Norfolk Garden is a great place for traditional Korean food. The family owned longtime restaurant has the decor of similar spots in Queens. My Grandson, even as we were walking in, said "Yes!" Soothing instrumental K-Pop music was playing at a volume level that didn't interfere with conversation. We were promptly provided with menus. Included in the choices was his favorite dish mool naengmyeon. which is even hard to find in Brooklyn. My son ordered the same, along with tteokbokki to share. Needing protein and something not hot during the heat wave, I ordered the chicken katsu, which came with miso soup and steamed rice. It was all excellent. One lady was taking care of service for the entire restaurant. She was extremely friendly and kind, especially to my grandson. Following the meal we were served sujeonggwa, a Korean traditional cinnamon tea. It was an excellent finish to a wonderful dinner. Following the meal my grandson gave our server the traditional Korean goodbye and bow. She responded with the same and a wonderful smile. Both my son and grandson, who regularly eats homemade Korean food, proclaimed Norfolk Garden the best Korean food in the area. We've put the restaurant on the list of spots where we'll dine every time they're in town. The restaurant is on the west side of N. Military Highway not too far north of the I-264 overpass. The parking lot and entrance faces north rather than towards N. Military Highway. So it looks rather dark from the highway itself. Hours are until 10pm on weekdays and 10:30pm on weekends. Norfolk Garden is a Coastal Virginia treasure. Beyond a doubt they serve the best traditional Korean food in the area. read more

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What a sad restaurant this was. I visited during a Friday night and there were no other customers there. The restaurant interior is dark and has no music on. It's actually spooky and creepy feeling. The menu is sticky and gross. The food arrived relatively quickly but had the texture and consistency of something reheated from several days ago. The meat was extremely greasy and pooling in oil. The banchan requires extra money if you want refills of the 3 bites portion. Definitely not worth it. I wouldn't recommend anyone to go visit as many items on the menu is "sold out" or unavailable. How that can happen when there's no customers is not mine to figure out. read more

Norfolk Garden - Korean Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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This place is an absolute gem! We are regulars here and have brought many friends because the food is a dream--so authentic, traditional, and genuinely prepared and hosted by an amazing Thai staff. It really sets it apart in this area. We truly love it here. The environment is fantastic, with a cozy, classical Asian-style decor and beautiful tableware that makes the meal feel special. However, I have to be honest about a recent experience, which makes me sad to only give 3 stars instead of 5. We know the auntie is super busy and works hard, and we usually embrace the casual, "homey" vibe where you might need to help yourself a bit. But during our last visit, her attitude was quite unpleasant when we simply ordered a few smaller soup dishes to share so we could try more variety (since the main dishes are pretty large/expensive). She made us feel like we were an inconvenience for not ordering larger portions and for asking for extra plates to share. We weren't trying to "cheap out," we just wanted to enjoy a wider culinary experience without wasting food. We love the food, but the awkward interaction left a sour taste at the end. Despite that, we will probably be back for DoorDash not inperson because the food is just that good. Just be prepared for a possible attitude check with your order. read more

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Everything here is always amazing. I know it looks like a hole in the wall but inside is nice. Well decorated. Food is always amazing. Been here handful of times and its a great experience. Service is fast and food is fresh read more

I had to stop for a quick bite, and after furniture shopping, this hit the spot. I will say, it's very empty. Aside from two women, the restaurant has no other customers. My waitress is short, both literally and figuratively speaking. I ordered seaweed salad and an appetizer of pork ribs, which by the way is plenty of food. But the waitress tried to convince me to order an entree, which is not what I wanted. No, I don't want rice or noodles or sides. Food comes out quick, and I am satiated. read more

Norfolk Garden - Pork ribs bbq - Korean Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Sullongtang and galbitang were great! Banchan was just right too. Fast service, food came out fast.

Very nice service. Very great food! I don't know why people would have a problem with this place. However, sad to see it's not so busy. I hope people come to eat here more! Definitely a hidden gem! read more

Our go-to Korean spot if we're not in a hurry. The owner is old-school Asian (if you go, you'll know!) but the tasty food makes for it!!! read more

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Quiet and clean, beautiful restaurant despite its age. Food was delicious and service was wonderful. Will definitely be back!

