SooWon Galbi
14102 Lee Hwy, Centreville, VA, 20120
SooWon Galbi Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Centreville for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Centreville for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Centreville for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
14102 Lee Hwy
Centreville, VA, 20120 - Phone (571) 325-0869
- Website https://www.soowongalbi.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
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Ted W.
Good galbi. Steamed egg is good taste. Good quality of rice, too.
(4)Hosun L.
I went here planning on ordering from the menu for lunch, when I found out they had a lunch buffet. I hoped to finally find the perfect Korean lunch buffet in the Northern Virginia area. Soo Won Galbi has a decent sized buffet. It has about a dozen hot foods, 2 types of soup (miso and yook-gae-jang), a very limited selection of dessert (including red bean porridge), and a sushi selection of about 5 types of rolls and 8 or so sushi. The meal came to around $15 each. What I liked was the quality of the sushi. The fish was large and tasty, for a buffet. The selection of soups was nice as well. Aside from that, Soo Won does not stand out at all. The Kalbi in particular was a disappointment. The flavor was great, but there was so little meat. The portions either had too little meat, or had too much fat, usually the latter. I would not go there again, especially at those prices. Cho's Garden, for a similar price, offers slightly higher quality food, and better sushi selection.
(3)K C.
Food was good, lunch prices aren't too bad. Ordered the Dol sot bibimbop, pretty standard. The cold potato noodles were good. Steamed eggs was interesting, wouldn't order it again. Probably because I just didn't know what it was supposed to be like.
(3)Jamie S.
Went here with my fiance since we had a coupon and it's across the street from our house. The food was pretty good, but very overpriced. The service was good, but overall it's definitely not worth it if you don't have a coupon.
(3)Daniel C.
One of my favorite Korean restaurants in Centreville. The service is really good. The female servers seem more experienced though i've heard some bad experiences before but has never happened to me. The food tastes great and the banchan is nice and fresh. The only drawback is some of the dishes are a bit expensive. I would recommend this place to a friend.
(4)Edwin P.
A secret family tradition is from what I understand what you're getting when you order the Soo Won Galbi and it certainly delivers a flavor and texture that constitutes a treasured recipe. I recommend the Korean-style Seafood Pancake as an appetizer as well as the $2 Steamed egg bowl for starters. Tangsooyook (Korean-style sweet and sour sauced chicken/pork/or beef) and Kampoongi (Korean-style spicy fried chicken tenders) make for great plates to share. Their stews/soups are amazing as well. I had the DwenJang Jigae (spicy soybean paste tofu) soup and the Al Jigae (a stew comprised of chunks of solid fish roe and yummy vegetables). Overall, a great place to take a date or eat out with the family! Soju is only $9.95 as well!
(5)A W.
This restaurant is way too expensive for their mediocre food. I eat Korean and Japanese food often and was not happy with their food or their service. At dinner-time, the restaurant was not busy and yet it was hard to get someone to refill our drinks. The appetizer came out after the entrees. And to cap it off, they refused to take my Restaurant. com coupon that I just printed that day, saying they do not work with Restaurant.com and that I needed to contact that website. TERRIBLE....AVOID THIS PLACE!!!!!
(1)Stephanie B.
The owner sent me an apology and a coupon, I will try this place again, but I appreciate the customer service.
(3)Jorge C.
We got two of the most expensive items from the Korean BBQ menu thinking "oh we're getting so much food, its going to be too much". Yet when our food got to the table we realized we completely OVERPAID for dinner...we got a couple of pieces of chicken for our chicken entree and two very very thin strips of meat...was I full after I finished? No. Dont get me wrong though, the food was pretty good. That's why I'm giving this 3 stars, yet...I don't think it was worth $50 for such small amounts of food. I definitely wont come back here, and from now on I rather drive down to Annandale to go to Hee Been for the best Korean BBQ I've had :)
(3)Sam L.
I think Galbi (Korean marinated short rib) to Koreans is like a ribeye or New York strip steak to Americans. Almost every American restaurant has a version of the steak on the menu, there are specialty steak houses, and you've probably has numerous variations of steak grilled at home. Growing up a Korean-American, I have probably tried hundreds of variations of Galbi at restaurants and at other peoples houses. Every Korean mom has a secret recipe that has been passed down and is unique to the area of Korea they were born or raised in. Every specialty Galbi restaurant in Korea claims that theirs is the best. I recently had an opportunity to try SooWon Galbi for the first time in about 15 years with my girlfriend. The place was busy since it was Saturday night and we had to wait about 10 minutes for a table. Once we got seated, We ordered the Jumbo SooWon Galbi. I was a little surprised at the price compared to various other Korean restaurants I have tried but this is a specialty Galbi restaurant. The banchan (side dishes) were plentiful and the waitress had no problems refilling a couple dishes when asked. When the Galbi arrived, I could immediately tell why the price had a premium over other restaurants. The color and marbling of the meat wasn't the typical low quality Annandale fair and it wasn't smothered in onions, scallions, and garlic to cover up the quality of the meat. A lot of restaurants try to mask the low quality of their meats by over-marinating or over-tenderizing the meat. I didn't see that done here. The Galbi had great texture, and the marinade really brought out the flavor of the meat without overpowering it. It was so good in fact, that we decided to split an order of the bibim naengmyun (cold buckwheat noodles with spicy dressing) to polish it all off. The portion of the bibim naengmyun was pretty generous and the spicy dressing was sweet but with a spicy kick which I thought was a tad too spicy. Overall it was a great experience. You pay the premium for the quality of meat. This place has Galbi in their name because it is what they specialize in. Their prices for Galbi seem on the high side and I probably wouldn't eat here all the time. But when I really thought about it, doesn't Mortons and Ruths Chris charge a premium for their steaks? Isn't there a glaring difference between the taste and quality of Rays The Steaks versus Outback or a steak they grill you at Old Country Buffet? I don't go to those specialty steakhouses often but when I do, I thoroughly enjoy my steak like I enjoyed my Galbi.
(5)Ruth P.
Best nengmyun I've ever had!
(5)Jimena M.
Brought my friends over here to have them experience Korean BBQ, 50% of them had never had it, I know...I couldn't believe it either and so had to rectify the situation quickly :) I'd been here before and had yoogaejang as well as dooboo kimchi. Yoogaejang is my absolute favorite soup (see profile pic) and it was GREAT here, SPICY, nice beef flavor in the broth, even distribution of veggies, great strands of beef throughout, yummy!! The dooboo kimchi was also amazing, nice, tangy kimchi, fresh tofu, sesame seeds and of nice pieces of SGS (sam gyup sal) throughout the sauce..mmmmm! Being that my friends are newbies I decided to initiate them into the basics, namely galbi and bulgogi, although one of them made me proud and ordered ojing-uh bokkum (spicy squid stir fry). She's jamaican and loves squid and spicy food, so it was a perfect match! She was in love! All my friends loved their food and we left full and satisfied. The wait staff were all very friendly and were on top of us refilling our drinks/water, but not in an obtrusive way. Overall, great experience! I think I did what I was put on this earth to do, I converted people into Korean BBQ addicts :)
(4)R K.
I've been to every Korean restaurant in the area and so far I've only liked Soo Won Galbi and the little wooden shop inside Grand Mart... I've enjoyed everything from the BBQ to the Galbi Tang (Beef broth soup) and everything was tasty... Although I've yet to find a Korean restaurant in Cville that is spectacular, Soo Won will have to suffice when I'm too lazy to make the voyage to Annandale.
(3)Jay A.
It is a restaurant with cozy atmosphere, amazingly personal service, and great food. They have extensive selection of Korean dishes. I've been ther e many times in the past (and continuing) and I've never had bad dishes from this restaurant. Also their sushi bar is AMAZING! This is the best sushi I've ever had in my entire life. If you're lucky, sushi chef will treat you with free sashimi and sushi treats to all of his guests. If makes me drool just thinking about their sushi. One thing that makes this place stand out the most is their personable service. They always make me feel like I'm at my aunt's house eating homecooked food. If you have the time, go enjoy their food and service. If you don't have the time, MAKE the time; you won't regret it.
