Hama Hippo in Fullerton seriously hit the spot. We ordered the seafood pancake, tofu soup, and galbi and every single dish came out on point. The seafood pancake was one of the better ones I've had in the area. Crispy on the outside, packed with seafood, and not overly greasy. You still get that soft, savory inside with the green onion flavor coming through, and it pairs perfectly with the dipping sauce. The tofu soup came out boiling hot like it should, with a deep, comforting broth that had real flavor instead of just spice. The tofu was silky, the portion was generous, and it's the kind of dish that makes you slow down for a second because it's so satisfying. The galbi was the standout for me. Super tender, well marinated, and grilled with that slight char that gives it the smoky sweetness. It didn't need anything extra, but wrapping it with the banchan and rice made it even better. Speaking of banchan, they were fresh and kept coming without us having to ask. Service was quick and the food came out fast even though the place was busy. The whole restaurant has a fun, energetic vibe and feels like a great spot for a casual dinner with friends or a late night meal. Everything we ordered was solid and I'd come back specifically for the galbi and tofu soup again. Fullerton has a lot of options but this one is definitely worth putting into the regular rotation. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Seafood pancake - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

We came here because they take the InKind app. We got the Korean Fried Chicken, Dolsot Bibimpbap, and Galbitang. Your standard, tasty Korean food. The side dishes were really good! Here are things that are unique about this place: 1) Modern vibes 2) They take InKind but they also charge 2.5% surcharge 3) Good presentation (I think the place is a little more welcoming to non-Koreans) 4) Good diversity of Korean food read more

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TL;DR Great, deeply flavored mae eun daeji galbi (spicy pork rib). Good comforting korean food. Professional service. Food I got the mae eun daegi galbi (spicy pork rib) and janchi guksu (party noodles). The mae eun daeji galbi was so delicious! The marinade was packed with flavor, but not too spicy. The char on the meat tasted so good with the marinade, highly recommend. The janchi guksu had a very clean anchovy taste. It had soft zucchini, carrots, and egg that pairs very well with the noodles and broth. Too hungry for pictures this time. Service and Ambiance There was one lady serving all the tables, and the place is huge! She was very professional, kind, and attentive, despite the place being busy. read more

I believe that I haven't eaten galbi tang from a restaurant before, so I wanted to try it this time here. The light broth had a nicely rich and hearty flavor. Just by itself, the broth was very delicious, and I made sure not to leave any leftovers. You get tongs to pull meat from the two large short ribs provided. You can also dip the meat in a savory sauce with pickled radish. There were some glass noodles (a little less than expected). The jujubes inside the soup made for an interesting aside of sweet flavor, but the combination still worked. Like in past visits, service was great. Although there was only one server, she made sure all our needs were met. read more

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My local Korean spot (da Rae) closed so I wanted to try something new, so here I am at hamahippo and it's well worth it. So glad I found this spot. It's my new go to for Korean! Everything is quality and super friendly service. I got the spicy cold noodles, beef bulgogi, and the japchae. All delicious. The ambience can be a little loud due to all the hard surfaces, but there's nice plants and wooden accents in the dining area. The food is so damn good and very reasonable prices. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Beef Bulgogi - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

The flavor of the soup is perfect. It has depth and tons of flavor. It came out as medium spice level and I can definitely can go higher, but I like spice. The japchae also taste good, there's more ingredients in it making it more filling. The banchan is fresh and taste delicious, my favorite was their sweet potato! The galbi was cooked perfectly, really juicy and had lots of flavor. The service was excellent. Came in around dinner time and was seated right away! We didn't wait long until our order was ready. They also serve everything in the correct order by giving us our banchan first, then the japchae, then the main course of tofu soup and galbi. It's very clean inside and has plenty of seating. There was ample parking when we were there on a rainy day. I prefer this spot over BCD tofu house and it's a tough competitor against Kaju Soft Tofu. I'll definitely come back here again with a tofu soup craving. read more

