I'm visiting New Jersey for an improv comedy festival. I spotted this restaurant while checking out locations in the neighborhood. I dined with 6 of my friends for lunch. It was great! Everybody loved what they ordered -- including Jjajangmyeon, Kimchi Fried Rice, and Chicken Katsu. The gentleman, who I believe is the owner, was also our server and prepared our meals. He gave us "service" (complimentary Fried Rice Cake), in addition to the usual ban chan. I ordered the comforting Doenjang Jjigae (Soy Bean Paste Stew), and two orders of Tteokbokki to share. Would definitely recommend for authentic Korean food and would visit this place again. Ring the bell when you are ready to order! read more

Kimchi Mama - Doenjang Jjigae (Korean soybean paste stew) - Korean Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

Came here only based off yelp reviews Walked in and the decor instantly made me happy. But all downhill from there. They said we could sit anywhere but then when we were seated they moved us to another table and then to another table. When we were finally seated we order appetizers; the shrimp dumplings didn't taste fresh. The wings were good though. Our entrees were terrible. The beef bowl was not good at all; the beef was rubbery and salty. The noodle bop was terrible. We never waste food but this food was just not our cup of tea. And all together our bill was $88 for food we couldn't even stomach, sorry but never again. read more

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Customer service is amazing! Kimchi mama is the kindest. The food is great and beautiful. I loved how it looked inside it's very warm and inviting. You can have a date, dinner, or lunch here. read more

Kimchi Mama - These are the appetizers. - Korean Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

My friends and I stopped by after the beach~ The owner very friendly and welcoming! The customer service was great and the food was so good as well! The portions and flavor was great ~~ read more

The couple that owns it were welcoming. The service was exceptional. I can't say enough good things about the food. All the appetizers were delicious. The dumplings had a terrific sauce and the perfect balance of chewy and crispy. Our glass noodles were wonderful. The katsu chicken was also amazing. You won't be disappointed read more

I highly recommend this place it's a great mom and pop restaurant. The food was amazing with very good quality, it feels like eating at an auntie's house and the place was beautiful, if you didn't know your food needed to be mixed she will mix it for you and she gives great recommendations. She is also very friendly! I will definitely be back!! read more

Kimchi Mama - Korean Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

Great service! Beautiful interior and gives a cozy vibe. They gave everyone in our table complementary snack/dessert. One being tteok (rice cake) with glaze over it and the other was mochi ball. As most Korean restaurants, they also serve banchan . I ordered the spicy beef. Contains a little bit of sweet potato noodles and the soup was good. They were kind enough to give me an extra bowl of rice as I was sharing this dish with someone. They were also kind enough to make barley tea for me. read more

Kimchi Mama - Barely tea - Korean Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

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The sir fry squid spicy dish was awesome. Huge portion and rice on the side, my face was melting and I loved single bite. Crispy wings were incredible - seriously. The fried fish was awesome. Very, very, very tasty experience. The place was clean and the service was great. read more

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Casual place with a lot of options to choose from. Ring the bell when you're ready to order. We tried the bibimbap and a hot stone bowl. The bulgogi was tasty, though a little sweeter than I prefer. The bibimbap was a nice blend of all the ingredients and pork. We enjoyed both. The vibe here is pretty unique and worth the visit for just that alone. read more

Amazing restaurant - the food was beyond delicious and and the owners were great, answering all of our questions since this was the first time we had eaten here. They started us off with complementary snacks which were so good!! This inside is very cute. 10 Stars all the way around. read more

Delicious food and some of the best hospitality we've experienced in a long time. We all loved our bowls and soups. The chicken wings were perfectly crispy, and the scallion pancakes were among the best we've ever had. The owner even brought out small desserts, which were amazing. We'll absolutely be coming back! read more

Loved the seafood pancake. Loved the spicy squid. Loved the pon chon. Loved everything. Been there a few times. I do not love the parking situation. Will return and return and return read more

amazing food, hospitality, and atmosphere! we had boba tea, three kinds of bibimbap, and vegetable dumplings. When we sat down they brought us a large variety of delicious sides such as kimchi, fish cakes, seaweed salad, and this amazing horseradish (maybe cucumber) dish. all were included with our meal! all the bibimbap was amazing, and large portions! the dumplings had the thinnest, perfectly fried wrappers, and the vegetable filling was great! they even gave us free sweet mochi before leaving. It was a great start to our trip, and the hospitality made it extra amazing! read more

