Had another wonderful meal at Mugunghwa today. Their parking lot was completely packed on a Tuesday night. At this point, I'm just cataloguing what we're eating: Premium Galbitang - This was excellent and my favorite dish today. This was a Galbitang, but they added 2 shrimp, an abalone, and some other seafood. I haven't had beef + seafood combo outside of the soft tofu stew, but I might have to consider it more after trying this dish. Packed with flavor. Galbi Dolsot - A large portion. Nice and crispy rice. Great sear on the galbi. Highly recommend. I've talked about the banchan before - best banchan in East Bay, although the turnip kimchi is out of control (needs to be cut into smaller pieces). Seafood Pancake - Pretty good version here. Crispy and flavorful. Thick Soybean Paste Stew - A hearty tofu soup with some veggies. It came out first and I thought it was a pretty good starter. Fried Chicken - I think the chicken here is ok in terms of crispiness and flavor. Original was good. Garlic was really odd. It was basically original with some kind of puree on top (raw garlic + sugar). Not something I would get again. Beef Bulgogi - We had a better version of this the last time we came. Today's did not get enough heat. No sear on the onions or the beef. read more

We came here to celebrate and was able to get a large table pretty easily. You order using the tablets that are at the end of each table. As soon as you order, the Banchan is served. Let me tell you, this was the best Banchan I have had in any Korean restaurant. The chive one was my favorite but they were all good. We ordered several dishes to try a little of everything. We ordered the seafood pancake, jap chae with beef, galbi jjim with cheese (you get to see them touch the cheese table side), bibimbop, tofu soup, and bossam. Everything was unbelievably tasty. This is definitely one of the best Korean meals I have ever had. The rice cakes were nice and chewy in the galbi jjim, the bossam was so delicious, the seafood pancake was nice and crispy. I could eat here all day. The service was quick, the staff was friendly, the restaurant was clean. I will definitely be back. read more

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The food is great, the customer service is not. Love their rosy tteokbokki. Also tried their beef bibimbap and that was also good. Side dishes are unique and fresh. They do use sugar on their kimchi, may not be for everyone. Please continue to provide side dishes if a customer is spending $20+ on an item regardless of you call it an entree or not. read more

Mugunghwa - Rosy Tteokbokki - Soup Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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This place is good but very inconsistent. Thought it was very good when we first tried it, but it has gone downhill since coming back. I was a big fan of their naeungmyun, but the last couple times we went it was disappointing. The flavor is good, but the texture of the noodles was off as they hadn't been properly separated and ended up in chunks. Their meat is pretty normal quality for kbbq. I personally wasn't a fan of their kimchi, just didn't enjoy the flavor that much. However, I do appreciate that some of their side dishes are pretty spicy. Ambiance wise, it's a family place so it can get pretty loud. It's a gamble whether or not there will be disruptive kids. But overall it's a nice place. They also have their own parking lot which is a huge plus! read more

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This is the third iteration that we know of at this same location. Food has always been excellent and today was no exception so flavorful and fresh! The rib eyes were amazing along With great soup! My son ordered a pork bit mop. Crunchy rice to perfection always love this meal expensive but worth it. read more

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This is definitely our go-to for comfort Korean food. The combos are a great value (Kalbitang & Spicy Pork with Ssam), the Cold Noodle Dishes are tasty, Banchan mix has a good balance of salty, sweet, spicy, and sour dishes, and service is excellent. Also a convenient private parking lot. read more

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My new favorite Korean restaurant! Everything was so good. The portions are very generous, and the prices are reasonable. The galbi jjim was especially generous and packed with flavor. The soft tofu soup was rich, flavorful, and delicious as well. My favorite dish is the yukhoe. I've been to this place three times, and without a doubt, I order the yukhoe every time. The seafood pancake was also excellent. I just wish they had a kimchi pancake on the menu, but unfortunately they don't. We also tried the cold noodles, which were incredibly refreshing. Highly recommend this place! The place is big and clean. During weekend lunch hours can have wait. They have their own parking lot so easy to find parking. read more

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I love this place. they have so many fav korean dishes. had to try the galbi jjim w cheese and ugh it hits every time. cheaper than daeho and bigger portion and just as delicious. it also came w glass noodles w no extra charge love that. tried korean cold noodle for the first time here and it was so good. vv vinegar and salad like and pickled flavor which I love. the seafood pancake was amazing as well and is especially delicious with the sauce that it comes with. service was so fast and attentive. love the ambiance it was new and modern in there read more

