Not the best Korean food I've had by any means, but it has definitely improved over the years. I always order the bibimbap, which is great when I want a nice filling rice-based meal. From this place it has rice, lettuce, beef, carrots, and I don't think it has the egg on top but I can't remember exactly. If you're used to the bibimbap in the hot stone bowl with the delicious crunchy rice lining the bowl and the fresh delicious ingredients, this place will disappoint you. Prices are high for the quality of food (about $8 for bibimbap) but you get a huge portion!
(3)
Elizabeth J.
It was dry, not terribly flavorful and otherwise unexciting bulgogi. The steamed dumplings were doughy and mushy at the same time, I didn't enjoy them.
(2)
Holly N.
Food was piping hot and ready within a couple minutes of ordering and it was so very satisfying for a study night. The chicken bugogi and veggie stir-fried noodles are awesome. Flavor was excellent! The onions on the bugogi are perfectly caramelized. I was surprised to see how much oil they put on it when they were cooking it (seemed like A LOT) but it was delicious so I can't complain. The fried pot stickers were average at best though. Not worth ordering and you don't get many for the price. The staff are very friendly and warm. Great for a casual weeknight or your average craving for stir fry.
(4)
Erin V.
The food is a solid four stars, but it's pretty pricey for being a fast food restaurant. I love their bibimbap, dumplings, and their spicey bulgogi is pretty darn tasty. Besides the price, my other complaint is the fact that they put very little meat in their bulgogi dishes. I come out of there getting full off of onion and rice! That's mildly disappointing. It is rather greasy, but perhaps in a good way. If you want something fresher tasting, try the Bibimbap. The staff is also very courteous and nice.
(3)
Gaz H.
Clean, tasty, cheap and cheerful. The bulgogi, the chicken bulgogi (not what you would expect - spicy and red), and the sukiyaki all hit the spot. Friendly, cheerful service. Fast preparation on an open grill visbile from the dining area.
(4)
Julia S.
One of the most vegan-friendly korean places i've been in my limited experience with korean food....the tofu bulgogi was great but i wish there was more tofu, and the vegetarian rice platter was awesome! a tiny bit oily for me and i think there should be more tofu/larger portions for the price. service was very fast!
(3)
Joshua L.
Good food, ideal for diverse food for jhu students. The korean food is a real treat, since there really isn't a large selection of asian restaurants or even fast food places here; you'll need to go into inner harbor to find even a five guys here
(5)
suz h.
Bibimbap and chicken bulgogi are both great!
(4)
Michael L.
It's pretty decent food for the distance that you have to go to get it. The korean food here was good enough for me. The only things that I really got here were the bulgogi dishes and some of the soups as well. I only like the spicy ones so I got those everytime I was there and I was not disappointed with the food. It's not 100 percent authentic, but it is good. Really a place that's geared for Hopkins students.
(4)
Not A.
This is a great bolgogi joint. The menu is sparse but they do what they do extremely well. The fried dumplings taste fresh, made that morning, not bought frozen from a supplier. I cannot speak to any of their other foods because I have not made it past their excellent spicy beef bulgogi yet. The bulgogi is vegan and vegetarian friendly, but there are not many other options for herbivores.
(5)
Albert Y.
As a korean, isolated from my family, this is my go to for cheap, quality korean comfort food. It reminds me of street food availabe in Korean American Neighborhoods in LA, NY, and DC/VA. Its more americanized but serves its purpose of filling me up, bring nostalgic feelings, and leaving $$$ in my pocket.
(5)
J G.
Great spicy chicken bulgogi!!
(5)
Amanda W.
I only ever eat here when I'm doing laundry a few blocks down, but it usually satisfies my craving and the portions are so big that I can take half of it home. BEEF SUKIYAKI: This is what I usually get. It's pretty much just sauteed beef and cabbage in a delicious savory sukiyaki sauce over rice. It's really hearty, but it can get oily toward the bottom. FRIED DUMPLINGS: Don't get these. They are rectangular shaped and you can get the EXACT same ones at HMart in a bag for $5. So it's a little bit of a ripoff, but if you can't get to HMart, they are pretty delicious- but again: very oily. RAMEN: Another one I would avoid if you can go to HMart. They have the exact brand and you can buy a packet for $1 as opposed to almost ten times the price. They do put an egg in, so that's what one difference from the bag. BIBIMBAP: This is a delicious rice bowl with veggies and ground beef. This is the only other thing I might get besides sukiyaki because the beef is really flavorful and I don't know where to get all the veggies that they put inside. OVERALL- most of the dishes are around $10, which is pretty average for lunch and about the same price as chipotle, which is down the street and always busy. I would steer away from items that you can make at home like dumplings and ramen, but the more complicated rice dishes are a pretty delicious lunch choice.
(4)
Kim Y.
I love this place. But what recently bumped my rating from a 4 to a 5 is the fact they I think they got rid of one of the employees that used to man the front cashier. This employee was a bit rude and liked to talk about customers in Spanish, thinking that nobody understood her, but the feeling of being talked about in a negative way is universal - it's just a terrible feeling. It has never happened to me personally, as I'm usually the type of customer to be friendly and keep quiet, but I've seen disgruntled and rushed customers be treated poorly in the past. NOW! Finally! The owner lady has made this into a slightly more mom-and-pop feel restaurant that is super casual and super delicious! Although the family that runs the place is Korean (and yes, they finally hired more Koreans to work front and back of house! Yes!) they sell mixed Asian dishes like "Lo-mein Noodles", "Teriyakis", and "French Fries". I would, however, definitely recommend that you stick to their Korean dishes. These are where the cost of lunch will shine. It is not a cheap $5 lunch spot. You get some well seasoned, hot, prepared-in-front-of-you, food with a good authentic flair. You should expect to pay about $10 for a bottled drink and a hot meal. But they make their food fast and they make all of their dishes consistently every time. I recommend this place for lunches. It never gets too busy even though it's in a busy Charles Village/Johns Hopkins University Undergraduate area. They have a fairly large dining area with plenty of tables and seats too.
(5)
Katherine H.
Just went for a take-out order of bibimbap. Food came out pretty quickly and everything was good. My only complaint is that they didn't put as much meet as anticipated in my dish. Seriously there was hardly any at all! Would still go back and give some of their other stuff a try.
(3)
Chih Chao C.
Compared it's price and location, it's a good choice for students nearby to have Asia food.
(4)
Lucy X.
I was SO looking forward to this place, considering their bulgogi meal looks similar to that of DC's Bulgogi Cart of which unfortunately I have not had the chance to visit yet. But boyyy, did I have a terrible experience here! Well everything seemed good...until we actually got our order (not to mention the slow service and confusing method of calling out orders). My boyfriend went to pick it up and when he brought it back, he told me that they apparently forgot to add spicy to my order. One of the lady workers ran up behind him, told me that she was sorry (didn't seem very sincere though), and said that I could just use some of the Sriracha hot sauce. Okay, if it was my Nth, heck even my second, time eating here, I'd probably be like sure why the heck not. But it was my first time, and I wanted to actually try what I had specifically ordered, the beef bulgogi-SPICY. Like first of all, how could YOU mess up my order, and then have the audacity to tell ME to substitute?! In any decency, they shouldn't have even given me the wrong order in the first place. So I couldn't have it and shortly afterwards, went up to the front counter and very nicely asked if they could redo my order. Again, the dude told me to just use Sriracha sauce...what So after some rather forced awkwardly polite exchanges, he finally gave up and apologized for messing up my order. A few minutes later, he personally brought my order to our table. I opened it, and immediately saw that something was off about my spicy beef bulgogi compared to my boyfriend's spicy chicken bulgogi. It looked like there was an overabundance of spicy sauce, and also less meat than what should have been there. So I kind of just gave up at this point, but soon to find out how really disgusting it was. The beef AND rice were both DRENCHED in the spicy oil sauce. I felt like I was eating spicy oil rice, since the scatters of bulgogi pieces were hardly tastable. I figured what they had probably done was dump my previous order (bulgogi AND rice) and just recooked it with spicy sauce. As opposed to the correct way which would've been cooking just the bulgogi and spicy sauce together, then putting it on top of the steamed white rice. I mean, if they were just going to recook my old order (which, not to mention, how unsanitary it is considering all of the orders are cooked on one large surface), the LEAST they could have done was TRY to pick out just the bulgogi...but no. The only good part of this whole meal was the egg, which is hard to mess up anyway. Overall, a highly disappointing, unsatisfactory meal and experience. I will probably never come back again...Bulgogi Cart where art thou? :)
(1)
Jon W.
