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Name: Nak Won Restaurant
Address: 12 W 20th St, Baltimore, MD, 21218
Telephone: (410) 244-5501
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.60

Nak Won Restaurant

12 W 20th St, Baltimore, MD, 21218

(410) 244-5501
Store is closed

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Nak Won Restaurant Menu

B.b.q Special

Table Cook

Fresh Kalbi

Kalbi
Menu

Seafood Casserole

Beef & Octopus Casserole

Potatoes Casserole

Kimchi Casserole

Chitterlings Casserole
Menu1

Seafood Soft Tofu Hotpot

Bean Paste Hotpot

Kimchi Hotpot

Cod Fish Hotpot

Fish Egg Hotpot

Pollack Hotpot

Cod Fish Jiri Hotpot

Beef & Bean Paste Soup

Short Beef Rib Soup

Spicy Beef Soup

Potato Hotpot

Rich With Hot Pepper Paste

Hot Stoneware Rice

Hot Stoneware Rice With Kalbi

Hot Stoneware Rice With Seafood

Fried Rice

Bean Paste Stew

Beef Soup With Rice
Menu2

Kimchee Pan Cakes

Seafood Pan Cakes

Spicy Fried Pork

Spicy Fried Squid

Fried Octopus

Healthy Meal suggestions for Nak Won Restaurant

B.b.q Special

Table Cook [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Kalbi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kalbi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Menu

Seafood Casserole [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Beef & Octopus Casserole [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Potatoes Casserole [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kimchi Casserole [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chitterlings Casserole [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Menu1

Seafood Soft Tofu Hotpot [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bean Paste Hotpot [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kimchi Hotpot [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cod Fish Hotpot [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fish Egg Hotpot [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pollack Hotpot [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cod Fish Jiri Hotpot [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Beef & Bean Paste Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Short Beef Rib Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Beef Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Potato Hotpot [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Rich With Hot Pepper Paste [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hot Stoneware Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hot Stoneware Rice With Kalbi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hot Stoneware Rice With Seafood [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fried Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bean Paste Stew [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Beef Soup With Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Menu2

Kimchee Pan Cakes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seafood Pan Cakes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Fried Pork [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Fried Squid [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fried Octopus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Write An Anonymous Review

D Y.

Oh, I had the seafood scallion pancake and WHOA! I've never had a better scallion pancake in my life! And I'm Korean. Damn, they put soooo many scallions and the seafood was cooked perfectly. The squid/octopus were so tender and fresh tasting. The Kan Poong Ki (sweet and sour chix wings) were also delicious! The batter they use is SUPER crunchy. Be careful, the batter or marmalade-like sauce holds in the heat--they are HOT! Oh and they are open till 4AM on most nights!
(5)
Ariane P.

I love their food but dislike their location. So shady. I ordered seafood pancake, worth trying, very yum. I love their dessert, rice syrup. All of the foods are great, but the price, mm kinda expensive, though they give you free appetizer.
(5)
Hung T.

This place is my #2 spot for korean food in Bmore (#1 would be hanoori town in Ellicott city). The good: Soondooboo, galbi dolsot, gamja tang, pan chan. Open til 4am! Great for those late nights partying/clubbing and great for hangovers the next day! The bad: Located in a ghetto area of Bmore... The ugly: Decor is blaahhhh...inside is pretty small. Never tried the korean bbq here so can't comment on that. Price is kinda expensive for a small korean restaurant. I wouldn't go here everyweek.
(3)
Paul L.

I love the food here. The service is usually very good and the atmosphere is very cozy. They're open very late into the night so it's a good spot to go eat after a night out in Baltimore. Price's are pretty good. For 2 people to eat you could spend as low as $30 but my average bill there is right around $50ish depending on how much I drink while I'm there.
(4)
Tom W.

seafood pancake was good, full meal overpriced, poor drink selection, using a hairdryer really! bring all the food at one time too much to manage. one and done for me.
(3)
Scott A.

Very good Korean food... so good we had dinner one night and decided to have lunch there the next day.
(4)
Lana T.

I've been to Korea and I've had Korean food in LA and I can safely say that Nak Won can hold its own against either of them. Yes, it's significantly pricier than either of those places, but then again, this is Baltimore. One order of Korean barbeque costs about $20. In terms of authenticity and deliciousness, Nak Won nails it. This is definitely the best Korean restaurant in Baltimore (who does Nam Kang think they're kidding?) and I truly think the haemul pajeaon (seafood pancake) here is the best I've ever had, with plenty of seafood that isn't drowning in batter like a lot of other places try to pull off. Almost everything I've had here was delicious, from the bibimbap to the sundobu and sul lang tang. Yes, the restaurant is in kind of a shady neighborhood, but I've never heard of anything happening to anyone near the restaurant. And yes, there are definitely perks if you come with Koreans (don't charge for rice, bring out complimentary grilled octopus, unlimited side dishes, etc.) But don't let either of these factors deter you from quality Korean food at a reasonable price, and what is definitely the best Korean food in Baltimore. Nak Won is also open relatively late (although not 24 hours like K-town in LA) making it a great late night after-clubbing or after-studying option although it's definitely not just a late night spot. I've never had to wait too long any of the many times I've come, and the servers have always been friendly. It's right next to Jong Kak, which is also worth a try, but Nak Won is my personal favorite.
(4)
Sean H.

Lovely get away place. Food is excellent. Atmosphere is real chill and laid back. The service is very friendly and prompt. Recommended for a nice get away from the norm. The Saki is brilliant.
(5)
Abish O.

The price is decent for the appetizers and stews, considering you get rice and side dishes. However, the BBQ is overpriced compared to other Korean restaurants with the BBQ option. If you are up for spicy stew's this is the place to go, but they don't have much of anything else. Every time I go, I feel like I cycle through the same dishes. And when I do get the stews I feel like they skimp out on the meat in these dishes. The ban-chan (side dishes) are different every time I go here, but I am never disappointed with what they give us. They always replenish the side dishes and ALL of them taste good. They are very flexible when it comes to payment. I usually go with a group of friends who just carry around cards and they allow us to pay for our meals separately. After being in Baltimore for a couple of years, I realized things close really early so its hard to find good food late into the night. Thankfully there is this place open as a last resort, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The parking lot is a plus. No need to worry about finding street parking.
(4)
Lou P.

Don't pass up the seafood pancake. It's a huge portion. This is the real deal Korean BBQ. Honey Pig is a bit commercial and Jeung Kak isn't what it used to be. This has now become my favorite in Baltimore
(5)
Elizabeth E.

I've been here more times than I care to admit. I love it! I just wanted to write and say that they've upgraded their grills/tables. Now, the grill is in the table, not above, which is the way I'm used to enjoying KBBQ. Enjoy!
(5)
Hayley L.

I have been to this restaurant 3 or 4 times. The food is okay. However, I would like to comment on their service. I have never been really impressed with their service but did not have any major issues until the last time I visited. After paying the bill and everything, we stood up to leave, the waitress came to us and commented on the tip because we didn't give her 20% tip. Provided that we were 2 people, the food took a long time to come, and they provided very minimal service, I did not see the reason why I should tip her more than what I felt was appropriate for the service I received. I thought it was extremely rude for her to make such comment and said that "they usually take 20% tip". I hope they realize doing things like that will cost them their customers. It will be hard for me to come back to this restaurant because of this experience.
(2)
Vickie S.

Reviewers have been spot-on that this is a lot of food for your money. Entrees are about $10-18, and between the condiments and rice sharing is perfectly within reason, even if you're very hungry. The mashed potato, pickled radish strips and glass noodles in particular vanished quickly. I'm checking off "moderate" for the price point, but be aware that includes leftovers. If you are at all familiar with Korean food but do not actually speak/read Korean, the menu can be confusing because the only English indicator of what you are ordering is a vague description. Another reviewer had remarked about this, but I did not realize before going that dish titles were not provided either. Bibim bop is listed as "rice in stoneware bowl". A quick question cleared that up, though. As a vegetarian, I was pleased they were accommodating to our questions about which condiments were "safe". As a person who likes my food on the spicy side, I was somewhat disappointed by the chili sauce. Two friends got the thinly sliced beef barbeque, which comes with spicy tofu soup, and they reported the soup as moderately spicy, however. I would be happy to go again (preferably when famished), especially now that I have some sense of navigating the menu. Bonus points for late-night chow, as well.
(4)
Joseph K.

This place is fine. but it is closing. Either being merged with san soo kab san (this place is awesome) or san soo kab san is simply taking it over. Either way i'm fine with it. Nak won was ok ...had some bbq, had good homemade soups ...but san soo kab san shouuld do much better.
(3)
Hanna L.

I was actually very disappointed when I ordered one of the soup dish "Hae-Jang-gook." It's a beef rib soup with cabbages, sprouts, egg, and all sorts of vegetables in a mild beef stock. The one I ordered at Nak-won came with 1 piece of rib with very little piece of meat attached to it and ALOT of cabbage. That was it. I've never had this kind of poorly made soup in any korean restaurant, so I was very disappointed. However, I think Nak-won has pretty good side dishes and other main dishes that may be a better choice than the one I picked. I would say the service isn't too bad either but when it gets busy, it is way difficult to get any kind of service that you need.
(2)
Julie I.

Decent Korean food for a good price, especially if you don't want to travel out to ellicott city. The haemul pajoon (seafood pancake) was the best dish I had there, but the bibimbap and soondobu (tofu soup) were good as well.
(4)
D Y.

Oh, I had the seafood scallion pancake and WHOA! I've never had a better scallion pancake in my life! And I'm Korean. Damn, they put soooo many scallions and the seafood was cooked perfectly. The squid/octopus were so tender and fresh tasting. The Kan Poong Ki (sweet and sour chix wings) were also delicious! The batter they use is SUPER crunchy. Be careful, the batter or marmalade-like sauce holds in the heat--they are HOT! Oh and they are open till 4AM on most nights!
(5)
Ariane P.

I love their food but dislike their location. So shady. I ordered seafood pancake, worth trying, very yum. I love their dessert, rice syrup. All of the foods are great, but the price, mm kinda expensive, though they give you free appetizer.
(5)
Kimberly D.

Have been here twice in recent weeks and love it. Went with a big group the first time and we had steamed dumplings (absolutely delicious!!) for starters, then bibimbap in a hot pot (this is a big serving of veggies, rice, meat with an egg on top - you mix it up in the pot and add special hot sauce), the hot miso like soup with fish which is fabulous especially on a cold day. The second time had the same and added plum wine (sweet, in a pretty bottle for sharing) and also traditional Korean beer served in a bowl. The banjan was plentiful and excellent (these are the free dishes that come with your meal and include bean sprouts, kimchi, spicy cucumber, noodles, fish cake, eggplant). The food is excellent and cheap. The place is family owned (three generations were there one nigh) and the nice grandfatherly owner helped me figure out how to open the bubbly Korean beer and they showed me how to serve the soup. They are very friendly and open to helping non-Koreans enjoy their food. A great introduction to Korean food. They also have bbq which you do on the table, haven't tried that yet. Highly recommended.
(4)
L J.

Found a piece of dirty napkin/paper towel in my soup.
(1)
Paul L.

I love the food here. The service is usually very good and the atmosphere is very cozy. They're open very late into the night so it's a good spot to go eat after a night out in Baltimore. Price's are pretty good. For 2 people to eat you could spend as low as $30 but my average bill there is right around $50ish depending on how much I drink while I'm there.
(4)
Lucy X.

I forgot how much I've missed eating Korean food until I came here and stuffed my face!! Everything was sooo gooood, from the variety of banchan to the tasty Korean BBQ (marinated galbi and slices of ssamgyupsal) to the hot seafood soondubu to the best seafood pancake by far!! Unlike most places, they definitely don't skimp on the seafood, which consists of huge chunks of octopus, oyster, etc. I just love everything about the food served at this place!!! And I forgot to mention they serve Forbidden rice, yummy!!
(5)
Judy C.

The service might be a little awkward as they don't speak too much English and do speak in a uneasy manner. Other than that and the price for some of the food, I have no complaints bout this place! Sure, it is lacking in decor, but I like it because it gives me a homey feel to the place (similar to local restaurants in Asia). The service is pretty quick as the place is never packed (probably because of the not-so-nice neighborhood). The food (the BBQ beef/pork, spicy octopus, casseroles) are all delicious! They certainly refilled the banchans, so that was a plus for me. With soju (Korean liquor), it is a great meal to have with a group of friends.
(4)
Ai-Chen Y.

~No one called it "Nak Won", we give it a code as "20th street."~ As an international student, Nak Won is always the great choice! The reason why we love it is because its reasonable price and tons of "free" appetizers. The appetizers all are delicious and can be refilled. They also serve free rice and dessert (a kind of sweet soup) for each person. The C/P value of this restaurant is definitely high. The three dishes I love most in Nak Won is 1. Seafood Tofu Soup Has many small mussels in it and one large mussel and one big clam. The soup tastes so good and the tofu is very tender. I will recommend one soup shared by 2 people. (forget the price, probably $11~$15) 2. Kalbi (marinated beef) $24.99, the best bbq in the Nak Won, the server will bbq it near the table. If you don't like the smoke, you could also ask the server to bbq it in the kitchen. The best way to eat it is with a garlic, white radish and a lettuce with some Korean sauce. It could be shared by 4 people. 3. Seafood Pancake I like the pancake here than the Honey Pig's. The pancake in the Honey Pig is too soft and with too many flours. It could be shared by at least 5 people. Remember to eat it with some Korean sauce! (this sauce is different from the one with Kalbi) The waiters are nice but their English is not that great, try to use the simplest English to make the order! Also, the environment is not very clean but acceptable. The last but not the least, if u have no time to dine in the restaurant, make the order to go will also be great (call them in advance to make the order and you will not need to wait in the restaurant). They give you all the appetizers and rice to go.
(4)
Jordan L.

The portions here are huuuuge. We always go here and end up having eaten too much and packing leftovers. They keep replacing the massive number of side dishes whenever you finish them, and unlike some other places, you can also pack then out with the rest of your giant meal. I really like their pork neck/potato stew, their cod soups, and their noodle dishes. Their seafood tofu soup is delicious and flavorful, as are any other dishes I've tried. The seafood pancake here is the best I've had anywhere and full of seafood and green onion. The one negative experience here would be a friend who was not accustomed to asian food ordering the Kimchi Fried Rice. Definitely not a dish for someone who, it turns out, doesn't like kimchi.
(5)
Virginia Y.

Pretty decent korean food in Baltimore compared to the good stuff I get from NYC. I had bulgogi and bibimbap. The bulgogi was really overpriced.. $19 dollars for a plate of beef? Really? I could get that in NYC for $10 or less... The bibimbap was alright, not bad for $10. Portions are fairly generous. Service was quick and the staff was very attentive. I love all the side dishes that came with the food.
(4)
Josiah L.

The best Korean BBQ in the city!!!! A new establishment in the area (1 year old), it provides the same kind of food as its neighbour (Jong Kak). However, I find the food is so much better. I only had the BBQ this time (bulgoki) but the marinated meat is very tender and juicy, next time I'll try the rest of the menu. Very fast service (maybe because we went there on a weeknight), and just like other Korean restaurants, there's a slight disadvantage if you don't speak the language, so if you go, make sure to bring a friend who knows Korean.
(4)
Steven D.

Food: $15 for squid BBQ. Same flavor as the one my friend's pork BBQ flavor. It's sweet and spicy with a good serving size. The "free" appetizers at the beginning were great except for the mash potatoes. That was weird. I enjoyed the seawead and kimchi. Decor: Shady location. There is a apartment complex across the street that looks like it's going to crumble. The inside is pretty plain with posters of hot Korean women trying to get you to buy soju. No website. The TV inside had a camera pointing at the parking lot. Comforting. I could see someone jack my car and maybe cry about it in real time. Service: The server's English wasn't the greatest but she was fast enough. Water was filled many times. Would I come here again: Yes. The food was tasty enough to warrant the risk of being stabbed.
(5)
Kitty S.

