- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Honey Pig Gooldaegee Korean Grill
Categories: Restaurants Korean Restaurants Barbeque Korean, Barbeque [Edit]
7220 Columbia PikeSte C
Annandale, VA 22003
(703) 256-5229
Announcement
Coming Soon...Honey Pig in Germantown, MD!
More details on the way...
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9 am - 9 am
- 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:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
576 reviews for Honey Pig Gooldaegee Korean Grill
Review Highlights
"They got the best spicy pork belly here."
(in 48 reviews)
"The seafood pancake was very tasty, too."
(in 29 reviews)
"what a perfect excuse to order soju."
(in 92 reviews)
Loading...
576 reviews in English
-
Review from Samuel H.
Washington, DC
2/2/2012
If you love pork belly, Honey Pig is the place to be. If you thought their pork belly was bland, it's probably because you ate it BEFORE the bean sprouts cooked down and they had a chance to mix it in with the pork and spray it with a healthy dose of gochujang (red pepper paste). Without that, it's just unsalted bacon. And as I allude to in other posts, if you want something at a Korean restaurant, you have to ask for it. The notion of "good service" in Korean restaurant culture is to be less intrusive.
Service can be slow on weekends. They are so over-capacity with their foldable tables and portable butane grills...I never saw that in Korea or Los Angeles. I interpret that to mean that the supply-demand has not quite evened out in VA yet and some of these restaurants are making a killing.
Their bulgogi was chewy...I would skip it. But there is a reason that they are called "Honey Pig" and not "Honey Cow." Their pork belly is comparable to anything you can get in LA or Korea.
If you're the "5-star restauranteur" constantly complaining about service at a Korean restaurant, you should NEVER eat Korean food EVER again. You're basically the guy that complains that Denny's doesn't have the same attentive service as Spago. Buh-bye. -
Review from Kimberly V.
Arlington, VA
2/8/2012
Welcome to the Korean promised land -- a land of pig and honey.
Open 24 hours, Honeypig is Korean bbq for the young and hip. Metallic walls, thumping K-pop music and a lively atmosphere make this spot a must visit for late night suburbanites.
I usually come here with a big group of friends to share an order of the seafood pancake (light and crispy), kalbi marinated ribs, bulgogi and thinly sliced pork belly. I have never been disappointed with the food although other restaurants have better quality of meat. Servers are brusque but what else would you expect in K-Town?
Three solid stars.
Side Note: Menu prices are ALWAYS marked at 50% off (but the discounted price is about equal to what you would pay at other similar restaurants). -
Review from Mariah V.
Chicago, IL
2/1/2012
I went here for an early dinner one night. My family is all over Korean barbecue, and my sister recommended Honey Pig. We ordered the bulgogi and spicy pork, and both were pretty good. It wasn't mind-blowing though. All the usual side dishes came out pretty soon after we sat down, which we ate little by little during the meal. I know dumplings are all-around loved, but I LOVE dumplings so I had to get some here. It's pretty hard to mess up dumplings, so they were good.
Maybe I just have high standards for Korean barbecue. Maybe it was the K-Pop blasting or the uncomfortable metal chairs. I don't know, but I would rate Honey Pig a solid 3.5. -
Review from John S.
Rockville, MD
Updated - 1/26/2012
I have since come back here 2 more times and I realized how much this restaurant sucks. The second time here I ordered noodles and I had no idea all of their noodles were served cold. The broth was one of the most digusting things I ever had to eat and even though I generally love noodles, I could only force myself to finish the noodles.
The third time I came back, when I try to order something hot because it clearly stated on its website, the server told it was all cold. Even more insulting was when I asked if they couldn't just heat it up and she refused. Well I ordered potato stew instead. Big mistake, as the stew only contained one small slice of potato and it was just 3 huge hunks of meat with bones and the soup was very oily. My friends and I have ordered bulgogi and galbi everytime we've went and this time even the bulgogi tasted bad as it was very sinewy.
We had to ask the busboy for basic things such as utensils and refill of drinks. I don't mind spotty service if the food is good but in this case it clearly was not. The server even forget my drink order even when I said the drink's name in Korean.
The final straw for me was checking the Virginia Department of Health and finding that this restaurant (its listed as Seoul Gool Dae Gee) had multiple violations and many critical.
I will never come back to this place again.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/23/2011
Went here tonight for dinner after seeing a movie. It has no AC and since the Mid Atlantic is still… Read more »
-
-
Review from Sherry W.
