As of the end of 2024 they're takeout only, it's an older couple with I think their daughter(?) who is there sometimes to help. Portions are always very generous, and the sides that come with the Korean menu items are always great (bean sprouts, pickled radish, kimchi, sesame spinach). I've only ordered from the Korean menu, and my favorites have been the japchae and kimchi jigae. Honestly, the portions for the Korean stews are big enough to split with someone, and while I really wish they offered more Korean variety on their menu, they're nice and accessible compared to the other Charlottesville Korean restaurants for me. read more

13/10 recommend!!! Such huge portions for very affordable. The amount of food we got for two people was crazy! Got the vegetable mandu, miso soup, O-Jing Uh Bok eun (squid with vegetables), and Duk Bok Ki (rice cakes). Everything with super yummy! It's worth the drive for some amazing Korean food read more

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I've visited Bamboo House around 3 times in the past year and I can definitely say that this is the best Korean restaurant in Charlottesville. Although it is a pretty far drive out, it is on the side of the highway, and it is usually empty, their food is completely homemade and they give SO many side dishes. Don't be scared by the exterior! Also - when you come in, you may have to wait a little until the owner comes out to seat you. My favorite dish here is the Kalbitang, which is a clear soup with short ribs. However, the side dishes are a close second - these vary each time I come in, but the kimchi here is to die for. Their jeon (pancakes) are also really good, and huge. Many of the options on their menu are not offered at the other Korean restaurants in town - especially the stews. Although there is a Chinese side of the menu, I'd recommend sticking to the Korean stuff. Overall, one of my favorite restaurants in Charlottesville. Extremely affordable and a good trip out from UVA! Make sure to set aside at least an hour for the whole meal, though, as you do have to wait a while until the food comes. read more

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The food is always exceptional. The Bamboo House is run be a cute elderly couple that run everything and work very hard. Unfortunately they can no longer handle eat-n but it's my go-to place Asian food both Chinese and Korean. read more

Don't let the outside fool you. I have been past this place so many times. I finally had the opportunity to stop in. It was currently takeout only so I ordered a classic Bibimbap. The lady who owns it is so sweet. Their internet was down so its currently cash only. So delicious and such a big serving for only $10!! Will be back-and hopefully one day to be able to eat inside! read more

Bamboo House - Bibimbap - Korean Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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If you are looking for authentic home-made Korean dishes, this is the place! Compared to other restaurants, the food here are prepared in a more health-conscious manner (refrained use of oil and spices, but still retaining the essential distinctive flavors of Korean dishes). Love the food and the people there! Tip: for busy working folks, the super generous portion here can aid into your meals during the week. Very much worth the trip to visit the place. read more

Bamboo House - Bulgogi, Japchae, and Beef soup - Korean Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

This is probably the best place I'll always go to when I'm in town. Huge portions with reasonable price, you can't find a place like this in the area, food is always great as well. A must go! read more

This is one of the best Korean restaurants in town! Let's start by saying the food here is pretty good. It's authentic home-style Korean food made by a sweet old Korean lady. I do have to say that her coking does vary day-to-day, however. For example, the galbi tang tastes slightly different each time we go. BUT the food is still always good, regardless. The restaurant is kind of old, dark, and dingy, but I still don't think it takes away from the food. I would say the most off-putting thing about the restaurant is the taxidermy decor. The house of the owner is a professional taxidermist, and he wants to display his work. I don't support hunting, but the artwork itself is not bad. Another thing is that they own animals in the back of the restaurant. One reviewer suggested that the husband was keeping them back there to hunt, which is slanderous and simply untrue. The restaurant is the home of the owners--they actually live downstairs--and they care for the animals in the back as pets. Please please please do not discriminate them because of this and do not let this take away from the food. Another review said they were unable to find any staff when they went, and that's probably because they were downstairs under the restaurant! I have been coming here since I was 3 years old, and I absolutely love it! The family is warm and friendly, the food is good, and the restaurant itself is fun and exotic, honestly! read more

