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Jinmi Restaurant - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Korean Event Planning & Services Caterers Korean, Caterers [Edit]
1627 Hollenbeck AveSunnyvale, CA 94087
(408) 481-0709
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
23 reviews for Jinmi Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"The side dishes were fresh and yummy." In 8 reviews -
"I ordered a seafood & beef combo tofu soup, spicy." In 4 reviews -
"i recommend the bulgogi, kalbi or kalbitang (perfect..." In 4 reviews
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23 reviews in English
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Review from Christina L.
Palo Alto, CA
12/1/2007
We used to go there all the time as food is authentic, healthy, and just excellent. Superb service too. So sad that this is closed.
How can we order catering? Can somone post the contact number / website?? -
Review from Julie K.
New York, NY
2/15/2007
agree w/ all other reviews..
I knew this place before the recent owner..
previous owner was very friendly, but the food quality was sucks..
then, new owner!!
hooray~ the foods were mucho better, and the waitress.. ah! she's wonderful!! I'm missing her soooo much cuz she had humor sense!!
wonder.. why this place always looked like empty..
good foods, good people.. and what else??
need more??Listed in: California Dream, Bae Go Pa - me Hungry!
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Review from Shanna K.
2/15/2007
I drove by Jinmi a couple times (my dry cleaner is right there) and I kept thinking... "I wonder what that place is." Thanks to Art S. for prompting me to try it. I saw his review last night and put it on my to do list for lunch today.
Decor is sparse but neat and clean. Service is prompt and polite. The staff seems very nice here. My only word of caution is that it does smell kind of... umm... ferment-y when you first walk in. This doesn't bother me in the least, mind you, but I immediately thought of some of my more picky, less adventurous friends who would totally flip out. YMMV, but I thought it should be mentioned.
They offer a dozen or so lunch specials.. about 5 or 6 plates (bulgogi, ribs, dak bulgogi, squid...) and 5 or 6 rice or noodle bowls. All around $5.95 as mentioned below. They also have a fairly large regular menu to choose from, at least for dinner.. I didn't look closely at lunch aside from the specials. They also do catering.
Upon being seated I was given complimentary hot tea right away. They also have beer, sake, soju, plum wine, and of course the usual soda. When my meal arrived I was surprised at how much food there was. You definitely won't go away hungry here! Big ol' pile of tender, flavorful beef, some chap chae, a bowl of steamed rice, big cup of miso soup plus sides of kim chi, sesame tofu slices, cucumber seaweed salad and sesame bean sprouts. WOW. For $7.95 plus tip this is a great deal.
I couldn't finish everything but I enjoyed every bit of what I had and took the rest home. Everything tastes fresh and good. I'm so happy to have finally tried this place, and you should too. Give em some love, Yelpers. -
Review from Alison T.
Updated - 4/27/2009
Okay, I couldn't help myself ... I was reminiscing about Jinmi and just thought I'd write a little note about how much I miss it!
Especially on a day like today when it's cold and I'm craving some warm kalbi/seafood pancake.
Seems like time to order some catering from Genie's mom! :P1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/1/2007
So sad that this place is closed. The seafood pancake here was so good. So much better than other… Read more »
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Review from Genie S.
Los Angeles, CA
11/5/2007 1 photo
To our loyal customers who are thinking, "Where'd you guys go?!"...
Much thanks for your business and for loving our food! I will miss all the regulars and hope that our paths will cross again in the future!
Meanwhile, my mother is still in the catering business, so please let me know through YELP if you want any Korean food for your events. -
Review from Dave K.
Sunnyvale, CA
11/19/2007
I'm really sad to see Jinmi close down. I was excited to find a Korean restaurant in Sunnyvale and after several failed attempts to go, I finally went with coworkers in July. Since then I've been back about 6 times and they've never failed to disappoint.
I think it was a mom & pop owned place, and after about 3 times there they started to recognize me. The dad even mentioned (in Korean), "where are all your friends?" when I came with just one person. The previous times it was with a whole crew of 6-10.
