Jin Mee Korean B.B.Q. Restaurant

 

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4

Holly A.

Walnut Creek, CA

Although I am a bit biased since my good friend's family owns this place....it is still...hands down...the best Korean food I've ever had....and I've had a good amount of Korean food from during the years that I've lived in California, Vegas, and DC!  The new karaoke addition is beautifully decorated and super private for those nights when you and your friends get entirely too drunk and start singing things like the Barbie Girl song :)

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34

61

Michael S.

Oxnard, CA

Once you've been to Vegas enough times and had your fill of luxurious buffets and booze, it's great to take a step back into reality and appreciate the smaller restaurants.  You most likely won't stumble across Jin Mee, especially if you're a tourist, but if you love jja jjang myeon, jot down their address right now and give this place a go.

They serve you a nice cold glass of bori-cha (korean barley tea) with your meal; it's very refreshing to sip the light yet nutty flavor of the tea, especially after one of the hot days in Vegas.

Probably one of the most disappointing points of the meal (which isn't saying much), is that they only offered 4 side dishes.  Three types of kimchee: cabbage, radish, and cucumber.  In addition they offered sliced pickled daikon (radish) as well.  The cabbage kimchee was so delicious, perfectly chilled and with the perfect ripeness, you'll have a hard time finding this anywhere else!  We kept the waitress busy by asking her for plenty of kimchee refills.

Everyone in our group ordered the jja jjang myeon noodles (stir fried noodles in black soy bean sauce) and for $7.99 for such a large bowl, it was a steal.  The waitress would cut up your noodles with scissors, you mix the sauce and everything yourself, and you're ready to have those noodles glide straight into your stomach.  (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) The noodles were firm and the bits of diced onions and meat mixed with the black bean sauce delivered an amazing feeling of comfort.  Especially while enjoying their kimchee after every other bite.  Mmm.  Heaven.  I'm DEFINITELY going back next time I'm in Vegas.

Thoughts:  Jin Mee's location is a bit questionable, across the parking lot you'll notice a lot of 'flavor'ful clubs and massage parlors.  Oh well, if you're craving the best jja jjang myeon and kimchee ever, hit up Jin Mee!

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Elite '08

14

155

paul l.

Henderson, NV

I'm a little more biased towards Jin Mee because of knowing the people, but that usually isn't enough to get me coming back to a place if I don't like it.  The restaurant is really big now.  Now you can cook kalbi or other meats right on your table.  The service is good.  I'm not really a jjajjangmyun fan (black bean noodles) so I don't really order this, but I do like their jjampong (spicy seafood and noodle soup) and bi bbim neng myun (spicy noodles).  The atmosphere is nice, and they also have a Karaoke place next door now.

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Elite '08

533

524

Teri C.

Las Vegas, NV

My experience with Korean restaurants have been quite limited.  We usually stick to the beef dishes and noodles, but that's about it. So, imagine my surprise when I was offered the raw crab.  For sure!

Jin Mee is among a slew of other Korean restaurants nearby a Korean supermarket, so it's hard to choose which one to go to.  (In this case, if there are other Koreans eating there, that's a good sign.)  With lots of seating area, we ended up a table at the far end after a bout of musical chairs.  We initially wanted to cook our own beef but discovered that they only let you do that if there is more than one order.  We also ordered this rice dish in a clay pot and the raw crab dish.  

The Kalbi beef was tasty and I always prefer this with white rice so I can enjoy the intense flavors of the beef on its own.  The clay pot rice dish was a bit mix of stuff.  The crispy edges are what you're really aiming for and you have to be sure to crisp them up quick.  The raw crab smothered in Korean chili paste was a first timer for me.  The shell was soft in certain sections where you can drag your teeth along to pull the tasty morsels out.  Other times, I think I would have asked for a cracker to bust into the claws for all the other juicy bits.  Full of flavor and spice, it's one messy dish!  (Ask for extra napkins when you get this!)  There was a lot of food for the two of us, and we couldn't finish the crab at all.  

Side dishes - I was looking for the anchovies, which they didn't have, and same for the spinach.  They rotate the side dishes out, so I guess it's a hit or miss depending on what day you go.  (It was a Saturday night for me.)  In my experience, it's always best to go with a Korean person if you can.  You discover additional side dishes that aren't usually offered to everyone else.  And your Korean friend will know what other ones to ask for too if they don't see it.

Bathrooms - they must have remodeled.  Walking into the back, you feel like things are  a bit under construction.  Then you find the bathrooms and are pleasantly surprised with how new it is.  So new that there's no place to hang the toilet paper yet!  (As my friend said, he almost felt the urge to christen the new bathrooms!)  

Service - the girls are nice and service is decent.  I did have to ask for more tea as they weren't checking to see if we needed any.  

Overall, it's a decent place.  The crab was a great discovery for me, but I've had a better selection of sides to entice me more.

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Elite '08

47

96

lena d.

Las Vegas, NV

i've only been here for one thing. cha jang meun. its a noodle dish but i really couldnt tell you what it is..besides delicious. ha! but its the best i've had. i know it has beef and onions and a dark dark sauce it almost looks black. theres also another dish thats really good it kinda looks like sweet and sour chicken but you gotta order it spicy. i've been to other restaurants in commercial center but i like this one the most. wish i could remember what the dishes were called in english though..

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Elite '08

67

71

Reggie M.

Las Vegas, NV

this restaurant is located in commercial center, where the infamous the Green Door swingers club is located, and several korean businesses. it's one of those places that gives you the choice of sitting at a table with a built-in barbecue grill for the Kalbi or a regular table.  i prefer to cook it myself, so i can have the meat a little more on the rare side.  it's doesnt have the most attractive decor and in the winter time the place runs rather cold.  i think its bc of all the fans above the tables with the built-in bbq.  so its not attractive here.  why do i go here?  for two reasons, the kalbi and the raw crab.  oh yeah those garlic/sesame oil/rice wine marinated sweet short ribs sizzling amongst onions and peppers are just so good here.  many places that ive been to dont have it as tasty as this place.   i usually order this with dolsukbap.  its a burning hot stone pot filled with cooked rice and topped with a raw egg, beef and several vegetables.  You have to mix it all up with spicy bean-paste served on the side and let the rice sizzle against the pot to become crunchy crusts of rice to add more texture to this dish.  against the inside of the pot.  ok, yeah raw crab is my other favorite dish.  its blue crab cracked in half and claws ripped off completely smothered in a spicy chili sauce.  if you take the claw just crack it with your teeth and squeeze or rip out the soft raw crab meat.  if you take the body, just stick the whole thing in your mouth and use your teeth to squeeze out the fleshy spicy meat.  yummy!!!
i was disappointed with pa'chan (side dishes).  its different at every korean restaurant, so sometimes they have your favorites and sometimes not.  lately, not.  im always looking for the spinach in sesame oil, the fried anchovies soaking in sweet oil, the crunchy radish, the fish cake, the spicy cucumbers, and some dried flaky white fish.. also this time they didnt have any the refreshing fermented sweet rice drink at the end.  so sad...

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