What can I say? The food was scrumptious; the restaurant and bathroom were squeaky clean; the service was excellent; and they were Covid-safe. The only downside is it was a tiny bit expensive for lunch, but it was worth it. More specifics: - The server/hostess checked our vaccination cards upon seating. - Our food came super fast -- even my dolsot (bibimbop cooked in stoneware), which usually takes longer in other restaurants. - My salmon was cooked perfectly, but did cost an extra $4 for this protein, which I didn't see til later, so my dolsot was kinda pricey. - Beef short ribs (kalbi) was tender and juicy. - The kids rice plate was oh-so-cute with everything that makes a child want to eat, like purple rice shaped in a heart! - The service was great, even during lunch hour. The server checked on us and refilled our tea. The manager came to our table to see if we needed refills on the shared side dishes. If you've never been here, I highly recommend the dolsot because the crunchy rice around the bowl is *chef's kiss*! It was great to see a thriving mom-and-pop place with both great food and great service. read more

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Came here during a lunch and ordered a spicy ramen. It was a large bowl yes but it was noodles with bits of mushroom with one egg cracked in for $17+ dollars which was insane to me. There was no other protein or add ons besides the egg and ramen and beef broth. The ban chan was nice though and the waitresses are hard working. Probably won't be going back. read more

First time here and I was very impressed! Customer service was amazing! And so was the food I am going to return asap. Things I found a little disappointing.. $31 for "large" short ribs is comical. My husband was starving after his dinner. They were absolutely delicious but I can't believe how small the portion was. Also I got 4/5 spicy as recommended from the lovely waitress when I said I loved spicy. It was a 2.5 at best as decided from my husband and I. I will get the 5 next time for sure. All in all I will return for the delicious flavors but the portions are super duper tiny. I don't eat too much and I am hungry an hour later ps serranos in pic are ours because there was barely any spice read more

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I tried 2 dishes, spice beef noodle and bbq beef short ribs. spice beef noodle contains uncooked noodles, but the flavor is acceptable. bbq beef short ribs is tasty, but beef is over cooked. read more

Oh, my bad... I thought I've reviewed this place before! I've eaten here a few times over the past few years, both as takeout and dine-in. It's a little pricey (Korean food generally is), but, it's DELICIOUS and they have the best crispy purple rice in their dolsot bibimbap. I also love that it's packed with flavorful veggies. Eggs are always cooked to perfection. Delicious banchan served on the side. Most recently, we just ordered takeout via DoorDash. I noted in my dolsot bibimbap in the special instructions that I was pregnant and asked if they could fully cook the egg. I was impressed that the receipt not only showed well-done egg, but also included a note to add no bean sprouts! Totally forgot about them, and that it's on my list of things to avoid while pregnant. So, thank you!!! To the staff who remembered that on my behalf. Food was packed and presented very well too - very impressive for delivery. read more

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Yes yes and yes! This is my all time favorite Korean restaurant. I have been here more than I can count on my fingers and toes. This place is always busy so that right there says how much people like this place. Everything I have ordered has been so delicious. This time around I ordered the Veggie Soft Tofu Stew because one it's my favorite and second the weather was just calling for it haha I usually just get the rice that comes with it but I splurged and got another thing of rice. One is just not enough for me. Leftovers for tomorrow which will be amazing as it will be for sure cold tomorrow too. I have to say I have not tried their purple rice but I don't think I will. I love white rice way too much. I don't know what seasoning they use for their broccoli but I could eat them like potato chips. They are so addicting! read more

Mixed Grain - Veggie Soft Tofu Stew with rice and broccoli - Korean Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

Updated review as a vegan! Mixed Grain is one of my favorite places in Walnut Creek! Whether you're there for dine in, takeout, or delivery they serve the best quality Korean food. During times of dine in you'll likely need to add your name to the waiting list (they don't take reservations) but don't fear - they turned tables around quickly which means your wait won't be too long. The service is fast and accurate every time I've been there and their food presentation makes you drool before it hits your mouth. There are plenty of vegan options (labeled as VG) and items you can sub to make vegan. My favorites include: Kimbop (rice rolls), Mung Pancakes, Tofu Stew, The Works Bibimbap with fried tofu and no egg, Kimchi Rice no egg, and ALL the vegan Banchan (just make sure to ask which ones are vegan). Times are challenging right now. During shelter in place they're available via pickup or delivery through Uber Eats and Door Dash. read more

