Yo, if you're a fan of Korean BBQ, you have to check out this spot I stumbled upon. The place is a hidden gem. They've got authentic kimchi cold noodles that are just next-level, super tangy and refreshing. The fishcake soup that comes out as starters is legit too--satisfying and full of flavor. But the real MVP here is the variety of side dishes. You get 5 different ones with and each one is on point. They really know how to balance flavors and textures. And to top it all off, the riceballs that come with the meat orders? Absolute game-changer. Perfect for scooping up all that delicious BBQ goodness. The vibe of the place makes it even better which makes like I am in korea.If you're craving some Korean BBQ with a side of authentic Korean flavor, this spot should be at the top of your list. It is located in a plaza and might be slightly tough to find parking ,but trust me. Its worth the effort and you won't be disappointed. read more

Ilbunjee - Korean Near Me - Santa Clara, California

makes me feel like I'm in koreaaa (check) good quality meat (check) delicious banchan (check) you know it's authentic when you're drinking makgeolli out of mini bowls everything that came out was delicious!! Salad had an amazing dressing with wasabi/ horseradish, yummyyy fishcake soup (appetizer), and unique rice balls (I LOVE!). Cant forget the banchan -- that potato salad was something else, authentic homemade kimchi, fish cakes, cucumber kimchi, and daikon. For meats, we got a la carte: - brisket - wagyu short rib (THE STAR, definitely recommend) - kurobuta pork belly *combo seems good if you want more meat selections to try It is quite priceyyy. That's pretty standard now for the high quality kbbq spots in the bay, however -1 star cause those places actually cook for you (nice service) and nicer ambiance too. Also a con or recommendation would be please allow unlimited banchan :( this was the first ever experience where banchan wasn't unlimited. People only really get 1 re-fill anyways, we just love the side dishes. Definitely almost 5 stars tho, I'll be back and with friends :) Also learned they opened in late 1990s and say they're the 1st KBBQ restaurant to specialize in non-marinated meat cuts. "Ilbunjee" (ill-bunjee) translates to "first on the block." Ambiance is very casual and cozy-hole-in-the-wall. Love how it's still going strong and in the family, support local businesses everyone :) read more

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Went with a group of friends yesterday and this time will be my second time going here ! You can choose sitting for dine ins or outdoor seatings ! It was so hot that I was sweating as I was grilling inside because of all the steams but luckily they opened the door and there was a little breeze . The meat quality is amazing and everything melts in your mouth . Everyone seemed to enjoyed it a lot !! We got a combo meal for 4 people and there was plenty of meat and side dishes to get everyone full !! I love the dipping sauces it comes with and you can choose between rice balls or steamed rice . They're known for their rice balls so I highly recommend ! Quality over quantity for sure !! For parking situation the plaza has limited parking spots so I recommend either parking on the side of the streets. This place is definitely a gem read more

Ilbunjee - Salad - Korean Near Me - Santa Clara, California

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We visited on a Friday night and the parking lot is very small so we parked a little far in the neighbourhood behind the plaza. The light salad was good, saucy, and spicy tasted of horseradish, I enjoyed it. The fish cake soup was spicy and delicious as well. The banchan was also really good, I liked the fish cake and potato salad, and the pickled cucumber was extra spicy. I enjoyed the rice balls were unique and I enjoyed the umami flavors. We also got the Sundubu-jjigae, tofu soup, which was pleasantly light to balance with the heaviness of the meat. The meat was very delicious, we got pork jowl, pork belly, brisket, and beef tongue (some of the beef tongue was chewy as I was expecting but also was pleasantly surprised by the tender texture and taste); all were 5/5! The staff was nice and they were generous with the banchan. The ambiance was loud and lively; great for groups! Definitely recommend and would return when I'm craving Kbbq! read more

Ilbunjee - Pork jowl, pork belly, brisket, and beef tongue - Korean Near Me - Santa Clara, California

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I'm from LA so good Korean bbq that met my standards in the Bay was so hard to find. Ilbunjee is literally the only place we go to for YEARS. It's not the cheapest because they only use the best quality meat. And when you use the best quality meat, you don't marinate it to "mask" anything. Their banchan is freshly made each day, not store bought and the cold kimchi noodles is a MUST. The owners and all staff are super nice, always take care of you make sure you go home with a full heart and stomach. If you're craving kbbq, go here. You won't regret it. read more

