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If I ever went to Korea, this is what I picture my BBQ experience to be like!
When I watched Bourdain in South Korea I was thinking, hmmm that's like Gooldaegee! (ok I bet it's different but you get what I'm saying)
No fuss, no frills, go in pick what you want and have the food brought out to you faster than you can say jae yook bokyum. Oh and it has to taste amazing. That's what this place did for me... I loved their bbq!
It's a bit smoky in there (don't wear anything that would need dry cleaning, may I suggest leaving your coats in the car and just run from the parking lot in/out of the restaurant), you sit on stools surrounding a table with an enormous grill, the staff (atleast our waitress) didn't speak much English but she was attentive: refilling our bonchon (spelling?), and our waters when needed, as well as cooking all our meat. Gotta say the "disco-tech" music was really throwing me off but hey it adds to the ambience, I guess.
Got the kalbi, spicy pork, pork that resembles fat bacon, kimchi soup hotpot and a raw beef dish (yeap raw beef, don't knock it 'till you try it!). They brought out the soup in a large hotpot and put it over the grill (how fun), after we were done they brought out the meat. Oh glorious meat! It was great, can't really complain when you go to a good korean restaurant. The waitress got our order wrong but it's okay 'cause she brought us out the right dish quickly and we got to keep the wrong order at no extra charge. ;) YUMMY! Can't wait to go back
To paraphrase Pulp Fiction, " I DO dig on swine." If you do, go here and get ready for pork in all it's fatty, delicious glory.
Our group tried the thin pork belly, the bulgogi and some brisket. All three were good, but the standout is the belly. You fry it crisp on the grill, dip in the sauce and eat away. We even did some deglazing. I'm pretty sure that was not allowed. The place is so chaotic that no one even noticed. All three meats were very good. Beer tasty, soju, nasty.
The place is a scene. Loud music and a BBQ atmosphere more likened to Texas than Seoul. The Korean posters on the wall, and soundtrack from the speakers transport you WAY out of Annandale.
Be there by 6PM on weekends. The line was insane when we left. Go early or be prepared to wait and wait. You can wait at the shaker bar next door, or get there early. An easy choice for us.
And don't linger at your table.
Considering I don't eat pig in any form, I was a bit surprised to find myself at Honey Pig on a Friday night. It was a good surprise.
Walking into this warehouse-like restaurant, you'll fall in love immediately. It's loud, bustling, and smells delicious. The floors are concrete and the walls are corrugated tin. Even though I don't eat any meat aside from seafood unless it's Halal/Zabiha, so I was really glad I got to come here to experience this place.
THE EXPERIENCE: I had eaten before I came so I nibbled on the sides (bahn-chan?) while everyone else dug into the BBQ. It was my first Korean BBQ experience so I had no basis for comparison, but I thought the concept was so awesome! There are mini stoves at each table and the servers will bring out a grill pan and cook the meat in front of you (not to be confused with hibachi). My friends convinced me to order some seafood, so I ordered an octopus dish and asked them to hold the pork. They also changed the grill pan to a fresh one upon request.
THE FOOD: The octopus was really good! Super spicy so I ate a lot of rice with it and later started dipping it into one of the sweeter sauces that they bring to the table. One of the sides was this sort of mashed (sweet?) potato thing that I really liked.
CONCLUSION: I'm pretty impressed that I was able to enjoy food from a place that I thought was only for meat-eaters. Even if you don't eat red meat, this place is worth a try. If you're strictly vegetarian (i.e. no seafood) your options are much more limited (would you like cabbage, or cabbage?) so keep that in mind. Overall, awesome experience!
TIP: They charge a max of 3 credit cards per table. Bring cash if you're in a big party.
Lets start off w/ the good. They play some really good mainstream Korean music that I actually know. The inside reminds me of restaurants in Korea but still not as authentic. And lastly, coming here in large parties to have fun =PP. With all that being said, let's discuss why this place is wayyyyy too cised.
Everyone says the meat is extremely cheap even if the quality isn't the best. I've looked @ the prices and they seem like the same as everywhere else. Is everyone just in a happier mood once they enter or are they just brainwashed? The quality of the meat isn't all that great either.
Another thing.. service is whackk. Unless you order something that actually costs money, they don't comply to any other requests. Bahn-chan & water, two important essentials imo in any Korean restaurant when I am eating. I ask for water ALL THE DA** TIME and they say okay just to shut me up and pretty much ignore me. So if you want more drinks, you will just have to make due with more soju or soda which is not a good mix..
Can we say love at first sniff?
When I walked into this joint, I had heard so much about the yummy foods here and I was duly impressed. It was a little slice of Korea sitting right smack dab in front of me in Virginia and I was extremely happy to be there!
We sat down, donned our aprons (you know that you're gonna make a mess when gorging out on lots and lots of MEAT) and went to town. I liked that the pricing on 1 order was reasonable and that there were plenty of meat options on the menu. We got a whole bunch of pork (don't remember what -- my dining partner ordered all our food) and it was ON ... I thought I was going to burst by the end of the meal!
