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Arirang
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
51 reviews for Arirang
Review Highlights
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"Their side dishes are really good too." In 10 reviews -
"i've had the dol sot bi bim bop and the hamul pajang before..." In 3 reviews -
"kim chi soon du bu was spicy, hot, flavorful." In 2 reviews
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51 reviews in English
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Review from Jess Y.
4/28/2012
4.5 stars
I was first introduced to Arirang when my Korean high school friend was having a birthday party. Actually, come to think of it, that was my first amazing introduction to the world of Korean food. And it was glorious. I continue, to this day, frequent this restaurant for its authentic Korean food (especially the soondubu chigae and dolsot bibimbap).
Service is great and prompt. They also have a wide range of panchan (the free side dishes) and this is also one of the few Korean restaurants I've been to where they even ask if we want refills of the panchan. Huge plus.
The soondubu chigae is delicious, great flavor and piping hot. I also love that they give you the rice in the hot stone bowl also, so you get the full experience. I've also tried the kalbitang -- it's a light, clear soup with clear chewy noodles and the tender pieces of kalbi beef--delicious! It's great for a day when you're sick and you just want something light to clear things up.
Arirang is very consistent with its food and I know I can always count on it to hit the right spot when I'm craving Korean food. -
Review from Cathy H.
3/7/2012 2 photos
My boyfriend figured soondubu jigae (tofu/kimchi stew, one of their specialties) would make me feel better since I was struggling with a long-term cold and it definitely hit the spot! The soondubu we opted for was the seafood and beef and that did not disappoint! I had only eaten the cod version elsewhere, so it was a new experience for me. The banchan is very good, but I usually don't have complaints about that since similar side dishes are served at other Korean establishments. I wish we had decided to order two different entrees because equally delicious ones left the kitchen and passed by us.
All patrons are served corn tea and let me tell you - it is oh-so-yummy! It can be purchased at any Korean supermarket, like Grand Mart, just F.Y.I.
The service here is very good. The servers are very, very friendly. In fact, my boyfriend witnessed two waitresses hold hands as they walked back to the cashier's counter. :)
If I were in the area, I'd stop by here, but since I'm a Virginian, Annandale Korean joints would be my preference. Lighthouse Tofu supposedly offers great soondubu as well, so it is next on my list to try! -
Review from Natasha S.
Washington, DC
Updated - 2/10/2012
Since my last review, I have returned here a few times. And am pleased to say my feelings about this place has grown stronger.
The already cooked Galbi hits the spot. Some ribs were a tad overcooked and chewy but the flavor was good. And I wasn't complaining.
The Soon Doo Bu is delicious! Mmmmmm!
The Chap Chae is also very good here. Not like the usual Chap Chae I have at other restaurants, but actually very saucy - not dry. And has a great amount of veggies. I've actually ordered this a couple times for lunch, being right around the corner from my office building! Hits the spot each time!
Only negative thing about this place, is my colleague & friend who I often order lunch or eat here with had requested extra Kimchi to share between the two of us one time during a lunch pick up. The server refused and let us know this was not allowed. My colleague and friend is Korean, and was insulted by this as this just didn't sit with her right culturally. While she considered to not return here again, we do really like the food - she was easily convinced otherwise. However, the time prior we asked another server if we could have extra, and she was more than happy to provide us with more. So this was a one time fluke, which we hope not to have to run into again!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/11/2012
This review is only based on the Cham Pong - Seafood Spicy Noodle Soup.
I came here one night after… Read more »
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Review from Eddie K.
4/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Been here many times. They have a new location in Germantown as well. The soondubu here was fantastic when it first opened, then went bad, but now it's pretty good. I also like their Gamjatang and dol sot bim bim bap. This place is a short drive from my house so it beats driving down to Annandale for Korean food. I wish they give you the banchan after you order instead of 30 seconds before the food comes out. Lighthouse soondubu has more flavor though.
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Review from An T.
Updated - 7/6/2011
Nice work Arirang, I'm never coming back.
I hadn't been to Arirang for quite some time. I used to just go on crazy binges of soondubu and would be here, or at Lighthouse at least once a week. Well, the cravings resurfaced, and I went to Lighthouse already last week so why not go to Arirang this week? Boyyyy, what a mistake!
Their prices have gone up! If you look closely at the menu, you can see where they used white-out to write in new prices. Booooooooooo.
Service was just crappy (and trust me, it gets worse). I stared at my panchan, as it sat on the counter for a good 15 minutes, wondering if they were gonna bring it out at all, before someone finally moved it about 2 feet from there to our table (we sat quite literally, right next to the counter). I never got a refill on any drink, and we had to physically wave and yell to get someone's attention to finally pour us some more tea. The panchan has always been automatically refilled every other time I've been there too, and no one said anything about it this time around.
The only thing that had been consistent about this visit thus far was the soondubu in itself. Just as delicious as I remembered, but not nearly as spicy as I had hoped when I asked for "extra spicy"! (Note: Lighthouse burns your tongue off with their "Spicy Spicy" option)
Here comes the kicker, and why you'll never see me here again: THE WAITRESS RAN AFTER MY SISTER AND I INTO THE PARKING LOT. We didn't even wait for the bill, and my sister having done the math in her head, left enough cash to cover the bill and a tip that stated, "try harder next time". The bill was $22.35 including tax, and we left $25. Why... are you following us out into the parking lot trying to show me the bill? We left enough money, and YES, that is indeed your tip. Seriously, WTF were they trying to pull?
