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    Dondam

    4.6 (37 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Assorted boiled pork
    Ernest C.

    This new spot came out swinging--and it's already making a serious impression. Their assorted boiled pork is one of the best I've had in Orange County: tender, juicy, and packed with clean, savory pork flavor, with just enough fat to keep every bite silky without feeling heavy. A little saeu-jeot (새우젓) adds that briny, funky punch that sharpens the meat's sweetness, and a bottle of soju gives the whole meal a crisp, clean finish that makes it even more satisfying. Don't skip the fresh kimchi--it's noticeably better than the standard kimchi served at the start, with a brighter crunch and a fragrant kick that pairs beautifully with the pork. If you're ordering more soju, definitely ask for extra soup too. The service was warm and attentive throughout, and this is the kind of place that turns a good meal into a memorable one. Bottom line: outstanding pork, thoughtful sides, and genuinely warm service make this an easy must-return spot.

    Menu
    Julie-Ann B.

    This place was amazing from service, ambience to food quality. The combo B was fire , and it was a lot of food. The special thing that others may not realize is that they serve "minari" (water celery) with pork belly, which we only had in restaurants in South Korea. We haven't seen "minari" anywhere around the US until we came to this place. Definitely this place is worth your money. We enjoyed everything here: the meat, banchan and the sauces. I would recommend for the restaurant to not overcook the steamed egg and that's about it. We would like to gate keep this place too, but at the same time, we wanted them to have more customers.

    Elizabeth P.

    We went to try a new to us spot for Korean food. The "pancake" appetizer was soft and cold. A wee bit disappointing. The galbitang with vegetables had no flavor and the meat was tough. The combo of cold noodles with pork was mid. Nothing notable about the flavor or taste. The mixed spicy noodle was a fail. My son took a few bites and ended up taking it to go (into the trash). The best thing about this restaurant is the side dishes. They were well made.

    Brisket - Good
    Bellana N.

    I've been trying to find a place that tastes and has the ambiance like authentic Korean bbq from Korea and I honestly might have found it here. We purchased the combo meal for 4 and it was really good. The meat quality for both the beef and pork was really fresh and delicious. The side dishes were also very good quality and tastes authentic. The service was also outstanding as they cooked all the meats for us and was so quick to help us with any questions or requests (despite how busy they were!) The combo meal came with steamed egg, chive pancake, kimchi soup, and ramen and they were all really good. I would come back here just for those 4 alone! Overall I thought the price and quality and amount of food was good for the price.

    Price differenance
    Injoo H.

    Dondam has only been open for about two months, and we had such a great experience! We came with our kids, and it was such a relaxing meal because the staff grilled all of the meat for us. Everyone was friendly, attentive, and made us feel welcome from start to finish. One thing that really stood out was the combo pricing. The price difference between the 2-person combo and the 4-person combo is surprisingly small, so it honestly makes more sense to order the 4-person combo. You get so much more food for just a little extra, making it an excellent value. The meat quality was great, but I also loved the side dishes. The myeong-i leaves and fresh wrap vegetables were the main reason I wanted to visit, and they didn't disappoint. Even if you're not a big meat eater, there are plenty of side dishes to enjoy. Bonus tip: Leave a Yelp review and you'll get a free full-size chive pancake! (The one in our photo was the complimentary mini version served as a side dish.) We'll definitely be coming back. Great food, excellent service, and a very family-friendly Korean BBQ spot!

    Pork Soup with Sausage
    Tiffany Y.

    Looking for the perfect hearty meal that not only is good for the soul, but also for health? The flavors and comfort of these dishes will definitely hit the spot, especially when looking for a tasty Korean meal. I had to go with the classic Dwaeji Gukbap, Korean Pork Soup + blood sausage, and it was perfect! You can add in the side of chives and season it to your liking with salt, pepper, and together it becomes the perfect heartwarming meal. With the tender and thin slices of pork, each bite is one worth savoring. The banchans are also refreshing and tasty! Especially the kimchi as they actually use oysters, which really gives it a subtle sweetness. We also got the Jeju Style Pork Noodle, which had a generous portion of pork slices. The broth was a bit creamier in comparison to the Pork Soup, but similarity, you would add the seasoning to the level of your preference. We also got to sample the chive pancake, which I think had little bits of seafood in it! This was savory and crispy, especially when paired with the dipping sauce. Compared to the restaurants that used to occupy this space (Jinsol Gukbap), the menu has more variety with more combos on barbecued meat options as well as large soup specials where you can share with another person. The dining area is pretty spacious and the service was super friendly. Will definitely be back to try more items on the menu!

