I visited Gogi Friends recently after seeing a post on their Instagram about a discount for healthcare workers. When we arrived, we mentioned it to the staff and showed them the post, and they were happy to apply the discount to our check. The food here is fantastic. The variety of Korean side dishes were all delicious. We ordered the soybean paste soup, corn cheese, and steamed eggs, and each one was spot on. In addition to the menu items, they have a buffet area with different types of food to choose from. The thinly sliced brisket was good quality as well. The service was incredibly quick and our server came by frequently to check on us and see if we needed to order anything else or if we were doing okay. read more

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I came here on a Friday after work for dinner. I have many memories at this particular location all the way back to when it was a different restaurant (Heebeen) and multiple other restaurants have recycled through. The layout has actually stayed the same throughout the years. Gogi Friends has a really good deal on Korean BBQ in the NoVA area. With the basic AYCE option, you still get to order 1 piece of premium meat per person. Meat quality isn't premium like Ingle or Meokja, but it is passable. They have unlimited sides and limited buffet type of foods available. I thought everything was good especially the small kimchi pancake. The brisket was quite good along with the marinated short rib. Those two types of meats were all I tried and honestly that is all you need. The grills had to be changed after every round of meat, but the workers were very quick about replacing it. Their corn cheese, egg, and soup were also pretty good. The restaurant can hold a decent number of people and large groups as well as smaller groups. They had a special discount for healthcare and military workers for 10% off. Basically, covers the tax. Service was also good and quick. At the end, they gave a small ice cream. I would come back again as this is a good deal in this area for a $36/person dinner. Lunch is $25 per person during weekdays 11 am -3 pm. Lunch on weekends and holidays for $28/person. read more

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Of the several Korean restaurants in NoVA we have visited, we believe Gogi Friends has the tastiest food. We came early afternoon to take advantage of the weekday AYCE lunch. For what you get, the $25 per adult price is reasonable. All the tables in the front dining room were taken, so we were seated in the larger rear dining room. Our server was absolutely fabulous in every respect. On our visit there was an auto-tip of 20%. But because our server was so good, we added extra tip. As is typical in Korean barbecues, each table has its own grill. The server will cook your meat for you. For our first round of meat, we ordered the Hawaiian Beef and Pork belly. What makes the beef Hawaiian is the bits of pineapple in the meat. Both the Hawaiian beef and the pork belly were excellent. For our second round, we ordered the spicy chicken. JP loved it! With your meat, you get sides. We requested the steamed egg and corn cheese. The steamed egg is made with broth and is delicious. The corn cheese was good. In addition, you're provided with steamed rice and an excellent salad made with nice fresh lettuce and a tasty vinaigrette. But wait, there's more! You also get banchan. The kimchi was extra good and so were the banchan dipping sauces. And there's still more! With your ACYE meal you can go to the buffet table laden with treats like spring rolls, tempura sweet potatoes, kimchi pamcakes, two different kinds of noodles, chicken wings plus a few more snacks. To complete our meal, we were given ice cream bars on a stick (vanilla ice cream with a dark chocolate shell). This was very good ice cream. You betcha we will be back, we really love Gogi's! Side note: the Menu link is broken on Gogi's web page, so refer to Yelp's Gogi photos to see the menu. Also, it would be nice if they left a menu at the table so you can have a better idea of what to order for subsequent requests. read more

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I wish I had more meats to give a full review on Gogi friends, but we ordered way too much brisket and that kind of limited how much I was able to try. The brisket was good but I felt like the kalbi was just a bit tougher than I'm used to. Not much meat was on my cut. Service was fast. I felt it was a little abrupt when they brought the bill just because we hadn't ordered in a while but were well within our table of time limit of 90 minutes. Felt a bit rushed. Ambience is casual . Lots of space inside, good for family and groups. I think the place is a good staple neighborhood kbbq that's reliable and there's a bar in the front. read more

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Wen is the BEST server ever! She was our magical girl from start to finish. The food was superb and they have a HAPPY HOUR! We stumbled upon this when we googled Korean bbq in the area after leaving the Korean spa down the street. The prices were very reasonable and they cook for you! There was no wait and all the service was phenomenal! We will definitely be back! read more

Gogi Friends - Happy hour! - Korean Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Interior is dimly light but spacious in size. Fairly clean but with random boxes of supplies in some areas. Food was good! They had a good selection of banchan, and the AYCE also includes soup and one cheesy corn appetizer. Their sauces were really good too and the salad was seasoned well. There was even a small dessert at the end. Service was good. Our server was attentive and reasonably arrived when we asked for water refill. I would come back here again! read more

Gogi Friends - Salad, sauces, & side dishes - Korean Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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My cousin and I had dinner here on Saturday night and really enjoyed our meal! The staff were all really friendly and the service was quick! We would place an order and less than a minute later, it was delivered. The restaurant is pretty big too and reminded me of restaurants in Korea. It was giving pocha vibes. We loved all the kpop music they played too. Such a fun experience with yummy food! read more

I absolutely loved this place! I wish they had a kimchi bar, but their food was phenomenal!

