Namsan - Korean restaurant — Restaurant in Los Angeles

i was a little shocked to see that this place has only 3.6 stars on google maps - it seems like a lot of 1-star reviews are from around 5 years ago when they had a different owner, so i get it to some extent, but i promise you, the rating does not reflect the quality of the restaurant as it stands today.

everything was delicious!

the banchan was fresh and flavorful (even the pickled onions and fishcake, which i usually don't think much of at other korean spots). i would have eaten a gallon of the kimchi if i could: it had a good balance of sour and salty, and wasn't too overwhelmingly seasoned (admittedly this is just a personal preference thing, but i love when kimchi is light and refreshing)

the spam kimbap was hearty, well-sized, and had a good variety of textures - it might have been my favorite part of the meal. don't sleep on it!

the omurice was so so good! it's not the traditional soft omelette that you usually think of, more of a thin pancake of egg, but it was still great. the rice underneath (made with some kind of ground meat, pork as far as i could tell) was SO good.

the steamed kimchi/meat dumplings, while fairly barebones, were also super tasty (some kind of a dipping sauce would have been nice, but no complaints here - we ended up pouring the liquid from the pickled onions over the top and it was great).

finally, the prices were reasonable - all of the above dishes came out to around $35.

the place was completely empty besides some delivery drivers coming in and out, which is such a shame. this was the kind of meal that immediately reminded me why korean food is my favorite.

go support...

Decided to deviate from my usual spot, NakWon and venture here. Food was good I'd eat here again. Problem is, nothing was super memorable. Also, I think the reason I gave it 4 stars regardless of the food being good, is because it lacked certain dishes that I like to eat. So while what I DID eat was good, I was disappointed that what I WANTED to eat was not on the menu. Since then, I have continued to patronize Nakwon and Hodori down on Vermont and Olympic. They have a variety of foods too, but also have the other foods I enjoy. I have been eating Korean food in general for at least 15 years of my life, and have been speaking the language for just as long. So I know what I like and what I enjoy eating. Maybe they will add those items in the future, and remove the dishes that are less sought after. Best of luck to your business.

Also, I do pay attention to some of the replies to other customers on here and while you're reply to my review is tame and humble, some of these replies are outright rude and disrespectful, not to mention unprofessional. Instead of getting upset with customers for poor ratings, work on your service at your establishment so that your ratings can go up. Also helps to maintain professionalism and grace at all times. This is a...

It's hard to find restaurants that make food well. This restaurant uses just the right amount of seasoning and spice, never overloaded with harsh red pepper flakes and sodium/MSG. I never taste MSG, but the flavor is great from good cooking skills. They know how to cook delicious, authentic Korean food. One of my favorites is buguhgook, which is the dried pollack, mild and delicious, made with eggs and green onions. I always feel like I got a good eat since the side dishes are consistently delicious and with quality ingredients. Service is fast and friendly. I also get delivery within 20 minutes for hot soup.

They have all day specials for 6.95 and if you go in the mornings and early afternoons, you get a complementary kimbab roll with banchan. They also have tempura, which looks so good...