Variety, flavors, & A TON of food for $13.This is the best valued brunch in DC. SOLID A+. Korean Brunch Platter: A+. You get an appetizer with 4 separate portions, everything the menu says, and dessert afterwards FOR THIRTEEN DOLLARS! And it's all quite delicious. Help w/ Decisions: Pork has a Kick, the Beef is Sweet and Savory. Mochi Ice Cream: Green Tea is incredible and the perfect pallet cleanser. Mango tasted like frozen mango slices melting in your mouth. The two together (in that order) were quite the experience. Yes, this is my #1 brunch place in DC, and I will continue to rave about it. read more

Mandu - The Brunch Special. - Korean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Veggie Dumplings .. steamed or fried... yes!! Had a late reservation for dinner and wanted a snack around 5pm. Called in an order of dumplings to go .. half and half .. and they were ready upon arrival. Bartender was friendly. Pro-tip: The dumplings are only $5 during happy hour but its dine in only. I didn't see this on their website but the bartender mentioned it to me when I wen't to go pick up my order. read more

Was craving Korean food like the true FOB I am, so I decided to try Mandu since it was walking distance from my hotel. I ordered the shrimp steamed dumplings, kimchee bokum bap, and the duru jjigee (which makes no sense whatsoever in Korean because it should be tofu kimchee or kimchee jaeyook bokum. I think they were trying to be clever, but it doesn't align with their other menu items which are correctly spelled or translated. Confusing. And the staff are mostly non-Korean, so they have no idea). My order was prepared quickly so I appreciated that, but everything else missed the mark. The steamed dumplings were fine. Basic shrimp dumplings, six or so pieces, with plenty of fillings with a side of soy sauce with sesame seeds. Nothing special, but hard to screw up as well. The kimchee bokum bap was not what I was expecting. It was totally wet with tons of bean sprouts. There was no meat, the texture was totally off, and it was way overpriced ($15). The tofu kimchee had good flavor, but there was a severe lack of pork belly for what I paid ($20). The worst part, however, was the side dishes, otherwise known as ban chan, which had a foul spoiled odor to it. I took one nibble and almost vomited. I thought about taking the trek back to complain, but let it go. All in all, not worth the $48 I spent on this dinner. Won't be going back to Mandu again. You might have a better experience if you dine in, but a clear warning if you take out. read more

Are flying ducks Korean? Great dumplings, steel chopsticks, friendly knowledgeable service and good entrees make Mandu worth a trip to K street. Happy Hour 4-7 every single blessed day of the week when you pay just $3 for pints of draft beers like Speakeasy IPA and Cabin Fever nut brown ale, plus discounted dumplings, right there that combo makes it one of the best HHs I've found anywhere in DC. We started with a round of veggie dumplings (the "Mandu"), alas we missed happy hour by four whole minutes so we paid $7 (instead of $4) for 6 little steamed & fried pockets of cabbage and veg goodness, served with a little dish of teriyaki-like sauce sprinkled generously with sesame seeds, very tasty, no heat at all. A banchan platter came a few minutes ahead of our entrees, delivering sweet-sour pickles, sweet potatoes in a spicy dressing, mung bean sprouts, kimchi, broccoli in sesame oil, and some fish strips. Just enough to sample the many different flavor combos, not so much to kill your appetite. I tried the Ohjinguh hokum (say that three times fast :) which was a big bowl of stir fried carrots, onions and peppers plus a huge amount of cross-cut squid chunks (not rings), in a generous amount of a mildly spicy red sauce, plus a dish of fresh hot steamed white rice on the side. Good, filling, not especially complex, fairly priced at $15. My unindicted vegetarian co-conspirator tested his luck with the Vegetarian Somyum, an enormous bowl of broth, noodles, egg and various veggies plus a generous side portion of chili flake paste, he was happy (only $12). Vegetarian rating: 3 stars, there are some good choices here but not the world, truly I fail to see why the Wash Post listed Mandu first on their list of veggie options in the District. Ok sure you can make the dolsot bimbimbap (hot stone bowl filled with the local meat-on-rice combo) into a veggie by subbing tofu for beef. Unfortunately the kimchi is cured with shrimp paste so it's off limits. The two-story open dining room is flat-out gorgeous, this isn't some ethnic dive. Don't quite understand the flying ducks on the walls LOL. The bulgogi was expensive at $23, didn't have room to try it, nor desserts either. read more

