Kimchi Mama

5 stars - This is hands down one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had. From the moment we walked in, the service was warm and welcoming. Every single dish was bursting with flavor — authentic and fresh. The food was a feast for my eyes as well. The Squid Hot Stone Bowl was especially unforgettable. You can truly tell that a lot of care and passion goes into the food here. The banchan, side dishes that accompany the main dish, were truly amazing; each one more enticing than the last one. The ambiance was cozy yet modern, making it perfect for both casual meals and special nights out. I can’t wait to come back and try more from the menu. Highly recommend to anyone who loves Korean cuisine or is just looking for an exceptional meal! *Added bonus- we got to meet the "Kimchi Mama". She was super kind, knowledgeable and very amiable.

Absolutely incredible! The service and atmosphere were flawless, and the food was nothing short of phenomenal—right from the sliders, to the salad, soup, entrées, and dessert. As Indians, my group and I are well-versed in diverse flavor profiles, yet Kimchi Mama surpassed every expectation in both taste and presentation. Highly recommended—and be sure to say hello to the Kimchi Mama herself!

I seriously love it here. Authentic Korean food taste. I just traveled to Korea in 2022 and been missing the food. Many places have Korean food but nothing like the mom and pop feeling that Kimchi Mama had. Im so picky with my Kimchi and they make it perfect everytime. Their banchan are on point and you can never go wrong with anything on their menu! My go to!!

Last night, my friends and I had our first experience at Kimchi Mama. We were a party of eight and from the moment we walked in the staff were friendly and attentive. They were thoughtful in answering all the questions we had about the menu. The appetizers that were brought out were the perfect size to taste. Our main entrees were delicious. The atmosphere was fun and inviting and we will definitely be returning. If you’re thinking of visiting Kimchi Mama, I say go for it. You won’t be disappointed.

I truly can’t recommend this restaurant enough. I went for the first time yesterday, and it exceeded expectations. Everything was delicious and they served us the most fresh, delicious sides. I’ve been to a lot of restaurants but this is definitely up there as one of my favorites! I can’t wait to go back. Highly recommend the wings and army stew.

I can't believe this restaurant has so many good reviews, maybe these people have never eaten authentic and delicious Korean food. A $22.75 seafood pancake has no seafood at all, just thick flour and shredded vegetables. I think I ate a piece of small squid, maybe it accidentally fell into the vegetable pancake when it was made? LMAO,The seafood tofu soup only had a few baby shrimps(not even fresh shrimp)and small squid pieces, and rotten mussels, no vegetables, no eggs, and of course it was tasteless. I will never come back.

Come here for the BEST authentic Korean food! Our server was so friendly and pleasant, really feels like you’re getting a personalized experience. Plus the food is AMAZING!! The hot stone bowl and hot chicken wings are a MUST. They bring out free appetizers, soup, and dessert. Great family owned business to support. We will definitely be back.

Ambiance very friendly The food is amazing, really korean flavor We really love it

This place is incredible. Ever since I first got delivery here I've been in love with the food- the wings with mama's sauce in particular. They also give a ton of small dishes that are all delicious regardless of what you order, delivery or restaurant. Lately I've been going to the restaurant itself and the service is delightful. Very friendly, very attentive, and very informative. The place itself is lovely too, I think it might have somewhat recently been jazzed up a bit because it really looks like they put some effort into decorations. Every time I've been there, even when it was busy it wasn't too loud or overwhelming. I just recently tried the Kimchi Fried Rice, which is now my favorite. The wings and bipimap are amazing as well, as is the stone bowl.

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

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

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.

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!! :)

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!!!

Fantastic! Great service, wonderful ambience and terrific food. So glad we stopped in and checked it out!

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!

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.

You might not expect it when you go in the doorway shared with a tattoo shop, but this is a spacious place, cutely decorated with flowering trees and twinkling lights. We came at a quiet time, and the staff were very friendly and welcoming. Every dish that they brought out to try was delicious - different kinds of kimchi, seaweed, chewy rice cakes, and more. We were surprised by all the appetizers, it was like two meals in one! The entrees were also very good. I loved the variety of vegetables, the seasoning, and the perfect balance of spiciness. It was a perfect alternative to overpriced and underwhelming food by the boardwalk, and I'll definitely come back here if I'm in Asbury Park again.

Delicious Korean food in Asbury Park. Really enjoyed the kimchi jigae and veggie pancake. Perfect dinner for a cold rainy night!

