The Most Delicious Korean in Washington

Breakers

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (127)

"Loved it! Yummy food. Excellent service by Edward. Clean, pleasant environment and great exhaust. Five stars all around. We will be back!"

JMT Kitchen and Bar

★★★★★ 4.5 (44)

"Lemme start off by saying the food is great here! We got seated promptly and someone greeted us right away to take our drink orders. We ordered the red snapper, wings, dukkboki and yaki udon with crab. The red snapper was great, fried crispy and had a not so sweet, tangy sauce on the plate. We got the soy garlic and sweet and spicy wings, both of which were fried to perfection and covered in the delicious sauces. Not one bite was soggy, the chicken was juicy and the sauces amazing. I'm not the biggest fan of rice cakes, but the dukkboki was awesome. I don't remember which one we got but it was addicting.The yaki udon with crab was delicious, with plentiful crab and ground pork. Noodles had a nice chewy texture and carried the sauce and meat well. The restaurant has a casual atmosphere, more bar like but plenty of tables and seating. Well lit, but not bright by any means. Def give this spot a try, I highly recommend it!"

Taco Ssam - Annandale

★★★★☆ 4 (147) • $$

"I have only ever tried the barria tacos at Taco Ssam, but just based on that dish I'm giving them 5 Stars"

Mad for Grill

★★★★☆ 4.1 (12)

"5 StarsMad for Grill, a Korean restaurant in Annandale, VA, is a spot that will keep you coming back. The "조기구이정식", Grilled Yellow Croaker Set) is exceptional--perfectly grilled with deep, rich flavors. The side dishes (banchan) are like little appetizers, and the Kimchi is hands down the best I've ever had in any restaurant--fresh, flavorful, and incredibly special. It's a taste that's sure to impress, especially for those new to Korean cuisine. Plus, the convenient location makes it an easy choice. If you're after authentic Korean food, Mad for Grill is a must-visit!"

Rice bar

★★★★☆ 3.9 (89) • $$

"Meh. Not my cup of tea. It's set up like a Subway but for bibimbap and noodle bowls. Everything is pre-made and then customized to your request. I mean, except the egg... since it's pre-made. Lol (Over easy)The drink fountain was down for the count. The place was busy though. But for $20 a person, before tip, I'd have to pass on this."

Abbaee Soondae

★★★★☆ 4 (151) • $$

"Food: if you are looking for some authentic Korean food, check out this place. We got Pork Neck bone soup which comes with a bowl of rice and some side dishes - cabbage kimchi, pickled radish, radish kimchi, and spicy garlic stem / pepper. Service: our server provided great service. She checked on us several times for our drink & side dishes. Ambiance: nice cozy place in a stipe mall. The restaurant has about 10-15 tables available & when we visited on Saturday around 11:30, there were enough tables. We didn't need to wait in line. We will come back~"

The QUI Korean BBQ & Bar

★★★★☆ 3.9 (352) • $$$

"Service is great, but the seating for a group of 6 split between one grill was a little chaotic, especially when we arrived starving. The price point is fair, and it's cool that seafood gets included. We pretty much tried every protein available, but our favorites included: thin-sliced brisket because it cooks quick and goes great with sauce, thin-sliced pork belly, and spicy pork belly. Our favorite side was the fried rice cake! The corn cheese came in small little foil cups that seemed to be portioned out for individual servings. The industrial decor inside makes it look pretty cool. The lighting is alright, and it's a fun time with a group to enjoy a meal. 1 grill for 6 people was crazy, and we ended up eating more rice than meat due to being absolutely hungry though."

Ingle Korean Steakhouse

★★★★★ 4.5 (225)

"One of the finest cuts of meats I've ever had at a Korean steakhouse for a pretty penny. That pretty much sums up the experience for the dinner. The ambiance, service, and food quality were all superb. Everything tasted upscale/elevated from even the drinking water to the side dishes. Favorite cuts are the hangar steak and the bonless galbi but everything was melt-in-you mouth goodness. The steak tartare tasted super fresh, but it's an acquired taste to enjoy raw meat like that. I've had super fatty tartare that tasted like cold gobs of fat but this wasn't the case at all. My only gripe is that we made a reservation through open table but there weren't any tables available when we arrived. It still took about 10-15 minutes to get seated and it was at a table right next to entrance so we felt a cold winter draft that put a slight damper on the experience."