Arlington, VA
1/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
Bulgogi and kalbee aren't the only things marinating at Honey Pig - you are. You're pretty much marinated in smell from the time you enter the door to the time you leave. With a 30-minute wait not being unusual at this establishment, this means you've got a good 60-90 minutes to soak up all that BBQ smell. This means that half a bottle of Febreze will not make the smell go away overnight. This means that your car will ooze meaty odors for days afterward.
Now that you've been warned...
- Meat is of good quality, well-seasoned, and decent portions.
- Lettuce is fresh
- Really have to ask the servers every time you run out of banchan; they're super busy and not attentive to how quickly each table goes through the kimchi. -
Review from Marie P.
Alexandria, VA
1/15/2012
This was my first Korean restaurant experience, (I know, I know) but it won't be my last.
After navigating the more than cozy parking lot (a friendlier way of saying tiny and packed as hell), we made it into the super crowded "wait" area and were greeted by blasting music and an amazing smell.
We were seated after twenty minutes in the very back room. I've read reviews of the Annandale location that the service was really slow so I was prepared to be patient and wait. But, our servers were fast and friendly. I don't eat pork and although my husband was ordering pork belly, the waitress cooked my chicken on the grill first instead of putting them on together as she originally explained. Thanks!
The food was great! I loved the salad and the kimichi and the flaming chicken was A-MAZING. My husband wasn't much of a fan of the pork belly, good thing he ate half my chicken.
Didn't realize the communal atmosphere before we came, next time we'll be back with a group. -
Review from Chuq Y.
1/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
If I'm too lazy to make kalbi or bulgogi, this is where I go to get my fix. In my opinion, it's the best tasting kbbq in the area.
Sure, it helps to come here with a Korean person (I'll go with if you want), but what ethnic restaurant isn't better with someone that can speak the language?
When you walk in, you'll feel and hear the music. Welcome to CLUB HONEYPIG!!!!! There are metal tables with grills in the middle, and hoods overhead.
I would recommend the spicy pork belly and kalbi (LA Style or regular). LA style is the one with the thinly sliced bones where regular has the longer bones.
I've been here a handful of times the food is consistently above average, and the service is occasionally not so good. But, with a full belly, it's not so bad.
Look at the pictures that people have posted here, and then decide when to go. If you need a token Korean speaker to go with you, PM me.Listed in: My other Seoul Food
-
Review from Kevin K.
Arlington, VA
1/10/2012
Sure this place is cheap, sure this place is loud, but if you are talking about the sheer quality of meat....I have to think about where the meat is actuallysourced from.
After the novelity of this place wears off you really have to think about what you just put in your body. I have had gooldaegee in Atlanta and thought it was soooo much better. Everything is dripping with sauce so you can't tell the quality of what you are getting and also because there is so much high volume you feel like you are in a circus.
I like my korean food where you can see the meat and you know that even if you are paying more for quality. So once the dust settles and people start to ask where their food is coming from I am sure people will be a little more objective...It's like korean McDonalds.
Cheers and happy eats. -
Review from Norry H.
This place has been on my Yelp bookmark for more than a year and finally I tried this place out this evening, thanks to the recent Living Social deal. When we got there around 7pm, the traffic control guy at the restaurant told us the wait would be about 40 minutes, however, it turned out to be 70 minutes. Holy mackerel! When was the last time I waited this long for a table???
We ordered LA Galbi, Bulgogi and Spicy Pork Belly. I noticed the complimentary small plates of veggies are really small here compared to other KBBQ restaurants. And they did not bring the second servings either. Both Galbi and Bulgoki were okay but nothing special, and the Spicy Pork Belly was interesting (because it comes with kimchi, bean sprouts and onion slices) but a little tough and the meat itself was flavorless.
But the place was packed with both Koreans and non-Koreans. Is it the interior and the loud music that attracts so many people? -
Review from Anita C.
Rockville, MD
1/1/2012
Yum. I always, always have a good time at Honey Pig. And I am always bugging my friends to make the 45-minute drive out to Annandale.
I love that this place is open 24 hrs/day. I love that this place serves delicious, delicious kalbi. I love that this place has had not one, but TWO Living Social deals to help ease the burden of the heftier Korean BBQ tag price.
My recommendations:
1) Kalbi (marinated short ribs) - a must-get. I love dipping this in the darker, sweet sauce that they have and wrapping it in a lettuce wrap with some rice and bean paste.
2) Samgyupsal (thinly sliced pork belly) - I love that at Honey Pig, they grill bean sprouts, kimchi, and other veggies with the pork belly to give it contrast in texture and flavor. A lot of my male friends in particular seem to enjoy this dish - I would dub it as "Asian bacon."