(4)John K.
service sucked, food was expensive and was not up to par.. You get like 20 SMALL chunks of beef () for 15.99? lol, rather go to honey pig. Our server was horrible, I asked him to bring me another , completely forgot, returns later and apologizes and offers to bring it again, but I'm already full by that time. The food runner was so much nicer and courteous, he should've been the waiter. The food was just plain, don't get the bibimmyun, it was SO sweet when it's supposed to be a bit tangy and flavourful. I wouldn't go back, waste of money.
(2)Dong H.
as I recall probably first Korean BBQ place to open up in Centreville during the 1990s...good korean BBQ and bibim noodles are great. You'll mainly encounter visitors or tourist that is coming from Dulles airport after their flight has landed around lunch time. Menus are written in Korean and English so non-koreans can enjoy. The Suwon name came from a city and it is home to SAMSUNG HQ and the city is well known for Korean bbq.
(4)Mike M.
Great food, nearly ruined by doofus service. Hey, I don't know much about Korean BBQ, except that I like it. Five of us went here and requested a BBQ table- the place was nearly empty. We were seated and a young waiter eventually slinked over. I asked for his recommendations for the entire group from the BBQ menu and he looked at me as though I had a second head- then steered me to the little widget marks on the menu, showing a dozen or so "recommendations". No help there, so we winged it. He cooked the food for us, making several silent trips to flip the meat and then told us to eat now, since it is starting to burn! I inquired about the dozen or so appetizers and also about which condiments were appropriate for which food- more RCA dog head tilting. Thankfully, google saved the day on how to eat Korean BBQ. I feel bad if this kid was a newly minted waiter with poor English skills, but mama should pay more attention because crappy service is crappy service.
(3)E C.
I wouldn't have come here except for the fact I had a Restaurant.com dining certificate. Even then, I was severely disappointed by the money I had to pay for the amount and quality of food.
(2)John L.
Yes, the prices are on the higher side, but worth it because: 1. Quality meats and food 2. Variety of menu 3. Quality and quantity of banchan Took my parents out for lunch on a recent Saturday. Context: my parents are old, cranky, and critical of every Korean restaurant in the area having frequented many establishments, far and wide, and for some decades, almost nightly. Dad had the spicy cod stew. He's a seafood lover from growing up on the stuff. He not only approved, but he liked it! He really liked it!!! That alone gives this place 4 stars. Mom is a picky, high-maintenance diner - not one complaint! Granted, neither raved about it, but the absence of criticism in itself is highly exceptional. My take: This place does offer high-quality authentic dishes. The banchan is tasty, and plentiful. This is the way Korean food is supposed to be served - lots and lots of side dishes. I had the galbi which was well marbled and marinated. You could definitely tell it's WAY better quality than what you get at any other local bbq places. That is what I call value - quality in proportion to price, not just low/cheap price to quantity. As for the service, I liked the fact that our server was not Korean - not that it should matter. What matters is that the service was friendly and courteous. Unfortunately, it has been my experience that this is not the norm in Centreville Korean restaurants. Ambiance/decor? Who cares as long as it's clean! You want ambiance, go find fine dining - this is not what Korean bbq, or Korean cuisine for that matter, is about. Unless you want something obnoxiously loud and gimmicky like Honey Pig or Iron Age (ugh!). If you want authentic, high-quality food, and are willing to get what you pay for in these parts, I recommend this place. The prices really aren't that bad, and if you've ever shopped at a Korean butcher / meat market for these cuts, you know what I'm talking about. Will be going back for sure, especially if it's for an occasion with the rents.
(4)Grace L.
First of all, we ordered the fried monk fish head in spicy pepper sauce. I love the dish, but today I was so frustrated while eating it because there was nothing but bones. Literally, they only fried the bones with no flesh whatsoever, which got us all feeling that we payed so much for nothing. It was terrible. Number two, the atmosphere. There were only 3 tables full today, but Ive never felt more uncomfortable. All of them were dead drunk and dropping F-bombs in every sentence. My family friends brought their children and in the end they left early because as parents, they couldnt stand their children exposed to such words. And this was AFTER we told the owner that the other tables were getting out of hand, and she just shrugged it off. The tables were yelling curse words like theres no tomorrow... in Korean AND english. This was a bad experience all around. I wanted to send off my friends with a good korean restaurant as a finale to end their Virginia visit, because the reviews said that this place had tasty food albiet it being a tad expensive (we could care less about the price), but in the end I was embarrassed. If I could, I would seriously go back in time to take them somewhere else in the area like Tomo or such.
(1)Cindy C.
This Is a great place, I went there and they did everything I asked them to do in a timely fashion. thank you so much!
(5)Jen C.
This place is a hidden gem! We just found our korean BBQ go to place. We had the L.A. Galbi and korean potstickers. And the alone filled me and my husvand. They give you so many different condiments and they refill those too. They are delicious! I highly recommend this restaurant!
(5)Alejandro V.
I can only rate this place on service a friend and I went in on saturday wanting some korean food. We walked in and got seated and sat over 10 minutes without a server approaching us. We got up and proceeded to walk out with not one server aproching us. The sad part is the place wasn't even busy.
(1)Belle D.
At 6pm, I was able to find good parking, got sat down right away, ordered drinks, and the food. I came with my family and we got an assortment of korean side dishes. The main three meat dishes were: - Spicy Chicken: it was surprisingly good, succulent, not too spicy at all. The server did well to make sure each chicken were thoroughly cooked. - Bulgolgi: the way they cooked this was different. Possibly healthier than Honey Pig. They used the broth to help speed up the process of cooking and since the heat conduction has water steam, it was grilled in a way that's not charred and still juicy. I liked it, but prefer more grilled version, minus the broth. - LA Galbi: ** This was delicious. My rant is that the dish made up of mostly bones! The server was kind enough to cut up the meat in front of us (since this was cooked in the back). So she had to have known that a $19.95 dish was not worth 1/3 of meat and 2/3 of it being bones. My husband didn't even get to try any. My mom in law got a piece or two. And it was only my dad and I that got some bites here and there. The location is not bad, inside of the restaurant was alright, but will definitely let them know about the LA Galbi with more meat and less bones.
(3)Scarlet K.
We dined at SooWon galbi last weekend with our family. I liked the service, food, and time management. The cold noodles were tasty and perfect match with the marinated galbi. I will definitely pay another visit in the future and will recommend this place to my friends. The lady that was serving our table was nice, sincere, on time, and checking-in often.
(4)Leslie J.
It's so dead here. You would think on a Friday night, it would be packed, but I guess when you're competing with all the other Korean joints in Centreville, this one doesn't make Top 5. This place reminds me of Woo Lae Oak in Tysons or Hee Been in Annandale -- the way it's traditionally decorated and grand looking, but comes off as sad with all the empty seats. Nonetheless, come for the steamed egg which is why I decided to try this place because of their notorious steamed egg dish to accompany your kbbq. You have the option of having it grilled in front of you or cooked in the kitchen so you don't smell like meat-on-a-stick upon leaving. Likes: - Banchan galore -- they give you at least 10 w/ refills - Steamed Egg -- it's almost like eating a ridiculous omelet in a claypot, but it's only $2 and not small or watery like Honeypig's. Dislikes: - Most items are way overpriced for the portion you're getting - Dead atmosphere
(3)Rachel C.
Tasty, but overpriced. I have been here a few times for dinner, but regardless of whether it's a weeknight or not, late or not, etc. there never seem to be more than a few tables occupied. The place itself is clean and quiet, so maybe it just caters to a different crowd (that's not actually a crowd)? The bulgogi and galbi are marinated well and are definitely delicious, but you get what would be the equivalent of a single-servings worth at other restaurants with each order for almost double the price. The side banchan dishes are decently executed as well, so the total amount of food is probably a reasonable dinner portion... however when compared to other restaurants its hard not to feel like you haven't gotten enough for what you paid. (Exception: the $2 steamed egg dish, which I love, AND is a great value!). The fried dumplings are meh, and the seafood pancake is pretty good... but again - not worth the extra $$. Service is polite and attentive. But as many Korean restaurants as there are in Centreville, you can probably find a lot of better options, value-wise.
(3)Ingrid K.
