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    BigSpoon Korean Restaurant

    4.5 (177 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

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    BIGSPOON KOREAN RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Reviews With Photos - BigSpoon Korean Restaurant

    Beef tofu soup
    Michelle H.

    Food was good but we weren't super impressed, the bulgogi we liked because it wasnt super oily but on the flip side that meant it was very dry. The tofu soup was well flavored but pretty standard and the chicken wings were okay. They also were not very crispy and the sauce was not very strong. Overall food wise it was decently good but very generic Service was okay, its a small mom and pop shop so it wasnt anything too crazy. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Store is clean and spacious![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Banana Milk
    Don U.

    BigSpoon is a Korean restaurant on Alum Rock's/East Side's White and McKee, an area I don't go to that often. The reason why I came over here fairly recently was because I visited cousins and cousin in law that live near to give them Valkyries shirts and other shirts they'll send to the Philippines in over a month, and since they plan to be sending clothes over while telling me about the place, I gave them my Kate Martin and Kaitlyn Chen jerseys for the trouble as I needed to make room for my Veronica Burton jersey, which I wore when I met up with them, and my upcoming violet Gabby Williams one. (Go Valks!) The noteworthy parts the place has are the real good amount of banchan dishes, bibimbap and the short rib, the spicy one in particular. While I probably will not visit the place again anytime soon, at least I can keep this place in mind if I want Korean food without driving to Santa Clara. There's plenty of parking behind the spot. As you come in, [[HIGHLIGHT]]the place looks simple, but it works.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] You have the adorable ajumma/ajumni to take your order. The stuff I ordered. I had water, banana milk and kimchi fried rice. Since I was the only one that had more than 1 drink, I told my cousins and cousin in law the banana milk, and they did bring up how on occasion, you see the drink in K-dramas. Of course, we laughed on how my parents never got into K-dramas and while I'm at it, Filipino dramas. Oh well. Oh, there's no doubt the food is good, and the place is too legit (to quit) as I did hear Korean from a different table. As I typed up, there are plenty of banchan dishes. Not Los Angeles amount of banchan dishes, but there are plenty of banchan dishes never the less. The kimchi fried rice dish may be simple, but it does give off that homey feel. Can't forget how Big actually is affordable, the big reason why my cousins and cousin in law like the place so much. The reason why the place doesn't get a perfect score. The place would have received a perfect score if, the major matter I remember here, the place has mul naengmyun (my favorite Korean dish). Originally, I wanted Japanese ramen before my cousins mentioned this place, and I was ready to pivot to having mul naengmyun, but I was told that the place doesn't carry the noodle dish. (Being a very good and logical dish to eat for at the very least half of the year in a city like here San Jose is the reason why of all of the Korean dishes, I like mul naengmyun the most.) There probably is one or two minor flaws I already forgot, but the lack of mul naengmyun is the dead on reason why I don't give the place a perfect score. On a side note, it's nice that I told the group what banana milk and mul naengmyun are, and by doing so, they learn something new regarding eating at Korean spots just in case. BigSpoon is a good spot. While it may not be as iconic as the places in Santa Clara, it is a good spot never the less. It does a good job at being a Korean spot for an area that is more so known for Mexican food. If you live on the east side, head on over here because the place should get your attention. +/BigSpoon is brilliant and spiffy because it has a terrific combination of good simple food, affordability and wonderful service. -/If only the place also has mul naengmyun.

    Banchans!
    Jenny T.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]This is a cute little restaurant on the East side of San Jose and I was surprised by how busy this place gets on the weekends![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] They have a special lunch combo on the weekday where you can choose your choice of a sizzling plate of protein and tofu soup (protein of choice) for only $19.99 however certain proteins do have an up charge fee. For that same combo on the weekends - it is $32.99, which isn't bad at all! Fair warning though, this place is less salty than most establishments which I personally didn't not mind at all, the service was quick and the food came out piping hot. The food was pretty good but I'd skip the chicken wings because it isn't Korean style fried chicken, it's just a dry fry with a soy garlic glaze on top.

    Lunch special $19.99 : tofu stew and bbq meat with purple rice
    Crystal H.

    Lunch special $19.99 : tofu stew and bbq meat with purple rice. What a steal! For some proteins, you need to pay extra. They also got a good variety of side dishes. The lady asked if we wanted refills on any of them when she brought out our food. Everything was so good! We liked the creamy seaweed and imitation crab side dishes. The beef short rib was so tender and juicy. Seafood tofu soup had a lot of pieces of clam, squid, mussels, and a big prawn. The lady was really nice and friendly. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We came here around 11:30am and it wasn't busy. It started getting a little bit busier after 12pm.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Tofu soup (mushroom)
    Gabriel G.

