Bebop Korean-Mexican Grill — Restaurant in Fairfax

Bebop Korean-Mexican Grill has quickly become one of my favorite fusion restaurants in town, and their bulgogi offerings are nothing short of spectacular. As someone who appreciates both Korean and Mexican cuisines, I was intrigued by their concept but utterly blown away by the execution.

The star of the show for me is undoubtedly their bulgogi fries. This dish perfectly balances the sweet, savory notes of Korean bulgogi with the indulgent comfort of loaded Mexican-style fries. The fries themselves are crispy yet fluffy, providing the perfect canvas for what comes next. The bulgogi sauce drizzled over the top has this incredible sweetness that perfectly complements the savory beef, while the generous blanket of melted cheese adds that irresistible gooey factor that makes the dish so addictive. Each bite delivers a perfect harmony of textures and flavors – the crunch of the fries, the tender meat, and that glorious cheese pull.

Speaking of the bulgogi meat, it's clear they use high-quality steak that's marinated to perfection. The meat is tender, flavorful, and has that signature caramelized exterior that comes from proper grilling techniques. In their steak and cheese offerings, this meat truly shines. The way it melds with the melted cheese creates a protein experience that's both familiar and excitingly new.

What impresses me most about Bebop is how they've managed to respect both culinary traditions while creating something entirely new. The bulgogi maintains its authentic Korean flavor profile while seamlessly integrating with Mexican comfort food elements. It's the kind of dish that makes you wonder why no one thought of this combination sooner.

The restaurant itself has a casual, vibrant atmosphere that matches the energy of their food. Service is friendly and efficient, and they're always happy to customize orders to your preference.

If you're looking for a dining experience that will wake up your taste buds and challenge your culinary expectations, Bebop Korean-Mexican Grill is an absolute must-try. Their bulgogi creations alone are worth the visit, but I guarantee you'll be back to explore their entire...

My family and I live in Richmond, and we were very much looking forward to dining here during our visit to Northern VA. We ordered: bulgogi fries, mango habanero chicken wings, and a carne asada Mexican burrito.

First off, we had the mango habanero chicken wings. They were slightly dry, but the glazed mango habanero sauce more than made up for it! They were delicious and had a decent amount of spicyness. Definitely recommend. 4/5

Next, we had the bulgogi fries which are covered in cheese and a sauce. These fries were absolutely banging and the bulgogi meat was so addictingly delicious and flavorful that I genuinely couldn't stop myself. Would come here just for these fries. 5/5.

Now, you can imagine our expectations were quite high for the carne asada Mexican burrito, especially since it serves as the main course for the meal. So you can imagine how disappointed we were when we took our first bites of the burrito. It was extremely flavorless! Literally, no flavor at all. I asked the cashier for salt at least, and he was nice enough to bring out a salt shaker, but somehow that still didn't help the burrito! The meat tasted like it had no seasoning of any kind, and somehow even the rice, tomatoes and onions inside the burrito were also lacking any flavor whatsoever. Not just me either, my wife and daughter also felt the exact same way. I have no idea what happened to the burrito, but no matter what sauce I used, I couldn't save it. They also cut the burrito in a diagonal cut, but it doesn't work at all because everything just spills out as you pick it up. I don't understand how the sides could be so much better than the main meal, but we left this place sorely disappointed. 0/5

The service, on the other hand, was excellent, as they were relatively quick with the food and they were very kind. However, I'm really not a fan of the decor in the restaurant. They have all these album covers all over the wall, which really takes away from the family friendly vibe this place should have. A place that serves strictly halal food, should also keep the aesthetics...

Maybe a bad day?

SERVICE:

Excellent! Once they saw me. The gentleman had a professional smile and was extremely polite and helpful.

FOOD:

Oh, well...

I got the bulgogi burrito with yellow rice.

I have eaten yellow rice at other Mexican restaurants, and I love it, BUT not this one. It had "cero sabor" (zero flavor, 맛이 안나요) and was more a mushy version of rice. I'm not saying it tasted bad, I'm saying it was bland. It's definitely not what I'm used to and love. Plus, putting mushy rice with moist meat doesn't make sense. The rice is already mushy, to then add another juicy item is just, in my opinion, not a good mix. If the rice was more aldente, then it would fit the dish.

The bulgogi meat was tasty but a bit overly sweet compared to the traditional bulgogi. So, the sweetness needs to be toned down a bit. Maybe for a spicy dish, it will fit, but for a non-spicy dish, nope, no, 아니요.

The churros, that was a sad experience. I make them so for me, these didn't seem freshly made. Plus, I had an aftertaste that I couldn't figure out. Definitely those I will stay away from.

LOCATION:

Great! Tons of parking and a lot of other nice stores to visit.

BATHROOMS: One bathroom for all genders. Decent, simple, clean. In need of a bit of TLC.

SUMMARY:

RIice needs to be addressed. Each item placed in a dish needs to hold its own flavors, and then once together, they must form a cohesive flavor.

Remember, if the rice has corn, plus another sweet item in itself, then the sweetness jumps out. Flavors shouldn't jump out they should slowly let you enjoy their goals in the dish in a subtle manner. Together they can all pop to give you a flavorful experience.

HOW TO FIX THE RICE: Definitely needed a bit of salt. It would have done the trick. And the rice needs to be less mushy.

RETURN FACTOR 💯 %

I think I just had bad luck. The person who recommended it loves it.

RECOMMEND A FRIEND: 0%

Until I go again and see what experience I have. Next time, I'll go with a friend to have two separate opinions. Again, all the above comments are just...