This is Charlottesville's original (and at times only) korean restaurant. It's run by a little old lady who acts as hostess, waitress, and chef. Her husband is a taxidermist, whose wares line the walls of the windowless establishment. Have I piqued your interest yet? Our family came for a weekday lunch after hiking at the nearby Preddy Creek. We called ahead before coming just to make sure they were open (though their hours are listed as 7 days a week, due to the fact they are a one woman show it's probably best to double check.) We walked into an empty restaurant. I've got three kids age 4 and under so I actually prefer super empty restaurants. We sat ourselves and the owner came out to greet us. We ordered ONLY from the korean menu (she's korean. I'm pretty sure there are Chinese items on the menu because people kept trying to order Chinese food and she probably decided it was easier to learn a few dishes than to repeatedly try to explain the difference between korean and chinese food to the general population of Charlottesville). The Korean food was authentic and tasty! Very homemade with fresh "ban chan" (korean side dishes that are served with every meal.) We also ordered the japchae (a glass noodle dish), dukboki (spicy rice cake dish), seafood pajun (savory pancake), and a spicy beef stew. My korean husband chatted with the owner for awhile and learned that this place has been here for over 25 years! Disclaimer: this is a five star restaurant because it is basically the only place serving traditional korean food within a 20 mile radius. I've spent the majority of my life in LA and NYC - this is not on par with korean restaurants in those locations. But if you haven't had the pleasure of trying some home cooked korean food, this place is a must try! read more

I've been driving by this place for almost 6 1/2 years on my commute with a whole bunch of nope based on the exterior. Recently I've read previous reviews and it piqued my interest. So, in the spirit of good parenting, I wanted to teach my kids about not judging a book by its cover and I placed my trust in the almighty Yelp. Let's say this was a win for that phrase. Now mind you most things would have steered us off immediately. First sight was a guinea hen running free in the parking lot. Secondly, upon entering there was nobody else in the restaurant at 7:30pm on a Saturday night. Thirdly, nobody greeted us at the door. We stood for a bit then I went towards the kitchen and said hello a few times and waited about another minute. Finally a very sweet older Korean lady showed up and pointed to a table for us to sit. She then went back in the kitchen. I had told my kids that this was going to be an adventure based on the previous reviews, but we're here for the food I reminded them. She came back out with some water and menus and then back to the kitchen. We started with some tempura appetizers consisting of chicken, beef and shrimp. They were pretty tasty, not utterly greasy, but it's hard to mess up tempura. She wheels everything out on a little cart that made the atmosphere cute and relaxing. Also, at this point a table of three came on in, so we had company! Lol In reading older reviews, this was the place for Korean food, not Chinese so much. That ending up being true. Our entrees consisted of chicken fried rice and sesame chicken from the Chinese side, and chicken bulgogi and bibimbap. I tried the chicken fried rice that our youngest ordered and was ok not bad not something to really rave about. Same about the sesame chicken our other child ordered. It was way too sweet for my tastes. Both of them really enjoyed it though. Now onto the Korean side of the house...When I ordered the bulgogi I said in between medium and hot. She must be a mind reader; it was the perfect heat and tasted amazing! My wife also really was blown back by the taste of her bibimbap. So in summary: 1. Don't judge a book by its cover. 2. It appears to be a one woman show. She plays the role of hostess, waitress, and cook. So be patient. It is worth it. 3. Stick to the Korean side of the menu Not sure how much longer this hidden (albeit sketchy) gem will be around, so get it while you can. P.S. Don't get freaked out by the taxidermied deer and duck watching you eat! The fawn and doe do have red bows around their necks :-) P.P.S Leftovers were the bomb for lunch today! read more

Can't say enough great things! Everything is super authentic and delicious! The portions are very large and inexpensive. Very classic staple in Charlottesville. read more

the best authentic Korean food you can get in the area ran by the sweetest old couple

In the area for work, drove past this place and was like hmmm what is it? This place has no windows, so looked on yelp and low and behold it's a Korean restaurant. Now I gotta stop in, we stop in, place is empty. We walk to the side door and find Ahjumma, she greets us and we pick a table. She brings water and the menu, lots of options. We order, food comes out. I got egg drop soup, ooh my was it tasty. The main melas come out I get spicy squid buddies get bulgogi. Main meal is amazing. Yes decor is unique, having no windows was a bit odd. You owe it to your taste buds if you enjoying Korean food to stop in and eat here!!! gamsahabnida read more