See all

The food, service and drinks here are all excellent! Their menu has a wide variety Korean dishes that provides plenty of options to ensure everyone is happy. The mandu (dumplings) themselves are delicious. I tried the pan-fried beef & pork ones, which tasted great. We also ordered the Soon Doodu (spicy seafood stew) which tasted decent but I wasn't really that impressed. I was expecting it to be spicy, but it really didn't have much heat. My favorite dish I ate during this meal was the Galbi (marinated short ribs). This dish come straight off the grill and is served with grilled veggies and lettuce. The meat was packed full of delicious flavor and was grilled to tender perfection. The Dwejee Bulgogi (spicy marinated pork) from the Grilled Menu was also very good. Mandu also has a 'Late Nite Bar Menu' which includes Korean Fried wings, Korean BBQ Tacos and a few other delicious items. They also have a great happy hour from 4-7 PM everyday! read more

Mandu - Spicy seafood - Korean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Try coming for lunch on sunday and order their brunch special. It comes with your choice of protein, rice, eggs, korean pancake, and a bunch of veggies. You get a crap ton of food for under $15 dollars plus gelato! The best one is beef. They even have tofu for those who are vegetarian. I thought my gelato was the best hehe, I chose guava as my flavor and it tasted just like it. The seafood soup was alright, it had too much egg and not enough seafood I think I had like 4 pieces of shrimp. This place is a little bit americanized, but it's still worth trying. Came here on a busy sunday despite it being only one server on the floor. read more

Mandu - Brunch platter $15: your choice of protein, I got tofu. Comes with kimbap, egg, pancake, potato strips. The beef one is really good too. - Korean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Being a vegetarian (who is slowly cutting out more and more animal products) I'm used to scouring menus and trying to have my order prepared. I hate having to ask a million questions and bothering the server, so I try to plan ahead as much as possible. I didn't need to bother with all of that. There are plenty of veggie options, and it's obvious that's a standard preparation rather than an afterthought. Our server was so kind - as soon as I asked for my dish with tofu, he automatically asked if I wanted the egg or not. When they brought some appetizers, he pointed out what was vegetarian without my having to ask. Plus, the food was awesome, and the portions were huge. Definitely a great vegetarian option. read more

I've gone here many times because it's so close by, and one of few Korean places in DC. The dumplings kind of lack flavor, so you really need to use soy sauce and sriracha sauce. I've also gotten cold dumplings before, which suggests they might just warm the dumplings up in a microwave?? Nevertheless, I go back because it's incredibly cheap during happy hour. You can't mess up kalbi and bibimpap bowls... so those are safe bets. They'll definitely do if you're jonesing for Korean food. The cold noodle dish was not such a good choice. Again, I didn't think it had flavor. read more

See all

Mandu is a solid place for happy hour. The servers and bartenders are helpful and pleasant, the happy hour prices are very reasonable ($4 sojutinis, $4 mandu plates, $3 drafts), and the food is pretty good. The best sojutini seems to be mango. I recommend the japchae - a glass noodle dish with vegetables and beef. The only mandus - which are dumplings, not too different from baoza or "potstickers" - I mess with are the beef & pork, I wouldn't recommend the shrimp or veggie ones. Will definitely be coming back. read more

Mandu - Mango and Aloe Sojutini - Korean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Dolsot Bibimbap was great. I got tofu instead of meat. Usually the vegetables are kind of oily but this was perfect. The sides it came with were good and not too salty. The cucumber moochim tasted like it needed a little bit of sugar or maybe vinegar, but not bad. The kimchi was good, a bit fresh though. Also tried the veggie mandu (steamed), which was pretty good. Pricier then some other bibimbap I've had but you get so much and the hot stone pot makes it totally worth it. Next time I'll try one of the jjigae (soup). Lastly, Happy Hour deal was nice. Had $5 draft beer and our waitress was super nice! read more

