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I guess everyone here loves the hot pot thing, but I was only so-so on it. Yeah, this place is a little expensive, but it's the experience you're paying for! I came here with a friend and I will never forget the fun times we had! The waitress never even made fun of us to our faces, probably only with her coworkers out of earshot. I appreciate her kindness. Also, she reprimanded me for picking up my soup bowl to drink from it, saying something along the lines of, "This isn't a japanese restaurant you slovenly shit bagel. Put your bowl on the table and use a spoon."
I love their dolsat bimbimbap, and the hwe dup bap that my friend got! He even let me try it, and now sometime I would highly consider ordering it for myself. Cheers to good times and valet parking so that horrible Asian drivers don't have to park their own cars!
I was a fan years ago and I'm still a fan. Service? Never had a problem. And I'm not Korean so no special treatment for me. Or maybe I just don't expect too much.
Korean shabu shabu is different than Japanese Shabu Shabu or Chinese hotpot. The ingredients and dipping sauces are much lighter but not less flavorful (although I don't think of Japanese shabu shabu as having much flavor). I also like the blend of veggies that they give you. It's not just a clump of napa cabbage like you would find at other places.
Yeah it can be a little pricey at $24 and order and a minimum of two orders but three of us with hearty appetites were well satisfied after polishing off the panchan, the shabu, udon, and porridge.
Their japchae and mul nengmyum are pretty good too.
My favorite Shabu Shabu restaurant. The quality of the meat and veggies is good (the food is delicious) however the service is really hit or miss. My family and I have often promised ourselves we will not return because of horrendous service, but eventually we do because of the food.
I've tried some things off of the Shabu Shabu menu and it's all very good. Try the bibim-neng-myun or mool-neng-myun, they're very good!
The bf and I are die-hard fans of the Shabu Shabu in the Little Village Plaza of Little Tokyo but Seoul Garden started tugging at my heart last night. I left the man at home last night and went out with the girls. I knew I wanted Korean food but what kind...? BBQ, no. Soon Tofu, always yes. But Seoul Garden, virgin yes!
A friend once raved to me about this magical Korean Shabu place that was much better and "healthier" than it's Japanese counterpart but I wasn't hearing it. No way. Shabu man is the shit. But let me tell you, Seoul Garden is amazing! Why you ask?
1. They give you massive amounts of food. And its Korean style so refills on your side dishes (ban chans) are complimentary, they have hands-on service, and they don't charge you an arm and a leg for drinks.
2. They actually have a "How-To" guide which I thought was totally cute.
3. GREAT for groups. This place actually necessitates groups. I don't think it would be feasible for you to go with more than four to Shabu.
4. They make udon and seaweed-egg porridge for you at the end. I die for this. I want to literally lick the pot clean.
5. Free shikhae (rice drink)... perhaps one of my all time favorites. And since I'm not Korean, I don't get many opportunities to drink this.
6. Btw, we ordered two plates of Genghis Khan beef for 3.
Oh man. Love this place and sure I hate paying for parking but valet is only $2 so it's not that big of a deal. For the three of us, the total came out to $60 -- not too shabby for being stuffed to the brim!
Hm, I'm not quite sure I'll ever want to go back to Japanese style shabu anymore. I mean come on, they make a delicious rice porridge after you've completed shabu'ing your meat and veggies. You'll be shocked at how high the mountain of veggies are, and even more shocking is that you really do finish all of it.
Service was ok, just what you would expect at a Korean establishment. I would definitely go back.
The speciality of this place, which has been here forever, is Genghis Khan, NOT THE MONGOLIAN BUTCHER, but a more hip healthy Korean hot pot dish.
For 3 people, we ordered 2 servings of the beef Genghis Khan, and there's plenty to eat. First, they heat up a soup in the middle of the table and then give you little dishes of salty Korean side dishes like Kimchi, spicy pickled cucumbers and an individual small teacup sized salad with a miso/soy sauce dressing. Then they bring out a huge 12" platter heaped with sliced vegetables. I can see cabbage, green onions, but there are some interesting greens I didn't know that taste really clean and green! You throw those into the soup, which is not boiling, throw in some of the thinly sliced meat that's brought out on a separate platter.
Once the meat looks cooked, you take your chopsticks, fish around for meat and veggies, dip it into the soy sauce mixture they give you and eat it. WARNING: BLOW ON YOUR FOOD BEFORE YOU BURN YOUR TONGUE!!! But it's super tasty!