How classy. Goodbye Arirang! Never again.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/17/2011
I'd give Arirang another star, if it wasn't so notably compared to Lighthouse Tofu.
Their soondubu… Read more »
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Review from Anita C.
A solid four stars! A homey little gem off of E Gude.
Food: I usually order beef soondubu (medium spicy) at Korean establishments. Arirang's is quite tasty. It has a bit more of a subtle/mild flavor than Lighthouse Tofu. They are both good in their own ways - I've been told that Lighthouse Tofu's is more commercialized, and Arirang's is more authentic. I've also tried a few bites of the kalbi bibimbap, which was a little too saucy/greasy for my liking. The seafood stew (nakji bokkem) was a yummy complement - spicy & very flavorful. Banchan is also much, much fresher & tastier than at Lighthouse.
Price: I think it was $10.95 for the soondubu, which is about right.
Service: Pretty goshdarned good, but I think that has to do with my always coming here with my Korean boyfriend :p. The ambiance is great - cozy, homey, and small.
In the battle of Lighthouse Tofu v. Arirang, I would have to say Arirang, based on ambiance, service, and food. Soondubu is about even, but the banchan is much better here. -
Review from Newton N.
Scottsdale, AZ
11/30/2011 2 photos
HAHAHAHAHA!
For those who are on their high horses and don't want to come back to a restaurant because they weren't catered to like members of the bourgeoisie: let me give you some 411 on etiquettes and manners. First, you need to ASK for things. Korean restaurants are not the Ritz Carltons of the food industry. You shouldn't EXPECT nor are you ENTITLED to having anyone re-fill your BANCHAN without you asking for such and saying PLEASE. Second, Korean restaurants are not like American restaurants -- you won't have someone at your beck and call, waiting to just fill your water. Again, you need to ask. Be polite. Have some God damn manners about it. No one (even if you are "elite") have the right to ridicule, menace, and leave little condescending notes with their poopy tip -- real "classy". From the looks of how some extremely despicable Yelp reviewers are "elite", Yelp obviously has piss-poor standards for choosing "elite members".
Now on to my review. I'm not from Maryland. As a matter of fact, I avoid MD like the plague. It's too industrial for me. If anything, I frequent the affluent suburbs of the D.C. and Northern Virginia area. Anyways, I was in Frederick, MD for some business and because I had Korean companions with me, we decided to Yelp Korean restaurants in the immediate area. Everything looked splotchy and we narrowed our selections down to Lighthouse Tofu and Arirang. Naturally, we chose to patronize Arirang because Lighthouse Tofu is literally everywhere.
I have to admit, I was not too excited about Arirang based upon the reviews. I had read through the reviews, as any responsible Yelper should. Anyways, we inched through the post-Thanksgiving traffic and finally made it to Arirang (I would recommend using your GPS).
The interior of the design of the restaurant is nothing to rave about. The walls were adorned with the wallpaper of Korean/Chinese Characters. There were a few paintings of traditional Korean landscape and art here and there. The restaurant was half packed (mostly with rowdy young adults -- probably church groups).
We had to wait about 5-10 minutes before someone was able to take our order, but I'm way familiar with this. I never ever enter a Korean restaurant expecting to be hovered over or pampered -- if it happens, great, your tip is going to exceed 30%. If the service is what I consider the usual standards of Korean restaurants, cool, I accept and expect that, 20% tip. I cannot understand nor can I rationalize how ANYONE in their respectable mind, can tip any less than 20% in restaurants. These waiters, waitresses, servers, workers should not have to bring your food HOT to you for FREE or your measly 10% tip. If you are one of these people, take your broke derrière to McDonalds.
Granted this was our first trip to Arirang, but we thought the prices were reminiscent of what we pay for Korean food in any Korean restaurant -- and I travel extensively to areas where they have high Korean populations (Los Angeles, NYC, Atlanta, Chicago). For those of you complaining about the prices here -- have you been to Northern VA? No, let me take that back. Have you seen the news lately? The rising price of gas causes food costs to go up -- take a look around you, noticed that the cost of cereal and milk have gone up? It's called economics. Educate yourself. The prices for the entrées here ranged from $10.95 - $39.95 (for larger casseroles -- group dishes). Affordable and the norm to what I pay in other Korean restaurants ACROSS THE U.S.
Now, the most important part -- the food. In my company, I had a businessman who spent nearly his entire life in Seoul, South Korea. He has dined in all the finest restaurants and hotels in Seoul and I trust his judgment and his opinion on all Korean cuisine. That, and with my fair share of experience with Korean restaurants, well, I can hold my own. My guest said the food at Arirang was one of THE BEST AUTHENTIC Korean foods he has had in the East Coast. Honestly, I have to agree. I've gone to many many Korean restaurant in NoVA alone (I don't Yelp often) and the food at Arirang was one of the best, if not the best. The soondubu (soft tofu) was THE BEST I have ever had. I have gone to the best of the best tofu places (Lighthouse Tofu doesn't even hold a candle to this place), and Arirang's soft tofu came out party rocking. Service was good. The women working the restaurant were very accommodating and respectful. For those who have issues with service, learn that patience is virtue. Be aware that the pace of things in Korean restaurants are different from the standards of American eateries. If you need more banchan, water, napkins, WHATEVER - Smile, politely ask, and you shall receive. Be respectful! And for those who feel entitled to things without asking politely, it's best you never come back to ANY restaurant. Trust, you won't be missed. :o) -
Review from Stella L.
