Good food, although a bit on the saltier side. Decent service. Atmosphere relaxing. Seems short handed on help as was a little wait and tables were not cleaned. read more

Excellent service, kind waitress and owner! We went for a brunch / lunch around 11:30 am. There was one other party seated other than us as it was before lunchtime. We got the Hama Chicken a bit spicy, and galbitang which was one of their specialties! It was all very tasty, I loved the presentation as well. Their banchans (side dishes) were pretty good, had a clean taste to it. It was cool in there, which was great because it was getting to be a hot day. Would come back Loved how they got a green interior, with banana trees and ferns! read more

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My friend and I were in the mood for some comforting Korean food for dinner and we wanted to try out a new place. We were surprised about how spacious and nice the interior was. It's very comfy and reminds me very much of a cafe with its bright lights, light wood furniture, and plants. Now onto the food, the food hit the spot perfectly! They had a variety of side dishes that were good to nibble on while we were waiting for our food.I got the beef soft tofu soup and it was the perfect spice level for me not to mention really hearty with ingredients. I don't think that you can change the spice level unfortunately (at least they didn't give me an option to) but I think it's a comfortable spice level personally. My friend ordered the gomtam which smelled delicious and was piping hot. I almost wished I ordered hers. We also ordered the dumplings to share and they were nice and crispy. They were also really satisfying even though they were vegetarian. All in all I would definitely come back again to try some of their other dishes! read more

Finally tried this place after passing by it several times. Staff are great and very friendly. It was very comfortable, clean, and busy. The quality of the food is very good and I thought the prices were reasonable. I really enjoyed the banchan and the tender ribs. My daughter thought the meat was too sweet in the bibimbap but overall, very plentiful with lots of vegetables. We are definitely coming back. read more

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I enjoy dining in as well as take out at Hamahippo, the interior design is well put together and has a clean aesthetic. My family go to meal is the Hama wings, Yukaejang and Kimchu Soondubu. I love the food here, although I believe it can be a hit or miss depending on how salty you eat. I am fairly easy going if the food is more salty or on the bland side. But, I know for others, they have more particular taste buds for salt intake. read more

I went yesterday with my sister late at night for the first time and omg the food was amazing!!! Their prices are so reasonable, its really hard to find places like this nowadays. I love the service, the lady that helped us was so kind and genuine. I will definitely come back!! read more

Mediocre food. Gom Tang and Yukgyejang were full of msgs. Waited about 30 min. to get side dishes. It's Friday evening. why don't you guys have proper staffing to serve. read more

Rarely does a restaurant hit all the bells. HammaHippo does so with flying colors. An absolute gorgeous interior that is spotless and spacious. There are a lot of Korean restaurants in many of them are just cookie cutter stamps where the flavors are all the same. Hama is a little different, where I pride myself on my Korean cooking and was blown away that it was not just a little better than mine, but Miles apart. The scallion pancake is a must for an appetizer. Don't know how they get it so crunchy and yet tender at the same time). I ordered the LA Ribs that were fork, tender, and not too sweet, which was very much appreciated. Don't forget about all the delicious (Little Plates) Babchan...So yummy! AMPLE parking, which is important to this guy because he drives something special. I can't wait to return! read more

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I've been Hamahippo a few times and they're fantastic when it comes to soups! Their mandoo gook (aka dumpling soup) is on point. The broth is super rich, just like the one you wish your long lost great grandma used to make. Perfect for cold weather, oh and also try their wings, to die for if you are into spicy sauces! read more

This cold noodles is a refreshing soup made with chewy buckwheat noodles, a sweet-tart broth and some crunchy pear, cucumber, radish for the toppings. This is a perfect dish for summer lunch!!! Ambiance is nice and clean, and music is cute! Also very friendly service~ I'll definitely come back read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Mul naengmyun - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

Bravo! What a wonderful find for our family this evening! Not only is the food a 10 out of a 10, it's beautifully presented and made with love. I wish it hadn't taken us over a year to find it, but now that we have, we will be back soon. . We ordered different items from the menu and each person exclaimed how delicious their meal was! Thank you for your warm hospitality Sara. We will see you on our next visit to your lovely restaurant! People: DON'T miss going here! read more

I have eaten here twice and my wife has eaten here at least six times. We live nearby and we have been very impressed with both the service and the food. Incredibly fresh and a large array of Korean dishes. The prices are reasonable and the service very good. read more

You guys, don't fall for the recent fake 5 star reviews. Sarah, the owner, is disorganized and unapologetic for our order that came out incorrectly. All smiles when we're seated but when we brought up our order was incorrect, she switches like Jekyll and Hyde. Zero f's given about their mistake and tried to turn it onto us. What an experience. Just no. read more

Food was good but for this price l think its portion is a bit small!!!! Service and staffs are all perfect!!!! I will come back if I have chance read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Sundubu soup and grilled pork rib - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