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I came here with a friend because I wanted to try their galbi tang. We came on a Friday night and it wasn't too busy. They had a nice clean modern look to the restaurant. Plenty of parking! Let me start with the sides. I've never seen the crab salad and the cucumber tomato as a banchan at other Korean restaurants. Both were my favorite out of the sides. I got the galbi tang and seafood pancake. For the galbi tang I didn't need to add extra seasonings, it was perfect the way it way. Warmed me up and made my taste buds happy. The seafood pancake was also delicious. Perfectly crispy and soft. My favorite thing was that they gave us Korean rice punch for free after the meal. Which was a nice surprise because it's one of my favorite Korean drinks! read more

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Went here on a Monday for a late lunch. We had a big group and the restaurant was able to accommodate us with no issues. No delays in service at all. Food were great and very flavorful. We had a few family members who were vegetarians and love the fact the restaurant had a good variety of items for the to enjoy with us. Very clean restaurant. Will definitely come back. read more

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First time dining at HamaHippo. The owner was incredibly kind and welcoming. We ordered a soondubu and a galbitang. The side dishes that came out were well seasoned and went along with rice. The owner gave us service with a fried zucchini side dish. Honestly, one of the best side fried zucchinis I've ever eaten. The restaurant is quite large and does not have the feel of a Korean restaurant, but has modern feel to it. I was even complimented on my basic kindergartener Korean skills. read more

Ordered galbi tang and it was exactly what I needed. It was hearty and came out very hot on a cold day. It was savory and had the perfect flavor! There was one lady handling all of the tables, so service was a bit slow but she was very nice and attentive to my son when needed. Will definitely return if I'm craving hearty soup! read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - 26 - GALBI TANG - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

Tucked in a small plaza with a small parking lot. Visited on a Sunday evening. There were only a few parties dining when my group arrived. The interior was modern but also cozy with touches of fake greenery to brighten up the space. There were two ladies serving the restaurant. The lady who served us was very nice, attentive and helpful. My group had a few questions, which she answered with patience and kindness. The other lady was busy helping other tables so we didn't have much interaction with her. The food was amazing! You can't go wrong with anything you pick on the menu. I will say though that 2 people in my group can't handle spice and they thought the Hama Chicken was spicy but still said it was good. I wanted to save my appetite for my own dish, which was their pork soondubu (mild spice). I love spicy food so this was very mild- I never know an individual restaurant's spice range so I always go with mild to be safe. It was still very good and warmed my soul! I also got their special kimchi pancake, which was so good, crispy, and flavorful! They also give ban chan (side dishes), which was all so good! Everyone enjoyed their dishes. I'm so glad I found this place on Yelp and was able to try it out. Now I have a go to place for Korean food when I need a fix! read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Food are always very good Service is great . Good Korean food Ambiance is clean too. read more

Beef soondubu was decent -- they don't ask for a spice level and it comes out as a mild-medium. The egg is only available upon request since according to the server, it can change the flavor of the dish. Their banchan is actually elite and one of the best I've had as far as I can remember. The fish cake, tomatoes, broccoli, and salad were all so flavorful -- might be even more than the main dish. The service is slow and our whole dinner took over an hour, but it's probably cuz there's only one server holding it down for the whole restaurant for both dine-in and take-out orders. Shoutout to Sarah! I'll be back to try the other popular dishes out but I'll temper my expectations with their long waits for dinner. (Side note they also have a 2.5% card surcharge) read more

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Food is fantastic. Great service. I feel like I have tried so many things and everything is fantastic. The inside is larger than I imagined- not huge, but I've never had to wait for a table. read more

Awesome fried chicken and beef ribs soup! Nice staff but but poor follow ups and it is noticeable that Korean patrons are treated much better. I don't know why some Korean restaurants do this. It is not cool!! Not nice and poor experience. Unfortunate because their food is pretty good. I want to come back but thinking about experience makes me not want to! I would need to drag a Korean with me if I do haha! read more