As with most Korean-run restaurants, I get much better service when I come here with my Korean boyfriend. They always throw in a bean paste stew and steamed egg free of charge. The waitresses will also cook and cut our meat into bite sized pieces. Lesson learned: take a Korean with you if possible.
Generally, without any coupons/Living Social deals, the food here will run you $20-$25/person. Come hungry, leave happy, but be sure you're willing to part with this dent in your wallet.
Tip: come here dressed in clothes you don't care too much for. You'll leave smelling very strongly of meat and the smoke from the meat. I like to pick out a sweater and comfy sweats (elastic waistband preferred to accommodate more meat). If possible, get seated in the back - there seems to be better air ventilation and I notice that I don't smell as bad when I sit there. -
Review from Grace K.
Arlington, VA
1/25/2012
I've been to the Honey Pig in Annandale twice now and I really like it! It's a low-key place with an industrial vibe and loud k-pop music that serves up good Korean BBQ at very fair prices.
The menu is limited to a variety of dishes you would BBQ and a handful of other Korean dishes like kimchi soup, soon dobu (tofu) soup, bibim bop, and naeng myun (buckwheat noodle dish) and that's ok! The service is fairly fast once you're seated and the staff/servers are quite nice.
This is a place to go to if you want to just kick back with some friends and eat some good Korean bbq.
This time, I tried the kimchi soup and the squid/spicy pork combo that was bbq'd. The soup was very tasty and not overly spicy. The spicy squid/pork was very tasty but I would've liked more squid -- next time I'll order a double order of the squid.
My other friends at the table had kimchi naeng myun, bibim bop, and bulgogi. They said their dishes were also good and tasty. -
Review from Cat D.
Herndon, VA
I know that for most people, this place is either a hit or a miss. I took my family here before for my first experience, and my whole family (mainly my mom) weren't fans. I understand that there's a certain atmosphere - it was certainly loud when I first went, and the waitresses were screaming at each other and it seemed at times that she wasn't being attentive at all. I asked my friend about it, and it seems like that's just part of the "Korean hole-in-the-wall" label - it's busy, it's loud, but you're there for the food (and for the soju, if you can drink).
The second time I went, I went with a group of friends during a weekday, so it was definitely less crowded and the waitresses were much more attentive. We started off with three types of meat: boneless beef ribs, spicy chicken, and thinly sliced pork belly. I've had plenty of Korean barbeque, especially from more high-end places with nice atmospheres, but it never seems to be as juicy/fresh as it is from here. The boneless beef ribs were succulent little pieces of awesome, the spicy chicken just the right amount of spicy and was tender, and was cooked with cabbage as well (I think I preferred this more than my friends just because I liked the inclusion of vegetables), and lastly (my favorite - I dream about this), the thinly sliced pork belly was crispy and served with kimchi and beansprouts. We ended up ordering seconds of the boneless beef ribs and mm, yummy.
We ordered the seafood pancake for the lone vegetarian at our table, which I liked personally, but other people tend to find it more rubbery (I think there's gelatin in it?). It's good if it's hot, so make sure that it's fresh.
I was satisfied with the meal and left very full - it wasn't too expensive since we came in a group, and we also had the livingsocial coupon that got us $30 worth of food for $15 (otherwise I think we wouldn't have ordered that second helping of the boneless ribs). I definitely think this is a good place to go with a group of friends (maybe not family unless they're used to the atmosphere), and it is good to go with at least one Korean person so they can translate correctly (some of the waitresses have trouble understanding English).
Some additional tips:
-leave your jacket in the car so it doesn't smell when you come out!
-come before any rushes (lunch/dinner/late night) so the lot isn't too crowded. It's least crowded during the weekdays for lunch! -
Review from Na L.
Alexandria, VA
1/30/2012
So, I am a regular at this resturant. Have been here a dozen times but the last time I was there with a group of friends and one of them happened to be Korean I realized that your meal comes with the steam egg and a spicy stew as side dishes. Mind you that all the other times I have been here, I have NEVER got the steam egg and spicy stew so my Korean friend was definitely surprised. So are the steam egg and spicy stew reserve just for Koreans or Korean speaking folks? It seems like it is. I went there again this past Saturday with my boyfriend and I asked if the steamed egg and spicy stew comes with my food and the server says no. So I diligently observed the other tables (Korean), and saw that they got those dishes while we didn't! So anyone know the secret to getting those side dishes? What I gotta say?! I JUST WANT IT TO BE FAIR! I WANT MY STEAM EGG AND SPICY STEW THAT COMES WITH MY MEALS, HONEY PIG! LOL..stop discriminating. Still love the food though :-)
Helpful Hint: Don't wear your favorite outfit. You will smell like your food for days if you don't. -
Review from Linda C.
