Danbi Korean Restaurant — Restaurant in San Jose

I decided to try Danbi as it's the closest Korean restaurant to the hotel I'm staying at while I'm here for business. I was craving the cheese chicken dish from Coco Bang in San Francisco proper but didn't feel like making the hour long drive, so I settled on just any Korean food. I was seated immediately and pleasantly and got myself a Coke while I looked over the menu. Lo and behold: this restaurant also had a cheese chicken dish (spicy chicken with melted cheese on top). I found the staff attentive and pleasant as I waited for my meal to arrive. As usual, small side plates were served; kimchi and the like. I can not overstate out impressed I was with the quality of the small plates. The kimchi, itself, was especially fantastic. When my main dish arrived, I was brought back down from my high a little bit - the dish was alright but not quite as I'd hoped. They only used shredded mozzarella (I knew this from the menu) which didn't quite have the impact of a sharper cheese. I also thought that maybe there were an excessive number of large vegetables. All in all, I still ate my fill. For dessert, I had the green tea ice cream that came with my dish. This was on the level of the small plates that accompanied my meal; probably the best green tea ice cream I've ever had. All of that said, with so many Korean food offerings in the area to choose from, will the green tea ice cream and kimchi be enough to bring me back someday? ...

I was excited to try this new restaurant out with several co-workers since the area where it is located offers limited choices for dining out. Upon entering, I found the interior rather spartan with a vaguely cafeteria-like vibe. My expectations were lowered a bit more when our server professed a complete lack of familiarity with the menu upon being asked for his recommendations.

However, once we ordered, a handful of typical banchan (kimchi, kongnamul etc.) were immediately brought out and then regularly replenished throughout the ensuing meal. These were all well-prepared and tasted great.

The hot main courses arrived quickly as well. For my first time, I had some traditional dishes since I think a good way to gauge a new place is to see how well they treat the classics. To that end, I tried the bibimbap and japchae and found that both were quite good. I noticed that a number of other patrons were enjoying stone pot soups, rice bowls, and stews that all came out bubbling and sizzling, so these seem to be popular at Danbi. The menu also had typical Korean BBQ fare (bulgogi, kalbi, etc.) and fried chicken. Portion sizes were good and the prices were about average, which is to say a bit more than for a lunchtime burrito or sandwich meal.

I would definitely go back to Danbi for lunch because the food was good and was served quickly. The menu is not as extensive as some Korean places, but it appears that everything on it is...

The servers were sweet. We asked to be seated farther away from the speakers which were quite loud and my dining companion is hard of hearing. They significantly turned down the volume which was helpful.

A lot of the dishes are spicy which didn't work for my companion who has a sensitive stomach. He got the thinly-sliced beef fried in an egg batter which the server said was her favorite dish. He quite enjoyed it. $20. A small asahi was $6.

I'm keto and not a pork eater, so my options are limited. I got the beef tofu stew which was fine. It was $18 plus another $2 for extra beef. I wouldn't say it was particularly filling but it was tasty enough. I would have appreciated if it had some vegetables in it there was just a tiny bit of green onions. I asked for spicy. It comes in mild medium or spicy. It was not very spicy, which is fine.

The ban chan was disappointing actually. Usually I get pretty excited about the side dishes. Very small portions and just so-so taste.

It's not a great neighborhood but I felt okay parking in the parking lot, there was ample parking. Street parking was very limited. They close the kitchen at 8:30 p.m.

The decor is minimalist and clean. There was a distracting squeaking noise coming from the corner which I'm assuming was outside, maybe a pole in the wind?

Total was just over 50 bucks. They had suggested tips of 16, 18 and 22%.

I probably wouldn't be back but...