Just FYI: you will have to pay for a bowl of rice, but you do get complimentary salad and obviously all the side dishes you can eat. Only complaint? As with many Korean places, you've got to ASK (often multiple times) before you can get service! But that's not even nearly enough to deter me from coming back and stuffing my face time and again.
Even after I found out that an order of pork belly offers THOUSANDS of calories, I still order it every time I go to Honey Pig. If you don't like fatty meat, then you're missing out... You will see that most Koreans/Asians who eat at Honey Pig have at least one order of the pork belly. The pork belly comes in thick or thin versions, I prefer mine thick. They come not marinated, you grill them, you add some oil + salt sauce on it, you wrap it in crisp lettuce, then eat! Some also add rice in their lettuce wraps. It's a little piece of heaven.
Honey Pig's bulgogi and galbi are also delicious. The marinate is just right, not too salty or overpowering. Their chicken bulgogi comes in a spicy red hot sauce, and everything is cooked with shredded veggies in a pan in front of you. Yummy!
You can also get some cheap side dishes with your BBQ orders, like steamed egg, or soup! The service can be slow, and there can be long lines, but it's worth it!!! And to top it all off? They're open 24/7! There is nothing like finishing up your 5 hour karaoke session with the good ol' Honey Pig! Make it your breakfast this weekend.
Korean is one of my favorite foods and when I have a craving for some bbq, Honey Pig gets the job done. I've heard that Honey Pig is busy at all times especially on the weekend, but apparently a good time to go is Saturday afternoon around 4:30. Going at this time ensures that you sit down to eat without having to wait, and you can eat for hours and still have lots of time to digest the food before you go to bed.
Order lots of thick cut pork belly and short ribs as those are the most delicious. The spicy seafood casserole is also fantastic, but make sure you get some rice. After you're done with the seafood and meat, ask your waitress to dump the rice in the pan for you, add more kimchi and hot sauce, let it sit for a few minutes and there you got yourself almost a bibim bap!
It pays to go with Korean people as they seem to get better service. But just wave a waitress down when you need something. They are pretty responsive and usually don't take that long.
Date Attended: 11/05/09, Thursday
Packed as usual. We had the Kalbi, Spicy Pork, and Bulgogi. All were delicious. Not that it's a big deal, but who charges for rice? It really should just come with the meals.
Open 24 hours.
Honey Plus Lounge in the back for drinks and music.
Come and enjoy!
4.5 stars
Honey Pig! Honey Pig! Honey Pig!...that's what i keep hearing and wondering what is it?...Apparently it's where everyone keeps going to eat these days, and being relatively new (still) to the area, I had yet to discover this joint!
Finally, some Korean friends made reservations for 10 and we head there for a pre-salsa dinner (i know, not MY idea). And not that you have to BE Korean or necessarily have to go WITH Koreans, but it helps! First, they know what to order, PLUS, for some unfair reason, you get larger portions...go figure...what if i LOOK Korean? No? No...you have to actually SPEAK Korean...damn it!!!.. Oh well, half way there!
Now back to HoneyPig...No matter what time you come here on the weekends, this place is always jam PACKED. (So make reservations, or come at 5:00-5:30pm.) The place is kind of a dive, relatively dark, due to perhaps the dim lighting, dark furnishings, and industrial looking walls & ceilings. One thing is definitely noticeable when you first come here; the loud-thumping music blaring! You may even wonder whether to eat or dance here! The good thing is you can trash talk about any one of our friends at your own table and the guy next to you won't even hear it! It's GREAT!!! (And i think the DJ can be found in the bathroom because when you open the washroom door, BAM! The music explodes into our face! I'm guessing the adjoining 'club' is just behind the walls of the W/C). But look BEYOND the lack-of-decor, and just smell the yumminess in the air!
For a table of 10, there were 2 hot plates at each end of the table. For starters, each person receives complimentary salad & side dishes, which include, kimchi (of course), spicy bean sprouts, spicy tofu squares, creamy apple mayo salad, garlic spinach, and seaweed salad. And if you ARE Korean, you get 2 types of soups, spicy tofu soup, and egg souffle soup. If you are NOT Korean, please pretend you never read that part.
Then there is the menu. The menu lists a variety of meats, including chicken, fatty pork, lean pork, fatty beef, kobe beef, baby squid to name the few we selected. No matter what you choose, it is ALL fresh, juicy, and yum! NOTE: Ask for the Fried Rice with the baby squid dish ...the rice gets so fried it gets CRUNCHY...but you have to wait a few minutes after they stir it, then you have to take the spoon to the grill and kind of 'scrape" the rice off the plate. So when you go to eat the 'mixture' of fried rice, you get moist spicy sauciness, firm chewy squid, crunchy spicy veggies & crunchy rice; essentially, you get an explosion of sweet,salty,mushy, chewy, crunchy goodness all in one bite!
The service is extremely friendly, quick, and clean...good, good, and good!
The best part is, we ate until we were beyond full, and the when the bill arrived, it worked out to be about $15 per person, including tax & tip & drinks! Yeeeah! I loves the Honey Pig!
