Min-Ga Korean Restaurant
800 Bethel Rd, Columbus, OH, 43214
Min-Ga Korean Restaurant Menu
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Address :
800 Bethel Rd
Columbus, OH, 43214 - Phone (614) 457-7331
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Gabriel V.
Min-Ga has the best Korean BBQ in town. I have been coming here since I took Tai Kwon Do when I was 13 and there is nothing more satisfying than biting into their bulgoki and kalbi. Min-Ga will probably run you around $40 for 2 entrees. Another great treat is the assortment of unique vegetables that the dishes come with if you're looking to try something out of the ordinary. For an overall dining experience it is pretty quiet and reserved, but if you want to sit down for a night out and you're craving different BBQ than your typical applebees or texas steakhouse, this is the place.
(5)Chris H.
Second time I've been here. Has been 2 years or so since I last stopped by. Had the kimchi jigae, dolsot bibimbap and a Korea roll. All were very good. The ban chan (side dishes) were some of the best I've had. The kimchi jigae had a very good spice level to it, very flavorful. Wished the dolsot bibimbap had more crunchy rice on the bottom and it was served with a cooked, egg, not raw. In any case though it was still good. Being from Cincinnati, we haven't tried any other Korean restaurants in Columbus, but as far as Korean joints go this one is very good, if not a bit on the pricey side, as others have said. I was disappointed to not see soju on the last page of the menu with the other drinks, although maybe they have it but it isn't listed.
(4)Beth S.
Delicious flavorful galbi. Tons and tons of kim chi. And the rice cakes here are my kryptonite. Whats not to love? Erm, well... Watch out for the typical Korean service- you can't wait around for these ladies to notice you. Don't be afraid to flag someone down when your water runs out. Annnnnd also to get your check. Oh and for some reason the alcohol that they advertise on the tables are not actually available. But once you're over this, you're all set to have some reeeeally good Korean food.
(4)Jeff S.
I have eaten here twice now. Once for lunch and dinner. Each time I have walked away with one of the best dining experiences. I can't say I am much of a Kimchi fan, but these dishes reach far beyond what you woud think Korean food is all about. If you are picky, any Bulgoki dish is a must (Pork, beef, chicken). And don'tthnk you might walk away still hungry. The dinners are served with 9 bowls of sample dishes ranging from pickled vegetables, bean sprouts, fish, and potatoes. some dishes are spicy...but not overpowering. I would recomend this place for anyone who wants to venture off the beaten path. Service s very frendly and your food comes out in no time. I will back here often!
(5)Ngoc H.
This place has always been my favorite Korean restaurant to eat until last week. The food has always been phenomenal, nothing to complain. However the service was HORRIBLE!!! I went to dinner by myself and was waited by a Korean guy. He didn't welcome me or anything and was very rude when I just stepped in the place. He totally ignored me the whole time I was there (about an hour) and didn't even give me refill at all. He deserved no tip from me (srr for being a bitch). But The ONE and only reason I gave this place 1 star is that the server STOLE MONEY. So I signed my receipt with the total of $24. Later checking my bank statement I got charged $28. I know how much when I signed so the server must have written down the tip HIMSELF. $4 was nothing but the fact that he did it himself without my permission was stealing and unacceptable. I'm sure I won't come back to this place and neither do my family and friends. But I gotta thank them for teaching me to keep all my receipts from now on
(1)Sara S.
A friend just showed me this place yesterday. Amazing! Great food, great quality. Awesome service & the meal came quickly! Definitely going back before the weekend is over!
(5)Ying X.
Although Min-Ga may look pretty forgettable and unassuming on the outside, don't let its appearance fool you! Behind its doors hides one of the best Korean restaurants that you'll find in Columbus (can't decide if the top crown goes here or to Silla - they excel at different things, so it's a bit hard to compare oranges to grapefruits). My dad and I came here around noon so that we could snag some of those awesome lunch specials other reviewers have raved about. I ordered the dolsot bibimbap and my father ordered the Galbi lunch combo. While the bibimbap is a bit lacking in variety of veggie toppings, they're still quite generous with portion size. Furthermore (and this is my favorite part), the stone pot is so sizzling hot that it actually cooks your rice to a nice, burnt, crisp! I haven't found a single other store here that does that! I could not get enough of my crispy rice, and may or may not have been scraping at the bottom of the bowl for the last remaining grains. I'm definitely coming back just for this bibimbap alone! The galbi itself isn't anything too crazy (solid, and you get a lot of very large pieces, but it won't wow your mind), although the lunch combo comes with so many tasty apps that you feel like you're getting your money's worth just in quantity alone. Ours had two ridiculously huge gimbap, two giant mandu, and additional servings of seaweed, bean sprouts, and pickled lettuce. Even better, each of those items was incredibly fresh and tasty. I had absolutely zero complaints, and my tongue is still dancing in happiness. The only downside about lunch is that you only get 5 banchan (fish cake, seaweed, potatoes, kimchi, daikon in our case) rather than the typical 8-10 that accompanies the regular menu items. Then again, considering how much food you're getting in your lunch specials, maybe it's best not to overload on the side dishes. I do appreciate variety, but it's not an end-all-be-all for my meal. Can't wait to come back for more!
(4)Bethany K.
I can't say this was a great experience, nor my favorite place. Walking into the restaurant, you're hit in the face with an overpowering aroma of fish... and not fresh fish. I will say that I am a vegetarian so I may be hypersensitive, but the meat eaters of our group expressed the same concern. My husband and I ordered bibimbap without meat. It was 'ok'... I have had much better. The meateaters like their pork and chicken meals, but agreed that they wouldn't return. I am on day two of not feeling well post this meal... and I don't think it's a coincident.
(2)John H.
I love this restaurant. Delicious food in a quiet and unassuming location. The food is always hot and fresh and the service is prompt. Great price for the amount and quality of food that you receive. Also a great selection of beers from Asia.
(4)Amy Kathleen J.