Food was tasty, but when I got the bill, they charged us for the $29 Galbi, instead of the $19 one I thought we ordered. My son specifically asked for the #2 Galbi, but our waitress gave him the more expensive one which she insisted needed to be cooked back in the kitchen. Ouch. The Bulgogi was dry and bland, but the Daegi Bulgogi was excellent.
(4)Eugenio O.
Food was tasty. The floor and table was greasy and slippery. I have eaten Korean bbq at many places. We were given a weird grill top that effectively boiled our meat. Yet on our way out every other table had the proper grill top. Made us feel singled out. Would not return.
(2)Vishal S.
Yummy. Go eat now and get off your phone. Quality of the food is amazing. Service is excellent. Enjoy!
(5)Karyn C.
Good house Kalbi! The cut is thicker than LA Kalbi. Portion is good. Variety of side dishes & customer service was good. Friendly environment.
(3)nicholas g.
This was my 2nd time in a long time getting Korean food and this place was delicious. For all the people complaining about the place being dead. I was eating with 3 other tables- all who were speaking Korean and this was at 9 o'clock on a rainy Wednesday night. Service was very good, the and the waitress was so sweet and helpful. I can't wait to return.
(5)Jennie C.
It's a bit concerning when this place is dead on a weeknight, but I'll give it some credit...after all, it is a weeknight. Bonus points for no bean sprouts (I'm notorious for hating them with a passion) in their dolsot bibimbap, but minus bonus points for getting my Mom's order wrong. We ordered some soup dish with explicit directions for nothing spicy, as my Mom wasn't feeling well. Imagine the horror that came to us when it came out with the orange hue that we are all so familiar with. We didn't want to complain, just because we were so hungry. They were quick in bringing banchan and refilling water. But...I just can't get past eating when you're the only people there. I bet it's lively on weekends, but it's in kind of so-so plaza (despite Trader Joe's being next door!).
(3)Anonymous C.
Do not waste your money! And you'll spend a lot. We were starving and stopped on a holiday weekend after stopping at two other Korean restaurants that were packed! This place was empty. Not a good sign. We were the only people dining other than a loud/obnoxious table that dropped f-bombs every 5 minutes for my 3 children to hear. Classy place. It took way to long to get our drinks. The teas are $4 each and there are no refills. Ridiculous. Literally, a quarter of our tab was so we could each drink a tea, and not get a refill. The food took too long and the bim bi bop was mediocre. The Kim chi was fine. The menu is over priced for the quality and service. I suppose these prices compensate for the lack of customers. I was left $120 poorer and not a single person in my family felt satisfied. Find another Korean restaurant.
(2)Jeff P.
Went here with a couple friends after we tried Honey Pig and found the wait was way too long. We found that the place wasn't busy at all. The food was delicious and the service was decent. I am definitely coming back and would recommend it to anyone who likes Korean BBQ.
(4)I O.
Rather small, and not too crowded which made it that much better. The meats were fresh, and service was good. The price was good as compared to the other places in MD and VA. I would go here again for sure!
(4)Michele G.
As someone who grew up eating and cooking Korean food this place does a great job. My husband had the spicy pork which was tender and flavorful. I had the baked mackerel which was a bit salty but it was flaky and perfectly cooked. The tea they serve after the meals reminds me of Christmas at my grandmothers. The food could be spicier but then again I cook my Korean meals much spicier than my mothers.
(4)Helen L.
Never a time I have gone out to Soowon Galbi and have been disappointed. I have been to many Korean BBQ joints, and Soo Won Galbi meats surpass in quality compared to most other Korean BBQ joints in the area which include places like Honey Pig, Korshi, and Hahm Ji Bahk. Furthermore, their customer service is top-notched as the waiters are very attentive to their customers -- I always feel like I am at home when I go to Soo Won Galbi to eat. They also have very good banchan (side dishes). My Top Favorites/Things you must try: Joomooluk Galbi (Boneless short ribs): Very tender and juicy. It almost melts in your mouth. Chadolbaegi (Korean Thinly Sliced Grilled Beef Brisket): I get this everytime I go to Soo Won. Enough Said. Neangmyun(Korean Cold Buckwheat Noodle Soup): DELICIOUS. Broth is very tasty. I usually like my naengmyuns ice cold, and Soo Won's naengmyun does exactly that trick. I have gone here plenty of times on a hot summer day to cool myself with their naengmyun. Dduk Mandoo Guk (Korean Rice Cake Dumpling Soup): Hot, yet very soothing. Something I'd eat if I was on the verge of getting a cold to make myself feel better. Haemool Pajun (Korean Seafood Pancake): Their seafood pancake always come out very crispy just the way I like it with fresh seafood in it. Good appetizer. -- Overall, if you haven't gone to Soo Won Galbi, I definitely recommend that you go try it. I am a regular. Definitely worth it.
(5)H L.
I rarely find a Korean restaurant this bad. So bad that I'm writing this review on-spot. I ordered a fried shrimp u-don and all it has is two measly shrimps, small portion of noodles, and some less than ten pieces of vegetables. That's it. No more or less. All for $15. This is an insult to Asian cuisine...
(1)A C.
Delicious stopover for dinner - left absolutely stuffed! Ordered the Bulgogi meat combo , the meat itself was nicely marinated, with just the right amount of heat/spice. Plenty of tasty side dishes accompanied the meal, as is the norm with this type of bbq. The food was cooked tableside, and the waitress was attentive and pleasant. Overall everything was delicious. I was just a bit worried about the number (lack of) customers in the place- 5pm on Friday night and we pretty much had the place to ourselves.
(4)Tim R.
Consistently great service. Consistently good food. Could use some remodeling, but an overall good experience. Sometimes you do get less side portions than other times.
(4)GLenn C.
This place was dead, in fact in an hour and half time. My wife and I were they only ones in there. This seems to be a common theme among Yelpers. To give them credit it was 9pm on a Thur night. A friend likes this place and claims their food is closest to Korea, and loves it. Their menu says the same thing. Im not calling dem liars, but Im always at Trader Joes and Ive been to American Barber next door and I hardly seen peeps in there. While our favorite joint is Lighthouse Tofu in Cville, and its always busy woth Koreans. The food was good though I forgot what we ordered. (#4 #5 I think) and we received greay service, which shouldnt be bad due to we were the only customers. At least the girl asked to refill our side dishes a few times. Honeypig does NOT unless you speak Korean. They had a few different tea options which many Korean places do not. Thus I got the ginger tea which was very gingery. I will go again to taste other dishes and will update review to give a better review.
(3)T y.
I'm giving them 2.5 stars. We came here for their bbq, and I admit, Jumbo Galbi is delicious, but for $28, the amount of meat they gave you make them such a ripoff!! I feel like, there are other options other than this place that would give you the same cut of meat with cheaper price.
(2)Alice W.
We had the cold buckwheat noodles and they were fantastic. They make the noodles onsite and They are cooked perfectly. The broth was fantastic. It had the right balance of a rich beef broth mixed with white radish kimchi broth. I would have licked the bowl if I hadn't been with my inlaws. We also had Kalbi which was incredibly fresh. The owner's sister told us they do their own butchering and it shows,
(5)Joshua P.
Loved this place. Had the Soowon jumbo galbi. One of the best galbi I've ever had. The galbi portion is a lot too and the panchan/side dishes were great.
(5)Shelly C.
I actually liked this place despite some reviews. In fact, a couple years ago I wanted to go here for my birthday. It's quiet and hidden in this plaza next to Trader Joe's. The steamed egg is the bomb. I'm not sure what happened lately but the little dishes use to be really good. Now the kimchi looks a little tired and suspicious. I usually order the Haemul Jungol (Seafood) or the Dolsot Bibimbap (Vegetarian - this is really yummy). Service is slow, but I would just speak up and they'll get to you .
(3)Stephanie D.