Hanover, MD
1/17/2012
My favorite soondubu place in the DMV area.. hands down! Even their banchans are really good and you know if the banchans are good, so will their entrees! I always order the seafood/beef combo soondubu at "extra spicy" and it's always perfect! I love how the rice comes out fresh and in stone pots! I've brought ALL my friends and family here and they all agree, it's amazing! If you want true authentic korean food, this is the place to be :)
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Review from Jen C.
2/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm surprised by the amount of low reviews at Arirang. On the whole, if you combine the super friendly service and a variety of dishes, I think this is close to 5 stars. Of course, if you pick the menu apart and compare specific dishes to Annandale's best, it will fall short... but for a Rockville restaurant that has a bit of everything, I think this is a pretty tasty stop by for Korean food lovers. For those who don't get Korean often, I can see why this wouldn't be so appealing.
First off, Arirang provides the freshest appetizers I have ever had in this area and VA included. Their tofu jelly (translucent blocks) and slices (tan with spicy dressing) and seaweed was very, very refreshing. We also ordered the seafood pancake, a dish we get at every Korean rest; this is where I'd have to say it wasn't my favorite dish. I thought it was way too thick--so thick that I couldn't enjoy the crispiness. Had this been thinner, it'd be a great pancake...but I guess that's what you get for a $16 pancake! Don't get me wrong though--I still love tasting bites of pancake to go along with the rest of the dishes. (Oh, and I also know how fresh they make things by just looking at the pancake dipping sauce...freshly cut cilantro and sprinkled sesame seeds...evident that it wasn't sitting in some bottle all day.)
Next, galbi came out on a sizzling plate. Standard and delicious. I didn't find this to be under-marinated as another review had...I don't know how galbi can ever turn out wrong. Onto their star dish...the beef & seafood tofu soup!!! SO GOOD. Like everyone says, it is much better than Lighthouse Tofu's. While you can't choose "spicy" levels like at Lighthouse, the amount of spice they put in this is enough, and usually I'm not a fan of spicy. Tickles you enough to make your nose run, but not too much to make you gasp for water. The pot had very fresh tofu with plenty of beef and oysters. However, if I were to order their tofu soup again, I'd stick with just oysters since it is very fresh. Every tofu soup comes with a clay pot of rice, which you: 1) scoop out into separate bowls as soon as it arrives, leaving an outer layer 2) pour barley tea into the clay pot and let it sit.
Service was awesome. When we were waiting to order, the waitress ran over thinking that we were waiting too long (we weren't!) and said in uber cuteness, "Why didnt you call on me ?! :)" She was quick about our food, check and carryout boxes.
Will be back again when we're too lazy to drive to VA for a Korean food fix!!! -
Review from Robert C.
5/14/2011
This place's just decent. I don't think there's any special dish that I really like from Arirang. Their Soondubu (Tofu Soup) is ok, I'd rather go to Lighthouse Tofu though. Their Galbi Tang (rib soup) and Jajangmyeon (brown sauced noodle) are decent.
Price-wise, I'd say this place can be kindda expensive; Especially for their Korean BBQ (that's about $17 on average). I'd rather go to Honey Pig (about $13 on average); it tastes better too! Overall, it's just ok, not my 1st Korean restaurant that I'd pick. Flavor wise - 3 stars, I have to bump it down a star because of the price. -
Review from Abegail A.
Washington, DC
I've been wanting to try this place for some time now and after debating on coming here or my favorite Korean restaurant in the DMV (Lighthouse Tofu), we decided to give this place a try.
The side dishes were okay (their version of the potato salad was tasty!). What really turned me off was the fact that there were two tiny pieces of hair large enough for me to see in the bean sprout dish. G R O S S! That is definitely not okay! Yikes!
We ordered the galbi (beef short ribs-$16.95), beef tofu soup ($9.95) and the chicken fried rice ($12.95?). The galbi was tasteless...definitely wasn't seasoned/marinated well at all. There definitely wasn't anything Korean about this bbq! It just tasted like thinly sliced beef ribs that they grilled without marinating, threw ion a sizzling plate, added a bed of onions, and called it Kbbq! Not good at all! The serving size was also quite small. The beef tofu soup had no taste as well. It was bland and not extra spicy like we wanted. There was some large chunks of beef in there, but what good would that do in flavorless soup?! The fried rice was delicious! Thank goodness something here was good! The chicken in it I could have cared less for. But the fried rice reminded me of the kind that you get from Benihana. Yum! It did have a lot of peas though...which I'm not a fan of.
The waitresses were nice and explained the dishes. But after they dropped off your food they never came back to check on you. Hello, I'm thirsty and maybe I wanted more of your side dishes!
Although this place has way more food options, when I'm craving some Kbbq and/or tofu...I'm heading to Lighthouse Tofu! -
Review from Patrick H.