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This cute little place is a little bit hard to find, but the big white tent does stand out from the parking lot. My brother and sister in law wanted to go Korean bbq and this place looked very promising from what she read. As you go inside, they are strict when it comes to Covid precautions, asking if everyone in the party lives in the same household and checking your temperatures. The staff work masks and gloves and heavily encouraged social distancing. They have small tables set up outside and some can sit inside. The grill looks to be cast iron and has a drip area for the oil. The starting appetizers include their fish soup, salad, and five selections of: Kimchi, Pickled radish/daikon, bean sprouts, fish cake, and potato like salad. The meats we ordered were wagyu brisket, pork belly, and wagyu short rib. We also placed an order for Tofu Soup as well. You also get a choice of Rice Ball or Bowl of Rice (I heavily recommend Rice Ball). The soup was alright. I love tofu soup and it was a bit on the bland side. However, it was still tasty and spicy. The meat selections were really good. The brisket and the short ribs were the amazing and flavorful. They cook fast, so be sure to watch it and make sure you don't make it well done. The pork belly was a bit on the dry side. It did need a marinate of some sort. However, it was crispy and paired well with the dipping sauce. Overall, I love this cute small area. I would see myself coming back here again. read more

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Dang, this place is as expensive as AYCE. But the meat is QUALITY. Apparently, they have the same owner as a butcher or steakhouse or something (my friend told me, but I don't remember exactly). Both establishments source the same meat, so the meat quality here is top notch. REALLY tender and marbled. read more

Parking is tough in the small plaza but this place is so good. I parked at the next door plaza, be careful to not park in the designated spots for the liquor store or adult store. My car was still there after dinner so I'm guessing the store owners in the next door plaza don't mind. My bf and I tried their beef and pork combo and a big teapot of hot sake. They ran out of large tea pots, so the owner deducted $2 for the medium pot she gave us (came out to be a good amount of hot sake to share between the two of us). The beef and pork combo came was brisket, prime rib eye steak, pork jowl and pork belly. The brisket was awesome. The pork jowl was my favorite, the fattiness was sandwiched between the lean meat so each bite had the perfect amount of fat to meat. Pork belly was good and the rib eye was soft and buttery. The beef and pork combo is a lot of food! It might be wise to split between 3/4 people than just 2 like we did haha. I appreciate that the pork jowl and pork belly were slightly sliced so I had a measure of how big to cut the pieces. Banchan = pickled cucumbers, pickled Daikon, fish cake seaweed soup, kimchi, salted dried shrimp. This place is pretty small compared to other a la carte kbbq (tobang, etc). Full capacity seemed like 40 people, but this place is dope. Would come again. read more

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Ilbunjee is small ma & pop shop that serves up some fantastic korean bbq. The side dishes include a refreshing salad with a light dressing, fish cake, pickled radish, kimchi, and fish cake soup. The fish cake soup comes out piping hot so be careful when holding the pot. The tuna rice balls are so simple yet delicious! The brisket and short ribs were my favorite. The wagyu beef had some beautiful marbling but just a bit too fatty for my taste. The waiters are very attentive and patient. They checked on us frequently throughout our meal. The parking situation is terrible. The parking lot is pretty small so I recommend carpooling or look for street parking. Verdict: The meat quality is better than Tobang. Ilbunjee is a small restaurant but it isn't too busy. Prices are a little high for what you get but we still left very full. If you like wagyu, it's worth it. read more

Meat quality is only alright. Server said we can only get 3 rounds of side dishes, extra rounds will be charged. Our group (5ppl) got mandatory 18% tip but we got no service at all (nobody was helping cooking) A Korean group of 6 next to us was being helped/serviced the whole time and they weren't charged with the 18%. Never coming back again. read more

Horrible meat quality. It's either all fat or all meat, but mostly all fat. I've never had beef briskets that came with this much fat in any restaurant or stores. I could not get past 3 pieces because of all the grease. If you enjoy eating straight up fat then this place is great. Otherwise don't bother with this overpriced horrible meat. read more

Ilbunjee - Beef brisket mostly just pure fat - Korean Near Me - Santa Clara, California