Seoul Soondae

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (20) • $$

"Thank you so much, Seoul Soondae, for really satisfying my dad's soondae craving!I was a little nervous due to the super low reviews on the place, but now I can see that either other people's tastebuds are totally whack, or they don't know what soondae is really and authentically supposed to taste like.Typically, the soondae you find in the States are usually all rice and mostly 'fillers' - here, you can taste the freshness and care that they put into it.The soup came out piping hot, with ample amount of veggies and sliced soondae; there is also some spicy paste that you can add to kick it up a bit; my dad, who's a huge spice fiend and a total grandmaster, thought the paste was just enough.The side of sliced soondae that came with was generous, and the banchans were all well-made.I can see why this place gets a lot of catering requests, to-go orders, as well as patrons who just choose to have a hearty and filling meal.This location can be found inside the small food court at Lotte. Ample parking in the plaza lot!+soondae handmade fresh, daily+located inside Lotte+ample parking"

Sirok

★★★★☆ 3.9 (11)

"If you have ever had a dream of being served your food by a robot, try this lil spot out.It was my first time trying KimBap! I ordered the chicken Katsu (fried chicken) one. Imagine a giant sushi roll. All with cooked ingredients. It was better than I expected. It came with a lil hot broth on the side to wash it down and compliment the flavor profiles.I ordered the shumai with it. It was ok, just open too lil dumplings. I'd like to try more noodle options! Love how they have the Japanese ramune sodas!! So fizzy and tasty. Love popping the glass marble to make the carbonation go crazy! My gal pal said it was extremely authentic to real Korean street food. Certainly worth a try!"

Gah Rham

★★★★☆ 4.4 (81) • $$

"I was in the neighborhood and had a taste for Korean food. I realized I had never been here, so it was time to change that. I was prepared to indulge in KBBQ.... but all the KBBQ tables were actually occupied, and I was kinda hungry, so I opted to just grab the regular table. All that to say, the place is spacious enough, but while it was full it didn't feel chaotic, and that's a great thing! I got water almost immediately and was given a menu. I decided to get the shrimp/veggie shumai and dukbokki (tteokbokki), which is a delicious rice cake (not the Quaker brand ones) soupy dish... I decided to get the one with seafood in it. I was pleased when the massive platter came out with four banchan dishes, including potatoes, kimchi, beansprouts and cucumber. I loved them all! The dukbokki was bomb -- though I will say some of the shrimp was extra chewy, and some seafood was still in its shell. Being a soupy dish as it was, it was kind of messy to isolate that and get to the meat -- but that's not enough to take away from delicious everything was.After the shumai and dukbokki, I was beyond full... but still very happy. Next time I will return to do the KBBQ. Looking forward to it!"

Seoul Spice

★★★★☆ 4.3 (12)

"The staff was super friendly and helped me with my first time order. The food came out really quick and I love the recommendation of the fireball. As soon as I got home, I ate my food and it was amazing. There's enough to basically make enough for two people or just have leftovers if it's just you eating. I definitely recommend this place and the fireball is spicy which I love. Definitely make a stop at this place and the chill vibe of the restaurant was pretty awesome."

Gopchang Story - Centreville

★★★★★ 4.5 (198)

"No need to return when there are so many Korean BBQ places. We are Korean so we eat quite a bit of KBBQ. Only saw several tables were busy, but no one came up front to give us a table until we flagged someone down. Our server was very busy, but I could tell she was forgetting different items for different tables. Sometimes she didn't even turn around to check on us. Had to ask someone else for check. Our server brought our check but didn't even say a word.Food is just ok. There's better out there. Smoke filled the entire restaurant and you could see it as well as feel it on your eyes. There are no exhaust pipes above the tables so they had to open the front door to let the smoke out! It was freezing cold! We had to put our coats back on and we were still cold. They did give us pickled radish wraps without us asking but i read a review below that they didn't get any. Steamed eggs were uncooked on top and looked like runny scrambled eggs. First time for that too at Kbbq!"

