Hon Korean Restaurant
5161 Beach Blvd,Ste 5, Jacksonville, FL, 32207
Hon Korean Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Jacksonville for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Jacksonville for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Jacksonville for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
5161 Beach Blvd,Ste 5
Jacksonville, FL, 32207 - Phone (904) 396-4008
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :Closed
- Mon : Closed
Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Amanda N.
I was super excited based off the reviews to try this place out and I was kinda disappointed. It was so hot in there that when the door would open the air outside was refreshing. It was aug in fl so u know it was too hot inside. The water tasted straight out the faucet from a river w no ice. The meal took forever to come out. My bimbop (I hope that's right, see pic) was bland. With everything in there I was hoping for some dynamic tastes, nope and the meat was cut so fine and there was so lil I thought it was vegetarian style for a long time. There is a better Korean place in town that I'm sticking w in the future.
(2)John P.
These people will make you wait 15 mins before they give you water. When they do get to you, they won't be very polite and they will act like they're doing you a favor for making you wait. They don't even have enough menu even though there were only 6 people in the restaurant. Don't waste your time. In addition, their menu are severely overpriced. Good luck paying for a 35 dollar food that doesn't even say what kind of food it is. Needless to say, absolutely 0 pictures and explanation.
(1)Julian V.
Worst Korean restaurant I've ever been to! The kimchi here is... well, the worst kimchi I have ever had in my life. It was extremely sour, almost tasted like it was soaked in alcohol. The kalbi was strangely sweet and glossy. I prefer Sam Won Garden's food much better. Additionally, another table asked the host what they had for dessert and he brought back a platter of fruit, and when my friend ordered the fruit for dessert, she was told "oh... We don't serve that here usually." It was weird! Do not recommend!
(1)Amanda F.
One of the best experiences at a restaurant that I have had in a long time. A husband (I say this with the utmost respect for this man and acknowledgment of how judgmental some people can be: do not be alarmed by the white waiter!) and wife own this delightful, family owned Korean restaurant. Hon is the cook, and her better half is the host, waiter, busboy, clean up crew, and sou chef. The decor, the ambiance, the menu, and the food all converge to create a wonderfully authentic experience. If you are looking for a posh, cold, and speedy place, this is NOT the restaurant for you. However, if you are interested in a few laughs, personal service, and delicious food, make a mad dash to this restaurant! My partner and I are driving back up North from Orlando, and we, so sick of touristy chain restaurants, were desperate for a mom and pop place with REAL food! And man, did this place not disappoint. We had barley tea, yum (served cold), and our entrees came with the traditional banchan: kimchi, bean sprouts, radish, bok choy, etc. I got the dukbagi bulgogi and my partner got the dilsot bibimbap. Everything was out of this world! Aside from the food, the waiter/husband/owner was a breath of fresh air - friendly, genuine, and incredibly warm. I felt like I was invited over their house for dinner. He was very apologetic about the wait, but what can you do when you're the only staff in the entire place? To say that it was more than worth the wait would be an understatement. If ever we find ourselves driving down or up from FL again, you bet we will be stopping here! I can't say enough about this place, and I have no idea why some of the ratings and reviews are poor. Not sure if the owners check Yelp, but if so, thank you for such a welcome change of pace and providing an amazing experience and meal!
(5)Jinbo F.
We drove long to this restaurant and it's below our expectation. The food is OK and the price is a little higher than normal Korean restaurants I've been to. I don't understand what others are claiming about this being a family owned restaurant rather than a restaurant chain. If you know any Korean chain restaurant, please tell me and I will go. The place is cozy and overfilled with their home collections, which I don't like but I believe most people will. I encountered an old couple who complained that 2 of the side dishes were not that fresh. The male owner was so angry and maintained silence and rushed to his wife to confirm. I don't know what happens next but it's really a funny reaction.
(2)Marie F.
When you want to eat Bulgogi you are extremely limited in options in this city. (Never thought, out of all the things that I miss about Tallahassee, a small dive Korean BBQ spot would be the hardest to replace.) I can't help but use that place as the standard in how it's done. This was the first (when I thought it was the only) Korean BBQ place that I tried in town. Walking it, I had so many high hopes. I'm a big fan of hole in the places. Who really cares about décor if the food is off the wall. But after my first try at the place I saved a review draft as "Meh-It's OK." But I left it bookmarked for the next time I get an itch for Bulgogi. I tried it a couple more times and I was able to add: Good family owned restaurant Service is slow but pleasant Kimchee is pretty nasty ... but I don't like the stuff on a good day The food here as a whole was just okay. It's one of those alerts that keeps popping up "Your Next Review Awaits." The type of food that you eat when you are hungry and have worked 8+ hours and don't have the capacity to cook. Not the someone speak it's name and you start having flashbacks of the last great meal enjoyed. Actually when I hear this place my first thoughts are Karaoke, ordering a pizza, and grabbing drinks and cups form Family Dollar. Both places in Jacksonville seem to have too many options that are just "A-OK." Limit the menu and make sure those items are spectacular! The food is okay for someone wanting to try something new.
(3)Hoang N.
Great display of food and tasty. My first time here; was reccomended by my bf who lives in the are. The food was perfect had soondubu jigae, tong kalbi and bibimbap. All very well done. Perfect taste. Not too bland or salty. Will be back next time i'm in town.
(5)Caron S.
Don't let the random tiny strip mall center location food you at all. We had a fantastic food experience. Went with a group of six. We all enjoyed it and are eager to head back soon. It's a small place and yes, it can take awhile but that's because there's one server (the woman who is cooking your delicious authentic meal's husband) and one chef (see "one server."). It's also warm in the dining area. The dolsot bibimbap, complete with crunchy rice bits, was my favorite. It comes out piping hot and as you hear it start to sizzle, you mix it up, table-side then dole it out. Our table ordered two to share, that's how good this dish is. And the haemul pajeon, a seafood pancake of sorts, also disappeared quickly as did the LA kalbi, which were thin marinated flanked beef ribs that we cooked ourself at the table. They were fairly tended and full of flavor. The fried chicken wings with a slightly sweet and somewhat spicy sauce with crushed peanuts and sesame seeds (called yangnyeom dak) also won over our hearts. Go to Hon!