My friends invited me to this place in Virginia to try the lunch special all you can eat Korean barbecue. They have good collection of meat for the lunch special. Service is great. They continuously check on your drill to ensure the meat is cooked. Price is very nominal as well. Parking is easy to find in this area. Ambiance is good. Lots of space. read more

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The service was amazing, friendly, chatty but not too much. Friendly enough to make us laugh and give that positive vibe. Once you request for your next protein, they come immediately and stay to cook and prep it up. There were some fried chicken on the self serve buffet area along with the condiments that were surprisingly good. Five stars for this hole in the wall place and will definitely come back for my next Korean BBQ craving. read more

Wonderful AYCE options and appetizer bar! Free ice cream too after ~ we got the beef brisket and miso pork belly that was the highlight!

Awesome place for KBBQ and it is cheaper than fan favorite Kogiya, equally good sauce that goes with the meat unlike other bbq places and offers more. 1. Reservation: a must Or else you'll have to wait at least 20-30 mins on a normal night and much longer on evenings. 2. Food: 4.5 stars - delicious, their AYCE price is a bit cheaper than others. - they do have extra options like fried chicken! - I also like they ask if you want the soup or not. Other places just bring it and when people don't drink the soup, it is just a waste. I like they bring if you want instead of just bring to all. 3. Drinks: good fun mixed drinks are available, which is an upside over others. 4. Ambience: less loud, not much stinky smell from bbq I hate going to kbbq for 1 reason: the smell on clothes, body and hair. You have to shower and do full on laundry and that is so much work! HERE, however, it was not like that. This is why it is amazing here. 5. Service: sometimes a bit absent minded and we have to remind twice for everything. read more

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Everything was great from the entering ti sitting down to enjoy food! Wonderful service and a good selection too! read more

The best tasting Korean BBQ in the DMV!! Hands down the best!! Good costumer service and the manager super nice.

This is a very fun KBBQ spot in Alexandria. Food - Great, their all-you-can-eat has lots of different options. They have 3 sauces, and all 3 are at least decent. The brisket is good, the steaks (regular and marinated) were good too, and the bulgogis were good as well. The Hawaiian bulgogi, if you're wondering, is just bulgogi but a bit sweeter. Service - Good Parking - They have a parking lot outside. Overall, this place is great. read more

Gogi Friends - Sauces and brisket - Korean Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

This restaurant has a typical korean BBQ place problem. If you go there alone, you're not welcome. Manager asked me how many people and I said one person, then he did not look happy, so I said it's okay and walked away. I remember this restaurant used to be Heebin and Heebin never treated me this way. Not going back to the restaurant. read more

This is my go to place for lunchtime Korean bbq. For $20 per person, you can't go wrong here. And unlike other Korean bbq places, it's unlimited steamed egg and soup. And the offer is good until 5 pm too! If you haven't already tried, the pork kalbi is a must too! read more

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It was Saturday night when we visited and we had 5-10mins wait. The staff has a good system that makes everything so easy from dining process, ordering, to checking out. The crew who was assisting us, ace it. The place is huge and could handle big groups indeed. If you are more than 8pax highly suggest to do reservation below than you could easily walk-in and wait. It looks neat inside and you can also see how they prepare their meat. The menu has a lot of options. From beef, chicken, pork, and seafood. They have $32 (Adult) on weekend and options were pretty decent. We received a complimentary Melona (ice cream) when we checked out too. Just note that the gratuity is automatically charged, this might be because of the service you will receive wherein they take care of your food from serving to cooking it. Overall experience was really good. read more

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This is one of my favorite kbbq restaurants in the area. I like that it doesnt get super crazy crowded like some of the other spots in annandale or centreville. The service is usually very attentive - they will ask you if you want them to grill for you or do it yourself. We love the sirloin, pork bellys, and intestine! Also we love the corn cheese, egg jjim and salad to balance everything out. It is usually lit pretty dark with the music playing in the background but nothing too loud where you cant hear the conversation. read more