Once all the veggies and meat are gone, they bring out Udon noodles, throw that into the pot and once the noodles are cooked, every one gets some (like 3-4 bites of noodles). Then they throw in rice into the pot, a raw egg, roasted seaweed and sesame seed and make a rice porridge out of the soup. It was the rice that had my belly sticking out at the end of the meal - but it was all worth it!
The only think I didn't like was that the Soju was $13, but other than the overpriced soju, it was great service and really good food!
Oh, and if you didn't understand the instructions of how to cook/eat Genghis Khan (the dish), they have the instructions lighted up on a wall in Korean and English! Every one should try it.
SHABU SHABUU!!! I haven't been here in awhile but I used to go all the time with my family. The Food and veggy quality is excellent. It is a bit on the expensive side but the foood is goodd and it will fill you up. The service is good and I remember always having to wait for dinner because the place is well known. However, the line goes by fairly quickly because the place is big. There is valet parking for convenience
Well, I am debating between a 3 or 3.5. I came here yesterday for lunch. It was the second restaurant we came up to as we were in search of a restaurant not too far from my work that doesn't require at least $8 for parking. Walked into this place and was immediately greeted by two carts of dirty dishes right when you walk in. The place has no windows and it looks like it hasn't been redecorated in over 25 years. It was nice to see that all the other patrons there were Korean so at least one can pretty much make the assumption that it is pretty authentic.
We ordered the bulgogi lunch special which came with a fried whole fish and also some other side dishes. We also ordered the beef bi bim bop which was really tasty and authentic like the way my Korean neighbor used to make it. They also gave each of us a really rich soup and many of the usual side dishes. Based on what we ordered, I don't think I would ever think about going back here. It was just ok. Filled us up for a relatively good price ... about $12 each.
This place is delicious! Shabu shabu done Korean style. They dont have a hundred choices, just a simple couple things but they're delicious. After devouring all the delicious veggies and meat, the waitress comes out and makes home cooked like jook ( a korean rice porridge). Havn't tried out their lunch menu but the shabu shabu is a definite favorite!
The only negative is the valet guy is an absolute douchebag!
If you are craving shabu, I would highly suggest this spot. Its traditional type korean spot but the veggies and meat are so fresh and delicious! Its a bonus that they cook it for you. The dipping ponzu sauce s perfect and the porridge they make afterwards is even better. I would say 2 orders is enough for 2-3 people but if there are more big eaters order 4! This is also a bit addicting, I crave this at least once a month.
Seoul Gardens has a good selection of Korean cold noodles and lunch specials. Unfortunately, I went on a cool Saturday - lunch specials are only offered on weekdays and I like cold noodles on hot summer days.
There were 5 of us there for lunch and we ordered a number of dishes including BBQ beef, cold noodles, Kim Chi soup and for myself the raw fish in fresh vegies and rice. All of which were decent, even good but not spectacular.
The service was efficient and friendly (though it was not that busy). I thought the number of little dishes that Korean restaurant give before the meal was lite but when we asked for seconds on some, they brought more out quickly; that also when for the extra soup. One of my pet peeves at restaurants is those annoying bells that you press to get the server to come. You can't sit and enjoyy your conversation/meal for very long before hearing one go off - I can imagine how the servers feel hearing them all day.
The decor, I thought, was over done with granite. It was everywhere (had have cost a pretty penny) from the table tops to all the walls from the floor to waist high and they even had a couple of big chunks sitting on a table.
The parking was valet and since it wasn't busy we able drop off our cars and picked them up without delay. I like the fact that they do not share their parking lot with other businesses (like many other Korean restaurants in the area) and the parking lot was secure. I only have a couple of complains (minor ones) on the parking - 1. Valet - I don't like valet parking when the parking lot is almost empty and the restaurant is casual. 2. the driveway entrance is VERY narrow.
All in all, I like cold noodles so I am going to come back on a scorching summer afternoon and enjoy a bowl, but there are plenty of other good/great Korean restaurants in K-Town and the So Bay I would rather go to for dinner.
After having read so many positive review for their shabu shabu, I decided to try their shabu shabu for dinner.
I am shabu shabu freak, so I have tried Taiwanese, Thai, Japanese shabu shabu before. I think Japanese shabu shabu is all about the quality of meat. Also, ponzu and gomadare. You can enjoy all kinds of food and source (you can even create your own source) with Taiwanese and Thai shabu shabu.