Wow! My wife and I have been bummed since our favorite Korean restaurant in Corona closed down. While Fullerton isn't exactly close, we found HamaHippo on the way home from the Brea Mall. We both ordered soups and were blown away! Super delicious. Ban Chan was great too. Mostly, the restaurant is slightly Americanized and has a trendier, cleaner feel than most Korean places. We will be back! Would have taken pics but the food was too good! Here's my empty bowl. Haha read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - This was dduk mandu gguk. Haha - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

Good food Good service The place is clean. Plenty of parking space I had the Korean buckwheat cold noodles. Yummy! We'll be back read more

This restaurant was previously The Hungry Bear Restaurant for many years and now it became a Korean restaurant. When I was amused by the dramatic change inside as soon as I stepped in, I noticed the old regular The Hungry Bear Restaurant customers poking their heads in to see and every single one of them were not only sad but also very impressed with the transformation. Compare to the past, it is very bright, fresh and clean with chic lamps, woods and greeneries around the room. The space feels much bigger, too. It has more of a cafe ambiance than restaurant, which I like about. The server was lovely and welcoming. She recommended her favorite dishes and moved very quickly with serving the dishes as soon as everything came out of the kitchen. One of the dishes we ordered was a boiling hot pot and she made sure that we were safe before she laid it down. Great service! I would say the food is not that impressing, unfortunately. And, the price is just not justifiable. Each of the dishes have good portion and they tasted ok but it was just plain and there's nothing special about it compare to other Korean restaurants. read more

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Food was great. Had fried tofu special and galbitang. Both were good! The ambiance of the place was good too. read more

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Home style food. You can taste mama san's TLC. Seafood scallion pancake is unexceptionally. read more

Simplest way I'd describe HamaHippo is that every dimension here is elevated and very tastefully done. From the banchan, choice and quantity of ingredients in each dish, just impeccable. Fun fact: even the interior design is done by the owner herself. What I am implying here is that "having an eye for things" shows in many ways. I don't ever write reviews, and I am very picky. This is my favorite Korean restaurant in Fullerton/Buena Park area, not even close read more

Delicious Korean food, with a hip and modern twist! We had the spicy cold noodles and spicy tofu soup with dumplings. The order came with flavorful side dishes that were refilled by request. Servers were very friendly and attentive. Beautiful interior, loved the ambiance of the place. Definitely coming back here, highly recommend! read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Bibim nenmyun (spicy cold noodles) - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Service and food were amazing (especially the banchan). Our waitress was very attentive to us. The decor was so cute!! read more

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

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I think this is now my favorite Korean restaurant to go to. 1) staff are outstanding, they do great job, and very friendly 2) Food is outstanding, I usually have the Hama Special Dolsot Bibimbap, which I think is the best around. Something that's interesting is that with the red Bibim sauce they also give you a bottle of Sesame oil which I've never seen before. I add this around the edge, which I think makes the rice crispier (I might be wrong) 3) Kimchi is made at Hama Hippo,it is very fresh, and again is outstanding. About medium on the spiceness. 4) All the Banchan items are spot on and fresh. I always finish them, and you can ask for them to be replenished if you want more. 5) If you like supporting local restaurants, and you like Korean, this is absolutely the place to go. 6) Oh and the Japchae is great as well. 7) One of the Banchan items they had last visit yesterday was a Kobacha mash. I've never had it before, and it was delightful. I'm off to H-Mart to get some Kobacha to see if I can replicate the mash. Apparently it's a secret recipe, so there's going to be some experimentation tonight. 8) Pictures are after I started, I'm a messy eater, so plates are not pristine, they are pristine straight from the kitchen. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

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The food is always hot, fresh and delicious! Can't complain about the service either, they're always attentive and welcoming. I love this place, it's one of our favorite restaurants to visit. read more

Good food but poor value. The portions here are small yet the prices are high. Our favorite was the KFC, which is 7 pieces of wings. It came right out of the fryer and was flavorful and juicy. Least favorite was the bulgogi, which was served on a pool of liquid on the cast iron skillet. The galbi was good but not worth $32. The galbi tang is served with 2 ribs and is good but pretty standard. The ambiance is a little sterile but the service is friendly and efficient. read more

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First visit, pretty nice and chill place. A bit busy Saturday dinner, a lot of family with kids. Kind of feels like lack of staffing. Servers were really nice and friendly but can tell their are super occupied. KFC chicken is BOMB! Small dishes are authentic Korean tastes! Bibim Bap is sooo good! Squid Bibim Bap is a little too salty for our taste, with more rice may be better. Overall, a great Korean place to check it out! Will be back again!! read more

This is a hidden gem. The food is consistently delicious, the flavors were impressive, the portion sizes were generous and well priced. The staff were accommodating and friendly making us feel welcome. We will be coming back for sure. read more