LOL I'm reading some of these reviews that say the service here sucks and the elderly lady server is unpleasant and rude. Well...from my time in Hampton Roads, and this is especially true for the Asian restaurants, some of the best authentic food is at places that have some of the worst service. For example, one of my favorite Pho spots, Pho Dalat in Chesapeake. Customer service is mediocre, the waitstaff there knows like very basic English. But the food is awesome! This is basically what I experienced during my recent visit to Norfolk Garden. Outside, the restaurant looks pretty shabby. It's located right next to a shady motel and it isn't in the best part of town, so I'd extra cautious, especially at night. Inside, it's pretty large and roomy with lots of seating and with nice décor. Skimming through the menu, I could tell right away that 90% of the menu is very authentic Korean. Bibimbap, kimbap, japchae, bulgogi, galbi tang, and tteok-bokki are just some of the dishes that stood out for me and that I usually order whenever I eat at a Korean spot. They have well over 50 dishes to choose from, so there's something for almost everyone to choose from. There's also a decent beverage menu with stuff like plum wine, soju, whiskey, bottled wine and beer. My friend and I tried several dishes, including japchae, kimbap, seafood pancake, and naengmyeon. There were also a plethora of banchan (side dishes) that comes complimentary with the meal. I loved that they have both cabbage kimchi AND radish kimchi. Personally, radish kimchi is my go-to! Prices were a little high, but portions were huge and the overall quality of the dishes was superb. Flavor-wise, they tasted very authentic and delicious! After just one experience here, I can say with absolute certainty that Norfolk Garden is hands-down the BEST Korean food in Hampton Roads. Sure, the customer service here can use some work, but all that is out-weighed by the delicious and authentic Korean food. read more

I was very skeptical coming into this place due to the location but once I got inside the owner made me feel more comfortable and relaxed. The vibe inside has a calm and peaceful setting which makes you forget that you are in Norfolk for a bit. Due to a lot of people dining and dashing apparently you have to pay for your meal first before receiving them. Lucky for me I didn't have to pay first but it was posted on the menu. You also have to pay for water which isnt a problem for me. I ordered the kimbop, japchae and Tteokbokki. Every time you dine in it comes with your traditional Korean sides. The meals were ok, it tasted like a home cooked meal then a restaurant quality. The reason on why I am giving this a three star is because of the nice Korean lady. It's because of her I will be giving this place another shot. Kimbop 3/5 Tteokbokki 2/5 Japchae 3/5 read more

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The food is good. However, I was a bit confused about the parking lot, the hours, and layout of the restaurant. It seems that it was run by 1 lady for kitchen to busing to waiting tables. read more

One star is very generous. We went to this place, 11/01/25, because my wife knows I love bulgogi. So she found this place while were in the area and I said let's go. Walk in the place. Not greeted. Just the employee working the tables raising her hand with two fingers up and then ushering us to a table. We sit down and look over the menu and did not see the lady again for another 5 minutes or so. Finally she returned asked us what do we want to drink. We order our drinks and then order bimbap and our entrees. I of course ordered bulgogi and she ordered the seafood pancake. The server returns with the sides that came with the food: bean sprouts, kimchi, broccoli, beans (this was a first) and other things. She did not ask us to move our drinks or other items out of the way. The server just threw them on the table like we were in old timey bar. The bimbap was decent. Next, we get the soup that came with our items. I take a spoonful of it, and I am not a soup person to begin with, but this soup was luke warm and tastes rancid. My wife did not like the soup and said the tofu tastes off. If sad had a taste, this soup was it. Our food arrives and I am hoping for redemption on their part. My bulgogi tastes as if the meat is old. The marinade was not in the meat just there like that one friend you have to hype you up. I apologized out loud for the cow that gave its life to be made into a horrendous version of bulgogi. My wife said she hopes I don't get sick from the meat. I chirp back if I do, I know where to send the health department. My wife's seafood pancake was most definitely a pancake, but lacked any significant or recognizable portion of seafood. She said the seafood was very few lentil sized pieces of squid and the pancake tasted burnt. We were not even done with our disgrace of what is termed Korean food before the server lady approached with the bill. She put it on the table and said, "can you pay, but take your time with the food" I said thank you and continued eating as I took this as no need to rush. There was only one other table being catered to at this time so they weren't busy by normal restaurant standards. She returned a few minutes later and said "can you pay? I also have to help the kitchen." So I pull out my wallet for the $69 bill for two entrees, one app, and one soda. The lady runs off and is back within a moment to give me the receipt to sign. Save yourself from going here. Go to Sammie's in Hampton or Koreana in York County. You get way more for your money and treated with value and dignity that you deserve. read more