Apparently this was formally C&C Carryout. I'm new to the area so I didn't know that. However, I do like the new open air, modern design. Its simple menu mostly consisting of Korean food is also good too. As always, if you see Asians outnumbering non-Asians in an Asian restaurant, that is a good sign. The fact that many asians from nearby JHU come here seems to validate this. As to the food, it is pretty good. The bulgogi is definitely not the best I've eaten, but is fairly good, esp. for a more fast food style place. The curry chicken is nice and flavorful, albeit also not the best I've had either. Basically, it seems, Ajumma has solid Korean food offerings run by what seems to be a really nice group of Koreans. The decor is nice as well (and apparently, a vast improvement over what it was like as C&C). The prices are alright. They could be a little better, but it's definitely not terrible (though if they did lower the price a little more, I would definitely eat there most days on my lunch break). All in all, a nice semi-hole in the wall Korean joint with nearly authentic Korean food.
(4)
Stephanie H.
Every time I've been to Ajumma, the service has been fast and the food has been yummy. Both rice and noodle dishes, you can't really go wrong. I personally like their bulgogi dishes best, but really everything is freshly made and given in large portions. I find their storefront too be amusing as well because there's lots of random Spider-Man figurines and stickers around the restaurant. The shop is quite clean and well kept. Today I tried their new addition of boba bubble tea. You order it in the little stand in the middle of the shop. A warning...it's cash only. There's only one size and its $4 each. They have about 8 different flavors to choose from, ranging from the original black milk tea to fruity flavors like mango to thai tea. I am very particular about my bubble tea and have high standards, but Ajumma's is my second favorite place for boba now in Baltimore (the best in terms of quality and price is TriBeCa Coffee Roasters near Penn station). The drink itself was a little too slushie for bubble tea, but the taste was great! The bubbles, which is what most places mess up, were perfect. They even have the machine to seal the tops with a flat plastic cover! If I had to make any criticisms, it's a bit pricey but expected for bubble tea, the texture is a bit off for the drink, and maybe too many bubbles but really awesome for Baltimore where good bubble tea is a rarity.
(5)
George P.
I only ever get the chicken bulgogi, extra spicy but I can tell you it is the bomb. It's hardly ever crowded and i think the price is just a wee bit high but totally worth it. This place deserves more business.
(5)
Andrew F.
Although the food here is good and the place is nice, the service borders on terrible. There is no receipt and you often don't know when your order is ready, and the staff are not very helpful, although the food is fast. Still, not a bad place, although it's only really good for a quick meal. If they could at least give you a number, it'd make the process of ordering much smoother. The pork bulgogi is delicious though.
(3)
Bernie C.
So I would've done a three star review before 2015. But in 2015 they raised their prices from "too much for everyday for college students" to "we're raising everything 50 cents cause we think you won't notice" The meat to rice ratio is pretty much wrong all the time. Every time I go with friends my friends leave at least half a box of rice, I, personally, always finish my entire box because it's me and I will eat straight white rice mixed with sriracha if I'm hungry. I always get everything extra spicy, because they make everything, excuse my racism, "white people spicy". I realize that's racist. But also realize that white people are probably the only race ever to sue a company for being too spicy, and one of the few cultures whose spices do not revolve around some sort of pepper or chili. So, any of the bulgogis, the sukiyakis, the lomeins are all pretty alright. I wouldn't get a sub here.... cause who gets subs at ajumma thats just weird. the fried dumplings are so extremely overpriced its pretty ridiculous, if you have a car, go to hmart, I've seen the brand of dumplings they use there, theyre pretty good and way cheaper to just fry them yourself. Oh and I wouldn't get their teriyakis, personal preference I think but its sauce is... funky. what else... oh, despite all this, i get food from here because it's close to hopkins, I don't have a car, and Niwana keeps getting my order wrong.
(2)
Liam P.
Awesome service, good food. The warm service of the family owned business here brightens your day. The food, while slightly expensive, is decent Korean food, and like everyone, I must recommend the Spicy Chicken Bulgogi.
(5)
Alan C.
In truth, this place might deserve only 3 or 3.5 stars, but you have to consider what else is available in Charles Village, which IMO is not much good. I'll give it 4. Let me start by saying I'm something of a stranger to Korean food. My sister was always more of the fanatic with this stuff. So keep in mind I'm not evaluating this food as Korean food, but just food. If I say it's good, then I don't mean it's necessarily good Korean food, I just mean I like it. And I do like it. I do like the food at Ajumma, but they need a better ordering procedure. How it works is you step to the counter and list your demands, then the lady smiles at you and you pay and you can stand around or go have seat at one of the tables (usually there's empty tables somewhere) and wait. Problem is that when she calls out the orders that are ready, you have no idea if it's your order or someone else's since you have no ticket number or receipt. I've come twice so far, once for the squid bulgogi and then for the beef bulgogi. A third time I cam with a friend, but we hadn't checked the operating hours so we came in an hour before opening; the nice lady served us anyway. One person said the food was dry, which I can kind of agree with. But it's not so dry that I actually mind. I think the bulgogi chicken will run you about $8-$9, plus tax. It's really not terribly expensive, still under $10, but I'm just stingy enough that I convince myself not to come out unless I really have to.
(4)
Talia S.
This place has surprisingly good Korean food. I had the bibimbap and found it very good. They serve a spicy sauce on the side with veggies which adds to the flavor. I totally loved the dish with the bulgogi my boyfriend got. Quite satisfying
(3)
Marjorie M.
I was in the mood for some spicy Korean food and decided to try this place since it is right in my neighborhood. I ordered the Chicken Bulgogi and the Yukgae Jang (Beef Spicy) soup to go. The lady at the counter was nice enough in taking my order and they went about cooking up my order. The meals average around $8 or more. The Chicken Bulgogi was tasty and the meat was spread over a layer of rice in the container. I must say though for $8.49, I would have expected more meat. I felt the meat to rice ratio was not enough and that's saying something for me who loves rice and typically always want more. The spice/heat was not hot enough for me, but I noticed in some reviews that others have asked for EXTRA spice. I will definitely have to try that. Overall, the chicken bulgogi was something I could see myself getting again. It wasn't the best that I've ever had, but it hit the spot since there isn't any other place that I can get the same meal within walking distance. The first thing I noticed with the Yukgae Jang soup was that the soup container had a hole in it. The holes were tiny and could have melted from the heat? My initial reaction as I walked home was "EW" because no clue really how the holes were made on the lid and it could have been a mess on my way home (luckily it wasn't). Also, the soup was $9.99. There was no option for a smaller size other than a quart. I will have to keep that in mind in the future because I don't think I will be buying a $10 soup for just myself again haha, but I really wanted soup today. I will have to see if they will provide me a smaller size option if I ask, but its not listed on the menu. The soup should have had shredded beef and I ate about 3 pieces of meat, but that was it. I think there should have been more meat in the soup and based on my other experiences with this soup at other places, it was definitely lacking. The menu was interesting. In addition to Korean platters, they also offered some Chinese food items such as Lo Mein Noodles and subs such as cheesesteak subs. Lastly, you can get side items such as chicken tenders and fries or even dumplings. That is quite the variety. This place is in prime location for me as it is a short walk from my apartment. I could see myself coming back if I am in a quick need of Take Out and desire Korean food. For that very purpose, I would try this place again depending on how badly I want Korean food. One thing to note is there is a $10 minimum for credit cards, so if you are not planning on spending that much, remember to bring cash!