Bonchon

★★★☆☆ 2.5 (78)

"I had just landed at Reagan National Airport when I decided to grab some wings on my way to my room. The local Bonchon was only a few miles away and in the same direction I was going to. I drove straight there and they had good parking in the shopping center. There was no line when I entered and I place my order ( this location does not sell the Korean wine Soju ) and sat down. Decided to read a couple reviews on yelp and to my surprise they had some of the worst ratings I've ever seen for any Bonchon in this country. Now I'm nervous, my orders already in and I'm not sure what to think. So I just decided to observe the establishment to see how they were operating. Can I spot the problems. This Bonchon location is a little bit smaller than what I'm used to seeing but they were generally clean ( the bathroom too ) and the atmosphere was pleasant. There was a couple sitting at the table enjoying their meal and each other's company. But most of the orders that came in was for takeout or pick up ( delivery ). They're located in a shopping center that generally closes at 9 PM but they stay open till 10. I noticed a larger portion orders the box could not close. Meaning the wing and leg pieces would be over the top and he literally couldn't close the box so he just put it in the bag and tie it off without actually closing the box or using a second box to complete the order. I notice / read a lot of people complained about that ( open wings box ) in the Yelp Reviews, but I was able to watch it firsthand that's the way he operates. The solution is to use as many boxes as necessary to complete the order especially on delivery orders. Stop trying to save money on using boxes. The world is just getting over COVID-19 and safety is paramount. especially in the delivery food business.Now my order is ready and I watched him place it in the bag without closing the box because it can't, it's over full and tie off the top ends of the bag. That's fine because I visually watched him do it but that would not work for delivery service. Now let's get to the texture and taste. The texture was fine deep fried with a nice coating but the flavor is was off. Half of my wings and legs were Soy Garlic flavor and the other half was spicy flavor. The soy garlic was a little bit off but I was able to identify it but my spicy was barely spicy with no flavor. That's not cool, that's not Bonchon. I am not interested on purposely returning to this location. But I do hope they get it together for Bonchon namesake."

Joongmi Banjum - Manassas

★★★★★ 4.6 (42)

"Sweet and sour pork or 탕수육 is excellent Spicy seafood noodle soup or 짬뽕 is greatBlack bean noodle or 자장면 is goodIn that order, happy to see a good Chinese-Korean fusion option in Manassas.Also, it is self-service so no tip needed. Still they do tend to you and make sure you are good. Feels like a cafeteria in Korea. Going to try their fried rice next, looked good."

Khan Korean Grill & Bar

★★★★☆ 4.4 (38)

"Amazing Food choice items.. Cost was right and Service was Fantastic!!! Definitely going to be back with many friends."

So Gong Dong Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4 (16)

"I've eaten here several times now, finishing each meal with a happy belly. I tend to go for the kimchi soondubu which comes with beef. If you have it with ramen, the broth seems to be a little thinner than the traditional style in the pot without ramen. That version is a little heartier, and served with rice so it just depends what kind of mood you're in. The seafood pancake and kimchi pancake is delicious. Perfect crisp. I also enjoy the banchan served with the dishes. This past time I was enjoying my meal, the older gentleman working at the counter yelled across to ask if I needed or wanted anymore banchan. So sweet of him! I did not resist, and had some extra pickled chayote and cucumbers. Hope you enjoy it too!"

Bonchon

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (66) • $$

"Bonchon is a no nonsense fast casual Korean wings and drumstick restaurant. We ordered a shrimp dumpling starter and the new Yangnyeom wings/drumsticks. The wings were hearty and very easy to eat, but messy. We had to ask for extra napkins. The sauce was the star of the show, the sweet and spicy flavors were prevalent. The drumsticks were much larger than I expected! They almost looked like the ones from the renaissance festival. The skin was perfectly crisp and held the Yangnyeom flavor well. We were disappointed in the shrimp starter, it was six small dumplings with a honey mustard smattered around on the dish.The service was good, the server was attentive. The ambiance was aligned to that of a diner but was perfectly reasonable for the type of food served. There were quite a few tvs with different sports showing."