We tried this place for the first time last night after my husband had a hankering for Korean BBQ. I was surprised that there was only one other table seated when we got there at 830 on a Saturday night, but the place was nice and clean and we were hungry so we were seated. Had never eaten there before, and with all the options in the menu, we tried with little success to ask our waitress "What comes with this dish" and "do you think the Bulgogi meal would feed 2 people" etc. We got lots of head shaking and " I don't know". So my husband, his friend and I each ordered a different $20+ meal thinking we could all share. The portions were ridiculously out of proportion with the price. $22 dollars for 8 pieces of shrimp that weren't even marinated? The short ribs were both charred on the outside and raw on the inside. What saved the meal was the Bulgogi. Very flavorful! The miso soup was also pretty good. All in all we enjoyed our meal but definitely thought everything was way overpriced.
(2)Catherine G.
Oh....I'm so sorry to write such a terrible review...but.... I have to be honest.... In their defense, I have to say that the business seemed decent enough and I'm sure that others had a better experience. Given the fact that I'm Korean, this made the experience just a little more embarrassing since we took my parents to this place after they just flew in from Chicago to visit us. After we first sat down, they brought us our menus and water. My first glass had another woman's lipstick on the rim....so I asked for another. The second glass had yet another shade of lipstick (not mine) so again I asked for another. This time, the third glass came without lipstick, but with nothing in it either....I had to wait for hot tea as the server seemed really to be stretched thin. The lipstick problem doesn't bother me so much...Lots of places have that problem when they just rinse through the dishwasher or use the sanitizer dunking method of bartenders.. But truth be told, the place just doesn't seem quite clean. Granted, I'm willing to overlook that little detail if the food is good, service is prompt and courteous and prices are ok. Well....prices were ok. Food was ok, service was a little less than ok, but it was still passable. Minus my husband we all spoke Korean so it wasn't like they didn't understand our requests. But when a side dish came with an accompanying piece of hair (again not mine)....well...that was about that. I finished my meal, sans hair and it was ok food, but not something to rave about. Especially considering the cleanliness issues we encountered. Would I go back? I don't know. If I do, I'll have to let you know.
(2)Grace J.
I stopped by this restaurant with my brother to grab dinner. We were both craving korean bbq, specifically kalbi and dengjangjigae. This place hit the spot! The meat was very filling, juicy, and delicious! loved the marinade they used... At the end of the meal, the server came back with these ginger-ish cold tea drinks? I'm not sure what they are called, but it was an excellent and refreshing way to end the night. I left pretty satisfied. The waiter was very attentive and will probably go back in the future if I am around the area.
(4)Tom K.
I'm reading complaints about the price, but honestly it's comparable with other galbi joints. However the galbi quality here is much better than most others so you're getting a DEAL. If you want to eat dogsh** mixed with dwengjang and vomit, go to another spot. I really like the nengmyun here, one of my favorites! I'd come more often but my janitorial hours and wage makes me eat Hungry Man's at 2 in the morning. Holla atcha gat damn boi!
(5)Judith L.
My friend and I went here for the lunch buffet the other afternoon (my friend swears it was advertised as $5.00 or so). They didn't have the buffet, but we had been talking about Korean food for so long, we decided to stay and eat anyway. After browsing the menu, we saw it had both Korean and Japanese fare. We ordered both Japanese and Korean food (I know... I know...). We got some sushi rolls- decent- and they cut the wasabi and carrot into shapes (it's the little things...)! I think we got some jjigae as well as Japanese noodles. Both were decent, but nothing so good that I wanted to run home and yelp about it right away (uh oh)... Decent food but I probably won't be back unless I'm in Centreville with a craving for Korean and have no other options.
(2)Diana K.
Made the trek out to Centreville with the bf on Sunday and had a pleasant experience here overall. While we didn't order their galbi (their specialty), we did get to try a variety of other items (yes... we eat a lot!): - Godunguh Gui - Soondubu jjigae - Jaeyook kimchi w/ tofu - Fried dumplings Out of all the things we tried, I think we enjoyed the godunguh gui and dumplings the most. I don't usually enjoy fried dumplings, but I found myself eating half the plate! :-) Their spicy pork dish didn't have as much pork as we'd have liked, but this seems to be the case with most Korean restaurants. In general, all of the dishes that we ordered were pretty good. Now, onto some constructive criticism: I would agree with the other reviewers about the price issue. Despite reading the other reviews, we were still a bit surprised at the prices especially since we were in Centreville where there are many other options for Korean food. It's one thing to charge more for the BBQ if indeed you're serving high-quality meat. It's another to charge more for non-specialty items such as Kimchi jjigae ($11.95 as compared to the standard $8.95). Because I strongly believe that staying competitive w/ prices is especially important for the longevity of new businesses, a slight price adjustment could account for higher reviews and attract more customers in the long run. Also, they charge $2 for steamed egg which is unusual; offering it for free could be a nice touch. But everything else-- the service, banchan, and cleanliness of the food/restaurant--was all up to par. I just wish I had purchased a Groupon!
(4)One K.
This is probably one of the better Korean restaurant in the 20 mile radius. Their BBQ beef are always flavorful; the Bibimbap are the best in area. Their servers sometimes have difficulty understanding English but they are always friendly.
(4)Daniel M.
This Korean BBQ restaurant is a great choice. The decor is nice enough to give it a higher end feel, while the prices end up being no more than other places if you get the 2 person BBQ options. We go with the 2 person meat combo which comes with marinated chicken, pork, and beef all BBQd at your table and each has a different delicious marinade. SooWon Galbi is a great option for Korean BBQ in a quality, cozy decor.
(4)Rachel E.
I have driven past this place so many times to go to the Trader Joe's and I never knew, until a few weekends ago, what I was missing. My boyfriend and I went at an odd hour so there weren't many people there but I enjoy that, I don't really like crowds. I ordered the Shrimp Tempura for my appetizer and the Bul Gogi with noodles for my entree. Disclaimer: I am not an expert on Korean cuisine, I just eat what I like. I have not had tempura in ages and I was not at all disappointed by their tempura - it had the perfect crispy, crunchy exterior and flavor packed interior to the vegetables and shrimp. The dipping sauce was delicious, if there were more of it, I probably would have snuck a sip 0:) The Bul Gogi with noodles came in a large portion at a decent price with all the fixings- the cabbage and bean sprouts are my favorite. I apologize cabbage and bean sprouts, I don't know your proper Korean names. When it came to the table it smelled absolutely drool worthy and the taste was amazing, I practically licked the plate clean, which wouldn't have been good because that sucker was still hot. I could not believe how awesome the food was, I can't wait to go back. I can't recall off hand what my boyfriend ordered, it may have been the Tang Su Yuk, but I know he thoroughly enjoyed it which was a relief because he can be a pain to try to drag to new places. I tried a piece of his dish as well and it was delectable. The only con I could think of was the food took awhile to reach our table but I honestly could care less because the wait was worth it for the food.
(5)Anne C.
Go for the soups here (for instance the galbi tang is very good), but the meats are not great. Prices are high definitely, but the quality of the meats is not good. The chadobaegi was tough and chewy. it also is odd that they charge $2 for steamed egg where most other korean restaurants give it for free. Service was fine and the panchan dishes were decent.
(3)James K.
Fantastic customer service and amazing food. One of a few local Korean restaurants that I feel comfortable visiting with both Koreans and non-Koreans alike. Great lunch combos (under $12) and huge dinner selection of BBQ, stews, and rice dishes. Personal favorite is the Daegu Maeun Tang (Cod fish). Absolute must try!
(5)kem p.
They dont give out many side dishes. We got 3 kinds- kimchi, brocolli, and some fermented veggie. Ordered: 1. Seafood Pancake - decent 2. Jap chae - bad. It tasted sweet!!! Service, not so great. That night was quiet. There were 3 tables and 3 waiters. I am the 3rd table. My tea was empty for the longest time. Our waiter seemed like to hide in the back room. I finally got other waiter to fill out my drink. I understand if the place is busy, but there were only 3 tables and each table had 4 people. I am not coming back because the quality of the food and service. Sorry.
(2)Donald P.