Don't adhere to waitress recommendation.
Total of 3 girls -- We ordered 1) Beef Brisket 2) Beef Ribs (the $22 one)
but but! the waitress recommended us to order another dish for it will not be enough. We ordered 3) Pork Belly
OH the stupidity! Too much food and the gushing amount of fat on the 3rd dish not good.
Yea...I recommend beef brisket and ribs that is it. Flavors were okay, ribs dish was the best out of all. Side dishes were mediocre boo! I'm going back to Yechon because I LOVE their side dishes!!!
I love the environment, good for small groups and great for a night out drinking and blabbering.
the bathroom is in a little awkward placement --- having to either walk through the closely packed tables or walk through where they prepare the food (side dishes I think) ...it took me a good 1 minute to draw out my plan on the napkin to know what route I shall embark on - DAMN IT! i just wanted to wash my hands. When I got there Aha! there was only one room...and I had to wait.
if you're from this area, you'd give it a 5 because you don't know any better. at first glance, this place looks like korea. oooooh ahhhh. the expectations are set! but alas. once you start eating you realize that this is no korea... or even la. this is a dc area facsimile that is sorely lacking. let's start with the meat. meh... okay that's covered. the service? meh...
the taste of the banchan... meh... plus you have to order your own soup. what? soup usually comes with korean bbq, no? at least it does where i'm from. but... the biggest problem with this place is sanitation. the aprons were obviouly not washed... as my first apron had dried rice on it. also, the lettuce leaves are served WET... gross.
i also got some weird stomach issue after eating there. and trust me, i cook my meat REAL good. This place cannot be compared to places like palace bbq in sunnyvale, ca or even manna in la. i give it two stars because i've been exposed to some really good places... this place is overpriced and unkempt for what it is.
My mom is hilarious. Upon entering Honey Pig, my mom's first comment is "oooh! I like this place! It reminds me of my Korean soap dramas!". Yes, mom loves Honey Pig, just because she feels like she's in a Korean soap opera. Heh.
Me? I'm of two minds about Honey Pig.
On one hand, like my mom, I liked the feel of the place. I liked the atmosphere,and the space in general. The pork belly was delicious, and I liked the galbi marinade, although I didn't feel that the galbi was the most tender that I've ever had. I felt the bulgogi was a touch sweet, but it seems that I was the only one at my table that felt this way. A super star bonus were the grills, which allowed all the grilled meat fatty oily juices drain into a little dish...where we promptly ladled the drippings over our rice...yes, we're fatties. Who will die at a young age from clogged arteries. But who wants to live a life free of delicious fatty meats? What would be the point?
However, I was a disappointed in the lack of ban-chan. The six of us ordered 1 seafood pancake, 4 galbi, 1 bulbogi, 2 pork bellies, and 1 seafood bim-bi-bop. We only got 5 dishes of banchan. For the entire table. 9 entrees, and only 5 ban chan? Am I the only one that sees that the balance of the universe is sadly awry?!? Half of the joy that I get out of KBBQ is the ban-chan! It's free little smorgasbord of yumminess that fills in the cracks that 30 pounds of meat doesn't always reach...and Honey Pig fell flat.
The service was pretty awesome. Our waitress was stony-faced, cranky, and looked like she wanted to stab us in the eye with the galbi scissors. She also spoke the minimum amount of words, and when we were able to pry a word from her lips, you would think we just shaved a year off her life. Now, please don't take this to mean that the service wasn't great, because it was. She checked on us quite a few times, and were pretty prompt in our requests for hot-sauces, water, and yet another order of meat. And really, I'm not here to be friends with my server - I just want my food, which she definitely provided.
So, all in all, it's a good place for KBBQ. The pork belly was definitely one of the highlights of the meal, and drippings was the other. It was also pretty awesome that by a random confluence of crazy planning and herding of cats, that my family's table was right next to the Korean Crawl UYE table of hilariously awesome Yelpers. Yay! But I just can not forgive or overlook the lack of ban-chan which is an integral part of my KBBQ experience, which is why I stick by my 3 star rating.
P.S. My mom is not Korean, nor does she speak, read or understand Korean. But she is obsessed by Korean soaps. I don't get it...but this is one of the less-weird things about my mom, so I'm going to just quietly accept it.
This is straight up authentic Korean food! the whole place, vibe, people, environment - is "very much like Korea" (according to my boyfriend who is obsessed with Korean food)
service is blunt, straight up, & to the point - very much like any other Korean place. It's helpful if you know Korean or have someone who knows it with you but pointing works wonder. (proof that you don't need to speak the language when dealing with good food)
I love their pork belly and galbi/kalbi. They are always there cooking it for you and making sure nothing gets too burned. Feel free to drink soju with your friends all night as well since a lot of people seem to go at night to do that. :)
If you like Korean BBQ, this is the place to go. Yes, it can be crowded. Yes it can be hectic. But also. It's good. It's cheap. And it's a one stop shop for eating and getting your drink on. Plus you get the authentic Korean BBQ experience. I haven't been to Korea since 87, but all of my friends who have been recently, say this place reminds of them of Korea. Soju is priced at $9.99 which is the trend that they actually started. Food is great, especially the Sam Gyup Sal (Pork Belly) and Joo Moo Luk (Beef).