Well, this my first time Korean shabu shabu was boring and price was too high for that. They served meat, chopped vegetables, and a 5 other small dishes that usually comes with BBQ grill. That was all. The dipping source was only one.... which is not even ponse sauce. It was nasty... mixing with soy sauce and mayo and sesami :-( So, we basically eat the meat with chopped vegetables. The quality of meat was OK. not great not so bad.
When I asked waitress if they have some chili or hot sauce, they said they did not have any....
Well, the final was Udon and egg zosui in the same pot, which I liked.
Overall, I really think it's not worth to pay that much price for that and their BBQ grill is much much tastier than shabu shabu.
If you like Chinese Hot Pot and Japanese Shabu Shabu, you'll love Korean jingee-skan. Similar to shabu shabu, you choose one type of thinly sliced meat (beef, turkey, or chicken) which you cook with shredded veggies (mainly cabbage and green onions) in the hot pot. The dipping sauces for jingee-skan is similar to the ponzu sauce that comes with shabu shabu. However, unlike shabu shabu, the broth is flavored so you really don't need to add any sauce. Plus all the great Korean side dishes add flavor to your meal.
Once you finish your meat and veggies, the waitress cooks udon noodles in the broth. After she serves the noodles, she cooks up some porridge with rice, seaweed and egg to finish your meal. This is my favorite part of the entire meal but I'm usually so full by then that I can't enjoy it as much as I wish I could.
The waitress doesn't come around too often but she always shows up within 2 minutes if you push the service button. Valet parking in the back is only $2 and is safer than parking on the street, tho I've never had any problems. One of my favorite healthy meals. I highly recommend it!
this was my first time having korean shabu shabu, so i wasn't sure what to expect. if this is all there is to it, i'd rather stick to japanese shabu or chinese hotpot.
as other reviewers have mentioned, seoul garden does not serve their lunch combinations on the weekend, so the selection is somewhat limited to shabu. they offer a few different kinds, including beef, pork, and chicken, with a minimum of 2 orders required. each order is around $25, so when my friend ordered 2 orders of beef for the four of us for lunch, i thought it might be enough.
the meal starts with about 6 banchans, which were decent but not really up to par with a nice kbbq place like soowon or park's. service was quick and attentive, and meal was brought out quickly. the vegetables consisted primarily of chopped cabbage (like you'd get at kbbq as a side dish), a few pieces of soft tofu, and a few mushrooms.
the two orders of beef looked like about 1 order of beef at a good shabu place like mizu 212, so there wasn't much to it. the quality of the beef wasn't as good as a quality shabu place either.
rice isn't served with the meal, so basically the four of us took turns being polite and serving each other small portions of boiled beef and veggies from the broth. there is a mild dipping sauce that is weaker than a ponzu. my friend who is a regular there said that there are noodle and porridge courses to follow, so i held off from ordering more meat and veggies.
after the meat and veggies were gone, the waitress brought out a teeny tiny portion of udon. when i saw the portion, i thought maybe these were magical udon noodles that would expand once they hit the water to become huge dumplings or something, but alas, they were just your typical non-magical noodles. i think each of us literally got something like two noodles. two. individual. noodles.
the final course was the porridge course where they brought one bowl of rice and dumped it into the broth. after it had cooked for a bit, they drizzled a touch of sesame oil on there, and voila. each person got one spoonful of porridge. one. spoonful.
needless to say, the simonster was starving afterward and went over to ktown galleria to eat a proper meal after this exercise in futility.
i suppose if we'd ordered 4 orders we would probably be somewhat full, but spending $25 per person on such a bland meal seems pointless when there are so many more filling and tasty options close by.
parking is in a private valet lot behind the restaurant, which is good, because the neighborhood is a bit sketchy there.
My last meal on earth....would be the beef gingeskan at this restaurant.
'nuff said. 3 courses, stuffed tummies, and I'd die happy. It is simply THAT good. I bring all my friends here.
1) be prepared to share
2) be prepared to find street parking, or valet
3) be prepared for a mountain of veggies and a smaller platter of beef. it's the way it's supposed to be - stop whining about it. the combination, if cooked correctly, is delicious.
