I've driven past this restaurant numerous times and never been here before. My friends recommended this place so we came here for lunch. I let them order because they knew what was good. We ordered the goat stew, wine marinated pork belly, mackerel and a spicy squid dish. I was amazed by everything! The goat stew did not taste gamey and it came with a dipping sauce that paired well with the meat. The pork belly was delicious, very light wine flavor and it tasted cleaner to me. Not very porky like and still tender with a bite. I enjoyed the mackerel and the spicy squid. The banchan were also very tasty. Not your usual ones you see at other Korean bbq restaurants. It seemed like more in season vegetables, we really enjoyed the white kimchi. After we finished the goat stew. The server made fried rice with it. This was absolutely delicious! We were pretty full afterwards. Can't wait to come back and have the same meal again! read more

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I came in here recently for a late lunch. I got a plate of about 12 meat dumplings (similar to Chinese or Nepalese momos). They were spicy but not too spicy. The crusts were crispy and well done. The meal was served with barley water, which I had never had before. The place was full of what appeared to be regulars, which is a good sign. The total came to $14.99. No complaints. read more

Very traditional Korean food. Seems like their clientele is mostly regulars (loyal Korean customers). The vibe inside is very quiet and homey. Fried dumplings- very tasty. They tasted homemade. Dduck man doo- also really good. Reminded me of when my grandma would make this for me growing up Goat stew- this is a very unique dish that most Korean restaurants don't serve. This is essentially a yukgaejang broth with goat meat and perilla leaf. It's a unique and strong flavor but not something I would regularly crave. It came with a sesame dipping sauce which was very seedy/herbal that didn't go with the dish in my opinion. The Banchan was good and very homey! Overall, the food was good but the prices were STEEP. Not sure I'd choose this place over another Korean restaurant in Annandale read more

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Places like this are so conflicting because the food is sososo good but the service is sososo bad LOL. The past couple times I've been here, it's the same older gentleman handling the entire restaurant by himself. While I applaud him for this, it doesn't give him the right to be rude. Usually, younger people, especially if you're not Korean, will experience some sort of discrimination at these kinds of places. But I came here with my in-laws and was still met with distasteful service. I'm worried one day his attitude will piss off the wrong person. Overall, food here is great but again, keep the talking to a minimum. read more

We were craving kbbq, so we went here to get the samgyeopsal (pork belly). The samgyeopsal was pretty good-- the meat was super thick, so one portion size was super filling. The highlight of the meal, however, was the free dwenjang chigae (bean paste soup). Probably the best dwenjang I've had in the DMV area-- it was super thick and rich in flavor! I'd come back just to eat the dwenjang! Overall, ambiance was very casual (good to come with friends or family) and service was good. I'd come back to try their other meat offerings and main course menus! read more

I left the place with very mixed feeling. We had the dumpling and pork belly. I would say the food is one of best in DMV, especially kitchi. The service is the probably not so great. We understand the owner does take care front and back without a server. We were only customer at that time, but constantly sent to the front for something. Also, he literally told us to cook the pork belly ourself! Unless you are regular, don't expect any service, but the food is soooo good! read more

*Hole in the wall alert* Disclaimer: This place is a one man show so please be aware if you decide to pay a visit. Not a very well known spot amongst foreigners but this place is a staple amongst old school Koreans. Once you walk in you might be off put by the empty tables and old decor but the KBBQ quality and food here is top notch; IMO they have the best kimchee (inhouse) and side dishes (banchans). The KBBQ is a la carte and might be on the pricier side but the quality is very worth. Just be aware the service here I would rate 1/5 as the owner is doing all the serving work himself. You won't have your usual server grilling the meat and you'll be mostly doing all that work yourself. If the food wasn't so good I can't imagine this place being around for so long but Koreans have stuck by this place for years thru thick and thin due to the food quality. read more

Honestly such a good Korean hidden gem on the outskirts of Annandale and somewhat into Alexandria. This place is across the street from the Salvation Army store on little river turnpike. I came to try the goat meat spicy stew. It was super good. The goat meat is tender and lean. The soup was exactly what I needed for a cold windy winter day. The side dishes were also very good, especially the egg. My only thing against it is that there must be a ton of sodium and the secret spice to all Asian restaurant cooking: MSG. I would come back for their pork belly and try more of their food though. Beware of the food coma you'll get afterwards. read more

