On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Korean, Food Stands [Edit]
1400 L StreetMcPherson Sq (Blue, Orange)
Loading...
When a coworker told me he would love to try something new and different and I could choose any place I wanted, I zeroed in on the Korean Food Cart.
I tried once before to venture to the famous yellow stand, but track work on the metro came between us and I was forced to go somewhere close to the office.
Last Friday must have been my time, cuz we jumped on the metro and made it in no time flat.
Arrived at the cart and ordered the bibimbap with a combination of the beef and chicken (not spicy). I also made sure I got the egg and kimchee. The spicy looked *spicy*, but I've since been told it's not as bad as it looks. My dining companion said he would have the same thing I was having since it looked so good. We both chose bottled water and our check came to 16.00. Seriously.
We got our food to go and headed to a nearby park to soak up some warm, beautiful sun. When I opened up my styrofoam container, I was squeeing with delight at finally satisfying my weeks-long Korean food cravings. My friend knows me so well. He asked, "What? No pictures of your food today?" Well, I didn't have my camera and didn't feel like taking one or two with my camera phone. :)
The bibimbap was delicious and my container felt like it was four or five pounds with all the food that was packed into it. I had some veggies, the beef, chicken, rice and perfectly cooked and slightly runny egg on top. While we both liked the beef, we both agreed the chicken was better.
I am -so- glad I finally got to try this place. The two people working there (the owners???) were super nice and helpful to my friend, who had some questions about Korean food.
Highly recommend you give these much deserving folks your business and head over to the park between the metro and the cart. It's going to be difficult to find a bench that is bird dropping free, but trust me...they are there.
I walked quite a bit to get to this place, per the Yelp reviews. Fortunately there wasn't a long line, so I was able to get my food fairly quickly. I ordered the spicy combo by the way.
I sat down outside a nearby Starbucks to eat my lunch. The portions looked right for the money. I wasn't overly impressed by the beef, but the chicken was pretty decent. But man, the combo itself was pretty spicy. And this is a good thing! The kimchi is pretty good, and the lettuce? Meh, pass.
For the price though ($7) and the service, I am definitely satisfied. It was worth the walk. But they should really turn this into an actual restaurant.
It's a lot food and the people who run the cart are really nice. I had the half mild beef and half spicy chicken. It was definitely spicy and they have the young kimchee which was good. I think the meat could have a little more flavor but it was definitely good and filling.
I've had better but for lunch I think it's a great deal.
Awesomely delicious. The bibimbap is wonderful. I love the veggies that come with it, and the spicy beef had so much flavor and wouldn't scare off someone who's not all about spicy food. The egg!! I was so impressed by how they managed to cook the egg beforehand and still have it maintain its soft yolk.
A great deal for actual good food served up super fast. I don't get why so many people are saying they had leftovers for a second meal. While the portions are decidedly hefty, it's just too good to save...my friends and I all managed to finish ours, slowly but surely.
Holy CRAP this place is delicious. I'm hesitant to add to all the stellar reviews because right now you never have to wait to get food and I don't want the semi-secret to get out...but it's just too good not to share.
The meat is delectable, wonderfully cooked and spiced, and there is, indeed, a metric ton of it. I always say I'll save some for later but it's so tasty I usually manage to scarf down the whole thing. I've had the spicy combo a few times (although it's really not THAT spicy...if you like a kick you can handle it) but today I ventured over to the bibimbap which was a genius decision. The usual meat and rice, plus spinach, kimchi, carrots and an egg. Man oh man.
I work about half a mile away and I'm willing to trek in the 90+ weather with 85% humidity, that's how great it is. Quickly becoming a must-eat at least once a week.
I visited this cart just about once a week while interning for the summer (except one week when they weren't there due to illness).
Bulgogi gets you a choice of meat - mild or spicy, beef or chicken, rice, some iceberg salad, and kimchi. Or you can skip the salad and get double kimchi.