I ALWAYS visit Kimchi Mama when I am in NJ. The food is prepared with love. The owners of this mom and pop shop always ask if there is anything they need to do to make the meal better and I have never had a negative review for anything on their menu. This time my sisters and I tried the Korean Chicken Wings and they were fried to perfection! They were crunchy yet not dried out. I will be getting those again! The few times I have been in, the place has been empty. :/ But, I am hopeful that during the summer seasons, they have more business. If they don't, we'll read this review and stop on in! This place deserves all of the business!! :) read more

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Very hard to find street parking but we did notice when we got seated there was info regarding their customer parking. Our friend was craving kimchi and I searched for one nearby and this place showed up. It had good reviews as well. The owner is so wonderful she made sure we were taken care of. You can tell she loves her customers. The food was great. We ordered the kimchi stew, 16oz kimchi, bulgogi-bop, and chicken katsu. Cute place and love the floral decors read more

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Went here for the first time and is one of the best restaurants I have been to in Asbury. Everything was fresh and delicious. They are clean and the waitress was very kind. The decoration creates a beautiful ambiance as well. Thank you Kimchi Mama for your wonderful service. read more

Great food, kind people and peaceful environment. Best hole in the wall and couldn't be happier to find a new regular spot for my boyfriend and I. Usually he's a picky eater, but even he enjoyed everything! We ordered the Korean chicken wings, the short rib bbq with Korean lettuce and a bibimbop bowl. Everything was absolutely delicious!! read more

If you are in the area, TLDR: I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you visit here! First of all, the interior is gorgeous and so comfy. The mom and dad working there are so sweet as well and will be so welcoming during your time there. As someone who has had a fair share of Korean food in both NY and CA, Kimchi Mama's food still stands out to me as a favorite. The flavors of everything were amazing, especially the kimchi stew which was savory and packed with kimchi. The owners were also so nice as to give us extra freebies, which really added to the overall experience. read more

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My friends and I came to visit from NYC, we were so pleasantly surprised by the freshness and tastiness of this place!! NYC has a lot of Korean joints, and my friends and I all have been to a lot of them, when we tasted each dish we were all like, "duuude, this is so fucking good! Like wtf!" If that doesn't tell you how good place this is, I don't know what will. The owner of this place was so nice and friendly, we could tell that she really cares about ppl having a good time at her restaurant. After we left, we were all like, "wow, she was so nice. You don't get that kind of hospitality in nyc." Anyway, the point is, go, the food is going to be great and there is going to be great hospitality! read more

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The food is good. Not a huge gluten free selection but the man was very nice about letting me know which items were gf. If they switched to gluten free soy sauce they'd have a much larger gf selection. read more

There is a dining room. From what I understand it was expanded recently. Smelled like bug spray (did not see any bugs). The food was ok, but it is Korean-ish. It was bland. I know not all Korean food is hot, but I would describe it as flavorful. Not here. Even the tiny amount of kimchi on a side order was bland. After asking three times, I was brought a tiny amount of chili sauce that was not spicy. Which brings me to the service. I did enjoy what I ate, but I was looking forward to Korean food. This isn't it. Service was not friendly. No smile, rushed (it wasn't busy). It wasn't rude or disrespectful, more like introverts thrust into the spotlight. This too is unusual. I've eaten in Korean restaurants many time, even in Korea - if you express an interest, I've never had a Korean waiter/waitress fail to (proudly) give enthusiastic advice. Not here. BTW, nothing in the restaurant is written in Korean. I'd bet this place is not owned or managed by Koreans. read more

This place is so cute! It's decorated so cozy with all these hanging lights and it had a Christmas fireplace showing on the TV. Get a hot stone bowl!! We got the pork and bulgogi bowl and it comes with all these fun sides to top it with. They have this great bipimbap sauce that really ties it all together. Will be going back to try more things! read more

Kimchi Mama - Hot stone bowl - Korean Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

Come here... check it out... food yummy... causal atmosphere... nice staff ... yummy yummy yummy

