Den Den Café Asiana

My boyfriend and I were visiting Providence and came here on a recommendation. It’s a small, moody space and the type of restaurant where you order from a counter and they bring the food to your table. The staff were not particularly friendly, but they weren't unfriendly either. We ordered the cucumber salad and japchae to share and both were delicious! This was our first time having japchae so we don’t have any points of comparison but it was great! The noodles were a fun texture and there were tons of veggies and chicken mixed in. The portion was definitely enough to split between two people. If we lived in the area, we definitely would be back to try the other delicious-sounding things on the menu!

This is a great local spot with big portions and tasty food. Service is kind and prices are reasonable. In general the food labeled spicy hasn’t been spicy, but I don’t eat meat so that could contribute if they marinate their meat differently. Super flavorful, casual and would always recommend!

Craving Korean & Japanese comfort food? Den Den is legit. Located steps from RISD & Brown, contemporary, casual, neighborhood Asian eatery serving familiar casual dishes, well prepared, authentic flavors, fresh ingredients, non-shrinkflation portions, reasonably priced. Friendly, prompt service even during peak hours. Downside: limited street parking & one unisex restroom. Overall, definitely recommended. Support your local small businesses & restaurants 👍 😋

Really yummy Korean food that won’t run your pockets empty! Workers are super nice and the dark interior with the dim lighting make it a perfect spot for a late night dinner date or a spot to hangout with friends.

The service is excellent, the atmosphere is very good. Very attentive, they have bilingual people for everyone's enjoyment. The food is delicious. 100% recommended.

Incredible food. You haven't lived until you've tried their bibimbap. This may be the only restaurant I've ever been to that I actually have recurring dreams about. That's how good this place is. The way the rice gets all crispy on the edge of the hot metal bowl. The flavor profiles. The quality of the proteins they have. Amazing place and an awesome atomosphere. Listen to that sizzle!

The food was delicious! I had never tried bibimbap before and it was insanely good! Even my mom who is picky with food enjoyed it a lot! Definitely recommend!

Small place with an awkwardly cramped layout & poor ambience. Certain seating sections have really poor lighting and it can get really loud. The food is great though, and I enjoyed the balance of meat, vegetables, rice, and Gochujang sauce. Good portions too.

Den den cafe Asiana is overall a wonderful restaurant. It is great for casual lunches and dinners and is always busy when we go. Food: Hot pot bulgogi beef: excellent! The broth was rich and flavorful. The beef was very thin and tender. 10/10 Yaki soba: Very tasty but would benefit from a sauce or broth. 8/10 Monkey balls: 8/10 Ambiance: We love the casual style of Den Den and that we can show up in comfortable clothing. The only issue with the restaurant itself is that the lighting is quite harsh and hangs right above your head.

I wanted to love it. However, honestly the Den Den Fried Chicken location was better. I was very confused that you had to get up and order at the counter, as this is NOT told to you when you walk in. My friend and I really sat there for multiple minutes until we figured it out. (Which I feel like was rude of the staff to not inform us, as we made it clear we were new to the spot.) The noodles I got were the glass noodles. Which I think were good- not great. I also will add- you'll leave that place smelling like food for sure. Maybe they need better ventilation? I think I'll stick with the fried chicken location.

Hot Stone Bibimbap: 5/5 Soft tofu Soup: 4/5 I honestly wasn't expecting this hidden place to be so good especially the hot stone bibimbap. They absolutely mastered the perfectly crispy rice at the bottom which was very crispy and not burnt at all. The soft tofu soup was also enjoyable but not as good as the bibimbap. Flavors were strong at the beginning but then it became muted towards the end of it. I had the seafood version which included a decent variety although most of the pieces were tiny clams and octopus. If I were the return, I would definitely get the bibimbap again.