I had never had Korean before, but my friend suggested I try it so we took a chance by going to a random restaurant. And boy, did we get lucky! The food was delicious. I just ordered Number 1 on their lunch specials menu because I had no idea what anything was. That was like $11. It came with plenty of food. I took some home. The meat was so flavorful and the many sides were very interesting. Although I did not like all of those sides lol. The dumplings that came with my lunch box were Tha Bomb! I can't wait to go back and order just a bunch of those dumplings. The service was pleasant. Our server was a little hard to understand, but I don't mind that. She knew what we wanted so it was all good. The food was also out pretty quickly. Overall, I'll be going back there for sure.
(5)Marie H.
Great little lunch spot! So far my favorite Korean restaurant in Columbus. Haven't been here for dinner yet but this place has a bunch of lunch specials so I'll probably come back to try some more. The lunch specials range from around $7-$11 and come with 5 side dishes (kimchi, radish, potatoes, cucumber, fish cake) which were decent. As for main dishes, so far I've tried the soon dubu (spicy seafood stew with tofu) and my friend's doenjang jjigae (soybean paste-based broth with seafood and veggies) - both were excellent! My soon dubu was flavorful and spicy (probably not spicy enough for spicy-lovers, I have a low spice threshold) and had a lot of clams, squid, scallops, and silky soft tofu. No soft egg though. It stayed piping hot throughout the meal and was a pretty big portion for $8.95. The doenjang jjigae also had lots of flavor (non-spicy) but was slightly smaller. Someone next to us got the spicy ramen lunch special and it looked amazing, so I will probably get that next time I come here :P
(4)Ray R.
Had never had Korean food before and were happy we stopped! We met a friend for dinner for evening activities so we decided to try this place. None of us had ever had Korean food so we don't have a point of reference when it comes to comparing this place to authentic. Atmosphere: it's a small restaurant with several tables for a variety of group sizes. It's not touristy and feels comfortable and clean. Staff: we were greeted upon arrival and received our drink orders promptly. We had ample time to examine the menu and the waitress explained anything we didn't understand (or needed more clarification). The pictures on the menu help tremendously in making selections! They were attentive throughout the meal. The waitress essentially left us alone besides bringing refills, which reminded me of European restaurants, so it was relaxing. Food: we each ordered something different and were shocked when 9 side dishes showed up. Each one was different so it allowed us to try a variety of items. I liked everything brought, whereas my dining partners had their favorites. My girlfriend ordered the Japchae and loved it! She was very happy with the taste and quantity of food (which was ample). I ordered Octopus Samaun and it was really good. Once again the quantity was superb. Our friend ordered Shrimp Bokum and loved it as well. Even though the descriptions state they are spicy, the waitress informed us they can adjust the spiciness of each dish, so my girlfriend and friend went with mild and I went with medium. They were just the right spiciness when they came to the table. This is not a fast food joint, so make sure you plan enough time to sit down, relax, and enjoy your meal. This place feels like it was designed to enjoy the experience and pleasure of eating...which is what we did.
(5)Stephen W.
I love this place! They have amazing food at very reasonable prices. The service is great and they have the food out quickly.
(5)Erica R.
I have visited all of the Korean spots in Columbus and this one is by far my favorite. I even brought my best friend who used to live in Korea and she was very impressed with their menu. The staff is very friendly and the restaurant feels like you're in Korea. They have the best sides, including my favorite cellophane noodles. They also have excellent duk mandu guk. I recommend the bulgogi to those who are new to Korean food. It is spicy and delicious!
(5)Brian H.
Casual, comfortable Korean cuisine. Been here many times, and it all started when a Korean friend in college convinced me to go. I've been hooked since. The food is I assuming, but extremely well prepared. The consistency never waivers. I typically start off with an order of Duk Bo Gi and get some incarnation of bulgogi. I do prefer the pork. It's spicy and very rich. You will leave with a full stomach, and a hot one at that. The food has kick to it, but not to the point you would be uncomfortable while eating. They will make it spicy if you ask. Work your way up to that.
(5)Claire D.
Definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Columbus. Most dinner dishes are around $11-15 and come with 8-10 sides (fish cake, seaweed, potatoes, kimchi, cucumber, sprouts, etc.). I had the kimchi jigae (pickled cabbage, tofu, and rice noodle soup) this Saturday and my friend got the soon dubu (spice seafood and tofu soup). Both came out boiling in clay pots with sides of rice. Neither of us got an egg to crack into our soups, which I usually enjoy doing at Korean restaurants. My dish was very flavorful with just the right amount of spiciness and vinegary tang. Portions were pretty big--I took about half of my soup home to have for lunch the next day. I've also gotten the seafood pancake and beef bibimbap here, both of which were some of the best I've had in Central Ohio.
(5)Mike G.
Min-Ga is one of those restaurants that I don't love but I would try again sometime. I'm still trying out Korean food and wanted to try their bibimbop. This is one of those situations where I kinda feel stupid when I try something new. Bibimbop is a big bowl of bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, iceberg lettuce, rice and marinated beef. (I came here just prior to becoming pescetarian) I kinda worked my way around the bowl as I didn't know you were supposed to mix it all together before you ate it. It was good but nothing special in my book. I did enjoy the small appetizers they give you with the meal. Fish, Kimchee, spicy bean sprouts and more. Service was a basic take the order, put the food on the table and here's your check, never a check back at all. So, I don't know, I guess I'd give them another try but I'm in no rush to go back.
(3)Jong L.
Great food! Not prompt service! A lot of dirty tables! But if you don't mind those issues then the food is good!
(4)Amanda G.
Excellent stone pot Bibimbap! Easily the best I've had in Columbus -- better than Arirang in my opinion, and in much more pleasant surroundings. The kimchi was better here, too. I will be back to try the Kalchi and the seafood pancake!
(5)Nk C.
I got their bimbimbap and all I can say is disappointment! They lack a couple of crucial ingredients in authentic bimbimbap...it was 95% rice and 5% veggie&meat. They had a lot of lettuce...I don't think lettuce is part of bimbimbap. I recommend Jok bal (pork knuckle), bulgogi (marinated beef), and Japchae (noodle).
(3)Sabrina R.
So tasty! Quick service, great food, nice staff and really good atmosphere. Highly recommend, would try again!
(5)Shuo F.
I think out of all the Korean restaurants I've tried in the area, Min-ga gives the better side dishes, unlike the broccoli you'd receive in some other restaurant... Ahem. My favorite here is the Kalbi. However, sometimes the service isn't great. There are times when I never got a refill with my water.
