Little Korea — Restaurant in Monterey

As a Asian American growing up in Monterey, I have always dreamed of a Korean BBQ place opening here. However, I understand that because of the area we live in, it would prove difficult to match the establishments found in the Bay Area. I am writing my review today as a genuine plea to the owners to improve upon their business. The last thing I want to do is see a Asian owned business go under due to a lack of needed changes. I know change can be hard and this establishment just opened, but I hope the owners see this and change for the better. Just because they are the only Korean BBQ place here now doesn't mean it will stay that way if there aren't changes to make it worth not just driving up to San Jose.

Iceberg lettuce should not be served as the ssam. Red lettuce and perilla leaves should be the standard for this restaurant and small things like this make a world's difference. I understand from a supplier standpoint it may be more difficult to acquire these over iceberg lettuce, but we have many local markets in Marina that sell these ingredients. It may be more expensive and work to source, but going above and beyond on small things are noticed by customers.

White rice should be served in addition to the current rice or just replaced outright. I understand it's more traditional with grains, but understanding the general demographic of people in this area is just as important. I noticed a huge emphasis on side dishes, but at the end of the day this is Korean BBQ, not Korean side dishes. If you need to serve less side dishes to focus on the quality of the meat and other things, its far better than the other way around.

Reduce the amount of meat offerings and focus on higher quality meat. Some meats may not be as popular as originally intended, but there should at least be brisket as one of the meats. Chadolbaegi should be a staple item at any Korean BBQ spot, and whether thats finding a supplier to deliver it or slicing your own with meat from Costco, it is too important to leave out. Consider having some rotational special meats too, as a way to keep things new for customers. Whether its a special marinade or different cut of meat, I think people would appreciate a evolving set of options.

Consider adding a sauce bar for customers to make their own dips. It doesn't need to be fancy but there should at least be: salt, pepper, salt & pepper, soy sauce, ssamjang, and brisket sauce.

In this day and age, a website for desktop and mobile is mandatory. I understand that you guys just opened, but this was something that should have been done while waiting for construction to finish. Websites can be made in under an hour now, so it's surprising there hasn't been anything for this establishment.

I really hope these suggestions reach the owner and they at least consider some of these things going forward. I understand I'm just some random person leaving a review but Asian food holds a special place in my heart. The last thing I want to see is a business go under due to pride or a lack of...

This place is delicious, and I will definitely be back! I read the first six reviews of this place, and they were pretty mixed, so much so that we debated not even trying them out. But I am soooo glad we did!

I have eaten my fair share of Korean BBQ: in Korea, LA, the Bay Area, and in the homes of Korean people here in the US, and to be honest, I’ve become a Korean food snob. After reading some mixed reviews of this place, I had low expectations. However, this place is so much better than I had anticipated. It was absolutely delicious! This place could definitely hold their own against the Bay Area spots. It’s that good!!

First off, the meat was very flavorful and tender. There were marinated meat options that were self serve, and plain meat that you could request through the waiter. Additionally, the included LA kalbi had to be requested through him.

The self serve food bar was fresh and constantly being replenished, with lots of banchans and other dishes, like Korean fried chicken and katsu. A nice bonus was that the drinks were included. You could choose from soda, hot tea (Korean corn tea), and individual instant coffee packs (something that’s very popular in Korea).

We saw a few food options not commonly seen in restaurants in the US, things more commonly seen in Korean homes, such as sliced garlic, sliced jalapeños, and (slightly) purple rice. The rice was delicious, and if you’re wondering if it tastes the same as white rice, it does. Maybe for customers that are not be used to that, it could be helpful to have a plain white rice as well.

We also saw the owners, and they were very friendly and welcoming, and wanted to make sure we enjoyed our experience.

Tip: If you have more than four people, call to make sure they can accommodate your group. We saw that they had tables for four, and a few tables for five. I’m not sure how they’d handle parties bigger than that. Maybe combine the tables?

At any rate, this place is definitely going into our regular rotation. If you’re a local, I’d recommend you doing the same. If you’re a visitor, definitely treat yourself while you’re in town. You won’t be...

Monterey finally has a full BBQ-at-your-table restaurant! We've waited decades for this event to happen, and I could almost cry with happiness. I took my wife, mother, daughter and her boyfriend, and we had a great time.

There are some odd negative reviews that seem unaware to how Korean all-you-can-eat (AYCE) restaurants are run, and how new restaurants need some time to figure things out. But like another reviewer, I've been to Korean restaurants in L.A., S.F. Bay Area, and Korea, and I can say that it's a miracle to have something of this quality in our region.

Yes, there are some refinements that will be made, but to find good workers in this economic environment is very difficult. The fact that they opened their doors at all deserves all of our support. I'm certain the foodie community is hungry for this kind of restaurant and will support it, especially when the closest such restaurant is in San Jose over an hour away.

The quality of the meat and even the other things like squid and vegetables were good and fresh. They are striving to offer as many different types of proteins as possible. We enjoyed the banchan (side dishes), and I'm sure that will grow in number and change out occasionally. Perhaps someday there will be some simple desserts added as well.

The staff was extremely friendly. Each person went out of their way to say hello and be helpful and accommodating.

Let me say that not everyone opens a restaurant just to get rich. I feel that this business has a sense of pride of what it is to be Korean. You see it in the beautiful decor and its huge wall panel art depicting traditional Korean village life. The owner/manager changed the theme from just another Japanese sushi place to a real Korean AYCE experience. This takes a lot of courage and vision. Korean cuisine is having a real moment across the world, and the movement is happening here. We now have 8 really good options, 2 in Monterey, 1 in Carmel, 2 in Seaside, 2 in Marina, and a Korean chicken place in Prunedale. We couldn't be more excited to finally have a real gastronomic scene...