We ordered the ddukgook, spicy octopus dolsot bap, and Soondooboo. Everything we tried was delicious and the service was excellent. We will definitely be back! read more

Vibe - Overall, the place is a cute and simple little Korean restaurant! Feels a little hip as they play modern music, sometimes Korean and sometimes English. There's a bathroom towards the back right corner, only for guests. Service - Super sweet and friendly! The lady, who I think is the owner? Is so adorable. Super kind and remembered us from our first previous visit. My mom wanted to try the Soondae so she explained what it is and sort of what the taste would be like. I can agree and see that service might be a little slow but they don't seem to have many people so I'm typically pretty understanding about that. Food - Delicious! That's why we're here a second time. Food quality seems consistent so far but we've only been here two times and only during their quieter times. Tofu Japchae: Not super oily and had a light healthy taste! Japchae had lots of yummy vegetables, including wood ear mushrooms! Soondae: my mom's first try of this dish and she loved it! She told me it was really flavorful and, to her, didn't taste too much like blood. Bibim Naengmyun: These cold noodles are my mom's absolute favorite but you can't always find these in every Korean restaurant. We asked for less noodles, extra broth, and extra radish. She loves this dish because it's super refreshing and light but still packs just enough of a punch. It's not heavy or oily or anything else like some other dishes can sometimes be. We will definitely come back a third and more times because my mom does like this place! It's a really lovely restaurant. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Inside area - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

See all

So nice to find a good quality Korean dish options on this side of town! The dishes here are delicious and decently priced. We ordered bibimbap, galbi tang, KFC (Korean Fried Chicken, and Hama Wings. The galbi tang and KFC were my favorites. Hama wings were soy chili glazed and super flavorful! We came for an early dinner around 5pm and it was pretty chill. It definitely gets busy during the regular dinner rush starting around 6pm. They are located in a plaza with plenty of parking. Definitely a more modern vibe in the restaurant. Can't wait to come back and try more food. read more

See all

The food was very fresh and delicious. I got mul naengmyun since it's my go-to for hot days and I was surprised how much I liked it here. I'd give it a 9.5 out of 10. It would've been perfect if I had just a few more noodles. It came with beef, radish, cucumber, and Asian pear and ofc they give you the mustard and vinegar on the side. The side dishes were pretty good. I did wish there was more variety, but each place has their own things they make. A lot of these ones were on the sour side. The service was great. I actually felt bad since there was only one server, but she was going to every table and paid attention to us a lot. The ambiance was very relaxing. The music was a bit loud, but not overpowering with hard hitting/loud bass music, I appreciate that they played softer music. The lighting inside was nice too since it was dimmer than other places. It made the restaurant feel cool in this hot weather. I definitely will come again and try their other food. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Side dishes (banchan/반찬) - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

See all

We chose this place for lunch since we were in the area for a Taekwondo competition. The reviews online were good so we wanted to try them out. All of the food that were ordered were delicious. We ordered the beef soon du boo, Galbi tang, tofu japchae, and tofu bibimbap. The only reason why this place didn't get five stars is because the menu item that my friend wanted to order was sold out. He was really bummed about that. Otherwise, our waitress was extremely nice and friendly. Great ambience. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - 5 - K.F.C. - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

Me and my friend were craving Korean food and decided to give HamaHippo a try. Their portions are a good size for their price and they offer very fresh tasting banchan. The restaurant was also spacious, clean, and had lots of parking outside! read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

Food is fantastic. Great service. I feel like I have tried so many things and everything is fantastic. The inside is larger than I imagined- not huge, but I've never had to wait for a table. read more

Service was amazing. Dishes where phenomenal. Will definitely be back. Staff even took the time to help cut the meat off my parners meal, (he has nerve damage in his arm) read more

See all

Interior was really nice. Service was ok, a bit slow and not very attentive. The banchan was super delicious though, but very sparse for 3 people and they didn't offer refills. The veggie dumpling tofu soup was quite flavorless. I think they added too much cucumber so the flavor was quite diluted. This was a common theme in all of our tofu soups (3 of us all ordered different variants of tofu soup). read more