TaKorean Korean Taco Grill

★★★★☆ 3.8 (252) • $

"My absolute favorite place in Union Market! I generally order their white rice bowl with chicken and toppings (no extra cost). I like that their chicken is very tender and the level of stickiness for the rice is just on point. Toppings include salsa, gochu-pow sauce (a spicy sauce made from fermented Korean gochujang paste, if you don't eat spicy, exclude this from your toppings), lime crema (a sour cream based topping with lime juice, mirin, and agave), sesame seeds, cilantro, and shallots.I have also tried their add-ons before which include cucumber, piko de Gallo (tomatoes with ginger scallion sauce), pickled daiko radish, avocado, and poached egg. Service is quick and friendly. Despite long lines during lunch hours, I can typically get my food in under 10 minutes. On Tuesdays, you can get 3 tacos for a discount price (I think it's around $8-9 if I remember correctly) and they are equally delicious!"

Oegadgib

★★★★☆ 3.6 (966) • $$

"All you can eat kbbq. Tucked away in a tiny parking lot. It's definitely a mom and pop shop. Service is very quick and fast. They come by and cook your meat for you. The side dishes are very basic but all you need for kbbq. The salad is really good.They have a good dipping sauce for the meats too. Perfect because I usually like getting the plain meats like brisket and pork belly. They actually let you cook it crispy too. Got here at a perfect time bc when we left it was busier. So for a Saturday definitely be mindful about time!"

Ju Mak Jib

★★★★☆ 3.5 (64) • $$

"*Hole in the wall alert*Disclaimer: This place is a one man show so please be aware if you decide to pay a visit. Not a very well known spot amongst foreigners but this place is a staple amongst old school Koreans. Once you walk in you might be off put by the empty tables and old decor but the KBBQ quality and food here is top notch; IMO they have the best kimchee (inhouse) and side dishes (banchans).The KBBQ is a la carte and might be on the pricier side but the quality is very worth. Just be aware the service here I would rate 1/5 as the owner is doing all the serving work himself. You won't have your usual server grilling the meat and you'll be mostly doing all that work yourself. If the food wasn't so good I can't imagine this place being around for so long but Koreans have stuck by this place for years thru thick and thin due to the food quality."

Yasijang

★★★★☆ 4.1 (8)

"Came with a party of 9 and will definitely be coming back! Impeccable service with a very homey & comfortable ambience. Overall, food was good. The assorted jeons and the seafood pancake were delicious. Was a little disappointed by the army stew - felt like most of the stew was just kimchi with little meat and a couple blocks of tofu. Service was simply a 10/10. Service was fast and staff were highly attentive and friendly. Our waitress was so on top of things. Overall really good vibes. Added bonus - they have karaoke rooms inside the restaurant so it really serves as a one stop shop! Note: the rooms are on the smaller end so a little difficult for large parties but still a good time!"

KoChix

★★★★☆ 4.3 (406) • $

"Utterly surprised I don't already have a review for one of my fav spots in DC! Kochix is a locally-owned Korean fried chicken spot. This should become one of your regular spots for ordering out.Their drumsticks and wings are ginormous and delicious. My go-to orders are the 10 wings, half hot honey spicy and half honey lemon pepper. They're always nice and crisp and easily heated up for a future meal in my air fryer. I don't love their fries, but their onion rings are tasty. Even better are their corn nuggets! They're corn fritters with whole corn inside, a corn lovers dream lolThis is a crowd pleaser as I've served them to friends and coworkers. Alas, there isn't really space to eat here aside from a short counter against a wall. It's located near the corner of Rhode Island and Florida, so not the most scenic corner of the city, but very much worth the trip or delivery order!"

