NAMOO Korean BBQ — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Hmmm, I'm a little suspicious of these previous reviews as they seem staged, and also, the mgr is named Dan!

FYI, I applied to this restaurant to serve and have worked at Michelin star restaurants in NYC, and I was never called.. I realize why when you enter, they only hire Asians in the FOH... interesting.

I asked the host if they would seat us with their best server, and we got Jay.

We sat down around 5 pm. There was a server walking around texting, another eating, and the last was counting money with his jacket on the seat... It's already not a good sign... They were communicating in what I'd assume was Korean, but that seems counterproductive since the support staff, a Hispanic gentlemen, wouldn't likely need to be privvy to any work related content.

Jay walked up within 10 seconds of us sitting and did not offer us drinks. He just said, "y'all ready to order." I instantly knew the calibur of the establishment. My girlfriend said, "Do you have iced teas?".

Trying to soften him up, I said, "we haven't been here, and since you're a new restaurant, help us get acclimated to the menu and environment. We had to pull teeth to get a smile or any meaningful assistance. We tried to get a seasfood substitution with the japchae and then combo a but the japchae sub was declined.

All the complimentary items were bland except for the kimchi and don't you dare eat that odd egg dish...so strange

Then to the unfortunate,.flavorless meat. We're made the mistake of adding scallops, too. The 3rd meat we had we douced in the salt to get any flavor out but was delightful 😊

No one in the establishment had any personality. Someone sent jay on break while serving us, then brian came over, pleasant, but they all lack personality. They should introduce new servers when relieving another. The host at the fron said, "we speak when spoken to"... that says it all.

I just figured we'dtake thee food home, and my girl and I would doctor everything up. For 160 dollars, we were very unsatisfied with the food, the ethnically homogeneous staff, and the uninterested style of service.

Dan, you hyped this place up so much, but I'll never return and just go to Gen where the food and the staff have more to offer.

For that price and a new restaurant, you really should 1) be there on time at a friday night shift, 2) train your staff better, 3) focus on quality over quantity.

We're locals and doubt this place will survive at this rate.

Don't be fooled by the appealing atmosphere.. you think you're getting the Ritz, but it's really the motel 6 in the hood.

There is no need to respond because I have no interest in ever returning, but it sucks because we have to be reminded of this horrible experience every time we go to our weekly movie...

HIGH CLASS KBBQ IN MDR - GOOD ATMOSPHERE, GOOD FOOD, $$$$, JUST OK SERVICE AND DISAPPOINTING TECH. 3 of 5 stars total.

They have been open 2 months and the atmostphere is fantastic, the food is high quality, the atmosphere is stellar (high class) and the attempt at high tech quality service just falls short. We were 3 of us and ordered the $188 combo. Perfect ammount of food for 3 people. More below.

Water - no ice - for some reason has to be asked for many times upon seating.

No liquor license yet. So only water and soda.

The Banchan (kim chi, kim chi cucumbers, fish cake, raddish, soy beans etc) were very good and ready when you sit - excellent. Always like to have food ready at KQQB and good Banchan is key. This is all you can eat with the catch that the refilling of these is poor. They use a high tech walkie talkie system that falls flat badly. Everything takes forever and most times is forgotten. I think we asked for refills on the Banchan 5-6 times and got one refill. The Banchan is a must to add variety to your meats.

The $188 combo is brisket (good), rib eye steak - 1/2" thick (no seasoning at all) and one prime rib on marinated galbi (very good). Fed 3 perfectly. It comes with cheesey corn (very good) and fluffy egg (good) and a variety of sauces (ask for the salt/oil in a separte dish - a basic to KBBQ that is not served here without asking.. Now compare this quantity of food to an AYCE (all you can eat) KBBQ and it's not even close. But you are paying for some great atmosphere here. They cook the food for you (a plus) but I found myself turning it so it does not burn. The burner set up is strong and good heat. Food does cook well and fast which is good. The server had some pat phrases he used as he cooked the meet - very placating to pro KBBQ goers.

Next time we go back we would order the brisket and galbi ala carte - the rib eye is small, no flavor and a mid course filler. There is a good variety on the menu to order ala carte. The service let us down - the tech is all show and no go.

Total for 3 people with a coke as a beverage was around $240 - so $80 per person. Alcohol will greatly increase this price. Great atmosphere and good quality food. Good for MDR - needs to bring up the service quality badly. If tech worked it would be much better.

Good for a special dinner in a...

I've been to many KBBQ spots, but THIS was like none other. I finally got to be a "KBBQ Princess" lol. This is not ayce, but they do offer combos, a la carte, appetizers, and more.

Parking: We parked in a compact parking garage. Finding a spot can either be a miss or hit. Free parking.

Ambiance/Environment: They have a large indoor space with some outdoor seating. Perfect for groups of all sizes. Superrr clean inside! This is the most boujiest KBBQ I've ever visited. It's very modern and aesthetically pleasing. My bf and I came in around 7pm, and they were still busy. Make sure to book reservations or walk in early!

Service: The service here was above and beyond exceptional. Sit back and relax because they do everything for you! All you have to do is eat. Everyone was courteous, quick, and efficient. Shout out to James and Jack for assisting us! James walked us through the menu and gave us good recommendations. Jack cooked and served the meats for us. We were constantly checked on, which was very appreciated!

Food:

1. Combo A - This included beef brisket, beef bulgogi, and beef short rib served with steamed egg, house salad, Korean pancake, and corn cheese. The meats were absolutely delicious! The steamed egg tasted as expected. Their house salad could use a bit more dressing, but the fresh fruits saved it. My fav was the Korean pancake and corn cheese!

2. Spicy Cold Ramen - These were indeed spicy. Obviously it doesn't have broth. The noodles were cooked well and drenched with spiciness and sauce. There was a good amount of beef brisket and vegetables.

3. Namoo Chicken Lettuce Wrap - The chicken had so much flavor. I need to know their secret sauce lol. All vegetables and lettuce were fresh. It was also served with a generous amount of ranch on the side. Perfect appetizer to start off.

4. Pork Cutlet Fried Rice - The fried rice and pork paired well together! The fried rice had a good distinctive taste. The pork was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The pork was easy to eat and not too chewy.

Pricing: Prices are more on the high end. We enjoyed everything and left fulfilled. Their service is amazing, so come here if you want to be a KBBQ...