We came here bc we were in the vicinity and were extremely hungry. This place had 4 stars and we thought it'd be a quick stop to satisfy our hunger pain, despite the undesirable location and appearance of the establishment. We were wrong! The service was poor; we had to wait half an hour for our food. We even had to ask for banchans to be brought out. The food was expensive for the establishment of its level.
(2)
Jennifer H.

It doesn't look like much from the outside or inside, but the food was great (and this is coming from people visiting from NJ/NYC where we have the best Korean food). All the side dishes were delicious and well-prepared. We ordered 2 appetizers, the dduk-ppoki (spicy rice cakes) and kimchi-pajun (kimchi pancake). The spicy rice cakes had the right amount of sauciness and spiciness. The kimchi pancake was huge and not greasy at all with great flavor. Both were large portions. For entrees we ordered the gamja-tang (potato and pork stew), mool naeng-myun (cold buckwheat noodles), and grilled mackerel. The stew was great, right level of spiciness and thickness, lots of bone/meat and overall excellent flavor. The noodles were the only disappointing dish, but this dish is hard to get just right, I was just not a fan of the broth, but it wasn't horrible. The grilled mackerel was very fresh, not too salty, and it was the whole fish (split into 2 sides, so a very generous portion). The service was very attentive and friendly and overall we were very surprised to find such delicious Korean food in Baltimore!
(4)
Eric L.

Not the best Korean I've had (compared to offerings in other cities) but solid, and definitely a breath of fresh air in Baltimore. I've only been there once but just the fact that they serve AUTHENTIC Korean food and Asian food in general rather than the usual --Americanized Chinese restaurants with no authentic dishes and crazy amounts of sugar added to each dish, and a sushi bar in the middle of the restaurant -- type places I have ran into lately around B'more says something (but I digress). I ordered the bibimbap and seafood pancake. The sides were definitely the best part of the meal. They were standard fare for Korean places but pretty tasty. The seafood pancake was definitely not as crispy or tasty as I am used to but it is quite large at least, and not greasy. The bibimbap was also not how I am used to but had its own good qualities - light and tasty flavor dominated by veggies and mushrooms. Overall, I gave it 4 stars because I haven't had better Asian food of any kind in Baltimore or Towson. As others have mentioned, the area seems sketchy, mildly.
(4)
KuangYou C.

Good food with not that good environment! However, I will definitely go there again if I go to Baltimore. First, they gave you many appetizers, and most of them tasted great! We had kalbi, bbq pork, tofu soup, and seafood pancake. All of them were great! I like kalbi and the tofu soup the most. They smelled good and the meat were tender. The tofu soup looked spicy but not that spicy when you tasted it, and it contained many seafood inside. It wen well with some rice. Their seafood pancake is not like other Korean restaurants'. They put less flour but more veggies. It tasted different but still good. We ordered so many food and asked for some boxed to take out, and we can even box the appetizer!!
(4)
suz h.

Seafood pancake is really great. Bibimbap (hot and cold) are delicious. Service is ok. In front room they have a door alarm that is very distracting and annoying. Try to avoid sitting in the front room.
(3)
Mj V.

Nice place to go after clubbing.
(3)
Erika K.

Ate at Nak Won on a Sunday evening, 7pm, with a friend. We are both big fans of Korean cuisine that we've made our own kimchee. She has traveled in Korea. Ample parking. Bright, sparse decor. My friend states that the decor reminds her of a place she ate at with some subway workers who picked her up on the street once. The crowd here appeared to be young Korean-speaking couples or families. Cheerful service. Menus have duplicate pages, we are not sure why. As another reviewer noticed, the English translations are not good. There is no romanized version of the Korean, only sparse translations. We wished we knew the characters for our favorite dishes. Everything came to our table simultaneously: little plates (banchan), appetizer (steamed dumplings), seafood soup, and fried kimchee with pork. The latter came with tofu, to our surprise. Servings were generous. Several other tables ordered barbecue (galbi). This is served on electric indoor griddles. It's advertised as a special on the wall, but most of the sign is in Korean. If I went back, I would try this. The kimchee here looked like the kind available in some grocery stores, and was very mild and somewhat aged. Perhaps it had more mild red pepper than is to my liking. Kimchee is one of my favorite foods. I have a shop where I go to buy different kinds of fresh kimchee, and I can also make it myself. Not liking the kimchee is enough for me not to put Nak Won on the top of my list for Korean. The presentation was haphazard. Foods seemed to be served randomly in the dishes. This would not be notable in an American restaurant, but it seems unusual for Korean restaurants, where presentation is valued. This is located in a marginal, but improving neighborhood. It's not as bad as it was 10 years ago.
(2)
William M.

My five stars is based on price per food; don't go to here expecting Woodberry Kitchen or Salt; rather come here for lots of good food for an excellent price. My wife and I have been here twice, and this restaurant has been excellent both times. The restaurant is mostly filled with Korean people, and the menu has some interesting and not-very-specific translations into English. For example, what most Korean places call "Bibum Bop" is here called "vegetables and rice in stoneware bowl". Nonetheless, the staff is extremely polite and can help with a translation. When you order, I suggest not getting an appetizer, because you'll get about 8 small plates of food to your table before your meal comes. A bit of kimchi, sesame noodles, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetable tempura, bean sprouts, and a few more. When the food comes, there'll be lots of it and it'll be hot. Both meals I've had there have had been served in very large bowls, and my wife's Bibum Bop has had enough to feed her for three meals. I have gotten two spicy soups, both very different but quite delicious. Last night, for 2 people who each had a beer, our meal came to less than $40 before tip. Nak won is an interesting experience, with friendly staff and lots of good food. We'll be back.
(5)
Hetty W.

My favorite yuk gae jang place ever! If you are looking to get soupy korean dishes, my korean friends tell me that this is the place to go! Service is great if you're korean or with some. I didn't yesterday and they served their banchan when our dishes came out (uhh.. cheapo?) and they didn't pay much attention to us. But all that aside, definitely come here for the yuk gae jang and the gamja tang. YUM. super cheap for lunch too!
(4)
Stevie P.

I visited Johns Hopkins, and my family and I decided to eat Korean food for lunch. I found this place on the internet, YELP to be exact and it had great reviews so off we went. My brother, mom, and I were craving gamja tang so that's what we got. I've never had an individual pot of gamja tang. I can't say that this is the greatest gamja tang EVER because I've had better in Boston (yeah, random place), but it was still good and tasty, nevertheless. I know that banchan (side dishes) are complimentary, but I'm going to comment on it. It's decent. Let's just say don't order the japchae. My grandma makes way better japchae. My favorite was the broccoli... with the spicy gochujang sauce on it.
(4)
Hansoo J.

I have been going to this place on and off for as long as I can remember. When I was a wee little boy, my grandparents would pick me up and take me to eat here... For some reason (which is probably hidden due to some traumatic childhood experience), I didn't have a very favorable opinion on the place. So when I grew up and didn't have to be watched by my grandparents on saturday mornings, I stopped going to Nak Won. Fast forward a couple years... I visited Nak Won a few years ago with my grandparents (this time I was the one who picked them up to take them home). to my surprise, the food was actually pretty good. I had the Sul-Lung Tang which is one of my go-to korean dishes especially on cold days. The place felt very comfy. Maybe too comfy... it felt like I was sitting in my grandparents house. Hmmm... the pieces from my cloudy past are beginning to come together... The service was passable for a Korean Restuarant. The one thing I appreciate the most about the service is that they bring out hot barley tea by default instead of asking me if I wanted it simply because I look like I'm younger than 50 (in most Korean restaurants, its bad being young...) Since then, I have gone back a couple times and always look forward to my warm bowl of sul-lung tang.
(3)
Amy B.

My husband and I were excited to try Korean food, but I think maybe it's just not for us. We ordered the seafood scallion pancake, and then we tried to order the pork belly bbq, but we were told you can't order just one- which seemed a bit strange to me, but we switched to the marinated beef bbq. The scallion pancake did seem well-made, although the flavor was overwhelmingly of seafood. The dipping sauce was quite good though. We were very disappointed with the marinated beef bbq- for $18.95, we got a pretty small plate of philly cheesesteak-style beef (my husband says he would have preferred a philly cheesesteak for about $10 less). The sides were interesting, and although they were a little fun to try, they just didn't taste all that good. Everything is cold, very sweet, and salty. We had to laugh a little bit when, to finish the meal off, they brought out this bowl of sugary water with soggy rice- so not appealing. It came to ~$40 without drinks- which seemed unreasonably high for the quality of the food.
(2)
Megan H.

Totally agree with James L.'s review. He pretty much covered it all, actually. I'll just add that the nakji bokkeum (spicy stir-fried octopus) was tasty and comes on a giant plate with thin rice noodles on the side. It's (really) pricey, but it is seafood and done well, so there you have it. The ban chan were good (and refilled, yay!) but I have had better. Overall, would rather go to the food court next to H-Mart because it is just as tasty but much cheaper, but when I'm not up to the drive (which is almost always), I'm happy to come here again.
(4)
Maria M.

This is pretty much my favorite restaurant in Baltimore. Maybe it's because my boyfriend and i have gone here so much that we know the owner and the waitresses by now. So my review may be a bit biased. Anyways, my favorite dish here is the spicy seafood soft tofu soup. Nothing cheers me up like their spicy seafood sundoobu. =) I can handle it's spicy-ness and they are not stingy on the amount of seafood that they put in there. Another favorite dish of mine is the spicy beef soup - yookgaejang. One of the great things here is that they definitely don't skimp out on the meat in any of the dishes! I love love love it! And if i didn't mention it before, i love all the side - dishes that koread food places have and this is probably the place where you can get the most side dishes. They are all delicious! They also have korean bbq which probably isn't the best that i've ever tasted when it comes to kalbi and bulgogi, but i love their pork belly! YUMMM!!!! Seafood pancake is excellent if you like lots of green onions, but bf doesn't like it much because of that. I could go on forever about each entree but I recommend givin' it a try. You won't be disappointed! Bottom line, this is a great hole in the wall type of place. The owner and the servers are very welcoming and friendly and oh, they don't mind you using many credit cards either in case you want to take a huge group there! And to me, that's pretty awesome =)
(5)
David S.

I love Korean food, and I eat a lot of it. I know there's not much of a choice in Balitimore, and this might be the best one, for all I know, but compared to what I'm used to in Korea and other American/Canadian cities, I was really disappointed. I had Kalbi at a table of 5. The service was not good. They forgot stuff. We had tang su yuk, it was miserable. The kimchi was awful. They were super-stingy with the banchan, I had to constantly harass them for more. They were, however, very nice to me. I'll give them that. But I won't be back.
(2)
A. C.

Decent, if a little mild on the heat and salt, marinades for the meats and prices per platter are slightly less than at Joung Kak next door, but we sorely miss the blazing charcoal brazier in the middle of the table. In our opinion, that's the ONLY way to have Korean BBQ. Unfortunately, Nak Won only has electric griddles. Just not the same. Then again, you don't have billowing smoke tearing up your eyes. Pan chan plentiful, if not much varied the day we were there.
(3)
Sarah A.

I've eaten at Nak Won once and had take out twice, and it's always DELICIOUS. Kimchi chigae just the way momma cooks it. Their service is quiet and pleasant, and the food is brought out quickly. They don't seem to have a minimum on take our orders--I just called in an asked for one order of yuk gae jang and she said it'll be ready in 15 minutes. Fast, great tasting, authentic Korean food.
(5)
Emily C.

I love this place for their large variety of banchan. The moment one of them is completed, it is replaced with another one. Service is good, just be prepared to communicate with the staff who speak little English. However, you know this place is good as I have seen many Asians fill up the seats in this restaurant. Their Bi Bim Bap is very good as well as their Kim Chi Chi Gae (Kim Chi soup).
(4)
James L.

Nak Won is a solid Korean restaurant, at least for Baltimore city. The inside is sparsely decorated, but it seems as if they focused their energies on the food instead, and I can't complain about that. The "good": - Food was solid. I ordered the gal bi tang (beef short rib in soup) for $8.95, while j ordered the soon doo boo jjigae (spicy tofu soup), also for $8.95. The gal bi tang came in a nice large bowl, and the pieces of beef were accompanied by lots of green onion, clear rice noodles, and egg. The broth was mild but tasty, and I was very full after eating the dish. The soon doo boo was not really spicy, but there was a lot of tofu, and the broth did carry lots of flavor. Some may think it's too salty, but eating it with the rice balances that out. - The "sides," or ban chan. The best thing about Korean restaurants (and all Korean food) are the sides. The server gave us at least 8 different sides, and all of them were tasty. The kimchi was really mild, so I was more partial to the kwak do gi, which was much spicier. Their pickled cucumber kimchi was also very good. Plus, they gave us a free refill on the sides after we devoured most of them. - The service was attentive and yet not overbearing. Of course, we ate at midnight, so that was to be expected. But she was pleasant. - The water. There was the regular tap (B-more's finest!) and the hot barley water. Barley water is great to drink on a chilly night, even if it does look like urine. They served us the barley water first (because it was chilly outside), but we asked for and received regular water also. Yay to free drink options!! - The price. With all of the sides and rice, we were very full after our meal, and it came out to be only $20, $25 after tip. I'd say that is good value. The "aiight": - The location is sketchy. The parking lot has bright lights and security cameras, and it is right in front of a senior citizens apartment complex, but still, overall the neighborhood is a little dangerous. Be careful! - The decor is average at best. Weird, even. Check out the outline of a little man in the back room, and you'll wonder why it's there. - The servers do speak limited English, so for those non-Korean speakers, it may be hard to communicate clearly what you want. The menu is also vague in descriptions. The literal translation is what you get. A sign of authenticity, but still something that makes dining there a little more difficult. The "bad": - I DO NOT like Korean places that charge for extra rice. Why? Is rice that expensive? Perhaps it's because extra rice is wasted, but for those people who like to finish off their meal by mixing rice with the remaining broth, this is a travesty. Plus, it's not like it's $0.50 extra, but $1.50!!!! That is too much for a small bowl of rice. ME NO LIKE. Aside from the aiight's and the one bad, Nak Won offers good value for solid food. Just be careful when you go, and make sure you bring some extra rice for all of that leftover broth you have left.
(3)
Matthew L.

My favorite Korean restaurant in Baltimore. The place is a whole in the wall, but it's perfect for late night munchies. There is always a large selection of sides. The soups are wonderful can warm you up on even the coldest of days. The wait staff is sometimes limited in their english and the neighborhood is shady. Don't leave anything exposed in your car when you go into eat.
(4)
Timothy C.

Having lived in the Korean restaurant city that is Annandale, VA, I can honestly say that the food here is excellent. The neighborhood is rough (typical Baltimore, but they provide a adjacent parking lot with camera surveillance) and the interior decor lacks the bells and whistles of an Annandale restaurant. That aside, the food tastes great. I had La Kalbi and sweet and sour fried dumplings. The flavors were full, the bones slid off easily, and the dumplings were plump and freshly fried. They had a banchan dish made with crabs (seems like an original dish, probably influenced by Baltimore) and another with potatoes (which is my favorite; haven't found another restaurant that served that). All in all, it was comforting to find a nice Korean restaurant in Baltimore where diversity is few and far between. They have another Korean restaurant as their neighbor, so don't get confused. (gonna check it out next time)
(4)
Michelle K.

