Way too much pepper used to season their dishes... not sure why Korean restaurants in DC (such as Gigi Yogi) are reverting to pepper to give their food "flavor", just season it properly. Unfortunately it's worth the 20-30min drive into VA for traditional, authentic Korean dishes. read more

As good as it gets for DC and Korean food that isn't in the suburbs. Food is okay, but their selling point is very friendly staff, especially the hostess. read more

We got the steamed veggie dumplings, Korean fried with bulgogi and the pork belly tacos. The veggie dumplings were not too good, they fell apart and not too tasty. The Korean fries were really good. They had kimchi and some awesome white sauce. The pork tacos were pretty good and full of flavor. read more

Bul - Korean fries with bulgogi - Korean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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First, cold rice is served，which makes my stomach sick; second, wait for my chicken wings for about half an hour!!

Absolutely fantastic bibimbap that felt almost like home for this LA transplant, with just the right amount of innovation. Tried BUL during the soft open and they were already operating smoothly like old pros. Hope this place takes off. :) read more

Unbelievable Korean fried chicken. Recommend getting the hot chili sauce on the side. Also, the spicy pork tacos are awesome. Definitely go here! read more

Small menu for a place that's supposed to serve street food. We ordered chicken wings to start. Good thing there were only two of us, because only two wings come in an order. They were out of bibimbap at only 8/8:30, so we ordered fried rice and fried pork for the main course. The fried rice was a good-sized portion and it was tasty. The pork was sitting in too much oil, but was tasty when dipped in salt and/or gochujang (on the side). It was their first night serving alcohol and they did seem to have unique options. I ordered an OB beer. Anyway, bottom line and reason I'm writing a review for once is that we agreed there could've been more options and most of what they did have was overpriced. Oh, we also woke up with stomach aches the next morning which we blamed on the greasy pork. Not a terrible restaurant by any means, but definitely in the meh category. read more

MMMM....Dukbokki. I ended up sopping everything else I ordered in that sauce. The calamari texture and flavor were just perfect. Thoroughly enjoyed the spring rolls- flaky/crispy goodness. Flying fish was as yummy to taste as it was to play with. I'll have to come back for the chicken wings, some of the larger plates, and some saki with which to wash it all down. read more

I was really excited about coming here since there aren't very many modern Korean restaurants offering mostly traditional Korean food. I made a reservation at the restaurant two weeks ahead of time for a big birthday dinner. I should've known what would happen when I first walked in. It took at least a full minute for any waitstaff to notice us and no one asked if we had been helped. I had to finally flag a hurried waitress down and tell them I was here for my reservation. They were only able to get my table together once another group of people left. As for the food and drinks, things are pretty pricy - the food tastes solid but authentic Korean food does not have to cost that much (especially without banchan). The service was terrible and with the food being mediocre but not amazing, I don't think I'll be coming back. The waitstaff got the order wrong from one of my friends and instead of getting a rush order on the correct entree, they tried to make up for the problem by offering him the wrong entree they brought out. Most of my group had finished eating and his food STILL hadn't come out. I had to bring this to the attention of the bartender/manager(?) before anything more was done about this . That's ridiculous. A small appetizer should've been offered to my friend if the wait was going to be that long and/or the kitchen should've been made aware that they needed to make his correct dish a priority. We also previously agreed on splitting the large bill by table and instead, she provided us the entire bill because of "how the food was brought out". read more