Gogi Friends is one of my top favorite KBBQ spots in Virginia. Their meat tastes very tender and they have a nice selection of unlimited options to pick from. They provide side dishes such as kimchi, salad, bean sprouts, and picked radishes. On top of that, they also include steamed eggs, soybean paste soup, and cheese corn. My girlfriend and I love their tteok-bokki and pork belly. The staff is very attentive and quick, and they even help us cook the meat. This place is a great option if you're craving all you can eat kbbq! read more

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I've been coming to this location for over 20 years. It's been many different restaurants in that time. This was my first time at Gigi. I must say, it's the same ol run down building that hasn't been refreshed in all that time. This has to be one of the lowest quality meat n food I've experienced at a AYCE KBBQ. Our server was amazing. She made the subpar food experience go by with a smile. The hot bar is a joke. Workers slicing and handling meat with no gloves. All the pon chon side dishes weak. Even their sesame oil was watered down w little no sesame smell. The sauces were weak n couldn't save the low quality meat. Adding an automatic 20% tip is a negative. Walking out $45 out the door, it def was not worth it, nor would I come back. read more

I visited Gogi Friends a long time ago when they first opened, and at that time, my experience wasn't great due to the staff's lack of training and slow service. However, I decided to give it another try today, and I can say they've made noticeable improvements in both service and the quality of the meats, which I really appreciated. I recommend coming earlier for dinner, as you may have to wait during peak hours. As with most KBBQ places, the restaurant is fairly loud with music, but that's part of the typical Korean barbecue atmosphere. The all-you-can-eat menu is extensive, though I found it odd that they limit the corn cheese side to just one serving--after that, you have to pay for it. Even so, the portion of corn cheese is quite small compared to other places, and I didn't find it very good. The meat quality was much better this time. My favorites were the Hawaiian bulgogi and the Top Blade steak. The Hawaiian bulgogi might be the best I've had--you can actually taste the pineapple aftertaste with each bite of the meat. Overall, the service was great; our server was attentive, though it did take a while to receive our side dishes. All in all, it was a great experience, and the pricing is fair for an all-you-can-eat KBBQ. read more

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Heard about this new spot via Tiktok. Went on a Friday night around 6pm-wait time was only 15 minutes! it was very busy but the server was amazing!!! shoutout to Sabrina! The menu is packed with a bunch of meats to try! my favorite side was the steamed egg! The vibe is casual and friendly. Keep in mind there is a 16 % tip auto included. for 2 people it will fall under 100-110 range for dinner drinks included. read more

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Very generous portions. Good price. They constantly came around to ask if we needed more meat or sides. They were friendly when we needed help grilling. They changed the grill after every round. read more

On a freezing Friday night, bae and I decided to check out Gogi Friends in Alexandria, VA. Parking was a breeze (thank you, cold weather), and the restaurant was fairly quiet--just a small birthday party adding some lively energy to the otherwise chill vibe. We were seated quickly, but when we got to our table, we noticed a few side dishes already waiting for us: salad, a broccoli mix, and a sauce dish. Naturally, we wondered if these were leftovers or freshly set. Our server joked about it being leftovers before clarifying they'd placed them just as we arrived. Suspicious timing, but hey, we were hungry and rolled with it. The server handed us a QR code for the menu and mentioned that if we had questions, we could ask. When bae asked about the process, the answers were vague at best. Thankfully, I'd been to Korean BBQ before, so I gave bae the lowdown: * You can order unlimited meat, but only three types at a time. * Unlimited sides include rice, vegetables, steamed egg, soybean paste soup, and corn cheese (your first order of corn cheese is free, and trust me, you'll want more). * It's $32 per person for the unlimited experience--a great deal if you pace yourself. We chose spicy chicken, Hawaiian bulgogi, and marinated steak for our first round. The marinated steak was the clear winner--perfectly tender and flavorful. The Hawaiian bulgogi was decent, though it could've used more seasoning (easily fixed with a little sauce). As for the spicy chicken, it was just okay--not spicy enough and a little underwhelming overall. The star of the night? The corn cheese. If you've never had it, it's creamy, cheesy perfection. Don't even try to share--order your own because you'll want every bite. We skipped the steamed egg (it didn't look very appetizing) and filled up on rice, meat, and the small veggie portions. Speaking of sides, the portions are small by design, but you can always ask for refills. By the end of our first round, we were stuffed and didn't go back for more. At $32 per person, though, we still felt like we got our money's worth. Our total came to $80.64, which included an auto-tip of $12.80 and $3.64 in taxes. Pros: * Great value for unlimited Korean BBQ. * The marinated steak and corn cheese are must-haves. * Fast seating and attentive service. Cons: * Servers don't explain the process thoroughly, so first-timers might feel a little lost. * Side dish portions are small, but you can request more. Final Verdict: Gogi Friends is like the Fogo de Chão of Korean BBQ--an all-you-can-eat feast with quality meats and a fun, interactive experience. If you love Korean BBQ or are curious to try it, this is a solid spot to visit. Just come prepared to order strategically and save room for the corn cheese! Would I come back? Absolutely. Would I skip the chicken and double up on steak? 100%. read more

