Probably the best place for kbbq if you don't want to leave the city. Side dishes area good. Charcoal grill is rare to come by these days. I think they were grandfathered into the ban of indoor charcoal grills. read more

Always a fabulous experience. Just wonderful, authentic food in a chill environment. Great Korean alcohol selection with a fabulous menu. They have a great lunch special and the KBBQ is fantastic. Best KBBQ in Baltimore. read more

So the conversation always starts with, "How about korean barbecue tonight?" And my boyfriend shrugs and says, "I don't know... maybe we should try..." But then fifteen minutes later, we find ourselves in the parking lot of Jong Kak, so excited for korean bbq. We really just can't resist MEAT ON MEAT ON MEAT ON KOREAN BAN CHAN SIDES ON RICE. I've tried both jong kak and nak won (they are right next to each other and jong kak is the one further away from charles street). Personally, I think jong kak wins because their meat marinade is much more sweet and delicious and juicy and also, the service is friendlier. WHAT WE EAT: (We always get combo 1- kalbi, bulgogi, spicy chicken, spicy pork)- KALBI: really tender, a little fatty, the meat is cut right off the bone and the meat is definitely thicker and has some fat throughout. When cooked, the fat renders through. This one is definitely my favorite and the most flavorful. BULGOGI: marinated, thin and stringier. Still delicious, but isn't as fatty as the kalbi so not as much flavor. I would get this if you like leaner meat. SPICY PORK: My least favorite. The pork is pretty lean, and cooks fairly quickly. This reminds me of a thin pork chop. SPICY CHICKEN: Really tender, the spicy chicken tastes great with the charcoal flavor. EGG CUSTARD CASSEROLE: This always comes with the combo and it's so delicious, but very very hot. It pretty much tastes like the inside of a frittata or quiche. SPICY TOFU SOUP: This also always comes with the combo. Again, incredibly spicy and hot. It's a nice balance with the rice, and is perfect on winter nights. BAN CHAN SIDES: These change from time to time. What we have had: cabbage kim chee, pickled cucumbers, bean sprouts, fish cake, potato salad, turnips, anchovies... Whenever we eat all of one side, we usually ask for more. PRICE: For the combo, and a beer, we ended up paying around $70, with tip. Not the cheapest dinner, but we always have leftovers that we eat for the lunch the next day- so it seems worth it. SERVICE and ATMOSPHERE: You really aren't paying for ambiance, and the bright lighting is not flattering at all. However, the food itself is worth it and the service can be friendly. Usually, they are happy to bring you whatever you need, but sometimes they are too busy and forget. It's not a big deal asking for something twice, but I guess if I had to ask for something three times, I might get upset. Another note, the fan that they turn on above you to suck up all the smoke can be REALLY LOUD. At one point, it felt like I was on a tarmac, and there was a plane getting ready to take off right next to me. I guess the alternative is to be choking on smoke... Either way, just be prepared for that. OVERALL: The food is delicious, the sides are delicious, and they sometimes give desserts like yogurt drinks or watermelon- obviously delicious. This is not the best place for a first date because of the loud fan and the awkwardness of making conversation while having someone flip and cook your meat or blow drying your grill to keep the flame going. But, this is a great place for a lazy night out to gorge on MEAT. read more

Jong Kak - Ban chan sides! - Korean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Not the best Korean food we've ever had. As well, other than the youngest server, most of the servers were dismissive and quick to leave our table without us being able to ask for anything. Their side dishes were decent, with some good and some bad (which we find at all). However, a Korean restaurant is judged by its kimchee and we were not that impressed. We knew then that our ordered dishes would probably be "meh". The seafood pancake was delicious, but mostly squid with 1 mussel and 1 small shrimp in it (that we could find). The tofu, pork, and kimchee soup (our fave at other restaurants) was all kimchee, very little pork, and like 2 pieces of tofu. Although the noodles (looked like japchae?) and kimchee stew was good, the tofu and pork usually makes the fish so it was overall disappointing. The best part of the meal was the Bulgogi beef. You can do barbecue at this place (only if you order more than a certain amount of meat), but we just had ours brought to the table. The marinade and tenderness of the meat was on point. On a side note, angled parking there is free after 6 PM and they have a small parking lot. Overall? Not the best Korean food or service, but if you stick to their BBQ meat and avoid the other dishes you will probably really enjoy their food. read more

