Rice Bar

Chipotle meets Korean. I love this concept and I love bibimbap even more. We came as a party of two during what we hoped would be the downturn of lunch rush at 1:30pm but it was still very busy and we had to wait a couple minutes to find a table in the small but cute space. Kind of like chipotle or sweet green concept, you basically construct your own bibimbap bowl with Korean ingredients (think rice, radishes, carrots, seaweed, kimchi, gojuchang, fried egg, etc). You can also pick a noodle soup base instead of rice. We got one of each.Both bowls had great flavor, very Korean and reminds me of simple Korean home cooking at your childhood friends house. We got the clear noodle broth and it was honestly mind blowing. Excellent umami balance and not oily at all, it paired perfectly with the simple ingredients in my noodle soup.Love this stuff, highly recommendTLDR; come here for a healthy, hearty, classic Korean bibimbap or noodle soup

Originally wanted to go to Moon Rabbit but it was a long wait so we decided to try Rice Bar since it was close by lol. When you enter, there's a menu for you to fill out what you want and they'll make you bowl for you. It's kind of like subway style but make your own bibimbap bowl.I ordered the noodles with chicken and peanut sauce. I added carrots, crushed peanuts, and corn with a side of soup. I wished I added more greens but feel like there wasn't a lot of options of green veggies. Overall it was good for fast food. I like that they have a station for you to add all their extra sauces. I was surprised I got to have soup on the side. I was pretty full and didn't finish my soup. It was a clear broth but didn't have a lot of flavor to it. I think the miso soup would have been a better choice.

This casual lunch place is fun. It's also friendly, and the fresh food is filling and flavorfulhas fresh food. And it's fast. There are 3 people working, 2 fill your bowl with your choices of rice, veges, toppings and protein. And the owner takes your credit card. They are all very helpful and will answer all of your questions. It works like this: you walk in and go into the corner where descriptions of classic bowls are available and make your own also. There are simple menu sheets to select what you want in your bowl. The first choice is rice vs noodles. My wife chose brown rice, I had the black rice. For me, it's a lot more flavorful. If you look online, it's also healthier. I added the seaweed salad, broccoli, mushroom and edamame. I chose tofu as my protein and added kimchi as a 'premium topping'. The kimchi was excellent. It was topped with a spicy (not really too spicy) peanut sauce.The bowl took no more than 4 minutes for the staff to put together for me. It was a generous portion of excellent quality food. There were sunny side up eggs which my wife chose and liked a lot. I did also order a shrimp dumpling that was not something I'd get again.The only downside is that the individual tables are a bit cramped. There are long tables with metal bar stools. This is a really nice place for lunch around the corner from the Archives Metro station. It's worth checking out.

Was so excited to find this place. It was packed and for good reason. Loved that i was able to make my bowl with any combination I wanted. Food was fresh and so good. Not a lot of seating, but things opened up quickly. I only wish I lived closer.

Solid place when you're craving some bibimbap in the city. As a Dolsot bibimbap connoisseur, the Dolsot bibimbap here is very very good. Ambiance is very casual. Service is 100/10. The owner is very, very friendly. I'll be back often!

The Rice Bowl is a healthy, quick build your own bowl. Upon entering the shop, you pick up a white (rice) and green (noodles) "order sheet" to start adding your ingredients to perfect the bowl you want to eat. The base is around $9, but can add up enough quickly, with premium protein or vegetables toppings.There are extra sauces available on the side. We sat on the long community bench or along the side. After you finish, trays are collected and plastic bowls are disposed in a trash can at the end of the table.The bowls are delicious and will recommend to swing by for lunch.

So good! the meat was so good!!! love this place. it is super cute inside and was not that busy. super fast and friendly service!

Looking for something near the National Mall? Come to Rice Bar! Here are our 5 Star FAPS:Food (F): We ordered the two pre-made bi bim bap bowls- the bulgogi and the kalbi with black rice! Both were delicious, nutritious, and filling! The right amount of rice to veggie and meat ratio. Well-cooked rice as well! There are many different options as well as the option to customize your own bowl! Ambiance (A): Cute, clean, and friendly! Parking (P): We didn't drive, but we were looking for something to eat near the National Mall. We came from the National History Museum, and it was about a 9 minute walk. Service (S): Fast and friendly food service. Self-clean up and self-serve service. Overall, come check it out yourself and enjoy some masitseumnida bi bim bap!

FOODI ordered a custom bulgogi bowl with brown rice, seaweed salad, broccoli, and kale with teriyaki sauce. It was solid for a casual lunch, but the consistency between bowls wasn't always the best.When turning in the paper with your order on it, make sure to notify the staff of any allergies or dietary restrictions.DRINKSI had their pineapple cream soda, which was surprisingly very flavorful and creamy considering its clear appearance. Very refreshing!SERVICEThe staff are kind and friendly.AMBIANCEThe interior is neat and modernly decorated. It's a bright and open space, but despite this, there's often not enough seating for customers or space to wait in line.PARKINGPaid street parking is available at a limited capacity.

The food was mediocre...I got the Kalbi Bibimbap, but the meat was too tough and chewy. The overall bowl lacked flavor and was mushy. Service was quick and ordering was easy (there is a counter near the start of the line with pencils and paper menus to select what you want, then you hand it to the employees behind the ingredients counter). Sadly, I didn't enjoy my meal, so I don't see myself coming back.