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    Bun’d Up

    4.0 (198 reviews)
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    BUN’D UP ATMOSPHERE

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    Front of Bun'd up
    Jon T.

    I don't really go to Pentagon Row but I'd say the food selection is interesting here. So I'm here with a group of friends and we see Bun'd up close by. We were surprised that it's actually two places in one; the front is for Bun'd Up and the other is for Noonchi which is another Korean Street Food/Bar area. I was so intrigued by both places that I decided to check out both places. This review is just purely for what I got from Bun'd Up. Walking in, there's merch and instant noodles and many open seats that are really colorful. I went here on a Tuesday night so I guess it was just really slow that night. There's a kiosk where you can order your food and after deciding on what I want, I decided to get the pick 2 bun option. I think it's like 2 for 10 bucks which wasn't bad but kind of pricy. I mean I'm in Arlington so everything will add up at some point... I picked the Braised Pork Belly Bun and the Spicy Fried Chicken Bun. The Braised Pork Belly Bun had pineapple kimchi, scallions, and cilantro lime mayo. Very interesting taste as I didn't really taste the kimchi at all but everything else did come to my taste buds. It was still good none less. The Spicy Fried Chicken Bun was good too. Gochujang glazed fried chicken with coleslaw and scallions makes for a very simple yet effective bun and I can't really complain. Both were delicious and it did keep me from getting hungry so it did it's job. Would I come back here? Maybe but I think Noonchi was the better pick out of the two. Either way with how you have to walk into Bun'd Up to get to Noonchi I actually have no choice. Check it out if you like a spin on Bao Buns!

    Bulgogi Bun, Sweet Soy Fried Chicken Bun, Fish Sauced Brussels
    Nicole W.

    Bun'd Up is in a cute little area with an open grassy area and lots of other restaurants. It was empty when we walked around 1:30pm on a Friday. No one really gave us direction on where/how to order despite seeing us walk in but I noticed a QR code on the table saying you could order. We sat in the patio so we could talk easier (the music was a tad loud inside). I had the 2 buns & fries special and a side of the Brussels sprouts. I wish I could have swapped the fries for the Brussel sprouts. The Brussels were good, but they have a ton so maybe split with someone. The buns were good too. I will say, this was very filling. I wasn't even hungry for dinner.

    Tank G.

    This is a cute little spot located in a trendy food court. There is garage parking available within a reasonable walking distance and there are a few metered spots as well. The restaurant has a decent sized dining area with a bunch of tables and a very nice outdoor patio with seating as well. I saw a large area that looks like it could be used for banquets or private events located in the back of the restaurant. You will find a television in the restaurant that was playing some weird cartoon while I was there, and they also have neo-soul music playing throughout. The restaurant serves food that comes in gao bao buns. They also make them in the burger variety. They are kind of like tapas in a gao bao bun. It is very unique, and I am here for it. They also sell ice cream, some adult beverages, and have drinks in a cooler there. They guy working the counter was friendly enough, but I will admit, I only had limited interaction with him. Be sure to check out their daily specials. I ordered a spicy fried chicken and a spicy pork belly bun. It took about 7 minutes for them to prepare, and they were fresh, hot and delicious. I did not think that they would fill me up, but they did. They were very flavorful and tasty. I really enjoyed my meal here. I was not here very long, in and out. I highly recommend checking this place out. It seems like a neat place and has a unique/exotic menu full of very tasty items. I hope to make it back here soon.

    Sweet Soy Fried Chicken Bun Braised Pork Belly Bun Fried Tofu Bun Miso Chicken Bun Fries
    Sonya L.

    Location is convenient and around a bunch of other options. We went for lunch and they had their doors open for the summer day. It was a little odd that there was no one out front. But we ordered at the kiosk and our food came out. We got one of their lunch specials: 2 buns, French fries and a drink, and another 2 buns. Miso chicken, sweet soy fried chicken, pork belly, and tofu. Buns were soft and they were filled generously with some veggies. I think I could've used less of the sauce, since it made it a little messy and could've made it soggy if we didn't eat it right away. Our favorite was the sweet soy fried chicken. Tofu was second, since it was lightly friend. Their fries were also good, crispy and freshly fried. There were a lot of bigger tables to eat at. And inside was interesting, they sell other items and snacks on the side as well.

    James H.

    Overall, food was great but had an odd experience, likely due to how early I arrived. Read summary below: Came here on Friday around 11:15am and had an okay experience. Firstly, the restaurant opens at 11am, so I know I was a bit early. It was a very rainy morning and I was running some errands so I wanted to stop here and dine-in for an early lunch. Upon walking in it appeared there was somebody in the back kitchen but no other staff monitoring the front dining area. I went straight to the order counter and begin putting in my order into their kiosk, however, the screen kept freezing then would start at the beginning. I messed around on it for about 10 mins before somebody came out to help but I just ended up using a QR code once I realized they were on the countertops facing the side of the restaurant. As I was doing all of this to order, I realized how hot it was inside, almost as if the AC broke. It also looked as if they were doing renovations of some sort so right away I kind of figured I wouldn't be dining in. Got my order through and waited about 15 minutes. As I was waiting and starting to sweat I was getting attacked by a few mosquitos on my legs. I moved a few times then decided to just wait outside in the sprinkling rain so I could get fresh air and not get a bunch of bites. I felt the wait time was fine but there was just straight silence in the main dining room (no music, no TV sounds) so it felt pretty long and awkward. Once I got my food, I left. Ate when I got back home and was pretty satisfied. Wish I actually ordered more since they had a lot of great options. I'll likely come here again so hopefully I can dine-in in the future.