See all

Had a fantastic dinner here on a Friday night with my husband. The restaurant itself was clean, well designed, tables were spaced out, and nicely lit. Our waiter was attentive, polite and knowledgeable. He suggested a great wine (vivanco rioja blalnc) as well as helping me pick out an entree. We started with the mandu dumplings. We had 3 of the pork and beef and 3 of the vegetable, all friend. We also had a helping of the beef stuffed peppers. For entrees we had the bulgogi and the gaji dupbap. All the food was simply amazing and perfectly prepared. Definitely a repeat next time we are in the area. read more

See all

I'm from LA, so I don't normally seek out Korean food in other US cities, but I visited Mandu with a large group of Korean-Americans during a giant conference in DC. We came from all over the country, and this ended up being a good choice for us. The atmosphere was right, and the food was pretty solid. I came late, at around 8:30, and my friends had already claimed a long upstairs table, away from the bustle of the main dining area downstairs. We were a huge party--I think we were at least twenty strong--and we dominated this space. The vibe was comfortable and easy, the decor simple and appealing. We were well accommodated. One waiter took care of our entire party, a pleasant young gentleman who was apparently quite good at his job (I didn't catch his name, but he was buff and Asian, and he might remember dealing with a mildly rowdy group of Korean writers in early February). I had a coupe beers--I don't remember what beer, but I'm pretty sure I liked it enough to get it twice--and enjoyed the spread of Korean food. The menu was more or less traditional Korean restaurant fare, presented to appeal to non-Koreans, as one does in any city without an enormous Korean population. All that means, really, is that it was in proofread English. The banchan was on the meager side (and we didn't ask for or receive refills, which are standard at a lot of Korean places), but it was good, with small portions of black beans and odaeng and a couple types of kimchi. This isn't a place where you get kimchi that rivals your mom's, but it's all good and satisfying. "Mandu" is Korean for "dumpling" and the restaurant offers a few options. We got a mix of steamed and pan-fried dumplings, with shrimp, beef and pork, and vegetables. I forget which ones I ended up trying, but they were tasty. I also enjoyed the pa jeon, or seafood and scallion pancake. I ordered the soon doobu for my dinner, and this hit the spot, a spicy seafood stew loaded with soft tofu and egg. I spent a few years in a city with exactly one sit-down Korean restaurant, and I was super dependent on it, even though it would never have stood out in LA. Mandu is in a similar category. I might not seek it out again while visiting, but I'd go all the time if I lived in DC. read more

Excellent the food was as good as I hoped very glad I made this choice while on a mini vacation to DC. The galbi and bulgogi were on point this place definitely wont let you down read more

Mandu - Korean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

So my friend brought me here to expand my dining experience with various options.This is my first time and I was impressed. The ambiance and aesthetic was great. Made you feel like you were in a different atmosphere. Food: Amazinf especially the dumplings! I ordered Kimchi and whooo the creativity of the egg yolk over the rice in a hot sizzling skillet blew my mind (this my first time guys lol) Service: our waiter was amazing and sweet make sure our glass was never empty All in all this is a great place to have dinner and hangout (yes there's a bar area and upstairs seating) read more

My husband and I visited D.C. recently for a friend's wedding and made a weekend trip of it. Since we don't have any Korean restaurants in Baton Rouge we knew we had to get a bibimbap in on this trip. Mandu has high reviews and we were not disappointed. We shared the pork & beef mandu and with the exception of needing a touch more salt in the filling, they were very good & perfectly cooked. We each had the bulgogi beef hot stone bibimbaps and they were delicious! The beef was so tasty and tender and there was plenty of mushrooms and spinach in the fillings which we really enjoyed. Bibimbap fillings and side dishes vary from place to place but we enjoyed what we were served at Mandu. I especially liked their kimchi, house made gochujang, and pickles. When we come back to visit, we will likely give Mandu another try! read more

Mandu - Hot stone bibimbap w/ bulgogi beef--that egg was perfect! - Korean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Food was great! Bulgogi, Yukgaejang we're especially delicious. Small restaurant, but not enough waitstaff. We had to wait for about 20 or 30 minutes before our orders were taken. Looks like most orders were to go. It will be a while before we come back since we were visiting DC. Five stars for food. read more

