Jang Mo Gip Restaurant — Restaurant in Garden Grove

If you like the original, I mean authentic, Korean food, this place is as authentic and original as it will get in OC. Kim chi and Ggakdugi (or radish cube kimchi) are by far the best in the world, better than in Korea. Sullungtang soup is pretty good, but my favorite is the kong-gooksu, which is not in the menu. I cannot get enough of this soy bean noodle which is served cold. Of course, all fish items are excellent, too. My favorite is ah-goo-jjim, which is cod casserole Korean style. The servers try here, but no one should here for service or ambience. This place is for authentic Korean food, as authentic as the food can get, and that's why almost all customers are Koreans especially of old age. Authentic, not fancy or impressive, just plain authentic. The owner lady used to be around more, but she must be getting up there in age now, so I don't see her as often. When she is around, the servers actually move around faster, not necessarily "better" to come around and ask if you need anything or how you are doing. They just don't do that because they don't do that in Korea, too. However, if you are nice to them, they will try to be nicer. Regardless, don't go here for 5 star service, but go here for 10 star authenticity, the real Korean...

First of all, the space is kinda dark. It was 3pm, the front is okay but the back really lacked the light. The food was fine, not too bad but not good enough to compete in the area. Just a few but some side dishes were not fresh. Acceptable but not very special. The prices are pretty high compare to the quality (August 2022). The waitress was not very friendly, especially to non-Korean people. Some other customers say that it is very hard to communicate with them. They don't even speak English, or even if they speak English, it's very minimal. Better don't come if you are an introvert and don't know any Korean. Heard that staffs laughed about Korean learners before, we never laugh for their poor English though. The phone does not always work, unfortunately; so it is almost impossible to avoid the wait time. I am not sure if because the restaurant was busy but the service was not that good. The order was pretty much a mess. Anyway, come or not come, it's your choice. Choose...

Jangmojip is a fantastic spot for authentic Korean food. I had their soybean stew (된장찌개), squid bokkeum (오징어볶음), and barley rice (보리밥), and everything was excellent. The flavors were rich and comforting, just like homemade Korean cooking. The soybean stew had a deep, savory broth with just the right amount of spice, the squid bokkeum was perfectly stir-fried with a nice balance of heat and sweetness, and the barley rice added a wholesome touch to the meal. The food really reminded me of what my mom used to make—warm, satisfying, and full of traditional flavors. If you’re looking for an authentic Korean dining experience, Jangmojip is definitely...