"Colors of the world, Spice up your life! Every boy Every girl, Spice up your life! People of the world, Spice up your life! AAAHH" - Spice Girls So if you need to spice up your life, I would definitely recommend a trip to Nak Won. The food and its location is very spicy. It is located across the street from what I am guessing is a housing project. The first time I went to Nak Won, it was around dusk and I was alone, new to the city of Baltimore. A bunch of teenage boys were sitting outside the building shouting the occasional racial epithet. I desperately wanted to turn around, but I had gotten out of my car and was feeling rather macho. Safely inside, I ordered a spicy beef soup. The decor is fluorescent lights and free Korean posters with girls hocking sports drinks. But then I felt reassured by the Korean clientele (mainly male students), especially the one family that drove in from Towson to eat here. The soup cleared my sinuses and I felt full and warm when I left. I will say I was feeling much less macho when leaving, and made the pregnant cashier walk me to my car. Since that night, I have gone to eat at Nak Won for lunch. The food is consistently good, and the staff is very friendly. The only reason it does not get more stars is because you can find restaurants in Ellicott City with an equivalent quality of food, but much less scary.
(3)
mikewong x.

we were actually going to 21st and howard, at the recommendation of the valet guy at the black olive in fell's point, but we didn't make it all the way there because me and wendy had to pee. thank god. (speaking of god don't miss the free christian sermons on cassette and CD at the door) this place was the best dining experience i've had in baltimore in the 2 weeks i've lived here. the three of us sat and had 2 bottles of soju (yes the cap'n was here in bmore) and outlasted a couple other tables of koreans. we were the only non-koreans eating there. some random thoughts: * -1 star because there were just tiny bits of beef in the bi bim bop * pan chan had all my favorites: potato salad, fish cake with super yummy soft marinated carrots, and what the waitress called watercress or minami * dumplings were excellent, much better than any korean dumplings in san francisco (not saying better than oakland), and had tasty filling with lots of garlic chives * my ratings don't consider the decor, but expect drop ceilings with fluorescent tubes * i asked for chicken bi bim bap, the waitress said hold on, and went to ask the chef, the chef said "wtf? no" and they get a point for authenticity for that * soju only 8.95/bottle i will be back again and again, to sample the other items recommended by the other reviewers. particularly excited about the ja jung mien, since black day is coming up.
(4)
Laura D.

Fantastic food! Yummy unexpected treats.
(5)
Andrew K.

For Baltimore, I would say this is one of the best Korean food restaurants in the city. If this place was located in NYC or Cali, I would say it's 4 stars. The place is clean but it's more of a hole in the wall kind of place. In terms of the food, it is very good and has a homestyle cooking taste to it. I've been coming here for a couple years and I suggest you try the gamja tang (potato pork soup) or the soondubu (seafood tofu soup) which are both excellent. The haemul pajun (seafood pancake) is good too but personally, I'm not a fan of too much green onions. If you are looking to get bbq, their samgyeupsal (thin sliced pork) is really good and their gabli is pretty good. The sides are where this restaruant really excels at and they always give you more if you ask. Compared to the other 3 korean restaurants in the area, I would say their sides are the best and the service is really good too which is why I keep coming back.
(5)
Joe T.

Delicious selection of appetizers, and seafood scallion pancake truly is delicious. They're open late, which makes this a great place to come after drinking and karoake across the street.
(4)
JC Z.

Out of all the Korean restaurants in the area, this place is the best. Food was very good. Service was superb. Despite the fact that the staff is limited in their English, they are very helpful and try very hard. We recently went on a Saturday night in a party of 5 and our food was ready in less than 10 minutes. Price is on par with surrounding places, but unlike Nam Kang, they don't require you to order a minimum number of BBQ dishes. However, Nam Kang does have a more authentic feel and looks a lot nicer. But just on food and service, Nak Won is good enough.
(5)
Andrew L.

WOO HOO!! By far the best Korean food, I've enjoyed in a LONG time. I'm Korean-American, but spent nearly ever summer in Korea for 14 years. Trust me. GO, and enjoy the Seafood Scallion pancake. The batter is unique and 8/10 times it's OUT OF THIS WORLD. The other 2/10 it's just good (sometimes a little too oily, so not crispy). I love all of their "casserole" dishes, which are more like stews. The portion is HUGE though and can feed 4 people easily. The side dishes are generous with repeated refills. They serve Barley tea. And I love the Sikhae (sweet rice drink) they serve at the end for dessert. Hands down my favorite restaurant in Baltimore. Ok fine, it's tied with Brewer's Art and Charleston.
(5)
JEWELe M.

My friend and I picked this spot randomly online. When we pulled up I was sketched out about the location (but HEY! IT's downtown B-more!). Anyways, I was relieved when we walked inside and there was a group of Korean men seated @ a large table. It was funny because I told my friend that I think we invaded their Mafia meeting (totally kidding!). Anyways, we ordered the bulgogi and the tofu soup (because we were told the BBQ order was not enough to share...but it was with all the sides!!!). The bulgogi was ABSOLUTELY mouthwatering delicious! I can say it was similar to Shinh Jung in Orlando (which is known for their FAMOUS BBQ). And the sides were yummy (my fave was the wasabi tasting noodles!!!). Also, the red toful soup was delicious. I've had this red soup before in Miami, but it was tooo spicy hot to enjoy! I felt like I was literally drinking the soup from the kimchi, but in HOT temperature!!! However, the tofu soup here was tolerable and I loved it! Next time I plan to try to the Soju! ;) SoOooOoOo....Whenever I'm missing Shihn Jung, I will most definitely hit up this spot again in B-more!!!
(5)
Sara J.

Decent Korean food, I got the suh lung tang, the beef soup in boiled bone broth, they give you a side of salt to salt to your taste. It was ok, the noodles were a bit overdone. For korean bbq, we got the short ribs (kalbi) it was pretty good. The waitresses are all nice and attentive to changing your grill and refilling on all the side dishes. I am a fan of the seafood pancake, you can get it as an appetizer if you like, has alot of chives and green onions in it, along with seafood like octopus and shrimp. If you have never been to korean bbq, wear some clothes that you dont mind smelling like smoked meat since you cook it at your table yourself.
(3)
Steve m.

We went last Sunday for lunch based on the positive reviews. I have to say that the food was mediocre at best. The dumplings were ok, but the bibimbop was tasteless and the bulgogi was expensive and a very small portion. We also found the service to be indifferent, but the real problem was that we were parked directly in front of the restaurant and someone put a screw in our tire causing a flat on 83 and requiring a replacement tire. This ended up being a very expensive, mediocre lunch.
(1)
Amanda W.

Best Korean food I've ever had in the US. Seriously sketchy neighborhood. Bring your Club.
(5)
A W.

Nak won is a great place to dine if you are Korean. If you aren't, you certainly can fare better elsewhere. First off, the atmosphere is a bit dumpy, with unimpressive decor appearing quite stark under the glaring cafeteria-style fluorescent lights. The tv in the corner gives you a view of the parking lot, in sort of a d.i.y. security system. Although our meal started off quietly, the restaurant became a bit noisier as an influx of Korean undergrads gradually filled up the remaining tables. The menu is quite pricey and unclear (how large of a portion do you get for the $20+ you must shell out for their bbq entrees?); so much so that I couldn't bring myself to give it fair justice to see if it was worth the cost. I opted instead for a simple dish of bibimbap, which arrived quickly enough but was certainly nothing to write home about. The selection of side dishes that arrived with the meal were tasty, but I noticed that Korean diners got a few different (and better) sides than what we were served. Service was a bit stilted also, although whether that was from the lack of English that the waitress spoke or if she just naturally had an unfriendly demeanor was hard to tell. Still, it does seem odd that what appears to be the senior waitress on duty is also the least appealing one to have as your server. I also found it surprising that when a table did opt to order a bbq dish, the servers cooked it not at their table but at a table that appeared set aside for that purpose -- until I saw them open the one vent in the room set directly opposite the table where said cooking was taking place. I can only say that I was glad we managed to leave before the smell of grilling meat permeated the restaurant. Would I come back here to dine? Yes, but only if my Korean friends came along to do the ordering, since I'm sure in that case we would fare significantly better.
(2)
Matt T.

Oh, Nak Won. How your divine your Haemul Pajeon (seafood pancake, for the unenlightened). I have several a week, and usually have one in my fridge that I pick at whenever I'm home. I am in love with your fried chicken that I can never remember the name of, that is so incredibly delicious that its worth the extra 15 minutes of waiting for the cooking. Thank you for introducing the delight of Korean Cuisine into my grateful pallet.
(4)
andrew n.

I've always been a Nam Kang guy, but recently hit this place twice. I usually get the kim chi jigae at both places. Nak Won's is better by far. The bon chon is good and the dishes that my co-workers have ordered look great. The galbi tang was a favorite. Service can be spotty and is the reason I gave it 3 stars instead of 4. My mom is Korean, so I speak the language fluently and that helps. Overall, I think it's the best Korean food in Baltimore.
(3)
Chufei Y.

I come here occasionally because you don't have a lot of korean food here in baltimore. But this place has occasionally awful services. There is this women who has a super mean face. She won't answer to any of our request. For many times, she saw me asking for something but she would just walk by and pretend she didn't see. At least she got the manner to tell us, as customer, to wait. Food is okay. Better korean food in Catonsville. Taste good service so much better.
(1)
Kim Y.

The Korean food here is authentic and delicious. I think of all of the restaurants in this area of Baltimore, this place has the least delicious banchan, but nonetheless, it's pretty delicious. The girls that work here are kind and attentive, and they refill the banchan without you having to ask for it, which is great. I had one of the hot soups and it was absolutely delicious. I also had the fried fish which was good but I wish they had salted it more. All in all, the food is great. The interior is shabby and in the worst area, right in front of a terrible and loud public housing building with scary people hanging outside all day, but the restaurant has a private parking lot adjacent to the entrance so that made things easier. Definitely nice for satisfying a craving.
(4)
Bernie C.

5 stars for food. Minus one for service minus one for decor/ambience. Great lunch specials and great food! Freakin everything tastes good. I got the E7 lunch special my favourite spicy seafood soup and I've also gone to get kbbq with a group of friends. Both times I've been given tons of side dishes and been very satisfied with the food. Service is a little slow and un attentive though and it's not exactly a pretty place. Awesome place to get that Korean craving satisfied though
(3)
Hannah H.

I did enjoy their chop chae as their side dish (it was actually cooked well), as well as their fish jun and the gim moochim. I had the galbi dolsot, which is basically a mock version of bibimbop with overly sweet galbi pieces in a stoneware pot. Comes sizzling, and it was okay - the gochujang mixture was a bit too sweet, and it didn't meld the flavors together for some reason. My husband enjoyed his yookgaejang and he said it was solid. The restaurant itself was cute inside, with the 'traditional' Korean hardwood floors. The service was quite slow, but we still enjoyed the food. +chop chae +fish jun +gim moochim +yookgaejang
(3)
Chih Chao C.

My friend took us to this Korea restaurant, she said this is the best Korea food she ever had in USA. The hot pot and seafood pancakes is good.Although the waiter didn't do anything only taking the order , we still give them decent tips.
(4)
Sarah J.

For the lack of Korean food in Baltimore, this place is decent if you're craving some Korean food and don't want to go all the way to Ellicott city. It's in a bit of a shady area, but there are a few parking spaces right in front. I went for dinner on a Saturday night and there were plenty of seats left. The menu has a lot of different options. They are slightly pricey for the average quality of food. Service is decent, the place/appearance itself could use some revamping. They open until 4AM Wed-Sat, so I would recommend this place if you're in the mood for some warm, savory food late in the night (and willing to pay a bit) when all other places are closed.
(3)
Yong K.

This place... i have so many mixed feelings about here. I've been here so many times while I went to Hopkins. Food: their best dish is probably their gamja tang. it's REALLY good. if you're not sure what to get, i recommend that. Other foods are pretty good, but nothing that amazing. however, it's really hard to find good korean food in baltimore so in bmore, this might be one of the best Side dishes usually are pretty darn good. I could get full off of rice and those. Service: usually pretty slow and occasionally I've even gotten up to pour myself some water. price: not too bad. i mean... you can't expect cheap yet delicious korean food in baltimore. so yeah.. not that bad of prices but not the best either. Lunch times have more reasonable prices A sad story: Once I went and ordered their jjajangmyung (noodles in black sauce). it tasted like.... newspapers or something... the jjajang had absolutely no flavor. I was pretty upset and i told them that it was terrible. they took it back, apologized, and after trying it.. admitted that yeah it was pretty bad. They made another batch... which was slightly better, but still terrible. So that's one warning: Don't get jjajangmyun here. Overall, their korean food is pretty solid so if you are craving korean food, go here! most dishes are good, except for some. They also have a room in the back if you want to reserve it for a big party (can fit up to like 30ish)
(3)
Lina J.

Meh, although I think the food was quite tasty, the service and atmosphere take a lot away from the dining experience here. I came with a group and ordered the Galbi Tang and it was done really well. The meat was tender and the soup was great. We shared an order of ddukbokgi which was great as well. Side dishes came out to our table later than they did at other tables who sat down after us so that was a little disappointing. It took forever to flag down a waitress to get our order. I guess they were understaffed, but with no service, no side dishes and empty stomachs all around, it really didn't make for a very good impression. The atmosphere of the place is pretty drab - you've got your Kpop posters all around, some weird interior decorating (looks like a converted Mexican place?). Bottom line, it's somewhere I'd love to come back with with friends to enjoy good Korean food at a decent price, but definitely not somewhere I'd take my parents.
(3)
Brittany B.

this is my favorite Korean spot in the area, I've been eating here since 2009 and the prices have gone up a bit since then but I still come back anyway they have an exceptional seafood pancake + I'm a fan of the galbi tang (beef rib soup) if you have a big group, they have a separate room available in the back
(5)
Kimberley R.

The food was excellent and very reasonably priced! Service was a bit slow upon entering the restaurant; I stood up front waiting to be helped for about 10 minutes before anyone came over to seat me. My group then sat at our table for about 15 minutes before we were helped. However, the staff was friendly and efficient otherwise. Great little hole-in-the-wall spot for some authentic Korean food. Definitely looks a little sketchy from the outside, and based on the area that it's in, but don't let that stop you! It's worth a shot!
(4)
Rebecca Y.

The dishes were okay. But the service is horrible. Very rude and inconsiderate waitresses. If looking for a better korean restaurant, I would recommend "Be-one" which is just a around the corner. The dishes are much better, but there are more people so there can be a waiting time.
(1)
Yu H.

I've been there a couple times. For the most time, the staff there are very nice to us, they always smile and greet us. However, on this Saturday night I go there, the staff are totally from another shift I guess, they are really not that nice--they do not smile, do not look at us even when we say "thank you" to them, and even roll her eyes when we simply ask her to give us the menu. Not to mention that they did not give us the dessert after we paid the check. This time they really disappointed me, it used to be such a good restaurant for me, but now, this shift of staff refrains me from going there again.
(2)
Nayoung L.

This restaurant offers decent options for Korean food in Baltimore city. I would recommend sticking with traditional soups (kalbi tang, sulungtang, gamjatang) and bibimbap (you can't really go wrong with bibimbap at any Korean restaurant).
(4)
Jay L.

Been coming here for several years, and it recently has remodeled its interior. Its a touch nicer and has a cleaner appearing look. There is always an open table. The service is pretty quick. (Even when its meal time for the staff, the eat with you in the dining area, so it is easy to get their attention). Their BBQ is good, not spectacular, but it will hit the spot and portions are generous. Instead of routinely driving down to Ellicott City, I have been satisfying my Korean BBQ craving here instead. The soups, noodles, bibimbap, are good. Again, not spectacular, but consistent and fills you up. Note: it is a great place to get food to go. The take out portions are the same as when you dine in, and they give you a full portion of ban chan. Overall its a reliable place for good Korean food.
(4)
Dee-Ana P.

This was a great find late night restaurants in the Baltimore area. It looks rundown but the food is great. We had the bulgogi which came in a 2 person serving size that my fiance and I shared. It was an excellent treat and really tasty. I'm from Los Angeles and I'm surrounded by really good Korean restaurants and this place is comparable to that.
(4)
Janey R.