I really wanted Korean food. We made a reservation the day before. We get there and they sat us between the kitchen and a large party (note: it's just two of us). So in the middle of the main restaurant. I was getting knocked constantly. After ordering our appetizer of shrimp dumplings, which were pretty good. My husband asked the host if we could move since they had a ton of open tables. She refused! Soooo we left. She was rude to him. We couldn't understand because we had made a reservation and they stuck us at the over flow table when the place was almost empty. Annoying. Maybe we will go back when they respect reservations and at least attempt to make customers happy. read more

Since I was in a short trip to DC I was craving a good korean meal. I came across to Mandu where the place was very trendy and staff was friendly. I ordered a Dolsot Bibim Bap which was a big plate and very tasty where it was totally worth the money, the service was very quick where my food came in less than 10 min that I ordered which was a plus. Next time that I will be in DC I will for sure pass by to enjoy the great taste! read more

Mandu - Korean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I came here for lunch on a weekday, and it was about half full when I arrived. I was promptly seated, given a menu, and served water. I got mandu (half shrimp, and half pork + beef) and ddukbokki (rice cakes in red sauce with beef and mushrooms). The mandu came out first, and the skin was chewy and there was a lot of filling. But, there wasn't a lot of flavor, though the dish come with light soy sauce. They were tasty for an appetizer. After a while, I was served a plate of bulgogi, and I told the waitress I ordered ddukbokki, not bulgogi. I apologized, and she said it's okay and went to put in my order. She also gave me the side dishes (potato, broccoli, beans, cucumber, kimchi, and tofu), which were all okay. I've had a lot of Korean food (including in South Korea) and this was the first time I've ever seen beans as a side dish. Anyway, my ddukbokki came out afterward, and it didn't look like a lot of food but it was. There was a LOT of beef but not a lot of rice cake. I actually counted and there were ten pieces of rice cake. For a dish that's rice cakes, I expected there to be more rice cake. There was a decent amount of mushrooms as well. But more rice cake please! The flavor was decent but wasn't spicy enough. All this came out to be around $29 post-tax, which is definitely quite pricey for the amount of food. Service is quite friendly but a bit slow; I asked for broccoli and potato refills and it came out really late (I actually thought the waitress forgot about it). read more

An amazing happy hour, phenomenal food, and great service. Our bartender seemed to know everyone sitting down, which is an excellent sign. We left with our stomachs and wallets very full. read more

I have to be honest, I came here once when I moved to DC. I've lived in Boston and New York and the food at Mandu didn't strike me. I think the menu has changed, but I got the dak jjim, which was ok, and my dad got the yook gye jang. You could tell it wasn't made with broth but with water instead, which makes the soup a little less rich. Korean food in DC isn't very stellar. I'll probably come back someday to see if the food gets better! The interior of the restaurant is beautiful. read more

Love Mandu for their happy hour ($4 dumplings and sojutinis?! say no more). It's a hit or miss, the first time I tried Mandu I loved the dumplings but this time around they were A-OK. That being said, I'd return to the happy hour again because the deals can't be beat, and I also would like to try the BBQ and other dishes! read more

Mandu has a solid menu, but after spending a month in Seoul this year and expanding my horizons beyond kimchi and bibimbap, I realized it's definitely more hipster/fancy than authentic Korean, but it's still pretty great. It's got fantastic ambiance and the staff are friendly. Plus it's a cool place to meet up with friends before hitting up Busboys & Poets for coffee/dessert, and it's *just* adventurous enough to open a more conservative palette up to the wonderful world of Korean flavors. read more

Mandu is a great Korean place in DC. It has a neat cozy feel and the food is great. I had the hot soup that I can never pronounce and the Ghalbi. It was all so very tasty. read more

Giving a four stars for the Mandu happy hour. Everything was good but nothing was great. That being said, both the veggie and shrimp dumplings are delicious. Would definitely go back for these dumplings. The happy hour prices are pretty good, too. $4 for drinks/dumplings. read more