Ju Mak Jib - a hot pot of soup on a wooden table - Korean Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I think this is the best kbbq place. The owners are so nice and friendly. The side dishes are so good and the kimchi that comes with the meat is absolutely amazing. read more

A go to spot for legit kimchi jigae with a deep broth full cabbage inside and sour. It really hits the spot with an order of yellow croaker. I have come here many times and it is definitely an old timer place with regulars and slow service. I like this place for the authenticity and quality food. I highly recommend! One last thing, they have a black goat stew which is super unique. The portions are large and super safisfying! read more

We had the Yuk Gae Jang and Fried Dumplings. The service was great. I like super spicy food and I asked them to make the Yuk Gae Jang "very spicy" and it did not disappoint! My wife and I both like fried dumplings and agreed that these were the best we have had anywhere. read more

This place is the real deal. Real home style Korean cooking. No big marketing or fanfare, but as if your neighbor invited you over for dinner. This is a family run joint. They are always very nice, will offer great service and are great cooks. The menu offers somewhat limited choices. Not too little that you won't find something to eat, but not The Cheesecake Factory menu either. But if you're looking for a kids menu or chicken tenders for that one person in your group... they will be going hungry here. Their banchan is off the charts. The lotus root is amazing, and the gentleman will even bring the whole Napa cabbage leaves that have been fermented into kimchi and will cut them right in front of you. Does not get any fresher than that! Never really that crowded, and mostly seems to draw neighborhood regulars, which means you'll have great service! Must try place for Korean food enthusiasts. read more

Not a good place for kids. Not enough menu to choose from. There was only one server, and he was not available all the time. Customers have to go get stuff (like more napkins, spoons, water, etc.) by themselves. Ordered octopus stir fried and it came out undercooked. That was disappointing. This place was full of loud men customers. Too loud to enjoy food. Never coming back. read more

Ju Mak Jib - a man in a restaurant setting - Korean Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Well, I usually get man du and spicy pork bulgogi, but they were out of man du and they didn't have dae gi bulgogi so I ordered the regular beef bulgogi. What I got was boiled garlic beef. What I'm used to is grilled beef marinated in the bulgogi sauce, but this restaurant has it marinated in a garlic sauce I guess it was ok, but not what I expected as far as bulgogi is concerned. It might've been bc I came at 330pm so they gave me the budget version The other problem I had was that hardly any of the tables had been cleared off, the place was completely empty and when I walked in I wasn't sure if they were open. Even as I sat and at for almost an hour (taking my time, not a compliant) the tables remained with plates and cups and dirty dishes. Maybe I came at a bad time, I'm not sure but I wouldn't return if they call boiled garlic beef "bulgogi" because that wasn't like any bulgogi I've ever had read more

Authentic Korean food. Wasn't sure if I wanted to share bc I don't want this place to get busy but the owners are good people and I shouldn't be selfish .. tis the season. Goat stew, BBQ, sides,all good. Thank ya much!! read more

Ju Mak Jib - service is same as Korea.. get their attention (just read someone else's comment on service) they are friendly, enjoy coming here :) - Korean Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Ju Mak Jib is very crowded in the evening time. In the evening, you need to expect to wait for 30-60 minutes. But once you are in for Korean BBQ buffet, meat quality is good and they always give plenty of meat to customers. I've visited many Korean buffet places and they were hesitant to bring meat once you were served for three times. But that never happened at Ju Mak Jip. I would recommend this place to my friends and family. read more