(4)Donna O.
If you're looking to try Korean food, Min Ga is your gateway to this Asian cuisine. Situated in a strip mall along the International Corridor (i.e., Bethel Road), Min Ga is warm, inviting, and authentic. The décor is minimal, and the service is slower-paced, as is typical of most Korean restaurants - and if you have questions, they are more than happy to help you sort out what you're looking for. Korean food is comforting, with lots of meat-and-tofu rich stews and soups, fried rice and noodle dishes, and of course, big plates of just beef (bulgogi) or pork (kalbi). In addition, there is the bi bim bop, a big ol' mess of rice, veggies, protein and sauce all topped with an egg and served sizzling from the oven. Min Ga's appetizers are as varied as their dishes, but my favorites are the seafood pancake and the Korean roll (a sushi roll with bulgogi and crab inside, what's not to like). On this visit, I got soon dae guk, a noodle stew with pork belly, spam, soon dae (a Korean sausage) and tofu. When it came out, there was a piece of cheese on top - most unusual for Asian and certainly for Korean. I went with it, but am not sure if it enhanced the stew, which was otherwise delicious. My companion had beef jeongol, which is a "casserole" of items cooked together and served with a spicy broth. Also, this was delicious. Korean restaurants also serve small dishes of various kitchen sides - moonflower, kimchi, seaweed salad, mung sprouts - called ban chan. Min Ga's tend to be sourer and less sweet. The seaweed salad this time had a gelatinous element that was not exactly unpleasant, but instead of tasting brine, you got a taste of...nothing. If you're looking to branch out into Korean cuisine, Min Ga is a wonderful introduction. They are down to earth, but authentic with their recipes and happy to help you have a great first time with your food.
(4)Naiying C.
I've always enjoyed their seafood pancake here and after not visiting for a few years it still taste good, so I recommend that dish!
(4)Lori S.
I love Korean food, and I've always been a big fan of Min-Ga. I was craving it one night so I went by myself and ended up literally biting off more than I could chew. I ordered dumplings and noodles. At most restaurants, an order of dumplings would be, what? Four? Maybe six? Try about twelve. And then a huge plate of noodles. Plus I'd forgotten about the Korean restaurant custom of giving the table a dozen small bowls of banchan (side dishes)...so there I sat, alone, with an army of dishes in front of me and enough food to feed four people. I had lots of leftovers. But the food was delicious - I'll be better prepared next time I go in alone!
(4)Cori N.
This place was not bad by any means. For me it seemed like average Korean food, but to be honest I was disappointed by the lack of traditional Korean ingredients in the bibimbap. When I was looking over the menu, and the picture they provide of that dish, it clearly had what looked to me like traditional ingredients. But when we got ours, it had cut up romaine lettuce in it. Additionally, I was hoping for more veggies in the banchan that we received. It was disheartening to see the table next to us get the banchan we wanted (particularly the seaweed salad). I don't know if we got the 'American' versions of the dish because that's how they serve it here, or because the waitress didn't think we wanted the real version. I only wonder this because in the pictures fernbreak was part of the dishes, and we didn't get any. Sad face. :(
(3)Kayre H.
So I'll start by saying I didn't love it. But I'm trying to balance the fact that my friend I went with loved her food, thinks it's the best Korean place in town, and knows a lot more about Korean food than I do, against how enjoyable I found the food to be. Went last month and it was my 4th time in my life having Korean food, and the first time in several years. The last time I went was to a place somewhat like this, but the previous time was at a hot pot place, and the time before that was a place that was exclusively Korean BBQ. So those other 2 were very different experiences. In any case, I decided to order something I had not had before and I was in the mood for noodles. Once I told the waitress what I wanted, she was nice enough to "warn" me that it was a cold noodle dish, and that if I had never had it before and was not used to Korean food, I might not like it. It was obvious I was not Korean =). Anyhow, I was wanting something hot so I appreciated it, and picked another dish (can't remember what it was called, though I would recognize it on the menu). The main thing I didn't like about it was that it was completely saturated in sauce. It was good, but just way too much for my taste. My friend, however, did rave about her soup. Which I tried, and thought was ok. It was a fun adventure, our waitress was very nice, and the servings were very large for the price we paid. So overall it was good, although I'll be honest, I wouldn't order that dish again.
(4)Holly C.
Best dubboki in town! The food is good, but the service can be really slow. WYou most likely won't be able to get a quick meal here so I would only go when you have time. Lunch will take you at least an hour and a half by yourself or with a table for two. This restaurant also has some of the best Korean food in Columbus as well. When you do get service, the ladies are very nice and accommodating. It's just hard getting their attention sometimes.
(4)Mike K.
I've only had the daeji bulgogi here but it's been great every single time. Nice assortment of kimchi and great service. My Korean friend took me here and she was very enthusiastic about it. I don't really know what else to say.
(5)Lilia W.
Overall, I like this place! the only complaint I might have is it is slightly overpriced for Columbus. But really, Min-Ga has exceeded my expectations... 2 star for good food! I've had the bibimbap and bulgogi. The seasoning was perfect, although the bulgogi might have been slightly tough. I also tasted the pig heart stew on the first page (forgot the name), I thought it tasted funny, and do not recommend it. 1 star for good decor. It's simple yet attractive. 1 star for the complimentary side dishes! On top of this, the staff is very attentive :)
(4)Diana N.
the thing that shocked me was the price. it is way too expensive for what it is. $12.95 for stone pot bibimbap and $11.95 for kimch fried rice is ridiculous. it should be more like $8.95. then again guess i'm just used to korean food in socal. food was ok, but then again i had bibimbap and kimchi fried rice, which is hard to mess up. the owners were nice though.
(3)Sam K.
I had the Yuk Gae Jang, and my guest had Meuntang (spicy fish stew). Flavor was sort of bland and not as savory, but maybe that's the Thai side of me coming out. Nonetheless, side dishes were good, and service was great. They had a tv in there, but it was broadcasting the weather channel..whuh? Its unfortunately my least favorite Korean place here. I prefer Kaya to this by far.
(3)Kevin L.
Consistent in delivery, service, taste and authenticity. This is a repeat favorite for me and my family. We often make the 90 minute drive just to eat here.
(4)Chris C.