Melrose, MA
6/9/2009
While I can't find anything particularly wrong with Arirang, I can't find anything particularly exciting either. The Friday night commute on the beltway has been murder lately, so we decided to just forgo the nonsense and stay in Rockville and grab dinner before making the trek home.
Arirang has been on my bookmarks for a while now, so I was excited to go. We started with an order of Mandu, which were very nice. Barley tea came automatically, and oddly enough (well, oddly enough for this fat white guy) when I ordered iced water, it came in the form of Iced Barley Tea.
For entrees, Kalbi for me and the Dining Partner in Crime had his requisite Dolsot Bi Bim Bop. My Kalbi was good, but no lettuce wraps or additional bbq sauce with garlic and peppers was offered. Just the simple stainless steel bowl of rice and some fairly typical Banchan. The DPIC liked his Bi Bim Bop, but declared that he had had better elsewhere.
All in all, not a bad experience, but like my good friend Ina K, in this area, I would rather visit Lighthouse Tofu. -
Review from Eddie D.
2/12/2011
Had a taste for Korean and thought we try out this place. Like the small cozy setting and the neat Korean writing wall paper. The staff was friendly and offered prompt service.
We ordered the Suk A Soon Du Bu (seafood and beef tofu) and the Haemul Dolsot Bibim Bab (seafood and vegetable over rice). Both dish were tasty and up to satisfaction. The side dish Ban Chan was typical. The best part of the meal is when I got down to the bottom of the rice pot that came with the Soon Du Bu, the crunchy burned rice. The Best! Definitely be back. -
Review from Fenny L.
1/13/2009
I love Korean. I love ordering an entree, and getting a bunch of the free little side dishes (such as kimchi) with your meal. I love the flavors and the fearless use of heat. I love the bulgogi - richly delicious, marinated meats...but when I'm feeling fat (as a girl, I feel fat every 90 seconds) I love the spicy tofu stew hotpots (dubu), because it's incredibly filling, yet, because it's made with tofu, you feel as if you're eating healthy, so you don't feel the least bit guilty that you just ate enough to feed an entire Third World village for a week.
Yes yes, if you're in the Rockville area, Lighthouse Tofu is the #1 place to go for the spicy tofu stew hotpots. However, I think I can make a compelling argument as to why Arirang may come off best, when everything is compared. I normally hate comparing restaurants, as every establishment has it's own quirks, flavors and items that make them unique - however, I have yet to take someone to Arirang, where a comparison with Lighthouse Tofu doesn't come up - so I feel that this review wouldn't be complete without making at least a token comparison to Lighthouse Tofu.
Arirang is set along a dismal stripmall along Gude Dr. - which houses many of the industrial warehouses in the MoCo area. While some may find the locale off-putting, to me this is a bonus, because not as many people come here - which results in, no waiting (I have yet to go to LT without a wait). Not to mention, the parking lot is usually pretty empty, and at the risk of offending people with yet another one of my famed stereotypes, thusly, there is no fear of getting hit by Asian drivers as you're pulling out of a space (as the worse female Asian driver in all of Maryland - perhaps the entire East Coast, I'm really insulting myself).
Inside, it is decorated warmly in soft honey browns, with interesting wallpaper (you'll understand when you see it), and rice-paper screens. The space is small, but it also makes the dining room cosier and more intimate. Although there is a pretty extensive menu, I can make the following recommendations: 1) get the seafood pancake as an appetizer. It is delicious. If you aren't hungry enough for an appetizer, you may drop off the seafood pancake at my house. 2) stick to the spicy tofu stew pots (I highly recommend the oyster one). My husband isn't a huge fan of the tofu stews, so he always orders the bulgogi, forgetting, that as this is not a Korean BBQ place, the meat is precooked, and not even close to being as tasty as at a K-BBQ place.
As I mentioned, the seafood pancake is delicious, but the tofu stew - well, where to begin?! My favorite is the oyster tofu stew; the broth is always thick and served bubbling hot. While tofu is the main ingredient in the pot, there are lots of big, plump oysters to give the broth a richness of flavor that is perfect on cold winter evenings. Hot, spicy and plentiful, and seasoned perfectly to complement the delicious fresh rice in the hot stone bowl, I always regret eating so much of the seafood pancake that the last few bites of my tofu stew is agonizingly painful (I still finish it - of course). Very delicious and always hits the spot.
Although the waitresses always flirt shamelessly with my dad, whenever I've been here without him, I still get prompt and decent - if stonyfaced - service. We always get fast refills of our barley tea and water, and the waitress always stops by to check on us several times (usually because I'm moaning with so much pleasure that I'm sure she thinks I'm an escaped loonatic). Plus, as there is rarely a crowd here, it's so much easier to get her attention - and I've also noticed that the food comes out faster.
Yes, Lighthouse Tofu's tofu stew may be marginally better, but when the parking situation, the wait, and the speed of service is taken into account, I believe that Arirang comes off the victor.Listed in: K-BBQ (and other K-joints)
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Review from Ina C.
1/24/2008
I don't really come here anymore because I much prefer Lighthouse Tofu on Twinbrook Pkwy. I'll stasrt off by saying that the quality of the soon dubu (spicy tofu stew) is about the same at both restaurants, and the Korean moms I know like both equally. But here are some reasons why I've changed allegiances:
- Arirang is really drafty. In the winter, it's freezing in that restaurant! Sometimes I wonder if they're just trying to make the hot tofu stew that much more satisfying...but I have a feeling that that's not their intention.