Bibimbap is your choice of meat, a runny fried egg, rice, one scoop each of sesame spinach, blanched carrots, and bean sprouts, kimchi, and a little container of the smoky spicy korean bbq sauce. I prefer the bibimbap to trick myself into eating vegetables and warding off food coma.
It's $7, but easily enough food for two lunches. The staff is always pleasant and the cart always looks spotless. You might wanna eat it outside though, because it will stink up your office.
I'm a huge fan of having lunch from street carts. This place is a pretty good stop in the Farragut area for a change of pace from the normal sandwich shop.
The chicken and beef are nothing to write home about, just pretty low quality stuff -- but hey, you're eating from a street cart. I always get the spicy combo. It is a ton of food and when I bring it back to the office for consumption at my desk, everyone always peeks over in curiosity of the spicy smell. I'm not a huge fan of the rice -- but I'm no Korean food expert....it's just a little heavy and sticky.
I've been a fan of this place for a long time. I first heard praise of it before I even moved to D.C. and I went on a determined search for it, even before I was able to familiarize myself with the streets. I wandered around for a bit, but thankfully that tall yellow cart sticks out like a beacon of hope and happiness and deeeelicious bulgogi.
The food is great, you can't go wrong with the bulgogi or the bibimbap. As other reviewers have mentioned, you get a ton of meat. I've shared an order of bibimbap with a guy friend when we were starving, and we were both stuffed! And I've also saved the leftovers for a delicious dinner. So for $7, you get two meals!
I've tried the K street cart as well, and it is an okay alternative if this yellow L street one has already sold out of food. However, this L street cart wins on tastiness, hands down. Besides, the people who run the cart are so sweet. This place makes me smile. :)
How is it possible that I haven't yet reviewed my favorite go-to pickup lunch spot? When I've got a brownbag meeting, more often than not, I'll swing by the yellow cart on 14th and L and greet the sweet mother and son with an "an-nyong-ha-sae-yo!" They always ask how my baby is doing, and they always make me and my tummy smile.
The meat dishes are HUGE, so unless I'm ready to tote leftovers home, I usually opt for the bibimbap. Still a lot of food, but I can often handle it. I make sure none of my colleagues are offended by the kimchee (or I ask for no kimchee if I'm not sure), then I dig in and chow down. Makes getting through any lunch meeting that much more bearable. But beware of the food coma which is sure to follow.
THANK YOU L STREET VENDING! I work at 15th & M and there really isn't much around the area. For $7 bux you get to choose between spicy or mild, chicken or beef, or a combination, plus rice and kimchee. It WILL fill you up!
-1 star for not having enough food. They are supposed to be there til 2 but will leave whenever they run out. I've gone at 1:15 before and they're already out of spicy chicken. If you can get there early, I highly recommend the bibimbap - meat, rice, veggies, and an egg.
Warning - Food Coma at work
Yes, I have climbed on to the Bulgogi Cart bandwagon. As someone who spent years working in Downtown DC, I know just how welcome this place is. In the midst of lunch places that manage to all taste the same, this stands out for being unique and dare I say, real.
The food itself is very good. The spicy combo serves up heaping portions of beef and chicken over extra tasty rice. The accompanying lettuce and kimchee give a nice balance. Fire-engine red food that is a steal at $7.
I found them on my 3rd try! Spicy beef bibimpop was enough for 2 meals or at least a snack later in the day, and it was a balanced meal (ie greens, red carrots, spicy beef, kimchi--colour and nutritional balance :-). It's a five star by US street food standards, whereby anything adding to food cart culture and this yummy needs to be highly encouraged.
Asked how to know when they are in and one of the Korean ladies said her colleague was sick last week. Their regular schedule is M-F 11:00 to 14:00.
I couldn't find it--this was on a Monday around 13:15. Found another Korean cart and bought their… Read more »
Yay! I love this place. For $7, you get an enormous amount of food and it is actually, sort of, spicy! It might not be the best Korean food, but it is the best food I have ever bought on the street in Washington.
Note: Come early or go home sad. This cart goes home around 2pm.
