Zoong Guk Jib

SB

2 weeks ago

★★★★★

The food was decent, portions were large, but the overall value and service experience left a lot to be desired. We ordered the Kkanpunggi (깐풍기), Tangsuyuk (탕수육), Mongolian Beef, and Chadol Jaengban Jjajangmyeon (차돌 쟁반 짜장면). None of the dishes were bad, but a few of them didn't quite match what I expected. The Kkanpunggi tasted more like Panda Express orange chicken than the classic Korean-Chinese version. It lacked the spicier, more savory flavor profile that I usually associate with authentic 깐풍기. The Tangsuyuk was good overall, although the meat was a bit chewy. The Mongolian Beef was probably the most disappointing dish—it was much more liquidy than expected and felt closer to a "broccoli + beef" dish. The standout was definitely the Chadol Jaengban Jjajangmyeon. I enjoyed the taste, it had a bit of a spicy kick, and the beef on top was yummy. If I came back, this would probably be the dish I'd order again. My biggest issue was the pricing. While I couldn't take photos of the menu, I remember the flavors simply didn't justify the cost. The service experience also left a bad impression. The restaurant automatically added a 20% gratuity to our bill even though our party was only five people. A gratuity charge for larger groups such as 6+ is understandable, but applying it to a group of five felt excessive. What made the situation worse was that after the gratuity had already been added, we were still asked to leave an additional tip. We had to explain that we weren't going to tip on top of an already-applied 20% service charge. Overall, the food is decent and the portions are generous, but between the pricing and the gratuity situation, I'm not sure the experience justified the cost.

Seoulite _90

2 months ago

★★★★★

It is with a heavy heart, I write this review. We used to come here once or twice a month for good Korean-Chinese food, prior to today we went as recently as about a month ago. However, early into our meal my wife and I noticed subtle changes. Completely new and largely unorganized waitstaff where we didnt recognize a single person, the changes in the dishes. We asked a server if management/ownership has changed in the last couple of months and she confirmed it. The list below are the changes (for the worse) in the quality of food in order of severity. 1. 계란국 (egg drop soup, usually comes when ordering an entree). It used to be a low key standout dish but for some inexplicable reason they added thin sliced cucumbers and tomatoes ...with a distinct herbal smell that doesnt go well with 계란국. Oddly enough this change hit me the hardest.... 2. The side kimchi, my wife and I are ethnically Korean....we know what kimchi is supposed to smell like....the kimchi from previous ownership wasnt necessarily a star but it was edible..kimchi from todays visit had a ....repugnant....smell. Neither of us wanted to even try and taste it. 3. Non 찹쌀 탕수육 (sweet and sour pork without rice starch). With the first bite my wife and I immediately noticed that the batter was flour based almost like unseasoned/bland fried chicken batter. Typical 탕수육 uses some mixture of sweet potato or potato starch for the batter giving a distinctive crunch... 4. 짜장면 Jjajangmyun. The noodles used to be very 쫄깃 (chewy in a good way) and one of the distinctive flavors of this place but that was all gone...its lower on the list of severity as it could simply be a matter of being overcooked as the restaurant was busy. The sauce had a distinct after smell, my guess is too much 춘장. 5. The shrimp fried rice. The rice grains were mushed to a degree and the oil coating was very uneven. High quality fried rice should have less gelatinous rice where you can almost taste the individual grains. Again, this could be easily attributed to a busy back of house so its much lower on severity. Its been a good run of 3 or 4 years coming here once or twice a month. We are disheartened to say we will not be returning.

Benjamin H.

4 months ago

★★★★★

You won’t find more caring service than at this restaurant, the sweetest aunties make you feel right at home. We ordered the spicy seafood soup and black bean noodles, and both were absolutely delicious. Portions are huge (perfect for sharing) and very reasonably priced. A truly satisfying meal—highly recommend!