Restaurant Chungdam

Luv the private rooms. Exceptional service. We chose them to grill. Party of 8, so We chose 2 of $250 for 4 persons. Adequate of food , but Not an all u can. Meats prepared medium just perfect for most of us. Just had to leave it longer for the skittish souls. Great sides and expect nothing less. Past patrons also decent quality. Esthetics from plates used and grill turnovers was on the spot. Who doesn’t like a clean grill . A nice occasion to get out with family or friends. As always, post wherever u end up, so we can keep up restaurant higher standards or those that don’t.

OMG... it's fireworks of on your mouth, so delicious and tasty, and the dishes keep coming, one after the other. the staff is friendly and helpful, alway there. we had the dinner for four and added more to items to the grill. the restaurant is beautiful. lots of space and quiet, so you don't hear others. seats are wide sofa, easy to relax. Great place for a very good dinner. we'll certainly go again. the tab for four was close to $400 with wine, but that was fine. be sure to make reservations. not a place for kids and certainly not for vegetarians.

Had lunch with my family here. Food is delicious and service is good; we ordered bbq plate A with three different types of beef and pork belly. They were cooked to perfection on the grill table for us. Cold noodles and seafood pancakes were also meeting the expectation but on a small portion size side compared to some other Korean restaurants.

Excellent choice of beef. No wagyu but still excellent quality and beautiful marbling. They only offer beef for the bbq no other kinds of meat. We were a party of 7 and were seated in a private room with the grill in the tables. Staff was very friendly and helpful. When ordering the meat they steered us away from the bulgogi and towards a different cut of meat that was more expensive and I did roll my eyes a little over that, but I stood corrected when we tasted that cut - it was delicious and worth the extra money. The staff checked often on us and even did all the grilling for us. Ample choice of side dishes and fixings to go with the meat. The atmosphere and the interior are a minimalistic and very elegant, but struck me personally as a little cold and sterile.

The first time I came here was many years ago, and I don’t remember them offering higher quality meats back then. This time, we ordered the Chungdam Prime Galbi, which our server recommended—and it was absolutely delicious. I also ordered the spicy cold noodles, and to go with the meat, I requested lettuce, jalapeños, garlic, and chili paste for wrapping. I really appreciated that the meat was cut in the traditional Seoul style rather than the LA cross-cut. The meat is on the more premium side, but it was worth the price point for higher quality. The ambiance was chic and nice, which made me really happy—there aren’t that many Korean BBQ spots around here that match the vibe and quality of places in LA Koreatown, so this was a nice surprise. We also had their house wine, which was surprisingly decent for the price—around $15 with a meal. As for parking, there’s a lot in the back and street parking available. We went on a Wednesday night around 8 PM, and it wasn’t overly crowded. That said, I’m not sure how it would be on a Friday or Saturday with larger groups or families. Overall, we definitely plan to come back.

Absolutely stellar KBBQ place. It is a bit pricey, but absolutely makes up for incredible meat and service. You have endless sides as well, and an assortment of dips, salts, and sauces to try your meats in. You also don’t have to worry about cooking your meat, they do it for you! Finally, the beef tartar on the back of the menu us divine.

Really nice high end luxury Korean restaurant! We drove all the way from the east bay one hour to try this place for their weekday lunch special! My mom and I loved it! They have 6 different delicious homemade banchan, especially loved the stir fried fish cake, bean sprouts, and cucumber. We chose the delicious seafood soft tofu soup, the bibimbap, and the jumulak (boneless short ribs)! It was plenty of food for two, we couldn’t even finish it all! Can’t wait to come back for dinner and the try their barbecue and specials!

The service is great. The quality of the meats is very high but the price is super expensive. They will help you to BBQ in your table.

It's been awhile since I visited Chungdam. Like expected, everything was very delicious. The service was professional and fast. I had an absolute blast again. Highly recommended!