Great food! Appetizer and Stone Pot Bibumbop (spelling, I know...)
(4)Q L.
I've been to Korean restaurants all over the US. Even in places where there shouldn't even been one but this is the worst korean food I've had. I'm not sure if it's the preparation of the food or the quality of the ingredients used. I always order the same two items. tofu soup and kalbi. Like the previous poster mentioned the spicyness of the soup just wasn't there. From a scale of 1-10 it doesn't even registered. My two year old could have drank this with a straw. The kalbi was tough. I chewed and chewed and then just gave up. Left the restaurant without finishing. Total bill for for those two items including tip for the nice waitress (wasn't her fault the food was bad) $40.
(1)F Z.
My taste buds for Korean food have been spoiled by places such as Kaya and Silla that I can't help but compare other Korean Restaurants to those two. Portions were smaller than what I would have normally expected; I can vouch for both my bibimbap and my mom's lunch box. I have the penchant to light my mouth on fire with the hot chili paste served with bibimbap, but I found that the paste at Min-Ga lacked that distinct zing of spiciness. Side dishes, however, were plentiful and quite tasty. Min-ga is tucked in the strip mall behind Johnny B's. Despite providing a homey atmosphere, the ambience was lacking. Service could have been better, but it was more likely due to the fact that we had come in at busy lunch hours. I didn't think I'd ever check out Min-Ga again, but I may just have to make another trip back for their Pat Bing Soo. *drools*
(3)Brian J.
I've been to Min-Ga many times at this point, we've been going for years, so not sure why I have never done a review for them... Min-Ga is one of my favorites. Set into a small strip mall, and slightly hidden because of it, their facade doesn't really do the quality of the food and service justice. Everything I've tried has been fantastic, the banchan is fresh, and my go to dish is the Bulgogi. If you are in the area and you like Korean food, don't hesitate, Min-Ga is worth stopping for.
(5)Terry C.
I've had Korean food many times in NYC, Philly and NJ. First time having Korean food in Columbus. Was craving Korean so decided to try it here. Had higher expectations based on review. Atmosphere was decent. Could definitely fit a large group. It's not a big restaurant. Seafood pancake ($14.95) wasn't quite crispy as it should be. Didn't have that sizzling crunch you would expect with the seafood pancake. Seafood was bountiful but I felt the batter was too eggy. Jap Chae ($11.95)- was a little liquidy due to the mushrooms perhaps? Could be a little more flavorful. Portion size was ok. Korean roll ($7.95)- probably my favorite. It was wrapped with seaweed and had beef and other vegetables and eggs inside. The beef was flavorful and plenty. Prices were average. Would definitely go again but will try other items. I didn't see any BBQ grills on the table so it looks like they grill it inside the kitchen if you order BBQ.
(3)Jesse B.
My wife and I love Korean food. It is one of the only foods we both really love. We stumbled across this place and decided to try it and decided we loved it - our favorite Korean restaurant in Columbus (we are from Dayton/Springfield area and we have some good Korean here too). Min-Ga has a wide selection on the menu (which we do not find in our area) so we have been back several times and tried several different things (other than the standard bulgogi, galbi and jap chae), all have been great. They have great banchan too. Definitely look forward to going back on our next trip to Columbus.
(5)Sue H.
We ordered Gom-Tang that makes it from ox bone broth. Meats are supposed to be thin sliced beef, many different parts. but this dish does have unacceptable meats as seen in the picture. It came from short ribs that must be thrown away. This makes the restaurant bad name. $13.95 + tax and tip gone to donation!
(1)Toni K.
I have driven by Min Ga a million times and had not been until last night. In a nondescript strip mall, the ambiance is nonexistent but the food was very good. There were a lot of choices, including many traditional items I had never heard of. I tried the Naeng Myun randomly (a cold beef broth soup with vermicelli noodle, cucumber and what I think were thinly sliced apple). My aunt got the pork dumpling "appetizer," although the 10+ dumplings that came out were more than enough for a full meal. The real treat was when they wheeled out NINE different little plates of complimentary appetizers, including something like three different kinds of kimchi. The service was very friendly and helpful in explaining what everything was. Would definitely recommend this place, but make sure to come hungry!
(4)Wenfan C.
Can't believe this place has pig feet!! Even my American buddies loved it. Their bulgogi is above average too! But soups or noodles aren't so satisfying!
(4)Anna L.
O Min-Ga! Funky blood sausage (soon dae) and pork knuckles (jok bal). Not for the squeamish & light-hearted. Those unique appetizers were prepared very well. You wouldn't even realize that the sausage even had coagulated blood in it - just a minerally hint with a very pleasant noodle-y texture. I liked that the pork knuckles had more meat than fat trimmings and sauce to dunk it in making it less plain. The ban chan spread was pretty awesome IMO, since they're really fresh (none of that sitting in a jar for a long time rancid, ammonia smell). On top of the rice bowl with ban chan, I had the kimche jige soup noodles and that was simply slurpin' delish. I loved how the spicy, savory, sourness melds together. After all that, I was so freaking full. I had enough leftovers with all the ban chan and noodles packed up for dinner the same night. Honestly, I really don't mind that the service is slow. At least I have time to enjoy my food without being rushed out. The ladies working there are very nice and if you see grandma working in the back, you know its pretty legit K-food. Being an Indy native, C-bus folks, be grateful you have a gem of a place like this!
(5)Angela H.
I don't eat alot of what is on the menu but what i do get is fantastic. The kim bop is my absolute favorite. The staff is friendly especially considering all the questions that get asked about what the different foods are.
(4)Jessica W.
I really love this place and actually travel two hours to get here. Anytime I am in Columbus, I make it a point to stop here even if it is to get it to go. My favorite is the beef bulgogi and an order of pot stickers. I love all the little dishes that are brought to the table, though I don't know the names of all those items. Cabbage kimchi is another favorite of mine and I always get a deli bowl of kimchi to take home. This is not fast food, so don't expect fast food. The service is always friendly and respectful. I would recommend this place to anyone and have.
(5)Vicky T.