This place was recommended to my family from my in-laws, who are fans. If this is your first experience with Korean food, it's fine. But, if you have experience with real Korean food, it is just OK at best. The marinated beef bulgogi was ok, but nothing special, the kko-bop (spicy chicken) wasn't spicy and again just fine, the glass noodles had barely any flavor. My 7year old daughter liked the chicken katsu, but I'm not sure what that is worth. I really wanted to like this place because I enjoy Korean food, but we probably won't be returning. read more

We spent a full day at the shore and didn't want more boardwalk food for dinner. Was pleasantly surprised to find delicious, authentic Korean food at Asbury Park! The interior is much more spacious than it looks from the outside. We had a large group, and they were able to accomodate. The menu was very extensive and covered a wide variety of different dishes. yumibooki was very good. We also god pancakes, dumpling for appetizer. The kids liked the chicken katsu and bulgogi bop. The Kimchi Stew and army stew really hit the spot and tasted just like my moms. Also recommend the bulgogie hot stone bowl which many of our party ordered. Very sad this place is so far from home, and can't wait to find a reason to come back to visit Asbury Park! read more

If you're by the shore & looking for some amazing Korean food you need to come to Kimchi Mama!!! The food was absolutely amazing, definitely fresh, very flavorful, & there were a variety of options. We got soup/ salads/ fermented veggies before our appetizer of Korean fried chicken wings. Were they crispy? YES. & the sauce was good too. Cannot emphasize enough how delicious everything was (my fav was the pickled radishes). I got the chicken hot stone bowl (not spicy) & my two friends both got a beef hot stone bowl (one spicy & one not spicy) (my friend who enjoys spicy food was fighting for her life though so the spice is no joke just know that!) . When our main course came out it was still sizzling!! Because of this the rice at the bottom gets really crispy & it's the best. I piled some of the veggies they gave us earlier on my bowl bc I was feeling crazy. Service was great, our waiter kept making sure we were doing okay & explained the menu well when we had questions. Ambiance was nice & relaxing although we were also there on a slow weekday night so it might be different in the weekends. There's live plants everywhere which gives the place a natural feel. Now my favorite part: THE BATHROOMS Okay the toilet seat was HEATED & there was a very fancy bidet that had a dryer function! It was all very clean & it just really felt like the restaurant wants their customers to be as comfortable as possible with all these little details. Was also decorated really nicely. Loved it so much. Definitely coming back here, it's my new spot! read more

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Very cute place & the food is amazing! We got the bulgogi hot pot. The complimentary sides were delicious too and the little donuts at the end. We will be back. read more

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A delightful place with gracious service and excellent Korean dishes. The decor is cute. So happy to have found this so close to home.

Decided to go for a drive and found Kimchi Mama along the way. It's been on my list for awhile now so I figured I'd stop by and give it a shot. Located on a busy street but found street parking in front and I believe there's a lot across the street you can also park in. Small hole in the wall, but very nice people inside. Greeted me, and gave me some time to look at the menu. Decided to go with seafood pancake, shrimp mandu dumplings and beef bulgolgi. The seafood pancake might be one of the best I've had in this area. Very well seasoned, a little crispy on the outside, yet dense and fluffy. You could easily make this into a meal itself, but I got other goodies to try. The shrimp mandu was also very good. I almost went with the beef but since I got beef bulgolgi too, I was decided on the shrimp. Also very good. Even though it was to go, the dumplings held up in texture by the time I got home fifteen mins later. The sauce they give for both the pancake and dumplings are homemade and phenomenal. The beef bulgolgi I would say is worth a try but too sweet for my liking. I think I will try the spicy pork next time, but still good if you like sweet bulgolgi. Overall great food and service. Support your local Asian businesses! :) read more

Kimchi Mama - Seafood pancake, shrimp mandu, beef bulgolgi. I would come here just for the seafood pancake - Korean Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

So sad they closed their Fair Lawn location. Even though I moved away, I still loved stopping by when I was in town. Guess I'll have to hit them up when I'm in Asbury. read more

Kimchi fried rice needs more kimchi. Could hardly taste it. Needed to get a side of kimchi to mix in Ordered delivery read more