This has been on my list of places to try ever since I first started yelping. Today I finally got that chance and was terribly let down. The location isn't the greatest to begin with and the impression I got was an operation on a shoestring budget trying to fill some big shoes. It wasn't one particular thing but rather a combination of things such as the messy, cluttered, homely interior with random thing strewn across the restaurant for storage; dingy, tacky, black and white checkered, tiled floor; outdated beat-up, menus; and finally, poor or no ventilation that resulted in stale, warm air. There was only one other family in the restaurant when we arrived and when they left, their table was not cleared off. In fact other tables had not been cleaned off either. You could blame it on the fact that there was no waiter or busboys to do the job, but the gentleman that took out order and served our food (who I imagine is the proprietor) really didn't look all that busy. Either he was just having an off day or he just didn't care. In fact when i went to the bathroom (which was clean BTW) the soap dispenser was empty, as well as the paper towel dispenser...but at least the electric hand drier worked. When we sat down, I tried to keep an open mind. After all this place was a hidden gem according to my good friends Nicole and Mikkela. I picked up the menus that were covered with more tape and stickers on them than my little nephew's arts & crafts project. I'm not kidding when I say practically ALL the prices were covered up and raised. Good heavens...you'd think these menus were first printed in the 90's or something. Anyway, being that it was warm inside, I thought the barley tea was quite nice. I am convinced it tasted more like roasted corn tea though, but regardless the tea was good, but that was pretty much the only thing that they had going for it. The banchan wasn't too bad, but if I were to complain, it'd be that they were a bit too sweet, except for the kimchi which was too sour for my taste (but I'm a fresh kimchi kind of guy). The garlic stem side dish was much too chewy and fibrous. One of the vegetable side dishes had what I think were dandelions along with the asters (chwi-namul) which I thought was kind of unique...although it made me wonder if it was picked from someone's backyard...but hey, nothin wrong with that...I'm down with the whole locally-sourced bandwagon. Okay...now getting down to the meat of the review. My Galbi-tang was downright terrible. I mean it was edible but just barely. Just imagine, your grocery store overstocked good quality prime filet mignon, and did a buy one, get two free deal. Heck, you'd buy a bunch of steaks and put them in the freezer to eat later. Half a year later, you find a hidden severely freezer-burned steak that looked old, dark, and tough as leather. Yeah...it sorta tasted like that. I wish I were kidding. The other dish we ordered was the Sengtae Jjigae. It's a spicy fish stew I think made with cod. I didn't eat too much of it since I'm a lightweight when it comes to heat...but it was alright I guess. Not as disagreeable as the Galbi-tang. Definitely not coming back and certainly can't recommend this place to anyone. read more

I wasn't sure what to expect due to the 3.5 star rating, but wanted to branch out so we gave it a try. What proceeded to happen was the most amazing culinary experience I ever had in Nova. We walk in, and the clientele are Koreans speaking Korean. Okay, so far so good. That got my hopes up. We order. Things are a -bit- on the pricey side and there's no bibimbap, but it's not that bad in today's economy. The biggest lack was the lack of kid-friendly options, as we had a couple young kids with us and the choices were mostly spicy huge soups, or bbq, or $20+ stir fries. Just a simple rice or noodle dish would have helped a lot. Anyway, so then the food arrives. The banchan is the most incredible I've ever had. My wife, who's been to S Korea, is floored. It's seriously a step above any other place's banchan. Distinctive flavors, great textures. Oh, and they serve iced barley tea. So then the soups arrive. Incredible. Every last one is full of flavor. Very nice. So complaints aside, I have to give this 5/5 stars. The food is phenomenal. I wish they had something for the kids, but still. read more

I wanna say thanks to my Korean friend Ken brings me here. The black goat soup is fabulous. read more

Ju Mak Jib - Korean Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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. . . , . , . . . , . . , . (, .) We ordered pork belly. Something like a bug came out of the glass of water I brought. It was very disgusting. I asked for a new cup, but they didn't even give me a new water. Moreover, they did not even provide tools for grilling the pork belly. I had to go to the kitchen and ask for it. The service was very, very bad. Also, the old male staff didn't give us fresh water even after we ran out of water. When we paid the money, the male employee didn't even look us in the face and didn't respond properly. I felt humiliated as a human being, and the attitude of the staff was garbage. I will never go again. read more