I feel bad, but I think someone deserves my two cents here. I got the regular bibimbap three nights ago with a friend. The dishes they served looked impressive, and there were plenty of Asians (either Chinese, Korean, and two Japanese) diners here, so I figured it was a good sign. Don't get me wrong, the ethnicity is never a reliable way to gage the authentic quality of a restaurant or diner, but somehow it comforted me that night. Anyway, appetizers arrive, and then my bibimbap too. Presentation was clean and traditional but the taste that greatly disappointed me. The appetizer as well as my dish --- it was bland, my heart dropped. Meat was so scanty, I didn't even realize I had meat until I chewed on the fat. (I hardly eat meat, so I am rather receptive to it when I have even a little. I actually really wanted meat in my bibimbap! And I hate fat.) The quality of my rice was not superb; I make better rice any day. The egg was overcooked; it was dry, but not crisp, just saddening and yucky. On Min-Ga's defense, my friend's spicy seafood tofu soup tasted great! I had only a spoonful, so I am not one to offer much of an opinion on the entire dish, but the tofu was soft and silky, just like it should be. No doubt, the food they served are authentic, but for $15 (tips included) my experience was a disappointment. Lousy rice, little meat, which comprised mostly of fat, overcooked bland egg, and tasteless appetizers.
(2)Austin B.
Beautiful Korean restaurant. For a moment, I actually thought I was in Korea. All the food was authentic and delicious. I ordered the shrimp and rice. It was the best rice I had ever tasted before. The staff spoke very good English. At first, I was afraid to use the Korean skills I have. After a while, I used a few phrases. I will return many, many times.
(5)Vanessa H.
I went for the first time with my mom and it was awful. The food was not what I had been used to but that may just be my preference. The food wasn't the issue, it was the service and the tea. We order tea and the barley tea was fermented like alcohol. Not going back.
(2)christin b.
My favorite Korean restaurant in Columbus! So good! Pork bulgogi and L.A. galbi are my favorites here!!
(5)Lydia W.
A little pricier than I am used to, but best Korean food in Columbus. Great selection of banchan (little cold side dishes) to start your meal off or complement your meal with. The menu is vast and there is certainly something for everyone. I love their bulgogi beef and their tofu soups are perfect on a cold day. I'm also a big fan of the champon (seafood soup noodles). I haven't had a single thing here I didn't like! Definitely come here if you're in the mood for Korean food.
(5)Helen S.
I've been here twice and decided that this is likely the best Korean food you can get in Columbus. I've tried the soon dubu, kimchi pancake, and galbi tang, and they were all delicious -- although maybe the only qualm is that the soon dubu didn't come out boiling hot like it should've and it wasn't accompanied by an egg. But I can live. They also have really high quality banchan that they switch out occasionally. So thumbs up overall.
(4)Zain K.
My first Korean experience in Columbus, and it was serviceable but far from impressive. I ordered the spicy seafood casserole for $14. It was a decent size, and appeared to have quality ingredients, but the soup was a little thin and bland. Even more underwhelming was the panchan. I was served nine varieties, but they all seemed to taste the same, and were generally bland. I've heard that Silla is the place to go for Korean in this town, and I'll try it next...
(3)John Y.
This was an amazing find! I was driving back to Cincinnati from Pittsburgh when I figured I would make a dinner pit stop in Columbus. After comparing a few options, I figured I would give Min-Ga a try. I was not disappointed! The portions were massive and the food tasted of a quality expected from a good restaurant in Seoul. I would travel from Cincinnati in the future just to eat here.
(5)Chris H.
Second time I've been here. Has been 2 years or so since I last stopped by. Had the kimchi jigae, dolsot bibimbap and a Korea roll. All were very good. The ban chan (side dishes) were some of the best I've had. The kimchi jigae had a very good spice level to it, very flavorful. Wished the dolsot bibimbap had more crunchy rice on the bottom and it was served with a cooked, egg, not raw. In any case though it was still good. Being from Cincinnati, we haven't tried any other Korean restaurants in Columbus, but as far as Korean joints go this one is very good, if not a bit on the pricey side, as others have said. I was disappointed to not see soju on the last page of the menu with the other drinks, although maybe they have it but it isn't listed.
(4)Monty B.
The small dishes are not brought out as appetizers. They come with your meal. The ladies here chit chat more than they work. It's quite annoying when you want some service. The dolsot bibimbap was weird. Something was off, but not sure what. The meat didn't taste right. The soon tofu was fine. This was below average to average Korean food at best with below average service.
(2)Stephanie K.
I read some reviews about Korean blood sausage, and had to try it. It's listed as "Soondae" and please don't make the mistake of thinking it's a sundae or you will be very disappointed. It was purty tasty. If you are a fan of liver or mineraly/iron tasting dishes, then you will love this. Inside the casing is a mix of bean noodles in the cooked blood mixture. I also tried the hot bi bim bap. It was laaarge and quite good. I only wish that the rice sitting against the hot stone bowl had become more crispy.
(4)Rob T.
Had the number 2 lunch special, it was great. A lot of food, good presentation. Definitely recommend!
(4)Kathy L.
I love this place. The people are so friendly. The food is absolutely amazing! I have tried multiple things on the menu and have never been disappointed! They don't even laugh when I practice my Korean with them:) This is a must-try restaurant!
(5)Moses S.
I came here by myself to eat. After eating at San-Su BBQ yesterday, I figured the best way to make comparisons was to eat the same thing at a different restaurant. I ordered the Kalbi and the Soon Tofu Chigae, but I got the beef version, not seafood. I shoulda got the seafood version to be exactly comparing apples to apples, but for some reason I didnt. The "ban chan" which are the small dishes prior to the meal were pretty good. there were 9 in total and had 'kkak doo gi' (raddish based kimchee) which was nice. They also had pickled cucumbers and spicy pickled cucumbers, which was nice. Presentation was nice, she made a 3 by 3 spread and deliberately made it line up like a diamond (or paralellogram for those 5th graders keeping score at home). The Kalbi, while not cooked before your eyes, comes out on a skillet (like fajitas) and they cut it in front of you. The pro of this style is that you dont smell like meat smoke, but the con is that you can't cook the kalbi to the 'done-ness' you prefer. (it was well done). a little sweeter than i like, but i did like the scallions, but would have also liked to have a little roasted seame seeds. Volume wize, i thought it was quite a lot for one person The soon tofu chigae came out boiling hot, which I love, but didn't come with an egg. I dunno why i care, but every place that ahd it come out boiling and an egg you crack yourself tasted really good, so perhaps that's my standard, ha! anyway, other than the lack of egg, (it wasnt even already put in there) i thought it was good. There were lots of pieces of meat alongside mushrooms and green onions with spices. While more flavorful than San-Su, both restaurants lacked a certain savory flavor in the broth. Perhaps it is because they are both not 'soon tofu' only restuarants (which exist) so I guess it's not in their wheel house to be awesome. Service wise, it was pretty good since the waitress seemed like an older Korean first generation lady. but when i got there around 6, there were maybe only 3-4 other tables, which is easily servicable by 1 person. When the restaurant is fuller, I would suspect service slips. Overall, I definitely think this place is serviceable for my korean needs when I want to reminisce down flavortown alley of the motherland, but not worth promoting with a 4 star review.