This place is delicious! I had ordered the gamjatang and pork ribs. The gamjatang was SO GOOD. The gamjatang has so much flavor and so much meat. The pork ribs were so good and haven't had a place that serves ribs like these especially with the charcoal taste which I really enjoyed. The service was a little slow but the food definitely makes up for it. This is definitely my new favorite Korean restaurant to eat at! read more

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I ordered the beef tofu soup (soondoobu), my mom the pork bulgogi, and my dad the Mandu guk (dumpling soup). There's no adjustment to the level of spice for the soondoobu and it was pretty bland when it came out, but super stuffed with lots of tofu and beef. The dishes for the soondoobu and pork bulgogi usually come out sizzling but when I cracked my egg in my soup, it wasn't hot enough and didn't cook overall, food was okay, but definitely want to give it another try. Side dishes were really good! read more

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Was worth coming here. I enjoyed the food. Good ambiance. Service was 4/5. They cared and paid attention.

So glad we have a solid Korean spot in this area! Came during their opening week -- the front can be misleading, as the doors are solid wood (not transparent) and windows may be dark. But look for the neon OPEN sign in the window. They're usually closed on Sundays. Inside, the space is very bright, well designed, and spacious. Lots of seating, with booth seats along the walls. Tried their Gomtang, which looks like their signature dish. Tasty broth, and came with good portions of rice noodles and rice. They'll also bring a few jars of salt/pepper/green onion so you can add to taste. They do have some high chairs, but during opening week they only had 2 for the restaurant. My wife and daughter approved, and this will be a regular rotation for us! read more

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

Unfortunately this place is a miss. I ordered the spicy pork lunch box and a noodle soup. The side dishes were ok, but the kimchi here is very salty. When the pork came out the pork was also very salty to the point where I was constantly eating rice to combat the saltiness. The noodle soup was decent but there were eggshells in the soup which was just super disappointing. The interior of this place is very modern and nice, and the service here is really good but the food quality here is just very subpar. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

Very clean and quaint. Service was simple yet very friendly I only had the Beef Soondubu (#10) and it was perfect! Spicy yet very tasty! We also tried the K.F.C. Chicken (#4) which was crispy yet very moist. My 2 best friends came along and one had the Dolsot Bibim Bap (#6) and the other had the Bibim Bap (#8) and both of them seemed to have enjoyed it. Prices are a bit high but overall, I think it's a great place to get your Korean food fix. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Current Menu as of May 2024 (Main - Front) - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Alright, update: 5 stars. I mean, I only had commentary about the lack of happy hour. But honestly, this place deserves the 5 stars. The service is so nice here, and they just added some new items to their menu. Like this pork cutlet!!!! Also, they now carry Cass beer! The vibes are always chill, lowkey, and just comfortable. Im embarrassed to say that I've been here 2 days in a row, but it's just that good. Maybe one day I want pork. The next day, I want marinated chicken and rice. Which is quite tasty also. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Pork cutlet comes with rice and cabbage - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

Food: This is just on the bibimbap- so colorful and piping hot on the sizzling stone pot. The best I've had. Service: Quick, Attentive, with a smile- feels like I'm at my aunts home. We got plenty banchan and sweet rice drink at the end. Ambiance:Quick and clean. Very modern decor, not what you typically see in a Korean restaurant. read more

HamaHippo Korean Kitchen - Stone pot bibimbap - Korean Near Me - Fullerton, California

My son and I stopped in on Saturday night to try HamaHippo. There was a decent crowd and only 2 servers. We waited at the door for at least 5 minutes before we were greeted. We finally got seated and waited nearly 15 minutes to be waited on. We had enough and walked out. What poor service!!! read more

My friends and I went to a newly opened Korean gem, a brand new Korean family restaurant in Fullerton. I went to try their steaming bowl of Galbi Tang, and it took center stage. It was amazing. The menu boasts a variety of authentic Korean delights, from the crispy and perfectly seasoned Korean fried chicken to the delicate and flavorful kimchi pancakes, every dish showcases the restaurant's commitment to quality ingredients and culinary excellence. The ambiance is cozy and inviting, and very clean. The friendly staff add to the overall warmth, ensuring a memorable dining experience. In conclusion, this new Korean restaurant is a must-visit for those craving an authentic taste of Korea. It was about time we had a family Korean restaurant on this side of Fullerton. No need to drive to Buena Park or Garden Grove. Glad this place opened up. Will be visiting again... read more

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Good portions, great taste. Ordered bibimbap, japchae. Side dishes were nice too. Will go again. We ordered to go.

Authentic Korean Food, well prepared and well presented. Numerous banchan (side dishes) and they refill them happily. Servers are super attentive and friendly. Lots of parking near by. If you are a fan of Korean Food, give this a try. read more

Great classic Korean restaurant in Fullerton! Love the food and the ambiance was nice. great service, will come again~