Love this spot when we go to Monterey! Simple little place, bright and fun. Always have some good music and/or music videos playing. The KFC is on point! Perfectly cooked, and perfectly seasoned chicken - or sauced, depending on what you're going for. The breading is so crispy you get that good crunch when you bite into a wing or drumstick! Service is always friendly and prompt! Too all this off with a good beer and you are good to go for a casual dining experience. read more

This place was definitely a hidden gem!! The service was excellent and super friendly. We only had 4 people--so when our server brought out the food and noticed we ordered a lot for 2 adults and 2 kids, she was kind enough to add another table so we'd be comfortable. The Food Lineup: * Chicken Fried rice for my daughter and it was so adorable because they made it into a shape of a heart. Love the attention to detail! * Sodduk Sodduk - 10/10! I'm a sucker for tteok so to have it in skewer form with mini sausages was a treat. The outside was kinda crunchy and the inside was nice and chewy. Loved it! * Dduk Bok Gi - not spicy so I absolutely loved it. The sauce I was slathering on top of my rice and dipping some of my K-Honey chicken in it. Yum! * K-Honey Chicken was so good! The chicken had a super crunchy outside and the inside was so juicy. I kept scraping up the sauce from the tray to get every bit. Definitely a 10/10! I loved this place and would definitely come back. Also thought the bathroom art work was hilarious. IYKYK. read more

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Just kinda found ourselves at Ttobongee's out of our need to get something in our guts. There good, we over ordered being on the hungry side. So we got a lot of tasty food all at once. Service was great but a bit lacks. We had one dish that was turned into the kitchen wrong. The waiter hadn't written anything down. Placed by memory. He didn't add it to our tab... nice. Korean fried chicken that's what they do. And it was tasty. We had one dish that was so hot not spicy hot, 700 degree Fahrenheit hot in a stone dish. Be warned...bruh. Last words... I I'll be back. read more

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8.8/10 Overall, a really good and satisfying meal. We started with the Galbi, which was cooked well and flavorful. It leaned on the sweeter side with a noticeable saltiness. The portion was a bit smaller than what I've had at other spots for the price, but it was still enjoyable and well-prepared. My go-to dish here would definitely be the Bibimbap. They only had chicken available (I usually prefer beef), but it still hit the spot. The egg was cooked perfectly, and I loved how the rice crisped up at the bottom of the bowl that texture really made the dish stand out. We also tried the pork dumpling soup, which was comforting and delicious. It honestly tasted like a Korean-style chicken noodle soup warm, savory, and perfect for a chilly day. The kimchi came in a small order but was very generous in portion and full of flavor. Service was fast and efficient, which I appreciated. The ambiance was clean and welcoming, with a cool Korean chicken style vibe. Even the bathroom stood out, very clean and nicely designed. read more

Ttobongee - Gal bi, Bi Bim Bob, Pork Dumpling Soup - Korean Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

An amazing find and I'm definitely coming back!! A lot on the menu to choose from, service is great and seating/parking are good. First time here and I got a half order of their OG chicken, rice and kimchee. Make sure you bring an empty stomach, super big portions!! As soon as you get to the door, you are embraced by the smell of fried chicken! read more

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Went there 30 min before closing , so order was for take out . had the soy sauce and green onion fried chicken and boy it did not disappoint , on point crunch and juiciness . Had to use all supplied napkins . Good hidden gem if you want fried chicken . read more

Ttobongee - Soy sauce and green onion chicken - Korean Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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I'll start with the eponymous Korean fried chicken. I'm *not* a particular fried chicken partisan, though I can appreciate a particularly well-done version. This one seemed solid, but I won't be going out of my way to eat it again. What I will be going out of my way to eat again is the japchae, one of the very best versions of a dish I love that I have ever had. And I'll also be happy to have the bibimbap again, it was a solid rendition, if not notable in any particular way. The TV that dominates the space is likely to be polarizing, especially for folks with kids. Some will love the electronic babysitting, others might not be thrilled that their kids can't take their eyes off of it. read more

The chicken was fabulous hot & juicy. Staff is friendly and attentive - very appreciative. I honestly crave the chicken every other week. read more