I love this spot because of the owners of this place. They are the kindest, friendliest people, and they really feel like your mom and pop feeding you a delicious meal. The fish cake soup here is so good. Probably one of the best I've had - it's fishy but a fresh fishy! The banchan is also yummy. And grilling the meat to the side of your table with a bottle of soju is always just such a joy. You grill it yourself here by the way. Ordered pork belly and one of their beef options, and although the quality is subpar, it was comforting and delicious. Honestly you might be able to buy this meat quality from the supermarket, but I love coming here for the vibe. read more

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We love coming here for Kbbq! It's a little pricey but the quality of the meat makes it worth it. We normally get the Combo where it comes with different cuts of beef and pork, along with salad and fish tofu soup. Obviously the meat quality is great, but the salad, soup, side dishes, rice ball were also soooo good. I want to say the side dishes are a bit more traditional which makes me love this place even more. They also have Jinro soju which goes down so smooth. Honestly, when I'm in the mood for Kbbq, this is the only place I want because every piece of meat never disappoints. There's both a young and old crowd so you know it's legit. Our server was Andrew who always made sure we were chilingggg. read more

I can't believe I never posted a review for this place! This is seriously such a gem... the meat quality is great and service is so friendly! If you are craving some delicious short ribs or just don't want to wait in line for all you can eat KBBQ, this is the place for you! Their combos have great value but we also like to splurge a little with their short rib plates as well. The side dishes are made with love and every one of them is absolutely delicious. It's definitely more of a mom and pop kinda short but I have never had to wait and they are super attentive here. One of my favorites! read more

Ilbunjee - Combo A with an order of pork belly - Korean Near Me - Santa Clara, California

The food is allways awesome in which they have some unipue orders that other korean restaurants have such askimchi cold noodles(best cold noodles i had till now),qute riceballs(differnt from other riceballs that are just seaweed and rice). They have a very authentic vibe as they are one of the oldest kbbq areas in the area of 25+ years, and whenever i come here, i never get disappointed. read more

Ilbunjee - Combo 2 - Korean Near Me - Santa Clara, California

This place is a hidden gem! I've been to so many kbbq restaurants before but this place is definitely my #1 go to restaurant in the Bay Area! First, if you are new to this place, the combo set (brisket, pork belly, pork jowl, tenderloin) would be the best choice to try. All meat are soft and tender but my favorite is brisket which is so soft that would make you feel like melting in your mouth! I also ordered kimchi cold noodles and cheese steamed egg which tasted yummy and authentic as well. It might feel little pricey, but definitely worth the money and you won't be disappointed read more

Ilbunjee - Korean Near Me - Santa Clara, California

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What an amazing Korean BBQ restaurant. Everything was so so good!! Although this is not AYCE, your table will have a small grill and the menu has a variety of combo meats to choose from! We got the Beef and Pork set to share for 2 people and it came with brisket, pork jowl, pork belly, and rib eye steak. The meats are not marinated, but wow they are oh so tender and fresh! In combination with the fish cake soup, salad, and banchan, it was a such a filling and delicious meal. The savory rice ball was also so tasty, so I highly recommend a try over the white rice! Everyone working was very welcoming and attentive. Thank you to Andrew, who was friendly and came by to give us some pork grilling tips to make it tastier. The only con I would say is parking may be a difficult since it's a really small plaza. Excited to come back again soon! read more

Went to this restaurant with a couple of friends and really enjoyed it so had to come back with the family. The ambiance here offers a charming, homely atmosphere that feels like a traditional Korean mom-and-pop establishment. We selected a family meal for three and it was a feast. The banchan, with their variety and quality, were excellent and complemented the meal beautifully. The meat choices were great, delivering a delightful flavor. Definitely try the pork jowl. All in all, this hidden gem outshines many of the well-known Korean restaurants out there. read more

Ilbunjee - Meat galore for 3. - Korean Near Me - Santa Clara, California

If you're in search of an authentic Korean dining experience, look no further than ilbungjee. From the moment you step inside, the warm, inviting atmosphere sets the tone for a delightful meal. The menu offers an extensive selection of classic Korean dishes, each prepared with fresh ingredients and an evident passion for culinary excellence. The kimchi is a must-try; its perfect balance of spice and tang is a testament to the chef's expertise. They have a small portable fire grill, so we can cook it in front of us The service is exceptional, with attentive and knowledgeable staff ready to guide you through the menu and make recommendations. Their genuine hospitality makes you feel like a valued guest rather than just another customer. It is a must try korean restaurant read more