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One of the best spots for veggie stew in the Bay Area. It was light on the stomach with light spice, yet flavorful. Overall many things to like here. Loved the variety of healthy options here - especially for the vegetarians. There is veggie ramen, purple rice, jap chae, bibimbap bowls, dumplings and more - but the best was the selection of banchan (side dishes). We requested refills of cilantro and sesame style kimchi (free of charge). Also tried side of honey glazed potatoes and almond, which was the perfect complement to the salty sundubu. We tried their White grape Soju (alcoholic beverage) and loved the flavor. The staff was friendly though the service wasn't that great. Although the restaurant was busy and staff was constantly on their toes - yet I felt that there was lot of delay in serving dishes. I would like to come again to try other items and their daily rotating banchans. read more

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Showed up at 8:30PM, excited to try them out. My friends raved about this place being their favorite Korean spot in Walnut Creek. They flew all the way out from Colorado, and wanted to visit Mixed Grain again before they flew back. My family and I got there before my friends, but was told that the kitchen closes in 5-minutes and we could place an order, but it would have to be to-go. I was surprised, as their sign outside their door, as well as Google and Yelp, confirmed they closed at 9:30PM. Like a Yelper did 4-years before me, my family, friends, and I begrudgingly left to eat at Brodericks, next door. read more

Best spot for veggie tofu stew that I've found in the Bay Area. It was light on the stomach with little spice, yet flavorful. Overall, many things to like here. Loved the variety of healthy options here - especially for vegetarians. There is veggie ramen, purple rice, jap chae, bibimbap bowls, dumplings, and more - but the best was the selection of banchan (side dishes). I requested refills of the cilantro and the sesame-style kimchi (free of charge). Also tried the side glazed, sweet potatoes, which was the perfect complement to the salty soondubu. I'll definitely be coming back to try their desserts and daily rotating banchans. read more

Mixed Grain - Tofu stew - Korean Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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manger was rude and the food was good. it was so dirty, bugs everywhere. wouldn't recommend

Whenever I am in the Walnut Creek area, Mixed Grain is a favorite spot. Light, airy and clean ambiance. It's vegan and gluten-free friendly without sacrificing taste. My favorite is The Works, a bibimbap bowl: Portions are generous including refills for the wide variety of condiments that come with the dish.. Highly recommended! read more

Mixed Grain - The vegan/gluten free The Works, a bibimbap bowl with steamed tofu. - Korean Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

Got the "spicy ramen" and it was $21! Literally didn't even taste spicy and it smelled horrible. It tasted and looked like it was simply a Safeway Shin Ramen noodles with the vegetable pack with a horrible miso soup broth. Not to mention that some of the pickled vegetables were overly fermented. I've been sick for two days straight and I don't think I'll be going back again. read more

Mixed Grain - Spicy ramen - Korean Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

My brother found this place in downtown Walnut Creek on a previous trip to visit family earlier this year. So when the whole gang of us got together earlier last month, we settled on some authentic Korean food in the downtown area. Parking in downtown Walnut Creek can be hit or miss. Your best bet is street parking, however there is a public multi-story parking a short hike away. They currently had both indoor and outdoor dining available. We chose to be seated inside, near the large front window facing the busy sidewalk. I went with the Sizzling Works Dolsot Bibimbop(Stone Pot) with Chicken. The table shared an order of their Crunchy Squid Rings. My Bibimbop was fresh, and if you're patient enough and let the bottom layer of rice sizzle a little, you get a nice crunchy layer of rice to complement the steaming top layer of vegetables, protein, and softer rice. Our waitress was quite friendly and all of the staff were courteous and quick to move. Definitely coming back. read more

me and my mom arrived 30 minutes before closing and they still let us in and didn't rush us. The employees were very nice and answered any questions we had. The Bibimbop was delicious and so was the fried chicken. if I ever come back to WaKnut creek I'm coming back to this restauran. read more