Norfolk Garden is a hidden gem for authentic Korean food in Norfolk! The ajumma is actually nice, the food is flavorful, and it's hands down the most authentic Korean spot around. We always get the tempura--crispy, light, and a must-try! We try something new every visit, and it's always delicious. The service is always warm and welcoming. Always keep the banchan refills coming. Ambiance is elegant, authentic, and always inviting. read more

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Amazingly authentic Korean food. Each time we dine, either in or carry out, the food is consistently delicious.

Food is overpriced but in these times most food is bc of shortages. Service stunk but food is delicious so I didn't care except when the older lady added a dish to our table that I didn't order!?! (Extra $25) When I come to town, I always go here bc the Korean food is authentic. read more

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I tried this a few months ago. It's a little off the beaten path, but well worth the drive.

This place goes on my list of top Worst Customer Service. If you have any type of diet modifications, this is not the place for you. You will not be able to add even a simple tofu or broccoli if it's not part of the dish. Our lady server, unfortunately, had an unpleasant tone and demeanor. Her facial expressions and her tone when we were ordering, set the mood for what kind of experience we were gonna have. My husband asked if he can keep one menu in case and the lady responded "no... we only have 3 menus". Now, let me tell you, this was around 1 pm, there were only 3 tables occupied. We don't get why they only had 3 menus and this is a nice size restaurant. The little side dishes came and the way she was putting them on the table made us feel like she was having a bad day... or maybe she didn't wanna be there... who knows. Anyway, we are the recipient of her bad attitude. The edamame came out... there were six of us so we had 3 square tables connected so it was a long spread. However, since the little plates were close to where she was, she decided i put the edamame on top of these little plates where it has food in them. Who the heck does that?!!! First time for everything! Sadly, we are also just visiting Norfolk, VA. But this will def be our last at this restaurant. read more

First, parking lot is sketchy as heck. Walked in and they were not very welcoming as soon as you walked in. It was dark as well. Got seated, took over 20 mins for them to come back. Was rushed to order. So we just left. I don't know exactly how people said to try this place but there are better korean food around the area. Asahi in VB, is worth the money. read more

Great restaurant ambience and food. The little lady who served us was super hospitable and kind. She was timely and cute. We loved having her at our table. At first, the outside seemed really sketchy but we didn't judge a book by its cover bc the food stole the show. The food looked in a weird way healthy and fresh. It didn't take long for the food to come out prob bc we were the only ones waiting on an early Sunday. I finished my fried rice. My daughter has wonderful leftovers to eat later. Everything was delicious. The portions were perfect. The added cinnamon tea in the end was gold. If we had another night we would've definitely come back. read more

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I haven't written a review for Norfolk Garden in years so here is an update. It is still amazing and the most authentic Korean food in the area. Not only do we love it, but later in the evening the tables often fill with Koreans laughing, eating, chatting with the owner/server, and clearly having a good time. That to me, is the real proof the food is both good and authentic. We almost always get bulgogi and bibimbap, but the japchae is amazing, too. The servings are generous and with the miso soup and banchan, can easily serve two. However, then we'd have to bicker over which dish to get, so we each get our favorite and keep the peace. A cold, soothing sweet cinnamon drink is served after dinner and ends the meal perfectly, leaving everyone with sweet breath. How perfect is that?! I spent three weeks in Korea visiting my parents while my dad was stationed there. On a visit here, we took my foodie parents to Norfolk Garden, who agreed it was as good as any meal in they'd had in Korea. The banchan (complimentary little dishes served as appetizers) is always delicious. There are always 2-3 types of fresh kimchi and sweet red beans and then the other several dishes vary - beansprouts with sesame oil, eomuk (flat fish cakes), seasoned broccoli, white radish, spinach, a scoop of potato salad, cucumber are a few items we've had over the 20 or so years we've been eating here. The Valentine's Day special included kimbap, a less seasoned type of vegetable sushi - delicious. Pro tips: The dishes are big, so you can easily order one for every two guest, or maybe three lighter eaters. If you are bringing a pickier eater or children, the fried rice is so flavorful and full of homemade tasting goodness, unlike the bland blah you often get elsewhere. Is the parking lot and outside of the building impressive? Nope, but don't let that stop you from an unforgettable meal. You'll never have to wait in a line for dinner, it is really big inside - bring a party! The bathrooms are always clean. As a side note: Long ago, I used to do a novel study, A Single Shard, with my 4th grade students and after the novel, they, and their parents, would meet me here for a fabulous Korean feast. In addition to the food above, we'd also order fried rice in case someone needed more familiar food. The food was always a huge hit with these Korean food first timers. read more