Arlington, VA
1/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
We tried this place with our Living Social deal. We thought we would miss the crowd by going early, but this place was hopping at 7pm! The restaurant is on a quiet block, but once inside the Korean pop music was on full blast. A young man told us it would be about a 5 minute wait and he was spot on.
Once seated our table was set with panchan, the small dishes of pickled goodness of kimchi, spinach, potato salad, and other spicy veggies. We ordered LA galbi (marinated short ribs sliced thin across the bone), pan fried mondu (dumplings), and bibimbop (rice bowl with lots of veggies and an egg). The food came out in a matter of minutes. The hubs enjoyed the galbi and my bibimbop was AWESOME! Yum!
We left full and with pop tunes still in our heads on our way home. This is a fun place to take a group of friends so you can share more dishes. -
Review from joe w.
Arlington, VA
2/7/2012
Korean BBQ beef is recommended. Seafood and tofu soup was very spicy. Seafood and potato pancakes are good too. Location and outward motif are a bit unusual but worth traveling the distance and the hunt. The outside is hard to find but worth the search. Living social coupons appear frequently used as there is signage on the wall explaining the terms and conditions for using social coupons. This place has a real flaming BBQ stove at your table. Two of our white bowls appeared charred. Our kim-chee could have been a little fresher. What is best here are pancakes, BBQ beef and everything else has yet to catch up.
-
Review from Jennizzle C.
Knoxville, TN
1/2/2012
+1 Super cheap! ($12.99 for most meat dishes!)
-1 Awful parking layout, watch out if you have an imported car.
+1 Attentive service, no need to cook yourself.
-1 Left my bulgogi on too long, taste was good, texture was rubber.
+1 Awesome place to bring friends, especially late nights/early mornings (open 24 hours!).
-1 You need earplugs because of all the K-pop music blaring.
-5 You need earplugs to go to the bathroom.
I'm not Korean, so I can't say this is the best, but I think with the right people, this place is definitely worth the price. Unfortunately, I went with my mom who was pretty much deaf at the end of the night because I'm pretty sure we were seated next to the subwoofer.
The place is absolutely crazy. I cannot imagine working there as all the employees were literally running all over the place. I was afraid to even get up, but as long as I get my food in a timely manner, I won't complain.
WORD TO THE WISE: Remember the shirt color of your waiter. I don't know how the system goes, but I'm pretty sure the person who took my order was not the same person who cut up the meat and not the same person who cooked my food. I'm even Asian, and I can't even tell everyone apart -- there's at least 5 older Asian women with the same Amy Winehouse hairstyle. I don't know if this is flag for service whoever is nearby or if you have to stick to the same person, but I definitely don't remember exactly who everyone was. -
Review from Chris H.
Gaithersburg, MD
1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
I fucking love this place. 24/7 korean bbq? What's NOT to love?
-
Review from Thuyanh P.
Alexandria, VA
12/14/2011
Terrible service!
I'm a big fan of Honey Pig in Centreville...we always get great service and food no matter what time of day we go there. Honey Pig Annandale is another story...
My siblings and I strolled in after a night out on the town (around 230am - it is open 'round the clock). We were seated immediately but then nothing happened. Our waitress didn't come around for about 10 minutes. She forgot our teas twice (we never got them). We had a friend come in around the same time as us (different table) and he was already eating by the time we got our waters! No one came to check and turn our meats so we just did it ourselves. Towards the end when we attempted to flag the waitress down for our check, she actually looked in our direction and walked the other way! The service at this place is so ridiculous! Even the table w/ the loud drunk white girl got better service than we did! Seems like you need a Korean friend to eat w/ you to get decent service here.
Doesn't matter how late and how far, next time we're heading to Honey Pig Centreville to get our fix! -
Review from Nini T.
Annandale, VA
1/29/2012
Purchased livingsocial deal, went here and the service experience was horrible. To be fair, the food was good. we came in about 15mins, they said they are changing waitress so they need us to pay and give tips. (After sitting for about 45mins after, the waitress was still here serving) Total was $39 and some change. I asked for $2 change from a $20 and that makes it about a 20% tip, but the guy didn't seem to be happy. Maybe it was just me. Anyway, sat and sat, finish the hot tea and no refill or even an offer. No eyes contact or any sort of communication beside "hello", "ready to order", and "food is ready". Very disappointed. The food here is little pricey for the quality and services ---- but the food is actually good, just overall imo is a little pricey. I would rather pay $15 more and go I think Il Mee Buffet, near Sheila on little river turnpike. Better services and more selection of food (all you can eat). The only great thing about this place is 24/7 services. Would I try this place again? I'm glad I gave this place a try but I will only probably go if my friends want to come here as a group (majority win) and I will give it another chance.
