There are two different Kaju in Irvine and this is absolutely the best one. I've been to both…read moreplaces but as soon as I ate here, I knew this is my go to spot for soft tofu. Amazing service and even better, the food is perfect. The galbi soft ribs and rib soft tofu was absolutely amazing and the side dishes was literally perfection especially their cucumbers. I have never tasted cucumbers like this in my life, I would definitely recommend this to everyone.

I really wanted to like this place after hearing about it, but my visit was a huge disappointment…read more The portions were ridiculously small for the prices they charge. For what we paid ($108+ before any tip), I expected decent-sized servings, but everything felt like tiny tasting portions. Very disappointing. The service was straight-up rude. The staff was unfriendly and made us feel like we were inconveniencing them just by being there. Worst of all, they messed with the tip. I clearly wrote $0.00 on the tip line because I wasn't happy with the service, but they ended up charging me more than what I wrote. That's completely unacceptable and feels dishonest. Won't be coming back. There are plenty of other Korean spots in Irvine that actually deliver good portions and respectful service. Save your money.

The Galbi is literally the thickest Galbi I've had and I've had a lot. It's juicy and tender…read more The seafood pancake has a ton of green onion and it's light and crispy and delicious. This place deserves so much love cuz it's a local gem that provides home cooked food that's hard to find.

Came here for lunch on a weekday. Plenty of tables. Service was quick and very attentive…read more They offer free hot tea or ice water. I got the Beef tofu soup and it was delicious. I got the very spicy level which wasn't too spicy.Very flavorful and everything comes with the classic banchan. Their salad had a very refreshing sesame sauce on it and they had peppers with anchovies that were delicious. Definitely will come again to try the Bimbimbap and other foods on the menu!

Highly recommend this restaurant if you're looking for authentic Korean comfort food with a chill…read moreenvironment. Service is quick and portions are generous. Prices aren't as high as other Korean restaurants I've been to and the quantity is quite plenty. The quality is worth returning to and I always come back for a solo or family meal every now and then.

sooo did you guys eat half the food before i picked it up?…read more Quality and portions have gone very far down. I would rather go to Yukdaejang at this point.

A local Korean friend recommended Gooyi92, so we finally gave it a try and really enjoyed it…read more The highlight for me was the meat quality and the fact that the staff grills everything for you. The thicker cuts were super tender and juicy, with a nice sear on the outside. I also appreciated that the flavors weren't overly salty or heavily marinated. It's nice being able to actually sit, eat, and talk without constantly watching the grill ，The restaurant also felt comfortable and wasn't too loud. Great spot for a date night or dinner with friends. I'd definitely come back.

Really enjoyed this Korean BBQ spot in Irvine, conveniently located right next to H Mart. We…read moreordered the three-beef combo (around $140+), and the quality of the meat was excellent--definitely the highlight of the meal. If you're wondering whether the combo saves money, ordering the cuts individually comes out to about the same price, so it's more about the convenience than the discount. One thing I really appreciated was that the server cooked everything for us. It made the meal much more relaxing since we could just enjoy the conversation and perfectly cooked meat without worrying about grilling. The portions were satisfying without leaving us feeling overly stuffed for 2 people, which made the experience even better. If you're in the mood for high-quality beef and a comfortable dining experience, this place is definitely worth a visit. I'll definitely be back!

Had some recommendations to try this Korean spot out in UTC, and it's safe to say it didn't…read moredisappoint. I honestly don't think the attached photo does it justice. I got the spicy pork and bulgogi on top of white rice with macaroni, mashed potatoes, spicy kimchi, and pickled cucumbers for my sides. This place is basically a Korean-style Chipotle, and it's always a safe bet for a quick fix when craving Korean food. Definitely recommend.

The first time I stumbled across California Gogi Grill, it seemed to hit all of the notes for me -…read morequick, conveniently located, (relatively) budget friendly, customizable, and, most significantly, they serve Korean food, which is always a plus in my book. So, with just enough time to pick up a quick bite, I couldn't help but satisfy my curiosity and check this place out. Even if it came at the expense of going back to Kare Curry in the same complex, which is one of my favorite spots in Irvine! With a set up similar to that of Panda Express (or the old Sorabol chain in the Bay Area), where most of their food is already prepared instead of made-to-order, California Gogi Grill is definitely optimized for folks grabbing their food on the go. However, despite how everything sits out, the majority of their dozen or so meat options and sides still looked decent. Of the various options they have on the menu (combos and bowls with your choice of meats and sides), I opted to go with a STACKED BOWL with their Spicy Pork, Bulgogi, and Japchae over White Rice and their Pickled Cucumbers, Kimchi, Broccoli, Pickled Soy Radish, and two sides of Radish Kimchi (I asked for the mild kimchi, but got another of this instead). On the plus side, I liked how the sides are on a separate tray with slots to help keep them segregated from each other and the meats/japchae looked decent. However, the taste of this fell short. Maybe I just chose poorly, but both the bulgogi and spicy pork felt a bit bland (more so the former than the latter) and some pieces bordered on dry. As for the sides, the broccoli, spicy cucumbers, and radish kimchi were fine, but the kimchi was a lot more sour than I expected and I didn't care for the pickled soy radish. The rice also felt a little overcooked, but the japchae was actually pretty solid, especially since I figured there was a good chance of being mealy. Between how everything sits out and how it was well after the lunch crowd (not as much turnover), it bothered me less that the meats were dry-ish and more that they were so light on marinade/sauce. Still, even though they didn't do much for me, I can see the appeal California Gogi Grill can have with UC Irvine kids. If nothing else, the portions aren't too shabby for the money, they have multiple options at different price points, and they get you in and out pretty quickly. Perhaps I'll come back and try again, especially closer to peak lunch or dinner hour, when the meats might be have been more recently cooked, but, for now, TWO AND A HALF STARS rounded down. Sorry.

