Chungdam Korean BBQ — Restaurant in Santa Clara

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...

The manager refused to come. I felt so bad for the waitress who was in the middle. As far as I know when it comes to customer service, the manager in charge should be available and ready to come when asked for . The food we had ordered was served very late and tasted overcooked and very weird. I did not enjoyed the food and so were my friends who also know how the food at least was supposed to taste. At the end after requesting so many times, the manger came and told us that he could not do anything about it. Almost of all the potion of the food was left untouched and the soup of the stew was horrible. If we were too full, we would have wanted to bring it home but we did not want to. We are very offended by the comment of the manager saying he would have done something if we had told him earlier at the beginning. I do not know how early he meant. The food was served very late . I believe It takes time every one at the same table finds out the food tastes horrible unexpectedly, especially at an expensive restaurant like this. No matter what, it was very unpleasant that the manager has treated us as if we were a group trying to get the money back after having finished the food served intentionally. He did not want to do anything. If he did, he would have asked if we want the cook to try it again or something else. He kept emphasizing the policy that we were never informed. Most of all we did not feel any impression that he felt very sorry for having ruined our main dish that we were anticipating so much to enjoy the most. I do not think this restaurant understands ABCs of any customer service!! It also did not look willing to serve and want to satisfy customers sincerely. Very disappointing and...

The Food I've been to different Korean BBQ before, but my friends recommended Chungdam Restaurant. It is a more upscale Korean restaurant with BBQ selection. My friends and I ordered their BBQ Selection. Seafood Pancake (해물파전) Prime Boneless Shortrib (눈꽃살) Prime Ribeye Steak (프라임생등심) Beef Brisket, Thinly Sliced (차돌박이) Starting with the side dishes, most of them are pretty good. Though I would say the raw crab is a nice and unique idea, it is hard to eat as a side dish. On to the Seafood Pancake, gotta say it is pretty unique and I enjoyed it. Aside from the normal standard ingredients, there are thin crispy noodles wrapped around. The Prime Boneless Shortrib and Beef Brisket presented with good marbling, and it tasted very good. The Prime Ribeye Steak also presented with good marbling. Though we asked for medium rare, it was slightly overcooked.

The Miscellaneous Chungdam is a fairly spacious restaurant. It is off of the main road, with a small parking lot and street parking towards the back. The inside has tables with and without grills. If you want to get KBBQ, ask for a table with a grill. Their staff are sincere and their service is very good. They will also do the grilling for you as well so you can enjoy your meal. The menu has a good variety and selection of items. Most people will focus on the BBQ Selections, but there is also Soups, Entrees, and Cold Noodle. They also have a wine menu if you want to pair some wine with your steak. It is pricey, because you are also paying for the service as well. Chungdam is a good restaurant for special occasions, but not for...