Mixed Grain - Fried chicken - Korean Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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I came here with the family for a Saturday lunch a few weeks ago. Mixed Grain is located in the heart of downtown Walnut Creek, so there are lots of shopping and other food options all within walking distance. There is street parking and a couple of multi story parking garages not too far away as well. For my first time here, we shared the Crunchy Squid Rings starter(deep fried). Think of this dish as calamari rings. For my entree, I went with the Sizzling Works Dolsot, which is served in a hot stone bowl that cooks your dish and gives us some crunchy rice at the bottom layer. I chose to go with the mixed grain purple rice and it also comes with a fried egg. They also serve your table Ban Chan(small starter dishes). My food was tasty, fresh, and it's nice to see a Korean restaurant in downtown Walnut Creek. It's been a long time coming. Our waitress and the other staff that helped us were friendly and provided great service all around. I'm happy to see we now have a great Korean option in the area. read more

Good bowls of dolsot (the hot bowls with crispy rice) and the rice cake soup. Both were very good and the little orders of banchan were very nice. Service here was efficient. This is a nice little oasis for Korean food in Walnut Creek. read more

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OH EM GEE A MUST TRY! Had it for lunch with my mom and brother and we were blown away by the food quality and deliciousness! IT IS SO GOOD! Must order the following: 1. Dolsot 10/10- korean hot stone bowl with purple rice and spicy pork. Make sure to add some of the spicy red sauce and mix mix and let the rice get super crunchy at the bottom 2. Spicy rice cake 10/10 - regular spice, perfectly chewy cylindrical rice cakes with pieces of yummy fish cake and veggies! 3. Seafood pancake 10/10 - full of seafood and delicious, could be a little crisper but the flavor was on point 4. Japchae- 8/10 we got mild spicy I think I'm used to it nonspicy 5. Banchan 10/10 comes with 8 different delicious high quality banchan Will be back for more! The Korean gentleman clearly the chef in the apron did a wonderful job! The food is authentic and excellent! We will come again! read more

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This place is dramatically better than it has any right to be as a Korean bibimbap place located in glitzy Walnut Creek. As a Korean, I've had my fair share of bibimbaps around the US, but this place ranks pretty damn high. The side dishes are fantastic too. Insider tips: Get the stone bowl bibimbap. No question. PURPLE RICE. Way tastier and healthier. Try the spicy pork at least once. They do it the authentic way here with the charred flavor. Add an extra egg. Service is lovely as well. Highly recommend. read more

Mixed Grain - Korean Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

Give a try this place from my friend recommendations and very impressive. Went there for a big group and tried many items on the menu. Japchae is a must!! And their purple rice is perfect cook. I got Galbijjim (Crazy Cow), it was delicious with reasonable price. Soft tofu soup is amazing and they have a good selection of kids menu too. No reservations, ONLY first come first serve! read more

I had fond memories of my pre-pandemic visit, so when we discovered that our planned lunch restaurant was closed, we walked over here. We ordered spicy pork (2) and chicken bowls. Food came reasonably quickly but the fried eggs on top went from ok, to over, to very over done. If the yolk is dry, don't use it! They did replace the worst one. The eight side dishes are great but there seemed to be a hesitancy to refill them. We saw them giving the same eight for one customer or more. The servers need to be taught to replenish them when there are multiple customers. read more

We started with some appetizers with the vegetable gyoza and shrimp tempura. The gyoza was crispy and flavorful and the tempura was light, crunchy and fried to perfection with the shrimp cooked to perfection. The ramen was okay, the broth had nice flavor however noodles were average and overall could have been better. The bibimbap was served with assorted veggies, purple mixed grain rice, egg and sliced beef along with Bonchon. Overall was a really nice meal and setting for dinner! read more

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My wife and I were craving soondubu (soft tofu soup) and recently moved to Walnut Creek from SF. We were cautiously excited to see that Mixed Grain was near our loft and on a cold night we walked over and ordered a couple bowls of hot soondubu with pork. The service was really sweet and the banchan was of good quality. The banchan came out with the soup instead of before, but we didn't have to wait that long. The soondubu itself was flavorful and comforting and they got some new makgeolli (korean rice wine) in stock to try which we liked. All in all a very solid and homey Korean place in downtown Walnut Creek and we'll be back. read more