I've been eating at Jong Kak since around 2008 when I was attending MICA. I went to get a taste of Korean food before doing a study abroad, and it has since become a regular on my Baltimore circuit. The service is always spectacular. I have never waited for service, and the servers and hosts are always more than friendly. I've had the opportunity to try a handful of their dishes, but I'm hands down for their Kalbi BBQ. It's always well marinated well, and the servers are fast to refill your sides upon request. It gets a little hot in the summer months. Between the charcoal pits, kimchi, and makgoli/soju/maekju(take your pick) I'm left a little warm. Jong Kak is my absolute favorite K-BBQ restaurant. Honeypig is good, but the service is inconsistent. It's the kind of place you go for a reunion with friends, an anniversary, or a celebration of sorts. While Jong Kak is my favorite, Nak Won is right next door and I would suggest that for a lunch outing as it is a little cheaper, and their Bibimbop is on point. I've never had it enforced to pay a 15% tip, unless in a larger group(standard for most restaurants). Although, I regularly tip 20-25% at Jong Kak. I'm a dedicated fan, and drive from Philadelphia (since I am no longer attending MICA) just to get some of their Kalbi. I recommend them to anyone visiting Baltimore. read more

This is the kind of place where you need to know a guy who knows about this place. It's located in the most unlikely place but that doesn't matter when you go inside. First off they don't use propain grills, they use charcoal which makes a world of difference. The quality of meat is the big thing though, most places I go the meat is very anemic and bland. This meat is very flavorful and tender, goes great with the charcoal. They also have amazing side veggies, they've got a wide variety and it's very good. Their also open till 3 am! Oh ! And the service is very good, especially when you consider that the waitresses cook the meat and gave to keep your veggie sides filled along with at least 7 other tables (25% tip from me). I'm going again asap! read more

Jong Kak - A good quality piece of meat on a charcoal grill. - Korean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Man, David Simon wasn't lying when his show, "The Wire," hit the air, Bodymore, Murderland or Bal'more or Baltimore, whatever you want to call it is a unique city with many fine eats. Some on the yuppie side of town and some off of I-83. And did we find a gem in Jong Kak. A place that looks like a 1970's living room with wooden panels and tacky floor design is usually a bet for a decent meal, but this meal was awesome. The kicker was the restaurant using coals instead of your traditional gas stoves to serve you the Korean how. How awesome was that? Oh and to keep the coals going, hair dryers with extension cords all across the place. This place is a gem and I would go back in a heartbeat if I wasn't closer to Annandale's Little Korea than Bal'more's. read more

Jong Kak - Meat Heaven in Bodymore, Murderland. - Korean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Ate here recently with a friend and really enjoyed it. Although it's not the most aesthetically pleasing spot in the world, the food makes up for it. I would suggest ordering the BBQ. The meat was delicious as well as the various garnishes they provided. One plus to this spot is the fact that it's open till 4am. This makes it perfect for the late night snacker or those looking for somewhere to chow after the bars have closed. I would definitely go back to this spot and it is now my go to for Korean food. Don't let the look of the place or the blow dryers(used to stoke coals) deter you, this place has some good eats. read more

Jong Kak - Bomb A$$ Korean BBQ. - Korean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

The service was unbelievably horrible at this place. A group of friends from out of town and came in on a Saturday night and 4 out of the 6 barbecue tables were "reserved". We respect reservations - and we waited patiently for over 30 minutes. No one bothered telling us that the wait was going to be well over an additional hour. Meanwhile, half the restaurant was empty. There was zero explanation for why we couldn't be seated - we would have been happy to do the barbecue on the side if smoke was an issue. A complete waste of time. read more

I have been here twice now and have been blown away both times! Delicious sides and fresh meat! Excellent service and a nice atmosphere

Had the spicy pork. It was very good and the panchan were excellent.