(4)Sarge S.
Atmosphere was horrible, no one came and sat us down, never asked if the food was ok, food took forever and there was only 3 other tables occupied. Server walked away while we were ordering our food which was the owner I believe. We had our kids with us and the owner came to us in a rude manner stating that " if you cant handle your kids leave them home". The Owner could have at least approached us in a professional manner if there was an issue, but no! Very rude while other people looked at us and made my friends an myself uncomfortable. while we were leaving The restaurant I noticed that I forgot my receipt so I went back to get it and the owner pretty much was waving me to leave and gave me the MIDDLE FINGER. WOW.. Never again will I go to this place. Worst restaurant I have been too! food and presentation was a fail.
(1)Randy C.
Hands down the best korean restaurant in jacksonville. I'm korean and this is the only food I ate growing up, reminds me of my moms cooking.
(5)Jeff A.
Didn't realize that this place was here I usually only would come out here for either Austin Karaoke or the Asian Market. I didn't even realize there was a restaurant here. Anyways my experience was fairly enjoyable. Place was a little dated but quiet. As for the food, for what I had it was delicious! The only bad thing about this place is that they serve you TAP WATER! I freaking hate the taste of TAP WATER! I would have given Hon Korean Restaurant 4 stars if it wasn't for the TAP WATER.
(3)Adelaide C.
My sister and I went there a week or so ago, and immediately fell in love. The decor is so cute and quirky, we just spent the first few minutes taking everything in. The lighting is weirdly bright/fluorescent closer to the back/kitchen but where we sat (in the front) had a nice ambience. It was really quiet when we went. We both love kimchi, I've read mixed reviews on here but the kimchi we had there was so good, and apparently they make it themselves! There was cabbage, apple, and some sort of squash. All really good. I had the bibimbap (yay more kimchi!) and my sister had a dumpling soup. We both liked the bibimbap better just because it was more interesting, but they were both good. We'll definitely be back.
(4)Daisy D.
Learned a couple things when I went out for my first attempt at Korean BBQ: - Definitely sit at a grill top table if you have an option - Do bring someone with you that has experience - Korean BBQ is DELICIOUS! Met some friends for dinner & adventure. The barley tea was waiting for me when I arrived. We started with an order of the fried dumplings and chicken wings.. When he asked how spicy I wanted it, I wasn't sure how to respond. I knew how the Thai spice range worked, but I wasn't quite sure on the Korean. I asked for medium and told him what my usual tolerances were and he said he would make it work. The dumplings arrived and reminded me of the little baby gyoza at Shin Sen Gumi. These were just as delicious. Perfectly fried and the dipping sauce added just the right layer of flavor. The chicken wings were excellent. Spicy (but not to spicy), just the right amount of sweetness in the sauce. Excellent crispness on the breading. We were all licking our fingers. When asking our waiter - whom I assume is also the manger, maitre d, and entire waitstaff - what our options were for the grill table, he pointed us to the section of the menu that pertained to our adventure. We got beef (#6), spicy pork (#7) and a short rib (#11 I think). As our goodies arrived at the table, we couldn't wait to start digging in. As we laid the meats on the grill, the sizzling began. Every bite was as (or more) delicious than the last. I think my favorite part was scraping the charred goods off the grill at the end and mixing it in with my rice. It's a hike for me from one end of Beach Blvd to the other for what appears to be an unassuming restaurant in a less than stellar strip mall, but it is well worth it!
(4)Louisa A.
Well after 3 attempts to try this place we have been unsuccessful :( We are from out of town & went 2x, 2 days in the Christmas week & they were closed...when we finally arrived a night they were open, they refused to seat us saying they only had 1 chef & the food would take too long (shouldn't we decide if it would be too long?)...despite having 5 open tables. We were a party of 7, they had an 8 top table open with a sign that said 'reserved' but yet the guy who refused us told us they don't take reservations??? All of the seated customers appeared to be Korean...we were not :( I think the food looked & smelled good...but we were not fortunate enough to get past the door :(
(1)Valerie C.
I love this place! Home cooked Korean, family owned restaurant. This is my favorite restaurant in town. The Bulgogi's amazing, the soups are amazing. Very friendly and attentive service. Free barley tea, even. I always come here, definitely give them a shot.
(5)Elizabeth M.
This place is really good. The decor really does have a homey feel to it. Like your in your friends house/kitchen. The service here is slow but then again I don't know many Korean restaurants where the service is very fast either. This place is run by a husband and wife team and from what I'm told they are the only ones who run it. The wife cooks while the husband takes orders and serves. The service we received was adequate and anything we asked for was given to us promptly. The special requests were remembered and the food was always served piping hot. Also the barely tea is cool and refreshing. Btw it's not sweetened its like drinking lightly flavored water. The japchae we ordered was the dinner portion which comes with a bowl of rice. The noodles had very good texture and the flavor was amazing! The only thing is that for me personally they had a bit too much black pepper which made them a bit spicy but overall still very good. The dolsot bibimbap was served good too. I have been to multiple places and the toppings are always different. Usually I see it with non-spicy veggies and the spicy paste and spicy pickles veggies on the side but this place puts it all in your bowl. So of your like me and a total wimp with anything spicy make sure to let them know. I took all the spicy veggies and spicy paste out and it was good for me. My brother who took out just the spicy red paste still had a very spicy bowl because of the veggies. Overall I would get the bibimbap again. The grilling is always such a fun experience. The meats are always well marinated and once you get the cooking down you will be in grilled meat heaven. Honestly I couldn't stop eating the beef we had ordered. It was good. Overall I would defiantly come back to this place again despite the slower service. Especially since their prices are on par with other Korean restaurants I have been to.
(4)Jeana L.