If you're craving some Korean food, Den Den has a nice selection of soft tofu soups and stone pot bibimbaps! Had the pleasure of trying the beef soft tofu soup and seafood bibimbap. The bibimbap was crispy and paired wonderfully with the kimchi side. The beef in the soft tofu soup was tender and flavorful from being simmered in the soup. Wasn't too spicy - I do wish we could adjust our spice level to mild, medium, and hot! Besides that, it was great! Note that you order first, then they deliver the food to the table you select! Service is quick with tables cleaned soon after a party leaves. Although I believe that their other Korean fried chicken location is more special, this one is still worth a try! Still delicious!

Delicious! During this cold December day, the spicy tofu stew was amazing! It was very cozy! It was perfect and had plenty of tofu and mushroom toppings! It was exactly what I needed. I also ordered the spicy rice cakes for the table. It was chewy and warm. To order food, you order at the counter, and pay. Food is delivered to the table and water is refilled whenever is needed by the staff which is highly appreciated with my extra hot stew. Restaurant was clean and the staff was prompt! This place is always a great, recommended Korean food place that feels casual and cozy.

I have not visited this place in a while. My initial review still stands. A good selection of Korean favorites and some other Asian inspired dishes from Japan and China. It looks like they have added a few new plates and deleted some. I was here for a lunch with my colleague. The service was prompt and friendly. The staffing level was good for a busy lunch time on week days. The atmosphere was casual as usual. Nice and clean space.

Den Den Cafe Asiana was an amazing recommendation from a friend, and I couldn't be happier they suggested it! From the moment we walked in, we were warmly welcomed by the staff, setting the tone for a wonderful dining experience. The interior is stunning, with an aesthetic that perfectly complements the quality of the food--it's cozy yet modern and inviting. Having enjoyed Korean food on both the East and West Coasts, I can confidently say this is some of the best I've ever had. We ordered the Soft Tofu Stew with Seafood and the Hot Stone Bibimbap with soy-marinated beef and a fried egg. The bibimbap was absolutely unforgettable--everything from the perfectly cooked rice to the flavorful marinated vegetables was spot-on. And that spicy gochujang sauce? Simply incredible! Den Den Cafe Asiana has gained a loyal customer in me. I'll definitely be back for more of their phenomenal food and welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommend!

It's a self serving restaurant. You pick a seat and order from the bar and get a number waiting on the food. You need to bring your own water and beverages to the table. The soft tufo stew was delicious and people there were very friendly. The vibe was young and relaxing.

Great service, decent food. Colder atmosphere so bring a cover up. Would come again to give it another chance.

Service 5/5 Interior 4.7/5 Surfaces were kind of sticky Food 8.5/10 The bibimbap and soft tofu soup were really good. The portion size in comparison to price is reasonable. The Don Katsu was a little soggy the taste of the seaweed was a little off but besides that the other dishes including the seafood pancake was really good and reasonable. Our servers were also really nice.

I have been to Den Den Cafe Asiana a number of times. The food is consistently great! I am a big fan of the Japchae, Kimchi Kimbap, Den Den Monkeyballs, and the Hot Stone Bibimbap with the marinated beef. You can pick up a menu at the counter, make your selections, and then head back up to the counter to order. They will give you a number to take back to your table and then bring you your food. There are a number of small tables in the restaurant and a few larger tables for bigger parties. I also think there are more tables in another section of the restaurant, but I'm not sure as I usually find a table in the main restaurant where the bar/counter is.

Came here for dinner. The restaurant has decent seating. You order at the counter and they give you a number and will bring the food to your table. Coming from NY we eat a lot of korean food. While the food was decent it was average at best. The potato twist could have definitely been fried longer to he more crispy. The cucumber was okay. Nothing special. The pork tofu stew was pretty good. Loaded with pork that was soft and tender. The jap chae had really good flavor. Was sad to find out that they took kimbaps off the menu.

This is such a cute, cozy restaurant for a casual lunch or dinner with friends. It's less informal, so a great place if you're in a rush. The food was delicious and the portions was perfect. The service was quick and easy. I recommend this place if you're looking a good Korean fix

Just as a disclaimer, I do have higher standard for Korean food since I do cook Korean food at home. But I was not amazed by the food at Den Den. I wasn't the biggest fan of spicy pork & squid and would give that dish 3 stars. However, kimchi tofu was much better so I decided to give 4 stars. The service was good and ambiance was cool.