Rating - 2 stars for overal (mainly services)
I would give the food itself 4 stars. -
Review from Rachel P.
1/26/2012
Love. I love love love Korean BBQ. I haven't really had the real deal since I left SF a few years ago. Let's jut say I found what I had been missing! This was my first time in the area...well worth the trip and the 55 dollar check for 3 people. Hell yeah! I wish I loved closer!
-
Review from Henry P.
Clarksburg, MD
2/6/2012
After reading a few of the bad reviews of this place, I felt compelled to create a Yelp account just so that I can put in my 2 cents about Honey Pig. I realize some of the people that post reviews are probably foodies...so with that, here's what I've got to say. First of all, Honey Pig will never be known for it's "service" or being a "Korean restaurant". Although it is Korean food, the specialty is Korean BBQ. And not just any Korean BBQ, but it's a certain type of dining experience. It's designed to be a "bar" like experience. Where a few buddies go out to grab a bite to eat and drink a little (or a lot). It's not the type of place you take someone who's never had Korean food before and say this is an accurate representation of what Korean food is. If you're looking for a Korean Restaurant, go to YeChon or Palace down the street. Have you ever been to the Melting Pot or to Shabu Shabu? Eating at Honey Pig is the same kind of experience. So to John S., don't order noodles when that's not what they specialize in. Thus the name...HONEY PIG. Also, don't expect them to change a cold dish into a hot dish. That's like going to a sushi restaurant and asking them to cook the fish before serving it. And yes, Koreans discriminate...but I think they do so with reason. Most non-Koreans are not accustom to what Koreans call "Pan Chan". It's weird to get food served to your table that you did not ask for. To make matters worse, that spicy soup Na L. is referring to is not popular to all palates. So why serve it to people who probably won't eat it? Fermented Bean Paste Soup? Does that sound appetizing to an American palate? Probably not. For those of you that are wondering what all the hype is about, let me give you some pointers. 1) Set your expectation level. Service will not be at the level of most mainstream restaurants. Most of the servers barely speak English, and if they do, they don't speak it well. You are coming here for the food and for the experience. 2) Do not order anything other than what can be grilled. The only time you order "other" dishes is because you are starving to death or you want to complement the grilled meat with something else. Don't be fooled! This is a BBQ joint! You don't go pizza joint and expect amazing Linguini with clam sauce. 3) Expect a cramped, hot & sweaty experience. Once again...BBQ....keep reminding yourself you are in a BBQ joint. Every table is fired up grilling meat. The entire establishment is essentially an open kitchen. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!!! 4) Last but not least, Honey Pig is really meant to be a social experience. Try not to come to Honey Pig unless you bring at least 2 more people with you. Also, it helps if you come to eat AND DRINK. Oh...and expect to hang out for a while...then the slow service won't bother you. EAT DRINK AND BE MERRY!
And to comment on the food, big picture, there's nothing special about it. They don't make particularly tasty food that you can't get from another Korean joint. It's your run of the mill Korean BBQ dishes...so what. But what makes Honey Pig special is the whole package. You won't get the same type of experience going to a standard Korean Restaurant. And sometimes, where you eat something is just as important as what you are eating. Korean BBQ is not and should never be considered fine dining. Just as American BBQ would not. Everyone lighten up.
Last word of advice, if you are not Korean, but you have Korean friends, it's best to go with them. If you do not have Korean friends, ask the server how to eat the food. It will improve your overall experience and you'll eat the food the way it was meant to be eaten. Everytime I go to Honey Pig, I'll look around at the table without Koreans and I feel bad for them because they are not eating the food the way it's suppose to be eaten. It's like eating a salad without dressing and then drinking the dressing after you've eaten the salad....and with that...I'm out. -
Review from leslie t.
Washington, DC
12/5/2011
The food yesterday was fine.
The service was not.
I have been to Honey Pig a handful of times, and it's always been great. BUT, I did not appreciate it when one of their staff decided to yell at my party when we got our bill.