If you ever order the Joo Moo Luk, make sure you are sitting at a table with the grill built in. If the waitresses try to cook it on the same type of grill as the Sam Gyup Sal (the flat pan gril) then tell them to change it out for the Joo Moo Luk grill. Joo Moo Luk grill is an open flame grill, so you get that flame grilled taste. If they cook the Joo Moo Luk on a regular Sam Gyup Sal grill, the juices from the Joo Moo Luk tend to steam the meat rather than grill it.
Lastly, I just want to add. Why the heck does this place translate to Honeypig. Shouldn't it be "Oink Pig". Because that's what "Gooldwaeji" really means. I guess people are taking the literal translation of "Gool" which means Honey, and "dwaeji" meaning Pig.
I've been here so often, it really is a very reliable spot for your Korean BBQ fix.
Even though the ambiance and appearance is something you would find straight out of Asia, they make ordering for a non-Korean like myself easy. Beware of wearing nice clothes here - you WILL smell like cooked meat when you come out. Another peeve of mine is not really the fault of restaurant's, but VA - smoking is allowed inside. Also, make sure you're prepared to wait during dinnertime on weekends. I try to get there at off-peak times.
Aside from these things, this restaurant is great. 24 hours, restaurant accommodates a lot of people, very affordable prices. Galbi and bulgogi are great staples, I get one or the other every time. But for spice lovers, I recommend any of the spicy seafood casseroles. Squid/octopus, pork/beef, onions, and peppers bathing in a sweet, spicy Korean red sauce. So good! The pork belly is pretty typical, but it was unremarkable to me, too much like stiff bacon.
Great place, overall. I love coming here and will continue to satiate my bbq cravings. As a side note, I'm always a little amused by the awkwardness that ensues after the waitresses mistake me for being Korean.
Extremely no frills and extremely delicious. You're not here for the decor, which is pretty much metal tables set up on a concrete floor. You're here for the yummmmmiest pork bellies, great kimchi, assorted unlimited banchan, and the steamed egg.
The waitresses range from very matter of fact to cheerful and friendly. I don't think the level of service varied much when I had a Korean friend along. The waitresses will cook your meats for you, cut them up into bite size pieces with big scissors, and when we got the rice and meat dish, cook that all up on the pan for you.
I absolutely love the pork belly, both the regular and the spiced--it's basically the cut of meat used to make bacon, so it's got tons of fat to give it flavor and keep it tender and moist. The ribs I tried were too hard to chew and a little too sweet for my taste, but my friends were fans. I love the steamed egg, but the last time I went, it was burnt on the bottom. They usually ask if you want the bean sprouts, onions, and kimchi to be put on the grill with the meat. Say yes! When the kimchi's left on for a nice long time and starts to caramelize...hmmmmm....I'd be content to just eat that.
You'll probably leave smelling like grilled meat, but who doesn't love that right? Plus, a meal here is usually only about $15/person, and everyone leaves completely fat and happy.
I don't know why everyone loves this place, because I don't think it's all that. Their food is mediocre and pricey for how much they give you. I feel like a huge greaseball after leaving the place because of how greasy everything is there. The service is a bit lame, as well.
For people who enjoy Korean BBQ- this is not the place to go. Even Il-Mee has better BBQ than this place. There are also a lot of other small Korean restaurants in Annandale that serve better meat than this place.
I don't recommend it.
Honey Pig gives you pretty good Korean bbq for an excellent price. This Honey Pig is similar to the Honey Pig in LA, but there are some differences.
First, the one in LA is all-you-can-eat (AYCE), whereas the one here is priced per order. I don't know why there's a difference, but tonight, I ended up paying less here in Virginia ($20 after tax and tip) compared to its LA counterpart ($17 PLUS tax and tip ~ $21).
The second difference is the kalbi. Now, I love the Honey Pig in LA - one of the best AYCE Korean bbq joints in the city, especially if you're a pork lover - but the beef kalbi there is unmarinated and hence, pretty tasteless, which leaves you heavily reliant on the dips. The one here is marinated and has a nice full kalbi flavor.
We also ordered beef brisket which I'm not a big fan of in general (seriously, why do so many people love thin tasteless, unmarinated meat which just ends up gray when you cook it for 19 seconds?!), but it was good for what it was.
Then, we got the pork belly. We had to get it because we're at Honey PIG. OOOIIIINK OOOOIIINK!! Pork belly is fatty so some people, like one of my friends in my party, didn't like it, but damnit, I loved all of its greasy goodness.
The worst part of the meal would be the banchan. They gave is 3 dishes only!! They were: the spicey cucumbers (great), kimchee (uuuh), and some-white-vegetable (barf). Plus, they never refilled cucumbers for me. After asking 3 times and not getting it 3 times, I gave up. At least they were good with refilling our bowl of salad. Actually, they were good with everything service-wise except for our banchan! So weird. They cooked the meat for us, served us, refilled water, salad, etc...