- The service is extremely slow. Every time I've gone there (about 8 times in the past 2 years, I'd say), whether it's peak hours or not, there are only two servers. A meal that takes me about an hour at Lighthouse takes me 50% longer because I'm waiting, waiting, waiting for my server to notice me. It brings me strange memories of high school relationships, and no one likes that, right??
So if you're trying to decide between the two restaurants, which are the only two decent soon dubu places in the area, choose Lighthouse.Listed in: Like black-haired Asians...
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Review from Jason C.
1/23/2011
3.5*
A soondooboo place that competes with Lighthouse tofu place for being one of the top two Korean tofu stews in the DC area.
This place is definitely better in taste than lighthouse tofu, gives better side dishes, and gives better rice that comes from the stone pot.
The drawbacks? Decor is ho-hum and the servers are not dressed in traditional korean clothing. Not such a big drawback for me but for a lot of non-koreans it definitely draw them more to lighthouse tofu place. -
Review from Sang K.
Gaithersburg, MD
8/14/2009
Best Soon-Dubu in the area. Far better than Lighthouse in my opinion. My parents and most people who know what Soon-Dubu is supposed to taste like will say the same.
I've tired Lighthouse, Arirang in Germantown, and at least 20 other restaurants in the DC/MD/VA metro area. And nothing compares to Arirang of Rockville. I've noticed that a lot of places tend to use a kimchi soup base and have a strong kimchi jjigae taste to it. Even with their none kimchi soon dubus. Not for Arrirang of Rockville. I've also noticed that a lot of other places tend to use meat with stringy fat and tendon. Not Arirang of Rockville. I always get their Pork Soon dubu and the meat is tender and no fat or tendon on it at all. -
Review from Sang A.
Los Angeles, CA
4/14/2010
Okay so I'm the lone korean at my office so my coworkers recruited me to take them to this place the other day. I'd actually never been to this one only the one off Gude. The name is the same as the Gude restaurant. The menu's sliiiiightly different but their specialty is the same, soondubu (Spicy tofu soup).
For people who don't know the protocol when you order soondubu at Arirang:
1) They will give you two stone pots, one with soup and one with rice.
2) They will give you a little bowl of raw eggs, deal with this first as the soup needs to be hot. Crack the egg into the stone pot with the soup and bury it under all the tofu and other stuff to cook.
3) Next is the empty small metal bowl. Scoop the rice out of the stone pot as best as you can and put it in the metal bowl for eating.
4) Pour the water in the now near empty stone pot to about an inch of depth. This will loosen up the singed rice residue on the inside of the pot so you can scrape it off the sides and eat it. The rice in the pot has it's own unique taste, kind of a smokey, barley taste. Don't knock it if you've never tried it...
This place will get you very full for a reasonable $10 and they are very friendly. They serve random japanese food as well, and you can order Sake, Soju and beer if that's your cup of...alcohol.
Their side dishes are really good too. Don't be shy about ordering more of the sides they're free!!!
All in all a very successful lunch outing. :) -
Review from paul l.
North Bethesda, MD
8/9/2010
This is the ONLY full service Korean joint in our area. This place is in a strip mall off the beaten path as well.
Everything about this place is OK. not stellar. but i will tell you this. IT IS A REAL KOREAN RESTAURANT. It's not just a tofu or BBQ place. they serve all manner of stew, casserole, and everything else korean. I will definitely be coming back here. Sure it's not on the same level as korean joints in LA or Korea, but hey, i'll take what i can get.
We ordered potato stew and galbi. The potato stew, while not the best i've had, was good enough for those of us longing for real korean food. the kalbi was average. the banchan (side dishes/tapas) was actually pretty tastey.
I recommend this place over light house if you are looking for a full service korean food experience and not just Tofu soup. -
Review from Eujin P.
New York, NY
12/28/2010
Soondooboo (aka Pure Tofu) is legit.
So is the banchan (aka side dishes aka poor person's dream).
Every korean meal comes out with a spread of banchan, but the side dishes here are REALLY FRESH. When cucumber is in season, they have a cucumber dish that is spicy and has a great vinegar flavor (not too overpowering).
My personal favorite is the Mixed Seafood & Beef Tofu Stew.
It comes with a vat of rice in a stoneware bowl (dolsot), here is the process.
1) Dip your spoon in your water or barley tea so it will be easy to scoop the rice out
2) Once the waitress puts the stoneware pot filled with rice on the table, move the rice into your bowl as FAST as you can. Remember to leave a thin layer of rice inside the bowl.
3) Add water from the teapot into the stoneware pot (there should be a layer of rice
4) Enjoy your delicious Soondooboo, then come back to this rice+water in a stoneware pot. Scoop the rice off the sides/bottom and stir around. The slightly baked rice with water makes for a really rich taste that is perfect for any season.
This place is known for soondooboo, but there dolsot (stoneware bowl) bibimbap (rice mixed with veggies) is also a great choice. My mom is partial to the dduk (rice cake) mandoo (dumpling) gooook (soup). For reference, this is all one word. It has a richness in taste & is a great cure for the winter days/nights.
Please report back with any questions. -
Review from jeni m.