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I was skeptical when I first came across this restaurant. I walked in and I was the only person which is usually a sign to turn around and go. But i am extremely happy I took a leap of faith and stayed. The food was amazing! If you ever want some homemade Korean food this is a place you don't want to miss out on. I would definitely recommend this place if you are in the area. I got my food to go and I just mixed everything together in a big bowl! read more

Bamboo House - Bibimbap - Korean Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

OVERALL 4/5 Decent Korean food in a wacky environment and the option for karaoke make this one of the best places in the Charlottesville area. FOOD 3/5 Korean food is decent, not great. Stick with soups, pancakes and rice based dishes. Avoid the barbeque which just isn't up to par. I'm a big fan of the seafood pancake, I think it is the best thing on the menu. In deference to other yelper I have never tried the Chinese food here. DRINK 3/5 Beer, a selection of cheap wine and sake. Water and hot tea are complimentary. Why they don't have whiskey and soju is a mystery that I am afraid I will never solve. This is tolerable for dinner, but seriously impacts my ability to have fun at karaoke. AMBIENCE 5/5 Truly awesome. This is an old Korean couple who have a restaurant/karaoke place in the middle of nowhere, literally just on the side of highway 29, decorated with taxidermy. I get it, Charlottesville is in the South, but taxidermy?! Epic! Worth going just to witness this and take a picture next to your favorite stuffed forest creatures. The only issue is that it is way out there, a good 10 miles north of town. If you are going to drink and have a good time you need a DD or be prepared to shell out for a cab back. SERVICE 5/5 The old Korean lady who runs the place runs around, takes your orders and brings you your food. She is very sweet and polite. KARAOKE 4/5 Karaoke in Charlottesville is awesome in any form, so this wins high marks from me. There are two options, a private room and an option to sing in the main restaurant area. In either case the cost is $20 an hour for your party. There are song options in Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese and one or two other languages. When I went in Feb 2012 the song list was a bit dated. read more

Bamboo House - Forest friends - Korean Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Classic example of multiplying negatives to make a positive. It's not supposed to work. A shack on the side of a highway should'nt work as a good Yelp restaurant. A Korean restaurant attached to a taxidermy shop shouldn't work. The run down sign that you expect to see in a 1970s horror flick should'nt work. Eating while staring at stuffed pheasants and other creatures you cannot identify shouldn't work. But you know what? The sweet Korean couple who owns this restaurant makes it work. Food was very good. This is surprising since you are almost 200 miles from the nearest big box grocery store. When your far away, having a nice bowl of bim bim bap is very comforting. If you ask nice enough, they'll let chat about their stuffed aminals. read more

We stopped by for dinner on our way to Wintergreen. We almost didn't come, because we saw the menu had both Korean and Chinese food, and were worried about the authenticity of the Korean dishes. However, the food was absolutely amazing, all very flavorful with large portion sizes. We ordered the seaweed pancake and clear noodles (do not know the official name) as appetizers, both of which had their own unique tastes. The kimchi was pretty good too, and we also had side dishes which included bean sprouts among others. I personally ordered the bibimbap, and it contained a plethora of fresh vegetables. The bulgogi was tasteful. I thought it was a bit different than typical bibimbap because you add rice to the dish yourself. I would also recommend the spare ribs, which were cooked to perfection. The owner was very kind. She gave us cantaloupe after dinner, which tasted sweet and was very refreshing. Additionally, she also gave us a couple mini candy bars along with our check. There wasn't anybody in the restaurant, possibly because it was a weekday afternoon or that it's a bit out of the way. I would definitely come back if I passed the area again. TL;DR: Tasteful, reasonably priced Korean food, would recommend. read more

O.G. Korean spot. It's a little out of the way but the home cooked meals are good. Be patient waiting for the food. read more

Bamboo House - Korean Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Modest joint with pleasant friendly owners and excellent home style Korean fare. The Spicy Squid and Shrimp Fried Rice are must try dishes. read more