Came here for my birthday with my fiancé and 2 good friends and sat at the table with the butane stove grill in the middle. I've been here many times and love it. Don't listen to the others who rated the restaurant low stars because they most likely look for "fancy shmancy" food and service. This is a family owned business and not a restaurant chain like many people are used to so they need to learn and understand that. Now on with my review... First off, this is a family owned business with the waiter and his wife only. Sometimes, I see their daughter there whenever she can. The wife is the main chef who prepares and cooks the food fresh. The husband (waiter) is doing all the front work such as taking orders, serving food, busboy, managing the registers, and also helping his wife prepare and cook food. So yes, the service isn't as great as other restaurants but keep in mind he is juggling between all the customers and the kitchen. There's more of us (customers) and one of him, therefore, please be patient. If you can't be patient then go to mcdonalds or another fast food restaurant or do what everyone else does at the table and pull out your phones and play with it until your food is ready. I ordered the spicy chicken wings, L.A Kalbi and my fiancé ordered the Dolsot Bibimbap. If you like spicy where it leaves a good flavor and the feeling of a sting in your mouth, the spicy chicken wings is the way to go. Served very crispy and smothered in a spicy sauce topped with chopped peanuts. Very delicious and not your normal spicy wings you get from American restaurants. Your mouth with be on fire, but I love it! The L.A. Kalbi was delicious especially if you cook it on the grill which is what I did. You let it sit there for about 5-7 minutes and flip it and wait another 5-7 minutes. The waiter also brought 6 small side dishes to eat along with the rice and Kalbi. My friends grilled their chicken entree (forgot what they got) as well. Since I grilled my own food, I would say it was very delicious and the sauce and seasoning was just right. My fiancé's Dolsot bibimbap came in a stone (lava) pot. Be careful to not touch the pot. You can hear the rice and meat sizzling in the pot which you know is cooked well. You pretty much just stir the rice, meat, veggies, and over-easy egg and you got your Dolsot bibimbap. I tasted a spoon of his Dolsot and was very delicious as well. Overall, I really enjoyed my birthday dinner with my fiancé and my friends. The food was amazing and I was really satisfied with my dishes. Just so you know, this place isn't cheap so be prepared to bring your big wallet. Just remember there is only 2 Korean restaurants (that I know of) that has these kinds of foods and yes both places price about equally the same. I will always come back to this restaurant for great authentic Korean. Especially for those spicy wings! Mmmmm :)
(5)Leniesha N.
I'm new to Jacksonville & being half Korean, I was in search of a place I could get traditional Korean food from. Trust me I've had endless Korean food as well as cooking it myself so I tend to be picky with my restaurants for Korean food. I dined in with my family, the atmosphere was very quaint with relaxing oriental music. We sat at the table with the grill on it. I was so excited for the find! The owners are a wonderful couple, wife does the glorious cooking & her husband serves you. Very welcoming, friendly, & generous. He kept bringing samples of extra dishes she was making in the kitchen & that was a plus! I would recommend this restaurant if you're wanting some truly fresh dishes with fresh ingredients, & a pleasant experience!! I'll definitely be going back.
(5)Allie A.
When you walk in, you clearly think to yourself, "this isn't a five star place!" And, it's not. Seriously outdated, clunky, big carpet tiles just piled up in the bathroom.... But I'm going with 5 stars because: THE FOOD IS EXCELLENT. I'm not a KBBQ expert by any means, (my first time tasting the deliciousness was only last year) and while other, maybe swankier places come with some different side options and fancier fixings, this place is still legit. We started with some fried dumplings that were pretty good and had a wing or two of our friends wings... which were amazing! Prob a level 3-4 in spice (we asked for spicy) with a sweet sauce and peanuts sprinkled on top. Amazing! Kimchi was great as well. We made sure to sit at one of the bbq tables and our party ordered the pork, short rib and beef. Everything was marinated just right, and all tasted absolutely flavorful and delicious! A huge thank you to my other Yelpers who have checked this place out and left awesome reviews to put this place on the map! Definitely going into the rotation of date night favorites. And added bonus... the world food store is right next door!
(5)Zhuo S.
Owner is not very welcoming. Dish portion is small, the bulgogi is not even half the stone bowl. Seafood pancake is soso. Not recommended.
(2)Meisha J.
Food is fresh and made by Hon. She does not use MSG and makes her own Kim Chi and Sesame Oil. Everything I've had (2/3 of the menu) is great.
(5)Rhoda A.
I felt that for the prices they charge, the service, and delivery could have been better. I had dinner with the Jacksonville Foodie Club, and we planned on doing shared plates to try different entrees. Little did we know we would have to cook all the entrees at the table nor were the dishes identified to us when brought to the table by the kitchen staff or server. The flavors and spices made the food taste great, however the dining experience could have been better. I would eat there again, but not with a large party because there was one server for the whole restaurant on a Saturday night. I'm glad we ordered ahead to alleviate a long wait time for food.
(3)Jerry T.
Hon Korean is the bees knees. It's really pretty standard Korean BBQ, but it's awesome that we have this in Jacksonville. They start you out with the obligatory glass of Barley tea, and I ordered a large Hite ($6) to go along with the meal. We ordered fried dumplings and a seafood pancake to start off. The dumplings came out piping hot filled with pork, noodles and vegetables and were served with a salty dipping sauce. I could have eaten 3 orders of that. As soon as we finished, our seafood pancake arrived. The outside of the pancake was perfectly crispy, and the inside was filled with shrimp, cuttlefish, little octopus tentacles and a ton of green onions. It was perfect. We ordered short ribs as an entree. While I was slightly disappointed that we didn't get to cook them at the table (2 order minimum for grills) whoever cooked them probably did a better job than I would have anyway. One order was perfect for two people, considering the size of the appetizers we had. The banchan were pretty good. I think they served about 8 including kimchi, anchovies or some other small fish, asparagus, mung beans, and some tiny orange stuffed peppers. The peppers were my favorite. Overall, I like this place a lot and I love that this is here. The prices are a little steep in my opinion, but they do have the market cornered. The staff is friendly enough, and it almost feels like eating in someones dining room...if you know someone with crazy synthesizer music and grill tables in their dining room.