I'm so so so sad to write this updated review because I've been to Chungdam multiple times and it's always been great, until my most recent visit. I came on a Friday night with a party of two and we ordered the chungdam galbi, pork belly, and the steamed egg. Since I've been here multiple times, I know that when you order 2 bbq items, it comes with rice and a soup. However, after our first meat was already cooked, the rice and soup still hadn't come out so I asked our server if the rice was coming and she was surprised that we wanted it. It's complimentary, so why wouldn't I want it? Assuming that we wouldn't want it and not giving it to us made me feel like they were withholding it to save a few dollars, but it's literally just rice so I don't understand why our server didn't give it to us when it literally comes with the meal. Anyways, the main reason why my updated review is only 2 stars is because of the earlier incident I mentioned PLUS the fact that the chungdam galbi was SO CHEWY!! When the a la carte item is $90+, it really is unacceptable that it was so chewy. It was absolutely disappointing. I don't know if the quality has gone down or if the server overcooked it, but it was so bad... My most recent experience makes me second guess if I would ever come back here...

4.5 stars! A bit pricey, but good quality Korean BBQ in the South Bay. I would recommend making a reservation as it does get packed on weekends. Reservations are relatively easy to make last minute by phone. There's a parking lot in the back that's shared with the motel, but sometimes it can be hard to find parking in that lot. The ambiance is modern, spacious, and clean. Service is also good and they cook the BBQ in front of you if you have a BBQ table. In terms of food, the galbi jjim and the soondubu are both delicious! The salad was not our favorite. Meat portions are not that large but the quality is fresh. I'd recommend the original kalbi over the other ones. Since the portions are on the smaller side, it can easily add up to get quite expensive.

Came in around lunch time and was seating fairly quickly. The servers were attentive and helpful when choosing what to order. We ended up with a lunch combo($100) of ribs, kimchi stew, bibimbap, and cold noodles. We also ordered the fried chicken and galbi Jim. Everything was tasty and juicy. Everything came out to around $180. The restaurant is a bit more upscale and fancy than I am used too but the quality of the food is good! Would come back sometime :)!

Came here around 6pm on a Saturday night, to my surprise, we waited only shortly for 5 minutes before we got a table for 2 at the bbq zone. We ordered the bbq platter A, which has galbi, NY steak, bulgogi and pork belly. It also comes with a soup and salad and of course all the side dishes. The waitresses were super efficient and polite, they would cut the meat and set it on the side for us. All the side dishes can be refilled and they served us readily. Love the interior decoration, it was minimal and modern. Lastly, we got half a mochi each as dessert. Pretty good overall experience, kind of expected to the higher price tag. They used to be super crowded with long lines outside which always deterred my visit, to my surprise it was rather quiet tonight.

3.5 stars rounding to 4 for the entire experience! - table of 5, only given 4 tea cups, was told my tea will be coming after they wash more tea cups. I was given a metal cup but everyone else had ceramic cups. Not a ding, just thought that was interesting. - kitchen forgot or server didn't put in an entree (bibimbap). By the time we were almost done with our food, we were given the bibimbap - found a ceramic chipped piece in a soondooboo (manager/worker confirmed it was not an eggshell and looked like part of a dish). High concern from worker for safety, but no compensation (nor were we asking for any) ---- Food Galbi jjim: very soft, love the flavor! Love the fresh green onion and the pumpkin Shrimp appetizer: juicy pieces of shrimp, flavor was great, texture was on point. Would order again! Nengmyun: honestly one of the better ones I've had, but the meat tasted like a fish tank. I was told this is normal in nengmyun though. ---- It was SO loud in the restaurant. I could barely hear anyone else at my table except the person directly across from and next to me. I think the parties around us were unaware of their volume, and the high ceilings made the sound echo and there was no carpet or soft surfaces to dampen the noise. Something to note.

Went here for dinner and I thought it was pretty good! The meat was really delicious and the cuts were good. Another huge plus is the variety of sauces they give you. My personal favorite was the fresh wasabi. The meat was the best part but it was also quite pricy. For the sides and appetizers, I thought it was pretty average. We got the seafood pancake and the tofu soup. In terms of service, it was great! They cook the food for you and cut it up, so it's perfect if you want bbq without cooking it yourself. However, they don't refill your sides.