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Omg!!!!!!! This place is horrid . Shrimp fried rice with no shrimps . Seafood pancake with no seafood . It was like 80 degrees inside to add to the crap food. I ask for hot sauce and no hot sauce . One person who is like 85 works here . I had to go into the kitchen to get my own hot sauce cause she never comes out . What a shit hole . read more

lived in Korea a year very authentic and delicious fresh food here - both Korean husband and wife who own and wife who cooks are very friendly traditional Korean sides (kimchi/bean sprouts/radish/etc) all very authentic and delicious and fresh all of the following equally fresh and delicious and highly recommend -kimchi jigae -squid -korean pancake -bulgogi great value (huge portions) and takeout only as time of review overall two thumbs up (whole hand actually) read more

Let's be pragmatic here. It hits the spot. This is not Umma's (mommy's) home cooked Korean. It's also not what you would find in Annandale (NoVa). What it is, is decent Korean in a sea of Asian fusion restaurants. If you have a craving for bulgogi or kimchi or pajeon, you can get it here and it will satisfy that craving. On the service, a lot of commenters seem to expect perfect/fast service and that's not going to happen here. There is a friendly shoestring staff, that will get your food out in a standard amount of time while she juggles 2 or 3 other tables. Yes, you may have to holler when you walk in to be seated..it's not rocket science. The decor, it's definitely dated. But it's super kitsch and gives me Fresh Off The Boat feels. I'm also pretty sure you can do karaoke and if it's in Korean that would be epic. Give it a whirl, it really will hit the spot. read more

Authentic! If you have not been don't let the outside fool you, the inside is so clean you could eat off the bathroom floor. Best food on 29 North read more

I think people want this place to be good so they boost their rating. I get that. I wanted it to be a really great hole In the wall Asian place too but it was actually pretty scary. The old lady seemed to be cooking for the first time of the day even though it was 1pm on a Thursday. I was the only one there and I felt like it was just after closing time but that closing time was 23 years earlier. I asked what she recommended and she pointed to the menu so I figured it must all be good. The Kung Pow chx seemed safe and spicy so I went with that...forgoing my favorite food (hot/sour soup) since I couldn't imagine she had a hot, fresh pot steaming back there. My meal was below average and gritty although the veggies were not wilted or brown, edible, maybe even a bit tasty. I give it 2 stars for the sheer adventure but nothing else, really. Check it out if you're into that sort of thing, stay away if you scare easy. read more

My wife and I, having a hankering for Korean food, searched out Bamboo House during our recent road trip through Virginia. It's easy to miss as you're driving up Seminole Trail outside Charlottesville and I had to brake hard when we came to the sign. Talk about a totally unassuming place! As we go in -- it's 3:00 in the afternoon and we're the only patrons--my wife is saying, "This is a mistake...this is a mistake." But thanks to the great reviews here on Yelp, I insisted we eat there. And was it worth it! The woman who served us whipped up bibimbop and doenjang chigae, together with side dishes, that was SUPERB! And the fact that we were eating in this out-of-the-way, windowless place--a former bar or strip club, maybe?--only made it better! One word of advice: go with what the lady recommends. I asked for two orders of doenjang chigae, and she said that one bibimbop and one chigae would be better. And she was right. So just go with it, with what she wants to serve you. read more

Bamboo House - Bamboo House Korean Restaurant, Charlottesville, VA (don't let the exterior fool you. This place is great!) - Korean Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

It genuinely irritates me that some of the people below have even rated this place poorly. Many of the people who negatively commented honestly just sound rude and I can't even fathom how their inability to recognize good food. If you go here you will be met with the sweetest old Korean lady who is also the chef of the food. She puts a lot of time and warmth into her food, as well as incorporating fresh ingredients from her own garden (just imagine lettuce that crunches! and tasty radishes galore). If you go here there are definitely several musts. First I recommend: For an appetizer definitely order the combination tempura or the vegetable tempura and you won't be disappointed- it's amazing crips and comes with a warm soy sauce dip. Order the Bulgogi for an amazing dish that I promise will NOT leave you unsatisfied. It comes with an amazing bed of big pieces of fresh crunchy lettuce and is served with an abundance of side dishes- all for the price of $11.95. This is enough to feed three people. the kimchi hot stew is a really good option for a warm spicy broth to heat you up on a cold night out. It has a lot of flavor and is filled with vegetables like shiitake mushrooms and tofu. The bibimbap was tasty and served with an amazing just correctly cooked-but not too cooked- egg on top of a huge bowl of rice and vegetables. It's amazing but if you are choosing between that and the bulgogi? get both or just stick with the bulgogi that comes with a huge side bowl of rice enough to share with 3 people. The ddukbokki is also really delicious here- she cooks just right to make the noodles taste tender under the spiciness of the red sauce. Definitely try here if you are in passing or even driving here. I on the other hand, drive twenty minutes out just to go to this restaurant- thats just how much I love it. read more