(3)
Danny C.
Ajumma means Elder Woman in Korean. When I walked in, there was no Korean anybody in there. Everybody that worked there was Hispanic. I decided to order a Beef and Pork Bulgogi. Got my order, went to my brother's work and tried them out. Both dishes had 25% Onions, 25% meat, and 50% rice. The flavors were pretty good but each dish was 9 bucks and the portions weren't that big. I did see a lot of Asians there, probably Korean and they were all skinny so the portions there might have been just right for them. The food here is made to order but quick and the food itself was pretty good.
(3)
Emily K.
The 8 dollar ram yun is literally the $1 ramen package you would buy from the market with an additional egg.
(2)
Courtney W.
Fresh ingredients and meals made to order in front of you. Veggies, chow mein and sriracha sauce make for a tasty meal. Close to the Hopkins campus and under $10 for most meals. I am not sure why I'm giving 5 stars but I can't think of a single complaint. $10 credit card minimum
(5)
Maria M.
We went here for a small lunch break during a weekend course we were taking in Baltimore. This was a nice little surprise near Johns Hopkins University. So... it's ok. Compared to other Korean food places in baltimore alone, it's just ok. I think it's actually a fusion of some sort because I think I saw other things on the menu that was not necessarily korean food. Anyways, my friends got bulgogi with rice and a bulgogi sandwich. Both looked good and my friends said they were pretty good. I got the yuk-gae-jang. Now, disclaimer here, I'm not Korean. However, I am married to a korean who loves korean food and who has instilled in me the love of korean food. My measurement is based on my mother in law's cooking who is probably one of the best cooks ever in life. In any case, back the my order.... the broth of the yuk gae jang was really spicy for me... but I think the spicyness would be just right for my husband. That's not why I gave this place just an ok rating. The broth was spicy, but it wasn't quite as tasty/savory as other ones I've tasted (i.e. try nakwon's yuk-gae-jang and then compare). Also, there was not much meat in the dish... probably the least meat-y yukgaejang I've had.... and I've had lots (once, I went through a yukgaejang craze when all I ordered ever was yukgaejang... so i think my review of this dish is pretty legit). Anyways, usually it would come with clear noodles right? This one came with bean sprouts... which actually wasn't too bad. But just different. (sometimes I fear change). Maybe there were noodles in there... but I couldn't finish the dish because we had to hurry back to class. Anyways, the atmosphere is also very much like a school cafeteria and I guess I just missed the feel of a good ol' hole in the wall korean restaurant. This place was ok. Not bad... but not the best. Give it a try though. It's not a bad alternative if you are a student at Hopkins and don't feel like driving.
(3)
Dan A.
Was in the area so swung by Ajumma to grab a bite to eat. This place used to be C&C's Carryout and a Bagel place way back in the day. Ajumma is an improvement over those previous restaurants. The staff was very friendly. Since I was by myself, I did some people watching while eating... Unlike many other Korean restaurants, the staff was friendly to Koreans and non-Koreans alike. Additionally, the cashier spoke English pretty well. I first ordered yukgaejang, a spicy Korean soup that has shredded beef. Unfortunately, I was informed they didn't have it today. But they did have pho (which was not on the menu). Wasn't in a pho mood so I ordered a chicken bulgogi. The food came out fairly quickly. The dish was slightly spicy (not as much as I was expecting) and somewhat sweet at the same time. The onions were cooked perfectly -- they were caramelized and sweet but still retained their texture. It was a little greasy though.... I'd have preferred if they didn't use as much oil. Not sure why some people are complaining the food isn't "authentic" though... It may not be the best quality, but it's still certainly Korean food. Anyways, back to the food. Though the portions looked somewhat small on the plate... it's actually quite filling. No complaints there. To me, it gets a solid 3.5 stars... but i'll round it up to 4 stars.
(4)
Dong H.
Considering the lack of asian stores nearby, this place is alright. Service is pretty fast and the food is good for the price. Tastes semi authentic but not super fresh.
(3)
Joseph K.
More a 3.5 Don't think of this like a sit down korean restaurant like Nakwon, san soo kab san, jong gak, or a krn bbq place. This is a semi fast food version of a korean/japance style restaurant. You don't get sides or anything like that. I'm pretty sure their owners are the same as the previous CC carry out, and the food is similar. I know because it tasted pretty much the same this time around. The reason I don't like it that much is because they don't marinade most of the meat. When I watch them cook the chicken bulgogi, sukiyaki, beef sukiyaki, etc...essentially they bring out a fresh piece of chicken or beef that's not marinaded and then cook it in onions, veggies and add seasoning on the grill. The grill probably has a good amount of flavor on its own throughout the day. I'm not saying this isn't bad, but krn bulgogi that my mom makes and I know how to make..or most krn meats for that matter are marinaded to allow those flavors to penetrate the meat. The food is still fairly flavorful because it cooks in the oil, spices, onions, veggies but it's missing that edge that makes this place good for me. Most of the food is fairly oily. They give you lots of rice, so you'll get full. Most of the dishes come with veggies (not a whole lot for some ..sometimes just onions for bulgogi) but you will get full. IT doesn't get much better with each bite. but it's definitely decent food. I haven't had the krn soups (dumpling rice cake soup, soon doo boo(spicy tofu soup)) but i'm sure those would be good ...the main cash register lady (owner I believe) is very nice. She has formed some good customer relations with many students so that's nice to see. I have a feeling their soups would be good because those are really hard to mess up. I'd go back to try more of those things. Any of the dishes with meat, though...just don't hit the spot. They also don't give you that much meat especially in the sukiyakis. They'll break down the meat as they cook it, so you don't end up with good chunks usually. Probably about 3oz of meat per serving. I believe it's overpriced too. I wish they had like a 5 or 6$ standard meal with meat, half of the rice they give and veggies. If they lowered the price like $1.50 on everything i'd be a happy camper. With the prices they have (8.50-11 ish) i'd rather go to a san soo kab san or jong gak.
(3)
B W.
Very good, if slightly low-brow, Korean takeout. It's not nam kang, but when you're in the mood for Korean on your couch it's a great choice. Plus the owner/cashier lady is sooooo nice!
(4)
Sung C.
Not the best Korean food... actually bit disappointed! Ordered BiBimBap & Spicy Pork bulgogi and both were made pretty poorly. Portion was small, and ingredients in BiBimBap was very unusual than what I'm used to. I should have known better when I saw other than Koreans preparing my food...
(2)
Barbara D.
It's ok. Nothing you can't make at home yourself. They recently expanded and are now enormous, so there's plenty of seating. Kind of like a fast food place, with big clear windows to let everyone walking down St. Paul Street watch you eat. It's not expensive, but it's 1 or 2 dollars more expensive than the average dinner on St. Paul. Is it worth it? If you're desperate for Korean food.
(3)
Robby B.
