Ruth Y.
Yelp
I absolutely love this place! I've been here twice and both times were great experiences with fantastic service and delicious food.
Upon entering, you're greeted warmly and see a counter directly to the left and a wall of their merchandise and drinks to the right. After you order at the counter, the friendly staff take you to a seat - there's both plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. The place feels that much more spacious with its high ceilings and largely windowed walls. There was also a wall adorned with framed pictures of tigers, including a Tiger Woods picture which I found humorous. There is an area in the back where you can fill up on drinks if you ordered one, and grab utensils and things, although the service staff are also on point about bringing you what you need.
I ordered the seafood pancake both times which is a testament to how much I enjoyed it. While unorthodox for a Korean pancake, I love the crunchy texture and the perfect ratio between veggies, seafood, and batter.
I also ordered their jjim both times because duh, that's what they're known for! It was so exciting each time to see them bring out the beautiful cast iron pan of steaming meat and colorful veggies. I tried the beef short rib and oxtail and both were so flavorful and tender, with the oxtail being (arguably) slightly more tender. Their veggies are perfectly cooked and while not the star, do well to support the dish and serve as vessels of the heavenly juices that pool at the bottom of the pan. Side note, I highly recommend spooning some of those juices over your rice.
Speaking of rice, let's not forget the sides - along with the jjim, they provide a nice-sized, covered bowl of rice that you can share. As someone who loves her rice, I can appreciate the plentiful portion and the ability to get more while staying warm under its cover. The jjim also comes with a choice of add-ons, and each time I opted for kimchi and pickles. They have my favorite kimchi because it has pieces of pear(?) mixed in which gives an additional texture and lovely sweetness that appeals to my sweet tooth while balancing with other flavors.
I got the medium size jjim each time which I found to be perfect for 2, although they list it as good for 2-3 guests. If you're aiming to share between 3 people, you might want to order other dishes. If you don't finish your food, they say that the jjim are great as leftovers and have to-go containers at the ready.
Small but admirable detail: they have a no tipping policy. Signs on their counter inform you of their belief that they should already compensate their staff well enough to not need tips.
I have not been for them but they do have alcohol specials through happy hour and things like wine Wednesdays. Free parking is very easy to find in the nearby garages of the Lamar Union area. I definitely plan on coming back!