    B combo for 4
    Jw C.

    Nice decor. Place was clean. Restrooms clean. Had the B combo. Service was amazing. Some meats were pan seared and others were grilled. Nice touch given the variety of meats. Pancake was a bit soft. I got used to expecting crunchy pancakes. Kimchi was great. Not too spicy and filling flavor. Ended with cold noodles and it was much bigger than expected. It was a lot of food.

    Khang L.

    Decided to stop by for lunch during my break. This place took over another korean place that was here, and the sign is in Korean, so you won't see "Dondam". The place was empty during lunch, but service was quick. Food came out pretty quick after I ordered and tasted good!

    Jimmy T.

    We had the spicy brisket with the chive pancake. The food was delicious, the staff were friendly and helpful. Definitely comeback and highly recommend someone who love Korean food!

    Yahaira N.

    Authentic food! It was so delicious! Th flavors are bold and it s good amount of food for 2 people. $50 and we got so much! Pork combo set comes with ramen, scalion pancake, steamed eggs. All the sides! The restaurant just opened so it was empty! I hope more people come! It was very good!

    Shannon Z.

    Came on a weeknight and there was no wait. Service was good and food came out quickly! Ordered the Korean chives pancakes which were super delicious - on the thinner side and crispy around the edges. Also got the spicy cold noodles - it was HEAVY on the horseradish moreso than other naengmyeon dishes I've tried. The flavor was pretty much mostly just horseradish flavor and my nose was burning - still yummy though!

    Full and still so much food left

    Food was great and service was nice and friendly. Portions are huge. Food was flavorful and sides were fresh.

    First round of meat for the beef/pork combo

    Food is great and the service is amazing! Clean and comfortable restaurant. I accidentally left my wallet on the chair and did not notice till later that day. The server who helped us was hanging onto my wallet and he was relieved I cane back to get it. So touched by this server! Sorry I didn't catch his name. Delicious KBBQ and amazing service!

    Pancakes

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    12 days ago

    "Great Korean BBQ! Fresh meat, tasty sides, awesome service, and a fun atmosphere. 10/10!"

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    1 month ago

    This is my first time here and I definitely will be coming back. I ordered the cold noodle combo with galbi.

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    3 months ago

    Best gookbap ever! Very kind staff, professional service, and amazing quality food. Definitely coming back to Dondam

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    4 months ago

    The food was really good, the meat is very fresh. Service is excellent, we found our favorite spot

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    Smoke Queen Barbecue

    Smoke Queen Barbecue

    4.3
    (1.1k reviews)
    4.3 mi
    $$

    I feel like a yelper that's been living under rocks. Can't believe I never heard of this place…read moreuntil I recently saw my fellow yelper Van D's review. This is western BBQ with an Asian flair. I think the flavor is better and slightly less heavy than a traditional American BBQ. Everything was so packed with flavor, can't really pick a favorite among so many great proteins. Smoked Brisket was melt-in-your-mouth tender with a nice smokey taste. Green Curry Sausage was definitely unique with a really nice Thai infused flavors. Was slightly spicy with strong green curry and lemongrass flavors. Canton Bowl, which comes with smoked pork belly char siu, siu yuk (pork belly with super crispy skin), and coconut rice, was excellent as well. The siu yuk was really good with super crispy/crunchy skin. House-made BBQ sauces were quite good. I really like the gochujang bbq sauce. It has decent amount of heat with a sweet & spicy taste. The regular house BBQ sauce has a tangy, sweet taste with a very subtle heat. It's located at Cottage Industries. Not exactly sure what to call it. It's somewhat like a small community of restaurants and shops with a garden and a play area for kids. Parking is very limited so will most likely need to park on the streets along residential area. Service is minimal. You order at the counter and they give you a buzzer to let you know when the food is ready. Seating is only available outside in the covered patio area but you can also pick any of the community tables and chairs within Cottage Industries.