This review is not meant to trash this restaurant. This is simply a review of my last experience here...an experience that was pure hell. We've been here a few times before, and never had a bad experience. We came here again to celebrate my niece's 2nd birthday. I order the sul-lung-tang, but as it arrived it had a very "strange" smell. I asked everyone else at the table if it smelled a little strange to them. Although the smell wasn't foul, it did smell disagreeable. I tasted two spoonfuls of it and reluctantly returned it because I didn't think I could eat it. Even mother-in-law agreed it was not good....and as everyone knows.....MAMA KNOWS BEST!!!! I ordered the galbi-tang instead which is what my brother was having. The galbi-tang arrived and I apologized for having returned the first dish, but the waitress said there was no reason to apologize. Dinner came and then went. About 4 hours later when I got home I had this extremely urgent need to use the bathroom, and for the next 16 hours that's basically where I stayed. I even had to miss work the next day. What a nightmare. As the saying goes....the food goes down one end and out the other....well in my case the food when down one end and back out BOTH ends. That's when I was horrified to see the food I had eaten 20 hour earlier was still in my stomach almost like I had just eaten it. Food normally passes through your stomach in a few hours....so my stomach knew there was definitely something NOT right with this food. After I hurled, I started to get much better. We called the restaurant to complain, but aside for apologizing they did nothing, nor did they assure us they would do anything. Again, I don't mean to trash this place. I just did not like the fact that they did not appear concerned, nor try to determine if there was a problem. No assurances were made, and we felt our concerns were being dismissed. I am not necessarily discouraging other's from coming here or saying this is a bad restaurant, as our several visits prior were all enjoyable.
(1)Charles K.
For a galbi (korean style beef short rib) restaurant this place has many other goodies! I mean the galbi (the expensive one) is worth the price. I know it's expensive - but galbi places don't make their money off the galbi anyway. You can tell it's high quality meat. I personally love their yoo-kae-jang (a spicy soup with noodles and shredded beef) and their steamed-egg is amazing - way more dense and fluffy than others I have tried. The place is family owned and the service is great so I would recommend you try it!
(4)Tammy B.
Very tasty authentic Korean food. We were part of a large party consisting of 5 adults, 3 teenagers, & 3 kids. We ordered a bunch of food to share...started w/ 1 order each of jap jae & fried dumpling...both very good. Then we loaded up on meat! 1 combo meat platter, 1 jumbo Galbi, & 1 pork belly. 2 people got bibimbap and miso soup for the youngest kids. It was all delicious and everybody was full. Very good food but you need to have patience with the wait staff. Our waitress was very sweet but we sat around for quite a while before we got water. Then I needed to get another waiter to send her over to take our order. She kept the water glasses full and asked if we needed anything else a few times but she was m.i.a for a lot of the time. She seemed lost but bc she was so sweet I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her. I probably left a bigger tip than I should have. Despite the bumps in the service, I would return again for the food.
(4)Gastro N.
I have been to this restaurant a few times over the years. This is a review of our recent 2012 visit. WHAT'S GOOD ================== 1. The food here is for the most part good. The taste is very good. I had the Kimchi Jigae, and it was hot, spicy and delicious. The fried dumplings are delicious, the banchan is tasty and there is a lot of it. There is a lot of real Korean food here to choose from, much of which is authentic. 2. They do a good job of cooking your Galbi, and the meat quality seems fairly good. We really enjoyed the Bul Gol Gi. WHAT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT ================== 1. The service is in serious trouble, and needs some serious work. We were for the most part ignored during our time at the restaurant. Our additional beverage order was never brought to the table. They lost out on dessert course, because they never came back to ask if we were OK, or if we wanted dessert or anything else. 2. It took us so long to get our check at the end, We waited longer for the check than the entire meal that preceded it. Meanwhile, customers that came in after us were seated, ordered, ate, paid, and left before we could get our tab settled. I had to send my wife and daughter out, and stay behind so they would not have to wait any longer for us to pay. For a $90.00 tab, we deserved a little more attentiveness. 3. Galbi portions are small. The Galbi is good, but for the extensive price, there's not enough of it. 3. Steamed Egg costs $2 vice being free just about everywhere else. 4. Soju is is ~$12-14, which is about $5 too much. If they want to charge higher prices, they should have a larger selection of brands and Soju flavors to choose from. I might give them another try if I have a discount or a coupon, but over all, I feel they are out of touch with the economy and their customer base right now. For the cost of eating here, quality & service should be consistent with that cost -- and right now it is not.
(2)Sean K.
Went there tonight and all our families are full! Loved the Galbi, and it's indeed very much like 'Su Won' style. Mild in taste so you can really enjoy the meat. The service was also very good. Attentive and quick with smiles. Giving four stars for its rather highly-priced galbi. Try Mul Naengmyun, it's not great but good enough after the Gal Bi. I'd recommend this place to my friends and families with good confidence.
(4)Bert A.
Do not come here. Service is terrible and food is not up to par compared to other korean bbq place in annandale. After grilling my short ribs I asked the waitress to replace the grill and grill with a new one so the ribs wont be burnt. She replies by saying "I suggest you dont replace it because we use soap to clean the grills" So do you not rinse the grill with water after cleaning it? Laziness cannot be tolerated. Also, the egg stew came burnt, the short ribs were very thin, and the neng myun was just colored water with noodles. Dont waste your money here. Drive 15 minutes more and go to Annadale.
(1)Ashley W.
This is one of my fav Korean BBQ places. Stinks that there are bad reviews b/c this place is really good. It might be a little more pricey then honey pig but the quality of food and meat is def better. TWO THUMBS UP!
(5)Jeramy P.
We decided to stop by after seeing this place everytime I am at TJs. My wife was reluctant to go because it appeared dark from the outside. When we arrived we were greeted and seated quickly, there was only two others sitting at one table. The place was clean and very cool with the grills on the table. We ordered the japche and steamed dumplings for an app and my wife ordered the Kam Poong Gi, I had the Sul Nung Tang and my kids split the Chicken Teriyaki. The banchan arrived first and was very tasty. There was broccoli in gochujang, sprouts, beans, kimchi of all sorts and the special potato salad. The dumplings arrived next and were some of the best we have ever had. The japchae was delicious as well. The Chicken teriyaki the kids had was cooked perfect and you could taste the peppers in the sauce and could tell it was homemade. The chicken from the Kam poong gi was cooked perfect and the sauce was just spicy enough. The only things I wish there was more beef in my Sul Nung Tang. It took us a while to eat as we tried to finish everything. There was so much food we needed to take some home. This was a great place, the staff was friendly and we will be coming back.
(5)Saritah K.
We've been coming here for many years and compared to other Korean restaurants in Seattle, San Diego, and the DC metro area, I think that Soo Won Galbi is 1) clean, 2) not creepy, 3) inexpensive. I always find their meat to be of good quality. I have tried many things on the menu. We don't do the BBQ table so much anymore because it's just too much food and too time consuming. But on the weekday lunch menu they have bulgogi and they just BBQ it in the kitchen for you and it's so convenient and really good. You can also order that on the weekend, but then you pay more.
(4)Abigail A.
Until I ate at Soo Won, I wasn't a big fan of Korean BBQ. I reaaaallly love their jumbo galbi marinade! It's delicious! We also like their bulgogi. I'm also a big fan of their side dishes! bean sprouts, steamed egg, kim chi, and fried tofu are my favorites! Our favorite server there told us about cooking the garlic in sesame oil over the grill and now we're addicted to it! It goes so well with the galbi, rice and lettuce! The downside to Soo Won is that it's pretty pricey ($23 per order of jumbo galbi) for not a lot of meat. If we didn't load up on the side dishes, we wouldn't be full :o( Obviously this doesn't stop us from going there because we really like the service and the tasty food :oP My fiance and I eat there almost once a week! That makes it really tough on our wallets but very satisfying for our bellies! It's never too busy and is very convenient since it's just across Rte 29 from where we live. The only time we ever had to wait was for Valentine's Day. And even with that wait (10 mins or so), they were actually the most accommodating place since everywhere else was reserved til 10 PM!
(5)Susan F.