Solid KBBQ spot in the Bay with good service and a variety of different Korean dishes to fit anyone's palate. It's a bit pricey, but it's all similar in pricing for other KBBQ spots in the area. Chungdam is known for its classy vibes, compared to its sister location, Seorai, which has a more laid-back vibe with more dishes catered to drinking. My friends and I ordered short rib, Suwon galbi, and mul naengmyun since that's the perfect combo. Their Suwon galbi is lightly marinated and my friend actually recommended this over their marinated galbi because it's not as sweet. The server came by to grill our meats for us and made sure we had refills of the banchan. The soy bean paste soup that came with the meat was pretty standard and the mul naengmyun was refreshing. I saw that they had a pretty extensive menu now, with stone pot rice and other various dishes, so I'll love to come back and give them a try.

This is my favorite Korean restaurant! While there are many Korean restaurants on El Camino Real Boulevard, I keep coming back to this one for several reasons. The ingredients are always fresh, and the flavors are perfectly balanced not overly sweet, salty, or processed. The meat is of excellent quality, though a bit on the pricey side. They've recently updated the interior, making the space even more inviting. What stands out the most, though, is the warm hospitality some of the waitresses always greet me with a bright smile and even remember me. Occasionally, they'll treat me to complimentary goodies, like extra side dishes, which is such a thoughtful touch. If you're trying Korean food for the first time, I highly recommend this place! It's a great introduction to authentic and delicious Korean cuisine.

Since I had my first delicious bites of Kalbi and BiBimBop decades ago, I have always had a soft spot for Korean food. Whenever I find a new spot that excels, I am so genuinely happy. Unfortunately it's been quite awhile since I've come across a local option that has wowed me. All this however changed when I recently discovered Chungdam. This place does everything well. From the ambiance, to the service, and most importanly to the food...Chungdam is pretty awesome! Panchan...BBQ...Noodle dishes...BiBimBop...It's seriously all good here! Is it on the pricey side to dine here? Yes Is it worth it?...DEFINITELY!

I recently visited Chungdam, and I have to say, it was an exceptional experience. From the moment I walked in, the ambiance was modern yet cozy, perfect for a relaxed dinner with friends or family. The service was attentive without being intrusive, which made the whole dining experience even better. Now, let's talk about the food. The quality of the meat was top-notch--everything from the marinated short ribs to the pork belly was incredibly flavorful and tender. Each bite was packed with a rich, smoky flavor that was enhanced by the perfect char from the grill. The banchan (side dishes) were fresh and offered a great variety to complement the main courses. I especially loved the kimchi and the soybean stew, which added a nice depth of flavor to the meal. Prices are on the higher side, but the quality of food and the overall experience make it absolutely worth it. If you're looking for an elevated Korean BBQ experience, Chungdam is the place to go. Highly recommend!

I came here for dinner with my family and as a kbbq lover I had high expectations with meat quality and flavor. My family and I were unimpressed with the quality of the meat as it was quite pricey for not being wagyu grade. In comparison to 10 Butchers it doesn't compare even with just the banchan. I would have to say it was a let down. But I will add that the service was great and the ambiance was decent.

Chungdam has set the standard for a truly enjoyable kbbq experience. The banchan was delicious and varied. The waiters were extremely attentive to refilling our waters, banchan, and cooking the meat. We ordered Dog Platter A and it was the perfect amount for 3 people. I am looking forward to returning to try other items on the menu. The interior of the restaurant has plush chairs and beautiful lighting. The parking is limited since it's shared with the motel behind it, but there's also street parking as well. Don't let these factors deter you from trying a great place!

Due to a last minute change of plans, we decided to come here to Chungdam instead of our original plan. It wasn't too bad of a wait despite being Friday, and we also checked into the waiting list through Yelp which I'd highly recommend. To be honest we didn't really know what to expect going in, and the process wasn't really explained to us, which would have helped. Regardless, we got the 2 person BBQ meal as well as an appetizer of fried chicken. My friend and I were super hungry so we were looking to eat a lot, but to be honest when we first saw the portion of meats, it didn't look like a lot of food. The first round of New York steak was overcooked by our server and frankly not flavorful at all. I was worried that the entire meal would be this bad. The pork belly was decent, then the remaining meats were very tasty and in my opinion the meal was redeemed. By the end of it, including the fried chicken which was also very good, we were full and satisfied. We were brought a small mochi dessert at the end, but unfortunately I was not alerted that they had nuts inside, which I am severely allergic to, so I was extremely disappointed and inconvenienced by this. How any restaurant does not notify their customers of nut allergy risks in 2024 is beyond me. Overall the food was pretty good, but due to the very high price (the 2 person BBQ meal is $140) and having an allergic reaction to the dessert, I was overall disappointed and will likely not return. There are for sure better and cheaper options in the area.