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Everytime my Korean friend visits, I take him to a Korean restaurant. This time we tried Muginghwa, some of the food were bad, including chewy cold beef on a tasteless Bimbimba. read more

We were part of a party of six with reservations for 11:30am on a Tuesday morning. Arriving first, we were asked to wait while they set up the table. Everyone else arrived and we were seated at a six-top. The restaurant is much brighter than it was back in the old days when it was known as Golden Dynasty. We felt very welcome and comfortable. After we ordered, it was suggested that we spread out to two tables which we refused because it would be difficult to hear each other. Then the food started coming out and the suggestion was made again. Okay, fine, six people took two six-tops and barely had enough room. The portions and quality are commensurate with the pricing structure. We started by ordering appetizers: Steamed Vegetable Dumplings Japchae Chive Pancake Soy Garlic Chicken Wings Then we ordered entrees: Premium Galbi Tang Grill Mackerel x2 Bibimbop x3 (different proteins) and of course there was the assortment of BanChan. When the food began to arrive, it came fast and hot. When they had us spread out, instead of having to pass the Banchan back and forth, they simply brought out another set. Service was excellent and unobtrusive. Everything that I tasted was delicious. There was very little conversation going on after the food was served until everyone was full. That's always a good sign. We will definitely be back when hungry for Korean cuisine in the El Cerrito area and we're looking forward to their planned Castro Valley location! read more

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Hands down the best Korean spot in this area! Mugunghwa is on par with other top notch Korean spots in Santa Clara. The food is authentic and delicious. You can find all the usuals here like kbbq, tofu soup, jeon and kfc, but also specials like bossam, suyuk and seolleongtang. I've been here twice now and have really enjoyed all the different dishes I've tried. I highly recommend the jeon, bossam, kalbi and naengmyeon! In my experience, there's been little to no wait on Saturdays at lunch time, but they do Yelp waitlist here. There's a decent amount of tables inside and a small private parking lot as well. read more

I REALLY enjoyed my experience here! My husband and I ordered a combination with bulgolgi and seollongtang, and an order of fried chicken wings. That was more than enough food for two people so we had plenty of leftovers. The banchan (side dishes) here are very impressive, super flavorful. I can taste so much in these little side dishes, unlike some other Korean places that only offer 2-3 standard sides that are only kimchi cabbage and turnip. I like that the food reminds me of the Daeho chain in the Bay Area, but pricing is slightly cheaper. I would put food quality in the same category as Daeho. I love Korean soups and stews and I cannot wait to try Galbijjim and other items on the menu next time! I also love that the restaurant parking lot is so convenient! Some of the restaurants here have limited parking spots, but not is place! The lot is huge! I am terrible at parallel parking so this is a super important thing for me when I look for restaurants. read more

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Another fun place to eat in the East Bay. Mugunghwa has a fun name to pronounce and the food is excellent. For a place where you order via a video menu, the service is terrific and I appreciated the variety and flavors of the food. The place is also extremely clean! Instant trust. FOOD: Came here with my foodie friend Naomi on her recommendation. Was craving some Korean and had my cravings satisfied for sure. So many good things to order but I had to go for the spicy chicken which was flavorful without being too spicy. The bulgogi was also tasty and delicious. And the rice was terrific (which not everyone gets right). Had so much took home almost half! SERVICE: Service was terrific (again not always the case) and felt well cared for. The plating of the food was terrific and the portions were nice and huge. COST: For what you get it seemed like a bargain! I would definitely come back. read more