Choong Hwa Won

★★★★☆ 3.9 (523) • $$

"We went as a family of 6. It was bustling as usual and our food arrived quick. Make sure to check out seasonal specials on the walls. The black bean sauce noodles were better than a lot of other spots in the area. I also got spicy squid and it was delicious. They don't skimp on ingredients or amount so come hungry!The jjampong seafood soup was just the right amount of spicy. Nothing was incredibly great but better than average. The interior needs a serious facelift but I guess the rundown look is part of its charm? So I won't take a star off for that."

Siroo Juk Story and Tea Cafe

★★★★☆ 4 (548) • $

"My girlfriends and I have been talking about Korean corn dogs and shaved ice for the longest that we decided to plan a day out to VA just to get what we've been talking about.You order your food from a kiosk and a ticket is printed with your order number. The place is pretty spacious on the inside so there's plenty of seating. I ordered the hot Cheeto's corn dog and I can't remember the other one. For my dessert, I ordered the mango shaved ice. The corn dogs were a 10/10. The spiciness was leveled out by the sugar they put on the corn dogs. The reason for the one star is due to everything here having sugar and being sweet. For example, the kimchi was sweet with a hint of spiciness. The mango shaved ice was also 10/10."

Ohmani Bap & Joong Guk Jib

★★★★★ 4.7 (3)

"Woodbridge finally has legit Korean food!!! Spice and flavors aren't toned down for a Western's palate. Korean owned and Korean cooks. I'm absolutely thrilled that this place opened up 5 minutes from my house. When I'm craving something specific and my mother doesn't have the time to cook it...this is where I go.My mother is a 74 year old Korean woman who can cook like no other...and she likes the food here. That should tell you enough."

Mat Jib

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (4)

"Mat Jib is the excellent outside restaurant food vendor who operates the food extension location inside the H Mart Burke. Some will note the Burke location is not categorized properly as being an HMart location in Yelp search. Others will know most HMart locations have just such a vendor setup. With my hundreds of HMart visits throughout the US over decades far from and near my home, I credibly attest that this location is uniquely quality and delicious.I have strong and wonderful memories of eating here last week as every aspect of the experience was so delightful I ordered the C7 chicken fried rice, K2 seafood soondubu (soft tofu) soup seafood, K11 bibimbap (our kids love this dish) and K24 jab chae bap (clear bean noodles with sesame oil and vegetables). I wish I photographed this business but didn't because it had no Yelp entry so I only added it after I got home.Particular note is the service was especially fast, thorough, and friendly. By itself, that attentive care for the meal and ordering and explaining to me, a non-Korean, is worth supporting and I hope you will, too. Cheers to the wonderful people here, make sure to thank them when you eat here."

Kangchon

★★★★☆ 3.6 (232) • $$

"This has to be the best Korean-Chinese fusion food I've had in a long time! I particularly loved the Naengmyeon (cold summer noodles). It had Asian pear slices, pickled summer radish, cucumbers, and beef to name a few ingredients. The noodle texture was perfectly QQ and the mustard sauce on the side that comes with it brings just enough heat to this refreshing dish.I also really enjoyed the fried shrimp with wood ear. It would've been perfect with beer or soju, but I had to drive after dinner. One day, I'll have to get it as take out! Service was fairly swift, and the dining area was well lit and cozy. I would heartily recommend having dinner here with family and friends."

Meat Project

★★★★☆ 3.9 (507) • $$$

"Best Korean BBQ in the area, hands down. We have been to most of the competitors in the area and no one has meat this well marinated and of this quality. So was good for a while, but they keep changing recipes and the flavor is missing. K spot doesn't come close to this in quality. This is flavor! The galbi blew me away, I didn't know it could taste that good. The sides were not as good as So, so there is room for improvement. I did however love the onion salad. But with such good meat it wasn't as big a deal because I didn't need to add flavor.And the service was fantastic. Our waiter did what we asked, we wanted smaller portions because we were just two and we wanted to try lots of things. I find that a lot of places, including So, portion out food in portions too big for just two people who don't eat like hogs. Really in a restaurant's interest to give smaller portions, but some don't. We will be back to make sure it wasn't a Fluke like K spot. But thank you for an enjoyable evening!"