(5)Brian A.
I really want to give a shout out to this place. It was my first time partaking in Korean BBQ and I really really really enjoyed it. A big part of this was our server. He made sure we knew what we were ordering and how to enjoy it. So big thanks to the white guy! I wanna do this place justice but I simply can't. The only I was familar with were the short ribs we ordered for the entree. They were amazing! Unlike any I've had before. We had a seafood pancake for our appetizer, and again, it was astounding. Octopus, cuddle fish, shrimp, scallops, some other stuff, all mixed with light pancake batter. The server also brought out nine plates of various korean food. One had dried sardines in a thick teriyaki, one had a bochoy salad, another was fresh kimchi, and so many other things I can't remember. A tip though: Go with 3+ people and they will cook your entree at the table using a built in burner. They seem to have a standing rule that parties of 2 people and smaller can't occupy the BBQ tables. 5/5 would listen to Korean satelite radio while eating mystery delights again. P.S. Pretty sure it's only open for dinner after 4 PM.
(5)Henry H.
Some of the side dishes are good. The green vegetables and the dry squid or fish. The Kimchi and radish didn't taste that good. It was too sour. The seaweed tasted really bland. Most Korean places I been to have really good seaweed. The squid entree is good but lacking more flavor to it to give it a good taste. The beef short ribs is tender and cut into different pieces that isn't attached to the bone. I feel like I'm eating a tender beef jerky teriyaki style food. Definitely not your typical beef short ribs you would expect at a Korean restaurant. The price is very expensive for the beef shorts ribs! I've never been to a place that has such expensive short ribs that is subpar. If I want beef jerky. I could have just bought some at a store instead of eating at this restaurant. They use small tea cups for water. These are so small that it isn't sufficient enough to have when you are thirsty from the salty food. The waiter comes by very seldom to ask him for more water. He rarely comes by to give you water on his own. Towards the end of my meal I asked the waiter for my check and more water. He then goes serves the other tables. He disappears for a few minutes then finally comes back with my check after I waited 5 minutes. The more interesting part is the night I went wasn't even busy. The service was super poor.
(1)Paul L.
Pros: tasty bulgogi, great rice, friendly and informative staff, pleasant hole-in-the-wall vibe. Cons: only Korean BBQ I've yet experienced where the bulgogi by weight is 2/3 vegetables, and $15 for that was kind of a letdown; slow service (to be fair, the server informed me up front that there'd be a wait) I only had the one menu item this time, so I'll probably give it another try, but I can't recommend it as a night out to anyone right now.
(3)Anne B.
The food was really good, but the service was ungodly slow and the server wasn't very helpful even though I explained that we didn't know what we were doing. Coming from Atlanta, I've been spoiled by the amazingness that is Honey Pig, so this was a big of a downer. $25 for the spare rib, which was 10 stars, but it wasn't all you can eat, which the Korean BBQ places in ATL offer for the same price. Overall, good was excellent and the owner was super friendly and helpful, but he didn't come by to explain anything until after we were finished. The decor is very outdated as previously mentioned, and it is located in a strip mall that is a little off-putting, but if you're looking for authentic, delicious food and don't mind semi-slow service, this place is outstanding.
(4)Jenny W.
So Let me start off by saying I am Korean My mother makes exceptional food and we were in Florida on Vacation. We were happy when we read some of the reviews however this is why I really do not trust YELP. The food here is HORRIBLE! STAY AWAY! The spinach was a grayish Color, we asked when it was made they said just that day and no it was Rotten, The Kimchee my mother 60 years old and never says anything bad about someones kimchee says, This is the worst kimchee she has ever eaten, She also said No Korean person made this. I mean typically in a small Korean Restaurant the owners come in and introduce themselves or say Hi but we felt like they are not proud enough of the food they serve so they hide in the back. I ordered Tong Kalbi it was so SUGARY! Yes Kalbi has some sweetness but not all sweet, this is not a traditional korean restaurant and I would never recommend even my worse enemy to eat here. The Yukaejang Was Horrible the Gosadee tasted old and overcooked, Al of the Banchan Were horrible. Save your Money and go to the Grocery Store next door, the food is way more appetizing. I know because after we left HON We were still starving and had to get something from the restaurant in the market. The service is just ok .. nothing to praise about the guy was nice but was on his cell phone and not very attentive. The decor is stupidly adorned cut out papers of weird Korean Puppets just thrown on the wall. The knick knacks are dusty and I went to use the toilette and had to use my Napkins in my purse because there was no Toilette paper. This is NOT GOOD KOREAN FOOD!
(1)Derick L.
We started with the sea food pan cake which is good. The bibimbap was a ok too. The short ribs is so salty that none of us could eat. Little disappointed that they didn't have the beef tongue like most Korean BBQ do. The bulgogi original is very odd seasoning. The restaurant decor is very cheap and run down. I dont think they maintain it well. It was not what I expect from a 4.5 stars restaurant. Neither the food or the service fit that rating. The price is pretty stiff for mediocre foods. What unacceptable is the Kimchi. How can a Korean restaurant that have Kimchi worst than the one in the glass jar at the super market??
(1)Tiffany P.
My friend and I ate dinner here. The decor was a sampling of rural Korean art, staff very friendly and helpful, and the A/C was on :). Food was absolutely amazing. We ordered a bulgolki and LA Kalbi. We chose to cook both at the table and it just added to the experience. It was a Wednesday night so the place was not crowded at all. Would definitely come back here again if I pass by the area! Highly recommended!
(5)Greg S.
Food was awesome and service was great. My taste buds are still doing cartwheels and spicy was hot and flavorful. If you haven't tried Korean but enjoy oriental cuisine give it a try, if Cracker Barrel is your speed then enjoy the slow lane.
(5)Rachel M.