My husband and I went here on a recommendation from a friend of his. It has been awhile since we had Korean BBQ so we tried one of his recommendations. The food was excellent as well as the service. Since it was our first time there we tried Sample BBQ Plate A which consist of short ribs, pork belly, beef bulgogi, and New York steak. We also had purple rice that contain various types of beans. Our server was great since he answer all of our questions and he was really attentive. He grilled our meat the way we wanted to and asked how do we like our steak. Since I like mine differently then my husband, the waiter was accommodating and cut our meat as well as grilling the way we each wanted it. Also, he did confirm, since it was our first time there we should try the sample plate. He did say we don't get a lot of specific meat but it is a great start to try out the different cuts of meat options they have. The interior of the restaurant was spacious with private rooms. They had nice cushion seating and I did not feel like I was on top of the people next to me. I could have a private conversation and did not hear our neighboring table. As for the parking, there is a big lot in back but the restaurant shares it with a hotel so by the time we left there were cars circling for parking. I would recommend you get reservations on Friday night and the weekends. We love the restaurant but would only come on special occasions since they are a bit expensive. Overall we had an enjoyable time.

We got two orders of the suwon galbi, a seafood pancake, a soybean paste stew, and a bibim naemyun. As my Korean friend said, the only cut worth getting here is the suwon galbi. It was delicious -- heavily marbled and melted in your mouth like butter. At the end, they grilled the bone and cut off the chewy bits. My friend also said that's the best part but I thought it was too hard to chew through. Food was great, service was 10/10, and the interior was clean and modern. However, because of the high price and small portions, I'd give it a 4/5.

This place is so good!! But very expensive. Their naengmyun is one of the best I have ever had. I like that they have combos which is a bit more affordable. So many yummy authentic Korean banchan like pollack roe. The one downside other than the expensive price is the limited parking spots. Parking in this plaza is so annoying since everything is for the motel next door. I've been here twice, and the first time I came during lunch, parking was easier to find. However when I came for dinner I had to wait around 30 minutes for a parking spot. The service is also amazing. They cook for you and explain everything very thoroughly. We brought 2 kids and the waitress was very friendly in interacting with them. Overall 10/10 experience.

We came here for lunch on my birthday and we had a good experience! It was practically empty but got busy soon after we got seated down. The ban chan they serve isn't always the same, it's rotated depending on the chef! We got the following: - Japchae: pretty good and tasty! would order again. - Seafood pancake: really crunchy, tasted good too. - BBQ platter B: came with 4 different kinds of short ribs and ribeye steak. we enjoyed it but we did find it pricey. Overall, we had a great experience! Our server was really attentive and nice. Definitely will come back here again. I heard that if you come for dinner or the weekend, it'll be super packed so make a reservation.

First time trying this place (AND WE WILL BE BACK!) Parking - they have their own parking space but this place gets super busy. They share a parking space with a hotel/motel behind them. We parked on the parking spaces next to the road (but not on the road) almost to the far end of the hotel. I'm not sure if we can park in the hotel parking lot. I forgot to ask the restaurant when we got in. The restaurant decor is a little dark lit with zen like decor. We were greeted upon entering the restaurant and asked if we want the BBQ Grill or regular table. Since it's our first-time, we said grill. Then very quickly brought to our table in the back. Our server was the best! She took care of us very well. I wished I had asked her name. She answered all our questions about the menu and when the food came, took care of the grilling for us! The Banchan were many and flavorful. Our server made sure we have enough kimchee all the time. The seafood pajeon was super crispy! They added tiny noodle on top to make it super crispy. We loved it. And the meat were very delicious as well. It is on the expensive side compared to other Korean BBQ places around but overall we enjoyed the food, the place and the entire visit. We will be back.

Great service good food and good ambiance. They have updated interior. Enjoy this place every time.