This place is crazy busy so maybe I can excuse that. We waited for about 25 minutes. This place is a Korean bbq joint in Annandale, the Koreatown here in Virginia/DC/Maryland, but there were a good number of non-Asians in the joint, too. So, if you're not Asian, don't feel afraid to check this place out.
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For the quantity of food for 2, the price is so cheap in comparison to what you get in DC or NYC. Plus, the quality is GREAT!
***Just be prepared to feel really really really full.
Great place. Absolutely delicious. Good staff. Really great for after work. Great for a date as well. Pork belly!
I had the worst experience ever.
My friends and I were seated in the back corner on a busy Friday night. There were only three servers but all inexperienced. Food was not cooked well and service was horrible.
I felt bad for the non-Korean asian group seated beside us because they were treated worse.
I will not be going back there anytime soon. Seriously, it was one of my worst dining experiences ever....
Honey Pig is a Korean barbecue in Annandale, Virginia. It is also the best 24 hour restaurant I've been to. The atmosphere is fun, and not at all fancy - you can find all sorts of people of all ages and occupations there, hungry for meat grilled right in front of you with complimentary side dishes, including a pot of hot soup. When you go to a Korean restaurant, it's a good sign if you see Koreans dining there, and at Honey Pig, you'll see a good mix of Koreans and non-Koreans. I've taken my parents there, and my parents always say things like, "back in Korea, this would be spicier and not as sweet" or "I could make this better." At Honey Pig, all I heard was the sound of chewing and "oh wow, that's so good." I found that the best time to go is very late at night, as that's when it's not as busy, meaning better service, and it also provides excellent people watching, as night owls and after-clubbers come in for nourishment. They also have alcoholic beverages -beer and soju (their selection is pretty decent). If you're craving some good Korean food, or never had Korean barbecue before, you need to check it out!! I suggest the thick cut pork belly with kimchi special or the spicy chicken cheol-pan. Make sure you're hungry when you go! Tasty tasty!!!!!
http://tastytastybites...
Honey piiiiig! What a fitting name, this is the only Korean BBQ around that I know serves pork belly (sam gyup sal). At first you all may not like it, but it grows on you. It's like the same slice of meat bacon is made of. Be sure to use the red salt and the right sauce for it. Also be sure to get the thick pork belly, the thin one is too thin...
As got the beef, the beef (galbi) is the best of the selections, here and anywhere. They give you a large slab of beef rather than the little slices with 3 bones in it (galbi LA style). They actually have that too, it's not on the menu but they serve it. It's no where nearly as good as the big slab. Who wants to chew bones?? When eating either/or, be sure to soak your beef in the sauce for it. It loses a lot of the marinade while frying.
beef (Bulgolgi) is another popular dish on the menu. It is the cheapest of the different types of beefs. The meat is not as tender and good, but the marination for it may be the best of all the meats.
They serve a spicy chicken here too. It's so-so. I've had it twice, one time was real good, and one time not so much... They'll fry it with rice for you if you'd like, but be sure to tell them to add a lot of the hot sauce. It's no good without it.
Most people like to wrap their meat inside of lettuce to eat, however, I enjoy just eating lots of kim chi. A salad (consisting of lettuce and onions) with this asian sauce is also prepared for you when you first arrive. They also serve this sour kim chi and onions when you order the pork belly. The sour kim chi is perfect as is; you may want to dip the onions in the beef sauce. I also like to eat my meat with rice (which you might have to request) and a soup with steamed egg in it.
Some other soups on the menu are kim chi soup, which is my favorite soup on the menu. Really spicy, with tofu, beef/pork, and vegetables. Bean paste soup is another soup which is good to order; it comes with seafood.
The atmosphere at this restaurant will remind you of korean movies if you have ever seen em... walls are metal sheets, asian posters all over the place, trance and top 40 blasting, little metal tables and black chairs. It's more of a hangout than classy restaurant, but the food is what matters. Lots of people come in to drink and hang out, I don't ever drink there though... I'm all about the food! The best part of all is that this place is 24 hours!!
I went again yesterday around 5:15 and it was empty but that's good. We got the best service. I love this place!
I've been here dozens of times but I was waiting to go again before I write a review. They have… Read more »
This is what ghetto Korean BBQ places in Korea will look alike. Expect the poor people's BBQ when you go. I like how this place is 24 hours open. As soon as I walked into this place, I felt like I was back in the motherland. The owners purposely decorated the restaurant in the ghetto Korea style, which has 1980's style metal tables set up on a concrete floor and metal shingles near the wall.
Super delicious pork bellies (especially the spicy one), great kimchi, assorted vegetable side dishes, and other Korean meat dishes. The prices are reasonable also- $15/person will get you full. However, their bean paste soup isn't great- I think I can make it better at home.
The waitresses range from friendly to grumpy. However, the best cook is the owner lady who has this crazy hairdo that looks like a tower of Babel. You'll know who I'm talking about when you see her. The waitresses are supposed to cook all the meat for you but service can be spotty on a very busy weekend nights.