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I came on a weekday, can't remember the day of the week. I was excited to try the latest tofu house in fullerton. Their banchan is so tasty, great flavor. I really like their fish cake and kimchi. I ordered the popular pho like soup, and my dad ordered the spicy tofu soup. In my opinion because I love lots of spiciest I prefer the tofu soup! read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Beef soup 26 - GALBI TANG - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

Got a takeout lunch order from HamaHippo. I ordered two bulgogi lunch specials to go. I got our food quickly and it was well packaged. The food was tasty and I appreciated the multiple types of kimchi and additional side dishes... bean sprout salad, fish cakes, radishes, along with white rice. The portion of bulgogi was generous and tasty. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen in Fullerton is hands down the best Korean restaurant I've tried this year--not just in Fullerton, but anywhere! I ate here last night and I'm still thinking about it. We ordered the kimchi pork soondubu, and OMG, the soup was incredible. It had such incredible depth and layered flavors--the perfect balance of spicy, tangy, and savory. Every spoonful made me excited for the next bite. The grilled pork ribs were another highlight: tender, flavorful, and with a generous portion that left us completely satisfied. The banchan (side dishes) were outstanding too! We especially loved the sweet pumpkin and the perfectly fermented kimchi--fresh, vibrant, and refilled generously. The restaurant itself has a super clean, modern vibe, and the upbeat music playing created such a happy, welcoming atmosphere. Service was top-notch; our waitress checked on us regularly and even offered more banchan without us asking. Plenty of parking in the lot, which is always a plus. I absolutely loved everything about HamaHippo and can't wait to return soon. If you're craving authentic, delicious Korean food, this is the spot--easily the best of 2025 for me! read more

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The food here was amazing, not pictured we also purchased the Hama Chicken appetizer that the menu notes needs extra time as they make hot and fresh for you. There was no lack of flavor, everything truly tasted exceptional. The banchan was good and different from other Korean places we have tried. A couple of them were a sweet balsamic cucumber and tomato, fried zucchini as well as sweet glazed pumpkin. The prices with portions are very good, portions are pretty large and can easily be shared or enjoyed individually. The staff is very nice and attentive. Asked us if we had any questions and gave suggestions based on preferences. Parking is easy and the ambiance was nice with music, not too loud. It was a wonderful first time experience and I'm excited to go back read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - 35B - PORK RIBS SPICY - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Great korean food with free parking and takes rezzies?! This is it! I had never heard of Hamahippo before but I was doing a Yelp & Google search for restaurants near St Jude as I was going to meet a colleague there and saw amazing reviews of the food and staff so I made us a reservation so we wouldn't have a wait at lunch time. We were greeted promptly and warmly shown to a table which had a little "reserved" placard on it which I appreciated. Large two-sided menu with options for everybody and I like that they labeled it "spicy" or not as I have a pretty wimpy palette. I got their popular beef bibimbop hot stone pot and it was so good! It was definitely hot in that I was sweating as I ate over this hot sizzling stone pot but the food was amazing. All of the banchan they serve it with we're delicious. We also got the soy glazed fried chicken wings which were sweet and crunchy and delicious... the wings must be from a weight lifting chicken because they were nice and meaty. The restaurant is clean as out of the bathrooms and I would definitely come back here again. read more

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What a pleasant and yummy find! We were looking for a nearby restaurant while in Fullerton and found this gem. The restaurant has a very open and casual vibe. We found plenty of seating on a Friday evening around 7. The staff was welcoming and the food came out fairly quick. At first glance the side dishes didn't seem impressive. But looks can be deceiving. Both my husband and I thought that they were one of the highlights of our meal. For our main dishes we tried the scallion pancake, dumpling tofu soondubu (stew) and the "KFC" chicken wings. The only thing we thought could have been better was the chicken. I wish it had a little more seasoning on it. But otherwise everything was very good. I was also impressed with the variety of vegetarian dishes on their menu. We would definitely come back again to try some of their other dishes. read more

