimchi Jigae from the Classics. We loved both equally, the bang bang shrimp at the top of the fried rice was a nice crunchy touch. No bite of rice was ever dry. These are very saucy entrees so get your bellies and taste buds ready! We took half of each entree home because of how greatly generous their portions were and had some for lunch the next day which was even better! We did not try any of their desserts but were so tempted to try the S'more's Pannacota, something to try next time. Overall a great choice for a windy, cold Saturday night and will be returning, especially for their brunch that looked amazing!!

Definitely a must try restaurant. The space is very intimate but also bright and welcoming. We were seated upstairs and I loved the inside. It appears it was a house turned into a restaurant at some point. Service was great, both our servers were attentive and gave great recommendations. Be sure to make reservations as the place is always crowded. For food we tried the beef tartare, pork ribs, and dumplings. All were excellent. I really enjoyed the beef tartare. The pork ribs were served in a large bowl with broth and veggies. Very delicious and filling. With 3 people, one entree and 2 appetizers was plenty. Everything is served family style.

Five Stars - A Must-Try Spot in D.C.!We're visitors from California, and after hearing amazing things about the fried fish here, we knew we had to check it out. If it was good enough for the South Korean president to try during his visit to D.C., then it was definitely good enough for us!We ordered the fried Branzino, and let me tell you--it was absolutely fire! Perfectly crispy on the outside, tender and flavorful on the inside. We also had the Korean fried chicken, and wow--sooo good! Every bite was packed with flavor, and the crunch was next level.Beyond the food, the vibe here is great, especially during happy hour. Chef Angel and his staff made our experience even better with their warm hospitality and top-notch service.Huge thanks to Angel and the team for an unforgettable meal! We will most certainly be back next time we're in town. Five stars all the way!

I can't believe I haven't tried Anju sooner - although from what I remember, they didn't have many veggie friendly options before! I'm so glad they do now because it was such a treat. Some of the items on the menu, even though they don't say it directly on the menu, are able to be vegetarian so that was a nice surprise. Otherwise, the kimchi was complimentary, and I got a drink on the house through Capital One! The food from start to finish was delicious. The server was well informed and made great recs, and the ambiance was so cozy and warm! Definitely would recommend and will definitely be going back!

We started with cocktails that were inventive. I loved my pumpkin pie drink very much!!Four of us started by sharing 4 appetizers: (1) Mandi, (crispy moist, succulent; would get again), (2) Sogogi Mandi (came in more of a flavorful broth), (3) Double fried chicken/chikin (so juicy inside and so crunchy outside; worth every calorie. It had a little kick at the end), and (4) Tuna/ganjang guksu (this dish was served cold and very refreshing. Loved the base of sliced pears and cool noodles.)For mains/sides we got (1) Branzino/Saengseon. (This was my favorite dish. Delicious but wish the fish was bigger), (2) Kimchi Fried Rice (my friend's favorite dish), (3) the Palace Ddukbokgi with bulgogi (the meat was incredible), (3) pickled cucumbers (see below), (4) sweet lotus root (yummy), and (5) kimchi. For dessert we split the sticky toffee pudding and the s'mores panna cotta. That panna cotta was one of the best desserts I've had in a long time. Loved the smear of roasted marshmallow! Could be a death row dessert. Everyone like both desserts. No leftovers despite us all being full. Portions were very generous. Most amazing meal!!! Lighting flattering and very very cool music. Our service was perfect. My 2 only minor complaints: steel chopsticks were fancy but smooth and harder to work. The pickled cucumber side dish was not cut in bite size pieces. So, it was hard to eat and even harder to share. Trying to cut it proved challenging.