We were in a rush, and they were very accommodating and able to get our food out in only 15 minutes! The service is very nice, and the food is really good too. I highly recommend the green tea latte. Also they are very reasonably priced and rarely busy (I've been multiple times at all times in the day and never had to wait on a table). 10/10

My first time here in nearly a decade of living of RI - how?! We dined in on a Friday and arrived before the rush. I'm not a seasoned Korean food diner, so I base this review on very little knowledge or experience. I will say: it's family friendly, and there was a big group of people there with kids when we dined. Despite its name, the Monkey Balls appetizer is amazing. I'll go back just for them. I tried the hot pot bulgogi beef, and that might not have been the best entree choice for me personally. It came with a (presumably raw) egg, which is awesome and probably expected by most people who order hot pots, but since it wasn't listed on the menu, it was a surprise or me. Unfortunately, I'm allergic to eggs, so it went to waste :(. The beef wasn't exactly the texture I was hoping for, and while I was sold on the sweet potato noodles, it didn't occur to me that it would make the entire dish sweet. I kept pouring hot sauce over it to make it a little spicier. Now I know what to expect! My husband got the yaki udon with beef and enjoyed it. I had a bite of his and thought it was delicious, albeit still a little too sweet for me. I definitely want to come back and try more dishes! And of course, get me some more of those monkey balls ;)

I visited Providence for the day and was trying to find a good spot for lunch. Based on several people's recommendations, my friend and I decided to try this place. From the photos, everything looked really good. This restaurant has a nice industrial feel to it, with lots of exposed brick and generally dark interior. Though it is a sit down restaurant, you order at the counter and then the food gets brought to your table. Some of the staff was rather unpleasant. Rather than being greeted with a "hello" or a "welcome", we were immediately hit with, "are you guys dining in" in a almost inconvenienced tone. It definitely was not a nice way to welcome your guests, but regardless, we sat down. The food that was being carried to everyone's tables looked delicious. I ordered the bibimbap with Korean beef. It was a very generous and tasty serving of food, but the bowl made it hard to mix everything together. My friend was also very satisfied with her tteaokbokki. Overall, our experience was rather positive. The food was well worth the money and the service was very fast. Despite being rudely spoken to when we walked in, I would happily dine here again.

Solid Asian food, very friendly staff and college town ambiance. It's quiet and relaxing. Highly recommend if you crave Asian food.

For casual dining, 5 stars. Although you order at the counter, we were seated with menus and then want back up to the cashier. Even with 6 people with special dietary requests, they were helpful and attentive. The food came to the table and was excellent in taste and portion size. Though we needed some extra gochujang sauce for the bibimbop, there was some heat to the dishes. The sweet potato twister was a visual masterpiece as well as a delicious appetizer, but it was the kimchi scallion pancakes that were a hit. The japchae was the only dud with more noodles than anything. Our friend who was with us makes us much better japchae. Overall, we'll be back to try more of the options on the menu. We were there early so had no problem getting a table, but when we left there was a line out the door and a wait outside.

Overall: 4/5 Food: 4/5 - I came here with my bf and I got the soft tofu stew with seafood and he got the bibimbap with terriyaki chicken. Although my bf was not that impressed with the bibimbap, I liked my soft tofu stew! Great flavor and taste. Service : 4/5 - There is not that much service here given you are ordering at the counter and there were no water refills, etc. But I still liked the vibe and the food came out fast. Value: 4/5 - Pretty standard for what is in the area. Overall, this place was pretty good and I think I would come back to try something else on the menu!

Cafe Den Den never disappoints! The bibimbap is a ho yo item there... always perfectly prepared and delicious. It's a mixture of counter service and table service there but the staff is super friendly and attentive.