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Food: 4/5 Service: 2/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 Food was alright -- I'd eat it again but I wouldn't consider it the best Korean food I've had. We got: - tofu soup with mushroom and vegetable broth - japchae - dolsot bibimbop with tofu The soup was probably my favorite, it was flavored well! The bibimbop felt a bit plain to me. The japchae was decent. The appetizers were good and varied differently from most places I've been to. Overall the place was clean and organized, and the tablets we ordered on were easy to navigate. We found street parking, but we also realized there's a parking lot right next to the restaurant with plenty of parking spots. Service was polite and after we asked, they found out three of the appetizers had fish sauce in it (we had a vegetarian in our group). However, it otherwise was pretty neglectful service -- they never came to check on us or refill our water (I personally don't really need the checkups anyway and sure, we didn't go out of our way to request water...) and when we requested the check through the tablet, we probably waited another 10-15 minutes before I went up to the counter and waited another 5-10 minutes before they finally addressed me, where I requested boxes and the check. It was about 3-4pm and there was only one or two other tables of people in an otherwise empty restaurant. I don't know -- it bothers me just a tad that we already put our orders in through the tablet, we already had pretty minimal service, and we had to wait for quite a while to get help, but overall not an awful experience, so I tipped 18% as per usual! The clincher is that I forgot a hat somewhere along the way, and after my group thought about it, we figured I must've left it at the restaurant. I called and asked, and they, after asking me what it looked like, politely told me they had not seen it. We went back to the restaurant anyway, two hours after eating (a bit of a delay due to other constraints), and when I walked back to where I'd been sitting, the hat was there on the ground, under a chair behind my table. It legit took me two seconds to spot it; it wasn't hidden. WTH? Why would you not walk a few yards over and take at least a cursory look on the ground under/around the table before telling me you hadn't seen it? And within the next several hours still no one bothered to look? I get that customers' personal items are ultimately their own responsibility -- if someone had taken it, I wouldn't blame the restaurant. But I don't see how keeping a simple lost and found, even for the day, would be hard, especially when someone is explicitly calling to ask about a lost item. This totally rubbed me the wrong way -- I would not come back to this place, and just a warning to those who like to have a bit of service while eating that you definitely won't get that here lol read more

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Stopped by on a Friday afternoon around 1pm. Even though there was a good amount of people, we were seated right away. We ordered the bulgogi dolsot bibimbap, combination tofu soup, and bulgogi with purple rice. Every dish came out fresh and flavorful. The soft tofu soup was well seasoned, and the medium spice level was perfect for the both of us. My favorites were the bulgogi bibimbap and the soft tofu soup, both were very tasty! The staff were very friendly and attentive, which made the experience even better. We really enjoyed our lunch here and would definitely come back when we're in town to try more dishes. read more

Mugunghwa - Bulgogi bibimbap and bulgogi in the back - Soup Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Such an authentic and really good Korean food restaurant in El Cerrito. Recommend making a reservation for large parties and of any size. It gets busy here even on weeknights. We made a reservation for 4 at 6pm on a Thursday and when we were leaving so many people were waiting. They have their own private parking lot and there is also street parking. Not too far of a walk from El Cerrito bart too. You order through the kiosk and that's how you ask for more items and refills for banchan. Their banchan is so fresh and good! They have Galbijim (braised shortribs) and we like to add cheese and watch it get torched. We also got their galbitang, bossam, seafood pancake, and I wanted to try their fried chicken (regular and soy garlic). The dishes come with either regular or purple rice, we got one set of each. Service was great! They serve hot tea and water, sodas, beer, and soju too. I can't wait to come back and try their cold buckwheat noodles and other items on the menu we didn't get a chance to order! read more

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What a hidden gem in El Cerrito! The food is great. The banchan (sides) were extra delicious! The restaurant has its own parking lot so that's a plus. We came on a Sunday around 3pm and the restaurant had a decent amount of people even though it wasn't close to lunch or dinner. There are quite a few tables, good for groups and smaller parties. The restaurant is clean and open. You order via a tablet on your table. They have a large variety of dishes. It was cold so we opted for the Seollongtong and Mandu with Rice Cake soup. They were perfectly hearty and warm. The portion size was large. We took leftovers of everything! read more

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Mugunghwa has become one of my favorite Korean restaurants in the Bay! Yes, Daeho is great and all, but people who enjoy them should really consider checking out Mugunghwa! Once you are seated, you do have to order from a tablet. But the banchan and food comes out pretty quickly! The menu is quite big with a number of choices: soups, noodles, dumplings, kalbi jjim, bibimbap, Korean Fried Chicken. I have gone two times now trying something different each time and I have not been disappointed by anything so far. I especially enjoy the banchan which is also delicious with some choices that you don't really see elsewhere. Even though the restaurant got busy, the servers still did a good job of checking in and seeing if we needed anything. They do have a small designated parking lot for customers, but if you can't park inside, there should be some street parking nearby. They do have a Yelp waitlist so during peak times, may be good to see if you can add yourself on before coming over. Mugunghwa delivers great quality Korean food that is definitely worth coming back! read more