Me and my boyfriend came here a year ago We're told by the server that this was the very first Korean place in the whole Bay Area, about 25 years ago. Have no way to verify that. We liked it enough to come back again a year later, celebrate a special occasion. Ordered the brisket and wagyu steak for 2. Everything tastes good to me. The salad it's a nice hot mustard type taste. The fish tasting soup. The fish cakes and the kind of pickled sweet potato salad. The kimchi is really tangy. Very nice. I haven't experienced anything like other non Koreans have in these reviews. Both of us are Caucasian and they all very good servers. Attentive. We just had to make eye contact and ask for more water than got it real quick. It's always a great experience. We just go once a year around our anniversary because my boyfriend pays. read more

These little mom and pop spots always hit the spot!! Ok...so, I'm from LA and there's no better place for Kbbq than in LA...BUT!! This place is MONEY!! My best friend and her fam come here at least once a week and I totally get why. It really felt like a family dinner when I was there. The staff greeted us and sat us immediately and already knew what we were going to order. They made sure the odeng soup was made 1 with spice and 1 without for my friend's kid. The attention to detail was superb. The quality of meat was on point and their side dishes were really good as well.  I definitely am looking forward to the next time I'm here! read more

An absolutely amazing, very homey spot for KBBQ. Beef is amazing quality (truly) and they make you feel like family. Ilbunjee is a small family-owned restaurant located in an unassuming strip mall, but trust me...come and you won't be disappointed. Lovely service, delicious top-quality meats, and reasonable prices too (though we've got to be realistic here--you should still expect to pay if you want the good stuff!) They always serve super appetizing ban chan (fave: potato salad) with amazingly savory fish cake soup and refreshing salad. Then when the meats come rolling around, you get a beautiful raw spread and can cook it all yourself. My go-tos are pretty simple.. the beef brisket and short rib combo. But honestly I don't think you could go wrong with any of the quality cuts here. If you're in the Bay Area, this place is worth a try--one of the best KBBQ places I've ever had! read more

YAAAAY finally a nice spot that allows you to BBQ outdoors~ Found this place on Instagram when a local foodie said there was korean bbq available outdoors and you get to cook yourself. Sadly, it's not all you can eat, but we had plenty of food to go around with one order of the meat platter and one order of the raw squid. Seating : about 5 tables available outdoors, seems like 2-3 tables for smaller parties, and 2 tables for larger parties. Reservations : Probably best to call ahead and make a reservation if you can Food : Not AYCE but still quality meat. Pork Jowl was delicious and the raw squid as well. I also enjoyed their potato salad and the fish cake soup. Banchan always has to be on point at a Korean restaurant, and Ilbunjee has got it down. Service is great too, definitely a must visit if you're in the area. Hopefully they have heaters installed soon cause it's starting to get chilly outside. read more

The name literary means " # 1 . True to its name, it's a gut feeling mine .. Korean bbq place. This is it .. ( potato salad The taste I always ate at home ) Let's bring back the appetite that left home. Those who want to know the real meats read more

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We had no idea this place existed. First time here and we loved it. The side dishes were really good, they give you a fish cake soup I thought was so unique and not like any other place I've had before. We ordered pork and beef and none of it was marinated but that's when you can tell the quality of the meat. It was tasty. The rice they gave was really unique as well and my fiance whos korean was even impressed how homey this rice was. It's like a Korean version of onigiri with daikon and sesame oil. It was super tasty! We'll definitely be back. read more

Ilbunjee - Rice and meat - Korean Near Me - Santa Clara, California

Meat is very high quality. They had a special going on for a new steak cut so it was discounted and very well worth the price, I would even consider getting it at full price because we liked it so much. Definitely get the cold noodles, its super nice to have some acidity to cut through after the richness of the meat. Our favorite kbbq place in the area! read more