I was really looking forward to showing my family this nice, casual Korean restaurant. Sadly, we all left very disappointed. We ordered two dolsot bowls and the spicy beef soup. The dolsot bowls were burnt, inedible, and flavorless. Not even a little crispy burnt - the entire bottom layer of rice was completely black. It left barely anything left to eat. They were extremely cheap with the short rib portion. An order was just one short rib cut into three pieces. We ordered one bowl with a double order of short rib (two ribs cut into six pieces) and it cost a whopping $30. I definitely expected more. Not to mention it took 30+ minutes to get the bowls while the soup came out much faster. The spicy beef soup was pretty good. Could have used more noodles in the soup, but at least the flavor was there. A weird note was that someone was locked in the only bathroom for the entire hour we were there. We pointed it out to our waitress a couple times, but it stayed locked after we left. Not sure what was happening there. I probably wouldn't go again. There's plenty of other good restaurants in Walnut Creek and better Korean food in the Bay. read more

Mixed Grain - Spicy beef soup - Korean Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

My fav Korean spot. My fav is kimchi fried rice. However, we ordered miso tofu soup last time and it was too salty. I had to togo it and added more water at home bc didnt want to waste it. Their soup is normally very good, im not sure what happened that day! read more

Soft Tofu Stew (more like a soup with an egg stirred into the boiling broth in front of you -SO delicious-mild spice choice for me) is a favorite of ours on a cold rainy day. So flavorful, so satisfying. Prices have gone up - to be expected with the cost of supplies so high. Still a good value with unlimited bonchon - small tastes of different flavors - in little dishes - absolutely delicious. Service is prompt, albeit reserved, so when another staff person took the cash payment and tip, no explanation, we were taken aback. Hope our server got her tip. Very happy to have this little gem in Walnut Creek. The flavor profile is delightful, and there are so many choices - something for every taste. Highly recommend! read more

A must go to spot if you're craving Asian food in Walnut Creek! The service is phenomenal -- they check on you often, refill your waters, and provide the cutest children's plate/utensils. They've got indoor and outdoor seating. There's usually not a line and you get your food quick. The spicy ramen packs a kick, the chicken wings are breaded to crispy perfection, and the japchae is perfectly seasoned. Nothing is overpriced and everything is delicious. read more

I just got my hair cut close by at 1:30pm and was looking for something that's individual-friendly, yummy, and quick. This place was perfect ! The staff were extremely friendly and attentive. Food was pretty decent and environment was really comfortable. It's a great place for one person or even small party gathering. read more

Mixed Grain - Sizzling rice bowl with thinly sliced beef - Korean Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

I ordered dolsot with beef today. It tastes pretty good. The employees are very nice and always smile. Nice table sets and very clean.

I am a huge fan of purple rice and I wish that more Korean restaurants in my area would serve purple rice. My partner's family wanted to get lunch, so they picked Mixed Grain for lunch. I have never been here before but I was excited to eat some Korean food for lunch. We came here on a Saturday afternoon and sat inside the restaurant. They offered some outdoor seating but because it was really hot, we wanted to sit inside to avoid the heat. We were a party of 6 people and they provided us with two sets of banchan (8 side dishes per set). Everyone ordered their own entree and we ordered three appetizers to share: chicken wings, spicy rice cakes, and crunchy squid rings. I ordered the sizzling works with purple rice and beef. Everyone who ordered a non-soup entree received a side of soup. Everything was so delicious! I am so used to ordering Korean take-out, that I forgot what it tastes like to eat fresh food served in restaurants. Chicken wings (5/5) - I think we picked the honey soy glazed flavor. The batter on the wings was extra crispy. This might've been my favorite item. Spicy rice cakes (5/5) - Although I have a low tolerance when it comes to spicy food, I can never turn down tteokbokki! The love the chewy texture of rice cakes. It makes it fun to chew and eat. Crunchy squid rings (5/5) - The squid rings were not as crunchy as the chicken wings, but these rings were perfectly deep-fried. Sizzling works w/ purple rice (5/5) - I love how bibimbap is a very colorful dish and consists of veggies. My favorite part of bibimbap is the burnt rice that gets stuck to the dolsot. I also don't feel as bad ordering this after eating all of the deep-fried food. The food and the service were excellent! The staff wore a mask and gloves when handling out orders. The staff were super attentive to our needs and even helped us take a group photo since they noticed that we were struggling to take a selfie haha. I would come back here all the time if I am craving Korean food in Walnut Creek! read more