Food: 4 stars Service: 3 stars Ambiance 2.5 stars Value: 3.5 star Let's start with the experience. We arrived before 6 pm on a Tuesday and were seated quickly as there were only r three or four tables occupied. Before we even sat the servers disappeared and we were left to navigate a tiny monitor against the wall to place our order. Now let me preface the following by saying I work in technology (web application development & UX). Trying to order using the digital menu is EXTREMELY annoying!!! Only one person can browse it at a time and only the two people sitting next to it can reach it. How are others at the 6-too tables supposed to review the menu and order, Never mind trying to get details on any of the dishes because you have to click so many times to navigate back and forth. Maybe they think they are being cool or modern but that shit has to go!! we were so frustrated with it we had to ask for physical menus. But HOW do you get the servers' attention?! You have to use the damned digital menu to "place an order" to call for the server FFS! When the server came, she was actually nice and helpful in taking our order. We ordered the seafood pancake, galbi bibimbap combo with spicy pork and the spicy noodles with beef and veggies combo (also with spicy pork). A few side dishes came out, followed by our order. They missed one of the combo dishes (spicy pork) but they said they would remove it from the bill. In the meantime the place started to fill up and by the time we were half way through our meal it was SO LOUD in there that we couldn't hear each other without raising our voices. It was so bad that a couple that sat across from us got up and left before ordering. Our bill (2 people) came to $102 including tip. Honestly, we were so ready to get out of there that we didn't check to see if they actually took the missed combo off the bill. Chalk it up to experience Even though the food is good, there are other Korean restaurants that serve equally good food without the headaches and noise pollution of this place. read more

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Went with a large group, ordered just about everything, but no k-bbq. Everything was top notch and large quantities. The seafood pancake and the chicken wings really stood out. I'd go again just for the wings. read more

Phenomenal. The banchans were my favorite in this area with many Korean options and there's no shame asking for more. They are on the sweeter side, but I loved them all and could have just made a meal of rice and their banchans. The cheesey pork cutlet was chefs kiss perfection. Loads of gooey cheese with a super crisp and lean cut of pork. I dipped it in the banchan juices for a spicy, sweet topping. My kid loved the sweet sauce that came with the banchan and dipped her bibimbap in it. Her bibimbap was huge with loads of delicious crispy rice. Love the tablet to order more banchans. Super friendly staff. Large tables for all the delicious dishes. A parking lot. It's a new favorite and in the rotation. read more

Mugunghwa - Cheese pork cutlet - Soup Near Me - El Cerrito, California

When I first saw that a new Korean restaurant was going to be in town, I was immediately intrigued. Even though Korean food is one of my favorites, I have been going to the same two places for several years. That has now changed since Mugunghwa! The food is absolutely superb. The vegetables and rice are fresh, and the meats are cooked to perfection. The portions are also generous, which is greatly appreciated in an era where "shrinkflation" has become so common. Mugunghwa has now become my favorite Korean restaurant and a bimonthly staple for me. Be sure to stop by, whether it's for dine-in or takeout. You will not regret it! read more

Mugunghwa - Soup Near Me - El Cerrito, California

The banchan was generous, service was fast, but the flavors of everything was SWEET. I would have loved some salty/savory flavors. Candy food. Even the pork bulgogi dish. Even the kimchi. Even the sliced radish. Dripping soaked in sweet sugar vinegar. Fresh uncooked radish would have been wonderful. The only palate cleanser was the lettuce. I will try again, but I fear everything is too sweet. Left there with a sweet taste and white coating on my tongue. read more