3 visits in total. Won't be going back, only went so many times because of friends/gift card. Impression: Food mediocre and expensive, bad service, so hot in restaurant one is sweating. Entrees: -Ssam: Have tried pork, beef short ribs, and spicy chicken. Chicken and pork VERY OILY. Not very flavorful besides hot spices and oil--so flavor was all very one note. Pieces of meat small and minces so not very much actual food since cabbage is mixed in. Short ribs dry/tough. For $18 for chicken/pork and $25 for beef, way to expensive for quality and price. -Pancakes: Tried kimchi and seafood. Both VERY OILY. Flavors not great, they only bring one dipping sauce dish for the whole table so people are forced to double dip. Kimchi pancake was mostly just green onions. -Dumplings: Meh, forgettable -Kimchi Jjigae: Only dish that tasted alright, but these are pretty standard across all Korean restaurants. TOO EXPENSIVE for size of small bowl, it was more of an appetizer -Bibimbap: Flavors BLAND, and again expensive for a bad bowel of rice with veggies Service: Went here so many times because a friend gave us a gift card. Card said Sakuramen, but were told it is definitely to Bul. Went to Bul, turned down gift card first visit, went to Sakuramen and was told it is to Bul. Went to Bul with gift card and was told we can't tip with gift card. I get the difficulty with this, but we specifically asked if it would be possible to tip with the gift card (since we don't ever want to go back), and they said no. Waiters also shift between areas so you're being asked multiple times if you're ready to order. No one ever came to ask if we needed anything. When you do need something you have to flag people down--for the price of the dishes one would expect better service. Dishes come out in no order, and can be spaced by tens of minutes and appetizers can come out after entrees. read more

The cream cheese wontons are great, light and super tasty. The spicy seafood udon noodles are fantastic, recommend this place 100%

Delicious! Had the popcorn chicken, seafood dolsot, and the fried chicken. Highly recommend the dolsot and fried chicken, so good, don't know why this place gets anything less than 4 starts. Prices are very reasonable. read more

Excellent new Korean place with an interesting varied menu, there's much to enjoy beyond just grilled meats. It's a cute space with nice service. read more

Yum! The seafood pancake was great, as was the spicy popcorn chicken. My friend loved her hangover soup, and the split bottle of peach soju went down easy. Nice spot with friendly service and great throwback jams on the stereo. A+. read more

Bul - Menu as of 4 May 2017 - Korean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We had the three shroom rice bowl, bulgogi rice bowl and seafood pancake. The first two were great, but the seafood pancake was mind blowing. Like a moist, decadent tortilla espanola with a hefty portion of tiny octopi and other sea creatures mingled throughout. I brought our leftover bulgogi to the office for lunch today and sparked great jealousy with its delicious aroma. I will be back. Perhaps every night this week. read more

My boyfriend and I went here on a Thursday night and we were super impressed. We both said it was one of the best meals we have had since we moved to DC. We loved the atmosphere and the service was great. They were always anticipating our needs before we even asked for something. This will definitely be a regular place for us since we live a short walk away in Woodley Park. One recommendation I would have for this place (from a graphic designer's perspective) is to get better signage. Go here if you want a great meal! read more

The food was exactly what you expected out of Korean food. The service was also friendly and fast. I could see making this restaurant my go to place for Korean food. read more

My girlfriend and I went to this restaurant and the most wonderful time. The food was delicious and the service was top notch. It made for a very wonderful time. read more

It's no Asiandale, but Bul will do! The District of Columbia dry famine of Korean barbeque has finally been quelled by the introduction of Bul. The ambiance immediately inspires the mindset of a Korean business man taking shots of soju with his associates. The decor is warm, inviting, and punchy as the Korean pop tunes flow throughout the speaker system. They have a diverse array of stews, Korean barbeque, fried chicken, banchan that will warm any soul looking for a homestyle meal. Set in an eclectic neighborhood, it's the place where raucous nights begin with a full belly. read more

Do yourself a favor...order the O-Dari (crispy squid legs). Funky spot, with a nice sake and imported beer selection. The vibe here is chill, with a fun music selection - and a pretty lovely blend of awesome clientele (think the kitsch that used to exist in DC before mass market hipsters were a thing) The menu is evolving...talk to them about what they have coming up! I look forward to adding that last star when they expand more brilliance into the menu! read more