Ajumma was the first place I ever had Korean food. Well, back then it was called CC Carry Out, the prices were cheaper, and I refused to get anything remotely spicy. I have a lot of good memories here; lots of older and wiser friends would instruct me on what to order and on the secrets of life-- some pieces of advice proved good and others... not as much. I'm still no expert on Korean cuisine and this place may not have the fancier dishes, but Ajumma definitely satisfies one of my more frequent cravings. Since they took over the adjacent store, there is a ton of seating, which is never fully used. Ajumma has a clean and bright interior which is nice for chilling, but you won't miss out by getting food to go. The staff is SUPER friendly. If they can tell you don't know what to order (from your obvious "deer in headlights" expression), they'll be happy to explain what's in a particular dish. Now I know I've been raving and (waxing nostalgic) about Ajumma thus far, but the food is only so good, especially considering the slow increase in prices over the years. First dish I had here was the bibimbap. It has lots of veggies, a fried egg, and some weird stringy beef over white rice. A sweet red sauce comes on the side-- I'm really not good with the names of individual ingredients. The veggies aren't really cooked and the whole thing feels a bit haphazardly put together. It's still pretty tasty though. I believe it's $8 now. Next thing I tried here was the beef bulgogi. For the uninitiated, you'll probably like this if you enjoy teriyaki (though it's definitely a different taste). Its fairly sweet, but not goopy like teriyaki. The sauteed onions are very tasty. The beef is in thin, but mostly tender slices. A big helping of white rice sits below the beef and onion. Their fancy new menu says it costs $8.50, but Ajumma recently started charging $9 for it. It's a big portion, but overpriced considering general quality. I usually get the chicken bulgogi now. It's not sweet, but a bit spicy instead. It could probably use a little more kick though. Same great sauteed onions. Chicken is in small shredded pieces. The dish is a bit too oily. Again, the menu says $8.50, but they will charge you $9. Why, Ajumma? Why? I recently got the kimchi bokkeumbap ($8), which I was not impressed with. The kimchi was a bit bland as were the small tofu chunks. The fried egg on top is nice. The rice was white, not fried as most kimchi bokkeumbap is, which was disappointing. Ajumma also has teriyaki dishes, American sides like fries, and pho. They recently started a $10 minimum on credit card purchases, so bring cash. Ajumma is good, not great in my book. I'll keep coming though, whenever I have that yearning.
(3)
Jeong C.
A true hidden gem in Baltimore! A welcome change from family-style sit-down overpriced Korean restaurants, Ajumma delivers on good taste and generous portions. As far as casual dining Korean goes, there is no better place in Baltimore as far as I'm concerned. The pork bulgogi was perfectly cooked, but I have noticed that the spice level varies from "meh" to "I'm about to drink a gallon of milk". The bibimbab was refreshing as it was tasty. The noodles were okay, kind of reminiscent of a lo mein dish. Entrees in the $8-9 range, with generous portions (albeit of rice). A great place to introduce your friends to bread-and-butter Korean cuisine, esp. bulgogi. As mentioned before, I can confirm their excellent service to both Korean and non-Koreans. The original ajumma (which means auntie or middle-aged woman) is quite cheerful as she is attentive. I would definitely come here before a night of partying (then head to Nak Won at the end of the night for kalbi)
(5)
Tim K.
Sorta a 3.5, but I'll bump it up to 4 because the lady here was nice. Living at Wolman with no dining dollars and a dump of a kitchenette, this was one of my go-to's. I tried a few different things here, only one of which was Korean (I know, shame on me). The beef bulgogi was good, but very oily and the portion wasn't great. Now to the unKorean things I got here. Cheeseburger and fries were actually not bad (by Baltimore standards). And, like the cheesesteak sandwich, they were actually better than the University Market down the street. Altogether this is one of the better options on St. Paul street, especially compared to university market and that Chinese place down the street. Worth a try.
(4)
Carter N.
This place just isn't worth it to me. It's expensive for a joint that's like fast food- the interior look and ordering at the counter. The bibimbap didn't have much flavor, variety of veggies, snap to the veggies, or freshness. Good bibimbap should come in a stone bowl that it was cooked in. The bulgogi was just greasy, not a lot of flavor, nothing really to it, and way too pricey. The steamed dumplings were not bad. If I really want Korean food, I won't go here.
(2)
Rebecca G.
Ajumma is the Korean restaurant that replaced CC Carryout in Charles Village. It offers the same friendly, super quick takeout, and has a menu that I actually like a bit better than CC's. The option of a chicken bulgogi is welcome - a less fatty, stringy choice, with just as much spice. The portions are huge, the prices are low, and the onions are nicely cooked to just the right balance of crunch and flavor.
(4)
Nicholas P.
This is the best food in Charles Village. The woman who runs it is a total sweetheart, too. Highly, highly recommended, especially the chicken bulgogi.
(5)
Kojo B.
I will profess to say that I don't have a wealth of experience when it comes to Korean food. However, I stopped by this establishment since its a stone throw from my apartment. I ordered the beef bulgogi spicy it was decent not too bad, a couple of friends ordered the chicken bulgogi and shrimp steak dish, they said it was decent. All in all to get a quick inexpensive, and plentiful bite give it a whirl. On my next trip there I will try the pork bulgogi.
(3)
Cindy Z.
SO. AWESOME. You have no idea how terrible it is for a little Asian girl like me to be away from good Asian food for months at a time. Hopkins doesn't serve decent Asian food, and the Chinese carry out in Baltimore is a joke. Ajumma rose to the challenge. I love love love their bugogi and bibimbap. They even sell aloe drink! It was like homecoming for me, even though I'm not Korean. The lady who owns this place is so cute and friendly. It's a real pity they don't accept J-cash. I'll be back, again and again.
(5)
Andrew L.
Asian (Korean?) fast food. Sort of like philly cheesesteak meat on rice (without the cheese) and asian sauce. Lots of butter. It tastes good and the portions are reasonable for the price, but just very average. Good for breaking up the monotony with a bit of different taste, but honestly I could make this better myself for much less.
(3)
Justin L.
Cozily situated on the corner of 32nd and St. Paul, i've walked by Ajumma's cute black and red awning many times but for whatever reason have procrastinated on actually visiting (possibly because of the other, rather sketchy looking Asian take out places located nearby). As a previous reviewer said, the place is run by a really friendly family of Koreans. The service was quick and polite. I ordered the beef bulgogi, which was served piping hot with onions on a bed of freshly steamed white rice. It was quite good; not necessarily the most authentic (it's more of a fast food/take-out styled place), but prepared well. The menu is a little strange...there are some Korean staples like the bulgogi, some dishes with kimchi, and...chicken fingers? Kind of out of place. Prices are okay. They're a little higher than i'd like for take out Asian (8 bucks for the bulgogi, which was a fairly large portion), but still reasonable. The place is really clean and has ample indoor seating with some outdoor tables. I did find it awkward that they only had chopsticks. For the amount of non-Asian customers that this place probably gets, why are there no plastic forks for the chopstick-challenged...?
(4)
JONATHAN A.
The service was quick and nice. The food was excellent. The bulgogi was wonderful and the chicken and noodles was a great. Will come back again.
(4)
Sean Y.
Greasy, inelegant but does the job. I ordered the bulgogi, which was a mound of white onions with some marinated beef scattered on top a plate of white rice. I was surprised the dish was void of any other vegetables. The meat was marinated well and tasted good, but the overall meal it tastes like cheap, late-night takeout Chinese food that is usually only good when hungover. The rice soaks up most the oil from the meat and makes it taste extra heavy, but good. This meal would be better if they threw in some vegetables to give it some variety and better taste. I do like that the owners are actually Korean (I saw two older Korean women working). At $8-10 I think it's expensive for what you get. I would not return.
(2)
Kim C.
Always fresh, friendly, well priced and good for takeout! And how can I pass up the Restaurant's "auntie" reference to recall good food from my childhood.
(4)
Jorge R.
Bulgogi is great; I have yet to try other things on the menu. They have free water which is another plus.
(4)
Krystyn P.
I'm a big fan of Korean food - especially bulgogi. It was refreshing to go to a order-up counter. Prices were good and the bulgogi was excellent as well. I definitely would recommend the steamed dumplings as well. It was like they put jap chae in a bun and it was quite the tasty combo. Only downside is that parking was a bit hard to find. Will definitely be back!
(4)
Jacqueline W.
I heard rave reviews about Ajumma so in between classes I went here for dinner. The menu wasn't huge but had a good assortment of Asian cuisine. I opted for the shrimp fried noodles for $8.99. It wasnt the price that bothered me as much as the wait time. I waited 20+ minutes for a styrofoam box full of noodles. My friend who ordered right before me got the chicken fried noodles and her food came out 5 minutes earlier. There aren't many options in the area, but I would take my money and time elsewhere.
(2)
Aileen P.