My husband and I decided to try this restaurant when one of neighbors mentioned how good it was. It was okay. We ordered the meat combo Galbi. The galbi came with rice and lettuce to make lettuce wraps with. The waiter cooks the Galbi (meat) right at your table. The beef was the best with the pork coming in a close second and then the chicken was just okay. The galbi also came with a bunch of sides. There was one side dish that looked a bit scary to me. It looked like it was insects, but my husband claimed they were shrimp that had not been deshelled. Anyway, the Galbi was okay. The restaurant was very cold. Prices were on the expensive side. Dinner for two was $72.00 when all was said and done. Service was okay although there were a lot of waitresses sitting around eating Chips Ahoy cookies. I wasn't all that impressed and would probably only return if I was with someone who really wanted to go there! As for my usual baby friendly report. It was okay. They had high chairs. However, there was no place to really be able to change a baby in the restroom. They were really sweet to my son and did bring him a tiny drink at the end of the meal. It tasted like an orange creamcicle.
(3)David C.
Was in the area because of training for work and was craving Korean food. I was so glad I found this place because the food was amazing. My coworkers are from NY, CHI, and LA so we all wanted to checkout what Virginia had to offer since we heard some they surprisingly had a decent Korean population. Was originally skeptical because of some of the varying reviews but either we got lucky or they fixed the service situation. We ordered Galbi and you could tell it was extremely high quality meat. I agree the portions were a bit on the light side but it depends on what you are looking for. I personally care about quality over quantity so if you are looking for more quantity i.e. mediocre buffets (which I've plenty experience in unfortunately), then this place is probably not for you. We also ordered the seafood pancake which tasted good but it wasn't as crispy as I would like it but I found out you can request to have them crisp it up which I will definitely do next time around. We orderedthe dolsot bimbimbap which I thought tasted really fresh - I love really fresh ingredients! Also got the Naengmyeon (cold soba noodles) which I'm normally not a fan of but I really liked their version. It was pretty refreshing. LOTS of banchan even though I only eat half of it. But you can always request more of what you liked so that's a tip for you non-Koreans out there. AND THEY HAD A TV to watch sports! That was pretty awesome.
(5)Melissa H.
Food: High quality and tastes great. Lots of side dishes. Best dish that I don't find at all places is the Beef Tongue. Its amazing cut of meat. Also another favorite of mine at ANY korean restaurant is Pork Tang Su Yuk (Better than american style sweet and sour) Price: Way expensive for korean but if you want a place that is not as crowded than this is great. Service: We went recently on a week night. They were great but it may be due to the fact that there wasn't many people.
(4)Chris F.
This Korean place couldn't be more authentic, all the way down to the typos in the menus and the lack of English skills among the staff. Galbi is what us Americans in Korea called "beef in a leaf", and this place does a great job with high-quality meat, authentic and flavorful marination and the "do-it-yourself" cooking. But it's only three stars because this place is not for the uninitiated into Korean food, it's for a seasoned veteran of the Hermit Kingdom (seriously, that's their nickname, I did NOT make it up). The side dishes (aka "banchan") are really fresh and quality ingredients too. I particularly enjoyed the seasoned, sauced veggies ("namul"), but I don't touch kimchee with a ten-foot chopstick anymore. The same goes for soju. In general, the food is very healthy and relatively inexpensive. This place is exactly like one-million Korean restuarants you can find in Korea, so if you're looking for an authentic experience, this is it. So authentic, you often won't regcognize what you're eating, and your waitress will be incapable of explaining exactly what it is. Your Korean may be so bad that you may order something you didn't intend to, with no idea what it actually is (hmmm...are those suction cups?) and end up eating it anyway and smiling, rather than making the friendly, English-challenged waitress feel bad. Exactly...like...Korea.
(3)Sarah P.
OK, so yes, I am American, not Korean, so take this review with a grain of salt if you have your own Korean Mom or Grandma at home to cook for you. I am not so fortunate but am definitely jealous. I did, however, live in Korea for a year and tucked into about as much local food as possible short of the live octopus, that I just can't do. I returned to the US with a severe addiction to doenjjan chigae and a love of kim bap. Now that that's out of the way... I am a fan of SooWon Galbi and would eat there more frequently if I lived closer. I don't understand how Honey Pig beats this place out on reviews, having eaten at both, I'd much prefer SooWon any day though it IS more expensive. We have tried a couple of the different cuts of galbi, both were very good and prepped at the table just like they should be. They will bring you garlic cloves to throw on the grill if you ask. One thing though, be careful of which version of grilled meat dishes you order, some are prepared back in the kitchen and brought out to you if not enough people at the table order the same item (they are indicated on the menu). Korean-style is pretty much that everyone at the same table gets the same thing and shares unless you specifically request separate dishes. I haven't tried the bulgogi yet, but it is on my list. I had to get some doenjjan chigae and it was yummy, came out at a full boil just like it should, as did the steamed egg. It was not quite as good as my local joint in Seoul, maybe they don't add enough of the crack here, but it sure was tasty. The seafood pancake was just as good as the many I had eaten in the street restaurants there. They really beat out Honey Pig with the banchan here though, even my husband pointed that out after we tried HP. They only offered a couple and never re-filled them. At SooWon they almost meet the Korean standard of covering every. square. inch. of the table top with these little dishes of tastiness. They also ask if you'd like more of any that become empty. It's never been very busy when we've gone, just because it's always been at an odd time of day so I can't say how they handle a crowded restaurant, but we've always had very good service. The waitresses always smile when I butcher a greeting or ask for something in my terribly rudimentary Korean and they always make a fuss over our toddler which makes her happy.
(5)Woody J.
I just moved to DC from NJ and went here on a friend's suggestion because I was craving legit korean food. i've been coming here with my gf once every week or 2. Reason why? THE QUALITY OF KOREAN FOOD HERE IS LEGIT!!! especially compared to those korean buffet restaurants... to those regular galbi-eaters, you know what i'm talking about. the galbi here is marinated perfectly and the customer service in cooking the meat is at its finest. i also order neng-myun with my meat (highly suggested), and the noodles make it a perfect combination. i've been meaning to ask them if they make their own noodles, since the quality of the noodles seem home-made (instead of grocery-story bought). i will ask about that this weekend, and update this review. to all those ppl. complaining about costs, the price is going to be comparable to any other korean restaurant. besides obviously a buffet. but the difference in food quality, stomach satisfaction easily outweighs the extra couple of dollars you'll spend on their main dishes it's literally like food i eat in korea...ahhh, maybe that's why i can't resist coming here
(5)Dale H.
Galbitang was very good. Banchan was tasty and clean. Udong had overly strong taste. Haejanggook was in the blend side. Overall good effort and service was very good.
(3)Junoh Brian K.
We went there for a dinner on Friday, and had a good experience. We ordered galbi and a couple other things. As a Korean man who loves meat, I take my galbi very seriously... and I was satisfied. Meat was pretty decent in quality, and I really want to know what they put in the marinade. I wish I could recreate that galbi myself! Service was also very good. It's getting pretty hot these days, so I will definitely come back to try their nengmyun (Korean ice noodle)!
(5)Vanessa W.
Been coming here since I was a little kid. The galbi here is amazing, the marinade is really good (my mother even praised it and she's korean). Good variety of banchan, made fresh and seasonal so there is something different everytime I go. People complain about the price but I think its worth it to get higher quality meat. You can taste the difference compared to other restaurants that use cheap meats.
(5)Nick B.
Food was delicious. I was a little confused though because I had only been to a Korean buffet before. The waitresses English was very limited, but we made it through. It was a little expensive but the amount of food we got was crazy!
(4)Will E.
Enjoyed a big, tasty lunch for two of Bibimbat and Bulgogi. (including Sapporo $33+tip). Quality beef, fresh veg, fine mix of spicy and savory fixin's. We would go again.
(4)Ling X.
This place is way way overpriced. Both meat and soju is overpriced. I don't understand why Centreville prices are so different than Annandale. Centreville has soju averaged at $13-14 a bottle whereas the norm should be $10 even. Also, the portions are small. Once Honey Pig opens up in Centreville, it will totally eclipse the other Korean barbecues in terms of value. I'm not a super expert in these meats so I won't comment on quality. But really, how can you mess up samgyupsal?
(2)PitBull D.