I was all set to go this weekend and was going to copy/paste the address to my friend only to find that it was closed.
Genie, thank your parents for having such a great place that wasn't on El Camino Real. Jinmi was a very good restaurant and I will definitely miss it. If I ever need catering, I'll definitely call them up!Listed in: Bay Area Korean Food
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Review from Jessica C.
Cupertino, CA
7/4/2007
Just went here tonight and you know what, it's close to work and not bad at all! I vaguely recall there being some writing about using no msg. Which is why I was like oh, the sadness. I don't know why people bash the MSG-y goodness, lemme wiki it really fast to make sure there isn't some poison and detrimental health impact before I put my foot in my mouth. FDA classified MSG as a "generally recognized as safe". Thus I digress... the food here was good despite having no MSG. The little I had of the BBQ was tasty. I will definitely go back and try again.
Plus they stayed open just a little longer for our group even though they were closed, since we arrived kind of late close to their closing time and they didn't rush us to leave. That is definitely excellent service.Listed in: Mah Meats
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Review from Dietrich H.
Los Gatos, CA
4/26/2007
Jinmi is not a bad little place. The decor, well, it's lacking. There are random pictures up, and the ambiance is kind of like... I don't know, a bathroom. It just seems real sterile and a little cold.
I came based on some Yelp reviews, and when I first walked in, it was like, oh no, I'm bringing my parents here for their first meal since they got back from Indonesia? And my brother - a self-professed snob? I'm in trouble. Right when they walked in, my parents, they were like whatever. My brother, had this look, like, wtf is this place?
Well, despite the way it looks, this place is money. The service was nice (they gave my parents extras to take home!), and the food was pretty damn good. Good sized portions, and everything was really tasty. We had 2 orders of kalbi, dae-Ji bulgogi, and chicken (something else - bulgogi). We also had 2 orders of chapchae and bimbimbap. All of it was a ton of food, all done very well, and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. The price: only $100 for 6 people. Nice.
This is really more of a 3.5 *'s, but I can't say rationalize giving it 4 *'s. So, 3 *'s it is, a really good 3 *'s. I'll definitely come back. -
Review from Joe L.
Bay Area
8/5/2007
updated on Sept 8, 2007
I came back with family this time and we ordered more dishes other than the soft tofu soup. All the dishes were wonderful.
We ordered the kimchi soup in mild spiciness, I don't think they have a non-spicy version. The soup was rich in tomato flavor with a lot of napa cabbage and other ingredients. It kind of tasted like a very spicy Russian Borscht, but I think the napa cabbage is a better substitution for the regular cabbage because napa becomes very sweet when thoroughly cooked.
My daughter loved the kimchi soup despite she couldn't eat too spicy food. She loved it so much that she had one spoon in one hand and a glass of water in another. She took one spoonful of soup and washed it down with ice water, repeated until done. I said I thought she was taking medicine and she commented that the soup tasted great but it was too spicy for her tongue.
The waitress gave us a bag of "Guo-ba" along with the bill, it is crispy rice. In Chinese cuisine "Guo-ba" is the sizzling rice poured on soup. I believe the Korean version is the same because even the name sounds the same. The waitress said it was snack for our kids.
Great place for Korean food. We will definitely go back more often.
== original review ==
I was alone one night. I walked in this small Korean restaurant not knowing what to expect. The restaurant was not decorated much, just a few tables with a lot of empty space. There is a big catering menu posted on the wall. Korean BBQ has a 5 lb. minimum order. Looks like they know how to cater big party. The menu emphasizes that they don't use MSG. That alone gets one star from me.
Being alone, I couldn't sample multiple dishes, so I just ordered an inexpensive dish that I could recognize. Soft tofu soup was below $7. I ordered a seafood & beef combo tofu soup, spicy. The waitress brought over 7 side dishes including some kimchi. I have many Korean dinners before with friends and I know it is common practice to offer free side dishes along with a big dinner. I didn't expect to get them along with a single order of a $7 Soft Tofu soup. I was wondering if I would get 10 dishes if my order was $10.