I went here and the first time was good. My mom liked the first meal here too. I had donkass but they didn't cut it and it was fair. I was starving so I ate it still but the place next door makes it better. As far as Korean food. I went a second time for jampong and it barely had seafood in it. My mom was not happy with her bimbimbap in the hot stone bowl. She said the first dish she had which was a seafood soup was delicious but when we went back for lunch she was very unhappy. Service during busy hours aren't very great either. Go when it's dead for a better experience.
(3)
Lily T.

Coming from New York City, I am spoiled with good Korean food..and this place was a huge disappointment First of all, this place was not even clean! it smelled weird in the restaurant and the table and menus were sticky. the ban chans were not fresh! everything tasted really old, especially the cucumber salad There were tons of flies around when we were eating. Gross! and the food was a big disappointment! the bibi myun was even worse than the instant noddle and the other spicy beef soup was not good at all I can see this place being a gem to the Baltimore locals, because there are no other better places! but to those have have tasted better Korean food, this place just doesn't do it
(2)
Jennifer I.

Good place to go when you get that craving for Korean food but don't have the time to make it all the way to Ellicott City. My go to items here are the gamjatang (slow-cooked spicy pork stew with simmered potatoes) which is really tasty and hits the spot, esp. when it's cold outside or when you're sick. Usually comes with a lot of meat, but sometimes can be less than usual or missing potatoes (like today). Also got the seasoned korean bbq ribs (one order of it, that they grill in the kitchen before bringing it out to your table, which has a pro in that you don't smell like korean bbq afterwards but it's less fun). This is sorta pricey ($29) but surprisingly delicious, the meat being tender and well-seasoned. A fair con of NakWon would have to be the service. They never came by our table asking if things were alright, which is typical of Korean restaurants, I guess. But even when we asked for seconds of the appz, we got a dirty look.
(3)
Elisa N.

This is a restaurant that I've been to many many times during my years in college. It was a favorite of my friends and I as they were open very late and had good korean food. As a korean whose grown up eating korean food, the food there is pretty authentic and prepared well. However, I returned to Nakwon a couple of months ago when some old college friends were visiting and was surprised by the service. In the past, the service was good and the servers were very friendly. But, when I went the last time, the servers were very rude and appeared to be purposely avoiding us. I was very disappointed and have not returned since. I hope that this has changed in the past couple of months. All in all, I do think Nakwon has great korean food and is great for late night food. I hope service has improved since I last visited.
(3)
Tunaidi A.

You know... after an awesome first impression, I went back to Nak Won multiple times. However, each time it got progressively worse. Service has really been slacking. Menus come late to the table. Sides are delayed and come seconds before the entrees. Never refilling drinks until we get up out of our seats to ask. Having to wave down the servers multiple times just to get to-go boxes. It's getting pretty ridiculous. On a side note. Two things to avoid: * Jajangmyeon -- It tastes like the instant version you can buy at the Korean grocery store. * Kalbi Dolsot -- Lots of rice, very little meat, and very little vegetables (though tons of onions). In addition, it's not Bibimbap with several slices of kalbi on top. It's more like fried rice with chopped up bits of kalbi with green onions and regular onions.
(2)
Ruben C.

Incredible. Didn't think all these little dishes were going to fill me up. The beer and pork belly were really good, all cooked right in front of us. Definitely worth the price but service although good, lacked at times (I hear when momma is there, she cracks the whip but she wasn't there that night). Nonetheless, we had a really great time.
(4)
Lucy G.

Good but a little pricey. Mostly just convenient for the area, especially if you don't have a car. I like the BBQ, they can cook it at your table or in the back. It's fun to get the big $100 kbbq set, but it's not filling enough on its own. Seafood pancakes galore!!
(4)
Lauren S.

A boy and I stumbled in here a little after 10 on Sunday and they were still open! There were a few other people inside eating as well. Always a good sign. And there is parking right in front of the door. I highly suggest that if you don't venture into this part of town to often. My mom actually teaches at a school down the street (she's a tough cookie) so I'm in this area fairly often. We ordered the fried dumplings in sweet and sour sauce, and we both got bibimbap. The food came out fast and super hot! But oh man, it was so good. I mixed some kimchee with mine and oh goodness, so good. The rice we got after the meal (which tasted like sugar) was a nice way to end the meal. Our waitress was good. Attentive but not overbearing. Our bill was only $35, which is reasonable. Next time we come back we plan to get some BBQ. Can't Waugh
(4)
Quinn S.

I've both eaten here and used this place for catering for a business event and I must say this place has my heart! The area is pretty sketchy with guys sleeping on the steps next door, but it really isn't that bad! The food here, my word, INCREDIBLE. Even as a caterer they were able to make gluten-free versions of popular dishes that still came out great! EVERYONE at the event asked about the food! I will always remember Nak Won as THE place to go for Korean food in B-More!
(5)
Hiro E.

Super authentic Korean food with warm hospitality. I can't find one in NYC nor LA, but in Baltimore? Surprise. Price is decent. Lunch time Kalbi is good value. I try to come here whenever I'm in Baltimore. Great place!
(5)
Devonshire B.

Long story short, this place is authentic and awesome. It's totally in a sketch area off of the main drag, but don't let it fool you. It's a little pricey, but it's worth every penny. You get the flavours, the service and the experience- and that's definitely worth it. I would highly recommend the noodle bowl with beef and green onions. I can't remember the name, but it hit the spot! The dumplings dish was ginormous and saucy, but it still satisfied (maybe a little less sauce would have been nice). I loved the multiple sides that came with the meal as well. Beware, weak stomachs. There are cooked shrimp heads in one of those side dishes. Or maybe they're something else. I honestly don't know, but they have little eyes... I ate them anyways- they're salty, crunchy and have a hint of BBQ to them! Not too bad for something out of my comfort zone. Be adventurous and enjoy what Baltimore has to offer.
(4)
Carrie O.

Not a bad alternative to Honey Pig. As city residents, there are just times where LoML and I don't want to drive all the way down to Ellicott City for KBBQ. As it is, we didn't have the KBBQ here - yet. I tried the seafood pancake based on prior Yelp recommendations, while LoML had the bibimbap. I think that he was a little surprised when he got his order, because it was cold - he wanted the sizzling stone pot and that's not what he received. We quickly figured out that we'd ordered the wrong thing - but he said that it was good, nonetheless. The seafood pancake was ginormous. Easily the size of a 10-inch pizza. I couldn't eat but half of it and ended up getting a takeout box. I'd never seen so much STUFF packed into one pancake in my life. Tons of seafood and green onions. Very good. However, for some reason, the leftovers were the exact same as Honey Pig's - it was even better the next day. What's up with that? (I'm sure not going to complain, though.) Ban chan was decent. There was a cold mashed potato dish that was quite simply AWESOME. Cold buckwheat noodles were excellent, as well. Prices were very reasonable, much less than Honey Pig's for the same stuff. Service is eh, but we're used to that from Korean joints, so it can be overlooked. The only thing that's lacking at Nak Won... ugh, the neighborhood. Look, people, I live in Baltimore City, was raised in Baltimore City, and I KNOW rough, sketchy neighborhoods. This is one of them. This is a place that you do NOT want to take a date (especially for the first time), this is not the 'hood to bring your brand new Lexus in, this is not the place to flash around your money. Trust me on this. Everyone who claims that Lexington Market is a sketch area would faint dead away HERE. Use caution. As a city native, you'd do well to heed my advice here. Seriously. Despite this, LoML and I WILL be returning when we're too lazy to drive 30 minutes to Howard County. Tip for Diabetics: Oddly, no problems here, but all I had was the seafood pancake and a couple of dishes of ban chan. You may want to be careful on the KBBQ because of the sauce, but I personally do not know - yet - how that affects me. As always... Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. YMMV. Seek medical advice and tailor my review to your situation. I simply provide opinion.
(4)
Gene L.

Of the times I've come here, it seems to be a little hit or miss. It's a great place for groups because of the space they have. The bbq is pretty good and they provide a lot of side dishes compared to other korean restaurants in baltimore. The service can be lacking at times. It starts off attentive, but then sort of tails off later and no one is to be seen. Don't get the stone pot kalbi bibimbap. It sounds so promising like it'll be all the heapings of bibimbap with kalbi on top, but it's a load of rice, onions, and small pieces of beef. The yukaejang is good, along with the rabokki.
(4)
Ashley L.

This place is terrible. The people who work here are so rude and ignore customers. They complain when you don't tip them well when honestly they don't even do their jobs. The food is mediocre at best (not even), so it really isn't even worth it to go for food. Never go to this restaurant.
(1)
Cie S.

They screwed up our order!!!! Check your food before leaving, specify your order when placing phone orders!!!!!
(2)
Jenny H.

I came here again, and the food was subpar. They have these new in-the-table inserted electric grills which are OK and makes the place less smokey, but the BBQ we got was not good. The galbi meat was really poor quality, super tough and almost nasty tasting. I won't get this again. We also got their samgyupsal, or pork belly, which was just OK. I do like how they give you the egg casserole and daengjang jigae, for free as sides. Their dolsot bibimbap was not good either, just banchan thrown into a bowl, it wasn't particularly hot or flavorful. All their soups were pretty good though, sullungtang (white soup), dae gu jigae (cod spicy soup), and mawun galbi tang (spicy kalbi soup).
(3)
Erik H.

The food (soups for us) was good, service was very slow. The steamed dumplings were excellent. Next time we want to try the BBQ- it looked really good.
(4)
MJ K.

service is so bad!!!! the woman handed me my rice UPSIDE DOWN.seriously rude, have attitude problems if you ask for anything! go right next door. food is really....msg errrrthang
(1)
Jennie T.

Janet W. and I were hungry after arriving in Baltimore at 12am, so we decided to see what restaurant is still open. Enter Nak Won Korean Restaurant-- they're opened til 4am! Amazing! Because Janet can't handle a lot of spice, we ordered sul-lang-tang and the haemul pajeon. The sul-lang-tang was okay. I liked the haemul pajeon a lot though. It was humongous! I honestly hadn't expected it to be so big because I've had smaller versions in Chicago. This is the size of a large pizza. Wow. And it's also one of the best haemul pajeon I've had. I loved it. Also, I agree with Stephanie S.-- The japchae isn't very good. In fact, the noodles have been refrigerated and it's pretty hard. All the other banchan were good.
(4)
Yimei W.

Sullang Tang-very generous and served with several small dishes that did not include nasty anchovies or anything too overly exotic. Galbi Dolsot BiBimBap: this was disappointing--didn't look like the picture and looked more like fried rice--korean style, as everything was already chopped up and mixed in in small bits. If you're used to pictures of veggies in a stone bowl each spread around in its place with galbi couched on top--do yourself a favor and go to Hanoori. I came for Galbi before and it was pretty good; they have a small, flat grill in the middle of the table. I would come again though--generally very quiet and not too busy on the weekdays or Sunday afternoons :) Good for small groups of people. The service may be mistaken as slow, but they seem to purposely bring out your entree and side dishes all at once, which is different from what I'm used to. I prefer if they bring out the small dishes soon as possible, of course.
(4)
Dan A.

I went here on Saturday night with a group of friends. We originally were planning to go to another Korean restaurant in the area but it was so packed that we ended up here. Well... it was completely EMPTY. Service was okay though. In terms of food, it was okay but nothing special. Also, they didn't have several items that we asked for (sullang tang and haejang gook). When I visited San Soo Kab San the other day, the worker there told me that they were closing up 4/30/12 and moving to Nak Won. I confirmed that with a few more people afterwards. What I should have done (and didn't) was ask the Nak Won people too... but I didn't want them to get upset or anything either :P That would explain why the restaurant was lacking customers and lacking menu items. However, things still seem a bit hazy (did San Soo Kab San buy out Nak Won's space altogether? Or is this some weird merger?). Maybe the food was mediocre (more than I remember it being) due to the changes happening with this store and San Soo Kab San. But everything still seems like a mystery at this point in time. haha. Expect an update :)
(2)
Scott S.

Very impressed by the appetizer spread that comes with every table. But I would avoid the spicy fish egg soup next time. That was a little too intense. Also no vegetarian options
(3)
Anne K.

I've had the vegetarian bibimbap and the vegetarian dolsat bibimbap-- both amazing. My carnivorous partner raves about the bbq plates. This place is a little nondescript and kinda chilly, but the food is soooo worth it. It's an ideal casual night out if you're in the mood for some healthy comfort food.
(4)
Kojo B.

Delicious Kalbi on their lunch special the sides too were awesome. Try it for some delicious kalbi.
(5)
Heb Y.

Delicious! Coming from nyc I'm a bit spoiled with the plethora of amazing korean restaurants, but not so much in Baltimore. Tried Noc Won on a whim and was delightfully surprised, the rabokki was tasty and the seafood pajun was the best I've had in a while! 4 stars for service though, had to ask for my kimchi, but understandably they were a bit busy with only one server. I will definitely come back.
(4)
Jean S.

As someone who grew up in a Koreatown, I have high expectations for Korean food and did not expect that anywhere in Baltimore would meet it. However, I would definitely recommend it, especially their gamja tang. Food is great for the price and portions are generous. Located in a sketchy area and the restaurant itself is a bit dingy but as long as you don't have high expectations, I would recommend.
(4)
Renee S.

We actually started out looking for a different spot rumoured to serve Korean Fried Chicken. It looked closed (and said 'sushi' on the door) so we went to Nak Won instead. I've been to several of the Korean spots in Baltimore and this one is now in the running for my favorite. We both had the dol sot bimbimbap (mine without beef). Mmmmm. It hit the spot like nothing else for $10.99. We also ordered the fried chicken which came just as we were finishing up our rice dish. It's probably too sweet to do a full order, but the half hit the spot. Double fried, super crispy, lots of flavor. In addition, we got all the side dishes that typically come including some Chinese broccoli and tofu. The wait staff was incredibly friendly and we were able to park right in front (if you're worried about personal safety). They also do tableside BBQ (too hot for it in July IMHO). Solid experience, I'll be back. And, good to know I don't have to drive to Catonsville, Annandale or Ellicott City for Korean Fried Chicken.
(4)
Abby W.

I've been to Nak Won so many time over the years, I find it hard to believe that I haven't already reviewed the place on Yelp. If you're in the mood for Korean food and your definition of "Korean" encompasses more than just BBQ, this is the place to go. Personally, it's always a toss-up between San San and Nak Won. Nak Won is a bit more vegetarian friendly, with several vegetarian options indicated on the menu. Nak Won has better pan chan than San San, however their BBQ doesn't come in individual portions and may be significantly overpriced. Rating Breakdown: 1/2 Stars for Taste - I'm a big fan of soups and I find the soups at Nak Won are a bit on the bland side. Their selection of pan chan is one of the best in Baltimore, they constantly switch it up, keeping the classic kimchi dishes while rotating through some mashed potatoes, fish cakes, etc. I don't find their BBQs anything to rave about, the ahjummas cook it for you in the kitchen and bring it out. While it's nothing to write home about, the food here is indubitably authentic. 1/1 Stars for Value - Authentic Korean food is pretty hard to come by in Baltimore and, for Hopkins students, pretty much boils down to this little patch of restaurants near 21st and Maryland. The portion sizes here are definitely more than enough, the panchan is refillable, and at the end of the meal, they give you this icy, sweet rice soup. Dishes range from between $10-15 on average for dinner, unless you order BBQ. 0.5/1 Stars for Customer Service - I know Yelp doesn't have a 1/2 star function so I will round up, however I just can't justify giving a full star for service here. Typical Asian customer service. Waiters aren't very friendly and have a very perfunctory attitude. It may be the language barrier, but would it kill them to smile? Bonus star because this is one of those restaurants on the corner that I will visit time and time again when I am craving Korean food. There is a small parking lot in the back and the restaurant is large enough that parties are usually seated immediately. Definitely worth checking out but don't expect to be blown away.
(4)
L J.