Based on stopping in once for chicken bi bim bap, I am highly recommending you do the same. Do you enjoy flavor? Do you like eating well? Does having something delicious make you happy? Then do NOT pass by Ttobongee without getting chicken bi bim bap. Why deprive yourself of the experience? Do you want to go to your grave without having eaten their chicken bi bim bap? No, you do not. Do the right thing. Go eat it. Yes, it's a tiny place perched in a parking lot. Get take-out. Go eat it on a beach (and pack out your recycling and trash responsibly). Tip the servers well for making divine food for you in a tiny place perched in a parking lot. You only have one life. Be good to people and eat good food. read more

Found this spot on Yelp and decided to give it a try. Bibimbap was okay though I have had better. Service was order at counter and then wait for food to be brought out. Very small restaurant. The zucchini was the highlight of the dish. Very fresh. read more

Ttobongee - Bi Bim Bop $15.99 (beef) - Korean Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

Tried it out for the first time on Saturday afternoon. Portion was big for 2 half sizes & 2 different flavors. Chicken is crispy. Customer service was great. Small little whole in the wall w great good! Would definitely come back again! read more

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One of my best friends in Chicago is Korean. I made tteokbokki for her one time and her mom said it was really good. I guess that makes me a connoisseur right? My sister was raving about this chicken and said I had to try it. So here we went. She likes the Yang Nyum so we ordered that, and the k honey because honey drizzled on fried chicken is gods gift to earth. We also got the dduk bok gi because I gotta see what this place is working with and how they stack up. Dduk bok gi comes out super steamy hot and very brothy. Definitely spicy like it supposed to be, and it includes a whole mess of fish cake. The chicken also comes out super hot and slathered in sauce / honey. They know what they're doing so the chicken stays crispy even though it's coated in the flavoring. Now here's the amazing part: I ordered the wings/drums combo. I expected drumettes but they served full on drumsticks!! I can plow through wings but when they're full sized drums... sheeeesh! Definitely a good serving and size for your dollar. I would definitely recommend this spot for anyone with a hankering for good fried chicken. KFC may use 11 herbs and spices.... But they're definitely missing gochugaru. read more

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I had a fried chicken rice bowl here about a week ago on Tuesday and it was delicious. Five stars for that. I called back the following Saturday and tried to order the same thing. They told me they don't do rice bowls at all on the weekends. They still sell the same chicken and they still sell rice, they just won't put the two ingredients together on a weekend. There is apparently something special about weekends that precludes them from adding two ingredients they have on hand together. The only option to get something similar would be to place a large order for the chicken and a large order for the rice - enough food to feed three people. I passed. I totally understand businesses offering special lunch pricing to entice customers in for lunch. But why wouldn't they offer the same thing for dinner or on weekends for a higher price? They're still making rice and they're still making chicken - why force people to order a huge amount of food just because it's a weekend? What a bizarre business practice. Instead, I went down the street to a Mexican restaurant and ordered a burrito plate. They sold me the burrito plate ON A WEEKEND. Oh my god! This is the SAME burrito plate they will also sell me on a weekday! Holy crap! My mind was totally blown. They will sell me burrito plates anytime I order them. They don't require me to order a six-pack of burritos and a gallon of refried beans just because it's a weekend. What a crazy idea. read more

If you're craving crispy, flavorful Korean fried chicken without breaking the bank, Ttobongee is the place to go! I came here with a few friends, and we were seriously impressed. The portions are huge--perfect for sharing with a group or taking home leftovers (which taste just as good the next day!). We ordered a family-sized combo with a mix of spicy and soy garlic wings, and they were absolutely on point: crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and packed with bold flavor. The sauces were addictive! Prices are super reasonable considering the quantity and quality. You get a ton of food for what you pay, which makes it perfect for a casual dinner with friends or a family night out. They also have more than just chicken! There were a few Korean comfort food dishes on the menu--like tteokbokki, kimchi fried rice, and even some fusion options--which gave us some variety and rounded out the meal nicely. Friendly service, clean space, and food that hits the spot. I'll definitely be back. Highly recommend if you want great Korean fried chicken that doesn't disappoint! read more

There are not enough stars to rate this restaurant. Atmosphere is perfect for the food. Service was great. Happy staff, singing in the prep area. Then the food. Oh my the food. Delicious. Chicken full of flavor. kimchi pancake that was incredible. Will be back again and again. read more

Ttobongee - Finger condoms - Korean Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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Incredible chicken! Very tasty! I think you will be hard pressed to find a better fried chicken place in the Peninsula. The smooth dulcet tones of the owner signing Taylor Swift is just the right reason to go beside the chicken. read more