I also recommend the ribs and beef tenders. Pork bellies and seafood dish is good also. Soju (Korean rice sake) is culturally recommended with the meat. O, the Korean music they play will be stinking loud and fast- which makes you eat faster and a lot.
If you go there really late at night, you will see lots of young people with their skanky clubbing clothes on. It's a well-known after club spot for Asian kids I hear.
Only one bathroom is a major inconvenience. Expect to smell nasty as you leave the place. O, it's not just the food but cigarette smell also. Nevertheless, that's the ghetto Korea BBQ experience. :)
Drove about half an hour from Georgetown to this Virginia spot for some KBBQ with classmates.
5 plates of meat (Galbi, Pork Belly and Bulgogi) and a bibimbap was enough for 9 people, and including tax/tip, it came out to about $11-12 a person.
Bonus points for the amazingly authentic sauces, free refills on salad and side dishes. And of course, cooking for us with tongs so we didn't have to. Usually I have to play the role of Asian mom and cook for others before I get to eat myself, and tonight I didn't have to do that!
Another plus - the crazy music that switches off between top 40 (i.e. Keri Hilson/Neyo/Kanye's jams) and K-pop. Keeps you entertained, and if that doesn't do the trick, there are flat screens for you to enjoy some tv with your meal. Our table watched some soccer. David Beckham may not do much any more, but he's still pretty when he plays.
Thanks, Honey Pig!
This is a place that you take out-of-town friends too. I know because I was that out-of-town friend. But once I got there, I felt like I was right at home. You see, I grew up on all things Korean and grilling meat, wrapping it in some lettuce, and lathering it with spicy red pepper paste is familiar territory. DC doesn't really have a Koreatown but it didn't matter this night.
We weren't even eating dinner. This was fourthmeal! After growing hungry from touring the DC monuments, our kind hosts took us to a place conducive to late night eating. We didn't have soju, sake, Hite, or OB, but we had meat and that's all that really matters. Coming from NYC (best place for Korean food after Seoul and LA) and having tried the LA-based Honey Pig, I had some high standards. However, I would have to say that Gooldaegee suckled up to me real nice.
Korean pop music also blasted throughout the night. Nostalgia brought me back to my junior high days. DJ DOC or bust!
Y. U. M.
Korean BBQ at it's best. Although we didn't get the Kal Bi, I heard it is a life changing experience.
The pork belly was awesome. It sounds gross, but it's like a healthier, equally tasty version of bacon.
The bulgogi dish was so-so - my sister and I are big bulgogi fans, so we had to try it, but it didn't compare to the beef or pork.
This is what Korean BBQ should taste like, and surprisingly not as expensive as you think once you start ordering all of your dishes.
who goes to Honey Pig?
Koreans. If you really want to enjoy a Korean BBQ, you're not gonna go with a non-korean are you?
Who avoids Honey Pig?
vegetarians. People who don't like food cooked in front of their face. People who don't want to be around smokers. (yes, indoor smoking still allowed in Virginia).
I hate to do it. I am a big fan of Korean cuisine but I had a very bad experience here.
Last week went for a late night dinner with wife who is Korean. We ordered the number 3 spicy pork and an order of spicy chicken.
We were told to pay for it up front because of a shift change. We paid. The food came out and we started to enjoy the pork. It was good unit I asked what the table next to us was eating. I was told that is was the number 3. It didn't look like ours and was told we didn't ask for vegetables (didn't know it was an option).
Next came the chicken. As it was cooking the waitress looked up. Then we looked up and noticed water from AC vent dripping in our food. Waitress didn't say anything to us and said that we can eat (yeah right).
They avoided us the rest of the night until I asked twice to speak to the manager. When manager came over she asked the busboy to climb up and wipe the water off the vent while we still sat there.
The problem was not solved and I was upset that I just walked out.
DO NOT EAT HERE unless you want to be sick.
This place is the real deal holyfield. I have been here twice and both times were delicious. The most recent trip resulted in me burning my lips (from temperature and spiciness level of dish), so I think I have learned my lesson on ordering the spicy chicken. I have had the pork, pork belly, beef tips, and octupus. All good. The waitresses bring the meat out to the table and turn it while it is on the grill. Don't be taken aback by how the waitresses come off - it's part of the scene actually. My hands down favorite thing about this place is the seafood pancake.
Good for groups, as you can get everyone around the table and share what is coming hot and steamy off the grill. It is very loud and smoky in there, so I wouldn't take someone there if a romatic date is on the agenda ;).
I NEEDED rice. NEEDED it to breath. NEEDED some hardcore Asian food. I came home for the weekend really craving something kimcheeish so we ended up at honey pig. Although there is a ton of korean food out in San Fran, I still feel the greatest sharing it with my friends back home. I landed around 8 and by 9 pm we were at the honey pig. This place was really bumpin on a friday night (cant believe I just used that word). It made me feel really happy to be out, kpop playing in the background and tons of people everywhere. The seating is kinda close together but it wasnt terrible. We had that korean bacon and an order of kalbi and kimchee chigae. All of it was wonderful, fresh and tasty. The prices were decent too, between 3 of us about 20 each.