There simply aren't enough yelp stars to give; perhaps even the known universe doesn't contain enough... Be sure and order the barbecue! Nothing beats the chance to play with your food in a way that's socially acceptable. Just don't play with the flaming grill in the middle of your table. All the irresistible little goodies that complement your BBQ seem to magically appear in front of you. Of course, the seafood pancake's reputation precedes it- it's just that good! The servers are very attentive, especially considering that this little joint can get pretty busy. read more

A good place to get Korean food in Baltimore, although I would go next door to Nak Kwon, this place has a better, brighter ambience- more of a formal place to bring your family. Their ddol-ssot-bebeem-bab (rice in hot pot with veggies) is VERY good here. The rice in the hot pot always gets super crispy because they make their hot pot very HOT!! The vegetables are cooked well, all piled on top. Their BBQ is pretty good and so is their jja-jjang-myun (noodles with black bean sauce). read more

A bit deceiving on the outside, but serves up some great korean bbq. We sat in the bbq section-- they do the bbq over hot coals! Ordered the spicy pork and the kalbi.. both were excellent. Service was stupendous. Additionally, the food came with a ton of small dishes (more than usual) and egg soup and tofu/veggie soup. mandoo was tasty as well. Prices were a bit high-- for the area they were in... but the food was great. read more

As many times as I rode past this place I thought I would never see the day that I would check it out , thanks to yelp I now can basically go off of what people say about their dinning experiences . It was pretty good for my first visit . We ordered the the BBQ # 1 & my only complaint is there's no fountain soft drinks & they charge per can ... Other than that the food & service was good no complaints on that end , but its a must return , great for late night or larger groups , plenty of food to go around . Maybe the next time I'll order something different . But I was satisfied with my overall experience read more

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I LOVE this restaurant for both its food and its fabulous service. I love hot pots, but my partner is all about the BBQ. The grills are charcoal rather than electric, which is a huge plus in my book. We generally order the non-marinated kalbi, which never disappoints. The banchan selection is always a treat, and the wonderful servers are always willing to refill our favorites - me: kimchi, marinated black beans, boiled bean sprouts and fish cake, my partner: braised tofu, acorn jelly, fermented squid, and dried shredded squid. All the banchan is made in house, which is another plus. As for other dishes, I highly recommend their yook gae jang and jajangmyum. Yummmm. Yes, the location is not the prettiest, but I've never had an issue. I've been visiting this spot for 8+ years and highly recommend it. read more

Oh my goodness, how do I start?! This place is excellent!! The best Korean BBQ I've ever had!!! A friend and myself have had our eye on this place for a while and finally decided to pay it a visit. As soon as we walked in we were greeted then seated in the BBQ section. The table is equipped with it's own little BBQ grill, cool! We ordered the seafood pancake as recommended by the waitress. It was so yummy and it's HUGE! Certainly something to share with a group. We then ordered one of the BBQ specials they had, it came with pork underbelly, marinaded pork and chicken. Everything was flavorful and very tender, perfectly cooked! Gosh did I mention you get a load of free munchies and sauces? The dipping sauces are super flavor packed and go well with the BBQ. This place is a dream seriously if you are skeptical about this place, DON'T BE, just go and enjoy. To add the Service was fantastic, they were on top of everything and took the time to show my friend and I how to properly devour some Korean BBQ! I highly recommend this place to anyone and, I'll be going back!!! read more

Your experience will be based on the time that you come! So choose wisely! During busy hours the servers will most likely be running around trying to tend to everyone's needs. Just be patient. They are nice kids. They're just putting it that work! I would recommend coming during times that aren't busy. The servers will be more attentive towards you. Just talk to them. They will laugh w/ you. I've honestly never been treated so well before at any restaurant. They took the time to make me feel welcomed during my first visit & made me laugh so much. I felt like I got right in! My favorite thing about this place is when I was completely confused by all the sides they brought out & asked how to eat them, they showed step by step! Definitely ask them how to properly eat everything, it's worth your time & money! It tastes ten times better when you are eating everything properly! They are very attentive to your meat while you're having BBQ as to not let your food cook. Most KBBQ placed I've been too would leave your food unattended & come around to check on it once in a WHILE which causes it to get badly charred sometimes. Love love love this place. This is not my new favorite Korean BBQ joint. I will be bringing a lot of business your way! read more