Fast service. Generous portions. Curry rice is flavorful.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : No
Kelsey H.
Not the best Korean food I've had by any means, but it has definitely improved over the years. I always order the bibimbap, which is great when I want a nice filling rice-based meal. From this place it has rice, lettuce, beef, carrots, and I don't think it has the egg on top but I can't remember exactly. If you're used to the bibimbap in the hot stone bowl with the delicious crunchy rice lining the bowl and the fresh delicious ingredients, this place will disappoint you. Prices are high for the quality of food (about $8 for bibimbap) but you get a huge portion!
(3)Elizabeth J.
It was dry, not terribly flavorful and otherwise unexciting bulgogi. The steamed dumplings were doughy and mushy at the same time, I didn't enjoy them.
(2)Holly N.
Food was piping hot and ready within a couple minutes of ordering and it was so very satisfying for a study night. The chicken bugogi and veggie stir-fried noodles are awesome. Flavor was excellent! The onions on the bugogi are perfectly caramelized. I was surprised to see how much oil they put on it when they were cooking it (seemed like A LOT) but it was delicious so I can't complain. The fried pot stickers were average at best though. Not worth ordering and you don't get many for the price. The staff are very friendly and warm. Great for a casual weeknight or your average craving for stir fry.
(4)Erin V.
The food is a solid four stars, but it's pretty pricey for being a fast food restaurant. I love their bibimbap, dumplings, and their spicey bulgogi is pretty darn tasty. Besides the price, my other complaint is the fact that they put very little meat in their bulgogi dishes. I come out of there getting full off of onion and rice! That's mildly disappointing. It is rather greasy, but perhaps in a good way. If you want something fresher tasting, try the Bibimbap. The staff is also very courteous and nice.
(3)Gaz H.
Clean, tasty, cheap and cheerful. The bulgogi, the chicken bulgogi (not what you would expect - spicy and red), and the sukiyaki all hit the spot. Friendly, cheerful service. Fast preparation on an open grill visbile from the dining area.
(4)Julia S.
One of the most vegan-friendly korean places i've been in my limited experience with korean food....the tofu bulgogi was great but i wish there was more tofu, and the vegetarian rice platter was awesome! a tiny bit oily for me and i think there should be more tofu/larger portions for the price. service was very fast!
(3)Joshua L.
Good food, ideal for diverse food for jhu students. The korean food is a real treat, since there really isn't a large selection of asian restaurants or even fast food places here; you'll need to go into inner harbor to find even a five guys here
(5)suz h.
Bibimbap and chicken bulgogi are both great!
(4)Michael L.
It's pretty decent food for the distance that you have to go to get it. The korean food here was good enough for me. The only things that I really got here were the bulgogi dishes and some of the soups as well. I only like the spicy ones so I got those everytime I was there and I was not disappointed with the food. It's not 100 percent authentic, but it is good. Really a place that's geared for Hopkins students.
(4)Not A.
This is a great bolgogi joint. The menu is sparse but they do what they do extremely well. The fried dumplings taste fresh, made that morning, not bought frozen from a supplier. I cannot speak to any of their other foods because I have not made it past their excellent spicy beef bulgogi yet. The bulgogi is vegan and vegetarian friendly, but there are not many other options for herbivores.
(5)Albert Y.
As a korean, isolated from my family, this is my go to for cheap, quality korean comfort food. It reminds me of street food availabe in Korean American Neighborhoods in LA, NY, and DC/VA. Its more americanized but serves its purpose of filling me up, bring nostalgic feelings, and leaving $$$ in my pocket.
(5)J G.
Great spicy chicken bulgogi!!
(5)Amanda W.
I only ever eat here when I'm doing laundry a few blocks down, but it usually satisfies my craving and the portions are so big that I can take half of it home. BEEF SUKIYAKI: This is what I usually get. It's pretty much just sauteed beef and cabbage in a delicious savory sukiyaki sauce over rice. It's really hearty, but it can get oily toward the bottom. FRIED DUMPLINGS: Don't get these. They are rectangular shaped and you can get the EXACT same ones at HMart in a bag for $5. So it's a little bit of a ripoff, but if you can't get to HMart, they are pretty delicious- but again: very oily. RAMEN: Another one I would avoid if you can go to HMart. They have the exact brand and you can buy a packet for $1 as opposed to almost ten times the price. They do put an egg in, so that's what one difference from the bag. BIBIMBAP: This is a delicious rice bowl with veggies and ground beef. This is the only other thing I might get besides sukiyaki because the beef is really flavorful and I don't know where to get all the veggies that they put inside. OVERALL- most of the dishes are around $10, which is pretty average for lunch and about the same price as chipotle, which is down the street and always busy. I would steer away from items that you can make at home like dumplings and ramen, but the more complicated rice dishes are a pretty delicious lunch choice.
(4)Kim Y.
I love this place. But what recently bumped my rating from a 4 to a 5 is the fact they I think they got rid of one of the employees that used to man the front cashier. This employee was a bit rude and liked to talk about customers in Spanish, thinking that nobody understood her, but the feeling of being talked about in a negative way is universal - it's just a terrible feeling. It has never happened to me personally, as I'm usually the type of customer to be friendly and keep quiet, but I've seen disgruntled and rushed customers be treated poorly in the past. NOW! Finally! The owner lady has made this into a slightly more mom-and-pop feel restaurant that is super casual and super delicious! Although the family that runs the place is Korean (and yes, they finally hired more Koreans to work front and back of house! Yes!) they sell mixed Asian dishes like "Lo-mein Noodles", "Teriyakis", and "French Fries". I would, however, definitely recommend that you stick to their Korean dishes. These are where the cost of lunch will shine. It is not a cheap $5 lunch spot. You get some well seasoned, hot, prepared-in-front-of-you, food with a good authentic flair. You should expect to pay about $10 for a bottled drink and a hot meal. But they make their food fast and they make all of their dishes consistently every time. I recommend this place for lunches. It never gets too busy even though it's in a busy Charles Village/Johns Hopkins University Undergraduate area. They have a fairly large dining area with plenty of tables and seats too.
(5)Katherine H.
Just went for a take-out order of bibimbap. Food came out pretty quickly and everything was good. My only complaint is that they didn't put as much meet as anticipated in my dish. Seriously there was hardly any at all! Would still go back and give some of their other stuff a try.
(3)Chih Chao C.
Compared it's price and location, it's a good choice for students nearby to have Asia food.
(4)Lucy X.
I was SO looking forward to this place, considering their bulgogi meal looks similar to that of DC's Bulgogi Cart of which unfortunately I have not had the chance to visit yet. But boyyy, did I have a terrible experience here! Well everything seemed good...until we actually got our order (not to mention the slow service and confusing method of calling out orders). My boyfriend went to pick it up and when he brought it back, he told me that they apparently forgot to add spicy to my order. One of the lady workers ran up behind him, told me that she was sorry (didn't seem very sincere though), and said that I could just use some of the Sriracha hot sauce. Okay, if it was my Nth, heck even my second, time eating here, I'd probably be like sure why the heck not. But it was my first time, and I wanted to actually try what I had specifically ordered, the beef bulgogi-SPICY. Like first of all, how could YOU mess up my order, and then have the audacity to tell ME to substitute?! In any decency, they shouldn't have even given me the wrong order in the first place. So I couldn't have it and shortly afterwards, went up to the front counter and very nicely asked if they could redo my order. Again, the dude told me to just use Sriracha sauce...what So after some rather forced awkwardly polite exchanges, he finally gave up and apologized for messing up my order. A few minutes later, he personally brought my order to our table. I opened it, and immediately saw that something was off about my spicy beef bulgogi compared to my boyfriend's spicy chicken bulgogi. It looked like there was an overabundance of spicy sauce, and also less meat than what should have been there. So I kind of just gave up at this point, but soon to find out how really disgusting it was. The beef AND rice were both DRENCHED in the spicy oil sauce. I felt like I was eating spicy oil rice, since the scatters of bulgogi pieces were hardly tastable. I figured what they had probably done was dump my previous order (bulgogi AND rice) and just recooked it with spicy sauce. As opposed to the correct way which would've been cooking just the bulgogi and spicy sauce together, then putting it on top of the steamed white rice. I mean, if they were just going to recook my old order (which, not to mention, how unsanitary it is considering all of the orders are cooked on one large surface), the LEAST they could have done was TRY to pick out just the bulgogi...but no. The only good part of this whole meal was the egg, which is hard to mess up anyway. Overall, a highly disappointing, unsatisfactory meal and experience. I will probably never come back again...Bulgogi Cart where art thou? :)
(1)Jon W.