I love this spot! Yummy delicious hot made to order dishes. Authentic and kind atmosphere in the city. Tough parking but nothing unbearable because the neighborhood is nice. I love spending my nights here with my girls and sharing apps. The den den monkey balls and eel fish is the best. Eel melts in your mouth. Open your tastebuds to a new food! I enjoy that we order and pay at the counter. Good service and very attentive and CLEAN

Edible for Korean food but they really, really like onions here-- both the kim chi tofu appetizer as well as the soon dobu (soon tofu) had way more onion than I am used to in them. Maybe that is a style I am just not used to, but being a regular in Los Angeles' Koreatown, I do not have a recent encounter with so many onions in either in many years.

This is your local go to. Need a good, hot, comforting meal that everyone in your friend group /colleague circle can agree on? this is it. Some years ago one of the servers put me on my go to meal; the hot kimchi tofu with a side of rice and an egg. Super simple. Super delicious. Super filling. It keeps me coming back.

Den Den Cafe Asiana is one of my favorite places to grab a meal with friends. The food is always on point, especially the Korean bibimbap, loaded with fresh veggies and a nice kick of spice. And the service is fast and friendly. The place has casual vibe.

Have consistently had good meals there and this was no exception. Shared a seafood scallion pancake and I had the bibimbop with teriyaki chicken. It also comes with citrus soy sauce and an abundance of veggies and rice (the best part being the crispy rice.) I also like the scallion pancake and the dumplings. Price point is great for quality and quantity. Parking can be challenging due to its proximity to Brown and RISD. They do not take reservations but if you come at an off time it isn't an issue.

Craving Korean & Japanese comfort food? Den Den is legit. Located steps from RISD & Brown, contemporary, casual, neighborhood Asian eatery serving familiar casual dishes, well prepared, authentic flavors, fresh ingredients, non-shrinkflation portions, reasonably priced. Interior is modern & rustic, two separate dining sections, clean & well-spaced out, variety seating. Friendly, prompt service even during peak hours. Downside: limited street parking & one unisex restroom. Overall, definitely recommended. Support your local small businesses & restaurants

Den Den is a cool and modern style restaurant with nice decor and good food. Friend and I got the Korean fried chicken with rice and was quite happy with our selection. The chicken was so crunchy and delicious, with just the right amount of glaze. We stayed away from the spicy stuff that night so we just had the normal dark soy, and it was fantastic. I had a great time catching up with my friend over some delicious chicken, I would go back again. Pros: Flavorful chicken, instagram worthy atmosphere, nice food selection Before I say anything negative, please note this could have just been the night since it was busy. I have my cons of my experience but I do think you should go and find out for yourself. Basic cons: A little pricey, but worth it. No seasonings/sauces for our plain white rice (not enough sauce on chicken where the rice would be useful/flavorful. Not even salt). Cons: Very cramped restaurant with not enough staff/support for servers to do their jobs well. I felt squished in my booth and also felt like a jerk for even being there because the restaurant was busy and the staff seemed stressed. I don't need any waiter to wait on my every word, but they really didn't have time to wait on us at all (and we got there with plenty of time to spare before closed.) Not going to blame someone for being super busy, but imagine if your food was spicy and desperately needed water! We didn't get refills very often, and that would have sucked if we had hot food that we couldn't cool down with anything. We wanted to get drinks but never got the chance to with how busy it was. Even paying for the food felt like it was a burden. I understand nights can be really rough and overwhelming but... it wasn't THAT busy. We didn't even wait for a table. Our food came out pretty fast (which I am not complaining about), but we just were left alone without any questions or concerns about whether we liked it or not, if we wanted anything else, etc. This is sort of a petty complaint, but, we weren't even asked about dessert? I've never been to a place that didn't ask? Just felt very rushed and we felt bad. Our section was in the front that was pretty small with multiple waiters too, so that's why it especially felt kinda bad. TLDR: Food was great, would love to come back on a less busy night and see how the service is that time. It's worth going for that alone.

Same delicious food that you'll get from their other location near Thayer Street. However, at this location you order your food at the counter first and then sit down. They also serve coffee and other drinks, hence the cafe in the name. The only negative is that they don't serve den den famous wings but other than that this place is awesome! Plenty of seating and a friendly staff.