    Gua Bao: Bulgogi, Spicy Fried Chicken, Fried Shrimp
    Jacky C.

    Specializes in Gua Bao. Each one is $5, unless you order three, and you get $1 discount. I tried out their Bulgogi, Spicy Fried Chicken, and Fried Shrimp. They can be slightly messy as they're like a taco with sauce and other toppings on each one. I particularly liked the Bulgogi and Fried Shrimp the best. Pretty good spot to grab a quick snack.

    DO NOT EAT HERE! I just got to DC and was looking for something quick to eat to hold me over until my dinner tonight. Wrong decision! I ordered the 3 bun special off of DoorDash. One mushroom, one beef bulgogi, and one fried chicken. The buns were old and dry, the chicken was old and hard as a rock and the mushroom bun had the most DISGUSTINGGGGG clump of hair in my bun. It was long that I thought it was a rat tail. I'm quite literally gaggin right now. I've never experienced anything like this before. This place is filthy and disgusting.

    Fried vegan dumplings and a mushroom bao
    Vinh N.

    Cute place in Pentagon Row. I think this used to be a Spanish or Italian restaurant before the pandemic. I came on a Monday evening where I was the only dine-in customer although I did see several pickup orders. Ordering is at the counter. Had the vegan dumplings and a mushroom bao. The food was not exceptional based on similar dishes at other restaurants. They have free play video games which is a plus.

    Victoria N.

    In the area? Check this place out! Great deal and tasty Asian food! 3 baos for $13! What a steal for the DMV area. I came here for dinner, before I went to the speakeasy, Sparrow Room, in the Pentagon Row area. I had ordered the pork belly, friend shrimp, and beef bulgolgi. Loved how flavorful the porky belly and beef bulgolgi baos were. I would probably switch the fried shrimp to a different bao. It had a crunch and did taste like shrimp; however, it was uneventful.

    Pork belly, soy fried chicken, spicy fried chicken
    Ellie D.

    I love this place and the flavor of the buns. They're fun and delicious and I think it's worth a try if you're in the area. Just be prepared to need more food later because it won't fill you up. The down side: the chairs aren't friendly to anyone who has hips or isn't super skinny. But they sure are a cute aesthetic. $13 for three bao buns isn't bad, but they don't fill you up and I'd hope $13 dollars would go a little bit farther than as an appetizer. What we got: Soy fried chicken - 5* fat-freaking-tastic Spicy fried chicken - 4* nice flavor, the chicken was a bit tough Mushroom - 4* I do not like mushrooms so this rating/review comes from my partner. It was really yummy but mostly just mushroom. Pork belly - 3* nothing spectacular Bulgogi - 4.5* it's got a little kick to it and boy is it tasty!

    Joyce W.

    Bun'd Up is located in Pentagon city right next to Mimi's ice cream. No reservations needed. It's a pretty casual spot that gives off takeout vibes but there are plenty of seats inside. You order on toastab and they bring out the food. Utensils and water cups are in the back of the restaurant. We got the cucumber salad, bulgogi bowl, bao bun, and loaded tots (additional add on you want meat on top). They also have a happy hour menu with discounts on some shared bites. The food was good but the bulgogi was not as flavorful or spicy as I had hoped. I'd recommend it for a casual hang out (and you can get dessert afterwards right next door!)

    Menu
    Dan A.

    This spot was on the list and we were in the area so stopped in. Takeout was the only option as they are renovating. My last visit to Pentagon Row was in the summer-a great atmosphere given the shops, restaurants and the outdoor square/grassy area. A different feel as It was a cold January day & the Ice Skaters were out enjoying the rink. Wasn't planning on ordering an appetizer but the Loaded Tater Tots sounded too good and they didn't disappoint. Pork Belly, Scallions and the Crab Rangoon Dip was a revelation. Excellent! Got the "Choose 3 Buns"-unfortunately they were out of fried chicken (spicy, sweet soy) so we got Bulgogi, Shrimp & Pork Belly. All three were tasty with Bulgogi and Pork belly as the favorites. Prices are also reasonable. Service was friendly and order was ready when promised. Would've been good for them to post (on their site) they are renovating this location. Will be back to try the chicken and see the results of the Reno. Don't miss the Loaded Tots!

    Inside seating area

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    The burger was covered in a nasty sauce and the cheese was like burnt on to the meat but the service was okay.

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    Dishonor to my cow and my entire family for not taking a picture of this food! The people here were…read moreso kind--literally the sweetest. I don't even know how to describe the energy in this place, but you can just feel it the moment you walk in. The restaurant has a dark aesthetic that gives it such a cool, cozy ambiance. My daughter and I ordered the Dan Dan noodles and spicy wontons. Everything was so filling that we ended up ordering another bowl of the Dan Dan noodles! And honestly, I still crave them. The Dan Dan noodles were SO good. The sauce was the perfect combination of creamy and spicy, and there was a generous amount of minced pork that balanced everything out really well. The wontons paired perfectly with the chili sauce that came with them! They were spicy--my ears turned red and my nose started running--but I literally could not stop going back for another bite. Even the wontons alone were incredibly filling. I don't live anywhere near this place, and I genuinely wish I did. I traveled pretty far to get here, and I'd absolutely do it again. This was one of those meals that stays on your mind long after you've left!

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    Bun’d Up - taiwanese - Updated October 2026

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