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Such a great spot for authentic and delicious Korean food! Wasn't sure what to expect from this little unassuming place, but it did not disappoint. Thoroughly enjoyed the Dolsot Bibim Bap and Gomtang soup. It was the perfect amount for two people and the flavors were spot on. The crispy rice on the bibim bap was perfect and it had a great ratio of toppings. I would absolutely go back and order the same, but also would want to try so many other items. Chef's kiss! Other positives: staff was super friendly, attentive, and helpful and the price was really good! read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - 7 - DOLSOT BIBIM BAP - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Was in the area with the fam, so decided to try this place out. There aren't many food options for dinner in the vicinity, so having this spot here was great. The outside is unassuming, with the normal strip mall vibe, but when you walk inside, you are welcomed to a nicer than average restaurant. The food was traditional Korean fare. We got the beef bulgogi, spicy pork bulgogi and the pork ribs. All the dishes are served with rice and a range of accoutrements. The food was great, the ribs were tender and juicy, the bulgogi had a more refined flavor, not like the regular stuff you can buy at Costco (which I also really like). The only one that was a miss was the spicy pork bulgogi. It was okay, not my favorite, or my son's. The service was great, we were seated immediately and the server took our orders and was very attentive. Also of note is that soft drinks are from a can, so no free refills. Like with the other places I like, swing by if you're in the area. read more

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I wanted to like this place but woefully understaffed and under trained wait staff... unfortunately won't return even though it is down the street from my relatives house... had to wait more than 10 mins to order though the restaurant was half empty ... food took over 30 mins and then waited even longer for the bill.. read more

We chose this place for lunch since we were in the area for a Taekwondo competition. The reviews online were good so we wanted to try them out. All of the food that were ordered were delicious. We ordered the beef soon du boo, Galbi tang, tofu japchae, and tofu bibimbap. The only reason why this place didn't get five stars is because the menu item that my friend wanted to order was sold out. He was really bummed about that. Otherwise, our waitress was extremely nice and friendly. Great ambience. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - 5 - K.F.C. - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

Me and my friend were craving Korean food and decided to give HamaHippo a try. Their portions are a good size for their price and they offer very fresh tasting banchan. The restaurant was also spacious, clean, and had lots of parking outside! read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

My favorite new lunch spot. Fresh ingredients balanced flavors the staff makes you feel welcomed and like your old friends.

The perfect summer meal to end with after a long day of work. Great service and friendly staff. It's so nice to see generations of families coming here to eat dinner together, but even as a solo traveler like myself, I didn't feel out of place in the atmosphere. Definitely would love to come back when I'm in town. read more

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Food here was decent and parking is easy. Unfortunately, the service here was lacking.

20/10 I go to a lot of different Korean restaurants and this one is 40 minutes away from my house. I am willing to drive this far when there's zero traffic that's how bomb it is. The food is great. They need a bell or something cuz someone could easily snatch up some plants and a tv. But overall food was the best. Server cute and nice read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Bomb - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

Very quiet inside, but a nice cafe-like atmosphere. Banchans were interesting, a mix of traditional ones like kimchi, fishcake, bean sprouts, and some more American style ones like broccoli and vinegary tomato and onion + Pajun Korean Scallion Pancake ($15.95): bit doughy and could be crispier but green onions were delicious (7/10) + Pork Cutlet ($20.95): good portion of pork, cabbage salad dressing was delicious, perfectly vinegary and sweet (7.5/10) read more

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Traditional Korean food in an ambient modern setting, served by one of the most caring and most intentional owners I've seen. All of their Banchan (side dishes) are made fresh in house, and I'm obsessed with them. They have an amazing spread and everything is absolutely delicious. Whenever you're looking for Korean comfort food, this is the spot to go to! Great service, and have only had the best experiences here :) read more