If you're craving Korean Fried Chicken and can't make the trip to San Jose for Bonchon, then Ttobongee can definitely scratch that itch. Hot, Crispy, and Crunchy; the chicken hits all of the things we know and love about our double fried treat. Is it the best I've had? No. But it does a good enough job. The gripes that come in would be for ambiance/service. Small yet comfy, the restaurant is quite the opposite from the clean aesthetic we've grown to love from Korean establishments. Still, the issues that existed were from the YouTube videos playing on TV for the staff to just sing karaoke to (10min versions of Taylor Swift songs and Bruno Mars Cover Compilations) which although fun, grew old and distracting after the first 15 minutes. Of note the size of the restaurant makes storage tough, but we did notice that the booster seats are stored in the bathroom--a bit unappealing. Service was mixed. Although incredibly kind and helpful when we had their attention, they were not as attentive and did not check in on often--despite only one other party being seated. Additionally, dressed in flip flops and crocs (not even in sport mode) it's hard to understand where the "classy" feature that Yelp has assigned them comes from if not facetiously. Overall, ttobongee hits the niche of craving satisfier. I'd slot this one for takeout cravings only though. read more

Ttobongee - Ttobongee Chicken ( Original Fried Chicken) - Korean Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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The Crispy Fried Chicken 5 extra crispy, black pepper, juicy inside K-honey Chicken 5 sweet glaze, crispy, juicy inside Gal Bi Fried Chicken 5 non-spicy, Korean BBQ sauce Sweet & Chili Fried Chicken 4 spicy level mild Kimchi Fried Rice 3 too little pork, spicy level medium Jab Chae 4 pan-fried clear noodles, vegetables, chicken, flavorful read more

In a little plaza, the restaurant was small. Seems like this is the only place to get Korean fried chicken in Monterey, I was excited and craving some fried chicken too, but was disappointed in the lack of flavor and freshness in the chicken and bibimbap. Wished there was customization in ordering the half and half chicken. Was seated down quickly and ordered #2 - Yang Nyum Chicken (combo - 5 drum and 10 wings) ($32.99) and #K4 - Dol Sot bibimbap ($18.99) . Waited about 15 minutes food which is reasonable. I think I noticed was that the table across had gloves for their fried chicken, we did not receive any, so there are some inconsistencies. When mixing into the bibimbap: super wet rice, no mushrooms, chewy unseasoned meat which definitely was NOT a ribeye meat which is a standard meat when making bulgogi. At $18.99, I can find a really tasty bibimbap in the Bay Area. The Korean fried chicken was disappointing! Saucy outside, but had no seasoning on the inside. For a full chicken, it realistically looked more like half of chicken, had to count that there were 15 pieces of chicken, since there were a few small pieces. One positive is that the meat was tender, but contained a lot tendons. Needless to say, the food was meh, I would not go again! read more

Ttobongee - (Not good) Yang Nyum Chicken (Medium Spicy) - Korean Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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Bland kimchi, needs longer pickling time. Even though I was hoping to have a neighborhood Korean place, the quality of food is all right or average, just nothing special. I recommend the dolsot bibimbap with beef. The proportion of bulgogi you receive is too small compared to the amount of coleslaw and rice on the plate. We had to ask for the pickled radish that was supposed to accompany the crispy but dry fried chicken. read more

Ttobongee - Korean Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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Best Fried Chicken around the Monterey Peninsula, No Comparison.. My other favorite is the GAL BI chicken, great flavor..

Locals favorite fried chicken spot. A little pricy but worth it in my opinion. The rice can sometimes be mushy and for the price youd expect it to be cooked to perfection. My favorite flavor is maip dak but it is very hot (which I love) I can see it being too spicy for someone whos sensitive to spice. Jap chae is always delicious. Overall a great spot I would recommend to anyone in the area craving some chicken. read more

Always our happy place! Love the food and the service! They have the best korean fried chicken in town!