Me and my Husband came here out of curiosity on the weekend. It was something we didn't initially planned on going to but I'm glad we did! The looks might be deceiving but the woman taking care of us was a sweetheart! The food was delicious and all of it tasted fresh! My husband got the fried rice combination and I got the spicy octopus with noodles and we were both pleased with it. Please give this place a try and give it the love it deserves! read more

Craving Korean food? HELP SUPPORT THIS AMAZING BUSINESS!! Norfolk Garden is exquisite, from the looks on the outside it doesn't look like much, but on the inside you'll notice a nice authentic Korean restaurant. Unfortunately Norfolk Garden is limited menus with only having three menus and one waiter. It looks as if they were planning on doing big renovations until Covid possibly stopped them in their tracks or lack of funding. Despite the odds though, Norfolk Garden does not shy away from great service and amazing authentic Korean Food. From the free sides to the entrees and soups the serving sizes are well made to keep your crave or tummy satisfied. read more

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Authentic Food! Highly recommend if you want to actually have Amazing Korean food. I go to many Korean restaurants and this would be #1 in the Norfolk Area. It's as well nice and quiet. Good takes a while but that's how great food is made. read more

Hands down the best Korean BBQ in the area. It may not be the new cool place to go, and it may not be in the best location, but hands down the best k-bbq in the area. Love this place and if you can get past the location and what it looks like on the outside, I promise you one of the best meals and an appreciative staff. read more

Poor service(the person who takes the order to go was so rude ) Food is mediocre. The restaurant was empty when we were there, with no dining, and no car. read more

Norfolk Garden - Bibimbap - Korean Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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When I walked into Norfolk Garden with my friend, we were informed we should've made a reservation. We were seated immediately anyway. The woman who served us was the owner and was working that night all by herself. She told us her server didn't come in that day. Still, she seemed to be able to make conversation with all of the four tables she was serving and made me feel at home. I had the spicy pork which was served with a bed of rice and a really fresh wedge of iceberg lettuce. It also came with a small cup of kimchi. I ate everything on the plate and actually forgot to take a picture. I am so glad I chose to eat here and look forward to eating more delicious Korean food when I am back! read more

Don't let the parking lot or surrounding area fool you. I almost didn't go in , but I'm so glad I did. The food was authentic and delicious. The staff was attentive and personable. I have been twice and plan to be back any time I'm in the area. read more

Norfolk Garden - Best Korean food I've had! - Korean Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

The food and the service are weird. Don't think they even have a chief. Not recommended.

Small, quiet restaraunt. Went with a friend and we had the whole place to ourselves. The server was kind and attentive. Nice size portions for good prices!! Food was delicious and fresh tasting! read more

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I recently trie the japchae. It is clear noodles that comes with beef and vegetables, and it also comes with banchan sides and miso soup. Everything tasted great I would definitely get again read more

Norfolk Garden - Japchae - Korean Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Food here was kinda dated, and over priced, its traditional korean classic style, but i wouldn't go back.

Great food! Lunch staff is typically a single person so not great at capacity but fresh made every meal and such good quality food! Highly recommend!! read more

Norfolk Garden - a bowl of food on a table - Korean Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

In the summer, Hubby and I have been looking for naengmyeon noodles cuz it had been so hot but also many years since we last had this dish but none of the Korean places we know make this dish. So thanks to Yelp we called here and low and behold they make it! Literally 5 mins after calling we hopped in our car and headed towards the restaurant and we were so glad we did! They had the most variety of traditional Korean dishes I have seen in the 757 so far! And all the banchan she gave to us tasted so fresh! The naengmyeon noodles were so good! You could tell it was homemade and not just packaged broth and seasonings!! Loved it all! Do not let the exterior fool you, this place is great!!! read more