Anju is where modern Korean flavors truly shine! It's the perfect spot for any occasion.Let's talk about the Chikin--this is no ordinary fried chicken. It's crispy perfection with a glaze that strikes the ideal balance between sweet and spicy. The skin is crunchy, the meat juicy, and every bite bursts with flavor. The Kimchi Fried Rice is comfort food at its finest. Smoky, spicy, and topped with a perfectly runny egg, it's an umami bomb that hits all the right notes. The chunks of house-made kimchi add a satisfying tang and crunch, making it impossible to stop at just one bite. As for the Bibim Bap, it's a showstopper. Served sizzling, it's a colorful mix of fresh veggies, crispy rice, and tender meat. Once you mix it all together with their signature gochujang sauce, every mouthful is a delicious medley of textures and flavors. The vibe is lively, the service attentive, and the food? Absolutely unforgettable. Anju makes Korean comfort food feel upscale without losing its soul. Don't miss it!

Was able to walk in for a table for 2 on a Friday, despite it being pretty busy which was nice. Both the host and server were welcoming and nice, overall great service experience.As for the food, the prices seemed a little high until the portions came out. The mandu were outstanding, and the chikin was a massive portion, bigger than I ever expected at a dc restaurant. It was kind of strange that one piece was a bone-in drum while the rest were boneless -- would've preferred a fork/knife for the boneless but didn't realize until I already dug into the drums with my hands -- but other than that it was pretty perfect. Crispy, delicious, flavorful, and exactly what you expect of double-fried Korean chicken.After those 2 starters, we shared the rice cakes with bulgogi as the only main and it was more than enough food. Hearty, tasty, filling. Finished with the sticky toffee pudding which was a great way to top off a fantastic meal!

Ordered:- Yukhoe (5/5): The star of the show! This was the best beef tartare we've ever had. The fusion of flavors created a familiar yet different take on tartare. The lotus crisps pair perfectly with the tartare although they weren't actually very crispy and we would have preferred a larger portion of crisps since we quickly ran out.- Tuna bibimguksu (4/5): Quite spicy, but super refreshing and well balanced between flavors and textures. We also liked the cuts of tuna, but wished for more. I would say that we would have enjoyed this more if we had known to ask for less spice.- Ssam board (4/5): Not your typical galbi and was more like a proper steak that was sliced up for the ssam. A bit expensive for what you get and wish there were more of each veggies included, but the galbi felt very premium to us.Overall (4/5):Anju was quite busy when we arrived but we had a reservation and got seated immediately upstairs. We were a fan of the vibe and lighting and it wasn't too loud. Service was good and with the yukhoe making a strong impression on us, this restaurant was a great intro to DC! Make sure to get reservations ahead of time to sit at the tables, my girlfriend's previous experiences were at the bar and at a windowsill bar seating spot that were still nice but not as date vibe-y.

We made reservations for a group of 5-6 on a Sunday for brunch. Our party arrived ahead of the restaurant opening. The dining area had tables both on the ground floor and on an upper level. We sat upstairs and the server was good. Since we were seated near the staircase, we had a good view into the kitchen/pick up area. All the food coming out looked really. Our party ordered various things but I tried bulgogi tots, hot tteok French toast, and the chicken and waffles. The bulgogi tots were really good with the crispy tots and generous toppings. The hot tteok French toast was giant. It was tasty, the French toast use a large slice of bread, possibly brioche? And it was filled with a cinnamon, peanut filling. The chicken and waffle was different with the Korean flavors. The chicken was gochujang flavored and was pretty good on its own. The waffle had corn in it which made the texture of the waffle a little different from my normal Belgian waffles. Though both were tasty, we actually enjoyed and preferred the two items separate.

Let's start with our star server Chris, who gave us sound advice from the beginning: our table of four would be well fed on two apps and two mains! She was right. She also had good suggestions and brought the no-dairy menu as soon as she heard that might be an issue. She suggested a few items and we went with them. DO NOT SLEEP ON THE FRIED "CHIKIN" APP. You will only be sorry when you see other tables getting theirs. Other items are "Korean-esque" (we didn't get but the dol sot DID look pretty authentic). We didn't have a reservation but were early-ish and got a table at the front. Upstairs is a more sit-down vibe but we enjoyed the downstairs with full view of the kitchen (and KDramas playing on the tv in the bar). Really happy we came.