We went there recently as i have been craving for a Korean Bbq near me.....forget about where it is located..... And talk about the Pork Belly Bbq on top of the hot charcoal! Best paired with kimchi fried rice....side dishof pickled veggies like kimchi and sea weeds and so on.....will be back again to try their soup! Worth recommending! read more

We went there in the afternoon and there were only two tables. The server didn't check our meat very often so some of them got burnt. Not-burnt parts were pretty solid but the sauce was too salty for my taste. A little bit overpriced. read more

Jong Kak - Combo - Korean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Came here on Christmas Day and the place was packed for lunch. We ordered kimchi jjigae, kang poong gi, and hot stone bibimbap. The banchan was also great. There is metered parking right in front of the restaurant. It's not in the nicest area, but definitely worth the trip. read more

I had been a regular in the 90s and early 2000's before I moved away. Recently, I moved back to the city and checked out the place I have had fond memory of. Suffice to say, the place isn't as it used to be. The food is worse than before, but still alright. But, sanitary condition of this restaurant is horrendous. It looks like nothing had been changed or updated in the last 30 years. Flies are everywhere and there is no AC. It was extremely uncomfortable dining experience. The service wasn't as bad as what others have experienced, but still pretty bad. They weren't rude, but servers just don't ever come by once the food is served until you ask for check. This is the only Korean bbq place in Baltimore and they sure act like it. If you want better Korean bbq or don't feel like eating bbq in a sauna, try venturing out to Ellicott City. read more

There's nothing to complain about the food. We ordered KalBi and Bulgogi, both super yummy. Panchan were good too. However ... 1. Waitress came to our table and said 3 orders of meat + seafood pancake + dumplings were not acceptable for a party of 5. We must order one more meat. We reluctantly obliged but thought that was odd. 2. We had to ask for a refill of panchan which we never had to do at any Korean BBQ restaurants I've been to. 3. They did not change out the grill half way thru the meal. It was all charred and nasty. I wasn't really bothered by it but it was done to all the other tables. We also did not get the hair blow dryer treatment which was very disappointing =( read more

It was around 2:30am when my girls and I started feeling hungry, despite the fact I was so tired from the drive and being feeling sleepy...I decided to give it a try.. There's a saying "don't judge the book by its cover" it's true!!!! When I first pulled up...I was scared to walk in because it was in Baltimore and it was somewhat by the bad area...but I'm glad my friends and I went inside...The waitress was such a sweetheart and the food were sooooo darn good. My friend favorite was steamed eggs...she's obsessed with that thing. We got our meats and seafood soup...and we practically demolished our food Drove home with a happy stomach read more

Always great food and service. Open late which is nice. Great for large parties. I like to pick through the appetizers and get the green bottle. It's 18% alcohol and tastes like sprite. read more

Jong Kak - Korean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Delicious Korean food! This was our first time ordering from Jong Kak and we weren't disappointed. Crispy flavorful fried chicken, crunchy Kim chi and old standards are worth checking out. Even if you've never tried Korean before, it's worth a try. We will be ordering from Jong Kak again! read more

This is a great family style restaurant that is run by a great family. My wife and I went here on a slow Monday evening with our 4 month old and the ladies that run this place made us feel comfortable and at home. They went out of their way to accommodate us and make sure we were comfortable and enjoyed our food and even got more than a few giggles out our little girl!! . . . And we certainly enjoyed ourselves!! The food was great. Cooked over a charcoal stove which allows it to have a flavor that I have not found at other Korean BBQ places and love it! We had a few dishes however the Chicken Bulgogi really stood out. All the food was seasoned properly and not overpowering. I also appreciate that I didn't feel like I was eating sauce with some meat mixed in and the food it prepared to really enjoy the meat and condiments are there to enhance the flavor (not the other way around). We loved this place and are going to make it a regular place to eat. read more

Really wanted to like this place. They were generous with the ban chan, and even refilled it. I was disappointed with their pork belly. I'm a fan of spicy pork belly and this one wasn't seasoned. They did have a good dipping sauce that accompanied it. Kalbi was decent, but the portion was a bit small for the price. read more