Upscale Korean Bbq restaurant. Modern decor. Smooth service. The Garlic shrimp starter was good. Pork Belly & Squid in spicy sauce was a letdown, couldn't taste the pork belly as it got overwhelmed by the sauce & the squid was chewy. Grilled sea-bass - was expecting regular ones, instead got 2 peice of fatty chilean sea-bass(which in reality is neither chilean, nor seabass), in a sweetish sauce with tofu, daikon, pretty average for the price. Should have stuck to the regular Bbq. Disappointed.

I don't know why some people have given this place bad reviews. I've been going here for years and it is hands down my favorite Korean BBQ restaurant in the SF Bay Area. I have tried all of the most popular ones and lesser known spots so I can confidently say that Chungdam is the absolute best. The only complaint is that sometimes there is a wait if you don't have reservations and they don't have online reservation system available. They have the best selection of banchan (side dishes) and the servers are always super quick to refill them if you ask. The servers have always been incredibly courteous & effective, especially David! He's so funny! I always take my Korean parents here when they're in town and they absolutely love it. We usually order a combo with the marinated short ribs. The marinated short ribs is a MUST! Can't wait to go back for lunch/dinner with my friends! [edited 5/23 from 5 stars to 2 because of today's experience] I just returned from lunch at Chungdam today and I should have waited to post my review because I finally experienced the curt and unfriendly service many other Yelpers have complained about. My girlfriend and I dined there today for lunch and ordered the lunch combo with Kimchi stew, Bibimbap & marinated galbi. We also added the pork belly. For starters, our waitress didn't ask us about water preference and brought us HOT BARLEY TEA when it was 80 degrees outside. Our waters never got refilled throughout our meal. She burned part of our pork belly. We were only checked up on once during our meal. Every other time when I tried to locate our waitress for more banchan or water, she was nowhere to be found and the one time that she was within eye sight, she was too busy conversing with another staff member to even give us the time of day. Maybe she was upset that we were there past 2. She also didn't tell us about last call and brought the check and fruit to our table when we were half way through our pork belly. What if we wanted to add to our order?! Did we receive poor service because my friend is black?! I get it now... The food is still incredibly delicious and we were lucky to receive the marinated crab but the service needs a LOT of refining. Especially if we are spending close to $100 per person for lunch. Not okay.

Went 2x in last few months. Good quality meat Good service- attentive wait staff Pricey but worth it for higher quality meat

A nice, upscale Korean restaurant. Came in for a party of 5 on Saturday at 7 p.m. and waited for about 30 minutes for a table with a grill. We got an assortment of dishes: Seafood Pancake (5/5): Super crispy and flavorful. If I were to recommend a dish, it would be this. Spicy Braised Shortribs w/ Cheese (4/5): Slightly spicy but nothing to bad. The shortribs were really tender and the pumpkin was good. Just a little small. Pork belly and brisket were delicious. You can tell it's good quality meat. They also gave us soup on the house but that was terrible. It was very pungent, almost like straight fish sauce. Lots of ban chan options.

Delicious, good service, premium price. We got the private room and I hoped that the seating for 15 was all together, but it was actually a table for 6 and a table for 10. the mochi peanut dessert at the end was a nice finish, but tbh I don't think it tasted very good. People enjoyed the condiments (especially the smoked salt). Food was good and the sides were interesting. The seafood pancake was especially good.

Came here for a birthday dinner with a couple of friends. We made reservations and were seated immediately upon arrival. What we got: seafood pancake (4/5) -- nice crunchy topping and seafood wasn't overcooked, however I still prefer the traditional style hotstone bibimbap (2/5) -- seemed skimpy on the beef, the vegetables lacked flavor, and a lot of the rice stuck to the stone pot..the lady serving us didn't bother to scrape the bowl so that layer went to waste. The only saving grace was the sauce. lightly marinaded short rib (5/5) -- the must-get item of the restaurant...super tender, beefy cut of meat that melts in your mouth. The marinade that it comes in also makes a nice caramelized crust on the grill. BBQ set B ? (3.5/5) -- I believe this came with pork belly, ribeye, short rib, and some other cut of meat. A couple of us thought the meat was standard quality and nothing amazing to write home about given the steep prices. makkoli (3/5) -- We tried ordering their raspberry soju which my friend really liked last time she ate there but they were out and recommended this as a substitute...she said it was nothing like the other drink and I also didn't really enjoy the drink but didn't want to waste it The banchan was standard..I would say that other places like 10 Butchers and Seorai have better flavor and variety though this place served good white kimchi. The soybean paste soup that came with the meal was very strong and borderline bitter (2/5). Usually I finish the soup to refresh my palate, but this was the first time I did not want to down my portion. Also while I did apreciate the waiter's efforts serving my group everything in individual dishes and cooking all the meat for us, it felt like she wasn't happy to be there.