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Cute, little family owned business with comfortable service. Fast food style Korean restaurant offers you a selection of "make Your own bowl or pick other things off the menu like fried rice, stew. At the end of the day you'll get fed, just watch the quality. We got in early Thursday morning, got vaccination checked on the entrance and where proposed to pick up any open table in there dining hall. Few minutes later all the tables were occupied. We've ordered The Works with mixed grain and thinly sliced beef. This dish was pretty feeling for one person. The bowl was half rice full with side cup of soup. Spicy beef stew with mixed grain just wasn't that spicy. Had the Korean hot sauce added to it so it will be edible. And where would you go with no Korean Burley tea? Yes, it was served with in time refills. Great, fast service by Miss Madi. Thanks much and hope to see you one of this days one more time. read more

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Great lunch spot for a business meeting. Food is carefully prepared and delicious, service is great.

Always happy to support a local female owned business. They serve up authentic delicious food. Clean and light ambiance. Our waitress was helpful and attentive. First time here and will be back. read more

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I came here with my parents today during a rainy afternoon and wasn't expecting it to be so packed! We still managed to find a seat for the three of us though. My parents have been raving about this place so I couldn't wait to try it and let me tell you, it did NOT disappoint. All three of us had the bowls and they were so good, packed with flavor, and super filling. Only negative I can think of was it that the server messed up our order a couple of times, which was a bummer, but it was worth the wait even if we had to wait longer for our food. Other than that, it made me excited to come back and try something else on the menu :) read more

Was so sooooooooo good. Korean places in the city have nothing on this place. We had the kimchi stew, kimchi dumplings and spicy rice cakes. The kimchi stew was so flavorful, even with no meat. The dumplings were amazing. The rice cakes were in a super unique sweet and spicy sauce, and you could add ramen to them. To die for place, all servers were so sweet at the restaurant and it was perfectly clean. A must have hole in the wall. read more

Mixed Grain is part of the local mini-empire run by close friends Jessica Oh and Chi Moon. Oh is the daughter of the owners of Ohgane, so she comes by her restaurateur inclination naturally. The two young women also own the Bowl'd restaurants in Albany, Berkeley, and Alameda; the two Judoku sushi restaurants; and Spoon Korean Bistro in Berkeley, all located in the Greater East Bay. The Bopshop/Albany and Spoon Korean/Fremont are also under the same corporate management, although each location has its own management team. At one time the menus between branches were identical, but that has changed. Now each location has a menu similar, but not identical, to its siblings. Although cost-cutting has taken place over the years, the food remains high quality and the level of sugar is lower than any other Korean restaurant we have visited. Steamed beef dumplings are very good here, in fact better than our standby, Bowl'd BBQ/Oakland's Temescal. Don't miss them! The ban chan were good; very good variety and tasty, not too much sugar. Jhapchae: optional protein spicy pork, chile level Medium. I prefer Bowl'd/Mixed Grain's version of jhapchae over most restaurants' version, as it's low in sugar. I could wish they used the thicker cellophane noodle, but only Sorabol in the old Emeryville Public Market used those noodles - they have the best bouncy texture and great chew. On the plus side, however,Bowl'd's thinner noodles aren't greasy or oversweetened. There is also a minimum of green onions used, which is a definite plus. The option of Spicy Pork goes very well with this dish, and the Medium heat level was just right. It was probably more a medium-low level, by Korean standards! Bulgogi: BBQ beef, dinner size. Spouse couldn't find his usual Soft Tofu Stew, although I later re-read the menu and found it's listed under Veggie Tofu Stew, with the meat options at the end of the description. He chose the Bulgogi instead, which was a generous serving, and requested white rice as his starch. There is also the option of the purple rice, aka black rice. Mixed Grain is a compact version of Bowl'd BBQ, and a good alternative for us when we're in downtown Walnut Creek, which we are on a regular basis. read more