Tip: Alcohol is dirty cheap and you can smoke your brains out in here which is totally rare.
After growing up near Palisades Park, NJ and K-towns in Manhattan and Flushing, I was really excited to discover the restaurants in Annandale and tried Honey Pig based on the recommendations of my fellow yelpers.
I was really disappointed (perhaps the non-grill items are better). Sure, it has a funky underground feel with loud current music blasting. Service is quick and staff are plentiful. You do have to order at least 2 orders of meat that the waitstaff will grill for you. While the meat is well seasoned and tender, it ends up kind of pan fried because it is cooked in metal pans over portable burners (I prefer coal or wood grills). You do get all the stuff that comes with grilled meat (i.e., lettuce, denjang) but they cut the scallion salad with lettuce. The pan chan was sad - wilted Kimchi, some fish cakes, apples and mayo, peppers (I had to ask for some bean sprout salad). Luckily, there are lots of other places to try!
3.75 stars.
Our party was four bottles into Honey Pig's supply of soju, and things were going well. Two members of the group feverishly descended upon the scraps of pork belly that remained on our cast iron plates, their chopsticks jamming through the small holes as they grasped for another succulent taste, nearly catching fire in the process. I warily surveyed the spread of tofu soup, steamed eggs, lettuces, sticky rice, and dipping sauces, painfully full but still tempted by the fresh, spicy dishes. Suddenly, my sister-in-law made a couple of gestures, and our feisty waitress placed a heaping fifth portion of pork belly on our skillet. As my eyes rolled back, I silently pleaded to the heavens for the grace to walk out of the restaurant on my own two feet.
Earlier, we had entered the door to Honey Pig under an impossibly cute illustration of a pig, and were greeted by a cacophony of exuberant shouts and laughter barely dampened by the metal walls. Gazing at the collage of posters on the wall, we waited a couple of minutes for a table, and were soon weaving through the somewhat cramped space to a table near the back. Pork belly, ribs, and sides ordered, my sister-in-law remarked that Honey Pig reminded her of restaurants in Korea. As the party next to us boisterously celebrated a birthday, we raised our first round of shots to them, commencing a Friday night bacchanal.
Soon, slices of pork were arranged before us on large cast iron platters, lightly gleaming cuts with interweaving layers of meat and marbling. We allowed some pieces to become crispy, and set about dipping them into sesame oil with rock salt and a translucent pear sauce. I enjoyed the chewy texture of the pork belly, but expected a bit more richness and flavor. Turning to the steamed eggs, I discovered that they were much better once they cooled, but I expected more than a simple steamed egg (my mistake). I returned to the grill, plied a bit of kimchi from the platter, and savored its hot, sour, lightly caramelized flavor. The kimchi and sprouts were excellent, and addictive. Soon, an extra portion had been placed on the skillet, our waitress nodding and smiling at me as she pulled away. A bit of pork and kimchi balanced between my chopsticks, and I was happy. And, after five more shots of soju, I was laughing at the site of others laughing.
We had a fabulous casual evening at Honey Pig, and enjoyed the fresh, satisfying fare. The service was excellent, and the music blasted just enough (though I am told it's loudest in the men's bathroom, and that a few patrons rocked out in the stalls). And, I was able to glide out with composed sophistication (I would wait until the parking lot to burst out laughing and demand a coffee as I tripped on the pavement). Honey Pig is perfect for a fun night out when you're craving Korean food.
I'm still trying to figure this place out. You see plenty of people having a fun time eating good looking food.
Is the food actually that great? I dunno. The usual stuff like seafood pancakes who gets wrong? The staff doesn't speak English at all and lots of stuff advertised on the walls are written in Korean only.
The last time i went there, I pointed to some yummy looking odd food on the wall to the waiter. I think he tried to dissuade us, but we had ordered it anyway. Turned out to be chitlins, long links of intestines, chewy with something white and fermenty inside. My girlfriend and i were good sports so ate the whole thing. It barely looked like what was represented in the pictures.
If you speak Korean or know what to order, go for it.
Ok, how the hell this place got away from my "need to review" list is beyond me. I went here a couple of times already and have enjoyed each trip.
First, the decor...it's like you're back in Korea at either Shinchon (Yonsei University) or Seoul-dae (Seoul University) subway stop areas. I mean, seriously, the corrugated aluminum, the loud shitty music, and the no-nonsense approach of the ajummas made me feel like I was back in the motherland.
The first trip involved just samgyupssal (pork bellies) and it was good. The first round of kimchi was good - but the second round that they were cooking was a tad too tough. Tasted almost like they used every bit of the cabbage this time instead of peeling off the ruined outer layers.
The second trip had us eating joosamchulpan (baby octopus and pork belly stir fry on a metal pan). Also just as good - plenty to eat and nice and spicy.