After hearing such raving reviews of this spot, we had to try it. And yes, the reviews most def do it justice. So so good. How refreshing for a new and local spot creating this much buzz in El Cerrito. Mugunghwa on San Pablo is a spacious new Korean restaurant specializing in comforting favorites like Korean fried chicken and pork cutlet, BBQ meats, bibimbap bowls, seafood pancake, and more. I would highly recommend joining the waitlist on Yelp ahead of time because this place is hoppin'. We arrived shortly after they opened and were able to be seated immediately..but by the time we were finished with our meal, every seat in the restaurant was taken/parties waiting outside or in the hallway. Great sign the word is out :) FYI also, you order through a tablet on the table. You can space things out so everything doesn't come at one time, and when finished eating, let someone from the waitstaff know you're done. We went with the pork dumplings (Mandu), pork cutlet with cheese (Cheese Don Katsu), Galbi (beef short ribs), an order of the special 'purple rice' (check out the way it's made by the register upon leaving), and beer. They also have soju/wine/and NA drinks. Everything was SO flavorful and quite delicious. Kiddo approved also. This was my first time having Galbi and I'm def a fan. The meat was so tender and juicy, with such a nice char. The pork cutlet was also so tender and oozing with cheese, paired with pickled radishes and a salad with creamy dressing. The dumplings were plump and a super yummy start to the meal, and the banchan (complimentary side dishes) were equally as nice to nibble on. Everything was incredibly spot on. This restaurant has a great system in place and they know what they're doing! Wonderful staff and lively atmosphere. Such a fun experience ~ we hope to come back with a group to try the blow-torch galbi jjim with cheese ($75). Looks like a stellar and shareable moment that shouldn't be missed with others. Until next time...amazing find and great vibes. New community spot? I think so. read more

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Plenty of seating around 4-5 pm. You order through the tablet and there are pictures to help you pick. You can also call staff using the tablet so it's convenient. You can also get hot barley tea if you don't want water. Food came out pretty quickly and it was all high-quality. Seafood pancake had big seafood chunks and nice and crispy. Rose tteokbokki is mildly spicy. The rice for soondubu comes in a hot pot so make sure to not leave it too long-- I'm sure you can also ask staff for help. Definitely will come back. read more

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Brief Summary: - Close to the El Cerrito Plaza - Parking is available - You can order via the tablet set on each table or you can request a paper menu from the staff - Indoor seating only - As a person with really low spice tolerance, some of the items are pretty spicy - Cool machine that makes tea and coffee for 50 cents This restaurant is found on the way to the El Cerrito Shopping plaza. The building stands out with a unique sign and entrance way. Walking inside it's designed with a short narrow hallway for waiting to get a seat, in which this opens up to a wide dining space with multiple tables and chairs. Each table has a tablet, but the staff asked if we wanted to see the paper menu, so that is an option too. I ordered the Gogi kal Guksoo, which reminds me faintly of niku udon noodles, which is one of my favorite dishes. I was also very curious of how the broth would taste like. The weather this time around is a mix; it could be chilly or it could momentarily become summer for a couple of hours, so the dishes were ordered reflected that. While I ordered a noodle in hot broth, one of my family members ordered the Naeng Myun, which is a noodle in cold broth, a great dish to have on a hot summer day. The dishes came at different times. The banchan arrives first in six different plates. My relative warned me that the kimchi was the spiciest, so I let my more spice-tolerant relative eat that. My other family member, who has the same spice tolerance level that I have diluted the kimchi's spice by mixing it into their tofu soup (ordered white/plain = no spice) so that they could adjust the spiciness with this kimchi. The tofu soup and the Naeng Myun arrived together and after a few minutes of waiting the Gogi Kal Guksoo came last. First time eating the Gogi Kal Guksoo, and it is an instant favorite for me. The broth, powerful and rich beef flavor, hits exactly the spot I wanted it to hit in my appetite dart board. The Guksoo noodles are not as thick and springy as udon noodles, but I would still consider these thicker than ramen noodles. I would definitely come back here to eat this as a my staple lunch. read more

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My BF and I love Galbijjim and used to eat it a lot when we were living in South Bay! When we saw that there was one near us, we were so excited to try it! They have a dedicated parking spot on the side of the building and street parking as well. The interior was bright and minimalist. We were seated immediately, which was awesome, and there's also a waitlist option through Yelp and a tablet when you come in. As soon as we were seated, water followed, and side dishes as well. There's an iPad on the wall where you can order, which was great. Galbijjim 10/10 - sweet and savory, the meat, veggies, and noodles were just the right amount. I wish the spiciness were customizable for people who cannot eat the standard Korean spicy food. We were a little hesitant to try the spicy option since my BF is still getting used to eating spicy. We also opted for the cheese, and it never disappoints! Steamed Pork Mandu 10/10 - great flavors and love the presentation of this one! It's better to eat them once they're served. Our server was very attentive and always on top of the water. I definitely recommend this restaurant to family and friends, and we're so happy that we have a go-to Galbijjim fix when we're craving some! read more