Mandu - Korean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Had the chicken skewers, pork belly and short rib. Short rib (galbi) was dry, and the place didn't have A/C. Other than that was a great experience. Pork belly was great. Kimchi and all other accoutrements were flavorful and complementary. read more

I really want to like Mandu. It's a very cute. I ate the bar which was dimly lit and warm. One of the bartenders there was really attentive and friendly. Definitely a good place to bring a date, especially during happy hour. I asked the bartender for suggestions and found out they order a vegan Dbukbokki! I was really excited because since going full veg, I haven't been able to find Ddukbokki served without the fish cakes. The dish was ok and a bit overpriced. It had onions, mushrooms, scallions and fresh tofu. I think it would have been way better if the tofu was fried, the textures of the rice cakes,mushrooms and tofu were too similar. I think a bit of a crunch would make it all better. Will definitely try that next time I'm in the area. read more

Mandu - Korean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I dined at Mandu on 01/21/17 with a group of 8 people. I booked a week in advance and we were seating promptly at our reservation time. Our server was helpful but obviously in the weeds. The food was great and served mostly on time, except someone at our table's meal was forgotten and it took a long time to find our server. The worst part, I'm sorry to report, was my night spent in the bathroom because I was glutened. I feel so, so sick today. I have celiac disease and this was no minor cross contamination. Unfortunately this means I can no longer dine at Mandu despite their "gluten free" offerings. read more

My first real experience with Korean food, and I totally loved it. We arrived nine minutes before the end of happy hour, the waiter pointed out, so we enjoyed some $4 drafts unexpectedly. My Bad Wolf IPA was great. Started with some pan fried dumplings, which had a delicate flavor and an amazing texture. Then some kind of kimchee variety complimentary plate arrived so we sampled that. Lots of interesting flavors and textures there. My entree was a dwejeng bulgogi, grilled spicy marinated pork. Really wonderful dish. I couldn't possibly eat all that food, but would highly recommend the experience anyway. read more

Mandu - Pan fried dumplings - Korean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

This was my first experience at a Korean restaurant. I ended up here about an hour early and Jason at the bar made me feel very welcome and took great care of me with some drinks that weren't "common". The food..was..excellent. The only reason I didn't go 5 stars is because I had a really fatty piece of spare rib. But...it was still excellent, fall off the bone tender, and the taste was phenomenal. We had several different sides as a group and they were all good and most importantly, authentic. I will be back next time I'm in DC. read more

Food is average, bad attitude and services, not worth the waiting time. Did not refill the water. I was still working on my food but the waiter came and clean it without asking. read more

Best HH Mandu & Sojutinis! For only $4 each, my favorites are their Mandu aka pan-fried pork & beef dumplings (6 pieces) paired with an Aloe Sojutini. Their Soju martinis are very refreshing. And those dumplings are so meaty and satisfying. They offer their Happy Hour (from 4-7p) daily with selections that are hard to beat especially for that price and are all quite delicious. I also hear their Korean fried chicken is amazing. I need to come back for dinner and try a bit more of their menu. I'm a regular already for their HH when I'm in the area just north of Chinatown. It's definitely a great place to bookmark and check out! They do have a small outdoor dining seating area out front during the nice weather. read more

See all

Great korean dishes to try! This isn't a high class korean restaurant, but it has a comfy and welcoming atmosphere with good food. The steamed and fried dumplings were really good. 10/10 The skewers were made very nice. The combination with the veggies made it even better. 8/10 The friendly staff made the experience very enjoyable. read more

Mandu - MANDU dumplings (half fried, half steamed) - Korean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Having never had Bulgogi, I wasn't sure what to expect. After seeing a heaping plate of delicious food at the table next to us, we immediately decided to order the Bulgogi as an appetizer and let me tell you- it did not disappoint. Whatever sauce it is coated in is a deliciously garlicky mixture that makes it hard not to over consume this dish. I also ordered the seasonal special which was broth, brisket, bok choy and scallions. The dish was good but the broth lacked some flavor. Finally, if you're coming here for brunch, note that they do not have coffee. read more