YUMMM was pleasantly surprised by this grab and go spot in irvine's Zion market! We got the herbal…read morebraised pork belly and you could definitely taste the yummy herb flavor on the meat! The portion of pork belly was also HUGE and I feel like more than other bossam/jokbal places! Not to mention all of the sides you get! They literally gave us 8 little containers full of different sauces and side dishes including ssamjang, a peanut(?) sauce, cabbage kimchi, radish kimchi, garlic and jalapeño, soy sauce marinated onions(?)! On top of that it came w some cold noodle broth soup to pour over some acorn jelly, cucumber, seaweed, and kimchi for a yummy refreshing soup! And rice of course! For all of this I would say it is worth the $50+ price tag since it was enough for 3 meals for 2 people so about 6 servings! Service was fasttt, our order was ready probably within 10 min? The worker seemed nice and also spoke Korean! Ambiance: A great place for quick grab and go lunch/dinner while you're doing grocery shopping! They package everything up for you to take to go but there are also a few tables in the area where you can eat there! Not the place to go if you're looking for a sit down restaurant with full service but for a quick grab and go takeout it's definitely one of the best ones I've had!

Jokbal is a popular Korean dish of braised pigs trotters that are slow-cooked in a savory broth…read moreuntil tender, then sliced and served with various accompaniments such as lettuce wraps, kimchi, and some Korean dipping sauces. This was recommended to us by my niece's Korean friend. It was surprisingly very good. I ate the leaner part of the meat, wrapped in lettuce leaves, with some kimchi added, and dipped in the sauce that came with it. The meat was tender and flavorful. It's very convenient if you have large party gatherings and do not want to cook. The jellyfish was also very good, as well as buckwheat noodles. I had these in Korea before and really liked it so I knew what to expect. And it was just as good here. They had everything packed up for us and ready for pick up.

Our first try of this restaurant was take-out because we stayed in the hotel next door…read more We found service to be excellent and ambiance was fairly quiet and very clean. We tried the signature garlic noodles, katsu chicken, and kimchi slaw. And a Thai Iced Tea. All were excellent, well-prepared, and speak to a well-organized and high-quality kitchen and a discerning chef. Suggestions: Place an email contact link on your website for more feedback. Respond to every yelp review - even the negatives - and be pleasant and thankful for the feedback even if they are unreasonably negative....this is an opportunity for management to be seen and heard. It gives a positive personality to an otherwise cold and neutral website. Expand on the "about" section of website and make comment on preparation....no seed oils, organic produce whenever possible, sourcing of chicken and pork, etc. People want to see that you're paying attention to healthy preparation and sourcing. Try "Poached Kitchen" across the street...look at their sourcing and labels of condiments. It's a challenge - this location is surrounded with apartments and hotels....you have a large potential audience but do they know you're here? How much would you give in incentives to have them try you once? My reviews on YELP typically draw hundreds of views within 2-3 days. We'll see.

We used to come to Krave all the time when we lived nearby. Now that we're further out, we don't…read moreget to visit nearly as often, but whenever we're back in the area and get a hankering for it, this is exactly where we stop. The food consistently hits the spot. The Korean Fried Chicken is great, and I like their Kogi fries. My wife always goes for the Japanese katsu or the loco moco, she loves them both. As for the vibe... it's definitely a bit dated. Honestly, it feels like it has stayed exactly the same since the very first time we walked through the doors years ago. You should also be warned that the AC never quite feels like it's "fully on," so it can get a little warm. But looking past the interior, if you are looking for a restaurant with genuinely good Korean fusion food and good service tyou absolutely won't be disappointed if you stop in.

This food is so good. $46 for a VAT of yummy yummy rice cakes, fish cakes, 2 eggs, glass noodles,…read moreseaweed rice combo, and pickled radish. Definitely enough for 3-4 ppl. Love it and hope to come back!

Yupdduk irvine is one of the few locations thats authentic to the ones in Korea…read more I recently tried the rosé ddukbokki and it had the perfect amount of spice and creaminess!!! The food is soo addictive so it always leaves me craving for more. service isn't the best but it is what it is. i wish there was more/spacious seating. you end up feeling a bit close to your neighboring patrons but again, it is what it is and i'm still gonna be back