I'm not a huge fan of shabu shabu. It's OK, but it's kind of a lot of work. I only like eating it if I have someone with me who will do all the legwork and let me do all the eating. The porridge they make at the end is pretty bland but mix it with some of the salty squid or oysters or whatever they are, and it's great. Mix that stuff with your rice too, it's the best.
My boss and I come here pretty frequently. They have really good nangmyeon (thin, chewy buckwheat noodles); you can get a lunch special of grilled short ribs and a bowl of nangmyeon for like $12 or $13. It generally comes with some soups and the usual side dishes. All good. The BBQ where you cook it at your table is very good too but come with a group, because you'll end up with way too much for 2 people. You hardly ever see a white person in this restaurant. That means it's quality?
Their lunch specials are very good value. You get a little fried fish, japchae (thin glassy noodles), some salad, soup, a bowl of rice plus an entree, usually kalbi or bulgogi, but they also have some soups and stews. Definitely recommended, but come with a Korean if possible. That rule generally applies to all things in life though.
The worst thing about this place is finding parking, or just squeezing into the valet lot in the back. Once you've made parking your bitch, then the rest is all good, because yummy shabu and/or KBBQ await you.
Can't really add too much to the other reviews, except shabu is fresh with lots of veggies. After you've had your fill, they chase it with udon cooked in the broth, which is then chased by korean style rice porridge, then finally washed down with shikhye (I think that's what they call the cold, sugary rice drink).
Service was really good and bathrooms (at the least the women's) were clean!
My first time having the Korean version of shabu-shabu and it's not spicy! That's fine. There were four of us and three dinner orders were enough get us full. The beef was a lot better than the chicken and the veggies were aplenty. Make sure you have some of the sauce left for the rest of your dishes since you go through 3 different courses, each one building on the previous dish. Fans of panchan won't be overwhelmed here though.
This place is fun because of the table service and the readiness of a bottle of bokbunja. The servers were very nice, not a given for Asian restaurants.
This place is ok. I usually had to go here for business because my boss liked it here....I don't know, it wouldn't have been my first choice but whatever my boss wants right? Anyway, the place is ok, an average koreatown restaurant. The food is good but the meat is totally frozen when it is served on the plate. I love the porrige the waitress makes for you at the end but overall, this place is really average. I still think Chosun is much better.
*Food = average
*Price = good
*Service = ok
This place is the BOMB DIGGITY for rohs-gui. First, they moisten the grill with some good ol' butter. Then they place perfect, bite-sized pieces of fresh meat on it. After stuffing face for about 30 minutes of just meat, the waitress comes around and puts some rice and other goodies, to make fried rice! The fried rice and gook is the perfect ending to a marathon of meat eating.
P.S. I hear they have good shabu shabu too.
P.P.S. Go there during non-peak hours as the lines get long, and parking is a pain.
Ambiance:
I didn't know old Asian people can be so loud til I came here. The entire restaurant was filled with heckling hyenas... I don't recommend for anyone who expects a calm, quiet evening to come here. However, they do have private rooms that cater to large parties; ideal for hosting special occasions if you have 8+ people in your group.
Service:
The hostess was very lazy in my opinion. We were waiting for a table for a considerably long time, even though a few tables were cleared and there was only one party ahead of us. I don't know how long we would have waited if I didn't point out to the hostess there were three of us and an empty table a few feet away. I was already annoyed before I sat at our table.
The servers were very busy and literally running from table to table. I just got my menu and the server is already asking for our orders. Theen she came back one minute later to ask again. After ordering, if you want something, you have to ring the bell and ask. Otherwise you won't get your cup of water or your rice.
Food:
I was impressed by the option of having bbq or shabu. Regretfully, I didn't try the shabu because the bf's mom doesn't like shabu. The prices are in the $15 and up range, and the portions are decent. The chicken and the brisket was not anything special. The appetizers are better in quality than other restaurants. I enjoyed the kimchi, seaweed soup, and rice which was cooked to perfection.
Decor:
The decor was a lil overdone with the marble tables, marble register, and jade mountain on the marble block. The tables are nice, but the marble block in the center of the restaurant is a waste of space and slows down the servers. I know that some drunko is going to send that green jade mountain on the floor where it'll shatter into a million pieces. Sorry, I just don't get it.
Parking:
Close to nonexistent. Very crowded. I was lucky enough to find street parking.