See all

HamaHippo is a cute korean restaurant near downtown fullerton. They have a large menu with all the classics. Service was a bit slow. They provide warm tea and lots of sides to enjoy with your meal, which I always love! We loved the japchae - great flavor on the noodles and beef plus some good veggies. The korean fried chicken was seasoned really well and had a great crunch. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - korean fried chicken - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

See all

This place is in the area of providence urgent care, and we went here for the review that says the chicken is good! I came with my kids and was assisted immediately by the beautiful smelling good lady! And since I'm just awe with the menu, which I thought rice cake is teopokki.. lol Apparently it's not, she then recommended me japchae! And I am so grateful!!! It was so good, so yummy! My kids loves it! And the chicken omg! It's so juicy and the fact that the place looks more serene but having this menu is awesome for me! Seriously! The vibe here is so calm! Bet my kids are the loudest one that day! Thumbs up for the kind lady that helps me with the menu! Annnnnddddd after the bill! Oh my!!!! She gave me 2 cup of I don't know what it was! But it was so good!!! It's like a drink! I drank my husbands cup! You're worth for sure!!! YES KFC AND JAPCHAEEEE read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Japchae - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

See all

Amazing food! Such great quality ingredients and so delicious! I love the bibimbap. It comes in a hot stone bowl with rice, protein choice, and tons of veggies. The rice gets so crispy and yummy. I also love all the little side dishes they bring out. Wonderful service! We go here often for a date night or chill time with friends. read more

The food is so comforting, you know it's made with love when the owner is the chef. The hot tofu soup hit the spot every time and with this weather you know you need it! My youngest one said she got the best Bulgogi! Thank you for working so hard Chef! read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

Japchae is bomb Cold noodles yummy Shikhye here on a hot day is glorious (the winner) Otherwise I'd def come back just for the Japchae lol =========== Banchan is ok, some is better than others We like the mashed kabocha, fishcake tastes homemade and not dry Tomato onion banchan would be better if it was colder Beef Japchae $20 Quite yummy! Beef is definitely marinated and tastes good by itself. Decent portion for the price, but everything was very enjoyable and chock full of veggies Spicy cold noodle $18ish? Served cold with one piece of brisket, half an egg, cucumbers and some pear. Always refreshing on a hot day and scissors are necessary. Didn't taste too tangy, but I also remove some gochujang sauce it comes with Ginger shikhye 53839/5 (complimentary) This is the reason why this spot gets 5 stars. Wow I have never had flavored shikhye and I am IN LOVE. It did lean on the sweet side, so I added some water BUT WOWZA. Service A little slow when it's kind of busy, but there's ac and seating available because the restaurant has like 20 tables read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Ginger shikhye - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

See all

The food here was absolutely delicious. The bibimbap was great (pro tip: leave the rice to sit and crisp for a few minutes, you won't regret it). We also got the tofu soup (not pictured) and it was amazing-- as someone who can't handle spice well, I love that you can customize the spiciness level. The aesthetic of the place is totally my style -- natural wood colors, low light, and minimal. Not only that, but staff were super friendly and gave us recommendations on what to get. Highly recommend! read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Bibimbap - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

See all

We came on the weekday and it was actually pretty poppin for lunch time. Still plenty of spots open which was great. Overall, delicious and authentic Korean food. We ordered the seafood pancake, galbi tang, and galbi rice disk. Everything we ordered was top notch... Hit the spot. They serve a warm barley tea or something instead of water which I loved for a cold day. The service was pretty quick despite only one waitress working the tables. And the restaurant interior is very vibey and cute. I love that it's tucked away in a random plaza and sorta hidden. Definitely an easily missed gem if you were just driving around. I would definitely come back when craving some Korean food! read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