So biased but I love this place after just one visit Lovely mom and pop shop for KBBQ and they are social distancing all the tables and there is outdoor dining too! bff and I opt for set B and included: - salad (fresh and delicious!) - fish cake soup (omg this was nomz) - rice balls (get this instead of white rice!) - pork belly and brisket Everything was around $60 I can't wait to be back, happy to drive here from SF for dinner! read more

I don't know what these sore losers are yapping about with the mandatory service fee, it's common practice at all restaurants and their fault for not reading the menu thoroughly. ANYWAYS, The meat was so tender, and SO memorable. I really liked the cold spicy noodles too and everything tasted authentic/absolutely worth paying for. I'm Korean and I always think "I can just do kbbq at home", but no, this place hits different!! Totally worth it and will go back again read more

Service-excellent, very friendly and attentive Food-high quality, tasty banchan that was filling, meat (brisket and steak) were high quality and portions were substantial. Highly recommend. read more

Nice, small, kinda "hole in the wall" Korean BBQ, which reminded me of my time spent in Taegu (while in the military). The complimentary salad was excellent and had a nice hint of truffle added to the dressing. The (also complimentary) soup was very flavorful , peppery and the fish cake wasn't overwhelming. We opted for the $88 for 2. The Banchan (what I always look forward to at Korean restaurants), while tasty was quite limited. They served just 5 small dishes. My favorite was the fish cakes and potato salad. The meats were really good quality and I felt decent portion for 2. My favorite was the beef tenderloin. Just melt in your mouth and they slab some butter on the top which adds nice flavor while cooking. The pork belly (which I'm typically not a fan of), ended up tasting like bacon after allowing it to cook for a while and adding salt. Probably a little overpriced, but still a good experience. The cooking surface was made of good Teflon, so no issue with food sticking or having to swap out cooking surfaces. Service was awesome and the whole experience was well worth it. read more

This location snuck a mandatory "18% gratuity for party of 5" notice in the back of the menu where all the alcoholic drinks are. If you weren't planning on ordering any drinks, you will not see the notice. They didn't even add the mandatory tip on the receipt. It was only after we tipped 15% and started leaving that they called us over to let us know about the mandatory 18%. Very scummy thing to do. They either need to move that notice to the front of the menu or notify all parties of 5 or more. They said nothing when we were seated. read more

3/6/20 So, to be clear, the actual meat here isn't great. And to be EXTRA CLEAR, there is really only 1.5 reasons to come here... The #1 reason: You come here to get f'in DRUNK. Korean style. #0.5 reason: You come here to eat really Korean WTF food that's REALLY hard to find (as in I've never seen it myself). So, let's talk about this getting drunk thing. As you all know, Koreans have one of the highest alcohol consumption per capita in the entire world (depending on how you measure, perhaps not so much on pure volume as their beer consumption isn't the highest, but more so on the good stuff). So drinking is on a whole other stratosphere compared to how we do things here. The reason we came here this night?--my Korean friend said he feels more at home here, cause the atmosphere reminds him most of the outdoors KBBQ places in Korea (despite being indoors). The tables are cheap. Ventilation isn't great. The tables themselves are small, so if you got more than 2 people sitting together you will be crammed. But it all is part of the fun... Cause you're not here to eat the KBBQ (I hope you're not, cause you'll be sorely disappointed)... you're here to get CRAP FACED! But we did eat, and here's a SMALL sample of what we had, just the highlights... 1. Premium Hwayo Soju $28 "23deg": So we're drinking right? Well, good thing they have pretty good poison here. The flavor was really rich and delicious. We went to another spot after this, and so since the flavor was fresh in my mind, I can tell you the "premium soju" we had at the other place was like cheap vodka compared to this! 8/10 2. Banchan: And well, though their meat isn't great, their banchan actually is quite decent! For Asians, they love to eat snacks while they drink, so this makes sense. I especially loved the chewier, almost-dried squid in sauce. Good stuff. ALSO, their kimchi is REMARKABLY AMAZING! It was so light and crunchy, so fresh, yet with great flavor. Hard to pull off. 8/10 3. BeonDaegi $14 "silkworm pupae": Yes. Worms. In America. To put in your mouth. So........... I ain't gonna say nothing. Feel free to message me if you want details. But you're just gonna have to try this for yourself. 4. Rice Balls (I couldn't find this on the menu): So DELICIOUS we got 2nds and 3rds!!! Just packed with all kinds of goodies. I think it was one of the best rice balls I've ever had (among Japanese, Chinese, and Korean). 10/10 Notice I make no remark about the meat above. Most of it was okay, some kinda tougher than normal (like the brisket strangely enough.) But anyway... Worms. Good soju. That legit Korean vibe. LET'S DRINK! 4/5 #truekorean #koreancuisine #koreanfood #kbbq #koreanbbq #santaclara ... [spoiler alert]... (......okkkaaaaay... since many people asked... How does it feel to your tongue? Imagine plump flesh underneath a small crustacean's thin shell, somewhere between squishy and a not-quite dry staleness. How does it taste to your tongue? Like dirt. Soggy, slightly gritty fine dirt, after an animal died on top, decomposed, but not completely because the bacteria decided the remaining flesh did not taste good anymore and left it, sauntering away but somewhat dissatisfied.) read more