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Very very good. We got the pork belly and it was so yummy! We went at 5 pm and there was no wait. By the time we were done at around 6 or 630 it was completely packed, people crowding the lobby and people waiting outside!! Definitely go early!!! Parking is limited but they do have their own little lot which is nice. read more

What a lovely addition to the small collection of restaurants in el Cerrito! Visited on Labor Day with my family for dinner and it was super packed. We ended up waiting about 20 minutes for a table, but the yelp waitlist made that easy. You order via a tablet that's anchored at one end of the table. Not very convenient for larger groups since its harder for everyone to look through the menu :c I ordered the Mugunghwa cold noodles which came out pretty quickly. Comes with crushed ice chunks, but the ice was all frozen soup, so it never diluted the broth. The broth itself was really good, spicy, savory, a little sweet. Noodles were a liiiittle clumpy in some places, but overall good. The slices of beef were dry and didn't have much flavor. Side dishes were standard. Their kimchi is fresh and on the spicier side, but so yummy. Overall, a super solid place. The inside is clean and modern, and there are a lot of larger tables that can accommodate big groups. Their menu is so large, I'll definitely come back to try other items! read more

Mugunghwa - Mugunghwa cold noodles - Soup Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Spacious Korean restaurant that's the perfect combination of tasty, generous, and price worthy. Machine with drinks for $0.50 available at the front and parking structure on the side easily accessible from the main road. The restaurant offers combo meals for $35-45 where you pick an entree item and a kbbq option which includes bulgogi, mackerel, pork, etc. Do NOT be mistaken that just because you are getting a combo meal that portion sizes will be smaller because as you can see from the pictures, they were full serving portions. We left feeling stuffed and with two takeout boxes. The food all packed a very flavorful punch while being nicely balanced. I didn't feel that the cold noodles or premium galbi tang needed any additional salt or vinegar although they do provide that for you as an option. While everything was delicious, my favorite was definitely the galbi tang. The beef was very tender and the soup definitely soaked up all the beef flavor. My only warning would be that the abalone was still on its shell including the green organ so if you're concerned about that then maybe skip the abalone. read more

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Finally got to try Mugunghwa and the food is absolutely amazing. Ordered the Seollongtang with assorted meat, Spicy Seollongtang, and Deulkkae Haejangguk. They have a screen at each table to order your food and drinks, but you can always order in person as well. 5/5 for the food! The banchan (side dishes) were tasty. The kimchi was spicy yet sweet, perfect to pair with the soup options. The spicy seollongtang was quite spicy, especially when paired with the spicy kimchi, prepare to sweat! The soup was flavorful and tasted great with the purple rice. Not sure why, but the seollongtang and spicy seollongtang came out around the same time, but the Deulkkae Haejangguk came out way later and we were more than halfway done with the other dishes. The restaurant was packed and it seemed a bit hectic for the staff, they probably needed additional workers for a full house. They missed an opportunity to add hot water and make nurungji for the customers with the leftover rice in the pot. 5 stars for the food! read more

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This is an absolutely fantastic, authentic Korean restaurant. I am very pleased to live very close by, but this is the first time my husband and I stopped in for lunch, and we will be back. That's for sure. First off, the banchan at this place is better than any I have ever had, including in Los Angeles, where Korean food is plentiful and authentic. There was a tofu that was addictively delicious among the selection. You can order on the screen at your table, or order from a server. We used the screen, it worked seamlessly. We got the barbecue pork and added the ssam setup, which is free, if you choose it. This allows you to make seasoned lettuce wraps. The pork was plentiful, tender, and delicious. Nice and succulent. The lettuce wraps we made were fantastic with the seasoned soy bean paste and garlic. We also got the pork Katsu, which was amazing, covered in a curry sauce and served with plain shredded cabbage and daikon pickles. The cutlet was thick, savory and tender. Our final dish of the lunch was the beef japchae which was really good. Lots and lots of beef, nice shredded egg on top, really flavorful, and the noodles were just the right texture. The service was fantastic, and the proprietors are extremely friendly. What a great addition to the neighborhood! read more