Found a piece of dirty napkin/paper towel in my soup.
(1)
Eunice S.

Food - really good. I read reviews that the seafood pancake was worthy trying and it absolutely is. I also had the yukaejang and it's amazing. I think the side dishes are subpar but they do refill them for free. The prices for the meat bbq is a bit too high for my liking so I don't think I'll ever try it. Service- Considering my husband and I went to the restaurant at 2am and they were willing to serve us, I wouldn't expect much more. They were obviously tired after a long day's work and didn't say much or come by that often, but I didn't mind. Atmosphere- I really enjoyed the tv with korean broadcasting in the background Brought back memories from my time in Seoul. Very clean.
(4)
Rach K.

Yum! I've been in Baltimore for almost a year for work and haven't had any Korean food the entire time. Since I grew up on Korean food, I'm critical of many dishes and don't always like to eat out. But that just means I know what dishes I should order that are "foolproof" so that I don't end up disappointed. This past weekend, I got to try the ddukbokki (spicy ricecake), yukaejang (spicy beef and scallion soup), and bibimbap (rice mixed with vegetables and a spicy sauce). All three were pretty good. The ddukbokki had a good ratio of ricecakes to sauce to fishcakes and it wasn't overly sweet, which I appreciated. The yukaejang was good, though a bit salty, and the portion size was humongous. The bibimbap was typical, nothing to write home about, but it was also huge and came with miso soup, which was nice. The banchan was so-so; they gave us sprouts, green beans, kimchee, squid, anchovies, and pickled cucumbers. Service is friendly, which was sort of refreshing. I'm used to the kind of harsher attitudes of Korean restaurant staff in NY/NJ who only soften and become nice when they realize I speak Korean. Overall, I enjoyed the food and though I won't be in Baltimore for much longer, will definitely head here if a craving strikes. And like a few other reviewers have noted, the location is kind of in a dodgy neighborhood.
(4)
Quinn S.

I've both eaten here and used this place for catering for a business event and I must say this place has my heart! The area is pretty sketchy with guys sleeping on the steps next door, but it really isn't that bad! The food here, my word, INCREDIBLE. Even as a caterer they were able to make gluten-free versions of popular dishes that still came out great! EVERYONE at the event asked about the food! I will always remember Nak Won as THE place to go for Korean food in B-More!
(5)
Hiro E.

Super authentic Korean food with warm hospitality. I can't find one in NYC nor LA, but in Baltimore? Surprise. Price is decent. Lunch time Kalbi is good value. I try to come here whenever I'm in Baltimore. Great place!
(5)
Tom W.

seafood pancake was good, full meal overpriced, poor drink selection, using a hairdryer really! bring all the food at one time too much to manage. one and done for me.
(3)
Scott A.

Very good Korean food... so good we had dinner one night and decided to have lunch there the next day.
(4)
Jean S.

As someone who grew up in a Koreatown, I have high expectations for Korean food and did not expect that anywhere in Baltimore would meet it. However, I would definitely recommend it, especially their gamja tang. Food is great for the price and portions are generous. Located in a sketchy area and the restaurant itself is a bit dingy but as long as you don't have high expectations, I would recommend.
(4)
Rebecca Y.

The dishes were okay. But the service is horrible. Very rude and inconsiderate waitresses. If looking for a better korean restaurant, I would recommend "Be-one" which is just a around the corner. The dishes are much better, but there are more people so there can be a waiting time.
(1)
Yu H.

I've been there a couple times. For the most time, the staff there are very nice to us, they always smile and greet us. However, on this Saturday night I go there, the staff are totally from another shift I guess, they are really not that nice--they do not smile, do not look at us even when we say "thank you" to them, and even roll her eyes when we simply ask her to give us the menu. Not to mention that they did not give us the dessert after we paid the check. This time they really disappointed me, it used to be such a good restaurant for me, but now, this shift of staff refrains me from going there again.
(2)
Nayoung L.

This restaurant offers decent options for Korean food in Baltimore city. I would recommend sticking with traditional soups (kalbi tang, sulungtang, gamjatang) and bibimbap (you can't really go wrong with bibimbap at any Korean restaurant).
(4)
Matt T.

Oh, Nak Won. How your divine your Haemul Pajeon (seafood pancake, for the unenlightened). I have several a week, and usually have one in my fridge that I pick at whenever I'm home. I am in love with your fried chicken that I can never remember the name of, that is so incredibly delicious that its worth the extra 15 minutes of waiting for the cooking. Thank you for introducing the delight of Korean Cuisine into my grateful pallet.
(4)
andrew n.

I've always been a Nam Kang guy, but recently hit this place twice. I usually get the kim chi jigae at both places. Nak Won's is better by far. The bon chon is good and the dishes that my co-workers have ordered look great. The galbi tang was a favorite. Service can be spotty and is the reason I gave it 3 stars instead of 4. My mom is Korean, so I speak the language fluently and that helps. Overall, I think it's the best Korean food in Baltimore.
(3)
Chufei Y.

I come here occasionally because you don't have a lot of korean food here in baltimore. But this place has occasionally awful services. There is this women who has a super mean face. She won't answer to any of our request. For many times, she saw me asking for something but she would just walk by and pretend she didn't see. At least she got the manner to tell us, as customer, to wait. Food is okay. Better korean food in Catonsville. Taste good service so much better.
(1)
Kim Y.

The Korean food here is authentic and delicious. I think of all of the restaurants in this area of Baltimore, this place has the least delicious banchan, but nonetheless, it's pretty delicious. The girls that work here are kind and attentive, and they refill the banchan without you having to ask for it, which is great. I had one of the hot soups and it was absolutely delicious. I also had the fried fish which was good but I wish they had salted it more. All in all, the food is great. The interior is shabby and in the worst area, right in front of a terrible and loud public housing building with scary people hanging outside all day, but the restaurant has a private parking lot adjacent to the entrance so that made things easier. Definitely nice for satisfying a craving.
(4)
Bernie C.

5 stars for food. Minus one for service minus one for decor/ambience. Great lunch specials and great food! Freakin everything tastes good. I got the E7 lunch special my favourite spicy seafood soup and I've also gone to get kbbq with a group of friends. Both times I've been given tons of side dishes and been very satisfied with the food. Service is a little slow and un attentive though and it's not exactly a pretty place. Awesome place to get that Korean craving satisfied though
(3)
Hannah H.

I did enjoy their chop chae as their side dish (it was actually cooked well), as well as their fish jun and the gim moochim. I had the galbi dolsot, which is basically a mock version of bibimbop with overly sweet galbi pieces in a stoneware pot. Comes sizzling, and it was okay - the gochujang mixture was a bit too sweet, and it didn't meld the flavors together for some reason. My husband enjoyed his yookgaejang and he said it was solid. The restaurant itself was cute inside, with the 'traditional' Korean hardwood floors. The service was quite slow, but we still enjoyed the food. +chop chae +fish jun +gim moochim +yookgaejang
(3)
Chih Chao C.

My friend took us to this Korea restaurant, she said this is the best Korea food she ever had in USA. The hot pot and seafood pancakes is good.Although the waiter didn't do anything only taking the order , we still give them decent tips.
(4)
Sarah J.

For the lack of Korean food in Baltimore, this place is decent if you're craving some Korean food and don't want to go all the way to Ellicott city. It's in a bit of a shady area, but there are a few parking spaces right in front. I went for dinner on a Saturday night and there were plenty of seats left. The menu has a lot of different options. They are slightly pricey for the average quality of food. Service is decent, the place/appearance itself could use some revamping. They open until 4AM Wed-Sat, so I would recommend this place if you're in the mood for some warm, savory food late in the night (and willing to pay a bit) when all other places are closed.
(3)
Yong K.

This place... i have so many mixed feelings about here. I've been here so many times while I went to Hopkins. Food: their best dish is probably their gamja tang. it's REALLY good. if you're not sure what to get, i recommend that. Other foods are pretty good, but nothing that amazing. however, it's really hard to find good korean food in baltimore so in bmore, this might be one of the best Side dishes usually are pretty darn good. I could get full off of rice and those. Service: usually pretty slow and occasionally I've even gotten up to pour myself some water. price: not too bad. i mean... you can't expect cheap yet delicious korean food in baltimore. so yeah.. not that bad of prices but not the best either. Lunch times have more reasonable prices A sad story: Once I went and ordered their jjajangmyung (noodles in black sauce). it tasted like.... newspapers or something... the jjajang had absolutely no flavor. I was pretty upset and i told them that it was terrible. they took it back, apologized, and after trying it.. admitted that yeah it was pretty bad. They made another batch... which was slightly better, but still terrible. So that's one warning: Don't get jjajangmyun here. Overall, their korean food is pretty solid so if you are craving korean food, go here! most dishes are good, except for some. They also have a room in the back if you want to reserve it for a big party (can fit up to like 30ish)
(3)
Lina J.

Meh, although I think the food was quite tasty, the service and atmosphere take a lot away from the dining experience here. I came with a group and ordered the Galbi Tang and it was done really well. The meat was tender and the soup was great. We shared an order of ddukbokgi which was great as well. Side dishes came out to our table later than they did at other tables who sat down after us so that was a little disappointing. It took forever to flag down a waitress to get our order. I guess they were understaffed, but with no service, no side dishes and empty stomachs all around, it really didn't make for a very good impression. The atmosphere of the place is pretty drab - you've got your Kpop posters all around, some weird interior decorating (looks like a converted Mexican place?). Bottom line, it's somewhere I'd love to come back with with friends to enjoy good Korean food at a decent price, but definitely not somewhere I'd take my parents.
(3)
Brittany B.

this is my favorite Korean spot in the area, I've been eating here since 2009 and the prices have gone up a bit since then but I still come back anyway they have an exceptional seafood pancake + I'm a fan of the galbi tang (beef rib soup) if you have a big group, they have a separate room available in the back
(5)
Kimberley R.

The food was excellent and very reasonably priced! Service was a bit slow upon entering the restaurant; I stood up front waiting to be helped for about 10 minutes before anyone came over to seat me. My group then sat at our table for about 15 minutes before we were helped. However, the staff was friendly and efficient otherwise. Great little hole-in-the-wall spot for some authentic Korean food. Definitely looks a little sketchy from the outside, and based on the area that it's in, but don't let that stop you! It's worth a shot!
(4)
Jay L.

Been coming here for several years, and it recently has remodeled its interior. Its a touch nicer and has a cleaner appearing look. There is always an open table. The service is pretty quick. (Even when its meal time for the staff, the eat with you in the dining area, so it is easy to get their attention). Their BBQ is good, not spectacular, but it will hit the spot and portions are generous. Instead of routinely driving down to Ellicott City, I have been satisfying my Korean BBQ craving here instead. The soups, noodles, bibimbap, are good. Again, not spectacular, but consistent and fills you up. Note: it is a great place to get food to go. The take out portions are the same as when you dine in, and they give you a full portion of ban chan. Overall its a reliable place for good Korean food.
(4)
Dee-Ana P.

This was a great find late night restaurants in the Baltimore area. It looks rundown but the food is great. We had the bulgogi which came in a 2 person serving size that my fiance and I shared. It was an excellent treat and really tasty. I'm from Los Angeles and I'm surrounded by really good Korean restaurants and this place is comparable to that.
(4)
Andrew L.

WOO HOO!! By far the best Korean food, I've enjoyed in a LONG time. I'm Korean-American, but spent nearly ever summer in Korea for 14 years. Trust me. GO, and enjoy the Seafood Scallion pancake. The batter is unique and 8/10 times it's OUT OF THIS WORLD. The other 2/10 it's just good (sometimes a little too oily, so not crispy). I love all of their "casserole" dishes, which are more like stews. The portion is HUGE though and can feed 4 people easily. The side dishes are generous with repeated refills. They serve Barley tea. And I love the Sikhae (sweet rice drink) they serve at the end for dessert. Hands down my favorite restaurant in Baltimore. Ok fine, it's tied with Brewer's Art and Charleston.
(5)
JEWELe M.

My friend and I picked this spot randomly online. When we pulled up I was sketched out about the location (but HEY! IT's downtown B-more!). Anyways, I was relieved when we walked inside and there was a group of Korean men seated @ a large table. It was funny because I told my friend that I think we invaded their Mafia meeting (totally kidding!). Anyways, we ordered the bulgogi and the tofu soup (because we were told the BBQ order was not enough to share...but it was with all the sides!!!). The bulgogi was ABSOLUTELY mouthwatering delicious! I can say it was similar to Shinh Jung in Orlando (which is known for their FAMOUS BBQ). And the sides were yummy (my fave was the wasabi tasting noodles!!!). Also, the red toful soup was delicious. I've had this red soup before in Miami, but it was tooo spicy hot to enjoy! I felt like I was literally drinking the soup from the kimchi, but in HOT temperature!!! However, the tofu soup here was tolerable and I loved it! Next time I plan to try to the Soju! ;) SoOooOoOo....Whenever I'm missing Shihn Jung, I will most definitely hit up this spot again in B-more!!!
(5)
Sara J.

Decent Korean food, I got the suh lung tang, the beef soup in boiled bone broth, they give you a side of salt to salt to your taste. It was ok, the noodles were a bit overdone. For korean bbq, we got the short ribs (kalbi) it was pretty good. The waitresses are all nice and attentive to changing your grill and refilling on all the side dishes. I am a fan of the seafood pancake, you can get it as an appetizer if you like, has alot of chives and green onions in it, along with seafood like octopus and shrimp. If you have never been to korean bbq, wear some clothes that you dont mind smelling like smoked meat since you cook it at your table yourself.
(3)
Steve m.

We went last Sunday for lunch based on the positive reviews. I have to say that the food was mediocre at best. The dumplings were ok, but the bibimbop was tasteless and the bulgogi was expensive and a very small portion. We also found the service to be indifferent, but the real problem was that we were parked directly in front of the restaurant and someone put a screw in our tire causing a flat on 83 and requiring a replacement tire. This ended up being a very expensive, mediocre lunch.
(1)
Amanda W.

Best Korean food I've ever had in the US. Seriously sketchy neighborhood. Bring your Club.
(5)
A W.

Nak won is a great place to dine if you are Korean. If you aren't, you certainly can fare better elsewhere. First off, the atmosphere is a bit dumpy, with unimpressive decor appearing quite stark under the glaring cafeteria-style fluorescent lights. The tv in the corner gives you a view of the parking lot, in sort of a d.i.y. security system. Although our meal started off quietly, the restaurant became a bit noisier as an influx of Korean undergrads gradually filled up the remaining tables. The menu is quite pricey and unclear (how large of a portion do you get for the $20+ you must shell out for their bbq entrees?); so much so that I couldn't bring myself to give it fair justice to see if it was worth the cost. I opted instead for a simple dish of bibimbap, which arrived quickly enough but was certainly nothing to write home about. The selection of side dishes that arrived with the meal were tasty, but I noticed that Korean diners got a few different (and better) sides than what we were served. Service was a bit stilted also, although whether that was from the lack of English that the waitress spoke or if she just naturally had an unfriendly demeanor was hard to tell. Still, it does seem odd that what appears to be the senior waitress on duty is also the least appealing one to have as your server. I also found it surprising that when a table did opt to order a bbq dish, the servers cooked it not at their table but at a table that appeared set aside for that purpose -- until I saw them open the one vent in the room set directly opposite the table where said cooking was taking place. I can only say that I was glad we managed to leave before the smell of grilling meat permeated the restaurant. Would I come back here to dine? Yes, but only if my Korean friends came along to do the ordering, since I'm sure in that case we would fare significantly better.
(2)
Josiah L.