See all

Solidly good Korean food located in La Habra just across from the St. Jude Providence hospital and in the same plaza as St. Jude Providence Urgent Care, One of the two best Seafood Panjun that I have ever had. You might be wondering what makes it special. HamaHippo Korean Kitchen makes the Seafood Panjun/Pancake with a light but crunchy panko crust. Seafood is fresh and not overcooked. In addition, there is no nasty gloppy dough inside that is frequently found in a lot of Korean Seafood pancakes. Galbi Tang was good but slightly pricey for its size. Dolsut Bimbimbap was good but also slightly pricey for its size. Banchan was delicious with traditional flavors. Because there's not a lot of delicious Korean restaurants in La Habra, HamaHippo Kitchen gets 5 stars from me . read more

See all

Traditional Korean food in an ambient modern setting, served by one of the most caring and most intentional owners I've seen. All of their Banchan (side dishes) are made fresh in house, and I'm obsessed with them. They have an amazing spread and everything is absolutely delicious. Whenever you're looking for Korean comfort food, this is the spot to go to! Great service, and have only had the best experiences here :) read more

See all

Ambiance: 5 very bright and chic interior design, very open space and clean Service: 5 There was only one waitress handling the floor around 5pm. Not very busy but when people started to fill in, she moved with ease and appropriately checked in with us. Food: 5 this is what gave me life after a full weekend at EDC. ALL the banchan is made in house; kimchi was delicious! (And I'm not a fan of kimchi). I ordered soondobu standard spice, which was not spicy at all (probably considered mild spicy to the softer palates). My BF ordered the Gomatang. Will return for more comfort food read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

Food are always very good Service is great . Good Korean food Ambiance is clean too. read more

Recently met Sarah, who is the sweetest most hospitable you'll ever meet. You can tell she's passionate about her food and puts lots of love in what she does. Thank you Sarah!!! read more

See all

If you're looking for great Korean wings, this is the spot. They were crunchy and full of flavor, and juicy on the inside. I was wary to try this place, because I was such a fan of what was in this location previously. I know that is of no fault of this current owner. So I finally got over it and gave it a try. Im so glad I did. Service was wonderful and food was fantastic. The bulgogi beef was delicious and flavorful. We had pan fried dumplings, which were good. We also had the scallion pancake. It was good and original, but I don't need to order it again. I loved all the sides that come complimentary with the meal, especially the fish cakes. My husband and I enjoyed our meal with some soju. I'll definitely be back. The ambiance is clean, modern and beautiful. read more

See all

Based on quality of food this place had great galbi and bibimbap. Place looks nice and clean. Friendly service. Great place for large groups or a date night. read more

See all

Food was so good definitely the best spicy tofu soup I've had, we will definitely be back service was great and quick as well! read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

Was near the place and want something warm the body after a raining day. My boyfriend and I walk in to no busy only three table was taken, so we got sorted right away by the waitress. She ask us cold water or hot tea nicely and gave us time to order. Once we got the food the waitress will leave us alone I feel too much along we have to consistently call for her for things, she doesn't come by herself ask if we need anything else or ask do you want to refill any side dishes. So the serivce is okay even tho she is not busy I see the kitchen has at least three people. As for the food it's average and little over priced. My Galbi wasn't as tender it was hard to chew. Feel like the galbi was not cook long enough. At least the portion is good because I couldn't finished. The fired chicken was too crisp for my liking almost to the dry side. Was not as tender or juicy kind of disappointing. That's is why I gave three stars read more

See all

I was craving naengmyun and noticed that this place is new in Fullerton so decided to try. Naengmyun was good! I wish there was a little more brisket but other than that I'd get it again. The soondubu was good too but my favorite part was the banchan! We loved every single one (mashed sweet potato was a surprise). The interior is beautiful and service is fast! read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Naengmyun - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

Food here was decent and parking is easy. Unfortunately, the service here was lacking.