I've always been curious about Seoul Garden and I'm glad I tried this place out. I might return one day to try their shabu, but so far no shabu restaurant beats Kushi Shabu.
service was by far one of the worse i've experienced. the lady workers are very loud and rude. we ordered the genghis kan and the meat was falling apart!
I LOVVVVE this place!! My bf and I always get excited when we are going to dine here. Their shabu shabu is THE best!! Always so fresh and delicious! My bf also always orders the hwae bibim naengmyun. The fish is fresh too.
Their banchan is soooo good and I love their jjuk (rice porrdige) after the shabu shabu is done. One of my favorite Korean restaurants in K-town.
I have been going to this place since mid 1980's and it hasn't changed much. Simple menu and great food. Service always been fair. You should try it out.
My friend went there last night and this is what he said:
here it is... we're NEVER going back. food is good but it's not like you can't get it anywhere else. actually, the "shabu-shabu" is better at kaan (kahn?) on western and the roast-gui (meat) is better at the other place (forgot the name) on 8th and harvard. the thing that did it for me was that the service SUCKS. The owner and waitresses have attitudes, and it's just not an environment where i can enjoy the food.
If you go there and like it, don't blame me, blame my friend Billy.
Came here twice with my family and both times we ordered the kalbi and korean shabu shabu. the kalbi was well marbled and marinated. YUM! and the porridge after the shabu shabu made with the "meat soup" was sooo sooo good also.
What I love most about this place is that they offer this refreshing rice drink dessert after your meal and you can ask for as much as you want!
Food is a big deal to me just like how Marc Jacobs Roxanne Double-Pocket Bowler bags are a big deal to you. Subsequently, I am going to tear up Seoul Garden Restaurant in this review.
Sometimes, I've wondered how it would feel if I had Korean food at a 7-11. Now I know. That stupid chime kept going off and off and off. If I spent maybe 30 more minutes here, I could have recorded this session and submitted a mix tape.
You hear the chime go off every three or so minutes when someone goes in/out of the restaurant. Not only do you get the deli counter experience at Seoul Garden Restaurant, as an added bonus, you get the liquor store experience for free! In these tough economic times, it's all about getting value and if you can get the deli counter and liquor experience all in one setting, by all means, go for it slugger.
What a waste of time and money. I want one hour of my life back for the time I wasted here. First offense was the valet parking when the valet opens my door and asks me, "Wassup?" Yeah, that's, "Wassup" not "What's up" or "How are you doing?" You're a stranger, how do you go up to me and say, "Wassup," as if you starred in a Budweiser commercial?
Next we go in and I ask for a table for two. "Please take a number" "Excuse me?" (all in Korean). "Please take a number here" and the lady takes a ticket from a ticket-distributing device and hands me a number.
I no longer have a name, I am now C 44 and I will be called whenever the restaurant feels like it. Oh by the way, the electronic board and posts the current customer was not even operating. I feel like I am at a deli counter ordering a pound of Muenster cheese and mesquite-smoked turkey breast, oh and a half a pound of stuffed grape leaves please.
I was so shocked from my new name (C 44) being assigned to me that I actually smiled but then my ego (or rather, dignity as I like to call it - makes me look like less of a jackass) kicked in and I wasn't a happy camper or rather deli counter customer. We sit and wait and patrons who just arrived get seated before us. Umm, what the hell. So we complain and we get seated right away.Strike two, or strike three. Whatever, I stopped counting - oh and there's more to come.
I hate it when - and Korean restaurants are notorious for this - the server asks if we are ready to order and I am still perusing the menu. Yes, I used the word, "Peruse," but damnit, I am fucking smart when it comes to food and I like to read everything about it. So anyways, the point is that I wasn't reading it for shits and giggles; I was reading it because I wanted to know what I was going to order. The server commits a crime (in my book) to ask me if I'm ready. "Is that a rhetorical question?" - I should have asked. I was nice and told her we weren't ready. She came back in five minutes in my annoyance and she asked me if we were ready which of course we weren't.
I ordered the buckwheat noodles in cold beef broth (neng meun) with marinated short ribs (kalbi) and to my disappointment, I couldn't substitute the noodles for the spicy version (yes, I do eat spicy food, sometimes). Anyways, so I was being a good sport and faking a smile and stuck with the non-spicy version although I wasn't too happy.
The food came out quickly which was great but they didn't serve the side dishes beforehand which disappointed us. Surprise surprise! If you think I'm a princess, stop reading this review and go read a fluffed-up, sugar-coated review that is more suitable for your taste. The side dishes were fit for an elf or for a toddler and wasn't good.