Apparently this was formally C&C Carryout. I'm new to the area so I didn't know that. However, I do like the new open air, modern design. Its simple menu mostly consisting of Korean food is also good too. As always, if you see Asians outnumbering non-Asians in an Asian restaurant, that is a good sign. The fact that many asians from nearby JHU come here seems to validate this. As to the food, it is pretty good. The bulgogi is definitely not the best I've eaten, but is fairly good, esp. for a more fast food style place. The curry chicken is nice and flavorful, albeit also not the best I've had either. Basically, it seems, Ajumma has solid Korean food offerings run by what seems to be a really nice group of Koreans. The decor is nice as well (and apparently, a vast improvement over what it was like as C&C). The prices are alright. They could be a little better, but it's definitely not terrible (though if they did lower the price a little more, I would definitely eat there most days on my lunch break). All in all, a nice semi-hole in the wall Korean joint with nearly authentic Korean food.
(4)Stephanie H.
Every time I've been to Ajumma, the service has been fast and the food has been yummy. Both rice and noodle dishes, you can't really go wrong. I personally like their bulgogi dishes best, but really everything is freshly made and given in large portions. I find their storefront too be amusing as well because there's lots of random Spider-Man figurines and stickers around the restaurant. The shop is quite clean and well kept. Today I tried their new addition of boba bubble tea. You order it in the little stand in the middle of the shop. A warning...it's cash only. There's only one size and its $4 each. They have about 8 different flavors to choose from, ranging from the original black milk tea to fruity flavors like mango to thai tea. I am very particular about my bubble tea and have high standards, but Ajumma's is my second favorite place for boba now in Baltimore (the best in terms of quality and price is TriBeCa Coffee Roasters near Penn station). The drink itself was a little too slushie for bubble tea, but the taste was great! The bubbles, which is what most places mess up, were perfect. They even have the machine to seal the tops with a flat plastic cover! If I had to make any criticisms, it's a bit pricey but expected for bubble tea, the texture is a bit off for the drink, and maybe too many bubbles but really awesome for Baltimore where good bubble tea is a rarity.
(5)George P.
I only ever get the chicken bulgogi, extra spicy but I can tell you it is the bomb. It's hardly ever crowded and i think the price is just a wee bit high but totally worth it. This place deserves more business.
(5)Andrew F.
Although the food here is good and the place is nice, the service borders on terrible. There is no receipt and you often don't know when your order is ready, and the staff are not very helpful, although the food is fast. Still, not a bad place, although it's only really good for a quick meal. If they could at least give you a number, it'd make the process of ordering much smoother. The pork bulgogi is delicious though.
(3)Bernie C.
So I would've done a three star review before 2015. But in 2015 they raised their prices from "too much for everyday for college students" to "we're raising everything 50 cents cause we think you won't notice" The meat to rice ratio is pretty much wrong all the time. Every time I go with friends my friends leave at least half a box of rice, I, personally, always finish my entire box because it's me and I will eat straight white rice mixed with sriracha if I'm hungry. I always get everything extra spicy, because they make everything, excuse my racism, "white people spicy". I realize that's racist. But also realize that white people are probably the only race ever to sue a company for being too spicy, and one of the few cultures whose spices do not revolve around some sort of pepper or chili. So, any of the bulgogis, the sukiyakis, the lomeins are all pretty alright. I wouldn't get a sub here.... cause who gets subs at ajumma thats just weird. the fried dumplings are so extremely overpriced its pretty ridiculous, if you have a car, go to hmart, I've seen the brand of dumplings they use there, theyre pretty good and way cheaper to just fry them yourself. Oh and I wouldn't get their teriyakis, personal preference I think but its sauce is... funky. what else... oh, despite all this, i get food from here because it's close to hopkins, I don't have a car, and Niwana keeps getting my order wrong.
(2)Liam P.
Awesome service, good food. The warm service of the family owned business here brightens your day. The food, while slightly expensive, is decent Korean food, and like everyone, I must recommend the Spicy Chicken Bulgogi.
(5)Alan C.
In truth, this place might deserve only 3 or 3.5 stars, but you have to consider what else is available in Charles Village, which IMO is not much good. I'll give it 4. Let me start by saying I'm something of a stranger to Korean food. My sister was always more of the fanatic with this stuff. So keep in mind I'm not evaluating this food as Korean food, but just food. If I say it's good, then I don't mean it's necessarily good Korean food, I just mean I like it. And I do like it. I do like the food at Ajumma, but they need a better ordering procedure. How it works is you step to the counter and list your demands, then the lady smiles at you and you pay and you can stand around or go have seat at one of the tables (usually there's empty tables somewhere) and wait. Problem is that when she calls out the orders that are ready, you have no idea if it's your order or someone else's since you have no ticket number or receipt. I've come twice so far, once for the squid bulgogi and then for the beef bulgogi. A third time I cam with a friend, but we hadn't checked the operating hours so we came in an hour before opening; the nice lady served us anyway. One person said the food was dry, which I can kind of agree with. But it's not so dry that I actually mind. I think the bulgogi chicken will run you about $8-$9, plus tax. It's really not terribly expensive, still under $10, but I'm just stingy enough that I convince myself not to come out unless I really have to.
(4)Talia S.
This place has surprisingly good Korean food. I had the bibimbap and found it very good. They serve a spicy sauce on the side with veggies which adds to the flavor. I totally loved the dish with the bulgogi my boyfriend got. Quite satisfying
(3)Marjorie M.
I was in the mood for some spicy Korean food and decided to try this place since it is right in my neighborhood. I ordered the Chicken Bulgogi and the Yukgae Jang (Beef Spicy) soup to go. The lady at the counter was nice enough in taking my order and they went about cooking up my order. The meals average around $8 or more. The Chicken Bulgogi was tasty and the meat was spread over a layer of rice in the container. I must say though for $8.49, I would have expected more meat. I felt the meat to rice ratio was not enough and that's saying something for me who loves rice and typically always want more. The spice/heat was not hot enough for me, but I noticed in some reviews that others have asked for EXTRA spice. I will definitely have to try that. Overall, the chicken bulgogi was something I could see myself getting again. It wasn't the best that I've ever had, but it hit the spot since there isn't any other place that I can get the same meal within walking distance. The first thing I noticed with the Yukgae Jang soup was that the soup container had a hole in it. The holes were tiny and could have melted from the heat? My initial reaction as I walked home was "EW" because no clue really how the holes were made on the lid and it could have been a mess on my way home (luckily it wasn't). Also, the soup was $9.99. There was no option for a smaller size other than a quart. I will have to keep that in mind in the future because I don't think I will be buying a $10 soup for just myself again haha, but I really wanted soup today. I will have to see if they will provide me a smaller size option if I ask, but its not listed on the menu. The soup should have had shredded beef and I ate about 3 pieces of meat, but that was it. I think there should have been more meat in the soup and based on my other experiences with this soup at other places, it was definitely lacking. The menu was interesting. In addition to Korean platters, they also offered some Chinese food items such as Lo Mein Noodles and subs such as cheesesteak subs. Lastly, you can get side items such as chicken tenders and fries or even dumplings. That is quite the variety. This place is in prime location for me as it is a short walk from my apartment. I could see myself coming back if I am in a quick need of Take Out and desire Korean food. For that very purpose, I would try this place again depending on how badly I want Korean food. One thing to note is there is a $10 minimum for credit cards, so if you are not planning on spending that much, remember to bring cash!
