GARLIC BULGOGI — Restaurant in Leon Valley

I visited this place due to the reviews. I shouldn't trust them. Prices are average. I ordered a Japanese soda, and it was good and kind of cool the process to open it. I ordered the gyozas for an apetizer this item got ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ too bad that i had to hunt the server and asked for spicy sauce(they only had siracha) and small plates to share which i never got but i have to be fair the gyozas were very good. I also ordered a spicy ramen... this item only ⭐️⭐️ menu mentioned an egg on it ( I imagined de soy flavor soft boiled egg) 😒egg was scrambled. Oh well, I still had hope that the broth was spicy and flavorful... It was kind of bland. Another item on the reviews that was popular and restaurant named after it Bulgogi! I ordered spicy beef Bulgogi, and this item gets ⭐️⭐️1/2. It was ok, better than the ramen. Food portions are very good, except by the little side dishes that I'm always excited to eat/try when eating Korean food. Those got⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 for flavor, but only 2 stars due to size/amount. Service was not good. The kid was nice, but she was not attentive. There was a nice lady going around asking if food was good... what can you tell her?? It's ok??? At the end of the meal, my friend found a long hair on her food. I really think this restaurant has potential. It's nice and cozy. They can train their servers and let them try the restaurant dishes i know now days it's really hard to get employees (and good ones, it's almost impossible). Wear better hair nets in the kitchen. Maybe even have a food spice/heat system implemented. I'm not sure if I will try them again due to the hair incident (which I didn't mention to the manager because I hate when people try to get free stuff), but If I do I will definitely try something different. I spent about $45 for items I mentioned due to the experience/flavor. I think it's pricey but what...

We visited on a Saturday evening around 6:45. As we walked in, a family of four was leaving, and we noticed we were the only ones in the restaurant—a bit surprising for a Saturday since we've been here twice before and it was busier. We were warmly greeted and seated near the front. Our host and server, Mia, was friendly and attentive from the start.

After settling in, Mia took our drink orders. They offer Coke products and a variety of unique Asian drinks like ramune in several flavors. We started with an appetizer of veggie spring rolls and decided to wait a bit before ordering our entrées. The spring rolls came out quickly, within 5-6 minutes, along with complimentary miso soup that accompanies any entrée.

For our mains, I chose the beef kalbi, and my wife ordered the beef japchae. The food arrived promptly, within 10 minutes, which was expected since we were the only diners. Each entrée came with white rice, salads, and a fantastic selection of about eight banchan. They even provided scissors for cutting the kalbi, which was a thoughtful touch.

The kalbi was perfectly seasoned and grilled, with a tender, slightly charred texture—absolutely delicious. The japchae was just as impressive: fresh, hot, and packed with veggies and beef. The noodles had a great chew and weren’t overly oily. The banchan variety was outstanding, and we appreciated that refills were available.

Overall, the meal was excellent, as always. We've never had a bad experience here, and we’re excited to return to try some of their Korean soups....

We've been here 3x now, and they aim to please. The service is excellent. The food is fresh & hot. The meals come out quickly. There's never been a wait.

It truly blows my mind that this little gem of a place isn't popping off as much as it deserves... (maybe cuz' it's tucked away, slightly out of sight from passersby on Bandera Road by the Baskin & Robbins blocking its view)?

Regardless, the owner is hands down, the kindest, delightfully accommodating person to have ever served me a meal in any establishment I've ever been to; with full transparency and appreciation, the best part of this dining experience is the owner's willingness & eagerness to explain the history of the food, the accurate (traditional) way to drink specific beverages, and her ability to make sure the patron feels "cared for" after their meals by giving complimentary "good gut health" mini drinks.

We will continue to come here as often as possible as we love supporting locally owned small businesses, yet this place is honestly our #1 currently because of its fair prices, consistently excellent customer service and delicious, authentic generously portioned dishes.

Last night, we thoroughly enjoyed our gyoza, miso soup, beef japchae, pork tonkatsu, and soju. Thank you, yet again, for your exceptional service!! We'll be back!! 100%...