We came across this restaurant about a year ago while just aimlessly walking in adams morgan and decided to give it a try. Recently visited this place for the second time and the food was just as delicious as we had remembered from our first time. Tried the spicy pork Dolsot this time. Wish it was a little bit more spicy (personal preference). Also, tried the JJampong. The hot spicy soup definitely hit the spot for me. Only feedback I'd like to give is for the owner to have a more prominent display for the restaurant otherwise it is an easy to miss place as no signs are posted outside the door. For a minute we thought that the place had shut down. read more

We had half the Korean Fried Chicken and the yogurt soju cocktail. A huge fan of fried chicken and especially Korean fried chicken, I have to say that both me and my friend was super impressed. The cocktail was a little pricey for a carafe but it was worth it. Great place and super cool decor as well! read more

I really enjoyed my experience and dinner here! It got really crowded quickly and I didn't have a reservation, but I found a spot at the bar with 2 of my friends and BOOM! Good times had by all. I wanted everything there because as soon as we saw what there was to offer, it all looked so appetizing. If you want full on entertainment, look no further than the soap operas that they play on their TV screens :-) Food, drinks, lots of conversation and really dope art along the walls inside. I'll be back, hopefully at a table this time. read more

Came here when the original place we wanted to go to was packed and ended up enjoying ourselves. We got the bimbim bap lunch special which came with miso soup. The miso soup was some of the best I've had...it wasn't your traditionally runny tasteless broth, it was actually flavored and good. The bulgogi bimbim bap with the traditional sauce was very good and the accompanying veggies were too. read more

Stumbled in here for a late night light dinner after attending an event in the area and we LOVED our tacos! Super affordable, each order is $7 and comes with 2 tacos. We got the spicy chicken and the bulgogi beef. Very different flavor profiles but both were super tasty. Food envy over the table that ordered the sauced drummies (called KFC on the menu). Will certainly try those when we return. Everyone working there was pleasant and helpful. We left impressed and satisfied. read more

My husband and I have been meaning to try Bul for some time, so we finally went for date night last Friday. We arrived close to 10pm and the restaurant was still full, with only 2 or 3 open tables....that was the first good sign that we were in for a treat! Our waitress, Ha, provided exceptional service, hospitality, and excellent food recommendations based on what we were craving. We ordered the pork ssam, fishcake soup, seafood pancake and KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) with the soy and extra spicy sauces on the side. Each dish was freshly prepared and delicious!!! We enjoyed every single item and serving portions were generous especially for a DC establishment. The owner stopped by our table and graciously asked how everyrhing was. We told him we love everything we ordered. Big plus that the kitchen stays open until 1:00 or 1:30 AM! We are definitely coming back and bringing friends and family to dine with us! read more

Not sure whether our server was new or not, we came on a Sunday night when it wasn't busy at all. Ordered the crab puffs which was yummy. For entrees we got the tofu dolsot (skip this,the taste was very bland) and bulgogi fried rice. Apparently he forgot the bulgogi order n it didnt come out til 30mins later. The ambiance was nice, food and service were just okay. read more

Overpriced with less than pleasant hospitality. Mediocre at best. Ordered the spicy seafood noodle soup, which is usually decent. Unfortunately, I wasn't as lucky this time and asked to have something different- which I hate doing because I've worked in restaurants my entire life- but it was honestly pretty bad and also cost 25$. They were nice and replaced the meal, however, they made me pay for the soup that I had maybe 4 bites of. Definitely won't be going back. read more

I'm gonna complain about the service of this restaurant!! I never had that bad experience like today before. When we first in this restaurant, the server told us the wait time is 30mins, we can seat in the bar, but after 10 mins, there is 3 table available, the chair in the bar is super uncomfortable, so where to put my foot, so I ask the to change the table, at this time we don't have any food on the table, They just saids No, they can't move us to the table. The other thing make me so mad is we order a soup, but there is a hair in the bowl, when I ask service, they ask me" IS THAT YOUR HAIR？" Excuse me?? I'm not a homeless! I'm a customer. They don't even say sorry or any apology to us. That's so rude. If they don't change their service, I will never go there again and I will tell all my friends don't go there anymore. Ridiculous! Horrible! Restaurant! No respect! read more