(3)Danny C.
Ajumma means Elder Woman in Korean. When I walked in, there was no Korean anybody in there. Everybody that worked there was Hispanic. I decided to order a Beef and Pork Bulgogi. Got my order, went to my brother's work and tried them out. Both dishes had 25% Onions, 25% meat, and 50% rice. The flavors were pretty good but each dish was 9 bucks and the portions weren't that big. I did see a lot of Asians there, probably Korean and they were all skinny so the portions there might have been just right for them. The food here is made to order but quick and the food itself was pretty good.
(3)Emily K.
The 8 dollar ram yun is literally the $1 ramen package you would buy from the market with an additional egg.
(2)Courtney W.
Fresh ingredients and meals made to order in front of you. Veggies, chow mein and sriracha sauce make for a tasty meal. Close to the Hopkins campus and under $10 for most meals. I am not sure why I'm giving 5 stars but I can't think of a single complaint. $10 credit card minimum
(5)Maria M.
We went here for a small lunch break during a weekend course we were taking in Baltimore. This was a nice little surprise near Johns Hopkins University. So... it's ok. Compared to other Korean food places in baltimore alone, it's just ok. I think it's actually a fusion of some sort because I think I saw other things on the menu that was not necessarily korean food. Anyways, my friends got bulgogi with rice and a bulgogi sandwich. Both looked good and my friends said they were pretty good. I got the yuk-gae-jang. Now, disclaimer here, I'm not Korean. However, I am married to a korean who loves korean food and who has instilled in me the love of korean food. My measurement is based on my mother in law's cooking who is probably one of the best cooks ever in life. In any case, back the my order.... the broth of the yuk gae jang was really spicy for me... but I think the spicyness would be just right for my husband. That's not why I gave this place just an ok rating. The broth was spicy, but it wasn't quite as tasty/savory as other ones I've tasted (i.e. try nakwon's yuk-gae-jang and then compare). Also, there was not much meat in the dish... probably the least meat-y yukgaejang I've had.... and I've had lots (once, I went through a yukgaejang craze when all I ordered ever was yukgaejang... so i think my review of this dish is pretty legit). Anyways, usually it would come with clear noodles right? This one came with bean sprouts... which actually wasn't too bad. But just different. (sometimes I fear change). Maybe there were noodles in there... but I couldn't finish the dish because we had to hurry back to class. Anyways, the atmosphere is also very much like a school cafeteria and I guess I just missed the feel of a good ol' hole in the wall korean restaurant. This place was ok. Not bad... but not the best. Give it a try though. It's not a bad alternative if you are a student at Hopkins and don't feel like driving.
(3)Dan A.
Was in the area so swung by Ajumma to grab a bite to eat. This place used to be C&C's Carryout and a Bagel place way back in the day. Ajumma is an improvement over those previous restaurants. The staff was very friendly. Since I was by myself, I did some people watching while eating... Unlike many other Korean restaurants, the staff was friendly to Koreans and non-Koreans alike. Additionally, the cashier spoke English pretty well. I first ordered yukgaejang, a spicy Korean soup that has shredded beef. Unfortunately, I was informed they didn't have it today. But they did have pho (which was not on the menu). Wasn't in a pho mood so I ordered a chicken bulgogi. The food came out fairly quickly. The dish was slightly spicy (not as much as I was expecting) and somewhat sweet at the same time. The onions were cooked perfectly -- they were caramelized and sweet but still retained their texture. It was a little greasy though.... I'd have preferred if they didn't use as much oil. Not sure why some people are complaining the food isn't "authentic" though... It may not be the best quality, but it's still certainly Korean food. Anyways, back to the food. Though the portions looked somewhat small on the plate... it's actually quite filling. No complaints there. To me, it gets a solid 3.5 stars... but i'll round it up to 4 stars.
(4)Dong H.
Considering the lack of asian stores nearby, this place is alright. Service is pretty fast and the food is good for the price. Tastes semi authentic but not super fresh.
(3)Joseph K.
More a 3.5 Don't think of this like a sit down korean restaurant like Nakwon, san soo kab san, jong gak, or a krn bbq place. This is a semi fast food version of a korean/japance style restaurant. You don't get sides or anything like that. I'm pretty sure their owners are the same as the previous CC carry out, and the food is similar. I know because it tasted pretty much the same this time around. The reason I don't like it that much is because they don't marinade most of the meat. When I watch them cook the chicken bulgogi, sukiyaki, beef sukiyaki, etc...essentially they bring out a fresh piece of chicken or beef that's not marinaded and then cook it in onions, veggies and add seasoning on the grill. The grill probably has a good amount of flavor on its own throughout the day. I'm not saying this isn't bad, but krn bulgogi that my mom makes and I know how to make..or most krn meats for that matter are marinaded to allow those flavors to penetrate the meat. The food is still fairly flavorful because it cooks in the oil, spices, onions, veggies but it's missing that edge that makes this place good for me. Most of the food is fairly oily. They give you lots of rice, so you'll get full. Most of the dishes come with veggies (not a whole lot for some ..sometimes just onions for bulgogi) but you will get full. IT doesn't get much better with each bite. but it's definitely decent food. I haven't had the krn soups (dumpling rice cake soup, soon doo boo(spicy tofu soup)) but i'm sure those would be good ...the main cash register lady (owner I believe) is very nice. She has formed some good customer relations with many students so that's nice to see. I have a feeling their soups would be good because those are really hard to mess up. I'd go back to try more of those things. Any of the dishes with meat, though...just don't hit the spot. They also don't give you that much meat especially in the sukiyakis. They'll break down the meat as they cook it, so you don't end up with good chunks usually. Probably about 3oz of meat per serving. I believe it's overpriced too. I wish they had like a 5 or 6$ standard meal with meat, half of the rice they give and veggies. If they lowered the price like $1.50 on everything i'd be a happy camper. With the prices they have (8.50-11 ish) i'd rather go to a san soo kab san or jong gak.
(3)B W.
Very good, if slightly low-brow, Korean takeout. It's not nam kang, but when you're in the mood for Korean on your couch it's a great choice. Plus the owner/cashier lady is sooooo nice!
(4)Sung C.
Not the best Korean food... actually bit disappointed! Ordered BiBimBap & Spicy Pork bulgogi and both were made pretty poorly. Portion was small, and ingredients in BiBimBap was very unusual than what I'm used to. I should have known better when I saw other than Koreans preparing my food...
(2)Barbara D.
It's ok. Nothing you can't make at home yourself. They recently expanded and are now enormous, so there's plenty of seating. Kind of like a fast food place, with big clear windows to let everyone walking down St. Paul Street watch you eat. It's not expensive, but it's 1 or 2 dollars more expensive than the average dinner on St. Paul. Is it worth it? If you're desperate for Korean food.
(3)Robby B.