7 Dollars for a Styrofoam Container full of Korean Goodness? Yes!
I was really glad to meet Kevin L, Venu N, Nick R and a couple other yelpers here for lunch today. Only a stones throw from Franklin Park with benches for you to sit at, this food cart serves up some great spicy beef. I think I ate myself a little sick, but that is because it was so delicious.
If I worked in this area, I would go here regularly.
Being originally from Seattle, where street vending is pretty much exclusive to homeless bohemians and illegal drug rings, I find the idea of buying food off the street to be a generally, well, bad idea.
Regardless, last year I worked on L street only a block from this cart and a few of my coworkers recommended it. I tried it and fell in love. I must've had lunch here 2 or 3 times a week while working there, no kidding. Now I work in Dupont circle - a good 15-20 minute walk away - and still take the time to go get my spicy bulgogi and salad at least every other week. The portions are huge for the price, the mother/son team who operate the thing are always friendly, and I always have enough to hold my hungry stomach over for the rest of the day. Well worth at least a try.
Now that I've tried the other Korean cart (the K street cart ), I'm convinced that the L street bulgogi cart is WAY better. My favorite, the bibimbop is full of flavor and has egg and great veggie sides, including kimchee, spinach and sprouts. (the K street cart fell flat on flavor and sides). The spicy sauce is excellent, too. All in all, for $7 per order, this cart is da bomb!!
By the way, where has the cart gone??? I miss it!!
Best. Food cart. Ever. It's not the best Korean food in the world, but considering it's a food cart, it's pretty damn good.
Spotting the line in front, I knew I was in store for something good. I ordered the bibimbap w/ spicy beef. For a mere $7.00, I got in exchange a hefty styrofoam box filled w/ meat, carrots, bean sprouts, spinach, kim chee and rice. All were quite tasty. The beef had a nice kick to it, but was mild enough for my taste buds. My only complaint is that the kim chee was tough to chew.
Service was fast and friendly; it's run by a mother and son team. It's a shame that I don't work in the area, otherwise I'd come here every other day.
(2.5 stars)
I'm sorry, but someone has to say it: this place is overrated.
I appreciate that there aren't exactly a lot of options for Korean food in this town. And of course I realize that this cart is, in a sense, a good value proposition: you get a lot of food for not very much money. But ultimately, it comes down to the food and the cart just doesn't measure up on this front. The meat (which is fatty, grisly, and generally of low quality) is largely devoid of flavor besides salt, even if you go with the spicy variant; the rice is soggy and overcooked; and the kimchee is nothing special.
Thank you yelpers for bringing the Bulgogi Cart to my attention. This place is a perfect storm of taste, convenience, and value.
Taste: I had the spicy combo (beef and chicken) served with rice, kimchi, and salad. Very good. Both beef and chicken were juicy and tender. I would say, though, that while the beef held up to the heat quite well because it complimented the sweet marinade, the chicken was somewhat overpowered. On my next visit I think I might do spicy beef, mild chicken.
Convenience: dude, it's on the street, you're in the street. You don't even have to open any pesky doors. If you're anything like me, though, eating korean food on a park bench makes you look at the passing pigeons with some skepticism. Are you suuure you're eating chicken?
Value: enough food to make you feel sick=$7. These guys must be rolling in dough (rice?) since they don't have any rent to pay.
Genius!! As a former street vendor (and current Korean), I'm so impressed with this cart that I've been telling everyone about this place since I first heard of it.
My recent stay in DC included so many amazing memories but I really think that this bulgogi cart will be what I remember the most years down the road. The bright, yellow cart was a happy sight on Monday in the rain since we'd been waiting since Saturday. The food was plentiful and delicious--with just the perfect amount of spice. I loved that they included a side of kimchi and salad for a perfectly well rounded lunch.
The service is what you'd expect--surly and silent. I think if I lived in the area that this would be a regular haunt for me. Cheap Korean food to go? Can't go wrong with that!
It's true that it's a lot of food for $7, but ask yourself, do I need to eat three servings of fatty (as in the beef--it is mostly fat) meat that looks like intestines for lunch today? I'm no vegetarian, and I still think probably not.