Background: we had two living social coupons and a group of 8. We decided to spilt the parties up into two groups of four and ordered completely different things. Group one was able to use their living social coupon, but when my group waited for HP to process our check, the woman came back and started to give serious attitude about the fact that we could only use "one coupon" per visit. We explained that the two tables ordered completely separate things and did not share at all. She then barked at us like we were utter liars and said that we should have sat at tables in separate parts of the restaurants--- well if that was the case, then the HP staff should have done that in the first place.
I did not appreciate her rudeness or yelling AT ALL. Completely unprofessional and uncalled for.
UGH. -
Review from Angela S.
Alexandria, VA
1/1/2012
I love this place. Once you get past the horrible service, you are in for a treat! Eating here feels like you have transported to Korea (though I have never been) and are at a local delight! In fact, I get past the horrible service by just faking like I am in Korea!
Try the boneless beef ribs- #7 and the bulgogi- #6. This is definitely a place for meat lovers. Also, do your evening an favor and order the soju which is basically the Korean version of saki.
Also, 24hours so it is perfect for a drunken or late night!
Yumms! -
Review from Jaemie D.
Updated - 12/7/2011
The Rundown:
4 People:
4 bowls of rice
4 sets of banchan
3 baskets of lettuce
2 orders Bulgogi
1 order Kalbi ribs
1 order brisket
1 order pork belly
and one extra dish of chilipaste sauce
If you have been to HoneyPig before, this roughly translates into about six pounds of pure meat. After cooking, this is reduced to about 4.5 pounds.
The Aftermath:
2 kalbi rib bones
11/2 bowls of rice
1 lettuce leaf
By the gluttonous end of this epic meal it hurt to even breathe.Listed in: Krazy 4 Korean
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/19/2010
Call me a fatass, but I definitely went here twice, in one weekend. For ages I had heard raves… Read more »
-
-
Review from Karl W.
Reston, VA
1/25/2012
Pretty good...first time...I would try again, because the food was interesting. But. I might try one of the other highly Yelp rated Korean restaurants. The food was OK...the meat a little overdone, but the staff very pleasant. AN enjoyable experience.
-
Review from T T.
Washington, DC
2/5/2012
Good place for families. We started off with the fried dumplings and seafood pancake. We ordered the pork belly, LA beef ribs, and baby octopus with pork. All of it was very tasty. Service was mediocre, but it did not overshadow our experience there. I would visit this place again.
-
Review from M S.
Washington, DC
12/21/2011 2 photos
Was always curious about this place from all the reviews I've read and people I've talked with. So shortly after purchasing the livingsocial deal of $15 for $30 worth of food, came here for lunch.
I second Tu-Van's review of the ambiance of the place. In addition, the place is really easy to find and there is plenty of parking spaces. It's really cool how they are open 24 hrs. The service is prompt and they are well-organized. I still prefer Ill Mee though. The bulgogi here wasn't marinated long enough so tasted kinda bland. The banchan was a little boring in flavor and variety.
Don't know if I'll be back here. And the only reason I'm rating it 3 stars is because I came here with my sweetheart, who made the experience a pleasant one. -
Review from Kristen H.
Washington Metro
12/12/2011
Yummy food, great banchan, average prices, friendly service. Unfortunately, however, on the service end of things, I had to chase someone down to pay. Definitely not cool.
I have eaten here twice, and on both occasions the food was tasty. I had the bulgogi, which was good, but not as good as homemade, and some pork meat that wasn't pork belly. I was very satisfied on both occasions. The cucumber pickle banchan has me drooling just thinking about it now!
As far as service goes, it was my first time at a Korean BBQ place (although I'm very familiar with Korean food in general), and the waitress was so sweet and mothering, even though she was probably my age, lol. She taught me how to eat everything together, and I definitely loved that wonderful combo of sweet and savory meat, tangy banchan, and fresh, crisp lettuce. The nice thing, too, is that the portions are just right. By the end, you will be perfectly satisfied, yum!
My only real complaint is that although you get your food in decent time, having to chase someone down to pay is really just not acceptable at all. C'mon... -
Review from Karen A.
Baltimore, MD
11/28/2011 4 Check-ins Here
After finally finding out for myself how amazing Honey Pig is, I'm almost embarrassed to admit how long it took for me to try it. I have a few other Korean restaurants in the Annandale area that I love, but I forgot about all of them after my first bite at Honey Pig.
All of the amazing things I heard about the barbeque at Honey Pig were true. My boyfriend and I shared the spicy squid, pork and veg. Our waitress cooked it perfectly for us and the sauce... well, let's just say I am going to be dreaming of that sauce! Initially, we were going to order a second platter, probably bulgogi, but we ended up having no room for it! I thought we certainly got our money's worth for the $14 we spent on this entree.