Just went back again last night and it was as delicious as the other times have been. We learned there's a new chef and they have expanded the menu. It now includes some other traditional items that people expect in Korean restaurants. My husband tried the bulgogi dol sat which was on the new menu and it was great. I went with the chicken saam which was spectacular. Another great meal! read more

Authentic Korean cuisine in a modern ambience. Highly recommend the dduk boki, seafood pancake (haemul pajeon), and soft tofu stew (soon dubu jigae) with seafood. The seafood in the latter two dishes was fresh and plump. The service is helpful and friendly. This is the closest to the real deal that you can find outside of Annandale. Finally! read more

I love Bul. It might not server the most traditional Korean food but that doesn't mean the food isn't awesome. I've been here twice and I think I already ordered half the menu. I highly recommend the grilled squid legs, Odeng soup, kalbi, and fried rice. This is definitely a drink while eating type spot since most of the dishes are smaller portions. They have a very wide selection of alcohol including soju, sake, beers, etc. They stock some pretty rare Korean traditional wines and Japanese beers. It's a good spot for a small party but they also have some additional seating on the second level if you have a bigger group. The two times I came here they were playing 90s rap which is a plus. Good food, good drinks, and good vibes. read more

Heard great things about this place so my boyfriend and I decided to check it out. We ordered Spicy Popcorn Chicken, Shishamo, and Bulgogo Dolsot. My favorite thing was the popcorn chicken which was in a spicy-sweet red pepper sauce. The Shishamo was about four crispy flying fish with shredded radish and tartar sauce. We weren't big fans of this. They were fried whole fish about the size of anchovies. The Bulgogo Dolsot was rice with bulgogi, vegetables and a raw egg on top served in a hot stone bowl. This was good, wish the rice got a little crispier in the bowl but the flavor was still very good. read more

I came from out of town and this is a spot you should try at least once. The atmosphere it's pretty urban and laid back, which I think is good because they seem to be in a location with alot of nightlife. They have music playing and pump the volume up at night time. They also have karaoke. You need to try their fried chicken, but it takes a little longer to make than other orders. I gave this place 5 stars because of the unique experience I honestly haven't found at any other Korean restaurant. read more

What a Gem of a place?! Food is authentic and the staff is very pleasant. Love the odang soup and their spicy rice cake is YUM! Their kimchi fried rice is very good too. Wish they had it with spam though - that would be extra authentic! Pair the food with soju! Found it interesting that they have soju from North Korea - couldn't partake in that tho. read more

Great food at reasonable prices. We got the crispy fish and gizzard for appetizers and they were delicious. The kalbi and pork came with rice and lettuce and the portions were large. The meat was very delicious, tender and flavorful. read more

Hidden gem. Delicious food! Great customer service. My husband loves Soju and we tried peach flavored Soju. Would recommend this place to everyone. read more

Been to Bul several times before and its going downhill. Ordered veggie dumplings, bulgogi and rice, and naked chicken wings. The chicken wings were inedible. They looked like they had been frozen and got frostbite. This is supposed to be their specialty. Amazing how nasty the wings look without sauce. We complained and they took 50% off the wings we didn't eat. Any other restaurant would have taken the wings off the bill...lame. They claimed to not know how Korean food is prepared in Korea...also lame. We won't be going back. read more

Came here for lunch - the service was so friendly, the food (we had two different bibimbap and the dessert) was exquisite, and the atmosphere was perfect for a Sunday afternoon... Although it probably won't stay that way if word gets out. (Yes, lunch was a little pricey for my taste, but nothing outside the DC norm.) Highly recommend! read more

Service was great and the bartenders are so nice! I went on a Sunday so it was super chill & we got lots of attention. And they have SO MUCH SOJU. Lemon soju is so tasty. :) read more