I had spicy beef and mild chicken and a side of kimchi--it was a really big pile of meh. (Though, to be fair, I don't like kimchi to begin with.) The spicy beef had a good sauce, but the mild chicken tasted like a bland teriyaki. The wait at 12:30 was about 15 minutes.
I still think the $4.95 biryani at Naan and Beyond or two empanadas at Julia's is the better local lunch deal in terms of cost per serving and tastiness. The $7 I spent here would've been better put towards a traditional overpriced downtown sandwich.
I love this big yellow cart!!! It gives me some options to eat good Asian food for lunch since I work in DC (near the Mall).
I got the mild combo - chicken and beef, on top of a boat load of rice!! I shoulda skip the salad, cuz it's green and the salad dressing spilled over to my rice!! O well. I still ate it all. Actually, I only ate half of it-too much!! Saved the other half and still tasted good next day!!!
Thanks DC Yelpers for bringing L Street Bulgogi Cart to my life!!
I've been eating this bulgogi since the cart very first appeared at 14th and L during the summer of 2007. It really chaps my ass that I wasn't the first to review. I was pretty new to YELP at that time and didn't even realize that you could review something that didn't have an actual street address. Damn!
Seriously though, the food is amazing. Anytime I bring their bulgogi back to work, people flock to my office wondering what smells so good. If you haven't tried it yet, you are missing out on a serious DC institution.
Mama Kim, you need to franchise that shhhhhtuff!
The best place to go to grab a quick Korean lunch. It's run by a Korean family and they make by far the best kimchi. It's the kimchi that you find at the bottom of the kimchi jar - yes the really fermented kind - that's really spicy and has that kick. I love my kimchi.
Their spicy bulgogi is my favorite and the servings are large. I wouldn't recommend you brining it back to your office and eating it, but Franklin Park isn't too far away.
I give this a five stars because again, you cannot find good quality Korean food in this city. So I'm just propping up the gems I can find here in DC.
I was so excited to try this cart out because of Yelp. So on a Sunday, after a long walk through the zoo my wife and I were so amped up to finally try it. We walked from the Farragut North stop to L Street and 14th but couldn't find the yellow cart. I triple checked the location on yelp and couldn't believe it wasn't there! Had the DC yelpers wronged me?? Is this some trick they pull on out-of-towners?! Feeling utterly defeated we went back to our hotel.
The next day we were determined to find out if this cart was for real so we headed out there again around lunch-time on the way back to Jersey. Lo and behold the yellow cart was there! I double-parked and I'm sure I pissed off some locals but I didn't care. They don't know what I had been through.
I thought we could make it all the way home without eating it but the aroma just got the better of us. We pulled over and devoured it. The bulgogi was sooo good. We asked for spicy with kimchee. Great flavor and a decent kick on the spiciness.
I don't know when I'll be in the DC area again but the next time I pass through I will make it a point to eat here.
See, this is the reason I love Yelp. If it wasn't for Yelp I would have never found out about this wonderful yellow little cart.
My friend and I were looking for lunch and wanted to try something new so we made the arduous trek 8 blocks to find this korean cart. We were both skeptical, but we thought why not ($7 right?). Boy where we wrong.
The mother and son (Assumption) team were both extremely friendly and polite, and the food was absolutely delicious. We both got the spicy combo (beef and chicken) with half kimchee and half salad. The meat was flavorful and tender and was the perfect level of spice (the point where you start to get hot and sweat beads around the forehead, but you are not uncomfortable). The Kimchee was as people previously said perfectly fermented, tangy, and delicious. Lastly the salad was cool, crisp, and refreshing way to cool your mouth from the spice of the Bulgogi.
I would reccomend this cart to anyone in the area who wants a delicious, cheap, and different lunch.
Delicious.
Bottom Line! Five Stars!
My reasons?