This review is based of their lunch special menu. I am a huge fan of Korean bbq, though i havent tried their sit down meals yet at both Jong Kak and Nak Won, i occasionally grab a to go lunch from these establishments. I tried their spicy pork box which was good. I am not too big on the sides, though i love kimchi. All in all great food. read more

It's an awesome and authentic Korean BBQ place. I haven't really had a Korean BBQ ever since I left South Korea in early 2001 and this place definitely reminded me of the taste of BBQ back from that time. Except for BBQ, other dishes tasted great as well - I would eagerly recommend their Bibimbaps, just ask for the spicy sauce to go with them and you are all good! read more

You don't expect to find good Korean Barbeque in the hood but Jong Kak is a little diamond in the rough. This was my families 1st time at a Korean Barbeque and after looking at the reviews we decided to go. From the outside it doesn't look like much but on the inside it's friendly and inviting. The food was good with a lot of selections of meats and vegetables, we had fun trying it all and it was good. Give this place a try I guarantee you'll love it. read more

Jong Kak - Family night at Jong Kak. - Korean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Fiancé and I are always willing to try new KBBQ places in the area. Found this one day and decided to check it out . Definitely not in the best location, but it's clean and nice once you step inside. Went during the afternoon, so it was pretty dead. Meats are decently priced, with ok sized portions. We also ordered the seafood pancakes. Clean interior and not many workers, but our waitress was efficient. What sets this place apart from other Kbbqs is that they have charcoal grills, and you can tell the difference in the meat. Didn't have as many sides as other places, but it worked and satisfied our cravings. read more

Jong Kak - Korean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Jong Kak was a great time! Unfortunately, our party was so big that we had them cook most of our food in the back, but it was tasty, plentiful, please the waiters and waitresses kept the Soju flowing. The location itself is located on a bit of a interesting street, but once you walk in, all of your worries subside with the smell of delicious Korean bbq. We ordered a large dumpling to start. They were OK in comparison to the dinner food. I found them a bit understuffed and over oiled. For dinner we had a beef and pork bulgogi. Both the bulgogis were cooked in the back because the small grill could only fit one meat order at a time and it was occupied by two orders of Spicy Pork. All of the meats were absolutely perfect. They were tasty and marinated to tender excellence. This was definitely the sweetest bugolgi I've had, but I was not disappointed with it. The first two bites were a little weird because I was not used to the sweeteness, but the following 50 bites didn't mind it at all. They had a great variety of Soju, peach being my favorite but I also got to try peach. In all, the service and food was excellent --even for a group of 20 like we had. read more

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The seafood pancake was deeeelicious!! Very happy and surprised that it was that appetizing. I also ordered fried goza, not impressed. For a very simple dish, they didn't wow me. Don't ever come here and not order the blackberry wine, it's just not the same experience :) Now, to the important part, the meat! We ordered the beef and the pork and we were amazed at how tasty they were WITHOUT any saucey goodness. There marinade is impressive, I could not stop eating... I will definitely be back again. read more