    - Really good banchan selection. Kimchi was nice and salty with the good fishy taste. - Great deal, 32.99 combo gets you a tofu soup with protein and purple rice

    4 pepper spicy tofu soup - so good but probably would get the spiciest level next time
    Deanna Y.

    Review for take out! Went to grab takeout from here to bring to a Friendsgiving. Decided to just come and order versus over the phone. Quoted about 20 mins so went to take a walk and return. Spicy beef tofu soup (1 mild 1 level 4 had good spice but I'd probably try the highest next time) 10/10 Sweet potato and cheese tonkatsu 10/10 Pork belly 10/10 Galbi 6/10 (good but didn't have that bbq char) Chicken wings 5/10. Flavor was good but wings were quite small. Probably would not get again Banchan 100/10 (so many different options and all were so good and addictive!) Overall, majority of the items we got were delicious! I'll be back to dine in and try some other things I was eyeing on the menu.

    BBQ meats and soft tofu soups and kimchi pancake and dumplings
    Christine P.

    I was craving kimchi pancake and banchan so I made my way to check out this Korean spot I have not heard of before. They have a really good lunch special deal where you can get BBQ meat and soft tofu soup. Food: 5/5 The portions of food here are very Big like the name suggests. Along with the kimchi pancake, soft tofu soup, and BBQ meats, I got purple rice and banchan too. Not all Korean places give you purple rice so I was happy to get it. The texture of the rice was perfect! My favorite banchan was the kimchi, fish tofu, and the cucumbers. I got the soft tofu soup in medium spice and it was a good amount of spice. I've tried a lot of soft tofu soups at places but this one tastes different with a bit of sourness making it more flavorful than other places. The BBQ short rib was seasoned well and BBQ pork belly had some char to it making them both amazing. I like that they cut the kimchi pancake up for you. Everything tasted well together. Service: 5/5 The server was very nice and checked in on us a few times. She even gave us dumplings on the house too! I feel like places don't give you things on the house anymore. Ambiance: 5/5 There is ample amount of seating with tables and booths. It has a nice spread out layout. There is a parking lot behind the restaurant. I know Korean food can be expensive so I'm glad I found a place that had large portions and is inexpensive.

    Combo Plate
    Brian T.

    Came to this restaurants on a quiet Monday evening to grab some dinner. Haven't had food the whole day, so I was ready to feast here. We ordered the Army Stew and the Wings combo with the soy glaze. First impression was that the bonchons were delicious. They had dishes like kimchi, pickled cucumber, broccoli, seaweed salad, seaweed with mayo, spinach, candied potatoes, and fish cake. My top three were the seaweed salad with mayo as it came with the crab salad, spinach, and seaweed salad. Army Stew - It had a lot of variety of toppings in the soup ranging from mandu to pork belly, spam, cheese, ramen, sausage, rice cakes, and fish cakes. The broth was definitely my favorite broth for army stew I ever had in the area. The ramen cooked just enough mushy that fits my preference and the cheese melted perfectly into the broth. It could feed 3-4 comfortably. Wing Combo Plate - Initially, they came out undressed as we ordered soy garlic, but it was fixed quickly. The sauce was on the lighter side which is perfect for people that don't like sauce heavy wings. On the other hand, the meat was juicy towards the bone, but the a bit dry towards the top and bottom of the drumstick. The rice was cooked perfectly to my preference and the salad had a good amount of dressing to it. It was nice to return here after having it for the first time a while back. The korean auntie was very nice and even refilled all our bonchon dishes. [[HIGHLIGHT]]A very cozy restaurant that I would return to again in the future![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Happy bvo
    Andrew W.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]Yeah honestly a great hole-in-the-wall Korean spot with a convenient location at east side San Jose.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Honestly glad I have a decent Korean spot close to me. The prices are actually quite good here. Korean food I feel is known for being overpriced, so I find that the prices here are quite reasonable. They are very generous with the free banchan here. Whether you're dining in or taking togo, they're definitely gonna hook you up with the Kimchi, beansprouts, broccoli, etc. Some items that I got here that I would recommend: Army Stew, Soft Tofu Soup, and Bibimbap. Items to avoid: The wings - even though they're a great deal for KFC, they kinda suck The service is pretty good, with a sweet old Korean lady running the joint. Definitely feel the mom-and-pop vibes. Looking back, I'd recommend BigSpoon to anyone in ESSJ looking for some Korean food. It's not the best Korean food by any means, but it's affordable and convenient. Enough talk.

    Pork belly Tofu Soup
    Amity H.

    Solid Korean spot in east side San Jose. I did a togo pick up and they were so quick! My order was ready in 10-15 minutes from ordering on the phone. Sweet lady helped me out with the order and was super friendly. When I got home, the soup was still hot so it was very enjoyable. They do not skimp on the ingredients, my bowl was filled with pork belly and tofu. Side dishes were tasty and came packed on the side. Great portions and price. After tax, about $20 for a pork belly tofu soup.