1) Conveniently located a few blocks away from my office
2) Very friendly people
3) $7 for a whole lunchbox - that's seriously
something really hard to find in this area unless
you're at Subway or something
4) I love their homemade sweet lemony fresh salad dressing,
but be careful with how you carry your lunch because
the dressing will spill over onto your meat & rice.
5) Their bulgogi is (honestly not the best) but definitely
worth the $7 cash!
6) Reminds of Korea... Oh how I miss it!
Street vendors lined up to sell you a good wholesome meal.
I will definitely come back to try the bibimbap.
Again, $7??? Great deal!
No wonder everyone always talks about this place! Forget all of the DC Korean sit down restaurants -- this is hands down the best Korean food in NW, NE, SW, SE (Okay so I haven't eaten Korean food in any other quadrant than NW) but, hear me out.
The bulgogi meat is usually thinly sliced, has the right amount of seasoning and has a sweet flair. I prefer the bulgogi or the spicy bulgogi over the chicken teriyaki. I also enjoy the bibimbahp here. I often ask for 2 fried eggs and they don't even charge me extra. For $7.00 the bibimbahp lady gives you a heaping helping of everything -- including rice, veggies, salad and kimchi.
The service is always timely and the lady always has a smile on her face.
Two thumbs up!
I ate here for the first time with my friend and rushed back to review this place! I've eaten at plenty of Korean restaurants in the U.S. and in Korea so Bulgogi Cart passed my taste test :) They have spicy and non-spicy options as well as a kimchi or salad option. I would go for the kimchi if you want the real deal (dishes in Korean restaurants always come with kimchi). The portions are gigantic (rice included) and can be easily split with someone else or taken back home for a second meal. The mother and son duo are very friendly and attentive. I know this might be asking for too much, but I recommend they set up some tables and chairs which would surely attract more customers.
Also, I'm glad to see a street vendor in the district that sells something besides hotdogs. I don't understand why someone would pass up a big box of bulgogi for a boring hotdog!
Really good!!! I thought I was going to shoot myself if I had another turkey sandwich for lunch; was so happy to have something different - and a complete lunch for under $10!
I think I'm more of a bibimbap person than a bulgogi person, but I love eggs and I like a little more veg with my meat...
Also - if you want to have lunch with friends, but nowhere to sit - try the Franklin Court building up the street (14th st) - they have a mezzanine with tables and chairs, open to the public.
Over-rated. $7 plus a $1 tip. $8 for warmed over, truck food. Absolutely nothing special.
Very good kimchi, good bulgogi, both chicken and beef are tasty and have a nice spicy kick. Always reliable and very quick serving even the longest lunch lines.
I've been there repeatedly as I work literally right across the street from the cart. The main reason I had to dock a star was that I have one mildly unpleasant food experience there, my stomach didn't take well to it which struck me as odd since I have been going there for over 7 months.
Either way, I've been back since and would recommend to anyone since the food is always solid. Cannot overstate how many times the cart has helped me conquer many bouts with lunchtime indecision.
Best Korean food in the district would personally be Adam Express but the L Street Bulgogi cart has definitely earned a spot in the discussion.
Lately I have been somewhat obsessed with Korean food, I think it's kind of infectious, but in a good way that is...Anyway, just had the perfect lunch outing. Made a special trip to the bulgogi cart since it's quite a schlep from the office, selected the veggie bimbimbap minus the egg, walked over to Lafayette Park , plopped down on a bench and chowed down. It was a very pleasant mixture of veggies and rice. After stopping for a couple hot sweat breaks, I packed up my box of leftovers and couldn't help but to walk back to the office with a smile.
Ever since DC lifted its moratorium on vendor carts in late 2007, I have always dreamed of opening up a Korean street cart that would sell kalbi sandwiches or bibimbap burritos. I would be the owner and find some Korean foreign exchange student at Georgetown to be the patsy who runs it as part of an externship.
While this may be a pipedream, I can always turn to the 14th & L St. yellow cart to let me live vicariously.
Ok, let's get down to the nitty-gritty. As a Korean American, I am a snob about Korean food -- that's right, I said it! Snob! Not the typical foodie snob but more of an ethnic food traditionalist snob.