This is a fancy place, the kind you would take your Asian customers, or someone you are trying to impress. And their prices match the fanciness. We came for a girls group dinner. The 6 banchans veggie appetizers were quite good, there was a creamy crunchy one that I really liked. The complimentary broth was a soothing start. The seafood pancake was different from those of other places, it had a hard crunchy shell, very good. Glass noodle with beef and mushroom was good but par. Spicy Braised Short ribs with cheese was the star of our dinner. Meat was flavorful and just the right amount of tenderness; cheese is like butter, it makes everything better.

Went for a birthday dinner and it was amazing! Holy moly, the last time I was here I came for my parents anniversary and I don't remember how good the food was. It was subpar to me but turns out it was probably because we ordered the bbq set. Our waiter was AMAZING be recommended we order meats a la carte for quantity and quality and he even threw in complimentary dwenjang jjigaes. Our side dishes would dwindle very quickly and although he was waiting on multiple tables, he was super attentive. Amazing! Cannot wait to come back here for some other event. Also the steamed egg is fluffy, flavorful and delish! Have never had a steamed egg with fish roe and that much cheese but honestly, they work so well.

Galbi Tang / Short-rib Stew 4 four pc ribs, juicy, chewy, ask for no wood ear, light brown soup Suwon Galbi 5 lightly marinated short rib w/ salt & brown sugar, slightly sweet, juicy, chewy Appetizers 4 mostly none spicy, refreshing

Good quality meats. Great service. Def on the pricier side,but def worth a try. Spacious place. I would come back here but probably on a special occasion.

We came on a Saturday night for dinner with a 6 pm reservation. The place was busy and there were people waiting, but we were thankfully seated right away given our reservation. The food was very good! We liked all the dishes we got, especially the marinated galbi and the seafood pancake. I loved their assorted of banchans too. Aside from the usual ones (sprouts, seaweed, fish cake, kim chi), Chungdam also had some unusual ones such as perilla leaves with fermented soy beans, or spicy perilla leaves. Between the three of us, we got one order of the marinated galbi, one seafood pancake, and one soft tofu stew with beef; that was plenty of food and we walked out with happy tummies. Service was friendly and fast.

Food: We sat down with a party of three and ordered the $210 combo, brisket and x2 soondubu jigaes. The quality of the meat was excellent. The ajjuma was kind enough to help us cook it. Unfortunately they forgot x1 soondubu jigae and it was getting close to closing so I went without. Their food was super delicious so it was sad we didn't get everything we ordered.

This place is great!!!!! The servers are knowledgeable. Meat quality is fantastic. The restaurant is beautiful on the inside. Our server even had a recommendation for what order to eat the meats in to ensure the greatest possible enjoyment. Love this place! It is pricey though. You may want to keep that in mind.

Chungdam is an amazing place to dine! The atmosphere is lively and welcoming. I especially loved the grilled short ribs with cheese--they were incredibly flavorful. A must-visit for delicious Korean BBQ!

Bright interior, good service, like many Korean restaurants, they have a call button to get their attention or just flag down the staff. Meat is tender and tasty. We've had dinner here a couple of times, as well as at their sister restaurant. This one is less busy, more quiet, quality seems better, and there isn't as much of a wait. We order the set A which was plenty for 3 very jet lagged adults. We wanted a quick relaxed dinner and this was perfect.

Upscale restaurant with a nice and roomy inside. We had an hour wait on Saturday night starting at 6:30pm. Not bad. Their waitlist was not running so that was too bad. Service was excellent and helpful and cooked all our food. The prime rib was very good (better quality than most) and the brisket. In fact all the meats we had were better quality than others we tried recently. The banchan was decent and their kimchee was fresh which is how I like it. All in all, a fun time was had by all and we were stuffed. 4 people, $400 pre-tip, but included 4 alcoholic drinks. Will be back soon!