Intimate place in this small plaza that house a bunch of restaurants, a hair salon and a store that we visited in the past (rabbit hole, if I remember correctly). This plaza is located in between Safeway and Trader Joe's. They have two small tables and two chairs each outdoors for those who prefer to sit outside. Their delicious food come in generous servings. We loved the appetizer (rice cake and sausage skewers) especially! Service was exceptional! Everyone was warm and welcoming. read more

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This is one spot that I would absolutely love to visit again! I ordered 2 different type of flavor wings! Hands down, they were some of the best wings I've had in this county in a very long time! I highly recommend this spot. It is a bit on the pricey side so I do recommend ordering a full chicken for a better deal. Overall , I would dine here again. I wish I could have taken pictures but at the time, I did not have my phone on me. Just take my word on this! read more

The Korean Fried Chicken(KFC) was absolutely delicious, and the crispiest I have ever had. Chicken fried rice was a great side dish to the KFC The service is absolutely amazing. The atmosphere is simple with a small bar area. read more

Ttobongee - Chicken fried rice was so good. It had just a hint of sweetness but still was good. - Korean Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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This is a chain restaurant yet a small quaint setting with good service and great tasting food. The service was excellent. Out waitress was attentive and friendly. read more

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Really great food with nice family ran service. Won't find this quality Korean food unless you're in the bay or in LA.

I really thought I had already left a review. This place really has been a godsend for me, lol. I am absolutely obsessed with Galbi (Korean short ribs) and don't always enjoy them at different restaurants. As a matter of fact, I have tried at least two other places, and in comparison I believe Ttbongee wins when it comes to this dish. It is on the pricey side, however, it seems like everything everywhere is just getting more and more expensive, so that's a bit understood. I've eaten inside once, had food delivered a few times, and have taken food to go the rest of the times. Overall I really like this place, the food is good , the restaurant is clean, as the service is good. The chicken is cooked to absolute perfection, buuuut always leaves me a bit to desire. However, after multiple times eating here, I truly believe that is just based off of my personal preferences vice any lack of skill or flavor on their end. Aside from the Galbi and chicken (multiple flavors), I've also had their chicken fried rice which is also really good. If you're thinking about trying them out, just do it already! read more

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I hit this place up on my trip to Big Sur, it was absolutely delicious. Service was polite and attentive, and the wait was super short. The fried chicken was super juicy and had the perfect crispiness to it. Japchae was the best I've had in my whole life, noodle perfect, sauce perfect, flavors perfect. Highly recommend! read more

Come for the fried chicken. Stay for Stan! We love Stan. He's hilarious, sassy, and a joy to be around. He even sings while he works! I called him a Karaoke King. I always appreciate when service goes above and beyond. Stan hooked me up with the red sauce to go with our leftovers. I expected a small container but it was big enough for soup lol. Our group shared a full order of #1 (Ttobongee Chicken - Original Fried Chicken), Gal Bi, Dol Sot Bi Bim Bap, and a Korean corn dog. The chicken was perfectly fried and scrumptious. K4. Dol Sot Bi Bim Bop (beef, veggies, and rice in the stone pot) was so good that we ordered a second bowl. K1. Gal Bi - delicious marinated beef short ribs Korean Corn Dog - crunchy, salty, smoky (from the fish sausage!), a little sweet, and cheesy - great side order. We were stuffed and giddy with the amazing food and Stan's spectacular singing. read more

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High quality food. I don't know if I was just so ravenous or if there was something in the food.. but I couldn't stop eating. I've had the fried chicken here as well and it top notch. Their spot is clean and never too busy when I've gone in. A must try in PG if you want Korean. read more

Ttobongee - Jab Chae - Korean Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

Wings are small and a bit expensive. The Dduk Bok Gi was delicious and spicy but the broth was more watery than I like it to be. Also, I found those packets of preservative that are added to bags in my dduk bok gi... I did notify them about it and they were apologetic but still would have rather not have it in there. Food: 7/10 Service: 8.5/10 read more

Ttobongee - Korean Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

We have been coming to this place since we found it a few years ago when visiting the area. It is outside the tourist areas of Pacific Grove. The restaurant is located inside a strip mall with a shared parking lot that is usually pretty full. However, we have not had trouble finding a spot. We like their fried chicken and fried rice. Their fried chicken is comparable to or better than other KFC restaurants. Their fried rice is nothing special, but it is good if you are in the mood for it. They have numerous other traditional Korean foods as well, but we have not tried these at Ttobongee. Given the quality of their chicken, these other dishes are worth a try. The place has always been deserted when we go, except for some takeout orders. Their restrooms are clean and so is the inside seating area. There is limited outside seating. However, we usually get take out and eat in our hotel or at a scenic spot around town. The people who work here have changed over our different visits, but they are always very nice. On our last visit, we noticed that they had white daikon packaged to go on the counter and when they saw we were interested, they immediate put it in our to go bag. Perhaps it was complimentary anyway, but we will never know because they just gave it to us without us asking for it. This has become one of our standard meal stops when we visit the area. We will definitely be back and recommend that you give them a try. read more