The soup came bubbling hot. The waitress brought me a raw egg and a bowl of steamed rice. I cracked the egg and dropped it into the soup while it is still bubbling. I started eating the side dishes while waiting for the soup to cool a little. Mmm.. Yummy free food!!! The "main course" was very yummy, and best of all, spicy hot.
I finished the soup, the side dishes and the rice. I was stuffed when I walked out. And I only spent $9 including tax and tip.
I prefer this to the busy Korea House restaurant in Santa Clara. At least, I didn't get the MSG syndrome after the meal.
I think this restaurant closes on Sunday. -
Review from Kym L.
Sunnyvale, CA
4/24/2007
I decided to give this restaurant a try after reading all the great reviews... Frankly speaking I was disappointed... I'm not sure if I ordered the wrong items (but then again... shouldn't all their items (especially the basic tofu pot) taste good when a place is described as "hole in the wall"?)
I came here for dinner and I was pleased that there was no wait since we were the only customers and the place was clean. However, the music and decor was off...
The side dishes arrived quickly after our orders were taken... it was pretty good... i liked the kimchi the most,
I ordered the spicy tofu casserole w/ beef, clams and shrimp and my gf got the bean paste stew...
The tofu pot was average... not much flavor though, definitely would not order this again if i return... maybe the ginseng chicken next time?
My gf bean paste soup was definitely an "acquired taste"... it was pretty salty (which is how it usually is) and tasted like miso soup with a 'unique' kick to it.
Overall, it was an average experience... nothing special... good price and quantity... but i also want QUALITY tasty food... maybe i should come back for their lunch special instead. -
Review from Kenji Y.
Cupertino, CA
2/12/2007
This place is a hidden jewel. They serve korean home style cooking and it really feels like home. Come here probably once every 2 weeks.
- Very speedy service, could be because lack of customers
- Very generous, the side dishes selections are great and they keep coming to refill.
- Food quality is perfect. Never upsetting. Never got an upset stomach.
- Best of all their friendliness. One time they knew we liked something so they gave packed us an extra box to take home free of charge. It just.. feels like home, they would ask if I wanted more rice, etc.
To nitpick, their dinner menu might be a little higher compared to some others. Bul-Go-Gi for $12 for example.
It's totally worth it though. I'd rather pay $12 here and get good service than pay $9 somewhere else and be treated like another customer.
Update :
Unbelievable.. I cannot believe this place closed.. :(Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from catherine s.
San Jose, CA
11/21/2007
I'm really sad this place is closed. Like seriously sad.
);
I wanted some fish cakes.
);
Can I just order fish cakes (the sides) for catering? -
Review from Art S.
San Francisco, CA
2/13/2007
I have to agree with Kenji, this place is a hidden gem! Off the beaten track of K-town, you have to know where this place is to find it. "Jinmi" appears to be on the Korean down low!! I had lunch here with Archie R. and Hong and we were the only non Koreans in the place. You can't beat the lunch specials!! Almost everything is under 6 bucks. The quality of the food is very good and the quantity is generous. Also, you get four side dishes that accompany the meal for the table. "Jinmi" is now in our regular lunch rotation! Please pass the kimchi......
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Review from Caroline L.
Sunnyvale, CA
5/1/2007
Came here because of the good yelp reviews and wasn't disappointed. Service was good and the food was good too. NO MSG ROCKS, you don't feel like you're dying of thirst afterwards. We had the bulgogi, tofu soup, and chap chae. All was good. It was about $33, decently priced Korean bbq.
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Review from G C.
Sunnyvale, CA
4/13/2007
Came in here for lunch today and I left happy and satisfied. Lunch price is decent and well worth what you get. The side dishes were fresh and yummy. Service was also great. We didn't have to be asked if we wanted a refill on the side dishes they just automatically brought out more. It's really a hidden gem and I'll definitely be returning.