Quoting my friend, "Just making sure you didn't disappear in the obscure foodie world?" Yes, that's the extent of my quest, on the verge of a near heart of darkness experience. The string of Korean restaurants in Annandale is a mystery that I love to explore and it may just transform me. I wonder if I will turn into a Korean someday. The gentleman who appeared to be the proprietor of Ju Mak Jib had the kindest face - he reminded me of my grandfather. We instantly struck a chord with him, he was just a VERY NICE MAN! The menu was simple with the usual tofu casserole and BBQ dishes, as noted in previous reviews the to-try dish was the BBQ spicy pork belly! We ordered a few other items, for which the very nice man exclaimed, "That's too much food!". He served the banchans to us, explaining each item. I loved the anchovies because it was made properly, it was crispy, sweet and savory at the same time. The chestnut paste made into a jelly-like cake drizzled with soy sauce, it was so good and thank god, Mikkela didnt like it! The kim chee was very tasty as well. The items were definitely made in-house. The mandus had a nice brown on the outside and the inside, filled with marinated ground meat. It tasted good. I had the spicy fish/vegetable soup it was so flavorful. The cross-cut fish pieces were tender and fresh. The pork bellies came in a spicy sauce they were thinly sliced and flash sauteed. I would love it better if the fats were more caramelized but that's not how they do it! So suck it up! read more

A gem worth keeping secret. The restaurant seems closed and dumpy from the outside. Inside, the restaurant looks like Korean restaurants from the 1990s, blond wood with ventilation shafts over each table. Large screen TVs emit golf (it's a Korean thing!). The menu is taped, crossed out, tattered, sticky and most of it has been modified, but the basics are there plus a few unusual items (goat with sesame seeds and bone marrow). I am an hour early. The slim gentleman owner brings me tea and menus. Then he leaves me alone for the next hour, but when we are ready to order, he's attentive and at our side. We order dumplings, spicy seafood soup, beef rib soup and spicy pork belly. He seems concerned that we have ordered too much food. We assure him that we can take it home. Good dumplings. Good banchan which included hard chewy beans, chestnut paste, excellent kimchi, potato salad, chewy fried small fry, bok choy kimchi, and cold egg custard. The toasted corn/barley tea was served cold with ice cubes. The spicy pork belly is cooked with jalapenos and served hot out of the kitchen. The broth in the beef rib soup is subtle and delicious much like a good matzo ball soup. The seafood soup is a cauldron of chunks of fish, green onions and tofu. The owner is a sympathetic character. He seems like a nice man. You just "like" him. A restaurant can live or die based on likability. Like the rice flecked with barley, this place contains pearls of goodness under the steely exterior. read more

Ju Mak Jib - Fried mandu done very nicely, cost $9.99. - Korean Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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This is by far the most authentic, best tasting, Korean food in the greater DC area. However, besides the cook, I have never seen more than two people serving the customers even on weekends. If they would just hire one more person to service the tables, I am sure they would be much busier. read more

The food is good, but the service is terrible. I go out to eat at restaurants and expect good (not amazing if it's not an upscale restaurant) service. It's all about the whole dining experience, otherwise, take out would be the way to go. read more

A hidden gem on the outskirts of Annandale, further away from the big name Korean BBQ places like Honey Pig (garbage). It's in a small shopping center across the street from the Salvation Army. A small mom and pop restaurant operated by a husband and wife. The husband took the orders and served the food while the wife stayed in the kitchen and made all the food to order. We ordered samgyeopsal (pork belly), chadol bagi (thin sliced brisket), goat tang (soup), mondoo (fried dumplings), and nakji bokkeum (spicy octopus). Their samgyeopsal was the best I've ever had, thick and flavorful. Also the goat tang was deep with flavor and the goat was tender, a must if you ever dine here. They had an array of panchan (side dishes). Fresh and you could tell everything was homemade. Only downside was they didn't have galbi (beef short ribs) on the menu. I love my galbi but the cuts of samgyeopsal made up it. Also, service is a little slow since the husband was doing all the service. I had to get up and get a pitcher of water to refill our cups. Not a deal breaker and they didn't seem to mind I refilled our cups of water. This would be a five star review if they had galbi on the menu but that won't stop me from making this my go to Korean BBQ restaurant. read more