Delicious bone in wings-crispy yet ridiculously juicy still Good service and setting

Really good comfort korean food. Tofu stew is really good and all the food is really hot. Service is pretty good! Very chill environment

On Sunday in Providence it seems like a lot of restaurants are closed. We walked all over College Hill, we finally came across DenDen Cafe Asiana and they were open. It is pretty small inside but cute and cozy with all the exposed brick. There is a bar, you can order your coffee to go, or you can sit. The lady behind the counter gave me a menu, and said when I am ready I can come to the counter and place my order. I wasn't familiar with anything in this menu, so I turned to Yelp. No one approached our table to ask us if we'd like a drink, or brought water, or offered suggestions off the menu. It wasn't busy at all, they had enough staff who could do that. This lack of service was a huge turn off. Once I walked up to the counter, and placed the order, I was given one glass of water. I asked for another glass, the girl said she would bring it over, she never did. This is also where you pay and leave a tip. I ordered Kimbap with kimchi. This is Korean sushi. We also got Udon with Shrimp tempura. This is Korean soup with wheat flour noodles. Once we placed the orders, we got waters, and plates, and "is everything ok?" I have to say the Kimbap kimchi rolls were delicious! They arrived beautifully presented. They were fresh and had an unexpected crunch! The Udon had a lot inside the bowl, I tried it, it was also very tasty. The food is delicious here, but the service for a first timer wasn't welcoming at all.

Small designated parking lot to the side of the building is available. You place your order at the bar and get a number then seat yourself and the order will be brought out. I ordered the bbq spicy pork. My first thought was the portion of meat is large and the side of kimchi is minuscule. Ran out of rice long before the meat, but you can ask for a refill on rice and kimchi (free of charge). I did note that not all meat was pork belly, but flavor was great. Overall, quick casual place to grab a meal with flavorful food.

My partner and I have been long time fans of Den Den. Both this location and the one closer to Thayer St. Definitely the best Korean food in Providence.

Seen such good reviews so decided to give this place a try. It's close to the Amtrak station (Will have to walk up a small hill). FYI - once you walk in, they'll tell you to take a seat and you'll need to order at the counter. Ordered the following: - Chicken Karaage $10: This was alright. Chicken wasn't that dry. Came with two sauces, mayonnaise and the other one had a slight wasabi taste - Squid & Pork Belly BBQ $18 - Packed with pork belly and onion d and not so much squid. Felt that there was a lot gochujang flavor but I was expecting more of like a house made marinade. - Donburi (Oyakodon) $15 - Came with a mountain of chicken so definitely getting your moneys worth haha There was staff constantly going around to fill the water and spraying the tables and wiping them to ensure it's clean. There are also lots of seating inside. Overall, a nice place to try out. :)

Soft Tofu Stew was just okay - it was missing the flavor, the beef came in big clumps. Pork Belly Squid had good flavor but the squid was hard to chew. Not much seafood in the seafood pancake. Service was solid. You select your own seat and order at the counter. I went on a Tuesday night and it was not too busy and ambiance was not bad at all. Overall 3/5 spot.

Denden Cafe has been my go-to Korean restaurant for years. The cozy atmosphere and friendly staff create a perfect dining environment. I always order the bibimbap, but I've also had the pleasure of trying their other menu items and have never been disappointed. I'm excited to introduce my Korean colleagues to this amazing restaurant when they visit in the summer and am confident that they will love it just as much as I do!

Had dinner here tonight. Staff so welcoming and nice. They gave us a menu and told us to find a seat where we could go over the menu. One of us walked up to order at the counter. they do have beer- an APA - very tasty, some wines and sake. We ordered a variety of things all which were excellent. Nice mellow place, open and casual and fun. Really enjoyed our meal.

Enjoyed lunch here and loved all of the choices! We shared a cucumber salad and I had one of the sweet potato noodle dishes. My husband had a rice dish. Very generous portion of protein and veggies! I would have liked more heat/more flavor in the sauce. Great service!