We have been eating at this wonderful restaurant since they opened. Everything is fresh, authentic, and served in good portions. The service is friendly, kind, and courteous. We brought our church group (24) there several times and everyone loved it! BTW, none of us are Korean, so even more amazing! Give them a try! Great mom and pop business! read more

My husband and I were visiting Hearst Castle and the hot springs, and we decided to see if there were any Korean restaurants nearby, just in case. To our surprise, there was one only 6 minutes away, so we decided to check it out. It was amazing that there was a Korean restaurant in such a remote location, and we didn't have high expectations for the food. We thought it would be Chinese-style Korean food, but we were so surprised! There were so many side dishes, and the food was incredibly delicious. It was just as good as the great restaurants in our neighborhood, which has a large Korean population. We will definitely come back if we're ever in the area again. This is a hidden gem! read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

I stumbled across this restaurant for lunch and was craving cold noodles. The inside is very clean and they have a very wide range of Korean dishes. The service was good and everything came out in a prompt matter. I would return to this restaurant, but would not get the cold noodles and try something else. The side dishes were also flavorful although there were less than other traditional Korean restaurants. read more

Great food! Reviewing because I am shocked it is not mentioned more-- banchan was especially good. Great soondubu as well that gives Kaju a run for its money (cheaper AND less crowded) read more

My favorite new lunch spot. Fresh ingredients balanced flavors the staff makes you feel welcomed and like your old friends.

I got some food for a quick takeaway lunch and was very pleased with the japchae. Service was also friendly. I've tried it at other restaurants and japchae can be too oily or not flavorful - not the case here! Delicious and hit the spot. I'd come back here in a heartbeat and I'm looking forward to trying more dishes. read more

Funny experience! I came here and the plaza was in a blackout! Unfortunately I couldn't take the photos bc it's dark so I had to shine my light for my friend to take the photos HAHA she got a galbi tang and I got gomtang. The bonchon is really good and amazing! read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

See all

My girlfriend and I popped in for a casual dinner on a weeknight. The restaurant is has a modern vibe and is so clean and cozy. The service was great. The owner even stopped at our table and chatted us up, she was so friendly. The food... so good. We shared a beef bulgogi bibimbap and a beef and seafood combo tofu soup. Absolute Korean comfort food. What a great addition to the area! read more

Food: 5* Service: 5* Ambience: 5* Taste: 5* I had lunch with a colleague and friend. We ordered the Korean Fried Chicken (KFC) appetizer. It was huge, very amply portioned. It was very well seasoned, hot, and fresh. I would order it again. We both ordered the dolsot bibimbap. It was delicious. Very well proportioned and flavorful. I left my rice to continue to char at the bottom and it was worth it. Crunchy rice was fantastic. Be sure to add lots of gochujang sauce if you like a little kick. The vegetable side dishes (banchan) were great as well. I liked the variety of pickled choices. I will return. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Menu - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

I can't believe I just discovered this cute place as a residence of Fullerton. You can taste it in every dish that someone cares about the quality in the recipes and food. The nyeungmyun is clean, refreshing, noodles are perfectly chewy and beef is tender. To find out they make the broth from scratch! Every dish is not salty and tastes like I am eating at home. I have such respect for the mother and daughter duo who work so hard to keep traditional Korean food real. Can't wait to come back. Sorry~ I didn't take pics because I didn't know how good the food was going to be. read more

Love this local, Korean restaurant! This place really gives off home-y, family vibes and the interior is really cute! It also helps that this place is super convenient to me and is the closest Korean restaurant in my area so it's always the first place I think of when I start craving Korean food. Their banchan is really good and I like how they change out items from time to time, it keeps the menu feeling fresh! I recommend their beef and dumpling tofu soup, especially on a cold day! read more

Will go back again!! Such good food and the service is amazing! It was fast and easy to order.

Conveniently located close to my house in a strip mall off the corner of Harbor Blvd & Bastanchury Rd, diagonally from Providence/St. Jude Hospital. Plenty of parking. My son was craving Korean so this place was just a short drive away. Sit-down establishment. Interior decor is modern, bright and clean with lots of seating. Service is prompt and attentive. Side dishes were replenished upon request. Our dishes came out in a timely manner. My son ordered Galbi (short ribs) and I got the SoonDooBoo (tofu stew). Both dishes were delicious. Lots of flavor and very comforting. Given the rising costs of everything, prices are typical of Korean restaurants. It's certainly nice having Korean food nearby and not having to drive to Buena Park or Garden Grove. If you're in the Fullerton area and craving good quality Korean food, give HamaHippo a try. Enjoy! read more

See all