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Review from Carolyn C.
Palo Alto, CA
3/31/2007
This place is fantastic! We went last night with a large party and were treated wonderfully.
Everyone there was extremely nice. We arrived late, but they didn't rush us even though we stayed way past their closing time. They even gave us strawberries and cream when we mentioned that we were celebrating a birthday.
The food was fantastic and not too expensive. The side dishes were all very good too. I ordered the bulgogi. It wasn't too expensive and the portion was huge! I will definitely be back there soon. -
Review from Gina K.
4/26/2007
All the little Asian restaurants in strip malls in Cupertino are so depressing...they're always so empty on weekdays! At least there were three tables occupied when we entered Jinmi on a Wednesday. The service was very fast, and we got two dishes for $16. I ordered the classic beef and soft tofu soup, and the bf ordered the eel on rice. His eel was awesome, but the beef in my soup wasn't beef as much as hard, chewy little pieces of beef fat. I had to subtly spit them out or try to not snag any in my spoon because they were so awful. But I've only had Korean food a couple of times, so I don't know, maybe that's how beef soup is supposed to be. I should learn to stop ordering the soup, because it comes out boiling hot and I can't stop myself from digging into it while it's still too hot! My mouth is still scalded the next day.
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Review from Jim C.
Redwood City, CA
2/28/2007
3.5 stars for the food plus 0.5 extra stars for the friendly service and value.
Decided to try this place for dinner based on some of the other Yelp reviews. Definitely off the beaten path in a random corner of a mall plaza in Cuperino. Would never have noticed it unless I were looking for it. Food was overall decent and great for the value, but there is better Korean food out there. Tofu kimchee soup ($6.95?) was excellent with silky tofu and flavorful ingredients. Dolsot bi bim bap at $8.95 (usually $10.95-12.95 at other places) was a great value and met expectations - just wished that the spicy sauce was as good as the sauce from other places. Jap chae noodles were decent. Only disappointment was the most expensive dish - bulgogi ($12.95) - the quality of the meat was not the best and it came soggy on a hot plate that still had a layer of water. Have never seen bulgogi served so soggy before. Side dishes were good - bean sprouts, seaweed salad, spicy dried cuttlefish, kimchee, and pickled cucumbers.
The place itself is very barebones with sparse decor as someone else said. It could definitely benefit from some warmer color tones and warmer lights.
Service was prompt and friendly and the waitress came over many times to make sure we were okay. She even came over and said her father took some of the pictures on the wall we were looking at.
Bottom line: Come here for a value Korean meal in an unpretentious (but somewhat bare) environment with friendly service. Lunch looks like an even greater deal with specials for $6-8. -
Review from David P.
New York, NY
8/6/2007
i love this restaurant! i think it serves the best korean food in the area, and every time i come here it feels like i'm back in the motherland =) huge portions, inexpensive, and great service! i recommend the bulgogi, kalbi or kalbitang (perfect comfort food..). in fact, this place is so good i was inspired to create a yelp account and write a review... which says a lot because i'm quite lazy.
it's usually not too crowded, which is one of the reasons why i like it. try it out when you want to have some peace of mind + good food, and maybe you will become a frequent customer like me. -
Review from Colin M.
Mountain View, CA
3/5/2008
I've been out of the area for awhile, First thing on my mind in returning was a boiling bowl of soft tofu soup. Second thought. My first thought was that magical melon chewing gum they gave out. This was the best Korean restaurant I've ever been to.
Remembered forever. -
Review from Bret O.
Fremont, CA
4/13/2007
A good Korean place. A lot of food for a reasonable price.
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Review from eliz s.
CA
4/7/2007
**UPDATE**
I know i'm late to the party, but...
CLOSED?!??!!?? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! *SOBS*
My grandpa likes to eat here. And its clean and they have good sidedishes.
uh, but ambiance? or lack of? there are no decorations.
kay.
ok.
all right.
So yeah
cool. -
Review from helen f.
10/22/2007
quite tasty and friendly staff