I'm playing Eloise in a truck-stop motel near the restaurant while my boyfriend works at a power plant. He came home from his 15th day in a row of 12-hour shifts and was thinking about being cranky. He didn't want to make any decisions. He wanted beer, appetizers and comfort food, so we bundled into the truck and hit this joint. It was entirely perfect. The waiter was genuinely hospitable and pointed us towards completely hilarious marketing collateral on our table that explained the finer points of our sake sampler. The kimchi was the real shit -- cabbage, roots, cruciferous veggies, sesame, vinegar and oyster mushrooms. The sake sampler was a total surprise. I'm not normally a sake fan, but this was a delicious start, like getting drunk on cherry cough syrup, only way more sophisticated. I had the beef bulgogi. It was tasty as hell with just the right amount of liquid for obviously fresh carrots and perfectly sliced beef. Not-So-Cranky-Anymore had some kind of spicy beef soup with a lot of heat and a sweet kick to the aftertaste. When we left, he smiled at the stage, covered with wooden ducks and dried herbs in metal bowls and reed curtains and said, "Somebody could just live on this stage. I feel really at home here for some reason." And then we blasted a pow-wow dubstep mash-up all the way back to our motel and talked about how good dinner was. Also, the check was less than $40. We wouldn't have been mad paying more.
(5)Helen X.
Deco and music was awkward . Very weird.food was good though, not as salty as other places very homemade taste! Price is same as more fancier korean restaurant.
(4)Ryan D.
Best Korean in Jacksonville, hands down! There was three of us and we ordered four entrees to share and an appetizer. It all came out very delicious. They had a very delicious bibimbap, bulgogi, and kimchi jigae. Meals also came out with little side dishes, which you can always ask for more if you wanted to. The food Itself is not as great as the real Korean in Korea, but it was close to being authentic. I'd say its comparable to the Korean restaurants in NYC. The menu however, is rather limited here, because they did not have a few popular items. Service was rather slow, the waiter insisted that it will take awhile for the food since they are doing one table at a time. There's only one cook the evening I went (the owner) but it was ok, it shows that they are made fresh! The place doesn't have air conditioning either, so eating all that hot and spicy meal made an unpleasant atmosphere!
(4)Cano F.
The best Korean food in town. A little bit pricey but worth every single dollar. Service was excellent.
(5)Mo Z.
WOW! Didn't expect much when I walked in the door and see a white waiter. The food was fantastic. Best seafood pancake I had. The waiter turns out to know more about Korean BBQ than I do. He talked about the cut of the meat and how to bbq. the BBQ is totally authentic. pan that collects juice you can put on your rice. hmmhmmm... delicious
(5)Peter S.
Excellent food! If you like wine, they only have a white and a "red" wine which is actually a rose. But there are other options such as plum wine etc. One of the few places in Jax you should try.
(5)Jade N.
One of the best Korean restaurants here in Jax & maybe Orlando as well. I'm so glad this place is getting more recognition since it is underrated. Went here with my husband & unbeknownst to us, we were unaware of the lack of AC. Regardless, it didn't deter us from actually enjoying our dinner. Plus, it was still atmospherically comfortable. Although it is a bit more expensive, relatively speaking. We definitely don't mind when great food is on the table. We ordered the Ojingo Bulgogi (marinated squid with veggies in a spicy sauce) and if my memory serves me correctly, the Dolsot Bulgogi (beef marinated with bell peppers smoothered in an unforgettable sweet sauce. All of this was also accompanies with small plates of pickled veggies of kimchi, daikon, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, etc. I tried all the pickled sides, I was surprised at how good the sweet potatoes tasted; since i'm not a fan of sweet potatoes. It was food-gasmic at it's finest. We will come here again but with more friends to help eat & fill the void. Not sure if it was unfortunate, or fortunate that we were the only people there (besides the owners) in the modest, yet endearingly decorated dinning area. I hope they are getting the needed business to stay open. We can't lose such a great commodity that contributes to Jax's surprisingly diverse food offerings.
(4)Matt M.
My dentist moved his offices to this area and I noticed good reviews but a warning that there is no A/C. So I thought, hmmm, good reviews and no A/C spells take-out. Works for me. So I ordered based on Yelp reviews and picked it up (a hot day, do I waited in my air conditioned car until the very last moment). Well, once inside it was comfortable, so don't let that scare you. And the food? It was fabulous. While I am not sure what I ordered, it was so fresh and well prepared. I am now increasing my dental visits to at least once a month just to eat here
(4)Sharon W.
Drove up to Jacksonville to meet up with some traveling family and they had asked I pick an authentic Korean restaurant to dine at, so I went to my trusty, handy dandy Yelp app. :) (Seriously, how did people travel before Yelp and Technology?!) hehe Anyways, the outside of the restaurant isn't the most inviting but when you walk in, it's a cute and cozy restaurant. It wasn't very busy so we were happy to be seated right away......aaaannnnndddd theeeennnn the waiting started. It took us about 15 min just to get water. We had to stop the server and ask if we could get water and were immediately told that they would not be ready to take our orders just yet. (mmm....OK, but can I please just have a glass of water??) Once the server came by to take our orders, it was a bit goofy. Imagine this, I order Korean food using Korean food terms (like kimchi jigae) but then have to revert to looking at the menu to see what they call it in American (kimchi soup) so I can make sure the server knows what I'm ordering because they are not familiar with Korean food terms. Nothing wrong with it...just a bit akward for me when you see Hongul writing on the menu. Oh well.... So the pan chan comes out and it was a nice array sprouts, kimchi, etc. And when the food comes out, we were served hearty portions full of homestyle cooked food. The kimchi jigae was good. My dad was very pleased with his dish. Dak Bulgogi was delicious. Dak Curry/Curry Bap was tasty, although not the best I've ever had. Overall our experience was nice. The food was good but the service was slow and it took a really long time for our food to come out after the order was placed. Not sure if they were short staffed but I'm hoping we will be greeted with attentive service that offers updates on when we should expect our food, if it's the norm that it takes over an hour to cook it.