Ju Mak Jib - Now that's a meal! - Korean Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

About a 2-2.5: I was really excited to try this place. My husband and I ordered the Samgyupshal Jumooruk (marinated in wine, then has the spicy red chili bean paste, jalapeno slices, and onions), the Bulgogi, and an appetizer of the Mandoo (fried dumplings). The dumplings had a weird aftertaste, sort of seafood-like, and they were the 'flat' mandoos, compared to the regular 'gyozas' you find elsewhere. The soy sauce mixture with the sliced scallions were good, but I would have preferred just regular typical gyozas - I wasn't much of a fan of these. The bulgogi was more on the sweeter side, and there was way too much ginger. The 'soup' that formed on the bottom was a little watery, but it was good enough to mix with your bowl of barley rice. It was okay. The Jumooruk was a total miss - it was just way too liquid-like, the samgyupsahl were mostly fat; I wasn't a fan of the marinated sauce and I would probably should have ordered the other samgyupsahl kimchi bokkeum instead. The banchans were also just okay; there were stale myul chi (the anchovies were more of a stale/chewy consistency); the potato salad was alright; the moo kimchi was a little too 'moolung'/tender; and the spicy root was decent. +okay bulgogi (more on the sweeter, watery side) read more

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Mmmmm...some of the freshest veggies around. Ju Mak Jib rarely has more than a table-full of people when I've been there. It is a gem though with hands-down the best banchan...most from home-grown veggies. Their pork BBQ is a little different than normal, so you may or my not like it...but they do something to it to keep that Korean BBQ aroma from soaking your clothes. They would get five stars, but sometimes the staff (as nice as they are) are lacking a bit in the customer service department. I think it really comes down to running this family business with a very small staff...so I can't hold that against them too much. Give it a try if you are craving some traditional Korean dishes in an environment that is a perfect match. read more

So this was my first time here and I was very impressed by the food. The Banchan was more traditional style and the food was great. I had the goat stew, which was excellent. I have had it at other places, but here, it was excellent. The was very good and was huge. I was pleasantly surprised with the place. read more

Went there at 1230 in a saturday. The lady acted like we were a bother to be a customer. My wife and I were the only people in the resteraunt. We waited to order and she was boarding busy doing something else. We waited some more and we decided to leave. read more

Owner has an attitude. I would give -10 for a terrible service, if that rating was available. Food taste was mediocre.

Had the service been faster, it would have been 5 stars. Food was delicious. The dumplings were the best I've had in entire Annandale area. What I really like about the banchan here is that, you will find dishes that you will never see at other Korean restaurants. A lot of them are what your parents or grandparents would enjoy (na mool, spicy peppers fermented in soy sauce, scallion kimchi,...) Some of the vegetables are home grown, per the owner. Really homey, mom-cooked type of food. Go try it!--- only if you have the patience to tolerate extremely slow and inattentive service--That's what I do. Bon Appetite! read more

Great service from the young fellow, but the old gentleman was a little rude. Besides that, the food was tasty. I meet my good friend here and usually have a nice time talking about old times. Place is a little outside of K-town in Annandale, just down Little River. Panchan was tasty as they have several small dishes that include potato salad I like. Spicy octopus was full of large octopus pieces. Kimchi pancake was a little dry. I did not get Galbi this time around as I was wearing a shirt and tie, but from the guests beside us, it definitely looked delicious. Prices are reasonable average for the food, but why I like coming here is that it tends to be more intimate (less crowded) during rush times. Stay Hungry Yelpers and give yourselves a toast for good health, good friends, and fun times. Leonard 'lil pip' Pipkins and his trusted dog tuffy. read more

4 star for their good food -taste was pretty good. The cook has a good recipe 1 star for their horrendous service -slow. Does not acknowledge customers even when we call for something. People are going out to restaurants not only for food but for convenience and quality service. This has neither. Plus the owner was rude. Hate your restaurant industry job? Then go into another business or fix it. Don't pass on your negative vibes to others. 1.5 star for bad eating environment. Dim lighting. Subpar decorations. Grimy menus Uncleaned tables. Worn down. 3 for average price Less than 2.5 stars average overall rating read more