The best Korean BBQ in the city!!!! A new establishment in the area (1 year old), it provides the same kind of food as its neighbour (Jong Kak). However, I find the food is so much better. I only had the BBQ this time (bulgoki) but the marinated meat is very tender and juicy, next time I'll try the rest of the menu. Very fast service (maybe because we went there on a weeknight), and just like other Korean restaurants, there's a slight disadvantage if you don't speak the language, so if you go, make sure to bring a friend who knows Korean.
(4)
Janey R.

I went here and the first time was good. My mom liked the first meal here too. I had donkass but they didn't cut it and it was fair. I was starving so I ate it still but the place next door makes it better. As far as Korean food. I went a second time for jampong and it barely had seafood in it. My mom was not happy with her bimbimbap in the hot stone bowl. She said the first dish she had which was a seafood soup was delicious but when we went back for lunch she was very unhappy. Service during busy hours aren't very great either. Go when it's dead for a better experience.
(3)
Lily T.

Coming from New York City, I am spoiled with good Korean food..and this place was a huge disappointment First of all, this place was not even clean! it smelled weird in the restaurant and the table and menus were sticky. the ban chans were not fresh! everything tasted really old, especially the cucumber salad There were tons of flies around when we were eating. Gross! and the food was a big disappointment! the bibi myun was even worse than the instant noddle and the other spicy beef soup was not good at all I can see this place being a gem to the Baltimore locals, because there are no other better places! but to those have have tasted better Korean food, this place just doesn't do it
(2)
Jennifer I.

Good place to go when you get that craving for Korean food but don't have the time to make it all the way to Ellicott City. My go to items here are the gamjatang (slow-cooked spicy pork stew with simmered potatoes) which is really tasty and hits the spot, esp. when it's cold outside or when you're sick. Usually comes with a lot of meat, but sometimes can be less than usual or missing potatoes (like today). Also got the seasoned korean bbq ribs (one order of it, that they grill in the kitchen before bringing it out to your table, which has a pro in that you don't smell like korean bbq afterwards but it's less fun). This is sorta pricey ($29) but surprisingly delicious, the meat being tender and well-seasoned. A fair con of NakWon would have to be the service. They never came by our table asking if things were alright, which is typical of Korean restaurants, I guess. But even when we asked for seconds of the appz, we got a dirty look.
(3)
Elisa N.

This is a restaurant that I've been to many many times during my years in college. It was a favorite of my friends and I as they were open very late and had good korean food. As a korean whose grown up eating korean food, the food there is pretty authentic and prepared well. However, I returned to Nakwon a couple of months ago when some old college friends were visiting and was surprised by the service. In the past, the service was good and the servers were very friendly. But, when I went the last time, the servers were very rude and appeared to be purposely avoiding us. I was very disappointed and have not returned since. I hope that this has changed in the past couple of months. All in all, I do think Nakwon has great korean food and is great for late night food. I hope service has improved since I last visited.
(3)
Tunaidi A.

You know... after an awesome first impression, I went back to Nak Won multiple times. However, each time it got progressively worse. Service has really been slacking. Menus come late to the table. Sides are delayed and come seconds before the entrees. Never refilling drinks until we get up out of our seats to ask. Having to wave down the servers multiple times just to get to-go boxes. It's getting pretty ridiculous. On a side note. Two things to avoid: * Jajangmyeon -- It tastes like the instant version you can buy at the Korean grocery store. * Kalbi Dolsot -- Lots of rice, very little meat, and very little vegetables (though tons of onions). In addition, it's not Bibimbap with several slices of kalbi on top. It's more like fried rice with chopped up bits of kalbi with green onions and regular onions.
(2)
Ruben C.

Incredible. Didn't think all these little dishes were going to fill me up. The beer and pork belly were really good, all cooked right in front of us. Definitely worth the price but service although good, lacked at times (I hear when momma is there, she cracks the whip but she wasn't there that night). Nonetheless, we had a really great time.
(4)
Lucy G.

Good but a little pricey. Mostly just convenient for the area, especially if you don't have a car. I like the BBQ, they can cook it at your table or in the back. It's fun to get the big $100 kbbq set, but it's not filling enough on its own. Seafood pancakes galore!!
(4)
Lauren S.

A boy and I stumbled in here a little after 10 on Sunday and they were still open! There were a few other people inside eating as well. Always a good sign. And there is parking right in front of the door. I highly suggest that if you don't venture into this part of town to often. My mom actually teaches at a school down the street (she's a tough cookie) so I'm in this area fairly often. We ordered the fried dumplings in sweet and sour sauce, and we both got bibimbap. The food came out fast and super hot! But oh man, it was so good. I mixed some kimchee with mine and oh goodness, so good. The rice we got after the meal (which tasted like sugar) was a nice way to end the meal. Our waitress was good. Attentive but not overbearing. Our bill was only $35, which is reasonable. Next time we come back we plan to get some BBQ. Can't Waugh
(4)
Carrie O.

Not a bad alternative to Honey Pig. As city residents, there are just times where LoML and I don't want to drive all the way down to Ellicott City for KBBQ. As it is, we didn't have the KBBQ here - yet. I tried the seafood pancake based on prior Yelp recommendations, while LoML had the bibimbap. I think that he was a little surprised when he got his order, because it was cold - he wanted the sizzling stone pot and that's not what he received. We quickly figured out that we'd ordered the wrong thing - but he said that it was good, nonetheless. The seafood pancake was ginormous. Easily the size of a 10-inch pizza. I couldn't eat but half of it and ended up getting a takeout box. I'd never seen so much STUFF packed into one pancake in my life. Tons of seafood and green onions. Very good. However, for some reason, the leftovers were the exact same as Honey Pig's - it was even better the next day. What's up with that? (I'm sure not going to complain, though.) Ban chan was decent. There was a cold mashed potato dish that was quite simply AWESOME. Cold buckwheat noodles were excellent, as well. Prices were very reasonable, much less than Honey Pig's for the same stuff. Service is eh, but we're used to that from Korean joints, so it can be overlooked. The only thing that's lacking at Nak Won... ugh, the neighborhood. Look, people, I live in Baltimore City, was raised in Baltimore City, and I KNOW rough, sketchy neighborhoods. This is one of them. This is a place that you do NOT want to take a date (especially for the first time), this is not the 'hood to bring your brand new Lexus in, this is not the place to flash around your money. Trust me on this. Everyone who claims that Lexington Market is a sketch area would faint dead away HERE. Use caution. As a city native, you'd do well to heed my advice here. Seriously. Despite this, LoML and I WILL be returning when we're too lazy to drive 30 minutes to Howard County. Tip for Diabetics: Oddly, no problems here, but all I had was the seafood pancake and a couple of dishes of ban chan. You may want to be careful on the KBBQ because of the sauce, but I personally do not know - yet - how that affects me. As always... Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. YMMV. Seek medical advice and tailor my review to your situation. I simply provide opinion.
(4)
Gene L.

Of the times I've come here, it seems to be a little hit or miss. It's a great place for groups because of the space they have. The bbq is pretty good and they provide a lot of side dishes compared to other korean restaurants in baltimore. The service can be lacking at times. It starts off attentive, but then sort of tails off later and no one is to be seen. Don't get the stone pot kalbi bibimbap. It sounds so promising like it'll be all the heapings of bibimbap with kalbi on top, but it's a load of rice, onions, and small pieces of beef. The yukaejang is good, along with the rabokki.
(4)
Ashley L.

This place is terrible. The people who work here are so rude and ignore customers. They complain when you don't tip them well when honestly they don't even do their jobs. The food is mediocre at best (not even), so it really isn't even worth it to go for food. Never go to this restaurant.
(1)
Cie S.

They screwed up our order!!!! Check your food before leaving, specify your order when placing phone orders!!!!!
(2)
Devonshire B.

Long story short, this place is authentic and awesome. It's totally in a sketch area off of the main drag, but don't let it fool you. It's a little pricey, but it's worth every penny. You get the flavours, the service and the experience- and that's definitely worth it. I would highly recommend the noodle bowl with beef and green onions. I can't remember the name, but it hit the spot! The dumplings dish was ginormous and saucy, but it still satisfied (maybe a little less sauce would have been nice). I loved the multiple sides that came with the meal as well. Beware, weak stomachs. There are cooked shrimp heads in one of those side dishes. Or maybe they're something else. I honestly don't know, but they have little eyes... I ate them anyways- they're salty, crunchy and have a hint of BBQ to them! Not too bad for something out of my comfort zone. Be adventurous and enjoy what Baltimore has to offer.
(4)
Jenny H.

I came here again, and the food was subpar. They have these new in-the-table inserted electric grills which are OK and makes the place less smokey, but the BBQ we got was not good. The galbi meat was really poor quality, super tough and almost nasty tasting. I won't get this again. We also got their samgyupsal, or pork belly, which was just OK. I do like how they give you the egg casserole and daengjang jigae, for free as sides. Their dolsot bibimbap was not good either, just banchan thrown into a bowl, it wasn't particularly hot or flavorful. All their soups were pretty good though, sullungtang (white soup), dae gu jigae (cod spicy soup), and mawun galbi tang (spicy kalbi soup).
(3)
Erik H.

The food (soups for us) was good, service was very slow. The steamed dumplings were excellent. Next time we want to try the BBQ- it looked really good.
(4)
MJ K.

service is so bad!!!! the woman handed me my rice UPSIDE DOWN.seriously rude, have attitude problems if you ask for anything! go right next door. food is really....msg errrrthang
(1)
Jennie T.

Janet W. and I were hungry after arriving in Baltimore at 12am, so we decided to see what restaurant is still open. Enter Nak Won Korean Restaurant-- they're opened til 4am! Amazing! Because Janet can't handle a lot of spice, we ordered sul-lang-tang and the haemul pajeon. The sul-lang-tang was okay. I liked the haemul pajeon a lot though. It was humongous! I honestly hadn't expected it to be so big because I've had smaller versions in Chicago. This is the size of a large pizza. Wow. And it's also one of the best haemul pajeon I've had. I loved it. Also, I agree with Stephanie S.-- The japchae isn't very good. In fact, the noodles have been refrigerated and it's pretty hard. All the other banchan were good.
(4)
Yimei W.

Sullang Tang-very generous and served with several small dishes that did not include nasty anchovies or anything too overly exotic. Galbi Dolsot BiBimBap: this was disappointing--didn't look like the picture and looked more like fried rice--korean style, as everything was already chopped up and mixed in in small bits. If you're used to pictures of veggies in a stone bowl each spread around in its place with galbi couched on top--do yourself a favor and go to Hanoori. I came for Galbi before and it was pretty good; they have a small, flat grill in the middle of the table. I would come again though--generally very quiet and not too busy on the weekdays or Sunday afternoons :) Good for small groups of people. The service may be mistaken as slow, but they seem to purposely bring out your entree and side dishes all at once, which is different from what I'm used to. I prefer if they bring out the small dishes soon as possible, of course.
(4)
Dan A.

I went here on Saturday night with a group of friends. We originally were planning to go to another Korean restaurant in the area but it was so packed that we ended up here. Well... it was completely EMPTY. Service was okay though. In terms of food, it was okay but nothing special. Also, they didn't have several items that we asked for (sullang tang and haejang gook). When I visited San Soo Kab San the other day, the worker there told me that they were closing up 4/30/12 and moving to Nak Won. I confirmed that with a few more people afterwards. What I should have done (and didn't) was ask the Nak Won people too... but I didn't want them to get upset or anything either :P That would explain why the restaurant was lacking customers and lacking menu items. However, things still seem a bit hazy (did San Soo Kab San buy out Nak Won's space altogether? Or is this some weird merger?). Maybe the food was mediocre (more than I remember it being) due to the changes happening with this store and San Soo Kab San. But everything still seems like a mystery at this point in time. haha. Expect an update :)
(2)
Scott S.

Very impressed by the appetizer spread that comes with every table. But I would avoid the spicy fish egg soup next time. That was a little too intense. Also no vegetarian options
(3)
Anne K.

I've had the vegetarian bibimbap and the vegetarian dolsat bibimbap-- both amazing. My carnivorous partner raves about the bbq plates. This place is a little nondescript and kinda chilly, but the food is soooo worth it. It's an ideal casual night out if you're in the mood for some healthy comfort food.
(4)
Kojo B.

Delicious Kalbi on their lunch special the sides too were awesome. Try it for some delicious kalbi.
(5)
Heb Y.

Delicious! Coming from nyc I'm a bit spoiled with the plethora of amazing korean restaurants, but not so much in Baltimore. Tried Noc Won on a whim and was delightfully surprised, the rabokki was tasty and the seafood pajun was the best I've had in a while! 4 stars for service though, had to ask for my kimchi, but understandably they were a bit busy with only one server. I will definitely come back.
(4)
Renee S.

We actually started out looking for a different spot rumoured to serve Korean Fried Chicken. It looked closed (and said 'sushi' on the door) so we went to Nak Won instead. I've been to several of the Korean spots in Baltimore and this one is now in the running for my favorite. We both had the dol sot bimbimbap (mine without beef). Mmmmm. It hit the spot like nothing else for $10.99. We also ordered the fried chicken which came just as we were finishing up our rice dish. It's probably too sweet to do a full order, but the half hit the spot. Double fried, super crispy, lots of flavor. In addition, we got all the side dishes that typically come including some Chinese broccoli and tofu. The wait staff was incredibly friendly and we were able to park right in front (if you're worried about personal safety). They also do tableside BBQ (too hot for it in July IMHO). Solid experience, I'll be back. And, good to know I don't have to drive to Catonsville, Annandale or Ellicott City for Korean Fried Chicken.
(4)
Abby W.

I've been to Nak Won so many time over the years, I find it hard to believe that I haven't already reviewed the place on Yelp. If you're in the mood for Korean food and your definition of "Korean" encompasses more than just BBQ, this is the place to go. Personally, it's always a toss-up between San San and Nak Won. Nak Won is a bit more vegetarian friendly, with several vegetarian options indicated on the menu. Nak Won has better pan chan than San San, however their BBQ doesn't come in individual portions and may be significantly overpriced. Rating Breakdown: 1/2 Stars for Taste - I'm a big fan of soups and I find the soups at Nak Won are a bit on the bland side. Their selection of pan chan is one of the best in Baltimore, they constantly switch it up, keeping the classic kimchi dishes while rotating through some mashed potatoes, fish cakes, etc. I don't find their BBQs anything to rave about, the ahjummas cook it for you in the kitchen and bring it out. While it's nothing to write home about, the food here is indubitably authentic. 1/1 Stars for Value - Authentic Korean food is pretty hard to come by in Baltimore and, for Hopkins students, pretty much boils down to this little patch of restaurants near 21st and Maryland. The portion sizes here are definitely more than enough, the panchan is refillable, and at the end of the meal, they give you this icy, sweet rice soup. Dishes range from between $10-15 on average for dinner, unless you order BBQ. 0.5/1 Stars for Customer Service - I know Yelp doesn't have a 1/2 star function so I will round up, however I just can't justify giving a full star for service here. Typical Asian customer service. Waiters aren't very friendly and have a very perfunctory attitude. It may be the language barrier, but would it kill them to smile? Bonus star because this is one of those restaurants on the corner that I will visit time and time again when I am craving Korean food. There is a small parking lot in the back and the restaurant is large enough that parties are usually seated immediately. Definitely worth checking out but don't expect to be blown away.
(4)
Eunice S.

Food - really good. I read reviews that the seafood pancake was worthy trying and it absolutely is. I also had the yukaejang and it's amazing. I think the side dishes are subpar but they do refill them for free. The prices for the meat bbq is a bit too high for my liking so I don't think I'll ever try it. Service- Considering my husband and I went to the restaurant at 2am and they were willing to serve us, I wouldn't expect much more. They were obviously tired after a long day's work and didn't say much or come by that often, but I didn't mind. Atmosphere- I really enjoyed the tv with korean broadcasting in the background Brought back memories from my time in Seoul. Very clean.
(4)
Rach K.