(3)Pearl C.
We stopped here after a long drive on I-95, and were pleasantly surprised to find authentic Korean food in a somewhat unlikely neighborhood. We ordered Chicken Bulgogi and Kimchi Soup with Beef and love them! The gentleman who served us was very friendly and helpful. The price was very reasonable. Definitely one of the most authentic Korean food I've had in the area. What really added points was that they gave us some cold ginger cinnamon tea after wards (to sooth your taste buds after a somewhat spicy meal)! Also love the fact that they have lots of decorations that they got from Korea - very homey feeling!
(5)Robert D.
Just because something doesn't "please your personal tastes doesn't mean that it isn't an EXCELLENT authentic dish. Personally, I like the dishes here because of the authenticity. I judge a Korean restaurant by how many Koreans eat there not by how picky-oonish eaters who criticize foods they know nothing of. I've eaten in Chinese restaurants in Korea & the dishes I ate there I've never seen offered here, because picky-oonish eaters will not like them. Just because you don't like a dish doesn't mean that it isn't fine cuisine true to it's origins. An example of this is kimchee. A traditional fermented cabbage served along with just about everything. I've eaten their bo-koom-bap (steamed rice W/vegetables, jab-chae-bap (rice noodles with vegetable), nakchee-bo-koom (squid or octopus stewed w/spicy vegetables), yaki-man-doo (deep fried dumplings w/meat or vegetables inside), bul-go-ki ( grilled marinated beef). As far as service goes, I have no plaints at all. The waiters & waitresses have always been very accommodating. (with this kind of service I find it a pleasure to leave a generous tip.) I've even had the owner and his wife ( who is the chief cook, an excellent one if I say) serving our tables. When you step inside the restaurant it's like stepping into a touch of what you'd see & experience in Korea, starting with the authentic display in their window of Korean utensils & cookware. ( If you can read Korean, which I do, you will see menu items posted on the wall that aren't in the menu.) If you're looking for a place to experience eating excellent quality authentic foods at reasonable prices, rather than your typical oriental restaurant, THIS IS THE PLACE TO GO!!) I'll say " !" (This restaurant is excellent!) btw I'm not Korean, I'm just a regular Irish/German American
(5)Rose P.
I'm glad I ate here for dinner with my hubby. We ordered the L.A. Kalbi and bulgogi which we enjoyed cooking it ourselves. Everything was delicious. The meal included little Korean side dishes which compliments the food even more. Come on now, it really wouldn't be korean without the kimchi, anchovies and all... Oh yeah! The kalbi does cost about $24... pricey but again yummy :p Have to include that the place is small. They have about 3-4 tables that have the grills in the middle so you can be your own chef. That is really the only way to go about it when you dine at a Korean Restaurant. Other than that you are missing the point of dining here. The owners are also your servers but they are very nice. They come around and make light conversation, which is good. I will be going back soon for more kalbi.
(5)Milord K.
Had a meeting today 4.4.14 in jacksonville Florida. Decided to try some korean food. Three of my buddies stopped by around 430pm when they opened. I ordered my favorite soup which is dwangung chigae and I must say Im probably misspelling it. My buddies ordered thier dishes and my soup came last. I had one taste and immediately was not happy with the taste. Keep in mind I eat korean food weekly in nyc , la and across the country. I asked the waiter that i cant eat the soup and he stated its the favorite dish at the restaurant. He than told me I couldn't return it and get something else. The owner came by afterwards and told me they would take off the soup from the bill and order something else. Long story short they still made me pay for the soup. Below average korean food..if you have the korean fix I recommend going to orlando. I belive the restaurant is called shin jung restaurant google.com/search?client… .. day and night difference in the quality and service.
(1)Maisha R.
As I walked into this small, cute restaurant sitting unassumingly in a strip mall to join our party of eight, my friends informed me that the chef was overwhelmed by our large party. Nonetheless, we proceeded to place our orders. After the owner described a delicious bowl of bulgogi - thinly sliced beef with vegetables in a sweet sauce - prepared by the chef, five of us chose it. Then, it was recommended that since so many of us ordered it, we should cook it at the table for a traditional Korean dining experience. So, we did...slowly but surely. The communal grill took a while to really heat up but once it did, the meat was delicious, tender and juicy. The barley water, complimentary kimchi and side dishes and the after-dinner cinnamon tea were a nice touch. We had a great meal. The food deserves four stars but I docked one star because it took too long for each of us to get enough food to fill us up using the table top grill and because we all agreed that the real reason that the owner wanted us to cook our food was because it would be easier on the chef!
(3)ZachTax S.
We were heading down I-95 South and stopped in Jacksonville to grab a bite. No idea where we were, we jumped on YELP and located a couple options. One of the best rated was a Korean place a couple miles off the exit. When we got there we had to do a double take to make sure we were in the right place. This is in a run down strip mall in the hood! But hey, Yelpers guided me here so it has to be good, right? We walked in to find it hot as a Vietnam jungle and pretty empty. When we sat down, an awkward yet kind, tall white guy came over to us and gave us menus. We come to find out that it's a Husband & wife operation and the guy has been married to the Korean woman in the kitchen for 28 years... He was able to explain how all the dishes were prepared and made recommendations. PROS: This woman can cook! Very authentic Korean and sweet people running it. Dak Bulgogi was fantastic! Everyone I was with enjoyed their meal as well. CONS: They gotta turn on the air in this joint & spend more than $2.95 on their wall art. It currently consists of cut-out pictures from a magazine glued to the walls! Seriously. Believe it or not, this place still pulls 4 stars as we enjoyed the whole experience. Too bad it's in Jacksonville.
(4)Karim Q.