The only thing is that this place can get packed around dinner time - particularly on the weekends. Call ahead to make a reservation if you can. You also will encounter smokers - while I don't have a personal beef with smokers, that quickly wears out the minute they light up while I'm eating. It makes me serious want to shift in my seat, point my ass at them, and start farting loudly in revenge (which has been done after a few shots of liquid courage). But now that I'm married, that behavior has been curtailed a bit - well, provided she's there.
But otherwise, good time and it's where I take friends when we want to eat Korean pork. Otherwise, I'm still out to Yechon for other things.
I went on a Sunday afternoon and it was about 1/4 full. The decor inside reminded me of a mad max movie...industrial style seating in a dark basement. Menus with pictures are posted on the wall with a few flat screens showing ESPN.
As soon as we sat down and after we ordered, they brought out very small pan chan dishes that were never refilled. The pan chan dishes were nothing special. We also received salads that were just lettuce and a honey based soy sauce.
I ordered the pork belly, the LA style Kalbi, the Mandoo dumplings, the scallion pancakes, and a bowl of udon noodles for 2 adults/2 kids. I had to request 2 bowls of rice.
The BBQ was presented and along with it came some large beaned sprouts (my least favorite), sliced onions, and kim chi. All of that was placed on the hot plate. I've never seen Kim Chi cooked on a grill before. The BBQ was lower in price compared to other korean joints, but the portions are a bit smaller too.
The circular shaped pork belly had no taste on its own. It was nothing special by itself, but came with two honey based dipping sauces that made it a bit better than bland.
The LA style kalbi was 4 strips, and the strips were thinly sliced with bone...LA style. It was pretty good, but not enough, and there was little bean sauce given.
The mandoo dumplings were good, and large, and did not seem like they came from a frozen bag. The scallion pancakes were good also. The udon noodle soup looked the best, as it came in a hot broth and the noodles looked like they were freshly pulled.
Don't be misled by the advertisements on the wall showing how the prices have been slashed. Along with the "slashing" is the portion size.
i liked this place. had to wait a little while for a table. pretty busy.
fun cooking meat on the table. they didn't have enough chairs for us though. had to sit on a stool.
very busy. lots of asians.
Another one of those confused Korean joints that can't tell if it's a night club or restaurant.
The food was OK. The kalbi was good. But the side dishes that accompanied it weren't that great. Very small portion of kimchee and not much else that was very good.
The bathroom was a disaster and you had to snake through crowded tables to get to it. No paper towels, loud club music blaring, and leaky sink that had a bucket collecting drips underneath. The music was 5 times louder in the bathroom than it was outside. And this was at 5:30 pm.
I will say it probably would be a fun experience late night after a few drinks.
If you're a West Coast transplant, you can probably appreciate just how much Korean food in DC sucks. If not, then every time some annoying West Coast hippie prick turns his/her nose up at local cuisine you very likely want to go all Tupac on they ass. Well, nevermind that junk. Drop your glocks, grab your socks and take the whole crazy, bi-coastal (or bi-coastally curious) crew over to Honey Pig. It will rock your world! (Note: You may need to also grab a random, off the street or something, that actually knows how the heck to get around in Suburbia.)
Yes, the place is usually packed tighter than Perez Hilton's... umm, "inbox." Yes, the service is sometimes non-existent. And, sure, it can potentially feel like they're pushing you through an assembly like (albeit a highly inefficient one... like GM, hahaha). But if you give one iota of a crap about any of this (as opposed to quality of food/experience), then you're likely a Vanilla princess/popped-colla-type and we don't want you here anyway.
The food and soju are both excellent, so there are very few hard and fast rules to having a great dinner/evening. Perhaps leaving it at that would be a bit of a cop-out, so let me just state a few of them very clearly anyway: It doesn't fucking matter what you order! Order drinks. Drink a lot. Then order food. Drink some more. Order drinks for the table next to you. Talk much crap and laugh a lot. Make sure to shower the pork stink off yourself before awkward, sloppy sex with stranger(s) (unless, I guess, he/she/it enjoys that sorta thang).
I love this place.
I've been to 3 other Korean BBQ places in Columbus, Chicago and NYC. However, I've come to like Gooldaegee the best.
Sure there are a few flaws about the place:
-It may be too loud for some
-They could clean a little better
-You might get some attitude from the staff
But I've never left here hungry, broke or insulted.
I've never had to wait for a table more than 20 minutes. The staff always seems friendly and fast paced. Within 5 minutes of ordering there is meat cooking on your table grill. If you don't speak Korean there might be a bit of a communication barrier. Last time I went here I didn't have my trusty Chinese friend who speaks Korean and always ordered for us. It wasn't a problem, we pointed to what we wanted on the menu and kept smiling and saying please and thank you to all the staff that took care of us.
I love taking friends here who have never been to a table BBQ restaurant. The food, table grills, atmosphere, young crowd, and loud music makes for a memorable experience.
Annandale, VA
Category: Korean
Annandale, VA
Category: Korean
Annandale, VA
Category: Korean
Annandale, VA
Category: Korean
Annandale, VA
Category: Korean
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