Came here on a Friday night with my husband. We were craving Korean BBQ but wanted to try something new. My first impression was that the parking situation was strange, since it shares a lot with a motel. Once you go inside, it's really clean and nice. We shared the BBQ Platter "A" which includes ny steak, marinated short rib and beef bulgogi and pork belly. At first I thought it would be way too much but it ended up being a good amount. We also order the pan seared butter squid. Our server was great and he cooked the meat perfectly on the grill in front of us. We also really enjoyed the special salt that was used for dipping our meat. It paired really well.

Overall a good experience but had our group wanting a bit more. Came for a reservation which we made a week in advance but there was a wait time of 20 minutes after arriving on time. The japchae was a bit missing of items in the bowl but we were able to have decent taste. The seafood pancake was probably the best item all night! The food combo B option was decent but staff wasn't the most attentive this night, as they do cook the meat some of it burned. The flavors were good but maybe we missed the mark tonight. Giving this another shot in the future but will say it didn't live up to some of our expectations this night. Good selection of meat but given price & style would have appreciated more attentive service. We still prefer 10 butchers over this spot for now

Service- 1/5 Our waiter, David Lee, gave the worst service I've experienced. Actively ignoring us when we wanted bonchon or water refills, cooking our meat by tossing it all in a single pile on the grill, cooking it while looking over his shoulder the whole time, I got the vibe that my presence personally offended him and he would do anything to ignore my table until we disappeared. Someone mentioned this is an 'authentic' treatment because we are not Korean, but I don't know enough about Korean culture to know. Food- 3/5 The meats are really good, as was the crispy seafood pancake, no doubt there. The meats are the only reason this review is 2/5 and not 1/5. Side dishes are very average though, just something to chew on. Price point- 1/5 $14 for a beer, $17 for a damned steamed egg!!!, $28 for a seafood pancake? I cannot believe what Chungdam is charging for the amount they give. Galbi for $92, all meats above mid $60s. I absolutely cannot recommend this place.

DELICIOUS KOREAN FOOD! Thank you John for making my family's first time very pleasant! The SEAFOOD PANCAKE IS AMAZING!! Spent the day in SJ and of course we had to get our Korean BBQ fix! Actually stood in line prior to opening and was greeted by John who was very very friendly and welcoming! They have the option of grill or no grill on the table. Which, basically means you can either opt to have the meat grilled in front of you. Or, have it cooked in the kitchen and served out to you! Of course we wanted to experience the full-on Korean BBQ experience so we went with the grill at table. The meat is phenomenal! We ordered the combo meat (can't remember exactly which option) but the meat was very fresh and well-marinated. The servers did all the grilling for us and we just ate and ate and ate! The seafood pancake is amazing with a twist. Not your typical pancake because there's a nice thin layer of crisp noodles that adds the perfect crunch to each bite!! The bibimbap was fulfilling and a great option for our kids. Def would recommend this place for KBBQ. Minutes away from Santana Row and the mall. Service is on point. We are going to be back the next time we're in the area!

Not sure what to think of this place the galbi and seafood pancake we ordered was good and good quality. I guess I just couldn't justify $84 or so for a very small quantity of meat. We ordered 2 things, lettuce for wrapping and 2 sodas and the bill was about $150 or so. We left hungry because I just didn't think we would want to spend another $90 on more meat. I feel like the food itself was good but the quantity and price didn't match and service was ok at best. They came and took our order someone did come by flip and cut the meat then everyone disappeared. We had to flag someone down for our lettuce wraps. Maybe they felt like we ordered too little or maybe this is their "non intrusive" way of service? Anyways, there are so many KBBQ places around, likely won't be back.

Despite sharing a parking lot with a Motel 6, Chungdam is a really fancy place to get Korean BBQ. I used Yelp to join the waitlist on a Saturday for lunch, and there was no wait. The service and meats were excellent. Our server was very friendly. I liked how they cooked the meats for us, because my cousin and I are not the designated cooks when our friends go out for Korean BBQ! We got the combo and the meats were very high quality. The short rib was my favorite because it was so flavorful and tender. I usually love all the banchan that accompany Korean BBQ, but Chungdam was a hit or miss. I liked the japchae and fish cake. I did not like the seaweed because it was so bland. There was another side that just tasted like crunchy mayonnaise. I knocked off a star because of the banchan.