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Very modern look, which stands out when most places here have an old times feel. We came here solely for the galbi-jjim to see how it'd fare against Daeho. Long story short we prefer Daeho more. We ordered the spicy version but it didn't seem spicy at all. I have a mediocre tolerance and the food didn't fazed me at all so yeah.. I still enjoyed the food though. I like how the glass noodles was already included. No option for additional meat or vegetables though.. just cheese. Side note, the soy garlic fried chicken was also good. read more

Mugunghwa - Soup Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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We went Saturday before Mother's Day. The restaurant was full but there was no wait. The service was good and the restaurant was clean and bright. The food was o.k. I had one of the bowls. It was a lot of food but I didn't care much for it. My niece had the short ribs and they were very good. We ordered one of the pancakes. Can't remember which one but it was very good! read more

Food was okay. Not a lot for servings. Would go back to try other dishes but wouldn't be back right away.

Came here on a Sunday around 12:30pm with a group of four. No wait at this time. We were able to get seated with only a partial party arrival. There is a small designated parking lot. But it can be hit or miss whether or not there is a spot. At around 1:30pm as we were leaving there was a bit of a line. There is a tablet for the Yelp waitlist by the hostess stand. Very clean and minimalistic modern decor like many of the Korean restaurants in the Bay Area. Ordering can be done on the tablet at the table! I noticed for older patrons they offered a paper menu. We ordered the kalbi, seafood pancake, hang over soup, cold noodle soup, the thin sliced bossam, and an extra pot of purple rice. Total was around $136. The food came out very quickly. Our fourth member was arriving a little late. By the time she arrived the food orders we put in were rolling out. The food was fantastic! Even the banchan was good. I enjoyed the kimchi. It didn't have an overly fermented spicy or sour taste. The seafood jeon was the best I've had. The batter was very light. It didn't feel greasy. Lots of seafood loaded in there including shrimp and octopus. We did need to ask for bowls and spoons for sharing the soups. We also asked for scissors to cut up the cold noodles and the radish banchan. We were checked out a fair amount and each time they cleared away empty dishes. The standout dish for me was the thinly sliced bossam. The meat would melt in your mouth. They provided lettuce wraps, purple daikon, and the usual bossam condiments. It was a wonderful experience at Mugunghwa. I'd be happy to come back here. read more

Mugunghwa - Soup Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Love this place for the variety of Korean dishes that I dont see at other Korean places on telegraph. I've had the galbitang a couple of times and dol sot bibimbap, and everything was delicious. The ban Chan is great. They have $2.99 sapporos! Another plus is that you just order everything on a tablet. I've only been here on Wednesday nights, which are usually pretty quiet. The restaurant is pretty big, so good for groups. read more

The restaurant has a little parking lot next to it but it's packed so it's better off to find street parking. I had to park a block away. I had to wait for a table for about 30 minutes. Inside was not too big or too small. Staff were on point with their service. Running around, providing customer service and needs, and were friendly. As for the food, it was DELICIOUS!!! Very authentic and flavorful. I highly recommend this place and I'm definitely coming back. read more

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We visited South Korea just a few weeks ago. Coming into this restaurant is as if we never left. The ambiance and feel is pretty on point. Their service was quick, efficient and friendly, especially with the help of ordering via tablets. We started with the soy garlic fried chicken. Pretty good, well flavored with medium crisp. The seafood pancake was definitely done well with delicious batter flavor and crisp. The main entree at our table was the Galbi Jjim with cheese. We got the non-spicy version because not everybody at our table went through the rite of passage and seared off their taste buds yet to handle the spice. The flavor was on point. I would have preferred wide glass noodle over thin, but that's just preference. The potato added some sandy texture which was odd. And the cheese...oh the cheese. It was super cheesy where we couldn't dig through the cheese too get the food. Probably good idea to get half cheese. Would we come back? Heck yea! This place offers some pretty good Korean food. Next time I'm here, Id love to try the spicy Galbi Jjim with half cheese (if possible). read more

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My new favorite Korean spot in NorCal! The bossam was amazing, the portions were not super fatty, I really like how they include radish with the ssam. Also, first time trying the Gogi bibim kal guksoo, the broth is so flavorful. It's like thick broth with skinny udon? We didn't leave a drop behind. The galbi Jim was the star of the show, it was the perfect amount of sweet and savory. Most other places will just be savory. The food just felt super healthy and clean, didn't get no acid reflux! Also, choose purple rice! And remember to stir it if you don't want the burnt rice on the bottom. Service was great too, super friendly and attentive. read more

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