I was missing my mom's home cooked meals so I ended up betraying my mother and going to a recommended Korean restaurant. =) I have satisfied with this place because they used charcoal for cooking the BBQ instead of gas (plus a star here) Be sure you make a reservation - even if they are never really packed, not all the tables come with the grill insert in them so you can watch them cook the meat for you over the charcoal flames. The Food: Once you sit down and order, they will bring out a bunch of small dishes ( a la tapas) called banchan. It changes with whatever they have on hand, but for the most part, you will get a few marinated, pickled vegetable dishes, marinated tofu, eggplant broccoli and some form of Kimchi (pickled, spicy veggie - usually cabbage), egg casserole (delicious), and bean paste soup with tofu chunks. =) Delicious and try them all. Both times I have gone (once with a large party and once with a small), we ordered the dumpling appetizers. They contain pork and do not have veggies versions so..sorry vegetarians. The dumplings come fried and steamed (I like them both ways, but fried is always better) The BBQ we ordered was marinated Kalbi (prime rib) and the spicy pork. Kalbi was sweet, salty and tender. I was happy to be reminded of home. The spicy pork, although good in flavor/marinade, was way too fatty for me. If I wanted pork belly, I would have order it (Sam gyup sal). I was expecting pieces of meat not fat. Other than the issue with cut of meat used, I was happy with the flavor on it. We also ordered Kimchi Jigae - spicy Korean pickled cabbage soup. The soup was hot and sour and I appreciated the deep flavor with subtle sweetness. Dol Soht Bi Bim Bap - This is a rice dish that has many banchan items tossed into the rice in a hot stone pot (the rice gets various textures from the hot stone pot cooking it) and usually has a side of hot pepper paste given to toss in. It is delicious, but I would recommend the kimchi flavored one =) The Ambience: Honestly, this place is pretty much in the ghetto. The parking lot has a security camera on it and the housing authority is right across the street so you have tons of people on their balconies in this enormous high -rise staring you down, but I felt safe otherwise. The restaurant itself is kind of dingy and the vestibule can often have a stench in it (sorry), but this place is not for fine dining.. it is really for the BBQ. =) (minus a star here) Service: In Korea, the service is often based on a button being pushed at a table when you need something - not the case in the US, the service here alternates between extremely attentive and absent. HOWEVER, for the party of 9 that came along, the staff gave us free seafood pancakes (2).. and they were awesome =) Minus a star here (sometimes they can seem rude if you aren't used to the culture) SO.. try this place for the hardwood charcoal BBQ.. its so worth it over the gas grilled kind=) Don't go expecting the Ritz.. =) read more

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I am very, very glad I found this place after craving some late night eats. It reminds me of the Korean restaurants in Queens, NY where they serve the mini side dishes before sending out your entree (i think this is typical practice among Korean BBQ joints) I got the Kimchi, pork, veggie pot (i can't recall the name at this time) and it was delicious. The pork they served weren't scraps - they were chunks (this delighted me). And the broth was delicious. I very much enjoyed my meal - for 9$ - I will definitely stop by again. read more

In a sketchy area near JHU. Amazing Korean BBQ. They have a small private parking lot. The best doenjang jigae I have ever eaten. I always try to eat here when I am in the Baltimore/DC area. read more

Jong Kak - Love that they use charcoal grills! - Korean Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Solid Korean restaurant with a large variety. The BBQ is good but pretty expensive. A- bon chon. their fast food type stuff like jajangmyeon, scallion pancakes, and other stuff is a little pricy... but there's not much better in the area. I would call this actually a 3.5 for pricing and food experience. Some of their non Korean dishes are unremarkable. read more

Mmmmmm Korean bbq! Joung Kak is a pretty legit venue in a city you wouldn't expect to even offer Korean bbq. The front of the restaurant is decorated to look like an Asian temple which is kind of kitschy, but whatever. For $20, this is what you get: 1. about 10 little Korean side dishes. There's seaweed, radish, eggplant, tofu...all sorts of things! It's really fun to try them all. Try to save some to eat with your meat though! I know it's tempting to snack away while waiting. 2. 1 pound of meat. We had four people in our group and we each ordered one entree: the pork belly, the chicken, the beef, and the normal pork. One of every animal! The waitress brings out a little grill and cooks the perfectly marinated meat on your table. The Korean bbq places I've been to before let you cook your own meat, so this was a variation for me. The meat was very, very, delicious. 3. A bowl of rice. Very necessary when eating so much salty meat. 4. A bowl of egg-loaf (I don't know what this is called in English, but it's steamed egg in a bowl with scallions and things) or a bowl of tofu soup. We got two of each for our group of four. So much food=$20 well spent. read more

The best part of Joung Kak is their traditional grills with charcoal! Biggest problem is that they don't have grills at all the tables so get here early and insist on a BBQ table, otherwise they will bring out gas burners. All of the other KBBQ in the area do gas burners so they food is good, but not traditional. They make up for it by super spicing their meats. Get the Bul Gogi and Bul Galbi here. I havent had any other dishes besides KBBQ. Joung Kak has more mild marinades but the smokiness from the coals makes up for it. They have friendly waitstaff. Decor is a little yucky and bathroom isnt nice either, but I don't go here for atmosphere. Don't go here and expect to leave smelling like roses, unless they are kimchi roses. They do have a small parking lot which is great in the city. read more