(3)Adam N.
This has to be one of the most authentic Korean restaurants I have been to. The bim bim bap is very tasty and always hits the spot. The staff has always been friendly and helpful when you're trying to figure out what dish to try.
(5)Jessica O.
I'm a regular customer at Minga. So i want to try somewhere new and my friend and i choose Poong Mei. The food was delicious and the service was awesome. It was a very slow day and i want to try this dish called kalbi and i cant believe that it was really good and i ask my server how to pronounce that in the menu cause i have never heard of it. At the same time i saw a table of three asian customers (first they came and try to choose about three random tables to sit, like they own the restaurant and finally decided to sit close to the sushi bar) yelled at another server for asking if they needed anything else. I felt really bad for the server but she is just trying to do her job. Then i find out that the customer is Minga's owner and his friends. I have never seen such rude owners, and i will never go back to Mingas and eat again. They just lost themselves some good customers.
(1)Ernest C.
Okay. So I've decided I need to quit cheating this place and write a review already! I've been coming here since 1995... happened on it in a frantic hunt for a Korean restaurant that could assuage my cravings for a home cooked (my version of authentic) meal. Which brings me to Min-Ga. I still remember my first galbi dish here and I was hooked. Juicy, flavorful, on the bone deliciousness makes it my favorite. The dishes range from your traditional barbecued meat to more exotic items including squid and ox tail. If you haven't had a chance to experience Korean cuisine, I recommend this place. The staff is friendly and can help first timers navigate the menu. You receive an excellent assortment of fresh side dishes which go from mild to spicy. The lunch menu has a decent selection with lower prices so this may be the way to go. For those wanting to go "all out" with friends or family, Min-Ga recently expanded and easily accommodate large parties.
(5)Nate M.
If you like pickles, spicy stuff, fishy stuff, and breast implants, Korean food is for you. I've never had Korean and I love trying new cuisines. Korean food turned out to be about as different from anything I've had as I could have hoped. It's nothing at all like any other Asian cuisine. What's interesting is you get nine little dishes with different little snacks or appetizers, whatever you want to call them. There were the aforementioned pickled vegetables, dried seaweed, fish cakes and bean sprouts. A lot of it was spicy, about at the limit I can handle. The fish cakes were very fishy, as was the pickled seaweed. Clearly they live and die by the sea and its contents. The dried seaweed was my favorite. It had a salty sweet taste and a fluffy, hairy, papery texture. The pickled tofu was good, the bean sprouts, the turnips. Most of it was very good, though I don't really like spicy stuff. I like fish but I don't like fishy stuff so I didn't like the fish cakes and wasn't crazy about the pickled seaweed. I forgot the name of the main dish I picked. It was noodles made with sweet potatoes, stir fried with vegetables and beef. It needed no condiments as it was cooked in a sauce that resembled teriyaki or soy sauce. The noodles were sort of clear and very squishy, almost gelatinous. When I bumped the plate, it all jiggled like a pair of surgically enlarged boobs. It was like shredded silicone breast implants or maybe jelly fish tentacles. It was very good but the texture was weird. I can't say I loved the food here enough to be a regular but it was good and an experience I'm glad I had. I've never had any other Korean food to compare it to but the food was very well made so I highly recommend it.
(4)Mark H.
My 1st time here and a first for Korean food in many years. Overall, I liked it, I will be back. Hopefully I can bump it another star. I did not care for my beef soup 100%. It was okay, nothing I'd want to get a 2nd time. It was not bad, it just was not my favorite. The sides that come with the order were great. The service was very good. Edit! 2/2/15 Back for my 2nd try. This time, I got the sliced beef in the "box". Sorry, I forgot the name. Excellent choice. Glad I came back! One thing weird. Hot Tea. It was almost clear very warm water in a glass tumbler. It had some taste, I just found it odd. If that's the way it's done, no complaints.
(4)Madison R.
This has been the best Korean place I've tried so far in town. Banchan was ok. Definitely better than some other places that serve stuff like steamed broccoli. We ordered a couple soups, noodles, bulgogi, and kalbi. Not the greatest, but also not too bad. It seems a lot pricier than what I'm used to paying for Korean food in SF, but expensive ethnic food seems to be the norm in Columbus. Overall, it was decent. I'd come back again.
(3)Ran Z.
Ok this is my second review and it seems I'm keeping this 'one Star' review going. I tried this restaurant days ago and I have to say it's not that good. I tried many Korean restaurants before so I'm sure I'm keeping unbiased here. 1. The service: NOT good. Me and my companion were waited by a Korean guy and he is not professional at all. He didn't welcome us and he just kept our orders without even taking notes. He seemed very distracted and didn't care at all. Seriously I already regret as I was ordering.I wish I could leave just like that. 2. The food is ok, nothing special to brag about with that kind of expensive price. And I also waited for a while until I can have my water refilled. 3.Again about the male waiter.Ok I get it that it is World Cup season and you may want to watch the game. But hey please at least fulfill your response before eating and watching tv in front of us! Most of the time I go out to eat somewhere I either expect a decent service or good food. A combination of two is fantastic, but if neither of them? I would highly recommend you to consider the place. And Minga is the one I don't see myself go back.
(1)Elijah K.
One my favorite Korean places. It's not as busy as some of the BBQ Korean places. When we want to go to a solid all around Korean place, this is my pick in Columbus.
(5)Faith C.