Veggie dumplings were good but a bit oily. The veggie dolsot bibimbap was great and very filling. Loved the aloe saketini! I went late at night on a weekday and it wasn't crowded. Service was attentive and friendly. I'd go back for the happy hour ($4 saketinis and dumplings). read more

Mandu - Veggie dumplings - Korean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

I'm used to Korean places being serviced by Asians, so it was unusual for me to have a white male waiter. He told my hubby that they didn't serve sake since that's Japanese, and this is a Korean restaurant. We laughed since all the Real Korean restaurants we've been to serve sake. I'm Korean btw. But they do serve soju, which is a cloudy, milky rice wine with very low APV. The design is pretty cool and was definitely thought out to be Asian-esque without being stereotypical. The menu is a little limited but gives you the good basics. The paejun, which are scallion pancakes, was pretty original in that rather than being dense, chewy and flat like a pizza, were more like veggie burgers with a consistency similar to fritters. Didn't detect any scallions, or seafood. I'm giving Mandu four stars for it's amazing dumpling soup. The broth was perfect and the boiled dumplings were outstanding. They were so good I was envious that I didn't order it. Best I've ever had, and I've eaten Korean in CA, NY, NJ. I had the beef soup which is spicy, but wasn't overly spicy considering it's supposed to be. It was also delicious and satisfying. I was pleasantly surprised that a modern Korean restaurant did traditional dishes very well and kept the ingredients true to form in the stews. Left happy and full. read more

The vegetable (fried) dumplings were reasonable, but the soy sauce that came with it was pretty bland, so the whole thing was bland. I got the chicken noodle soup dish, which was pretty much unseasoned chicken, noodles, a few veggies in what they call "chicken broth"- but might as well have been called chicken water. It reminded me of Arrested Development, when Lindsay made "hot ham water". It lacked the depth of a good broth, so the whole soup was just blah. I don't like spicy food, so I didn't add any of the red spice paste that was served with it. So I filled up on the dumplings and took the soup home, I knew I could fix it up myself. I took the leftovers (pretty much a whole quart), added some water, and some chicken flavored "better than bouillon", onion powder, garlic powder, white & black pepper + salt, and it was great! I made a really delicious broth/soup! Unfortunate that I had to do that myself and it was so simple to fix. At least I was able to eat what I paid for. You would think a restaurant could make a nice chicken soup. read more

Terrible service! Our waiter seemed to almost be intentionally avoiding us. We arrived right before the lunch rush and were not able to flag down our server to get our check and leave until after the rush was dying down. A two hour two course meal. Everything is delicious though! The dumplings are wonderful and the soup and noodles are some of the best you can get in the area. Just don't go here if you don't have plenty of time to waste. read more

Epically delicious! Got the Dolsot Bibim Bap, which the waiter called "old trusty." it came in a hot stone bowl which was hot pretty much the whole time we were there. It made the rice crispy in the bottom. Before our entrees, they also brought out some delicious tastes- ban chan (like a mini appetizer) that was complimentary, with little bits of tofu, black beans, tiny fish cakes, kimchi, and more. The happy hour specials were also on point- $4 dumplings, and some drinks, including sojutinis. We tried an aloe sojutini, which was very smooth and refreshing. Pork/beef steamed dumplings with dipping sauce were also yummy. The next time I'm in DC, I'm coming back for more! My brother says it's his favorite place in DC, and I can see why. read more

This place was wonderful! It's a bit pricier than your typical Korean place, but the great ambiance, attentive waitstaff, and authentic Korean food. We ordered a pa jeon (seafood pancake, $9), a soon doobu (tofu soup, $17), mandu (of course! they were only $4 because of 4-7pm happy hour), dwejee bulgogi ($25), and the dolsot bibimbap ($16) to share. The portions were quite generous, and we all felt stuffed afterwards. The side dishes were delicious as well. The pa jeon was one of the most unique I've ever seen, and the soon doobu really exceeded expectations. There was a lot of seafood, including scallions, shrimp, etc., the tofu was soft and tender, and the broth was flavorful. Overall, very happy with our dining experience here. read more

See all