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We came here on a whim and it turned out to be the best comfort Korean food spot! Everything that we ordered tasted so rich and delicious I'm sure a lot of their other items are great too, I'll be coming back here often. (I also love their banchan spread and the dish I got was super warm and great for a cold day) It didn't look like there were a lot of servers but they were still very attentive and sweet. Other than that it's a nice cozy vibe in there and definitely a place for a solid eat and chat. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Vibe - Overall, the place is a cute and simple little Korean restaurant! Feels a little hip as they play modern music, sometimes Korean and sometimes English. There's a bathroom towards the back right corner, only for guests. Service - Super sweet and friendly! The lady, who I think is the owner? Is so adorable. Super kind and remembered us from our first previous visit. My mom wanted to try the Soondae so she explained what it is and sort of what the taste would be like. I can agree and see that service might be a little slow but they don't seem to have many people so I'm typically pretty understanding about that. Food - Delicious! That's why we're here a second time. Food quality seems consistent so far but we've only been here two times and only during their quieter times. Tofu Japchae: Not super oily and had a light healthy taste! Japchae had lots of yummy vegetables, including wood ear mushrooms! Soondae: my mom's first try of this dish and she loved it! She told me it was really flavorful and, to her, didn't taste too much like blood. Bibim Naengmyun: These cold noodles are my mom's absolute favorite but you can't always find these in every Korean restaurant. We asked for less noodles, extra broth, and extra radish. She loves this dish because it's super refreshing and light but still packs just enough of a punch. It's not heavy or oily or anything else like some other dishes can sometimes be. We will definitely come back a third and more times because my mom does like this place! It's a really lovely restaurant. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Inside area - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

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So nice to find a good quality Korean dish options on this side of town! The dishes here are delicious and decently priced. We ordered bibimbap, galbi tang, KFC (Korean Fried Chicken, and Hama Wings. The galbi tang and KFC were my favorites. Hama wings were soy chili glazed and super flavorful! We came for an early dinner around 5pm and it was pretty chill. It definitely gets busy during the regular dinner rush starting around 6pm. They are located in a plaza with plenty of parking. Definitely a more modern vibe in the restaurant. Can't wait to come back and try more food. read more

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Service was amazing. Dishes where phenomenal. Will definitely be back. Staff even took the time to help cut the meat off my parners meal, (he has nerve damage in his arm) read more

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The food was very fresh and delicious. I got mul naengmyun since it's my go-to for hot days and I was surprised how much I liked it here. I'd give it a 9.5 out of 10. It would've been perfect if I had just a few more noodles. It came with beef, radish, cucumber, and Asian pear and ofc they give you the mustard and vinegar on the side. The side dishes were pretty good. I did wish there was more variety, but each place has their own things they make. A lot of these ones were on the sour side. The service was great. I actually felt bad since there was only one server, but she was going to every table and paid attention to us a lot. The ambiance was very relaxing. The music was a bit loud, but not overpowering with hard hitting/loud bass music, I appreciate that they played softer music. The lighting inside was nice too since it was dimmer than other places. It made the restaurant feel cool in this hot weather. I definitely will come again and try their other food. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Side dishes (banchan/반찬) - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Small portions. Big prices. Food was tasty just left still hungry. Store was very clean.

Interior was really nice. Service was ok, a bit slow and not very attentive. The banchan was super delicious though, but very sparse for 3 people and they didn't offer refills. The veggie dumpling tofu soup was quite flavorless. I think they added too much cucumber so the flavor was quite diluted. This was a common theme in all of our tofu soups (3 of us all ordered different variants of tofu soup). read more

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HamaHippo is a cute korean restaurant near downtown fullerton. They have a large menu with all the classics. Service was a bit slow. They provide warm tea and lots of sides to enjoy with your meal, which I always love! We loved the japchae - great flavor on the noodles and beef plus some good veggies. The korean fried chicken was seasoned really well and had a great crunch. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - korean fried chicken - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

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