The neng meun would have easily been bought at the market. I can't believe they charged money for that. We came here to eat delicious food and actually enjoy the experience of eating food. What we ended up was just putting food in our stomachs.
Their specialty is the "jeen geese khan." Sorry for butchering the spelling. It's like a shabu-shabu but here it just comes with a bunch of shredded cabbage. I love shredded cabbage but when the entire thing is pretty much cabbage, what the hell.
The meat wasn't graded (rated on a level by the USDA to indicate quality) or at least it didn't say on the menu. I saw the beef and it looked like USDA Standard or Select grade beef which is very low quality. USDA Select grade beef is usually what they carry at Vons (their house beef isn't graded but it's very poor, like USDA Select) or at Ralphs.
I am not coming here again. There other plenty of other worth-your-while Korean restaurants that will serve better food and won't make you think you're at the deli counter.
Please don't complain about valet parking; you're in LA and that's the norm. Don't be stingy, don't be cheap. If you complain about $2 for valet, go eat at home or at KFC you stingy bastard.
My most favorite Shabu Shabu. Korean style but they made it their own. Love the noodles afterwords and the porridge. Man I get soo full after. Food Coma. Love this place.
I went here a while back with some co-workers for lunch. For lunchtime fare, it was pretty good. The specials actually come with a lot of food, so you get your money's worth, but its not anything particularly special. Also, unlike some places in K-town, the service here was pretty good. There's parking in the back, but I think its valet only. Other than that, I would eat here again, but its not top on my list.
This is my girlfriend's favorite Korean restaurant in LA. Mostly because of the Jingis Khan.
Jingis Khan is what we Koreans call our shabu-shabu. Lord knows why: I went to Mongolia last month, and they don't have anything that remotely resembles this dish. And it's too bad, because the food in Mongolia was disappointing. Then again, I never had the opportunity to try boodog, a gutted marmot stuffed with hot stones ... What was I writing about again?
The beauty of the Jingis Khan is that it's three meals in one. You start off with the shabu-shabu stage. Then you move onto the udon noodle stage. And then, finally, there's the jook stage. By then, your belly looks like you're in the third trimester of pregnancy.
They're not the stars of the show, but the barbeque dishes are great too.
The location's closer to downtown than K-town, but there's valet parking behind the building.
I'm not a big shabu shabu person either, but I liked this place. I thought it was less plain than normal shabu shabu and i liked the interesting mix of veggies that they give you to put in the soup. I don't think the soup generally is just water either, like it is at japanese shabu shabu. also, i REALLY like the porridge (jook) they make at the end for you. it's really tasty! It's just left over soup, sesame seed oil, seaweed and rice, but its still good. Ever since i had korean-style porridge here for the first time, I have been craving it alot. nom nom nom.
Can you recall all those times the waiter brings the food, and you get discouraged and upset when the vegetables outweigh the meat? This place is like that. I understand that it makes a good mix with the beef in the shabu burner on the table, but the meat-veggie ratio is very much out of proportion.
I mean, if you're going to give a guest a 7-inch or higher (literally) mountain of shredded cabbage/lettuce/whatever, you've got to, at the very least, give 25% more beef than that in one order! The Genghis Khan, Cheengis Khan, Cheeg-is-Gan, or however the hell on this green earth it's spelled, is pretty tasty.
Portions aside, I do enjoy coming here every now and then with friends.
This place is a fairly loud restaurant inside, and yes, don't expect to automatically be seated.... this place gets packed! On weekends, the ridiculously unambiguous parking lot in the back can have its entrance blocked and lined up with cars. The service is good, but if you're going to come with a big party, expect 30 minutes of waiting time on a typical night....usually it's longer.
If you haven't been here yet, I definitely recommend a visit!
I've been a fan of the shabu-shabu here for the past 3 years. I am there for the delicious shabu-shabu not the service. BTW, I'm immune to bad service in Asian establishment. Plus, I don't think service is that bad here in Seoul Garden.
Yes, if you looked or resembled an Asian they will speak Korean to you. The waitress do understand English but will continue to answer in Korean. You just have to let them know you don't understand Korean.
Love..... the shabu-shabu here. I don't know why people complain about the mountain of shredded cabbages & veggie that comes with the beef? That's the style here. One bite of the beef with a big bite of the veggie, they compliment each others quite well.