    How did I NOT know about Smoke Queen BBQ when they have 1K+ reviews?! I'm around this area almost…read moreevery week and somehow this place has never popped up on my Yelp radar. Unheard of! Anyway, hubby heard about a promo through AM 570 where if you dine in and whisper "570," you get their promo sando with a side AND a drink for $5.70, normally around $18! At that price, it's practically free, so obviously we had to investigate. We made sure to get there right before opening and waited about 10 minutes. Luckily, there were only two other parties ahead of us. While standing there, I couldn't help but notice that this entire food center is literally smack dab in the middle of residential homes. I feel for the poor neighbors next door and across the street who probably have to deal with all the traffic and noise pollution. Thank goodness I don't live here. WELL...back to me and my food. As soon as the doors opened, they immediately started taking orders. Smoke Queen is basically fast casual with no indoor seating, but they have a cute backyard patio that probably seats around 30 people. If that's full, you can wander into the surrounding outdoor food hall--which I later discovered is Cottage Industries--where there are plenty of little seating areas scattered around. The only thing that is NOT plentiful? Parking. More on that another time. For the promo, I got the brisket sando with dirty rice, and hubby got the pulled pork sando with cornbread, both with fountain drinks. After ordering, we waited about 10 minutes before our little ringer buzzed and our food was ready. First thing I appreciated: the sandos don't come drowning in BBQ sauce. THANK YOU. You can add as much or as little as you want, which is perfect for people like us who aren't huge fans of super sweet BBQ sauces. My brisket was tender and well made, although for some reason I couldn't really taste much smoke. I swear I have this problem at BBQ places--am I the problem?! Either way, the meat itself was good, and their BBQ sauce had a nice balance of tartness and flavor that really helped bring the sandwich together without overpowering it. The dirty rice was also good, although I expected a little more umph. It seemed like a genius way to make use of all those precious little brisket and pulled pork bits left behind from cutting the meats--instead of letting those scraps go to waste, throw them into some rice! I fully support using every last morsel of BBQ goodness. BUT...if that's the idea, give me more of those meat pieces! Mine could've definitely used a little more. Hubby's pulled pork was good as well, but again...where's the smoke?! Maybe it's just our taste buds. Overall, the meats were tender, the food was good, the people were nice, and for $5.70, this promo was an absolute STEAL. At the normal price point, though, while I thought everything was well made, nothing quite grabbed me enough that I'd be rushing back anytime soon. Still, I'm glad we finally discovered Smoke Queen after apparently being the last people on Yelp to know it existed.

    Photos
    Smoke Queen Barbecue
    Doors open for the day ; picture of the order counter
    Doors open for the day ; picture of the order counter
    Smoke Queen Barbecue

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    Ruby Red's BBQ

    Ruby Red's BBQ

    4.4
    (1.2k reviews)
    7.5 mi
    $$

    Walking in was an experience because it wasn't at all what we expected. At first glance, it feels…read moremore like a cafeteria-style setup, so we weren't sure if it was self-service or a traditional restaurant. The host immediately greeted us with a warm smile, explained that it was a full-service restaurant, and made us feel welcome right away. We were seated almost immediately, which was a great start to our visit. The food definitely lived up to the service. I ordered the chicken plate since I don't eat mammals, and it was flavorful, juicy, and cooked perfectly. My partner ordered the large beef rib. At first, he was surprised because the meat was served off the bone instead of on it, but after the first bite, that didn't matter anymore. The flavor was rich, the meat was incredibly tender, and it quickly became one of the highlights of the meal. One thing you shouldn't skip is trying the different BBQ sauces. They offer three varieties, and each brings something different to the table. My personal favorite was the original it complemented everything perfectly. If you're looking for delicious BBQ with genuinely welcoming service, this spot is absolutely worth a visit. We'll definitely be back.

    Ruby Red's BBQ in La Habra is definitely an experience. The Western/saloon décor is awesome --…read morechandeliers, old-school decorations, the bar... there's something to look at everywhere. You can tell a lot of thought went into making this place different. The BBQ itself, per usual, was fairly dry. The flavor is there, but I'd love to see the meats come out a little more tender and juicy. The SIDES though!!! BOMB. The corn and bean combo was easily my favorite. And then came the fresh-baked cookies... way better than Crumbl. I said what I said. I also really liked seeing the note from the owners, Steve and Tammy. They explain that they smoke their meats for 16 hours, make their sides, sauces and desserts from scratch, and don't use preservatives, additives, fillers or nitrites. Steve even puts his own number there and asks customers to reach out with suggestions. Whether everything comes out perfect or not, you have to respect owners willing to put their name and number right there and actually ask for feedback. And shoutout to the bartender! I forgot his name, but he usually works the late afternoon/night shift. That dude is awesome. Friendly, attentive and makes you want to hang around for another beer. Then there's Connie. She's apparently a regular. If you see her, you have two options: avoid eye contact... or clear your schedule. If you love conversation, you just found your new best friend. Overall: awesome atmosphere, bomb sides, ridiculous cookies, great bartender, and owners who clearly care about what they're building. Just get that BBQ a little juicier and we're in business!

    Photos
    Saloon area at Ruby Red recently
    Saloon area at Ruby Red recently
    Beignets.
    Beignets.
    S'mores waffle

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    S'mores waffle

    Dondam - korean - Updated August 2026

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