Yum! I've been in Baltimore for almost a year for work and haven't had any Korean food the entire time. Since I grew up on Korean food, I'm critical of many dishes and don't always like to eat out. But that just means I know what dishes I should order that are "foolproof" so that I don't end up disappointed. This past weekend, I got to try the ddukbokki (spicy ricecake), yukaejang (spicy beef and scallion soup), and bibimbap (rice mixed with vegetables and a spicy sauce). All three were pretty good. The ddukbokki had a good ratio of ricecakes to sauce to fishcakes and it wasn't overly sweet, which I appreciated. The yukaejang was good, though a bit salty, and the portion size was humongous. The bibimbap was typical, nothing to write home about, but it was also huge and came with miso soup, which was nice. The banchan was so-so; they gave us sprouts, green beans, kimchee, squid, anchovies, and pickled cucumbers. Service is friendly, which was sort of refreshing. I'm used to the kind of harsher attitudes of Korean restaurant staff in NY/NJ who only soften and become nice when they realize I speak Korean. Overall, I enjoyed the food and though I won't be in Baltimore for much longer, will definitely head here if a craving strikes. And like a few other reviewers have noted, the location is kind of in a dodgy neighborhood.
(4)
Hung T.

This place is my #2 spot for korean food in Bmore (#1 would be hanoori town in Ellicott city). The good: Soondooboo, galbi dolsot, gamja tang, pan chan. Open til 4am! Great for those late nights partying/clubbing and great for hangovers the next day! The bad: Located in a ghetto area of Bmore... The ugly: Decor is blaahhhh...inside is pretty small. Never tried the korean bbq here so can't comment on that. Price is kinda expensive for a small korean restaurant. I wouldn't go here everyweek.
(3)
Lana T.

I've been to Korea and I've had Korean food in LA and I can safely say that Nak Won can hold its own against either of them. Yes, it's significantly pricier than either of those places, but then again, this is Baltimore. One order of Korean barbeque costs about $20. In terms of authenticity and deliciousness, Nak Won nails it. This is definitely the best Korean restaurant in Baltimore (who does Nam Kang think they're kidding?) and I truly think the haemul pajeaon (seafood pancake) here is the best I've ever had, with plenty of seafood that isn't drowning in batter like a lot of other places try to pull off. Almost everything I've had here was delicious, from the bibimbap to the sundobu and sul lang tang. Yes, the restaurant is in kind of a shady neighborhood, but I've never heard of anything happening to anyone near the restaurant. And yes, there are definitely perks if you come with Koreans (don't charge for rice, bring out complimentary grilled octopus, unlimited side dishes, etc.) But don't let either of these factors deter you from quality Korean food at a reasonable price, and what is definitely the best Korean food in Baltimore. Nak Won is also open relatively late (although not 24 hours like K-town in LA) making it a great late night after-clubbing or after-studying option although it's definitely not just a late night spot. I've never had to wait too long any of the many times I've come, and the servers have always been friendly. It's right next to Jong Kak, which is also worth a try, but Nak Won is my personal favorite.
(4)
Sean H.

Lovely get away place. Food is excellent. Atmosphere is real chill and laid back. The service is very friendly and prompt. Recommended for a nice get away from the norm. The Saki is brilliant.
(5)
Abish O.

The price is decent for the appetizers and stews, considering you get rice and side dishes. However, the BBQ is overpriced compared to other Korean restaurants with the BBQ option. If you are up for spicy stew's this is the place to go, but they don't have much of anything else. Every time I go, I feel like I cycle through the same dishes. And when I do get the stews I feel like they skimp out on the meat in these dishes. The ban-chan (side dishes) are different every time I go here, but I am never disappointed with what they give us. They always replenish the side dishes and ALL of them taste good. They are very flexible when it comes to payment. I usually go with a group of friends who just carry around cards and they allow us to pay for our meals separately. After being in Baltimore for a couple of years, I realized things close really early so its hard to find good food late into the night. Thankfully there is this place open as a last resort, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The parking lot is a plus. No need to worry about finding street parking.
(4)
Lou P.

Don't pass up the seafood pancake. It's a huge portion. This is the real deal Korean BBQ. Honey Pig is a bit commercial and Jeung Kak isn't what it used to be. This has now become my favorite in Baltimore
(5)
Elizabeth E.

I've been here more times than I care to admit. I love it! I just wanted to write and say that they've upgraded their grills/tables. Now, the grill is in the table, not above, which is the way I'm used to enjoying KBBQ. Enjoy!
(5)
Hayley L.

I have been to this restaurant 3 or 4 times. The food is okay. However, I would like to comment on their service. I have never been really impressed with their service but did not have any major issues until the last time I visited. After paying the bill and everything, we stood up to leave, the waitress came to us and commented on the tip because we didn't give her 20% tip. Provided that we were 2 people, the food took a long time to come, and they provided very minimal service, I did not see the reason why I should tip her more than what I felt was appropriate for the service I received. I thought it was extremely rude for her to make such comment and said that "they usually take 20% tip". I hope they realize doing things like that will cost them their customers. It will be hard for me to come back to this restaurant because of this experience.
(2)
Vickie S.

Reviewers have been spot-on that this is a lot of food for your money. Entrees are about $10-18, and between the condiments and rice sharing is perfectly within reason, even if you're very hungry. The mashed potato, pickled radish strips and glass noodles in particular vanished quickly. I'm checking off "moderate" for the price point, but be aware that includes leftovers. If you are at all familiar with Korean food but do not actually speak/read Korean, the menu can be confusing because the only English indicator of what you are ordering is a vague description. Another reviewer had remarked about this, but I did not realize before going that dish titles were not provided either. Bibim bop is listed as "rice in stoneware bowl". A quick question cleared that up, though. As a vegetarian, I was pleased they were accommodating to our questions about which condiments were "safe". As a person who likes my food on the spicy side, I was somewhat disappointed by the chili sauce. Two friends got the thinly sliced beef barbeque, which comes with spicy tofu soup, and they reported the soup as moderately spicy, however. I would be happy to go again (preferably when famished), especially now that I have some sense of navigating the menu. Bonus points for late-night chow, as well.
(4)
Joseph K.

This place is fine. but it is closing. Either being merged with san soo kab san (this place is awesome) or san soo kab san is simply taking it over. Either way i'm fine with it. Nak won was ok ...had some bbq, had good homemade soups ...but san soo kab san shouuld do much better.
(3)
Hanna L.

I was actually very disappointed when I ordered one of the soup dish "Hae-Jang-gook." It's a beef rib soup with cabbages, sprouts, egg, and all sorts of vegetables in a mild beef stock. The one I ordered at Nak-won came with 1 piece of rib with very little piece of meat attached to it and ALOT of cabbage. That was it. I've never had this kind of poorly made soup in any korean restaurant, so I was very disappointed. However, I think Nak-won has pretty good side dishes and other main dishes that may be a better choice than the one I picked. I would say the service isn't too bad either but when it gets busy, it is way difficult to get any kind of service that you need.
(2)
Julie I.

Decent Korean food for a good price, especially if you don't want to travel out to ellicott city. The haemul pajoon (seafood pancake) was the best dish I had there, but the bibimbap and soondobu (tofu soup) were good as well.
(4)
Kimberly D.

Have been here twice in recent weeks and love it. Went with a big group the first time and we had steamed dumplings (absolutely delicious!!) for starters, then bibimbap in a hot pot (this is a big serving of veggies, rice, meat with an egg on top - you mix it up in the pot and add special hot sauce), the hot miso like soup with fish which is fabulous especially on a cold day. The second time had the same and added plum wine (sweet, in a pretty bottle for sharing) and also traditional Korean beer served in a bowl. The banjan was plentiful and excellent (these are the free dishes that come with your meal and include bean sprouts, kimchi, spicy cucumber, noodles, fish cake, eggplant). The food is excellent and cheap. The place is family owned (three generations were there one nigh) and the nice grandfatherly owner helped me figure out how to open the bubbly Korean beer and they showed me how to serve the soup. They are very friendly and open to helping non-Koreans enjoy their food. A great introduction to Korean food. They also have bbq which you do on the table, haven't tried that yet. Highly recommended.
(4)
Lucy X.

I forgot how much I've missed eating Korean food until I came here and stuffed my face!! Everything was sooo gooood, from the variety of banchan to the tasty Korean BBQ (marinated galbi and slices of ssamgyupsal) to the hot seafood soondubu to the best seafood pancake by far!! Unlike most places, they definitely don't skimp on the seafood, which consists of huge chunks of octopus, oyster, etc. I just love everything about the food served at this place!!! And I forgot to mention they serve Forbidden rice, yummy!!
(5)
Ai-Chen Y.

~No one called it "Nak Won", we give it a code as "20th street."~ As an international student, Nak Won is always the great choice! The reason why we love it is because its reasonable price and tons of "free" appetizers. The appetizers all are delicious and can be refilled. They also serve free rice and dessert (a kind of sweet soup) for each person. The C/P value of this restaurant is definitely high. The three dishes I love most in Nak Won is 1. Seafood Tofu Soup Has many small mussels in it and one large mussel and one big clam. The soup tastes so good and the tofu is very tender. I will recommend one soup shared by 2 people. (forget the price, probably $11~$15) 2. Kalbi (marinated beef) $24.99, the best bbq in the Nak Won, the server will bbq it near the table. If you don't like the smoke, you could also ask the server to bbq it in the kitchen. The best way to eat it is with a garlic, white radish and a lettuce with some Korean sauce. It could be shared by 4 people. 3. Seafood Pancake I like the pancake here than the Honey Pig's. The pancake in the Honey Pig is too soft and with too many flours. It could be shared by at least 5 people. Remember to eat it with some Korean sauce! (this sauce is different from the one with Kalbi) The waiters are nice but their English is not that great, try to use the simplest English to make the order! Also, the environment is not very clean but acceptable. The last but not the least, if u have no time to dine in the restaurant, make the order to go will also be great (call them in advance to make the order and you will not need to wait in the restaurant). They give you all the appetizers and rice to go.
(4)
Jordan L.

The portions here are huuuuge. We always go here and end up having eaten too much and packing leftovers. They keep replacing the massive number of side dishes whenever you finish them, and unlike some other places, you can also pack then out with the rest of your giant meal. I really like their pork neck/potato stew, their cod soups, and their noodle dishes. Their seafood tofu soup is delicious and flavorful, as are any other dishes I've tried. The seafood pancake here is the best I've had anywhere and full of seafood and green onion. The one negative experience here would be a friend who was not accustomed to asian food ordering the Kimchi Fried Rice. Definitely not a dish for someone who, it turns out, doesn't like kimchi.
(5)
Virginia Y.

Pretty decent korean food in Baltimore compared to the good stuff I get from NYC. I had bulgogi and bibimbap. The bulgogi was really overpriced.. $19 dollars for a plate of beef? Really? I could get that in NYC for $10 or less... The bibimbap was alright, not bad for $10. Portions are fairly generous. Service was quick and the staff was very attentive. I love all the side dishes that came with the food.
(4)
Steven D.

Food: $15 for squid BBQ. Same flavor as the one my friend's pork BBQ flavor. It's sweet and spicy with a good serving size. The "free" appetizers at the beginning were great except for the mash potatoes. That was weird. I enjoyed the seawead and kimchi. Decor: Shady location. There is a apartment complex across the street that looks like it's going to crumble. The inside is pretty plain with posters of hot Korean women trying to get you to buy soju. No website. The TV inside had a camera pointing at the parking lot. Comforting. I could see someone jack my car and maybe cry about it in real time. Service: The server's English wasn't the greatest but she was fast enough. Water was filled many times. Would I come here again: Yes. The food was tasty enough to warrant the risk of being stabbed.
(5)
Kitty S.

We came here bc we were in the vicinity and were extremely hungry. This place had 4 stars and we thought it'd be a quick stop to satisfy our hunger pain, despite the undesirable location and appearance of the establishment. We were wrong! The service was poor; we had to wait half an hour for our food. We even had to ask for banchans to be brought out. The food was expensive for the establishment of its level.
(2)
Jennifer H.

It doesn't look like much from the outside or inside, but the food was great (and this is coming from people visiting from NJ/NYC where we have the best Korean food). All the side dishes were delicious and well-prepared. We ordered 2 appetizers, the dduk-ppoki (spicy rice cakes) and kimchi-pajun (kimchi pancake). The spicy rice cakes had the right amount of sauciness and spiciness. The kimchi pancake was huge and not greasy at all with great flavor. Both were large portions. For entrees we ordered the gamja-tang (potato and pork stew), mool naeng-myun (cold buckwheat noodles), and grilled mackerel. The stew was great, right level of spiciness and thickness, lots of bone/meat and overall excellent flavor. The noodles were the only disappointing dish, but this dish is hard to get just right, I was just not a fan of the broth, but it wasn't horrible. The grilled mackerel was very fresh, not too salty, and it was the whole fish (split into 2 sides, so a very generous portion). The service was very attentive and friendly and overall we were very surprised to find such delicious Korean food in Baltimore!
(4)
Eric L.

Not the best Korean I've had (compared to offerings in other cities) but solid, and definitely a breath of fresh air in Baltimore. I've only been there once but just the fact that they serve AUTHENTIC Korean food and Asian food in general rather than the usual --Americanized Chinese restaurants with no authentic dishes and crazy amounts of sugar added to each dish, and a sushi bar in the middle of the restaurant -- type places I have ran into lately around B'more says something (but I digress). I ordered the bibimbap and seafood pancake. The sides were definitely the best part of the meal. They were standard fare for Korean places but pretty tasty. The seafood pancake was definitely not as crispy or tasty as I am used to but it is quite large at least, and not greasy. The bibimbap was also not how I am used to but had its own good qualities - light and tasty flavor dominated by veggies and mushrooms. Overall, I gave it 4 stars because I haven't had better Asian food of any kind in Baltimore or Towson. As others have mentioned, the area seems sketchy, mildly.
(4)
Judy C.

The service might be a little awkward as they don't speak too much English and do speak in a uneasy manner. Other than that and the price for some of the food, I have no complaints bout this place! Sure, it is lacking in decor, but I like it because it gives me a homey feel to the place (similar to local restaurants in Asia). The service is pretty quick as the place is never packed (probably because of the not-so-nice neighborhood). The food (the BBQ beef/pork, spicy octopus, casseroles) are all delicious! They certainly refilled the banchans, so that was a plus for me. With soju (Korean liquor), it is a great meal to have with a group of friends.
(4)
KuangYou C.

Good food with not that good environment! However, I will definitely go there again if I go to Baltimore. First, they gave you many appetizers, and most of them tasted great! We had kalbi, bbq pork, tofu soup, and seafood pancake. All of them were great! I like kalbi and the tofu soup the most. They smelled good and the meat were tender. The tofu soup looked spicy but not that spicy when you tasted it, and it contained many seafood inside. It wen well with some rice. Their seafood pancake is not like other Korean restaurants'. They put less flour but more veggies. It tasted different but still good. We ordered so many food and asked for some boxed to take out, and we can even box the appetizer!!
(4)
suz h.

Seafood pancake is really great. Bibimbap (hot and cold) are delicious. Service is ok. In front room they have a door alarm that is very distracting and annoying. Try to avoid sitting in the front room.
(3)
Mj V.

Nice place to go after clubbing.
(3)
Erika K.