We went here for a few reasons: to celebrate my daughter's birthday, and we had a discount Groupon coupon. Also, her bf is Korean-American. Bf helped us with the menu selections and I think this also ensured customer service excellence by the wait staff and kitchen. We had a "seafood pancake" for an appetizer that was OK but I was challenged to find any seafood in it, and most felt it was somewhat bland. But the main courses were excellent. Unfortunately, I don't recall the names and they don't have an online menu yet, but we had BBQ beef that was marinated and oh-so delicious. Also, we had a moderately spicy pork dish, and finally a raw beef and pear dish that was beautifully presented. The meal was accompanied by plenty of unlimited side dishes (complimentary and refilled as requested) along with a steamed egg. For dessert we had the ice cream in rice paper. Overall, the tab came to $91 for four (no liquor) before deducting the value of the Groupon. We were quite pleased with the quality of the food and service overall and definitely will return in the future.
(4)Robert J.
This was a very clean restaurant with nice decor and quality Korean food. We came here on a Friday night with 3 adults and 3 kids. We were seated promptly and our server came up to us straight away. Unfortuantely our server spoke very little English as I am finding with many Centreville Asian restaurants. She brought our drink order and then the fun began on ordering. There was clearly some communication problems and we ended up ordering fairly blind. We somehow ended up with 6 massive entree items when four would have been more than enough. If you go here, Chicken fried rice will easily feed two adults or three kids. Anyhow, here is what we ordered. Fried Dumplings (10 piece) Chicken Fried Rice (x2) Galbi Dolsot Bibimbap Bul Gogi (Beef) Dak Bul Gogi (Chicken) Spicy Sam Gyup Sal Looking at this here it clearly looks like way too much food. We just didn't expect the portions to be this large. One of those items we didn't order but only asked about. Chalk it up to communication error. Our waitress seemed really nice so we didn't say anything. Granted, she could have been telling us how stupid we look and we would have never known. We'll assume that wasn't the case. Anyhow...we enjoyed everything with the exception of the Spicy Sam Gyrup Sal. This item was really dry. The dumplings were pretty good as well but I have had better. I sincerely look forward to eating here again and again. My only wish is that the owners had interest in catering to English speaking customers by hiring a staff that speaks the local language. At least the menu has pictures. Maybe they could add item weight to the pictures as well.
(4)The Lover and I I.
I actually enjoyed the food and the service when I visited SooWon Galbi. For a late-night run (they're open 24/7), it was definitely a great find considering we were there at around midnight. It was quiet when we went. No one was there but us... which kind of scared me at first. But the food definitely took over from there. The Korean BBQ was excellent. The waitress was really helpful as to what some of the items on the menu were and explained every detail to us without being suffocating. I would recommend this to a friend.
(4)Jessica K.
came here for lunch with my mom and her business partners. i ordered the dolsot bimbimbap. the portion was a good size and i liked all the ingredients in it. usually restaurants put this brown root that i dislike-it reminds me of earthworms. i like how they put mushrooms, spinach, meat, carrots, and squash in it (i normally don't like squash but they didn't bombarded it with it so it was good) the spicy paste (gochujang) was not spicy at all, i put a lot in my bap. i use they would of given me changgeerum (sesame oil) but they didn't and i didn't feel like asking. overall, the bimbimbap was good. didn't finish it but it was excellent. the banchan that comes out is a good variety and they aren't stingy about it. service was okay.
(3)Samantha W.
Korean BBQ place literally 3 mins away from my house in Centreville. I've passed by this place many times; however, this was my first time actually eating here. We were presented w/ a good variety of kimchi, which is always a plus. Had a party of 6 .... 2 appetizers and 4 orders of meat was the perfect amount of food for us. Appetizers included sweet and sour pork which gets an A+ from me. The sauce was much lighter than the Chinese take-out variation. The other appetizer was some sort of chicken, which I didn't get the chance to try, but it got crushed, nonetheless, so I can only assume that it was equally delicious. As for the meats, we ordered 2 orders of pork golgi and pig belly (my personal fave.) The pork golgi was cooked to perfection ... it was nice and tender. The pig belly did not disappoint, either. So why only 3 stars, you ask? Although the food was quite delicious (no complaints there), we paid a bit more than I'm used to for Korean BBQ. I know that these types of restaurants aren't TOO popular in Centreville, but I know that you could get more bang for your buck in Annandale. (We paid about $30 each, including tip.) We did also order 2 bottles of Soju, however, about half of one was spilled by a worker and it was not offered to be replaced. Hmph.
(3)Sam R.
Things I've NEVER seen in a Korean restaurant, but saw here: 1. White waitress. How the hell does she put up with the grumpy Korean men burying their heads in soju after their terrible rounds of golf?!? 2. Asian waitress that wasn't Korean (a.k.a. our waitress). 3. My mom being flabbergasted and ordering by number because our waitress didn't speak Korean. 4. Waitress taking our orders of galbi "into the back" after she threw just two pieces onto the grill. Mom - "Where the F is she going with our meat?!?!" 5. Waitress not cutting the meat up for us. I'm a God Damn chopstick ninja I tell you, but even I can't cut up meat with them! 6. Order mix ups. See 3 above. 7. Waitress basically handing off every food item to serve on the table to my sister in law. Dad saying aloud "I think we need to TIP you instead of our waitress!" 8. A Korean restaurant that takes coupons. Thank God, cause the bill was also the largest I've ever seen. Was the food decent? Sure. Was it worth the price? Nope. Plenty of other Korean BBQ joints in the area that do a better job with the service and food.
(2)Adam L.
What a lucky find! I was in centreville and needed lunch. I have been hungry for bul Golgi since i stopped working in Tyson's corner. I was surprised when the waitress brought out 11 plates! I had never tried so many sides at a restaurant. The bulgogi with the sweet and salty salad was delicious. It took some convincing by one of the wait staff to try the acorn gelatin and the kimchi. She told me that kim chi is the fourth healthiest food in the world and that the acorn gelatin takes a full day to make! I felt bad eating so little of it. I was worried about my breathe after eating a bowl of kimchi. But they bring out a cup of a sweet, cinnamon, ginger tea.. totally delicious... the only drawback here was i had to get a dinner (bulgogi is not on lunch specials) so lunch was 29 dollars with tip...worth it though...good experience.
(4)Lester K.
A coincidence? I too came with a -hot- date Red headed fireball! I fed her some meat Galbi, bulgogi, and more Seafood... rice... hot stone Bulgogi was good Quality ribeye sliced thin, Not salty, just right Red, hot, and tender Juices flowing... so sexy The bulgogi, perv! Galbi, was good too Not as sweet, it's more manly Thicker, harder meat Hot, steamy, like porn Hae Mool Dolsot Bibimbop Hot stone, burning flesh Shrimp, mussels, scallops Squid, rice, veggies making love I liked. She didn't Plenty of banchan Lettuce, scallion salad Goes nicely with meats Place wasn't busy Service was prompt, outstanding Didn't distract us It's not what you eat But it's who you eat it with Take that The Tiger! Oh you, stalker Twin We can't eat here together We'll both go bankrupt I've been here before Both dine in and carryout I'll keep coming back
(4)Chiwoo J.
I like to stop by here and there with friends to grill some good bbq and have some drinks. My girlfriend likes their "sojutinis" (maritnis with soju). Mango Sojutinis are her favorite. Their galbi is so tender and juicy. I can taste the quality of their galbi compared to other lower quality restarurants like Honey Pig. Honey pig is definitely more affordable. But you can't comapre apples or oranges. SooWon's banchans are always fresh and tasty. If I'm not in the mood for grilled meat, I always get their Yookgaejang. For those of you who have not ventured to try this soup, I promise that it tastes better than SoonDooBoo. Its a spicy meat brother soup with shreads of beef. It's perfect for curing hangovers, or rainy days. Their service is also better than Honey Pigs. Those ajjumahs (older ladies) never come around to your table. As for Kem P's review below, I would like to point out that you don't receive banchan (side dishes) when you order just appetitizers.Korean banchan (side dishes) are only meant to be eaten with Korean entrees. I'm surprised that they even gave you three sides from ordering Pajun or Japchae. If you don't care about quality or taste- I'd recommend other cheaper venues. If you do care about the quality/grade of meat you consume and don't mind paying for it- I would definitely recommend this place.
(5)Yelper O.
Would you like to get less for what you paid? Then this is the perfect place! Food is good but too expensive. Service is a bleh~ Atmosphere is bleh x 2 Go to Annandale (honey pig). Same stuff, less expensive.