    Cheese Tonkatsu ($17.99), Ox Bone Soup ($17.99), Stir Fried Squid ($21.99) & plentiful ban chan!
    Evonne C.

    [Food] Takeout - Cheese Tonkatsu ($17.99): Pretty good, although I wish the tonkatsu patty was a tad bit thicker, but honestly, can't complain because I was shocked there were two tonkatsu portions when most places usually only give you one portion! - Ox Bone Soup ($17.99): I saw that they added a new poster advertising this. Served with noodles. Flavor and portion wise was good! I'm excited to try their other soups! - Stir Fried Squid ($21.99): Flavorful and again plentiful! We ended up making our own kimchi fried rice with this as the protein. - Ban chan (complimentary): Wow I was pleasantly surprised with so much ban chan included! Loved all of them! [Service] - Helpful, fast, friendly [Ambiance] - [[HIGHLIGHT]]Small, casual, homey restaurant[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] - [[HIGHLIGHT]]Parking is located in a small plaza[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [Overall] - Love that this area now has a Korean restaurant! I'm definitely going to be a return customer - I would rate this place closer to a 4.5 but I rounded up because honestly, the flavors, portion, and affordability is amazing for the location. - Edit: Please note that there's been some price increase since my review

    Plating no 2
    David L.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]This place is awesome! It's not a very big place. But they can handle a large party![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] My jageun-eomoni comes here all the time with her family. So this place can do both big groups and cozier gatherings. The food was awesome! The galbi tang was very yummy. And the banchan is so good that my other Korean friends started boxing all the leftovers! Service was great! They made short work of my group of about 30 hungry Asian women. And then some. Orders were all taken with only one mistake? (No one is perfect... also 29/30 ain't bad). The food came out quick! I only waited 3 or 4 minutes to receive my galbi tang! Service was very attentive as well! They brought us water and hot tea. They gave us another bowl of tang when they were too quick in bussing the tables! And they even gave 4 kids free Korean ice cream from their frozen dessert fridge! Surely they will take care of you! I will go back for other stuff. And it's only in CV/Dub so I don't have to drive all the way to SJ! Check 'em out! Solid A+

    Army Stew
    Aerielle S.

    This place is certainly a hidden gem! Came at 8:20pm and we were the last customers to be served (place close at 9pm). The grandma was polite and had good service. The place is small but efficient. I came with 2 friends and ordered the army stew and kimchi fried rice. Both were so delicious! Not overwhelming in flavor at all and full of goodies. We weren't even able to finish all the food so we happily packed it to go. For the price, the army stew is big and easily shareable. I would come here again and recommend to anyone that needs a new Korean spot to try!

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    9 days ago

    Great food, Banchan dishes were exceptional. We ordered the spicy braised short rib. Would come again.

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    Ask the Community - BigSpoon Korean Restaurant

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    The FIFA finals were on. The wife and I just wanted some food and watch the game. We decided to…read morefinally try Fore Wings knowing all other places would be packed up for the game. They did have TV's and the game was on. A couple empty tables that allowed us in. Wings were great. Cooked quite well and crispy. Had a few craft beers on tap. You order at the front grab a tag and they bring the food and drinks to you. The original sauce and Louisiana rub were quite good. The Garlic Parmesan was a bit plain. The interior felt more like a fast food joint vs a restaurant. But still had everything you need. No table service though.

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    My little brothers really enjoy the chicken and fries here so we stop by whenever we have the…read morechance. During our recent visit, we ordered the Crispy Chicken w/ Honey Butter, Honey Butter French Fries & Cheddar Fries to dine in and Crispy Chicken w/ Honey Butter & Crispy Fried Chicken to go. Hits: * Honey Butter & Cheddar Fries are good. The seasoning is placed on top of the fries but make sure you spread it thoroughly throughout all fries to ensure it's not too salty. * Honey Butter Crispy Chicken is delicious and perfectly fried. The seasoning powder isn't extremely salty and pairs well with the chicken. Average: * Regular Crispy Fried Chicken was decent. It's fried well and not over cooked but it's kind of bland. Final Verdict: Solid 4/5. The chicken here is good. It's always on point and fried perfectly. It's the right amount of crisp and with the seasoning it's a good mixture. The fries are good as well. The fries aren't too thin. They also offer a sort of vinegar radish on the side and it pairs so well with the chicken. If you are planning to dine in, there are plates, forks and spoons for utilize. The staff is nice and the store is also very clean. I do want to try other foods that the store offers besides chicken since those are the only items I've had so far from the menu.

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