Namdo Korean BBQ — Restaurant in Bothell

A Flavorful Journey at Namdo Korean BBQ: Bothell's hottest new restaurant

From the moment you walk through the doors of Namdo, it’s clear that this isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a culinary experience. Located in the Canyon Park area of Bothell, Namdo offers an authentic Korean BBQ experience that delights every sense.

The ambiance is warm and inviting, with a perfect balance of modern charm and traditional Korean elements. The sleek tables, each equipped with built-in grills, set the stage for a memorable dining experience. The friendly staff greets you with a welcoming smile and a deep knowledge of the menu, ready to guide you through their offerings.

Now, let’s talk about the food. The highlight of any Korean BBQ restaurant is, of course, the grilling experience—and Namdo nails it. Most Korean bbq restaurant's have huge vents that drop down and block your vision of the person in front of you. Not here. The vents are built within the table and the smoke goes below. They offer an array of high-quality meats, from marinated galbi (beef short ribs) to perfectly seasoned samgyeopsal (pork belly), all of which arrive at your table fresh and ready to hit the grill. The tender, juicy cuts are full of flavor, with a perfect balance of smoky char and rich seasoning. Each bite is better than the last, and the interactive grilling process adds a fun element to the meal.

The banchan (side dishes) at Namdo deserve special mention as well. A delightful assortment of traditional Korean sides, each bite offers a burst of freshness and flavor. The kimchi is tangy and perfectly fermented, and the pickled vegetables complement the main dishes wonderfully. Their gaeran jeem (steamed egg) has a light seafood taste and the egg is so smooth like custard. Their kimchi fried rice was served on a sizzling hot clay plate. Their crispy potato banchan that almost looks like fried noodles was exceptional.

What sets Namdo apart is their attention to detail. The dipping sauces are thoughtfully crafted, enhancing the flavor of the meats without overpowering them. And don't forget the soft, pillowy steamed rice that perfectly accompanies every bite.

Service is exceptional—attentive, but not intrusive. Their warm hospitality makes you feel right at home.

Whether you're a seasoned Korean BBQ enthusiast or a first-timer, Namdo is the perfect place to indulge in a truly authentic and delicious meal. The combination of flavorful food, top-notch service, and a vibrant atmosphere makes it a must-visit for anyone in the area.

Rating: 5/5 — A must-try for any foodie looking for an unforgettable Korean...

Tldr: Come here expecting an elevated korean food experience, I dont recommend taking someone here for their first korean bbq experience. Come here when youre wanting something a little more than traditional korean food. This review is based on a matter of preference. Dont come in blind, look at their menu first. This place will be awesome for most, just not for us.

My overall review relates primarily to the blind experience of Namdo's soft open. Everything that you want in a restaurant is good, but as a Korean person going to a Korean bbq place and expecting a traditional experience, this is not that place. Namdo is seemingly looking to achieve an elevated food experience, which somewhat subverted my groups expectations. "It feels very Americanized" was a comment from someone in my group.

We got the regular size Namdo Combo, which included a side entree. We chose Yukhoe Bap (Korean style beef tartare served over rice, like nigiri sushi) which was probably the most delicious item we got to try. Shortly after, our banchan and main meal arrive. A red flag for us was that it didnt come with rice, and we had to order it separately. Maybe this is a new thing at new korean restaurants but most places, unless they specialize in something specific (soup, noodles, etc), serve rice complimentary. The Banchan that was served was mostly just different kinds of pickles, the kimchi was washed and didnt really have much flavor, our serving was kind of mushy and thus the texture was off for us, it would be better in kimchi jjigae.

Korean people will complain about other Korean peoples kimchi all day, so I cant totally fault them when I say my Mom's or my Auntie's kimchi is way better. Its totally subjective from person to person.

Our main BBQ entree was Brisket, Galbi marinated steak cubes, pork shoulder, pork butt, and a gochujang marinated beef rib. This is really mean, but it was just Okay. Not the worst, not the best. Not really memorable either. Nothing that you couldnt get at the grocery store and make at home, or at another BBQ restaurant for much cheaper.

We did eat most of everything that we ordered, but mostly because we were hungry and didn't want to be rude to just get up and go somewhere else. I personally don't recommend coming here for your first time bbq experience, but I would definitely come here on a date with someone who's had bbq before and were wanting something familiar but also new.

In all, we paid about $225 not including tip for 4 people, rice for 4, and 2 soft drinks. While my group wont be coming back, we will still probably recommend Namdo to the...

Between Yelp and Google, the reviews were drastically different. I can understand why and some of my feedback aligns to both.

Namdo is clean and well presented. This reflects in the presentation of the meats and banchan that comes to the table. I would even go as far to say that the selections for the combos is a great deal for the Beef combo small. The number of items you get along with a soup and risotto is great. Enough to feed 2 adults and 2 kids.

The quality of meat isn’t anything special. I think most steakhouse and/or KBBQ places have similar quality. I am sure many source from the same venders so it’s nothing spectacular. It is decent.

The Risotto is probably the best thing on the menu. It’s a great addition to the combo. That in itself is worth coming to try.

Banchan is where I think the division happened amongst the reviews and I see why. The Banchan isn’t the ones most people know. A bunch of small plates of kimchi, bean sprout, tofu, broccoli, etc. the banchan here feels special and well put together with beef tartare, a selection of pickled veggies, and a bunch of other stuff that’s well presented. Understandably why it cost additional money to refill. I don’t know if it’s the right move but i don’t have complaints there either. Perhaps the simple stuff like kimchi can be free?

The problem I have with Namdo is the service. It feels sluggish or untrained? The staff is nice, there is no doubt about that, but we sat for 15 minutes after ordering on the iPad and didn’t get any water. Maybe they thought we were already served? We didn’t get refills or utensils for our kids and it was just not a great experience.

We had two young kids similar to the table next to us. We never got service but the other table was check-in on multiple times. They got free drinks for their kids and was well pampered and we had to wave down the staff to even get a fork or spoon.

Overall I’d say it was an average experience. We will definitely drop by again. Definitely...