Not sure what's going on with Gogi Friends, but we're pretty much done with this place. We came here as a large group for a gathering, and from beginning to end, it was just a mess. Not sure if they're struggling, but they keep changing the menu, the format, as well as the quality and the flavors of their dishes. Their bibim nengmyun that we really enjoy, was disgusting - the noodles were not prepared properly, and it came out as one sticky clump. The spicy sauce had absolutely no flavor, and there was only like a teaspoon of it, in which it couldn't even dress the noodles properly (in addition to the noodles just being a sticky clump). Multiple orders of these were not finished. The galbi, which is usually good, was inedible - the marinade seemed to have changed, as it is sickly and syrupy sweet, and not the savory delicious taste that we've had in the past. Also, the portions have shrunk exponentially, so there's no value. Not sure how we could have been more clearer, but our server, while nice, put in inaccurate orders, even after she repeated the orders, verbally, afterwards - we ended up paying for 3 additional a la carte marinated galbi... We were hardly checked in on, as we needed refills on banchans, updates on when our food was coming out, missing orders, and getting the check. Since they automatically include an 18% gratuity to all checks, regardless of the group size, I think the service that's being offered is 'optional', and you can clearly see that. Ample parking in the lot. +poor quality and consistency of menu items +stingy portions +inaccurate checks +inattentive service +automatic 18% gratuity included on all checks, regardless of party size +ample parking read more

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Terrible quality, the place is very run down and the appetizer bar is underwhelming. The quality of the beef was terrible as well

Great service and great quality meat. Lunch pricing is so cheap for AYCE, and has been my girlfriend's go to for awhile! read more

Gogi Friends - Korean Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

This has become our favorite KBBQ spot in the area. The food is always so good and the staff serves quickly so you don't have to wait around all day for food. I enjoy the atmosphere and always have a good time here. read more

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Had a great time going here. Plenty of options for meat choices and great selection at appetizer buffet area. First time ever going to Korean bbq place and staff was super helpful and friendly. Highly recommend! read more

Gogi Friends is definitely an option for your standard all you can eat ($32 for dinner) Korean BBQ. I'd recommend getting there a little early to wait. We came on a Friday night and because we were a party of less than 6 we were told that they couldn't 'reserve' a table but that they would have a table ready when we got there. Once we arrived we were told that it would be a 5 minute wait which was fine, but ultimately ended up being about a 15 minute wait which was pretty disappointing. It also seemed as though other people in the waiting area were told a time which was shorter than what they were actually experiencing. The normal 'on the table' KBBQ sides were standard with an assortment of vegetables and rice. The ordered sides were just fine. We got the corn cheese (one per table) and the rice cakes but I probably wouldn't order these again. The meats varied from being decent to really good. I enjoyed the Top Blade Steak the most and found the Hawaiian bulgogi to lack some flavor. The portion sizes were pretty large which can be good if you're in a large group, but for 2 people it also limits the amount of items you can try. The ambiance was pretty on par for KBBQ and though we did not decide to have any drinks the drink menu looked tasty. The service here was decent. Once we were at our table we were able to order quickly, but did have to ask for a couple things like extra sauces and sides multiple times. They do cook the food for you at the table which is nice, however sometimes it did seem like the grill was a little cool which caused long wait times to eat. Overall, if you haven't tried Gogi Friends and need a Korean BBQ place to try, you aren't making a bad decision going here, but I don't think I would go out of my way to give it a try or return. read more

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Variety of cuts of meats(thick to thin) Quality of the meats was great Clean, seated immediately Excellent table service, not hovering but well timed so we did not feel rushed read more

Wow! What an amazing jewel of a place. Absolutely loved the food and hospitality. Me and my cousin stopped in from a long day of traveling and Gogi took amazing care of us. We will definitely be back and recommend this gem! The corn cheese was awesome! read more

