I've heard this place may have a bit of a wait. Luckily we had a reservation. We were seated upon arrival on Friday evening. Chungdam has a very modern ambiance with several semi-private tables. Each table has an off-center grill, so the rest of the table can be filled with the non-grilled items. Surprisingly, we walked out of the place not reeking of a bbq grill, perhaps because it is not a full-on KBBQ restaurant.

We shared bottles of $13 Soju & $13 Makguli, so necessary for a proper birthday outing at an Korean establishment.

$18 ChungDam Galbi Tang - short rib stew: This was my personal favorite. The savory broth was absolutely satiating with the tender ribs. I may need to make another trip just for this soup.

$15 Veg Dol Pan Bibimbap - rice w/ vegetables on hot stone plate: The stone pot arrived table side and the servers portioned it out for us. The rice was crunchy with charred vegetables and a touch of spiciness from the kimchi.

$18 WonSan Japchae - stir-fried glass noodles w/ seafood and vegetables: The japchae was interestingly plated with with what resembles a large banana leaf and a long manicured piece of carrot. The octopus and mussels were great even though the japchae portion was on the small side.

$25 Bulgogi - marinated beef: Bulgogi was served atop grilled onions in a stone plate. It was sweet and tender.

$36 Kobe Brisket: thinly sliced and juicy. This was served with onions and pineapple. I was delighted to see grilled pineapple and then our server brought us a plate of pineapple.

$48 Yangnyum Galbi - marinated short ribs: Two racks of ribs arrived. The servers cook down the ribs and cut up the pieces. The meat was juicy and tender, while some pieces were especially fatty.

I would say the dishes were tasty, especially the galbi tang. Service was excellent. I'd say ChungDam comes close to a 9/10 for me.