Philadelphia, PA
7/31/2008
I am in no way shape or form korean, so my post might be useless to some of you. but I love eating delicious yummies and this place certainly satisfies that basic need.
for those of you who are aspiring interior designers, you may be slightly offended by their mix-matching decor, but I find thinking about their furnishing choices only makes me hungrier (a good thing!).
I love their pots of food. I recommend them in a fuzzy way. I would be interested to hear what 'hard-core' korean food eaters think of this place. -
Review from Janet H.
8/12/2009 3 photos
I love Korean food. We decided to come here for dinner because my sister has never been here and our first choice restaurant happen to be closed that day. They have a great variety of banchans and they were all yumm so I was happy =) We ordered a kimchi/beef tofu soup, ja jiang myun and my sister ordered another beef soup thing. The food were all good though my sisters and I agreed that it's just another Korean restaurant because nothing on the menu kinda stood out to us.
Service here is kind of slow.. even when they are not that busy. Maybe it's just me but the waitresses here aren't as friendly to non-koreans! :( When we walked in, they saw us but no greetings.. they didn't seat us.. so after awkwardly standing for a minute or two, we decided to just find a table and seat ourselves. Minutes later, a bunch of Koreans came in and oh how differently were they greeted and big smiles.. o_O When people left they smiled, waved bye and told them to come back soon. When my sisters and I left... nothing! =( no love.
Regardless, their food was decent and I would come back again if I am craving Korean and don't want to drive too far. I do like their banchans compared to other places. -
Review from sjlee l.
Rockville, MD
9/21/2011
If you live in Rockville and want some Korean food, then Arirang is your go-to place for a quiet meal.
Don't expect good service. Get your glasses of water up front (like 2-3 glasses if you need it).
The food is good though. I'm grateful for not having to drive all the way to Annandale for some decent soondubu.
Don't bother getting BBQ. It's not a specialty here. -
Review from donna s.
Columbia, MD
8/12/2009
I had gone here with a few work friends celebrating the end of summer school. It seemed like a regular thing with the friends I went with who work across the street, so I was excited to try it. We were the only customers at the time, which was around 3:30 pm. There were about 10 adults at one table and a children's table. Needless the say, the waiters were very friendly and attentive.
A Korean friend at the table ordered the food for everyone, so we had bulgogi, gyoza and bibimbap. All of it was fine. There didn't seem to be a 'specialty' although the food was high quality.
Maybe now that I've really only been to KBBQ places, I need that extra entertainment factor. This restaurant is perfectly fine. Clean, friendly staff, good food but I would probably choose to go somewhere more exciting next time. Don't get me wrong! Go here, but my ADD brain needs something more to keep my attention :-) -
Review from Erica Y.
7/28/2008
I work within walking distance from this place. It's better than the other Korean soup place on the same street (that one is called Han Bat). I love their tofu stews and their beef rib soup. It's a very typical Korean restaurant, but with lots of choices on the menu.
The wait staff are a-ok in my opinion. They are not that quick but are always nice and friendly to me, even after they realize I am not Korean and don't speak Korean. -
Review from Victoria Y.
San Jose, CA
2/18/2008
I ordered the kimchee and mushroom soondubu and it was really good. The rice that comes with it is served in a stone pot (you get a bowl where you scoop the rice in to otherwise the stone pot will basically fry the rice out). You don't get much side dishes like all the other korean restaurants I've been to but they're pretty friendly about refilling them when you ask.
Note: I went with all korean people and being not korean made me feel as if I was an outsider because the wait staff appears not to speak/understand english. So if you decide to go here, come with people that can speak korean. -
Review from Pete D.
6/7/2010 2 photos
Their specialty, soondubu, which is spicy tofu soup. I've been here a handful of times, just never wrote up on it, so here goes it. This place usually isn't crowded, at least from my few experiences. We stop by on a Friday evening and got a table right away. Greeted by the server with the default iced boricha (barley tea) and she took our order. I went with the seafood and beef tofu soup, which consisted of shrimp w/ gut and brain still attached (yes!) and actually a good amount of clams in the mix. Mine kind of smelled like the ocean because of the mixed seafood, but I was perfectly fine with it (it's not a bad smell, so don't worry).
I had asked for the soup to be a little more spicy, which turned out great! I'm here wiping away my sweat as I'm slurping, leaving white napkin patches on my forehead. The soup is served in the stone pot that's right off of the stove in the back. Warning, the soup is very hot and can put a burning sensation in your esophagus (I am a victim). When it arrives, crack the raw egg into the soup so it cooks. If you wait, you'll pull a Rocky Balboa, but if that's what you desire, go for it. The other stone pot is the rice, which comes with a smaller empty bowl. As other reviews have said, scoop out the rice into the smaller bowl and then pour the water into the stone pot where the rice once was. Certain folks love eating that burnt tasting rice, but I can live without it.
Wifey got the kalbi dolsot bibimbap, which was actually on point. I say that because maybe I didn't expect much. I mean you have rice in a stone pot, kalbi that's probably grilled, with some veggies and you mix it around. However, this was pretty darn good to me. The sauce, oils, and grease in the mixture was delicious. Nice chunks of kalbi mixed in and of course the spicy red sauce. If you want, I'm sure you can ask for it on the side and you can mix it up yourself. One thing I did notice after a while was the amount of grease in the bowl, as I wish they cut back a tad. But overall, I thought this was good. Our companion ordered the spicy pork, daeji bulgogi. This was decent, nothing special, but nothing bad with it at all. All the banchans were okay, again, nothing special with them.
