Liz P.
Google
Last weekend, I invited my girlfriend--who's half Korean and had just spent a month in Seoul--to check out this restaurant with me. I'd never been before, but I'd heard from others that the meat quality was excellent.
Making a reservation was a bit tricky. You can't simply pick a time online--you have to fill out your name, contact information, party size, date, and preferred time, then wait for them to confirm or deny your request. I asked for 12:15 for two, but they accepted us at 12:30. It's an unusual system that might help them manage tables efficiently, but it's a bit of a hassle for customers.
When we arrived, the restaurant was moderately busy--not packed--and the noise level was comfortable. The vibe is modern, simple, and clean. I'd visited Chungdam a couple of months earlier and found their atmosphere more upscale, though the meat quality at both places is comparable. The premium galbi here might be about $5-$10 less.
We ordered the tofu soup and seafood pancake to start. My friend said the pancake reminded her of a quiche--it was thicker than she preferred, and I agreed. The seafood tofu soup, however, was delicious, and the banchan that came with the meal was all very good. That said, I still prefer Chungdam's banchan flavors and offerings more--they tasted more authentic similar to those in Seoul.
We also ordered lettuce wraps for our meat (an additional charge) and settled on the galbi and pork belly. Both were delicious. Overall, the food was solid, but it was the company that made the experience great. We didn't try any of the drinks because my friend doesn't drink alcohol.
Our server was very attentive--grilling and cutting our meats, pouring the tofu soup, and plating the seafood pancake for us individually. That level of service isn't always standard at other Korean BBQ spots, and the price reflects that extra care.
Parking was easy at lunchtime, with free lot parking and available street spaces. I can imagine it being more difficult at dinner, but we may have just gotten lucky.