Finally open again with indoor and outdoor sitting. So I've been here couple times and everytime I go to Korean BBQ, I always compare them with Mom's Tofu house in Millbrae, always.. they are my benchmark for Korean BBQ. So this place is not bad at all.. However, still not as good as Mom's Tofu. Today, we order Kalbi, Bulgogi, seafood tofu soup, Makarel bbq fish, all comes with side of purple rice. Kalbi is excellent, flavorful and not dry. I think it could use a little sweet union when they prepare it on the hot plate. Bulgogi is dry and it could use more flavor.. maybe because it's dry that there is no flavor. Seafood tofu soup is ok but it's in the salty side. We order spicy but it came not spicy at all, however my family tolerance of spicy is pretty high so yea.. Makarel is really good, comes with 2 large pieces which normally it only comes with 1 at other places. However I think they burn it a little bit at each end of the fish.. Still have flavorful taste, not too salty with hint of lemon drops.. Another positive note, each order comes with side of rice, choose between white or purple rice. So overall is good.. definitely will come back again.. read more

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Before going to a gathering with friends, my significant other and I decided to grab a bite to eat. We initially had another restaurant in mind, however there was a long line of people waiting to be seated inside of the packed restaurant. After briefly consulting Yelp, we walked over to Mixed Grain. We arrived right on time and were seated at the second to last table in the restaurant before the waitlist started. Mixed Grain is located in downtown, so be prepared to either hunt for street parking or park in a nearby lot. Luckily, the street parking meters accepts coins and/or cards for your convenience. Although the restaurant is not large, the layout and the decoration are simple, yet clean. The tables are strategically organized to maximize the space in the restaurant, so be prepared to sit by or share a table with strangers. The customer service was average here. I don't have any real complaints. Our waitress was nice, but more on the quiet side, which could've just been because the restaurant was busy. Since it was cold outside, I ordered ramen to help warm up. My boyfriend ordered the fire bird's nest dish, which is pretty spicy (definitely not for the faint of heart). Despite the restaurant being busy, we didn't have to wait too long for our food. Although I gobbled up a lot of the side dishes, I still managed to eat all of my ramen. The noodles were the perfect texture, but I just wish the broth was a bit more flavorful. The fire bird's nest was well seasoned despite it being spicy. Overall, I'm pleased with our dining experience here. I'm looking forward to dining here again to try their other dishes. read more

Mixed Grain - Fire bird's nest - Korean Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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Third time coming for dinner. Every time I try something different and leave so happy for mixing things up. Service always friendly, clean and organized quaint spot. A must try when in WC and wanting fresh, reasonable priced delicious Korean food read more

While visiting my best friend in Walnut Creek, I told her I was craving Korean food so she brought me here for dinner. So glad she did! The interior is modern and bright, with lots of seating space. The staff immediately acknowledged us and were incredibly friendly and attentive. When we had an extra person added to our party last minute they graciously offered to move us to another table so we'd have more room. The food is great! I was craving jap chae and bibimbap and got both. There is an entree sized jap chae on the menu, but I got the appetizer portion, and it was still more than enough for two people to split. We ordered it mild, but I could have gone for more spice (it was an appropriate spice level for a mild label, I'm just mad at myself for not asking for it to be hotter). The crunchy veggies mixed in with the glass noodles was the perfect texture combo. The bibimbap can be ordered cold or hot (dolsot). I highly recommend hot, because it comes in a heated stonewear bowl and the rice at the bottom crisps up and is really delicious. You can choose from a variety of meats, plus they have seafood and veggie options. I got the thinly sliced beef and it was so good, had a nice light bulgogi flavor and was great with the rice and veggies. I really enjoyed my meal here and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for efficient, friendly service and great Korean food! read more

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