I came here for a dinner in the banquet room for a large group of people so I don't know how the service is in the restaurant since they were catering to the group. The food was served buffet style, with the food on one table but the side dishes on the main tables and the menu was all set. The food was pretty good. We had 2 choice of soups- yukejang (spicy beef and veggie soup) and dduk gook (rice cake soup). I wasn't too impressed with the yukejang so I switched to the dduk gook which was really delicious! The broth was really flavorful! We also could choose from bulgogi and pork bulgogi. Both were good. As for the banchan (side dishes), the cucumber kimchi was the best! Very delicious! The waitresses seemed to pretty much leave us alone so we had to self-serve ourselves drinks, etc. and refill our banchan from the buffet table they set up.
(3)Mister M.
Mediocre bordering on the lesser end of mediocre. I almost feel like they started this restaurant not because they had a great cook or good food ideas but because they could. It really shows. Fish soup was pretty FISHY in a bad kind of way and the bulgogi pork was just flaccid sort of looking not grilled well. Ive cooked better meals following blindly an online recipe. Whoever is cooking has no sense of taste. Would not come here again especially since I've had delicious Korean food and know what to expect and this is not it. It's not a one star since its not terrible but it's just sort of food for the sake food which happens to be Korean.
(2)Brian S.
This is my favorite restaurant by far in Columbus. I've been here about 5 times now. I've had the gomtang, kimchi jjigae, jjampong, jjajangmyun, and galbitang. All were excellent, freshly made, good selection of banchan. They are very accommodating, even brought out kkaennip when I asked if they had it. Very friendly staff and service, they were very prompt and kind even before finding out I was Korean, and very nice to my kids. This is my default go to place whenever I'm in Columbus.
(5)Beth S.
Delicious flavorful galbi. Tons and tons of kim chi. And the rice cakes here are my kryptonite. Whats not to love? Erm, well... Watch out for the typical Korean service- you can't wait around for these ladies to notice you. Don't be afraid to flag someone down when your water runs out. Annnnnd also to get your check. Oh and for some reason the alcohol that they advertise on the tables are not actually available. But once you're over this, you're all set to have some reeeeally good Korean food.
(4)Jeff S.
I have eaten here twice now. Once for lunch and dinner. Each time I have walked away with one of the best dining experiences. I can't say I am much of a Kimchi fan, but these dishes reach far beyond what you woud think Korean food is all about. If you are picky, any Bulgoki dish is a must (Pork, beef, chicken). And don'tthnk you might walk away still hungry. The dinners are served with 9 bowls of sample dishes ranging from pickled vegetables, bean sprouts, fish, and potatoes. some dishes are spicy...but not overpowering. I would recomend this place for anyone who wants to venture off the beaten path. Service s very frendly and your food comes out in no time. I will back here often!
(5)Ngoc H.
This place has always been my favorite Korean restaurant to eat until last week. The food has always been phenomenal, nothing to complain. However the service was HORRIBLE!!! I went to dinner by myself and was waited by a Korean guy. He didn't welcome me or anything and was very rude when I just stepped in the place. He totally ignored me the whole time I was there (about an hour) and didn't even give me refill at all. He deserved no tip from me (srr for being a bitch). But The ONE and only reason I gave this place 1 star is that the server STOLE MONEY. So I signed my receipt with the total of $24. Later checking my bank statement I got charged $28. I know how much when I signed so the server must have written down the tip HIMSELF. $4 was nothing but the fact that he did it himself without my permission was stealing and unacceptable. I'm sure I won't come back to this place and neither do my family and friends. But I gotta thank them for teaching me to keep all my receipts from now on
(1)Sara S.
A friend just showed me this place yesterday. Amazing! Great food, great quality. Awesome service & the meal came quickly! Definitely going back before the weekend is over!
(5)Nate S.
I'm a pretty big fan of Korean food, thanks to my general food nerdiness and a crash course from a roommate I use to have from who came from Seoul. (Mad props, Jin Gon, mad props) While I make no claims to have much of a yardstick for authenticity in flavor, I do know authentic *dishes* when I see them, and this place has one thing you don't see very often: Soondae! Bloody Soondae! (Sorry, I had to.) Soondae (also confusingly spelled as sundae) are pork blood sausages in a natural casing, with the blood being mixed with cellophane (sweet potato) noodles and barley. If you've ever had black puddings, imagine soondae as that, but a bit more mild and... noodlier, I guess. They offer soondae here both by itself, and as soondae guk (soup), which is what I got. The soondae guk comes in a rich, thin broth with a wide assortment of vegetables, beef heart, and some other kind of offal which was tasty, but I can't remember off the top of my head (tripe, maybe?). It. Was. AWESOME. Everything comes together like a semi truck of umami being driven into your tongue. Also, your order comes with 8 dishes of banchan (side dishes)! Eight! Rice was also unusually high quality. The very nice woman who served me (and who I suspect is the owner) informed me that they make all their banchan in house, including several ones I've never had before. Of particular note are a watery, turnip-based kimchi and some sort of marinated potato, both of which were unlike anything I've had and very excellent. All of the varieties of kimchi have that unmistakable freshness and sparkle that you just don't get from the supermarket. The only downside is everything seems just a bit too expensive, which is the only reason Min-Ga is not getting 5 stars. But, seriously, go here. The decor is very nice, the people are gracious, and the food is on point. I'll be back, just probably not as often as I'd like to!
(4)michelle f.
Best Korean in Columbus hands down!! I can judge a good Asian place by the clientele in the restaurant. I'm half Asian and swear 90% of folks in this place were Korean and I LOVE to see that in a good restaurant. Thanks for a fabulous experience!!!
(5)Gabriel V.
Min-Ga has the best Korean BBQ in town. I have been coming here since I took Tai Kwon Do when I was 13 and there is nothing more satisfying than biting into their bulgoki and kalbi. Min-Ga will probably run you around $40 for 2 entrees. Another great treat is the assortment of unique vegetables that the dishes come with if you're looking to try something out of the ordinary. For an overall dining experience it is pretty quiet and reserved, but if you want to sit down for a night out and you're craving different BBQ than your typical applebees or texas steakhouse, this is the place.
(5)Loutheresa B.