(2)David K.
My wife and I went at noon on a Monday to find they had no buffet and the sushi bar was closed. That was fine, since we were looking to try their Galbi. I forgot the names of the dishes -- G1 and 1 on the BBQ page: the specialty "jumbo" Galbi, and the specialty Galbi with special bean soup. We got a few banchan dishes with some nice kimchi, radish, sprout, and seaweed salads. The Galbi and the soup were very tasty and the service was pretty good. My only real complaint was the portion and the price. We each got about 1/3 lb (pre-cooked) of sliced short rib, I had iced tea, and my wife had 2 cans of coke. And the bill came to $60, not counting a tip. Throw on 20% for a waitress cooking the food at your table for you, and you've got $72 in lunch time damage. Now it really was _just_ enough food -- certainly not "jumbo" as the menu said. One third of a pound of short rib costs $1.33 at the Grand Mart across the street. For a $28 entree consisting of a cheap cut of meat, it really should have looked like a gluttonous feast piled up with plenty to take home. Or hell, just double the portion for an additional $1.33 in cost. Just for a little perspective, at lunch time, I could get unlimited slices of a dozen types of grilled meat plus a salad bar at Fogo de Chao for $29.50. Not everything was over priced -- just the specialty item we wanted. But why go to a Korean BBQ restaurant and not try the Korean BBQ? We might go back with a group during dinner for the Galbi (same price lunch or dinner) or any time to try some of the other dishes. They did have $6 lunch specials advertised in the window and a full page of lunch items if I'm looking for cheap eats. Still not sure why there was no buffet -- maybe it's only on certain days? I'd definitely try that out, since I really love being able to try a wide variety of food in one sitting.
(3)Yumi W.
I was told by Korean people specialty here is BULGOGI so that's what we order every time. meat is good...not too thin and not too thick and cooked in broth. side dishes are OK quality of rice is OK. Little expensive but quiet and clean. Food is consistant here so you know what to expect every time you come. They don't speak English well if you have any question...Good Luck....you are not gonna get your answer.
(4)Benna B.
i discovered SooWon Galbi through a Groupon. I LOVE Korean food. So it seemed like a total no brainer to purchase and go. We (hubby and I) went a couple days before Halloween and getting there is pretty straight forward. It's located right next to the Trader Joe's on the right after you go over the bridge. Walked in and the place is nicely decorated and they have plenty of seating. Menu had the standard Korean BBQ items and porridge and even some Japanese entrées. NOTE: Korean BBQ for those who have not had the pleasure of tasting, is NOT the same as American BBQ. So if you're looking for Barbecue Sauce on briskets and ribs: go somewhere else! We went with #2 LA Galbi and the #15 SooWon Jumbo Galbi since that is the namesake and Kimchi Pajeon (Korean Pancake). They had a good variety of Banchan (Korean Side dishes). The Pajeon was good but honestly you can screw that up. Here is where it started going down hill for me. Our host brings out a platter of Raw Galbi and sets it on the table. Checks the grill and places two stripes of meat on it. THEN takes the rest of the plate away!!! WTH!!!! Tasted great but only two pieces! For $24.95 that's a complete rip off. Even with the Groupon. You can go anywhere else and get this cheaper. The LA Galbi (short ribs) were cooked in the kitchen and tasted good with an okay amount. Then we got dessert which was Green Tea Mochi. Was dissappointed they came out with two mochi's for $3. I know I could have gone right done the street to Super H and bought a whole pack for $5. Not coming back because I can just get the same food somewhere else for cheaper. OVERVIEW: Customer Service: The service was great. I think our Host was a high schooler. Food Presentation: Good. There was a lot of variety for Banchan. Food Quality: Good but you can go to a number of places and get good Korean food. Quantity: If your a big eater you will need to bring lots of cash. Value: SUCKS. Dining Area: The atmosphere was like a Japanese sushi restaurant. Dark wood paneling, clean, etc. Plenty of seating. Getting There: Easy, Google it.
(2)Viviane T.
For the past year, I've been living in Fairfax, so if I wanted Korean, I would commute to Annadale; now that we are relocating to Centreville, we decided to explore the restaurants around our neighborhood. The first time we ate here, it was so long ago we actually forgot it existed until my craving for Korean could no longer be ignored. The light bulb turned on and off to Soo Won we went. I don't know why we couldn't remember this place, but I'm glad we're back. I have to admit that everything about this place is good EXCEPT for the price. We ordered two orders of Kalbi since it's a minimum order of two to grill at the table and it's a good thing we ordered two, because for $23 an order, there were not enough meat! Our two orders here equates to one order of Kalbi at Yechon. However, the quality of the meats here is a lot better than that of Yechon. The same applies to their sides (limited in quanity)...we had to ask for three orders of kim chee to finish our small portion of meats. One more comment regarding their side dishes...I THINK they ran out of spinach or something, but they ended serving us curly parsley stead; it was HORRIBLE! As for the service, I have to say it's about ten times better than Yechon's service... our waitress/cook was working three tables, but was very attentive with our every wish within our reach. She was busy, but amazingly was always there when we needed her. I'm glad this place is here...it'll be our new "to go place" for our Korean cravings. Just wished we get more for our bucks.
(3)Mina K.
I was visiting from Chicago and everyone knows how hard it is to find a decent noodle dish there, especially at this one place called "Urban Belly". Anyway, we're talking about SooWon Galbi here. I was pleasantly surprised to find a good Korean restaurant in NOVA, let alone Centreville and honestly, I think it actually surpasses the ones in Annandale. I'm FULL Korean so I know what I'm talking about. My friends were raving about this place so we drove 30 minutes just to eat there. It was late on a Friday night and I guess we came right before they were about to close. Luckily our waitress, Roxanne, so kindly insisted on us taking our time to eat (this is extremely rare since most Korean servers are quite rude). We weren't feeling beef that night even though this place is known for their galbi so we ordered the larger platter of pork belly to be grilled at our table. Apparently that gave you the greatest variety of pork belly cuts (who knew there were different cuts of pork belly?!). As our pork sizzled on the grill, our server kindly threw on some kimchi (this is truly a treat if you've never had grilled kimchi before). As the pork belly cooks, some of the fat renders out and marry with kimchi flavors beautifully. I was craving noodles so of course we also had to try the cold noodles (naeng myun). I'm kind of a naeng myun snob, especially since I practically eat it everyday in the summer. I couldn't believe it but let me just say that SooWon's easily ranks among the best naeng myuns I've ever had (if not the best). The cold noodles used were of the darker variety, which is a premium, and appeared to keep its chewy bite longer while sitting in its icy cold broth. It was so refreshing and light. When I asked Roxanne what brand the noodles were (so I could purchase them myself), she informed me they were from scratch! No wonder it tasted superior to others. The combination of chilled noodles and hot grilled pork belly was sublime. Would I come back? Definitely. Summer is right around the corner and I can tell you my friends and I will make frequent appearances here when I visit NOVA again.
(5)T C.
I've been twice. The first time was amazing. The waitress replenished all of the side dishes as they emptied without asking and the bulgogi ordered was plentiful. The second visit...not so great. The young male waiter, who could speak English, had to be asked several times for chop sticks, spoons, napkins, sides - you name it. He made the visit so unenjoyable I probably won't be back. I ordered 3 BBQ entrees and somehow got less than the previous visit of only 2 orders. Inconsistent and unacceptable. 4 stars for the first visit, 2 for the second = 3 stars rated. If you go and don't see one of the ladies, just pass.
(3)Sara G.
My boyfriend and I really enjoy coming here for dinner or lunch maybe once a month. It is the best Korean bbq we've found in the area. I should preface this by saying I hate Honey Pig, which I know is wildly popular with a lot of people. Maybe it's more authentic, I don't know. But I hate the ambience there and the rude service. SooWon Galbi is so much quieter and nicer. We've always had very attentive service and never any communication problems, even though neither of us speaks Korean. We usually get spicy pork belly and bulgogi and both are excellent. I only took off 1 star because of the prices. I think they ask a bit much for being out in Centreville and not being exactly fine dining. If it were maybe 20% cheaper, we'd go more often.
(4)