Nice Korean BBQ place with grills on the tables. Table comes set up with a fresh salad bowl and dipping sauces. Then you choose your meat/veggie/side options that they bring out as you want them and cook them for you. They also have a self-serve appetizer bar with 8-10 items to choose from. Inside was nicely decorated and seemed very clean. Price is reasonable for all you can eat. 20%tip is added automatically, but our server was very attentive and certainly seemed to earn this. read more

My first time at a Korean bbq and me and my family enjoyed every minute. We were able to order different types of fresh meat like steak and pork belly. The waiter cooked it for us which was great because I don't trust myself lol. The side dishes gave each bite a different flavor which I loved. The waiter was a bit uptight but loosened up a bit as time went on. He automatically knew to get me and hubby forks because we wasn't going to make it with those chopsticks lol. The restaurant was pretty chill and dark with tvs all around, it wasn't super packed on a Sunday so that was great. This place has definitely sparked my interest to try other Korean bbqs! read more

Gogi Friends - Lots of fun drink flavors - Korean Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Deliciousness - 4/5 Happiness - 4/5 A good, above-average Korean BBQ that's. You'll find it's packed wall to wall on the weekends, always a good sign. I still prefer the Annandale joints (like Kogiya and Oegadgib), but this is well worth a visit too. There is a very broad array of beef and chicken offered, which I appreciate as I don't eat pork (and a lot of these places are very pork heavy). The bulgogi and the brisket - standard staples - were both very good. But particularly amazing (and unique) was the spicy chicken, top blade steak, and especially the marinated steak. For those lovers of pineapple, they also have Hawaiian-style preparation. I also can't commend the terra twister enough - a GIANT serving of soju and beer that you can have form a twister middle school science project style! Also, absolutely make sure to ask for the included melon/mango ice pops at the end, my kids still rave about it. So why not 5 stars? The sides here were incredibly underwhelming other than the pickled jalapenos. The soup was particularly uninspired. Also, the service was very slow. It ran about 10 minutes from order to receipt, particularly for things like rice and eggs. I know it's a big place that was well packed, but that's a long time to wait. Also, it was very expensive (moreso than it's also expensive competitors). But between the variety of foods and the awesomeness of the twister, I give it thumbs up! read more

Gogi Friends - Beer and soju tornado!! - Korean Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Gogi has the best lunch deal! $20 for all you can eat K BBQ during the week. Of course the selection is a bit more limited under this special, but it's still got all of the essentials like Brisket, spicy pork belly, bulgolgi, and more. The weekend dinner price is a little more at $32 per person, but the menu is much larger and includes things like shrimp, squid, steak, and octopus. It also come with a free ice cream for dessert. The sides rotate every day so you never really know what you're going to get. The sauces are OK, but my favorite is one that I actually have to ask for, the Sesame oil with salt. Kids under 3 eat free which we love because we have 2 kids that don't eat that much. We've been here a few times now, and will definitely be back again. read more

Gogi Friends - The sides and sauces - Korean Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Came here on a Friday to take advantage of the 20$ lunch promo. To be honest I wasn't expecting much, but I was wrong. When I first got here the parking lot was pretty full, but I still managed to get parking close to the store entrance. The store shares a parking lot with other businesses, so I can imagine how it might fill up fast on the weekends. Inside the restaurant looks trendy, a place a younger crowd would enjoy. We ordered, brisket, bulgogi, chicken, and pork belly. Everything tasted great. I actually enjoyed the chicken which I don't actually like eating chicken at most places. The thick cut pork belly was fresh and I enjoyed that as well. My only gripe is that they don't have a spicy version of the thick cut pork belly, but that's just me. Overall our server was very attentive, and you really get a great deal here. read more

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SO- $32.99 you will only get to enjoy the top portion of the menu- Kalbi wouldn't be included. You can't even get French fries ~ which makes me think it's pretty lame--!! Please make sure you read your final receipt bc 20% tip is automatically added on. I'm also a bit concerned with them using the same tong for raw and cooked meat! Wouldn't that be against hygiene safety standards ? I liked their pork belly thin sliced and liked their pineapple marinated bulgogi. That's about it. I think their corn with cheese is also limited with one per guest. If you do the $32.99 AYCE. read more

Gogi Friends - Korean Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

This is our go-to spot for Korean BBQ. The wait usually isn't too long, and we love all the sides--especially the cheesy corn, salad etc. The meats are always good, and they usually cook for you, which is always nice. It's always a great time! read more