I hate to have to do this review. I am a fair and honest Yelper. I wish I could review the food. I was so looking forward to trying the authentic Korean food after reading the reviews here, but unfortunately I could not and here's why: For years I have passed this awful looking building wondering about what's inside. I had the chance today to try this place for lunch and planned the day before to do just that and was almost salivating at 1:30 PM when I got there. I thought to myself, "man, I'll have to be sure to put in my Yelp review to not let the run down, awful exterior fool you; the food is great". But that didn't happen. There were 3 or 4 cars out front. Didn't surprise me, it was 1:30, most people were back at work. I looked on the local yellow pages and found that they supposedly have hours of 11AM to 10PM 7 days a week. Maybe that's wrong and they don't serve lunch. Most of the reviews I read here didn't bother to mention if they ate lunch or dinner. I walk in and there is no one. Zero, zilch, not a soul...except across the dining room I saw a door, like a space for staff maybe and it appeared someone was back there. I thought they saw me and figured after a much needed bathroom break there would be someone there to seat me. That's where it got bad. I go in the bathroom, turn to the urinal and see two plastic cups of water sitting on top. My instinct was right, the toilet doesn't flush...the cups of water were for you to rinse your urine down the drain. While I'm standing there (and this is no joke, lie or even exaggeration) there is a cockroach on the floor in the stall next to the urinal. A cockroach that ran toward my foot when I tried to scare it away. I back off and think "hey, almost all restaurants have roaches; I've worked on equipment in well-known American style chain restaurants that have roaches, no biggie". Turning to the sink to wash my hands I notice a bar of soap in a dish. Yep, the soap dispenser is out and I am sharing the bar of soap with my fellow patrons...that were not there and it turns out I did not become a patron. I go to turn the water on and wouldn't you know it...the hot water is not on or working! So, I rinse my own urine form the urinal with a cup of water while a cockroach runs at my feet and I can't even wash my hands with hot water! Unbelievable! Believe it or not I wasn't scared. If you don't give your immune system something to work with it gets no exorcize. So I leave the bathroom and go back to the dining room. Empty! Still not even someone working there to tell me to leave...or...something! AND the door that was cracked I saw earlier with someone behind it was closed. I stood there for a minute, put my arms out is disbelief and finally walked out and went and had some good Mexican for lunch. Since sadly I could not try the food my review is on this experience. Starting at 5 stars, deduct 1 for having to rinse my urine away with a cup of water, deduct 1 for a cockroach at my feet that came at me instead of running and deduct 1 for no hot water and only a questionable bar of soap to wash my hands. Don't know if I'll try again. If I do and the food is as good as some say, I'll come back and give a couple stars back. But the bathroom alone is enough to run most people off. read more

I'm just going to put this out there: if you like your food sterile and brightly packaged, and you think Baja Bean or Chipotle is the pinnacle of culinary achievement, then don't come here. If you don't like making sharp right turns and cutting across lanes on Route 29, then don't come here. If you don't like stuffed animals watching you in quiet creepy repose, then definitely do not come here. But if you're dying for anything that remotely resembles good home-cooked Korean food in this town, even if you're eating it in a windowless box with taxidermied wood creatures and a huge karaoke system, and you possess a hint of adventurous spirit, the Bamboo House isn't going to fail you. I think there's just one sweet old lady running this whole place as a waitress and a cook, because after taking our orders, she disappeared into the kitchen and came back out a few minutes later wheeling out all our banchan. First things first: the portions are extremely generous. When a dish is around $10, keep in mind you're also getting five small plates of banchan, a huge serving bowl of rice, and two pieces of Wrigley gum in addition to your entree. The mandu appetizer was deep-fried crunchy goodness. All of the banchan was vegetarian, if that makes any difference - kimchi, picked radish, two kinds of bean sprouts, and some leafy greens tossed in sesame oil. I loved my tofu and veggie casserole - but there was a bitter ingredient in there somewhere, not sure if it was the mushrooms or the zucchini. The waitress also threw in an extra dish of cooked cabbage in there and some fish paste, but I didn't really touch it. Cooked cabbage is not high on my list of delicious foods. Don't order any of the Chinese dishes. The Korean ones are where it's at. The decor is ridiculous. It's like a reception area for one of those Chinese stadium weddings. The whole restaurant is just one big flat room with two woodland creatures scenes set up and a whole bar section right when you come in. There really are no words to describe how weird this place is, but it's got a lot going on and I wish more people would frequent it, just so you're not the only humans with the animals. read more