What a find. Food was delicious, the flavors were spot on. Spicy but complex. Lots of fresh vegetables. We had the spicy pork bibimbap and bulgogi hot stone bowl. Was surprised by all the sides... several versions of kimchi, seaweed salad and more. Also loved the ambience and music very relaxing. And they just brought hot fried mochi in honey and sesame. I may need a nap after this!!! read more

Kimchi Mama - Bulgogi hot stone bowl, 10. Spicy Pork Bowl, and accompanying deliciousness. - Korean Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

Amazing food. Amazing service. Beautiful decor and so calming. Kimchi mama and papa are so sweet. They personally visit every table. We asked for extra spicy and they delivered. The banchans were so good and it was constantly being filled. Very fresh kimchi. Will definitely keep coming back. read more

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A bit of the hole in the wall but Korean food isn't as readily accessible in the area. We ordered shrimp dumplings, jjamppong and seafood soondubu. The shrimp dumplings were nicely fried. The soondubu could have had more flavor and lacked the egg yolk. They also use frozen seafood mix, so it didn't taste that fresh. For a place called kimchi mama, I expected the kimchi to be a lot better. They also don't really have much in terms of ban chan. The jjamppong was the best so we ordered one to go, along with a jajjangmyun, which was too sweet. Good in a pinch but not the best. read more

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if youre coming to town just for a beach day, or live close by - i HIGHLY suggest you pop in here. first off, its incredibly casual and right across from a tattoo shop. ink and a meal? need i say more. NO. its set up like an open concept cafeteria type of spot. you go up to the counter, order and sit down at a tabled table. you are instantly smacked in the face with a great smell - grilled meat smell, sweet and sour ingredients, with a hint of spice in the background. staff was friendly & cool. prices are incredibly modest. i should have known that id receive free korean apps with my meal - i ordered way too much food thinking the dumplings and burrito were enough. WRONG. i received house made kimchi, miso soup , and a salad. kimchi was sour as hell - but GOOD. miso soup was nothing special. the dressing on the salad was UNIQUE. it was a healthy mix of ginger and spicy mayo - i loved it. small order of shrimp dumplings were amazing. they were fried to protection and you can get a bite of shrimp in each bite. loved this, and would get a bigger order next time. korean spicy chicken burrito is an absolutely must get. its PACKED. its sour. its spicy ( but doable). its sweet. its chunky. its huge. well worth every penny and the concept of a korean inspired burrito is right up my alley. latin and asian ingredients make a great marriage. read more

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Ordered takeout from here last evening. We got: 1. Seafood bop, $10.95 which was a bit spicy but not too much (you can ask for items to be more spicy). 2. Korean pancake with seafood, $18.95 which was like a mini pizza, but really unique. 3. Korean chicken wings, 8 pieces, $14.95 which we ordered half with hot sauce and half with sweet garlic sauce. Everything was quite tasty. Prices are reasonable. Good to have Korean food in the area. We will definitely be back. read more

I had the kko kko-bop (takeout) and it was delicious! Great flavor, perfect balance of sweet and spicy. The miso soup + kimchi were great too. Can't wait to dine in here. read more

The food here is incredible! I am so in love with it. I normally ordered the chicken wings and they are a hit each time. The bubble teas are also good. They make their food with love, and you can tell. It always gets delivered quickly, which is a plus for when I do not want to cook. The restaurant is cute as well read more

We love Kimchi Mama! The food is consistently great (we love the Bibimbap), the staff is so friendly and helpful and they always give you so much food for the price - cannot recommend enough! read more

The service was really good. The owner treated us really well. I was new to Korean food and Kimchi Mama, the owner, took her time to explain everything to me. We first were served with side dishes and Miso soup. My favorite was the horseradish, Kimchi Mama gave me an extra one to take home with me. I decided to have the beef burrito for an appetizer and it was fantastic. For main dishes we had Seafood Hot Stone Bowl and Bulgogi Hot Stone Bowl. Every dish was amazing and there is a lot of dishes with the entry side dishes. The restaurant itself is cute with a nice quiet vibe. Our food came out quick enough from the kitchen. Kimchi Mama really takes pride in her restaurant and it shows in service and food quality. Highly recommend this place if your in the mood for Korean or want some new excitement for your taste bugs. read more

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