Overall, a solid 4-star in my books for good, cheap, comfort food. I've eaten other soondubu and I think Arirang is on top of my list. The other spot in Rockville isn't as good, particularly their broth, although it's slightly cheaper. Service was kind of iffy, but whatever, it's an Asian restaurant. We just waved down the server a couples of times to refill our cups and bring is us more banchan. -
Review from Maria M.
6/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
So I'm not sure if I should give this one a 3 or a 4... probably a solid 3.5 ;-).
In any case, the soondubu here is really good. Lots of tofu! and lots of whatever meat you decide... I actually went with the seafood soondubu and loved it.
My friend got the spicy beef stew (yukejang) at my urging because I've had really good ones before so I assumed it would be great here as well. She was a little disappointed and after tasting it myself, I was also. The stew was definitely a little bland as compared to other ones I've tasted and there was very little "strings of meat" (as I like to call it). So we ended up trading because I felt bad I made her order the yukyejang. But she did love the soondubu though =)
The pan chans are pretty normal: spicy cucumbers, kimchi, gatdugi (kimchi radish), fish strips and eggplant. So pretty good spread, but again, not the greatest.
The service was pretty good until it got really busy and it almost felt like we were getting kicked out because they were cleaning and bussing our tables before I even got to signing the receipt. Oh well!
Anyways, go here for the soondubu. I have yet to try other ones, but definitely don't go for the spicy beef stew. =) -
Review from Khanh N.
San Francisco, CA
9/13/2010 2 photos
Yeah, I like this place, mainly for the fresh banchan they serve, especially the kimchi. I lived in LA for 5 years next to Ktown and I usually have to go to an expensive place to get this quality of banchan. But for this seemingly mom and pop shop, I can get it at a decent price. The tofu soup I ordered, beef, was also good, spicy but with taste. A great filling meal on Gude Drive, an unexpected treat.
With the flux of Korean restaurants opening up around the DC area, I'm glad to see places are adhering to quality and not taking shortcuts. -
Review from Cici L.
Baltimore, MD
8/26/2009
This place has been all over my ratings map- from the really bad to the good. Once I came here in the evening... around 8 pm and got Soon DuBu that was so watered down, the broth looked light orange. If it's to the point that even I can tell the Korean food was bad, it meant it was REALLY bad. Of course I finished it all since I hadn't eaten for the past 8 hrs but was severely disappointed. The last 2 times I've gone, it was much better. My old school Korean grandmother says this place is better than Lighthouse tofu in terms of their soondubu but that their banchan (side dishes) are too salty.
but come on Arirang, don't mix your broth with more water just to feed some more mouths at the end of the night. -
Review from Donald P.
6/2/2010 1 photo
After skimming through many of the good reviews I guess I was expecting something a little more than just a strip mall restaurant. Interior of the restaurant had a more traditional feel with the wood and paper screen decor. Food and service was good.
I wanted to order the mool-neng-myun, but she recommended the chick-neng-myun. When it came out I saw a whole dollop of hot pepper sauce and started scooping some of it out. The waitress came around again to see what was the matter and we explained we weren't aware it was supposed to be spicey. So she offered to take it back and replace the broth. The banchan was all pretty good and helped ourselves to a second round.
If I lived in the area, I would probably be eating there a lot. -
Review from Irene F.
they now have Duk Boki. Flavor was good but the rice cakes were overcooked.
Listed in: Rockin' Restaurants in…, Foodie on a Shoestring
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/13/2009
If you live in Rockville and don't want to go all the way to VA for some good Korean- this is the… Read more »
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Review from Hannah C.
12/29/2010
i'm partial whenever it comes to reviewing korean restaurants because 1) i can eat it anytime 2) i compare it to my mom's cooking 3) therefore, it's nothing new to me
perhaps my tastebuds aren't as acquired as some soondooboo connoisseurs, but i just thought their food was okay -- not exceptionally great or not too bad. -
Review from B P.
Alexandria, VA
6/19/2011 1 photo
At first glance, you would think this place was just a little hole in the wall for Rockville located in a little strip mall nestled in an industrial area. wasn't too busy, sizeable crowd, but i came around 8pm.
Inside the dining area was small and cozy. You can order your typical korean food without regret. Korean food is expensive as it is, so the prices were on par. I was passing through Rockville and heard about this place but if you headed back to VA and namely Annandale, you wouldn't need to come back here. People seem to order the hot, stone bowl stews. But you can't go wrong with bibimbap and expect banchans too.
Nothing to write home about but at least they provide your standard korean fare. -
Review from Su K.
Going out to eat Korean food reminds me of the late Paul Newman's response to infidelity: "Why go out for hamburger when you have steak at home?" Both my maternal unit and my matrimonial unit cook some amazing Korean food which is healthier, tastier, and cheaper than going out to eat. As far as KBBQ, I like to think my recipes are pretty good, though Sam R.'s mom has won the best galbi on Yelp for about 2 or 3 years running. So why go out when you can have better at home?