As bulgogi goes, it's not the best I've had. If this bulgogi was served in a traditional Korean restaurant, the Korean customers would grimace and tsk. This being said, we're talking about street cart food here! In this context, the spicy bulgogi is a welcome addition to the barren cheap ethnic food wasteland that is DC. In this parched desert spotted with bland Cosi's and Au Bon Pain's or generic sandwich shops, the Yellow Bulgogi Cart sparkles like an oasis.
The meals are cheap (about $7) and the portions are generous. You should definitely try the spicy versions of the bulgogi and chicken. I don't understand the people who go here just for the veggie bibimbap. You could just as easily buy the bean sprouts and spinach from a market, mix it with rice at home, and bring it as a sack lunch. The value of this place is in the meat marinade.
I bring lunch to work 4 days a week. On the 5th day, I go here for delicious goodness. My normal order is the spicy bulgogi but the bibimbap is just as great.
I also don't think I've ever met anyone friendlier than the family working there. I'd eat here everyday if i could.
Funny side story: They give you a plastic fork and spoon with your food. I never used the spoon but also don't like throwing it out so I've been putting them to the side each time in a drawer. No joke, I have a drawer filled with at least 60 spoons.
come on people? "delicous"? really??
$7 for that amount of food is pretty good value. but "delicious" is way too generous.
they give you SO much rice it is carb overload. the meat quality is poor. but yes, ok, it is only $7. i guess if you're in DC and need a quick bulgogi fix this truck will do.
bulgogi cart is the best thing that has ever happened to me. maybe that's a sad reflection on my life, oh well. it takes me about 15-20 minutes to get there and i have to wipe the drool from my mouth as i speedily walk through the white house corridor back to my office, but it's worth it.
for $7, i get a container packed to the brim with half spicy, half regular bulgogi, a heaping portion of white rice, tasty kim chee, and side salad with a slightly sweet and sour dressing. when i finally get this to a table, the food quickly disappears in a whirlwind. the spicy bulgogi is beyond good. considering the price, it's in a different strata of taste. it only gets better as you go because the sauce slowly works its way into the grains of rice making for a slew of flavorful bites.
i've never considered myself a fan of korean food because i haven't necessarily enjoyed myself at any of the establishments i've been to. i also realize that bulgogi cart is the most introductory level of korean cuisine (and is probably not "authentic"), but it makes me want to expand my horizons and give korean food another try... and another after that. oh, i like bon chon too.
Food this good obviously calls for haiku.
Your cart: so yellow.
Bulgogi: so delicious.
Same time tomorrow?
Don't panic, I grok the difference between my Asian influences and mentally write haiku about mundane things like getting on and off Amtrak.
Enough of that. What's not to love about Bulgogi Cart? Cheap, tasty, and a lovely break from the surrounding expensive lunchtime mediocrity.
It's a bit of a hike from my office especially in the summer. But it's well worth bringing it back, shvitzing all over the place, and reveling in the unspoken "what's that smell?" looks from the passive aggressive corporate suit types.
The cart is back -- woohoo!!!
WHERE has the cart gone?
I used to go to this cart DAILY for lunch. I haven't seen them in the last 2…
Read more »
My friends and I used to order about a year ago for our monthly meetings. The portions are very generous and the bulgogi, kimchi, and rice taste very good. Certainly not the best bulgogi or kimchi, but for the price and for the fact that a decent street vendor has finally come to DC, I'm a fan!
Washington, DC
Category: Food Stands
Washington, DC
Category: Food Stands
Washington, DC
Category: Food Stands
Washington, DC
Category: Food Stands
Washington, DC
Category: Korean
I once tried to pack lunch and hated it...I've…
The uber-long list of places I lunched while…
We all know that you can't find real Korean food…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
As a transplant Asian American from New Jersey,…
We're only just getting this scene back up and…
The Best Lunch Time spot in the DMV to grab a bite…
So and So [from Teen Girl Squad]: Before we shop,…