Overall a standard, slightly upscale, KBBQ place - they cook for you and the service is efficient. My rating is more of a 3.5 stars but I'll round up. We did the BBQ platter B to sample most of the meats. It's pricey for sure, but you can see the effort they put into the meats, i.e., marinating them in different styles or cutting them in unique ways to get more surface area in the short ribs. The platter is supposed to feed 3-4 people, and it's more for 3 people since for 2 people we finished everything except a small leftover box, enough for 1 meal. The prime boneless short rib was my favorite. It comes in small bite-size pieces and is so juicy and soft. I wish they had more dipping sauces, there was only a little bit of sesame oil + salt, and another bean paste kind of sauce. The dessert was an interesting corn and red bean dish, which I thought was too sweet and had too much corn. One thing, I didn't like how when I walked in, the first thing I smelled is "restroom cleaning agents", since the entrance is next to the restrooms. It was strong. Maybe it was just the day that I went but it left a negative first impression. The decor was interesting... there were long lines of text written in a mix of Korean and Chinese letters. But otherwise the decor feels modern and upscale. The restaurant is in a Motel 6 parking lot, which feels kind of sketch, but it seemed OK of an area overall.

Excellent foods and services. I've come to this restaurant since their soft opening and be a frequent visitor.

Got some bbq with friends and we opted for the 3 person platter that includes pork belly, bulgogi, ny steak, and kalbi. We also got the stir-fried pork belly and squid, korean fried chichen, and spicy cold noodles. I would say the only thing worth its price was the stir-fried pork belly and squid. The korean fried chicken tasted like gourmet Panda Express, sweet, meaty, not too crisp. Our total bill came out to be about $60 per person for 4 people, and I would say that I probably only had 2 to 3 small bites of each meat. It's nice that they offer table side cooking, but still too expensive for the food. Dessert was 2 pieces of honeydew that was as crispy and tasty as a cucumber.

There are 2 waitlists: Yelp, and the waitlist after you check in with the host. The Yelp waitlist and time estimate are arbitrary, the host's wait list is the one that matters. There are 2 table types: regular and bbq. For the kbbq, there is a person who grills it for you. We ordered Combo B which was a good amount for 3 people. The meat quality was top tier. The banchan was okay, I was really only reaching for the spinach and tofu, kimchi, and fish cake. The parking lot is odd because it's shared with the Motel 6.

Great place. The server started us off with a complimentary miso soup was very tasty and I ordered the Bibimbap Kimchi over rice and it was delicious! Service was amazing and really pretty, calming decor inside as well. I love that everything is served over a hot stone plate so your food stays warm the entire time. So happy to have found this spot.

Beautiful restaurant! Decor is simple and clean. Service was friendly and very happy that they provided recommendations and grilled the meat for us to enjoy. Food was delicious and full of flavor (could have done without the rosemary). Banchan was plentiful and good. I would return and also visit their sister restaurant Seorai!

OH MY, it's been a minute since I've been back here and it's even better than the last. My friend and I spontaneously decided to eat here on a weekend evening and I put my name down when we arrived and was quoted 1 hour wait. However to our surprise, after 15mins, we were seated at a grill and the waiter brought us waters. We placed our order and the food came promptly. Though there are plenty of tables inside, we never felt like the service fell behind and they were always so attentive. They do have small rooms in the hallways if you want to have a private room to your own party. - BBQ platter A (5/5): NY steak, marinaded short rib, beef bulgogi, and pork belly: All the meats were absolutely wonderful, super tender with minimal fat on each one. My favorite was the pork belly or the marinaded short rib, with the bulgogi being third. You can definitely tell the meats are insanely good quality; even the bulgogi tasted so different than your average bulgogi anywhere else; this definitely made it worth the steep prices here. ' -seafood pancake (5/5): This was a little different from your average seafood pancake; it was extra crispy with crispy noodles on top and the inside was packed with goodies. We also enjoyed this one thoroughly but didn't finish as we were full from all the meats. Overall, amazing meats and sides, and we will definitely be back on a day we're feeling super generous! The staff was so amazing and the food even better! -