On the drive back up north we had a hankering for Korean food. A quick search of Yelp produced Hon as a result and off we went. Between the spicy beef soup and kalbi, I was stuffed. With plentiful banchan and spicy garlic to spare, both my dishes were flavored just right. That soup could have used more beef, maybe, but the half pound of kalbi I ate filled that void. Yes, I've had better Korean in NYC and in Seoul, but I'm not in NYC or Seoul right now. Considering the lack of other Korean options in Jacksonville, this is the way to go. Everything I ate here was delicious.
(5)James J.
Eaten there several times. Service can be slow, but everything is prepared to order. Quality takes time. Their idea of hot is really hot so be careful. It's not cheap. I'm not Korean, but I get the impression that this place is authentic. Several times I've eaten there and been the only Non Asian in the place. The waiter is wonderful, very knowledgeable and friendly. Might want to leave small kids at home. Their KFC, Korean fried chicken will make your ears sweat.
(5)Charlie H.
I am so happy to have found this restaurant a couple of months ago. As a previous poster commented, this is the real deal, authentic Korean food. Do not worry if you are not familiar with Korean food, the menu is well sorted and the staff very informative if you have questions. This place has really broadened my horizons when it comes to this type of cuisine. Upon my first visit, I ordered the spicy pork because of its ubiquitous familiarity. Ever since the first bite, I've been hooked and each time I order something new knowing it's going to be great. Lunch menu has specials which are a tremendous value and also differs from the dinner menu. It's all wonderfully satisfying food and I highly recommend this place. Foodies rejoice, I know you're going to like this place.
(5)Hoku S.
I Love their food! They are open frm Tues-Sun 4pm -10. Husband and I went there for our 27yr anniversary. For a mainland Korean Style food it is as authentic as you can get. I've Korean food from Hawai'i to Korea and I Love it. It is a mom and pop restaurant so when it is busy you will have a wait time, but the food is worth it!. Although some food is spicy you can request for it not to be. The heat is made to your specification. I personally like my food hot(spicy) and my husband does not. Mrs Hon is the one that is doing all the cooking while her husband Brian does the ordering and serving so there would not be any miss-communication on the heat. She makes all the sides herself. Food is extremely fresh. If it is not too busy you can order take out. But I'm sure if you phoned in an order for pick up that they would make it. They want to make sure the food is as fresh as it possible so that's the reason I would say if they are not too busy that you can order take out. I would definitely go back there again. Price is very reasonable as I have gone to different place to eat. I highly recommend this place if you want to try something new or if you have had it in Korea as I have. Again this is the most authentic place that I have been to. We had ordered Yakimanu as a appetizer, my husband had bibimbap , and I had the LA Kalbi. But I also ordered a tofu soup to go, even tho we had to leave and come back it was because the place was busy, As for prices I've shopped around to pick up kal bi and I know it in itself is pricey, so the price is be fitting to the cost of the cooked food and more. I didn't mind one bit because the food is just so worth it. Environment decor is on the low light but there is a light at each table so you can see your food. The server (husband) Brian is on the quiet side if you don't know him he may come across to some as awkward but give it a shot and strike up a conversation with him and he will be much more comfortable with you. It is in a small strip mall so there is ample parking.
(5)Shaun M.
Firstly, you must know that this restaurant only does dinner service now. Second, there is only one chef, and she makes everything ( literally everything ie. even the sesame oil ) fresh and from scratch. With this in mind, the food can take some time to come out. However...it is amazing. I feel like I've been invited over to a friends house and they're making homemade korean...only with a Tier 1 chef. We started with the ultimate appetizer ( yangnyeom tongdak ). These are KFC ( korean fried chicken wings ). They are inexplicably crunchy, spicy, sweet, and incredibly delicious. If you've never had them, you must! This is the best representation I've ever had, and to save myself time...the best Korean overall I've ever had. Wife ordered the Dolsot Bibimbap...it's bibimbap, what can be said. Straightforward dish, and the wife loved it. I had the ddukbaegi bulgogi. If you're a bulgogi fan, this is a nice alternative to the standard. It comes in a hot, thick bowl (dolsot), and it's more of a bulgogi stew. The broth is deep, savory, little sweet flavor. Hightly recommended. One thing to note, the beef she uses for bulgogi is always cooked perfectly and of good quality. Not a speck of fat on the bulgogi, or the beef in the bibimbap. Please, never close down! This is a true diamond in a sea of rhinestones.
(5)Jennifer S.
Coming from las Vegas I must have expected too much. I am used to good quality food at decent prices. For 2 adults and 1 child (5 years old) I paid 42.00 and still left feeling unsatisfied and ripped off. There is a sign in the front that I did not see but basically states that if you have 3 diners and only order 2 entrees you are charged an additional $5.00 surcharge! But I did not think I would be charged for a 5 year old girl that eats like a bird. The kalbi was ok nothing special to write home about. We also ordered a seafood pancake that was decent. For the price I would not return. Find some other Korean place that does not charge a surcharge! Better yet have my Korean mother cook you some food and charge half that and no surcharge!
(1)Kim S.
Had a great lunch here, the bibimbap was great and the lunch portion was good. My lunch mates enjoyed other lunch specials (the sweet chicken and the soup with shrimp, clams and noodles). Delish! We'll be back!
(5)John L.
This is literally my favorite kind of find, a little hole in the wall that's a tad too far on the kitchy side decor wise, but makes you feel like you've been invited into someones home for dinner. Was asked several times if I wanted or would like more banchan (side dishes) and I truly wish I'd had the capacity to take him up on the offer. While not as spicy as I like despite both the app and entree being labeled very spicy both were extremely well flavored and I decided not to ask for any additional chili flakes or hot sauce. The chicken gizzards were easily some of the best I've ever eaten tender with just enough crunch to be interesting, and the pork for the entree was cooked to perfection. One of the nicest surprises was a hint of pear in the kimchee which I later found out the cook makes in house (as she apparently does with everything the serve), again milder than my norm but extremely tasty. My advice is go with an open schedule and an open mind, try something you normaly wouldn't order and enjoy the obvious love that was put into the preparation of your meal. My only hope is that they don't become too popular, it would be a shame to see them have to change a magic formula that works in order to meet an increased demand.