My family comes here frequently and I finally had the chance to try Kimchi Mama for myself! There are several vegetarian options and I got to try the vegetable dumplings, vegetable pancake, and vegetable stone bowl. The dumplings and pancake were super crisp and flavorful and the stone bowl was really good too! I can't wait to come back and try some more dishes!

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.

Recently came her for the fourth time. Food is as good as ever. This time we received 7 free kimchi dishes and a very flavor miso soup free of charge. Dinner for two including tax (without tip) was only $35 which is an incredible bargain. That included two cups of hot tea for 50 cents each! If you are looking for great Korean food in Monmouth County, I don't believe you can find a better deal than this.

I've never met a sweeter team! Kimchi mama (Chelsea) was the kindest and showed the most love when talking about the food. The food was AMAZING. I got the beef bulgogi hot stone bowl and my friends got various soups and chicken wings. Some of the best Korean food in NJ!!! Shoutout to the team- they rock!!!

Delicious, clean and great spot to watch the end of a football game while warming up with a hot stone bowl of bimbomp! Chelsea and Leslie are mother:daughter duo along with chef Juang that make great ban Chan (the marinated peanuts! Kimchi and other salads) that accompany your meal. Delightful mastery of being pampered with food suggestions. Husband had bulgogi, it was fresh with cilantro and spices. My hot stone bowl of bimnbap was warm and full of flavor. Great for takeout but even more warming to let Chelsea fuss over you and offer suggestions. Will be coming back often!!

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.

They've rearranged and redecorated since the first time I went. The ambiance is so cozy and lowlight and beautiful. The decor makes you feel at home or like you are IN Korea. The food is top tier korean food especially since it's the only authentic place in the area. Everything on the menu is delicious from the appetizers to the Korean bbq, to the entrees and soups. The portions are GOOD portions. On top of that your meal includes panchan! Which are a decent amount of side dishes that you can ask for more of (i.e. kimchi, bean sprouts, fish cakes, etc) I always end up leaving with leftovers and I love to eat but I can never finish it all even with my fiancé and baby eating with me . We love going here. The service is just as great with Kimchi Mama herself always checking in, sharing her culture and the significance of each dish that comes out. She loves when you even attempt to speak Korean. It makes he feel so proud and at home and comfortable. She really goes out of her way to make you feel the same. WE LOVE YOU HWANG Please go support this small Korean business I promise you won't regret any part of your experience!!

Absolutely amazing bibimbap and the prices are so reasonable. I ordered my food directly through yelp and it was so carefully packaged and ready in about 30-40 mins from ordering. Definitely coming back to try other stuff!

Nice Korean restaurant in Jersey Shore. Went with wife and my parents. Had kimchi jigae, japchae, squid boekeum and bibimbop. All the dishes were pretty good. Service was attentive. The cook, maybe one of the owners was super nice and sent out 2 free appetizers which were very filling. The location is on the border of the beach and local area of Asbury Park. The decor has room to be updated but fits the type of cuisine that is served. Would go back.

MUST-TRY. The food is gorgeous and so delicious, and Kimchi Mama (Chelsea) is so sweet! She was very welcoming and funny! It's also very pretty inside and calming. The Sweet soy Garlic wings are to die for :)) Today I was thinking about going back to being a vegetarian and those wings convinced me not to yet.

My wife and I decided to give this place a try after passing by a few times. Let me just say, this is the most authentic korean food I've had in NJ. We were attended to the moment we walked in and quickly seated. I ordered the Korean bbq burrito with beef bulgogi, and my wife ordered the Yumi-Bokki. The food, absolutely amazing. The ingredients are so fresh and flavorful. We received hot tea and small taster plates (Kimchi, pickled radish, pickled bean sprouts, fish cakes, vegetable, and a small miso soup). We will be returning here, without a doubt.

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.

Great service and even better food. Anytime I'm in Asbury I stop and get the chicken katsu! IT IS SO GOOD AND EVERYTHING IS MADE FRESH EVERY SINGLE TIME. Believe me when I say this food is made with LOVE. Wonderful family owned and everyone is also so lovely!!! It's absolutely delicious. NPS: 2.

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.

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! :)

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.

Very great service. Food was good too. Complimentary dish from chef and sides were good as well. Not a bad place to try and recommend for those looking to try something away from the main cookman Ave.

Omg! I am so stuffed as I write this. I saw this place on yelp and it sounded great. And was it ever!!! Not much ambiance but the owner was very attentive. The food was excellent. Everything was homemade. We had not even finished when my husband was asking when we could go back. There is free parking nearby in the AA Auto lot.