Additionally, we ordered kimchi jigae (to my dismay, they were out of the hangover soup). It had two big chunks of tofu, mushrooms, and pork so tender it melted in my mouth. It was by far some of the best I've ever eaten. The pa jun was equally as delicious. It was so crispy on the outside, obviously very fresh, and was not lacking in seafood or veg. The only disappointment of the meal was the banchan, which was lacking in my opinion.
I enjoyed the experience as a whole. The wait staff was friendly and we got to listen to K-pop blasting from the speakers. The restaurant was loud, crowded, and buzzing. Most importantly, the food rocked. I'll definitely be back as soon as I can! -
Review from Betty L.
Dallas, TX
11/8/2011
HORRIBLE SERVICE!!!
I just got back from lunch with my cousin and her 2 kids and I am still fuming from my experience. The staff avoided eye contact at all cost and barely spoke so we didn't even know if they heard us a couple of times. After 2 plates of meat, we decided to try another one and it took 10 minutes to flag down someone even though the place was pretty empty. Then they proceeded to put the meat on the grill when it already had burnt meat and kim chi. The food was average and not the best nor the worst I've had but the portions were on the smaller side.
I told my cousin to give them a 10% tip and they returned her bill and said "minimum is 15%" because they had to cook the meat for us. Are you kidding me? I put my foot down and asked them where does it say that? She gave me a blank stare and said, "OK next time we have policy written." I am from Southern California, so I know that Koreans are not the most polite people in the world but even this was atrocious compared to LA Korean BBQ standards. When I got home I realized, that they were arguing over $3.00 which would have bought the tip to 15%. What a bunch of dummies! I will never come back here.
Whatever you do, do not let these a**holes win. -
Review from A S.
Vienna, VA
1/21/2012
I love going to Honey Pig. Service for my friends and I is really good. If your talking about bad service, maybe try tipping them. They work for thier tips, and they are extremely nice. Everyone always greets us right when we walk in. Its one of those, Good music, Amazing company, GREAT FOOD kind feeling. I have not had a problem with them yet since they first open. Definately Meat lovers paradise.
-
Review from deane m.
Wow. Just... wow.
We were here recently to celebrate a co-worker's birthday. So naturally we overdid it. We started off with some fried dumplings, which were hot, tasty, and full of juicy goodness, but completely unnecessary considering everything else we were about to consume.
We were already well into our second large bottle of O.B. by the time the first helpings of meat arrived: bulgogi & galbi. Both tasted awesome, even before someone helpfully came over and doused all of the meat with a squeeze-bottle full of garlic-infused soy sauce. Extra yum points! Then it was on, for real, trying to get as much of that galbi into my face as I could before anyone else caught on to how good it was. We followed that up with an order of spicy pork belly, which was also super delicious. The pork belly had the look of oversized bacon strips (no surprise there, really), slathered in an orangey-red sauce which I can only assume was full of the same sort of spicy goodness that goes into kimchi. Once cooked, and scissor-sliced into bite sized pieces, this disappeared almost as quickly as its predecessors.
There were no survivors. -
Review from Audrey P.
Austin, TX
12/19/2011 1 photo
I think "Honey Pig" is such a cute name for a restaurant. The busyness and loud music here creates a great upbeat environment for a late night dinner with a large group. I came here with my family late (around 9PM) on a Saturday night thinking that we had beat the dinner rush but were surprised that we still had to wait about 20 minutes to be seated. Despite the crowd service was still really fast. As soon as we were seated a server came out with water, salad, and Korean side dishes.
We ordered Samgyupsal (pork belly), Bulgogi, Galbi, and fried dumplings. The food is good but I've had better Korean BBQ. The pork belly wasn't as flavorful as I was expecting it to be but I enjoyed the other beef dishes. Maybe it was because the restaurant was busy during the time we were there but the servers weren't as attentive to cooking our meat as they should have been. Our pork belly was cooked until it burned and the meat was really chewy. I took advantage of the living social deal that just came out recently so I will be returning to Honey Pig at least once more. I may try some of their kitchen menu items (spicy tofu soup or bibimbap) the next time I come here. -
Review from Priyanka N.
Arlington, VA
11/26/2011
I had heard so much about Honey Pig before coming here, but was a little disappointed to be honest. Came here for a birthday dinner, and in the middle of the meal we were asked by the waitress to move to another table (WTH???). Turns out that they had a party of about 25 people or so arriving and they needed our table. We felt rushed through the remainder of our meal as members of the other party expectantly hovered over us, waiting for us to hurry up and finish so that they could be seated at our table. Needless to say, bad planning on the restaurant's part. Not to mention that the restaurant is very cramped and extremely noisy to boot.