One of my favorite Korean restaurants in Providence. However, the Kimbap has been discontinued, which was one of the best items.

I cannot remember the staff member's name who took our orders at the counter but she was fantastic! She even overheard us chatting a bit about the menu before we ordered and she was on top of it, answering questions, offering suggestions, etc. She genuinely made the experience even more enjoyable. I had the stonepot bibimbap with beef and it was delicious! The rice along the bottom and edges got SO CRISPY. It was so much food that I couldn't even finish it, but I brought home leftovers and they were so delicious even reheated the next day. I would happily revisit Den Den Cafe Asiana in the future!

Visited Den Den for a weeknight meal with my high school friend. We had both been before a couple years ago and we're interested to see if anything had changed. Inside is a casual rustic environment with plenty of exposed brick and relaxed seating. If you're dining in, just order at the counter and take a number. The service was great, our food came really quickly after ordered and our waters were kept topped off throughout the meal. We got some edamame and vegan rolls to start, followed by their specialty beef bulgoogi soup and vegan bibimbap for my friend. We also ordered hot sakes, which was probably the only down point of the meal. The sake came in a cool stone kettle, but neither of us had sake in a while and we realized that it wasn't our thing. I also ordered a yakisoba noodle dish because I didn't know how small the soup was going to be. The edamame and soup filled me up, so the yakisoba made for great leftovers the next day. This is a great spot for nice Korean specialty food. We'll definitely be back again!

The stone bibimbap was good. The toppings were not traditional as you can see kale and zucchini in it. Marinated beef was delicious. The restaurant has hygiene issues though. Seats in the corner smells. Tables were sticky. We saw more than 5 flies crawling on the table next to us. Yikes!

I've been eating here every few months since it opened years ago. I've reviewed it a few times. It's always great, but this time was stupendous! What made today different? Usually bi bim bap is a hot stone bowl filled 3/4 with rice and then an array of small piles of vegetable arranged on top. This time it was 1/4 rice and 3/4 vegetables! I love this! I don't know if this is the new standard, or if there was someone new in the kitchen today, but it was the best bi bim bap ever! I missed the little dishes of kimchi, that would have put it over the top, but it was one of the best lunches anywhere, ever.

Near Brown University, it does get busy especially on weekends. I did take-out for two kimbaps (kimchi and pork) and it was a 20 minute wait. The kimbaps were good, with my favorite being the pork. If you're dining in, you find a table yourself, order at the counter, receive a number and the worker will bring out the food to you. When the worker came out with my food, she called my name, I confirmed it was me and she just looked at me confirming my order items, I confirmed again, and then she confirmed my name again so I had to confirm again. No one else was waiting for food/take-out so it was an interesting interaction.

Came here with a couple of friends when we were visiting town and came across a cute little restaurant on top of the hill. My only complaint is there is only one bathroom for the entire restaurant so if you really have to go and someone is already in there.. you're in for a wait. My friend and I both got the Hot Stone Bibimbap but I'm trying to be a little bit healthier so I replaced the rice with salad instead. Extremely happy they were able to be so accommodating about that! Food was really good - fresh out of the kitchen, HOT (and let me emphasize.. HOT). Make sure you stir your rice around and let the steam release or you're sure to burn your tongue and tastebuds off.

I ordered the pork bibimbap and feasted on it for lunch. Perfectly spicy and filling. I felt comfortable eating along for lunch. However it smells very strongly of ammonia, at least the day I went.

Great experience all around. The space is clean and inviting. The staff is friendly, the menu has quite a bit of options and the food was amazing. We'll be back for sure.

Food was delicious and very traditional. It wasn't crowded it kinda slow at the time I went. Had to go up and order at the bar, waited a few minute but no one came to the table to ask what food I wanted. The ambiance is dim lights but the decor is cool and nice wooden tables. I was expecting something different for the scallion pancake and it was delicious. For the yaki udon don't add the fish flakes on if you don't want it to taste more salty. Everything was delicious and nicely sized. Will be back :)