The food is amazing and fresh. I no longer need to travel to North Jersey or NYC Korean Town for great Korean food since I now have Kimchi Mama near my house. The owner, who likes to be called Kimchi Mama, has an amazing personality. She is great with the customers. Her husband is the chef and cooks quality food. Prices are great and you are getting top quality food at a reasonable price. The restaurant decor is excellent and gives great vibes. I will be going often to Kimchi Mama. Please try this restaurant. Well worth it. You will not be disappointed.

Wow. Hidden Main Street gem didn't disappoint. Kimchi A+. Garlic chicken wings were a religious experience. Topped it off with veggie pancakes and Chicken Bim Bim bop. Everything was delicious! Highly recommend.

Food and service both excellent. Highly recommend, the owner was great and explained everything to us

Mama is the GOAT! The food was delicious, reasonably priced and the hospitality there is top notch. The owner herself even stopped by at our table multiple times to check in on us. MOGO is mid compared to this place, do not skip this spot!!

Delicious and tasty food! Lots of samples of different kinds of spicy foods. Kimchi Mama is the sweetest, funniest thing. She is so accommodating to her customers and makes them feel so welcome. Everything is amazing!

Not fancy, you can easily drive past. Once inside, they are on their game. Tasty shrimp dumplings, Korean wings were crunchy and delicious. The rice bowls are superb. Friendly staff ...

The Asbury Park dining scene is a lot of glitter with very little gold. That's what happens when the restaurants are either a) owned by the same restaurant group or b) attempt to appease the same market niche. It's a lot of the same decent-to-mediocre but always overpriced cuisine. This is a long preamble to say there is gold in them hills again - Kimchi Mama is the best thing to happen to Asbury since Frank's Deli. The food is undefeated - fresh ingredients creating flavor in every bite, served piping hot by friendly staff. My biggest regret was that I simply couldn't eat more. But I will be back. This wonderful place won't be a secret for much longer.

M roommate in college at NYU was Korean. Almost every Sunday, her parents took us to K-town 32nd street. My favorite food in the world!!!!! I'm so happy to have you by asbury park!!!!!! My first time ordering, I got the jap chae, bulgogi bib Im bap and Japanese katsu on delivery. They forgot the katsu sauce, but everything else was great!!!!!! Jap chae freaked out my family. They thought it was octopus or something weird. Once they tried, they ate it all up! Bibimbap was awesome (we want more meat!). Keep up the awesome food!!!!!!! We'll be ordering again this week!!!!!! I really want the soondubu and the seafood pancake, but I'm not sure my family is that adventurous yet!!!!!!!!

Delicious food. We had a birthday party there. Mama kimchi was a riot and so hospitable. Great night out.

They start you off with a small portion of miso soup, tea, and samples. The food was flavored nicely and had a healthy amount of spice. In addition to the food the owner gives off a warm and welcoming vibe.

Ugh! This place is called Kimchi Mama and they served kimchi that is just too old to be served as a side at a restaurant. (I'm Korean- Koreans use kimchi once it's old / too pungent in stews which mellows out the flavor- Old kim-chi IS NEVER SERVED AT A RESTAURANT) I'd have to rank this place as below: ZERO STAR for portion - I don't want big portions but duk-boki I ordered was ridiculous. It's 70% sauce (too thin) 15% fish cake 15% rice cake. Kind of a rip off for $15, as rice cakes don't cost much. ONE STAR for authenticity - too sweet, sauce is too runny, MISSING boiled egg that is shown in the photo at the restaurant, there should be no glass noodles. This isn't jap-chae!! ZERO STAR for attention to detail - the owner should be ashamed for serving such old kim-chi. Maybe he thinks most of the customers who are not Korean won't notice?? The owner should not be complacent with few good reviews but constantly strive to serve best / authentic food! I don't think I'll be going back! If you want decent Korean food- this is not the place. They are serving you old kim-chi most Korean restaurants would throw away!

From my personal perspective they have the best service the best bang for your buck. It's hard to find authentic Korean food and this is one of the best.

Delicious! Friendly staff and reasonably priced, good portions. Loved the banchan sides, too!