What a gem! 42 year history at the same location. Authentic home style Korean Food. Owner could not be more hospitable, just lovely. read more

Bamboo House - Scallion vegetable pancake (pajun) - Korean Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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This place beats the Korean House hands-down. Being from New York, I'm pretty spoiled when it comes to Korean food and I was told that I shouldn't expect much out here in Cville. Seeing that there were more reviews for Korean House, we tried that first and it was disasterous. So eagerly looked forward to Bamboo House. Yes, it's a drive up Rt. 29, but it's worth it. Food, service and prices are much better. The amount of food (entrees and ban-chan) kept us busy, whereas we felt short-changed at Korean House. The ahjuhma at the Bamboo house is a sweet old lady and AWESOME. The decor is also intriguing and provides a lot of conversation. read more

My wife, who had lived in Harrisonburg for 8 years or so, introduced me to this place - another reason I love her so much. Reviews of this locale on other restaurant sites have ranged to "I can't give it enough stars" to "abominable" - and we know how people's tastes vary. I fall into the first category... I would heat here at the drop of a "'gat". Yes, the decor is out of this world and out of this century. It looks like it was thrown together by Billy Bo Bob Hatfield and his new Korean mail-order bride, but to me that's just part of the charm. There's a large-screen TV there too, which is often playing the most unusual Korean dramatic shows, usually about honor and wars and intrigue and betrayal. I rate the food excellent, compared to other Korean restaurants I've eaten at. The kimchi they bring you with each meal is tasty, fresh and has a good variety - and they'll bring you more if you need it. If that's not enough for you, order the Na Mool. I love the Kimchi Jun, their pickled-cabbage pancake as well - we almost always ordered one of those. I've tried their bibimbap, japchae and bulgogi and found all of them filling, savoury and reasonably priced. The service is attentive - the place seems to be run by just a couple of people - but the lady who welcomed us, served us and rang us up was always checking to see if we needed anything else, and always glad to see us come back. Others have mentioned a possible lack of sanitation; i can't speak to that, as conditions change over time. But we have eaten here multiple times and never suffered any ill effects. The place is a bit out of the way, but for my two chon's worth, you won't regret the journey. read more

I totally don't get the 2 stars for Bamboo house. It's such a great place to eat at. I mean if you don't want authentic Korean food, why did you drive that far for it? It's for-sure a family-owned small business, a little bit old fashioned, but does have the most authentic Korean food I have ever had in Charlottesville. I especially like the home-made cooking style. The owner gives a lot of side dishes, as most traditional Korean restaurants do. The restaurant is huge itself, good for a big group party and it also has Karaoke devices. read more

This is the BEST Korean food that I have ever had in this town. It's sooo delicious! And it is cheap. It is run by an old Korean couple. They are very nice. Be patient for the nice food cause they do not hire other people to help. Will definitely go there regularlyw read more

Bamboo House - + Bulgogi - Korean Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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If your grandma smokes two packs a day, lives in a trailer, only cooks fried food, has piles of garbage all over the house and dirty dishes piled high in the sink, then that is what the dishes here feel like and it only gets worse when you get the food. read more