This is a mom and pop place! If you want good service, pick another spot. If you love Boyangtang (spicy goat stew), come and keep coming! The menu says it feeds 2 but i think it could feed 3-4 ppl depending on how hungry you are. read more

Ju Mak Jib - Korean Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Hands down the best Korean food in Northern Virginia. I have eaten at pretty much every restaurant in Annandale and a few Korean restaurants around the area, but nothing matches Ju Mak Jib's taste. When eating here, you HAVE to get the Goat Tang (). Also the Sam Gyub Sal (). The side dishes are also all home-made by the owner's wife, so you know its delicious. read more

The last time I came to Jumakjib must have been over 10 years ago and I rarely come down this part of Annandale but I know some people that swear by their food so I had to try again! One thing for sure, don't expect any service bc it's literally one man (owner) serving, if busy, one other server. I came here to get intestines but he was telling us how he would not be able to serve/cook it for us if it was prime dinner time as intestines take lot of effort to cook. He was nice enough to explain it to us but I can see how he can come off a little rough. Either way, intestines and the wine pork belly were really good. Their side dishes were all good as well. Best thing? Their complimentary bean paste soup served in a bigger sized pot! Steamed eggs too were a bigger compared to other kbbq places. They are known for their goat soup/stew which I don't eat but if you can get past the non-existent service or perhaps can visit during their non-busy times, this is a decent spot for your Korean food craving. read more

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If you looking for a 5 star experience with finger washing and someone at the table for all your needs, look else where. This place reminds me of a typical American style diner where everyone knows your name and your served comfort food. I agree with some, my first experience at this establishment was not too welcoming, however once I tasted the food I was hooked. It took a few visits by me and my son to have the owner to crack a smile and converse. Now he knows our faces and we have conversations about politics, his country, or any general thing. I've also noticed that it seems to be a meeting place for Korean men to have good food and fellowship with people from their country. Also, I've noticed the regulars do a lot self service. The food comes out they cook it themselves and also get their own refills of soda. If you like good Korean food and do not mind a no frills atmosphere this is the place. read more

i was introduced to ju mak jib by my two korean friends as they frequent this restaurant. it is a little further away from the main drag in annandale where most of the korean restaurants are located (across the street from the salvation army). totally fine because i will travel anywhere for good food. i actually think the fact that it is a little further helps that it is not super packed to the point where you have to wait for a table. the restaurant is owned and run by a husband and wife team. i would describe it as if you were eating dinner at their home. the wife makes her own panchan and it is excellent. especially those sesame leaves! the rice has some barley in it. you must order the pork belly! everything we ordered was so flavorful! the husband waits the tables. he is not the most service oriented (as you can see from all of the yelp reviews) but hey, it works and it i think makes the place what it is. in fact my friend just got up and got me a water. no big deal. worth it for the food! it is definitely a hidden gem. i will be back for sure! read more

Ju Mak Jib - the best pork belly! - Korean Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Seeing Asian people eating in the restaurant is always a good sign for the place to be good. The food was pretty good but I feel like if we spoke Korean then the service and food would be even better. I saw the grills you could grill on, but didn't see a menu for that... we ordered the bulgogi and the marinated pork, which I was hoping we would get to grill ourselves, but it came out already cooked... which was fine too I guess. The bulgogi was really good (had onions and green onions sauteed with it) and the marinated pork belly was rich in flavor (had onions and some hot peppers sauteed in it) .. a little too spicy for our taste, but it was really tasty. Overall, food was good... but they lose a star because I wanted to actually grill my own meat and also because half their menu was crossed out.... It's a nice family run place... but we definitely felt like we weren't treated as well because we didn't speak Korean.... so I took off another star for that... (I mean, most Asian places, I don't expect the service to be good, but....) read more

Yes, the service sucks. But to all my fellow Koreans- you should know to not go to a restaurant for its service. It's all about the food!! This place is the most authentic restaurant I've been to in Northern VA along with jumakjib. The meats, the tangs, it's all amazing. I really recommend this place read more