Yes, the Udon is comes in a small portion. That's because you have just devoured 1/4 lb of beef & mountain of the shredded veggie. And you have to get ready for the rice in the leftover broth that the waitress is about to cook for you. If it is the Udon you want, just ask for more. But seriously, it is a lot of food already. Don't be greedy and waste your food.
The cold sweet rice drink, Chic-Kei (spelling / pronounciation?) that comes with your check is my favorite. Nothing ends your meal with cup of Chic-Kei.....yum yum!
Came here for the Shabu Shabu. Had 3 people but ordered the 2 person portion, which turned out to be pretty fulfilling. The soup is plain chicken broth. We got the leaner beef...very good quality with nice presentation. It came with a mountain of shredded cabbage, lettuce and green onion, which I did not find very delicious. After all the meat and veggies were eaten, they come with a small portion (literally a handful) of udon, which they cook and serve to you. They then dump 2 bowls of rice into the leftover soup, stir in an egg and some dried seaweed, resulting in some pretty darn tasty porridge (I had to add some salt though).
The bill ended up to be $55. I would come back here if it was a lot cheaper.
I had never had jingee-skan before...delicious! It is basically Korean shabu shabu...you dip the meat and veggies in boiling water. There is a sauce and rice as well. After you are done, they make jook out of the broth...yummm! You need to come here with a group because I think it might be too much for just two people (maybe not if you have a big appetite). The banchan was quite good but a little skimpy. I have been finding that the Korean restaurants are putting out less and less banchan these days...maybe due to the recession.
The service was great...efficient and not oppressive. I really don't like it when they hover to get your order without letting you peruse the menu for a sufficient time. They have a small lot with valet but you might be able to find street parking. They take credit cards and the space is large enough for groups.
Whenever a special day comes up, Father's Day, Parent's Bday, Mother's Day, etc, this is the restaurant we go with our family. Why? Because it is super healthy for our elderly and AMAZING for the kids!
Cmon, what kind of pot gives 3 different types of food?!?!?! First is dipping shabu shabu in the broth with the vegetables. and then udon and then porridge!??! DAYMN. best invention ever! Jingis Khan...
Anyways, for the four of us (me, my lil sister, and our 2 cousins brian and frances) we usually eat 3 servings of meat....
WELLL, lately my sister has gotten a bigger appetite, so we were just joking around that she'll eat for two people.
We ended up finishing 5 servings of meat with a side of GALBI....
WHERE does it all go...?
PS bad service because the ladys kinda throw down your plates, and expensive. came out to 300 for 8 people.
I never had Shabu Shabu before so when I tried Korean Shabu Shabu @ JinSang, I thought it was delicious. That all changed when my friend introduced me to Seoul Garden. Being a ginormous pig, I loved the amount of food they give you.
The only reason I didn't give this place four stars is b/c I too had a lack of decent service when I went there for dinner one evening. What a huge difference it makes when you go during an off-peak time. I went more recently during the week around 2pm and had much better service. Either way, I'd go back over and over!
Genghis Khan (Jinghis Khan) ? What? That's the Korean shabu-shabu they serve here. I came with family, 4 people including me. We ordered the 3-person course and it was plentiful even for four.
First comes a plateful of frozen, thinly cut beef which you put in the boiling broth & veggies (think korean BBQ but with a boiling bowl of broth vs actual BBQ grill).
After comes a plate of udon-type noodles (this portion is the least, don't expect much at all). Nothing too special here.
The best is last, when all is said and done, the "ahjuhma" brings rice and makes a porridge-type dish to eat.
Meat was YUmmmmmm! Price is reasonable, service is okay (you have to flag them down, it gets busy there). Highly recommend you eat your meal with a large bottle of Hite.
There is a small seperate room off to the side if you have a group to bring.
This is the best shabu shabu place around. Their secret sauce is the best ever - I could drink it by itself. But ohhhhh...so gooood!
Make sure you take a number or else they'll seat other later-comers first!
This place has really good shabu shabu and the roce gui is good too (thin sliced beef). Both are very tastey and I love the jook after the shabu shabu. The kimchee fried fice after the roce gui is good too. They use butter with the roce gui which gives it that yummmy taste.
Remember to ask for peanut sauce for the shabu shabu.
Neighborhood: Wilshire Center
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Restaurants
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Korean
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Japanese
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