9292 Korean BBQ

★★★★☆ 3.8 (368) • $$$

"Bottom line - I'd return and price right on par with there competitors and provide great value.I was so impressed with 9292...it lived up to the hype. It is the best Korean BBQ in NOVA (my opinion and so far) the restaurant was clean, service was friendly, and they make all their own appetizers, sauces, and marinades. Cannot wait to return!!"

Taste Of Korea

★★★★☆ 4.3 (585) • $$

"I went with a friend to Taste of Korea at 6:30pm on a Monday night. It was average for being crowded. We got the bulgogi. The bulgogi wasn't seasoned well. I have had alot better. The sides were very small (veggies are one slice of cucumber, 3 small slices of onions and 2 small cabbage leaves for kimchi). For the price of $19.95 for this entree, it's expensive for what little you get. You order and pay thru kiosks. They call you when your plate is ready. You have to get your drink or water. No true waiter service. Don't tip them because they don't check on your satisfaction of the order. Lots of Koreans go here but they order the bowls. I might give it another try in few months."

Sorimmara Annandale

★★★★☆ 4.1 (64)

"Sorimmara hits the spot! I have dined here a handful of times and have enjoyed each visit.My friends and I love ordering the rose mala tteokbokki and the pork guobaorou, but it is the malatang cravings that keep us wanting to return ASAP. They have a wide variety of self-served toppings which are consistently fresh and delectable.This restaurant makes a great spot for dining with friends with its bright, clean and casual interior. The team is also very welcoming. Overall, a delicious and comforting spot! Will be back soon."

Dolpan

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (26)

"Located inside the Hmart Fairfax. Impressive food court which is clean and lots of seating space in the middle. The chicken Bulgogi rice was very nice. It came in a sizzling pot with rice at the bottom and veggies on top. It also came with few other fixings and an egg. The Ramen soup was good. But I have had better. I could taste lot of oil and was disappointed that there was no egg. The broth was also different than a typical ramen soup. It was still a decent meal."

bb.q Chicken Virginia Square

★★★★☆ 4.3 (78) • $$

"This Korean fried chicken spot is a solid cheat-day pick! I ordered the half-and-half whole chicken (original and hot spicy). They cut the breast into wing-sized pieces, which I didn't mind. The original was my favorite--crispy, juicy, and perfectly cooked. The hot spicy had good flavor but didn't win me over as much. The cheese ddeok-bokki was indulgent and packed with salty, sweet, spicy, cheesy goodness--definitely a comfort food splurge. I didn't care too much for the side radish but its radish. A whole chicken easily feeds 2-4 people. I was stuffed after just three pieces and some ddeok-bokki."

Danji

★★★★☆ 3.7 (159) • $$

"Giving this place 4 stars after my second visit only because of their weird "leftover policy" and service.Food and ambiance was great as it was during my previous visit.As for the service, it gave me unpleasant experience. The biggest disappointment for me was the part, when I asked for to go box and waitress asked me "what for".Ummm, for the leftover food and I pointed at the table. I had rice and 3 side dishes left over. The waitress said that I can only take rice and not the side dishes. Then, she asked me if I still want a box.. Honestly, never before I've been in the situation where you cannot take left over food unless it's "all you can eat" restaurants.On top of that, this time as soon as I walked in, the waitress was staring at me for like 60 seconds deciding where I should sit. It was a bit awkward bc I was literally standing in front of her in the middle of the entrance also not knowing what to do. And time goes very slow when you're just standing in one spot. Place was 75% empty, so I don't see the reason that took her so long to decide. Anyway, I was already looking through the menu when she brought the QR code and said "it's the menu, scan it."I was confused but opened it. It took me to their website explaining what's Korean food is. Then, I noticed that next to that QR code it said, "if that's your first time trying Korean cuisine etc, etc." Ngl, It felt off. No one assumed it's my first time trying Korean food when I came there with my friend previously. So, I feel like 4 stars after this experience is way too high, but I really enjoyed my food."