Well, 3 reasons. First, I'm lazy. Most banchans (side dishes) are fermented, and that takes time, and though you may think we Koreans wield super powers to ferment vegetables, meats and raw crab, we only use them in cases of extreme emergency. Second, I like introducing friends to Korean food and since my house is pretty messy, I can't invite guests over - I mean honestly, can any Asian invite guests when their house isn't clean? And is an Asian house EVER clean? Finally, one of the few dishes that my mom and wife haven't been able to perfect is soondooboo. So when I'm hankering for soondooboo--which usually happens when I step outside and my nipples reach a hardness factor of 9.2--I gotta leave my steak and go get me some hamburger.
Food - Where does an infidel go to satisfy said hankering? It used to be Lighthouse on Twinbrook, but I now prefer Arirang. Why is Arirang better than Ligthouse? Let me count the ways.
1) More meat, which is really the only reason you should need, but if you need more convincing...
2) You get a personal bowl of rice in a stone pot, which means you don't have to share a large communal pot of barley tea. This ain't spa world - I don't need to be sharing water with you. For those that aren't familiar w/ soondooboo, the rice comes served in a sizzling stone pot. You scoop out most of the rice and leave the parts that are stuck to the sides and then pour hot barley tea in the stone pot. It may sound rather odd, but it's quite delicious. Additionally, since you have your own personal bowl, you can let the rice burn for as long as you want before pouring tea in it.
3) The banchan spread is more impressive (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
4) One of the soondooboos is called Suk A. That's right, Suk A! In Korean, it means Mixed, so it's a combination of beef and seafood. Feel free to rehash Run-D.M.C. when ordering - it's not like the waitresses understand what you're saying anyway.
The soondooboo is a tad more expensive ($9.95 as opposed to $9.50), but the soup is just as good and meatier. The nakji bbokum is also very good ($16.95), and you can order it with or without noodles.
Service - As far as service goes, let me break it down for you Yelpers like this. Currently, it's the end of January, which means college acceptance letters for early decisioners should be arriving soon. If little One Suck didn't make it into MIT or Hah Buh Deuh (Harvard), which are usually the only colleges that exist in most parent's minds, and has to settle for Meh Lee Len Duh (Maryland), that parent is gonna be pssed. In a few months, studying for SATs should be kicking in high gear for Korean 6th graders. In fact, most of us probably know about Kaplan or Princeton Review before our boys drop or our first hair sprouts. It's -that- serious. In summertime, little One Suck is probably at home mastering DDR while their neighbor's kid, You Ho, is attending some sort of summer enrichment program, going to an internship, writing his thesis, and cleaning the house everyday. In the fall, it's little One Suck's last chance at the SATs, so attendance at church is increased, prayer lives are on fire, and threat level is at midnight. Of course, the wait is killer, so One Suck's parents make him pass the time by applying for scholarships. Inevitably, little One Suck will probably end up at Mon Guh Melee Koh Leh Jee, a.k.a., Harvard on the Pike, which means mommy and daddy's hopes and dreams when they immigrated from Korea are crushed. So as you can see, dear Yelper, Korean homes are stressful year round, which means you'll likely catch Mrs. Bak, the server at a Korean restaurant, on a bad day.
But seriously, don't go in expecting great service. Instead, you can expect your order to be taken accurately if you order by menu item # and don't have too many modifications; your food to be brought out without spit on it, even if you have to send it back; and your water and ban chans to be filled if you are able to get the attention of the waitresses.
Location - on East Gude and not nearly as big and open as Lighthouse. There's usually plenty of parking in the lot out front. Getting out of here to go back to Norbeck is a pain in the butt since 1) you can't make a left at the exit b/c of a concrete median and 2) you can't make a (legal) u-turn once said median ends.
If you like Lighthouse, I think you'll love Arirang. But if you've got steak at home, why bother?Listed in: Burp and Smell Like A Korean, Su's ROTDs
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Review from Andrew K.
9/29/2010
I really like their soondubu which is their specialty, they have like 5 different types, some with seafood, oyster or beef or a mix. It is pretty spicy so if you can't handle spicy, make sure to let them know to make it less spicy. Their bokeumbap is pretty good too. I thought their banchan was fresh and tasted good. They don't have lunch specials which would have been nice but overall, I liked it and will come back.
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Review from Duy N.
Montgomery, MD
Delicious! I recommend! kim chi soon du bu was spicy, hot, flavorful. perfect for a cold winter day. Side dishes were fresh, i could weat those all day.
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Review from Jennifer F.
Gaithersburg, MD
Updated - 2/7/2011
My favorite Korean Restaurant!!!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/8/2010
I love their tofu soup and, most importantly, their small dishes!! They have a variety of small… Read more »
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Review from Wendy S.
7/28/2008
the tofu soup here is pretty good, WAY better than the tofu lighthouse in rockville on twinbrook parkway. it's the best place to get soon doo boo in md. :)
this place has other korean food in addition to the soon doo boo (spicy tofu soup). i've had the dol sot bi bim bop and the hamul pajang before too (both were quiet good)! -
Review from Phi N.
11/2/2010 3 photos
So this is the place to get soon du bu in the area. I ordered the kim chi soon du bu (explained to me as silky tofu. lol). Was delicious. and I loved the sides they offer here! I've also tried the galbi, pretty well marinated; a little on the small side in terms of portions.