We stumbled upon this place purely by chance while driving on highway 29 and trying to figure out where to get lunch. It looks like an extension to someone's home, and there was just one nice lady who seemed to be running the place. The decor looks a bit outdated, but if the food is great who cares about the decor? The menu has a lot of variety, mostly Korean but there is also a section for Chinese entrees. We love Korean food, and ordered the Bibimbap and Chicken Bulgogi. The service was fast, however that could be because there weren't too many other customers at the time. The food was absolutely out of this world. Everything tasted so fresh and was bursting with flavour. I loved the Kimchi that was given as one of the accompaniments, and the spicy sauce as well. If I ever have to drive to C'ville again, I look forward to dining here again! read more

pros: Totally weird. This place is worth a trip just to see how weird it is. There's just one lady who serves everyone, and she's the only one I see coming in and out of the kitchen. Just when you think it's only her in the whole place, a small man comes out of a door opposite the kitchen. He's wearing a robe, goes straight to talk to the woman and leaves again w/o one look at the customers. He leaves the door open though, and you can hear dogs barking from somewhere (downstairs?). cons: Anyway. Mysteries aside, the food here is pretty dull. There's a Korean part of the menu and a Chinese part. Here's a word of warning -- don't bother ordering from the Chinese part b/c it's going to be awful. overall: J.L. put down the decorations as a con, but I happen to think taxidermy animals are pretty neat. I'm into whatever it is Bamboo House has going on over there. The next time I go, I won't waste my time with the Chinese food, get only Korean dishes, and ask if we can use their big screen TV and get down with karaoke. read more

Friendly staff and generous portions. The bibimbap was huge and delicious. The japchae was good too. The egg rolled had more of a thick, doughy wrapper than most I've had, but still very enjoyable. read more

I hardly ever bother with writing reviews for restaurants but this one is truly special. The Bamboo House was my very first place where I ever tried Korean food. During my first visit I was seriously put off by the taxidermy displays all over the place (I have a deep fear of dead stuffed animals) but the food was so good and the Korean lady so nice that I decided to give it another try. As time went by, I fell in love with the place and started bringing anyone willing to get that far out of the city for a lunch/dinner there. And the decor somehow became almost endearing rather than disgusting. I don't know how authentic this place's food is (never been to Korea before) but now that I've moved to the Bay Area where supposedly every little hole in the wall is the next famous authentic gem, I have to say I never, not even once, found a place where the food is tastier. My husband and I were talking about this place the other day and how much we miss it. It's a super amazing and unique place. Every time we went there, it was quiet and normally empty. The Korean lady always brought us right away our usual (chicken bulggogi with extra lettuce and beef tempura) and let us listen to our favorite audiobook while eating (we'd play it on one of our phones bcz there was no one else there). It was incredible and super relaxing. I'll be going back to C'ville just for this restaurant alone. read more

We discovered this restaurant a few years ago and decided to try it. The ambience was quite strange - a mix of Asian deco with wildlife theme. The food took a bit long to get to our table as the old man (very hospitable) was our waiter and cook. The food was delicious and the portions were generous!! We ordered seafood pancakes and bulgogi. Visit #2. Faster service. We got the food in no time. The old lady was waitress and cook. She was very friendly and checked on us periodically. This time we ordered bibimbap and beef rib stew/soup! Delish! Our meals were complimented with the usual Korean spread. I would come here whenever I'm in Cville. Price is reasonable too!! read more

I had just finished reading a book about a Korean woman growing up in the early 1900s - it was a wonderfully crafted book (Honolulu - by Alan Brennert, if you are interested) but as I neared the end, I was having some serious cravings for the wonderful food she was describing - kimchee, bulgogi, (!!real!!) rice...mmmm. That, coupled with the fact that hubs and I had driven past this restaurant a few times en route to different destinations, led us to the conclusion that this weekend was a perfect occasion to venture on over. We ALMOST drove right past it, because RT 29 at night is FRIGHTFULLY dark, but we made it, and it definitely was a journey worth making! Inside the restaurant, we were greeted with a warm welcome and quick introduction to the...ahem...unusual decor that other Yelpers have described before me. Also, it was kind of funny how there was music playing (kinda like elevator music) along with the TV on, set to Korean news. Surroundings aside, the food speaks for itself. Very fresh and tasty, authentic as I remember eating at my friends houses when I grew up (my best friend is 1/2 Korean) and very reasonably priced! read more