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We ordered to go and they gave us a 20-25 minute wait. By the time we showed up everything was ready to go. The food was fresh and still piping hot when we got back to our hotel which was a 10 minute drive. The parking lot is small so would recommend not rolling up with a large party. We ordered: Half and half chicken Japchae Sweet potato fries Bimbimbap Bottle of Soju The least favorite was probably the bimbimbap and the most favorite was the chicken. But next time I'd just go with the one with sauce and skip the original. While this was not "the best" Korean fried chicken I've had, it was still delicious and fixed my cravings. Everything totaled to about $95+. read more

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My friend had looked this place up and we planned to go here only if we were able to make it before they closed since they close earlier than other food places. But we made it! The Korean Fried Chicken (KFC) was really good! Super crunchy and flavorful! However, the bigger pieces had a lot of tendon and personally those are not my favorite parts of the chicken. My friend and I shared a Bulgogi plate order and the half & half which had two flavors of KFC. The service was quick, we really came at 8pm and felt so bad but they still accepted us and was so quick with pushing our food out. It was nice. The storefront itself was smaller but i think it also gives it a more homey feel. The parking is a bit harder especially with other businesses in the plaza. read more

Ttobongee - Menu - Korean Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

Went there recently. It changed from my first time going in 2020. FRIED CHICKEN - yangyum 10/10 always my favorire just pricey KIMCHI PANCAKE- good 7/10 FISH CAKE SOUP- Needed some spice maybe a combo soup with Kimchi, fishcakes and tofu would be better 5/10 JAP CHAE - 10/10 VERY GOOD didnt have any sesame oil taste to it VERY GOOD MANDOS (pot stickers) GOOD. 8/10 SERVICE- didnt being water until asked and only gave 2 cups for 3 people. She mixed our order with someone else, we had to correct her. She seemed a little over welmed and under expierenced. Not very attentive. Items came out at random times . Not together as id think. Oh yeah not to mention. I DONT THINK THERE WAS A KOREAN PERSON IN SITE read more

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Definitely one of my must go-to spots when I'm in Monterey ! It's located in the small plaza behind Safeway . Restaurant is very small but it gives you the moms/pops feels- hole in the wall type of restaurant Customer service :5/5 They are always welcoming and friendly ! It is on the expensive side but the food is so good and worth it ! One of the best chicken wings places ever ! Maybe the best or on par with the famous San Tung in SF! I came here twice so far and both times the food ( actually every single dish) came out delicious ! Never dissatisfied They are known for their chicken wings so it's a must try: - Soy garlic chicken wings : 5/5 - prob my favorite flavor here and definitely a must try flavor if you had to pick one !! In particular this taste, texture and style is similar to San Tung's. - Jalapeño wings: 5/5 - wasn't as spicy as expected but nevertheless still good ! - Korean sweet chili:5/5 - my second fav flavor I also ordered: - Sweet potato Fries :5/5 - just the right amount of crunch and softness - kimchi fried rice w/ spam and egg:5/5 - can never go wrong with this dish ! - japchae: 5/5 - another classic dish to have read more

Ttobongee - Korean Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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Highly recommend if you are looking for Korean food in Monterey! We got the soy sauce garlic wings (full size - 20 wings) for 2 people and it was A LOT of food. I recommend getting the half size for 2 and sharing other appetizers. The full size was so much for us that we couldn't really eat anything else because we were so full. Soy sauce garlic wings were definitely the move!! It was an explosion of flavors: sweet, savory, garlicky, spicy. Just the perfect combo for chicken wings. Every wing was coated perfectly and crazy crispy with every bite. I cant recommend this place enough. Hands down the best korean chicken wings I have ever had - definitely beats the ones out here in LA. Service was great! It's a small shop with only a few staff so food can take some time to come. Wings are made to order so expect a little bit of a wait especially if there are several parties. I loved the vibe of this location, it was divey and dim. Great for dates and catching up because it's not too loud and you can actually have a conversation at the table. Also, liked that they have a parking lot right up front. It can get a little hectic but we were able to find parking pretty easily. read more

Ttobongee - Korean Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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Ordered the half and half.. Chicken was cooked to perfection, not sure if they make their own batter in house or if it's premixed. It Does taste premixed, nothing wrong with that but batter could be better. The galbi beef was too strong on the lemon grass, very tough couldn't chew, plate was small didn't think it was worth the price of $32. Overall we give 3 stars read more

Ttobongee - Half & Half Chicken - Korean Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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