Ajumma was the first place I ever had Korean food. Well, back then it was called CC Carry Out, the prices were cheaper, and I refused to get anything remotely spicy. I have a lot of good memories here; lots of older and wiser friends would instruct me on what to order and on the secrets of life-- some pieces of advice proved good and others... not as much. I'm still no expert on Korean cuisine and this place may not have the fancier dishes, but Ajumma definitely satisfies one of my more frequent cravings. Since they took over the adjacent store, there is a ton of seating, which is never fully used. Ajumma has a clean and bright interior which is nice for chilling, but you won't miss out by getting food to go. The staff is SUPER friendly. If they can tell you don't know what to order (from your obvious "deer in headlights" expression), they'll be happy to explain what's in a particular dish. Now I know I've been raving and (waxing nostalgic) about Ajumma thus far, but the food is only so good, especially considering the slow increase in prices over the years. First dish I had here was the bibimbap. It has lots of veggies, a fried egg, and some weird stringy beef over white rice. A sweet red sauce comes on the side-- I'm really not good with the names of individual ingredients. The veggies aren't really cooked and the whole thing feels a bit haphazardly put together. It's still pretty tasty though. I believe it's $8 now. Next thing I tried here was the beef bulgogi. For the uninitiated, you'll probably like this if you enjoy teriyaki (though it's definitely a different taste). Its fairly sweet, but not goopy like teriyaki. The sauteed onions are very tasty. The beef is in thin, but mostly tender slices. A big helping of white rice sits below the beef and onion. Their fancy new menu says it costs $8.50, but Ajumma recently started charging $9 for it. It's a big portion, but overpriced considering general quality. I usually get the chicken bulgogi now. It's not sweet, but a bit spicy instead. It could probably use a little more kick though. Same great sauteed onions. Chicken is in small shredded pieces. The dish is a bit too oily. Again, the menu says $8.50, but they will charge you $9. Why, Ajumma? Why? I recently got the kimchi bokkeumbap ($8), which I was not impressed with. The kimchi was a bit bland as were the small tofu chunks. The fried egg on top is nice. The rice was white, not fried as most kimchi bokkeumbap is, which was disappointing. Ajumma also has teriyaki dishes, American sides like fries, and pho. They recently started a $10 minimum on credit card purchases, so bring cash. Ajumma is good, not great in my book. I'll keep coming though, whenever I have that yearning.
(3)Jeong C.
A true hidden gem in Baltimore! A welcome change from family-style sit-down overpriced Korean restaurants, Ajumma delivers on good taste and generous portions. As far as casual dining Korean goes, there is no better place in Baltimore as far as I'm concerned. The pork bulgogi was perfectly cooked, but I have noticed that the spice level varies from "meh" to "I'm about to drink a gallon of milk". The bibimbab was refreshing as it was tasty. The noodles were okay, kind of reminiscent of a lo mein dish. Entrees in the $8-9 range, with generous portions (albeit of rice). A great place to introduce your friends to bread-and-butter Korean cuisine, esp. bulgogi. As mentioned before, I can confirm their excellent service to both Korean and non-Koreans. The original ajumma (which means auntie or middle-aged woman) is quite cheerful as she is attentive. I would definitely come here before a night of partying (then head to Nak Won at the end of the night for kalbi)
(5)Tim K.
Sorta a 3.5, but I'll bump it up to 4 because the lady here was nice. Living at Wolman with no dining dollars and a dump of a kitchenette, this was one of my go-to's. I tried a few different things here, only one of which was Korean (I know, shame on me). The beef bulgogi was good, but very oily and the portion wasn't great. Now to the unKorean things I got here. Cheeseburger and fries were actually not bad (by Baltimore standards). And, like the cheesesteak sandwich, they were actually better than the University Market down the street. Altogether this is one of the better options on St. Paul street, especially compared to university market and that Chinese place down the street. Worth a try.
(4)Carter N.
This place just isn't worth it to me. It's expensive for a joint that's like fast food- the interior look and ordering at the counter. The bibimbap didn't have much flavor, variety of veggies, snap to the veggies, or freshness. Good bibimbap should come in a stone bowl that it was cooked in. The bulgogi was just greasy, not a lot of flavor, nothing really to it, and way too pricey. The steamed dumplings were not bad. If I really want Korean food, I won't go here.
(2)Rebecca G.
Ajumma is the Korean restaurant that replaced CC Carryout in Charles Village. It offers the same friendly, super quick takeout, and has a menu that I actually like a bit better than CC's. The option of a chicken bulgogi is welcome - a less fatty, stringy choice, with just as much spice. The portions are huge, the prices are low, and the onions are nicely cooked to just the right balance of crunch and flavor.
(4)Nicholas P.
This is the best food in Charles Village. The woman who runs it is a total sweetheart, too. Highly, highly recommended, especially the chicken bulgogi.
(5)Kojo B.
I will profess to say that I don't have a wealth of experience when it comes to Korean food. However, I stopped by this establishment since its a stone throw from my apartment. I ordered the beef bulgogi spicy it was decent not too bad, a couple of friends ordered the chicken bulgogi and shrimp steak dish, they said it was decent. All in all to get a quick inexpensive, and plentiful bite give it a whirl. On my next trip there I will try the pork bulgogi.
(3)Cindy Z.
SO. AWESOME. You have no idea how terrible it is for a little Asian girl like me to be away from good Asian food for months at a time. Hopkins doesn't serve decent Asian food, and the Chinese carry out in Baltimore is a joke. Ajumma rose to the challenge. I love love love their bugogi and bibimbap. They even sell aloe drink! It was like homecoming for me, even though I'm not Korean. The lady who owns this place is so cute and friendly. It's a real pity they don't accept J-cash. I'll be back, again and again.
(5)Andrew L.
Asian (Korean?) fast food. Sort of like philly cheesesteak meat on rice (without the cheese) and asian sauce. Lots of butter. It tastes good and the portions are reasonable for the price, but just very average. Good for breaking up the monotony with a bit of different taste, but honestly I could make this better myself for much less.
(3)Justin L.
Cozily situated on the corner of 32nd and St. Paul, i've walked by Ajumma's cute black and red awning many times but for whatever reason have procrastinated on actually visiting (possibly because of the other, rather sketchy looking Asian take out places located nearby). As a previous reviewer said, the place is run by a really friendly family of Koreans. The service was quick and polite. I ordered the beef bulgogi, which was served piping hot with onions on a bed of freshly steamed white rice. It was quite good; not necessarily the most authentic (it's more of a fast food/take-out styled place), but prepared well. The menu is a little strange...there are some Korean staples like the bulgogi, some dishes with kimchi, and...chicken fingers? Kind of out of place. Prices are okay. They're a little higher than i'd like for take out Asian (8 bucks for the bulgogi, which was a fairly large portion), but still reasonable. The place is really clean and has ample indoor seating with some outdoor tables. I did find it awkward that they only had chopsticks. For the amount of non-Asian customers that this place probably gets, why are there no plastic forks for the chopstick-challenged...?
(4)JONATHAN A.
The service was quick and nice. The food was excellent. The bulgogi was wonderful and the chicken and noodles was a great. Will come back again.
(4)Sean Y.
Greasy, inelegant but does the job. I ordered the bulgogi, which was a mound of white onions with some marinated beef scattered on top a plate of white rice. I was surprised the dish was void of any other vegetables. The meat was marinated well and tasted good, but the overall meal it tastes like cheap, late-night takeout Chinese food that is usually only good when hungover. The rice soaks up most the oil from the meat and makes it taste extra heavy, but good. This meal would be better if they threw in some vegetables to give it some variety and better taste. I do like that the owners are actually Korean (I saw two older Korean women working). At $8-10 I think it's expensive for what you get. I would not return.
(2)Kim C.
Always fresh, friendly, well priced and good for takeout! And how can I pass up the Restaurant's "auntie" reference to recall good food from my childhood.
(4)Jorge R.
Bulgogi is great; I have yet to try other things on the menu. They have free water which is another plus.
(4)Krystyn P.
I'm a big fan of Korean food - especially bulgogi. It was refreshing to go to a order-up counter. Prices were good and the bulgogi was excellent as well. I definitely would recommend the steamed dumplings as well. It was like they put jap chae in a bun and it was quite the tasty combo. Only downside is that parking was a bit hard to find. Will definitely be back!
(4)Jacqueline W.
I heard rave reviews about Ajumma so in between classes I went here for dinner. The menu wasn't huge but had a good assortment of Asian cuisine. I opted for the shrimp fried noodles for $8.99. It wasnt the price that bothered me as much as the wait time. I waited 20+ minutes for a styrofoam box full of noodles. My friend who ordered right before me got the chicken fried noodles and her food came out 5 minutes earlier. There aren't many options in the area, but I would take my money and time elsewhere.
(2)Aileen P.
Fast service. Generous portions. Curry rice is flavorful.
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