Since I only had one dish here (Squid with pork - which was ok), I can't comment on the food as much as the experience itself. Would have loved to have tried some of the other dishes too, but hey... didn't have the time to! Unless I am dragged out here by my hair, I won't be coming back soon, especially since there are many other better options for Korean food in the area. -
Review from Ariel B.
Concord, CA
11/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
I may be biased, as the only other KBBQ places I've been to are all in Los Angeles, but this place was definitely disappointing. The quality of the food was absolutely sub-par.
The bulgolgi and kalbi were not marinated enough. The chadul was fatty. The pork was too chewy. The side dishes were flavorless and few. And I definitely paid more for my meal than I thought I should (considering the quantity and quality of the meat in the dishes I ordered).
The only upside (apparently) is the fact that this place is open 24 hours. I guess that's cool; but, as I tend to eat at "normal" times, this "perk" means nothing to me.
So, all in all, if you want good, legit KBBQ, I would not suggest coming to this place (unfortunately, I cannot suggest any places to you either since I'm still on a quest to find good KBBQ places in the DC area). Coupled with the not-so-great food, you also have to deal with weird parking and long waits. But if you want a place to go for a midnight snack? Sure?
...No, man. I can't even say that. Go to McDonald's or something. Save your money for a better place. -
Review from Jonathan C.
Rockville, MD
11/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food is OK. It's super crowded and the service was abysmal. It took us forever to get the attention of our server and when we finally got her attention, the service was desultory at best.
When I got there, there were like ten people waiting to be seated (my friends were already there). By the time we left, there were crowds of people out the door. What makes this place so popular? -
Review from Olga K.
Arlington, VA
11/7/2011
The food is good if you know what to order, which if you are white you don't, so try to bring a korean friend. The brisket was delicious, but the pork belly was somewhat bland (which I guess could be expected of an extra fatty piece of pork).
The service is great compared fo Woo-lae oak, the only other KBBQ I've been to. At Honey Pig they are prepared for non-Korean patrons, so there is no extreme awkwardness when you don't know if you're supposed to touch the meat while its cooking, how you're supposed to eat it, what to do with all the condiments. Althought I don't think our waitress or the woman cooking our meat spoke much english, what looked like the owner came to our table and explained to us how to wrap the meat with the lettuce and what to put on it. It was very nice of her.
They don't take reservations so be prepared to wait, but they certainly turn the tables over very qucikly, so you won't be waiting for long. You also won't be having a nice, long, relaxing meal because once the hotplate stops cooking they bring the check (this was on a Friday night when it was pretty busy, so might not be totoally indicative of their practices).
All in all, semi tasty, no-so-awkward, very quick experience. -
Review from Eugenia P.
Arlington, VA
2/1/2012
Huge wait, tiny and packed waiting area, gulag decor, overwhelmed and minimally attentive servers. Meat is okay but how do you screw up meat on a grill? My beef = laughably microscopic side dishes. I like them and I expect more than a teeny taste. On top of that, I am sick as hell of Korean restaurants not serving proper side dishes to white/black/brown/whatever non-Korean people. Stop being racist, this bullsh*t is not "cute," "quaint," or otherwise excusable. Everybody knows you're doing it. If there were tons of other food I might not notice, but if you are going to give me 3 (count them) stingy slices of kimchee on a 2 inch wide sauce plate... Fail.
-
Review from faith c.
11/2/2011
I'd been to the Honey Pig in LA and when I heard about this place, I wondered if it was the same Honey Pig. But I wasn't as impressed with this one. The interior of the restaurant was quite ordinary.
The food was pretty good, but the service was lacking. During the meal, I wasn't sure who our waitress was because she never came to our table. We ended up having to get up multiple times to find someone to refill our water, lettuce, etc. At one point, we just had to go and get our own napkins. The food wasn't good enough to excuse the bad service.Listed in: Maryland
-
Review from Dana S.
Washington, DC
1/8/2012
Maybe I just didn't get it b/c I'm an inexperienced (to Korean food) white girl, but I was not impressed with this place. I thought the meat was of very low quality - but maybe this is common with Korean food, which is why people think this place is so great? That was such a turn-off, it made it difficult to enjoy the flavors. Kinda glad I didn't enjoy it, so I won't need to drive all the way to Annandale again.