(5)Jennifer S.
I have eaten here several times. The food is excellent, hands down. I have tried so many dishes and loved them all. It is run by a husband and wife team. She cooks everything and he serves. Be a little patient especially if there are other diners there. It's a two man show! The wait is well worth it!
(5)Olivia T.
We've been here twice now and have loved it both times. We went in knowing that this is a place for a slow paced meal based on the other reviews, so we were not irritated by the wait. We ordered a bottle of sake to share the to pass the time. The proprietor is VERY helpful and friendly, but not in an overbearing way. The sides the first time were hit or miss, but the second time they were all great-we loved the sweet potato, mushroom, and broccoli ones in particular. For us that's part of the fun, though, the sides are different each time, as is the dessert-complimentary, btw:-) Time # 1 we got a kimchee soup and the spicy pork. The soup was good, but the pork is what kept me awake at night wanting more. It's delicious. Order it and the beef bulgogi and you won't be disappointed. That's what we did the second time we were in, it was perfection. Can't wait to try this place for lunch soon! FYI-if the waiting game is really too cumbersome for you, they'll do takeout as well. Call ahead and pick it up-no waiting required;-)
(5)Kat P.
I was looking for an authentic Korean place closer to home to take my mom out for dinner and chose Hon based on the reviews on Yelp. Its located in a desolate plaza next to a Korean supermarket. Parking wasn't a problem since it was empty. I walked into the restaurant and had an instinct to walk back out. It reminded me of a second hand store or like an indoor flee market based on the small interior, non circulated air, and smell. I decided I might as well try it out since it was a drive and there's no other restaurants nearby. We were told to sit wherever we'd like and I chose a table that had a bunson burner in the middle. The furniture was run down. A white man in his late 40s or so waited on us. He wasn't very friendly, nor did he even try to fake a smile as he greeted us and gave us our menu. There wasn't many options on the menu compared to the other Korean restaurants I'd been to. I played it safe and ordered the fried seafood pancake dish, Kalbi, and a squid stir fry. The food took a while to come considering there was probably one person in the back kitchen. There was an older couple dining across from us. And a young Asian couple walked in after us. I guess they weren't feeling the place either and left after they were served their drinks (complimentary iced barley tea). They didn't have many drink options and I had a sprite from a can. My mom was considering leaving also, but we had already placed our orders so we waited. Finally the fried seafood pancake came out and it wasn't crispy, quite soggy even. My mom said the mussels hadn't been properly washed because she could taste the sand in it. So that was a bust. Then they brought out the kalbi and squid. The portions were really small considering it was twenty something dollars for each dish. The utensils to cook the dish was inside a plastic pencil box on the table. The food was ok, the scallions were wilting though. Overall not a place I would visit again. Out of all the Korean restaurants I've been to, this was definitely the worst. I don't mind spending a lot on food, but the food better be worth it.
(1)Paul H.
Food was not well seasoned. Was ok but probably will not return.
(3)David S.
I love this place, I wish I could afford to eat here four time a week. it's on the high side of the $$ rating. but food is 5* atmosphere is 4 1/2* and service is personal and friendly. if you want to try some real good Korean food, go here. careful the food is really authentic.
(5)J D.
Food was delicious and moderately priced. Some previous reviewers complained about the lack of AC but I think they have it now- that, or I just found it to be cool in there. Location is a small mom & pop type restaurant that isn't fancy but is clean and comfortable. There weren't many people there when we went (as it was a stormy day) so we received our food fairly fast. My husband and I ordered the seafood pancake and beef bulgogi which satisfied us both. They also gave us a complimentary cinnamon and ginger after-dinner drink which was refreshing and unique. I hope it's here to stay because this is a jewel for the Jacksonville area. My only negative feedback was that the service was VERY laid back. It took the waiter (who turned out to be very cordial) a good 20 minutes to clear a dirty table adjacent to us from the time we sat down (it was not busy). Also, both he and the chef took visible smoking breaks outside at the front of the restaurant. These things are not terrible, but noted. Overall, I'd come back in a heartbeat!
(4)Jon L.
Fantastic food. Very authentic. Excellent service. Kimchi tasted new (not vinegary) it was great. I had the bulgogi in the broth - very good. I highly recommend this place!
(5)Tru T.
Great place. Runs by husband and wife. Very small and homely feel. The food was delicious. I came in sat down and waited a bit but the food was worth it. Very spicy and very hot (temperature wise). Price was reasonable for Korean food. Best Korean food I had in Jacksonville.
(5)Julie A.
I dreamt of KBBQ the night after I ate here. That's how delicious it was. If you like real Korean BBQ, this is the perfect place for a culinary trip to Korea before karaoke at Austin's next door. This is the real-deal cook-it-yourself kalbi served with a side of fresh Korean side dishes of kimchi, radish, fried sweet potato, fish cake, anchovies, veggies, and others. Drool... My son had sampled a few anchovies before knowing what it was (actually, he sampled every one of the sides); and when I told him, he ate another -- head and eyes and all! Eeek! My son had ordered soup but he ate most of my meal instead. His soup was a bit spicy and filled with tofu, tiny mushrooms, green onions (?), and noodles. It tasted pretty OK from the bit that was still in the bowl. My son was vacating the broth from the bowl before I could take a true sample of it. It was OK, but I didn't try too much. I was trying to keep my stomach available for the rest of my KBBQ. Also on the menu were bulgogi and bibimbap, and Korean sake. Yes, definitely a place I'd visit again.
(5)James D.
Oh Hon.. what a shame. The food here is better than Samwon, but the atmosphere sucks! This place has so much potential, but they have a lackluster appearance and horrible 70s Korean digital tech music playing off of laptop. The husband and wife team are super nice, but man he is super slow. This place would be so much better if they just moved locations and advertised. Hire someone with enthusiasm who can sell. Every time I have visited I was one of two people in the place! Seriously, they'd be better off in a food truck. I'd rather eat next door inside of a supermarket.
(2)