Ate at Nak Won on a Sunday evening, 7pm, with a friend. We are both big fans of Korean cuisine that we've made our own kimchee. She has traveled in Korea. Ample parking. Bright, sparse decor. My friend states that the decor reminds her of a place she ate at with some subway workers who picked her up on the street once. The crowd here appeared to be young Korean-speaking couples or families. Cheerful service. Menus have duplicate pages, we are not sure why. As another reviewer noticed, the English translations are not good. There is no romanized version of the Korean, only sparse translations. We wished we knew the characters for our favorite dishes. Everything came to our table simultaneously: little plates (banchan), appetizer (steamed dumplings), seafood soup, and fried kimchee with pork. The latter came with tofu, to our surprise. Servings were generous. Several other tables ordered barbecue (galbi). This is served on electric indoor griddles. It's advertised as a special on the wall, but most of the sign is in Korean. If I went back, I would try this. The kimchee here looked like the kind available in some grocery stores, and was very mild and somewhat aged. Perhaps it had more mild red pepper than is to my liking. Kimchee is one of my favorite foods. I have a shop where I go to buy different kinds of fresh kimchee, and I can also make it myself. Not liking the kimchee is enough for me not to put Nak Won on the top of my list for Korean. The presentation was haphazard. Foods seemed to be served randomly in the dishes. This would not be notable in an American restaurant, but it seems unusual for Korean restaurants, where presentation is valued. This is located in a marginal, but improving neighborhood. It's not as bad as it was 10 years ago.
(2)
William M.

My five stars is based on price per food; don't go to here expecting Woodberry Kitchen or Salt; rather come here for lots of good food for an excellent price. My wife and I have been here twice, and this restaurant has been excellent both times. The restaurant is mostly filled with Korean people, and the menu has some interesting and not-very-specific translations into English. For example, what most Korean places call "Bibum Bop" is here called "vegetables and rice in stoneware bowl". Nonetheless, the staff is extremely polite and can help with a translation. When you order, I suggest not getting an appetizer, because you'll get about 8 small plates of food to your table before your meal comes. A bit of kimchi, sesame noodles, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetable tempura, bean sprouts, and a few more. When the food comes, there'll be lots of it and it'll be hot. Both meals I've had there have had been served in very large bowls, and my wife's Bibum Bop has had enough to feed her for three meals. I have gotten two spicy soups, both very different but quite delicious. Last night, for 2 people who each had a beer, our meal came to less than $40 before tip. Nak won is an interesting experience, with friendly staff and lots of good food. We'll be back.
(5)
Hetty W.

My favorite yuk gae jang place ever! If you are looking to get soupy korean dishes, my korean friends tell me that this is the place to go! Service is great if you're korean or with some. I didn't yesterday and they served their banchan when our dishes came out (uhh.. cheapo?) and they didn't pay much attention to us. But all that aside, definitely come here for the yuk gae jang and the gamja tang. YUM. super cheap for lunch too!
(4)
Stevie P.

I visited Johns Hopkins, and my family and I decided to eat Korean food for lunch. I found this place on the internet, YELP to be exact and it had great reviews so off we went. My brother, mom, and I were craving gamja tang so that's what we got. I've never had an individual pot of gamja tang. I can't say that this is the greatest gamja tang EVER because I've had better in Boston (yeah, random place), but it was still good and tasty, nevertheless. I know that banchan (side dishes) are complimentary, but I'm going to comment on it. It's decent. Let's just say don't order the japchae. My grandma makes way better japchae. My favorite was the broccoli... with the spicy gochujang sauce on it.
(4)
Hansoo J.

I have been going to this place on and off for as long as I can remember. When I was a wee little boy, my grandparents would pick me up and take me to eat here... For some reason (which is probably hidden due to some traumatic childhood experience), I didn't have a very favorable opinion on the place. So when I grew up and didn't have to be watched by my grandparents on saturday mornings, I stopped going to Nak Won. Fast forward a couple years... I visited Nak Won a few years ago with my grandparents (this time I was the one who picked them up to take them home). to my surprise, the food was actually pretty good. I had the Sul-Lung Tang which is one of my go-to korean dishes especially on cold days. The place felt very comfy. Maybe too comfy... it felt like I was sitting in my grandparents house. Hmmm... the pieces from my cloudy past are beginning to come together... The service was passable for a Korean Restuarant. The one thing I appreciate the most about the service is that they bring out hot barley tea by default instead of asking me if I wanted it simply because I look like I'm younger than 50 (in most Korean restaurants, its bad being young...) Since then, I have gone back a couple times and always look forward to my warm bowl of sul-lung tang.
(3)
Amy B.

My husband and I were excited to try Korean food, but I think maybe it's just not for us. We ordered the seafood scallion pancake, and then we tried to order the pork belly bbq, but we were told you can't order just one- which seemed a bit strange to me, but we switched to the marinated beef bbq. The scallion pancake did seem well-made, although the flavor was overwhelmingly of seafood. The dipping sauce was quite good though. We were very disappointed with the marinated beef bbq- for $18.95, we got a pretty small plate of philly cheesesteak-style beef (my husband says he would have preferred a philly cheesesteak for about $10 less). The sides were interesting, and although they were a little fun to try, they just didn't taste all that good. Everything is cold, very sweet, and salty. We had to laugh a little bit when, to finish the meal off, they brought out this bowl of sugary water with soggy rice- so not appealing. It came to ~$40 without drinks- which seemed unreasonably high for the quality of the food.
(2)
Megan H.

Totally agree with James L.'s review. He pretty much covered it all, actually. I'll just add that the nakji bokkeum (spicy stir-fried octopus) was tasty and comes on a giant plate with thin rice noodles on the side. It's (really) pricey, but it is seafood and done well, so there you have it. The ban chan were good (and refilled, yay!) but I have had better. Overall, would rather go to the food court next to H-Mart because it is just as tasty but much cheaper, but when I'm not up to the drive (which is almost always), I'm happy to come here again.
(4)
Maria M.

This is pretty much my favorite restaurant in Baltimore. Maybe it's because my boyfriend and i have gone here so much that we know the owner and the waitresses by now. So my review may be a bit biased. Anyways, my favorite dish here is the spicy seafood soft tofu soup. Nothing cheers me up like their spicy seafood sundoobu. =) I can handle it's spicy-ness and they are not stingy on the amount of seafood that they put in there. Another favorite dish of mine is the spicy beef soup - yookgaejang. One of the great things here is that they definitely don't skimp out on the meat in any of the dishes! I love love love it! And if i didn't mention it before, i love all the side - dishes that koread food places have and this is probably the place where you can get the most side dishes. They are all delicious! They also have korean bbq which probably isn't the best that i've ever tasted when it comes to kalbi and bulgogi, but i love their pork belly! YUMMM!!!! Seafood pancake is excellent if you like lots of green onions, but bf doesn't like it much because of that. I could go on forever about each entree but I recommend givin' it a try. You won't be disappointed! Bottom line, this is a great hole in the wall type of place. The owner and the servers are very welcoming and friendly and oh, they don't mind you using many credit cards either in case you want to take a huge group there! And to me, that's pretty awesome =)
(5)
David S.

I love Korean food, and I eat a lot of it. I know there's not much of a choice in Balitimore, and this might be the best one, for all I know, but compared to what I'm used to in Korea and other American/Canadian cities, I was really disappointed. I had Kalbi at a table of 5. The service was not good. They forgot stuff. We had tang su yuk, it was miserable. The kimchi was awful. They were super-stingy with the banchan, I had to constantly harass them for more. They were, however, very nice to me. I'll give them that. But I won't be back.
(2)
A. C.

Decent, if a little mild on the heat and salt, marinades for the meats and prices per platter are slightly less than at Joung Kak next door, but we sorely miss the blazing charcoal brazier in the middle of the table. In our opinion, that's the ONLY way to have Korean BBQ. Unfortunately, Nak Won only has electric griddles. Just not the same. Then again, you don't have billowing smoke tearing up your eyes. Pan chan plentiful, if not much varied the day we were there.
(3)
Sarah A.

I've eaten at Nak Won once and had take out twice, and it's always DELICIOUS. Kimchi chigae just the way momma cooks it. Their service is quiet and pleasant, and the food is brought out quickly. They don't seem to have a minimum on take our orders--I just called in an asked for one order of yuk gae jang and she said it'll be ready in 15 minutes. Fast, great tasting, authentic Korean food.
(5)
Emily C.

I love this place for their large variety of banchan. The moment one of them is completed, it is replaced with another one. Service is good, just be prepared to communicate with the staff who speak little English. However, you know this place is good as I have seen many Asians fill up the seats in this restaurant. Their Bi Bim Bap is very good as well as their Kim Chi Chi Gae (Kim Chi soup).
(4)
James L.

Nak Won is a solid Korean restaurant, at least for Baltimore city. The inside is sparsely decorated, but it seems as if they focused their energies on the food instead, and I can't complain about that. The "good": - Food was solid. I ordered the gal bi tang (beef short rib in soup) for $8.95, while j ordered the soon doo boo jjigae (spicy tofu soup), also for $8.95. The gal bi tang came in a nice large bowl, and the pieces of beef were accompanied by lots of green onion, clear rice noodles, and egg. The broth was mild but tasty, and I was very full after eating the dish. The soon doo boo was not really spicy, but there was a lot of tofu, and the broth did carry lots of flavor. Some may think it's too salty, but eating it with the rice balances that out. - The "sides," or ban chan. The best thing about Korean restaurants (and all Korean food) are the sides. The server gave us at least 8 different sides, and all of them were tasty. The kimchi was really mild, so I was more partial to the kwak do gi, which was much spicier. Their pickled cucumber kimchi was also very good. Plus, they gave us a free refill on the sides after we devoured most of them. - The service was attentive and yet not overbearing. Of course, we ate at midnight, so that was to be expected. But she was pleasant. - The water. There was the regular tap (B-more's finest!) and the hot barley water. Barley water is great to drink on a chilly night, even if it does look like urine. They served us the barley water first (because it was chilly outside), but we asked for and received regular water also. Yay to free drink options!! - The price. With all of the sides and rice, we were very full after our meal, and it came out to be only $20, $25 after tip. I'd say that is good value. The "aiight": - The location is sketchy. The parking lot has bright lights and security cameras, and it is right in front of a senior citizens apartment complex, but still, overall the neighborhood is a little dangerous. Be careful! - The decor is average at best. Weird, even. Check out the outline of a little man in the back room, and you'll wonder why it's there. - The servers do speak limited English, so for those non-Korean speakers, it may be hard to communicate clearly what you want. The menu is also vague in descriptions. The literal translation is what you get. A sign of authenticity, but still something that makes dining there a little more difficult. The "bad": - I DO NOT like Korean places that charge for extra rice. Why? Is rice that expensive? Perhaps it's because extra rice is wasted, but for those people who like to finish off their meal by mixing rice with the remaining broth, this is a travesty. Plus, it's not like it's $0.50 extra, but $1.50!!!! That is too much for a small bowl of rice. ME NO LIKE. Aside from the aiight's and the one bad, Nak Won offers good value for solid food. Just be careful when you go, and make sure you bring some extra rice for all of that leftover broth you have left.
(3)
Matthew L.

My favorite Korean restaurant in Baltimore. The place is a whole in the wall, but it's perfect for late night munchies. There is always a large selection of sides. The soups are wonderful can warm you up on even the coldest of days. The wait staff is sometimes limited in their english and the neighborhood is shady. Don't leave anything exposed in your car when you go into eat.
(4)
Timothy C.

Having lived in the Korean restaurant city that is Annandale, VA, I can honestly say that the food here is excellent. The neighborhood is rough (typical Baltimore, but they provide a adjacent parking lot with camera surveillance) and the interior decor lacks the bells and whistles of an Annandale restaurant. That aside, the food tastes great. I had La Kalbi and sweet and sour fried dumplings. The flavors were full, the bones slid off easily, and the dumplings were plump and freshly fried. They had a banchan dish made with crabs (seems like an original dish, probably influenced by Baltimore) and another with potatoes (which is my favorite; haven't found another restaurant that served that). All in all, it was comforting to find a nice Korean restaurant in Baltimore where diversity is few and far between. They have another Korean restaurant as their neighbor, so don't get confused. (gonna check it out next time)
(4)
Michelle K.

"Colors of the world, Spice up your life! Every boy Every girl, Spice up your life! People of the world, Spice up your life! AAAHH" - Spice Girls So if you need to spice up your life, I would definitely recommend a trip to Nak Won. The food and its location is very spicy. It is located across the street from what I am guessing is a housing project. The first time I went to Nak Won, it was around dusk and I was alone, new to the city of Baltimore. A bunch of teenage boys were sitting outside the building shouting the occasional racial epithet. I desperately wanted to turn around, but I had gotten out of my car and was feeling rather macho. Safely inside, I ordered a spicy beef soup. The decor is fluorescent lights and free Korean posters with girls hocking sports drinks. But then I felt reassured by the Korean clientele (mainly male students), especially the one family that drove in from Towson to eat here. The soup cleared my sinuses and I felt full and warm when I left. I will say I was feeling much less macho when leaving, and made the pregnant cashier walk me to my car. Since that night, I have gone to eat at Nak Won for lunch. The food is consistently good, and the staff is very friendly. The only reason it does not get more stars is because you can find restaurants in Ellicott City with an equivalent quality of food, but much less scary.
(3)
mikewong x.

we were actually going to 21st and howard, at the recommendation of the valet guy at the black olive in fell's point, but we didn't make it all the way there because me and wendy had to pee. thank god. (speaking of god don't miss the free christian sermons on cassette and CD at the door) this place was the best dining experience i've had in baltimore in the 2 weeks i've lived here. the three of us sat and had 2 bottles of soju (yes the cap'n was here in bmore) and outlasted a couple other tables of koreans. we were the only non-koreans eating there. some random thoughts: * -1 star because there were just tiny bits of beef in the bi bim bop * pan chan had all my favorites: potato salad, fish cake with super yummy soft marinated carrots, and what the waitress called watercress or minami * dumplings were excellent, much better than any korean dumplings in san francisco (not saying better than oakland), and had tasty filling with lots of garlic chives * my ratings don't consider the decor, but expect drop ceilings with fluorescent tubes * i asked for chicken bi bim bap, the waitress said hold on, and went to ask the chef, the chef said "wtf? no" and they get a point for authenticity for that * soju only 8.95/bottle i will be back again and again, to sample the other items recommended by the other reviewers. particularly excited about the ja jung mien, since black day is coming up.
(4)
Laura D.

Fantastic food! Yummy unexpected treats.
(5)
Andrew K.

For Baltimore, I would say this is one of the best Korean food restaurants in the city. If this place was located in NYC or Cali, I would say it's 4 stars. The place is clean but it's more of a hole in the wall kind of place. In terms of the food, it is very good and has a homestyle cooking taste to it. I've been coming here for a couple years and I suggest you try the gamja tang (potato pork soup) or the soondubu (seafood tofu soup) which are both excellent. The haemul pajun (seafood pancake) is good too but personally, I'm not a fan of too much green onions. If you are looking to get bbq, their samgyeupsal (thin sliced pork) is really good and their gabli is pretty good. The sides are where this restaruant really excels at and they always give you more if you ask. Compared to the other 3 korean restaurants in the area, I would say their sides are the best and the service is really good too which is why I keep coming back.
(5)
Joe T.

Delicious selection of appetizers, and seafood scallion pancake truly is delicious. They're open late, which makes this a great place to come after drinking and karoake across the street.
(4)
JC Z.

Out of all the Korean restaurants in the area, this place is the best. Food was very good. Service was superb. Despite the fact that the staff is limited in their English, they are very helpful and try very hard. We recently went on a Saturday night in a party of 5 and our food was ready in less than 10 minutes. Price is on par with surrounding places, but unlike Nam Kang, they don't require you to order a minimum number of BBQ dishes. However, Nam Kang does have a more authentic feel and looks a lot nicer. But just on food and service, Nak Won is good enough.
(5)

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Address : 12 W 20th St
Baltimore, MD, 21218
Phone (410) 244-5501
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :10:30 am - 12

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes

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Nak Won Restaurant

12 W 20th St, Baltimore, MD, 21218

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suz h.

Mj V.

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William M.

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Hansoo J.

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A. C.

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mikewong x.

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