I went to Kimchi Mama for lunch and ordered the Marinated Beef Bowl. The beef was decent, but could have been more plentiful. There was also an egg and a bunch of assorted veggies. This combination of ingredients went together pretty well, but once I finished the beef, it was not nearly as good. The rest of the bowl was lacking in flavor aside from a bitter flavor from some of the veggies. For $13, it was an okay value. The best part of my meal was actually the Lychee Bubble Tea that I got. The lychee flavor tasted like it came from actual lychee and the milk tea had the proper amount of sweetness. The bubbles were not as chewy as I would have liked though. The $5 price was better than the price at some boba shops. Be warned that Kimchi Mama is about the size of a normal mama's kitchen. There are only two tables, so you'd better hope that it's not a busy day (I got lucky). The service speed is good and the staff is friendly. Overall, Kimchi Mama is a decent little place for lunch. I would give my main bibimbap dish (the Marinated Beef Bowl) 3 stars and the bubble tea 4 stars. That being said, the main dish carries more weight in my rating, so I'm going to have to give Kimchi Mama 3 stars.

We like to get take out from Kimchi Mama. My favorite thing on the menu is their simple Korean Dumpling soup. It's a great portion, with lots of complimenting flavors. It's also the perfect soup for if you have a cold or are feeling under the weather, it just makes you feel better. I also got the bulgogi cup which is a good portion but a little too sweet for me. My husband got the spare ribs and seafood bop which were good but the seafoods a little spicey. Overall their food is consistent and a good price.

I went with the chicken stir fry gangnam style. The more I ate it the more I liked it. It had that wok taste. If they added some fried tofu in the mix I would have loved it even more. One thing to note is that the chicken they used isn't pure white meat. There's some dark meat thrown in so if you're health conscious let them know your preference and maybe they can accommodate. The tofu soup was delicious. Plenty of tofu but the seafood was lacking. The soup base was good though. The last time I had tofu soup was the premade ones in hmart and this was way better. One critique I had was that I requested all dishes to be spicy and it wasn't spicy at all. I wouldn't mine them adding a few more peppers or chili powder in the mix. Overall I would rate this experience as a low 4 star. Worth coming back to if I'm ever in the area. The menu is diverse and there's a little bit of everything to try.

We went to this location a few days ago with a very large group at lunch the staff was attentive. The food style was authentic, and all the dishes were tasty and even the people who were not accustomed to eating Korean food were happy with their meals.

Wow I can't believe it's been over 3 years since my initial review! I wanted to update this because I've had so many more experiences with Kimchi Mama over the last few years. I can easily say it quickly became one of my favorite spots and I am definitely always craving their Soy Garlic wings, the sauce is so incredible and addicting. This is a must if you ever order from here, especially with the pickled radish. I also love the Kimchi Fried Rice and the Glass Noodles! Can't wait to order from here again soon.

Really enjoy the food here. It's nice to have authentic Korean food in the area. If you're doing takeout though and call in an order based off their website, the prices listed there are different from the actual price. I was told by an employee that they don't have access to their website to reflect the changes. The food was great but just wanted to warn others to expect a higher total than what you'd expect trying to order off their website or placing an order through Uber eats.

Stopped in based on yelp reviews to order a few things since we didn't feel like traveling all the way to the city to go to K-town. It's a small restaurant and it's very obvious that it's a take-out spot. Its aesthetically pleasing with nice, seemingly Asian inspired decor. There are two small tables so technically you could eat here- I just think they're geared more for people to wait for their to-go order to be prepared and then leave. Took a minute to be acknowledged to place our order however there were only two people working behind the counter from what we could see and one party waiting for their order. Can't really speak to customer service - it was just pretty straightforward and not exactly welcoming. I enjoyed the spicy fish cakes. They are my favorite thing to eat when in K-town and theirs hit the spot. Just the right amount of spice for me. I've been craving them for a while so I'm glad they were pretty good. The Korean fried wings were tasty as well but not crispy. I think it had to do with the packaging and not enough venting to keep moisture out. We also had a soup (beef marrow and noodles) which was kind of bland for me. The star of all the items we tried was hands down the galbi (beef short ribs) although a little pricey at $19 for the portion. They were tender and tasty. I also tried the honeydew bubble tea which I really enjoyed. I am a bubble tea fanatic and theirs was pretty good and reasonably priced. If I were in the area I'd probably return to try some of the other items. Not sure I'd go out of my way to go back but who knows.

I really enjoyed our first visit to Kimchi Mama. I may be mistaken but I believe it's a family run establishment. Service was attentive, welcoming and excellent. You can dine in at low key, comfortable table and bench settings. The menu is very descriptive for those like myself and daughter that are somewhat unfamiliar with Korean fare. We ordered two entrees and a glass noodle cup to share. Even after gorging myself on the fresh and delicious food, we left with a container! Oh, and I forgot to mention the complimentary and best miso soup and kimchi I've had that were brought out before our order was taken. Great food, service and atmosphere at a great value. I will certainly be back and mentioning to others.