A hidden gem! This lady does it all! And very well managed on time too. Didn't wait too long. Had the kimichi jigae, galbi tang, soondobu jigae & both steamed & pan fried dumplings all on separate occasions & she was quick. A plethora of banchan each & every time I went! My favorite hole in a wall spot. You will not be disappointed! read more

So good! I can't believe they are not busy on Saturday. There's not too many Korean restaurant in VA beach area so it did not take me too long to try all of them. I can safely say Norfolk Garden is the best one!! Although keep in mind it is the priciest one of the bunch. The entrees run from $15-40 per person especially if you go for the meats. Idk about the bbq because I got the more traditional korean entrees. Ordered the $25 galbi Jjim (braised short ribs in like a sweet/tangy sauce with radish and carrots) and the mackeral and dwenjang jjigae (pretty much a glorified miso soup) which was $20. It's definitely not your typical Korean flavor. We were kind of surprised by the taste because neither dish was what we expected. It's almost as if they put a slight fusion/twist to the two dishes we ordered. I will have to try more items to see if they do this for all of their menu or not. The side dishes were plenty and fresh. First, when you usually order a mackeral plus soup combo at Korean places, you get a like a square filet of grilled mackeral. Norfolk garden decided to go the whole fish route (nice surprise). And the fish itself was so good, perfectly charred on the outside with crispy skin and juicy meat inside. The best part, this soy sauce/green onion/sesame oil? Sauce they put on the top of the fish and on the side. (Bomb) I kept telling my husband how this sauce is really interesting and how it compliments the fatty (the good fat!) fish. The dwenjang soup was very flavorful and full of big chunks of tofu, potato, green squash and lot of mushrooms. $20 for a whole fish is NOT a bad deal. Husband was complaining that this place was kind of expensive when we ordered. But when food came out, he was like, this is a good deal! Galbi jjim was also very very different than traditional galbi Jim. It was more "red" than light brown in color (which is the normal color of the sauce in traditional galbi jjim) and the meat was way more "wet" and the sauce thick. It almost tasted like Korean version bbq sauce, which is cool. My husband enjoyed it and said the meat was tender and good. This sauce would be great to make fried rice with afterwards. (Dinner idea alert) Ending: they give you a Korean ginger/herb tea, it's super sweet and a great palette cleanser. (Especially if you ate meat) Try it out, support local!! read more

Norfolk Garden - Galbi jjim on top, middle dwenjang jjigae soup, bottom grilled mackeral - Korean Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

The food here is excellent if you like Korean with good spice. The location and surrounding parking area is suspicious so keep an eye out when parking. The building outside looks old, but the decor inside is nice with an Asian feel to it. The price is fair and you get plenty from all of the small dishes they bring before the meal and the cold cinnamon tea to drink afterwards soothes the spiciness flavor. Great food dishes overall! read more

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We had the K-6 Bulgogi and K-19 Dolsot Bibimbap and both were excellent! The hostess was very kind to us and this was an enjoyable visit.

Amazing service and very good food. Will be back. My partner got the bibimbap and I got a spicy soup with short ribs, eggs and noodles. Both were so good. They have so many side dishes but kimchi is my favorite. We were nervous coming in because no one was there and then this sweet lady came out to greet us. She was telling us how so many people would dine and dash and I insisted that we would pay before hand. read more

This is definitely a mixed review. First, the main positive is that the food was very good. The pork bulgigi was full of flavor and spice, and the rice was cooked perfectly. The Korean pickles were also very good, as were all the entrees we ordered. My main complaint is the menu itself. If you come to Norfolk Garden, read the prices VERY carefully. Most items are in the expected range of $17-25 for Korean BBQ itemsbut there are several items so out of line that I can only refer to them as "land mines". For example, Kolbi short ribs were $55. There were items even in the 60 amd 70+ range, and not always ones with expensive i ingredients. For example, the intestine and tripe soup was also over $50. These prices just are not in line with this restaurant, and seem aimed at catching a customer unaware. They were also very tattered, with a hand written warning on the cover that said they are now pay first because so many are running out without paying. We were not asked to pay first, which makes me wonder who exactly is, I can imagine, but I will not speculate. Again, very good Korean food, but I cannot give an unqualifed recommendation due to what I described above. read more

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