Ilbunjee - BeonDaegi $14 "silkworm pupae" - Korean Near Me - Santa Clara, California

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Order: -Wagyu -Pork Belly -Steak If you never ate wagyu before, here is a warning - you will not like eating regular beef for six months. I did not believe my brother... but after I ate it, beef tasted like cardboard. Crazy huh... Ilbunjee is the bomb :) awesome service and great quality meat. Enjoy it with your family and friends read more

Ilbunjee - Wagyu & Meat Platter - Korean Near Me - Santa Clara, California

Everything here is so well thought of! Didn't think I would get the authentic Korean experience with meat places around here but they know what's up. I think all the meat is aged/marinated, which is why even the plain ones have so much flavor within them. This place is worth the money and I would come back here any time. Inside is smaller, so they don't offer too many tables. Make sure you have a reservation on busy days like the weekend! Staff was friendly and the vibes were great. read more

Pay attention to the little scam they put at the end of the menu for 18% tip for party of 5+ absolute sht hole

Best Korean bbq everrrr. Meat quality is amazing and all the dishes are so good I have to force myself not to get full on them, especially the steamed egg. Don't forget to end your meal with the kimchi guksu read more

Ok. Generally it would not be fair to write a poor review based on a single experience. However I am going to make an exception. I was excited to check this place out and the first thing the waiter said when I opened the door with my family ...after he gave me a stare... "Thai restaurant is on the other side". I was taken aback ... what on earth would someone do that and push customers to another restaurant. I told him ...wait I actually came to your restaurant. Then waited for him while he ignored me. Then within 30secs he decided to from far off yell ... can you wait outside the restaurant. I was like ... are you serious ? I walked away with my family and decided to order food at the Thai restaurant instead. Then followed to drive to a close by Mongolian food to pick some more. I did bot regret both. Infact the next door Thai restaurant has some fantastic food. Save your money and dignity from the racist attitude of frankly immature and folks that undermine their own establishment. Shame Shame ! read more

What makes me love this place is the adorable staff. The restaurant is family-owned. They barely speak English, but their hospitality is incredible. The BBQ combo is just about enough for 2 people. But it's just putting meat on the pan so there's not much to say. The side dishes are really delicious! They seasoned it perfectly! For Korean food, side dishes are just as important as the main dish. The rice ball is sooooooo goooooooood. The rice is fresh-cooked, and the seasoning can't be any better. The owner shared with me that they've been in business for 23 years. I love this place, will definitely come back! read more

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This place has a limited menu and offers mostly BBQ meats. My friends and I decided to go with Combo A, which includes brisket, ribeye, and short rib, a salad, fish cake soup (spicy), and tuna rice balls (triangle in shape). I was really disappointed about the meat quality after reading several reviews raving about it. The only delicious meat was the short rib (nice marbaling, juicy and tender), the other two meat was mediocre. The portion was small. For $30, I can usually take some leftover meat home. Here my friend and I (two girls) ate all the meat and only took home some banchan. There were a total of 4 tables for Friday dinner. There was only one lady working but service was sufficient. Tip: No one cooks for you here, so you have to get your hands dirty (and clothes smelly ) read more

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Food is good. However, restaurant is too small. They don't have restroom for customers.