I saw an article in the alive! paper about Korean restaurants and was excited to try the places they mentioned. I asked a Korean friend which one she liked and she said Min Ga. I should put a disclosure that I'm half Korean and grew up with Korean food from my mom, my emos (aunts in English), and their friends. Plus being from NY and living in NYC for about 13 years, I had choices of many different restaurants from K-town to Flushing. I went here for New Years (lunar new years) so I could get my mondoo duk soup. I found it odd that the place was not busy. In NYC, the restaurants would be packed!!! But we were seated and it took about 25 minutes before anyone took our order. We ordered the seafood pancake, pork bulgogi, and my mondoo duk soup. At this time we also asked for water. About 30 minutes goes by and the seafood pancake came out. So not like anything I've made or had from any restaurant. This was very thick and doughy. The seafood looked to be place on top of the pancake when cooked instead of mixed in the batter. Also, we are still waiting for our water and side dishes. This took about 15 / 20 minutes from after getting our pancake. Another 20 minutes later, our pork bulgogi and soup arrive. The pork bulgogi was good and the only reason why I didn't mark this as 1 star. The soup was less to be desired. The broth was bland. The mondoo didn't taste good. But I did enjoy the duk (rice cakes) in the soup. Needless to say, still looking for a good Korean restaurant in Columbus. But I have s feeling the guy from the Korean market is right, there is none.
(2)Susan C.
This was the first Korean restaurant that we found in Columbus while looking at different neighborhoods before our move. I don't think it's the BEST Korean restaurant I'v ever been to but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised as I wasn't expecting much. I've tried several other Korean places in Columbus and I think this one is still better. The side dishes were delicious and a little different than what we usually receive at most Korean restaurants. But different in a good way. The food is more authentic than the other 2 places I've tried. The first time I stopped by, I ordered the pork and it was delicious. While Kalbi and bulgolgi are the popular choices for the novice eater, the pork is a little on the spicy side and for the adventurous eater. It's got a good kick to it but not too spicy that you'll be drinking water after each bite. The 2nd time I stopped by, it was during the summer and I was really craving Mul Nang-myun (water noodles) which is quite refreshing on a hot day as this noodle soup is cold. The meat was tender and the noodles were the right consistency of chewy. The wait staff is not the friendliest but they are quick and efficient; the atmosphere is almost non-existent, albeit clean. I have had better Korean food in other cities but for now, this will be my stand-by whenever I'm in the mood as I have yet to find any place better in Columbus.
(4)Stephanie B.
Alright. This place might be a little hard for me to review, but only because I can't remember what anything we ordered was called. But I'll describe them to the best of my ability! A friend and I were going out to dinner one night, and she wanted to take me here. She was quite excited about it - she really wanted me to try new foods. I should stop right here and mention that my friend is from Singapore and has quite different tastes than I do! I told her that I didn't even know what Korean food was and she wanted me to try it out. The time we went out to eat she was making me try bits of her seafood dinner because I don't like seafood and she was trying to get me to be more adventurous. So I agreed to come here. Min-Ga is a cute little place on Bethel Rd. in a strip mall, so it's easy to miss. It's behind that Johnny's Buccelli's place that you can't miss, however. Parking was a breeze, and it was an evening during the work week, so there were only a few other tables in there - a pretty slow night. We walked in and were seated at a table pretty much in the middle of the dining room. The decor was plain but cute, and they took our drink orders and gave us menus. I had no idea what anything was. At all. My friend decided what she wanted and then leaned over to help me figure out what was going on. I didn't want anything spicy or seafood. She suggested something to me - something with noodles and no meat. That sounded pretty safe to me. When our server came back she ordered for both of us since I had no idea how to pronounce anything. Now, I love trying new things, but I felt very unprepared and undereducated about Korean food, and I would have liked to research it a little bit first. Yes, I'm a nerd like that. But I trusted my friend and decided to enjoy this new experience. When our food came out I didn't know what to think. My friend, however, was very happy. I'll describe her food first. She got this soup stuff, and it was this thin reddish broth and chunks of veggies and meats were in the soup. The broth was so spicy that her nose started running and her eyes teared up, but she was in heaven over there with her bowl. Then I look over, and she's waving this completely intact (but dead - I think!) miniature whitish squid - eyes and tentacles and all in front of my face. WTF? There were little creatures in her soup! Then she slurped him up right in front of me. I had never seen anything like that (in real life) before. Weird! But she loved it. And she loved laughing at how horrified I was. She told me there was shrimp and other seafood in there, but I can't remember anything else except for that squid dangling in front of my face. Now, on to my meal. No squids, thank god, but it was equally as strange. I had this plate full of noodles - clear, thick, spaghetti-like noodles. They were topped with veggies and a little bit of sauce. So I dug in with my chopsticks. And tried to eat the noodles. It felt like chewing on gummy worms. Tough, stubborn gummy worms. I mean, these were hard to chew. You'd bite down and they'd spring right back to their original shape in your mouth. What was this? I wanted to know what the heck these things were made out of. You kind of just had to slurp them down. If I tried to chew it all, I could have been there all night. Now, the taste was fine. The taste was actually really good. But the texture was something I just couldn't get used to. And I'm a big texture person. I felt like I had worms in my mouth and it was a little hard to get over. But I ate as much as my mouth could handle. Quite an experience! There's not much else to say about our dinner. She was so proud of me for trying something new that she paid for dinner, so I'm not sure exactly how much it was, but I think each dinner was about $10. She really seemed to love it, so if you're into that kind of thing, I think this place is good. If you're afraid to try new things, avoid this place altogether. But if you're feeling adventurous and want to try something that you didn't even realize Columbus could offer, this is your place. Would I go back? Actually, yes. With or without my friend. If I was never daring I never would have discovered my intense love for spicy Thai food. It was fun, and I'd like the chance to go back and try something else, just as long as there aren't any squids in it.
(3)Tim W.
I found Min-Ga to be quite a find. Korean food is so much more tasty than Chinese or Japanese. I've not had this quality of food since I was in DC, Hangang and Heebeen restaurants. The staff made me feel very welcome and explained some dishes that I had not had before. The waitress was very friendly and service was fast. I had Bebeem Bop. It was served with several Kimchee dishes and a soup to start. Wonderful. I wish I didn't live so far away.
(5)