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A visit to the Rice Bar Marketplace at Penn Q for a quick dinner. I got the standard tofu noodle soup with bean sprouts, carrots, zucchini, eggplants, shitake mushrooms, and a crisp radish salad, with tofu and an added egg. Rice Bar is becoming my go-to for a quick meal downtown. Their ingredients and fresh and tasty, and the combinations in their bowls are perfectly proportioned. Two thumbs up for Rice Bar. You should give them a try if you haven't already!
On a cold wintery day, a nice hot bowl of bibimbap sounded good, so we stopped by Rice Bar to get some Korean food. Order by filling out a form that has all the options for the bowl, whether it is rice or noodles, and deciding the toppings, sauces, and protein to add to the custom bowl. Hand over the completed form to the staff, and after scooping all the ingredients into the bowl, it's ready in a matter of minutes. Overall, a great place to quickly get a delicious bibimbap near the Archives.
My friend and I wanted a quick dinner and found Rice Bar on Yelp. It is a Chipotle-style Korean eatery with a variety of rice, lettuce and noodle base options. You pay between $2-5 per protein and can select as many as you want, 4 free toppings and about a $1 for each additional topping. I had a base of half black rice and white rice with galbi and raw tuna as protein. The bowl was huge and about $20. Great sauce selection and meat was tender. Tuna portion was skimpy, but galbi was a nice size scoop. I got a miso soup for $4, okay, not worth the price. It was bland and seemed like old tofu.and overcooked squash in it. I would return again for a quick bite. Seating is a little slim.
This place operates like a Korean version of Chipotle, with a slight twist. Before approaching the counter, you write down your name and order on a slip of paper, then hand it to the person at the first station. This person adds your chosen ingredients to a bowl and moves you down the assembly line. This makes for an efficient ordering process in theory; however, there were some bottlenecks on the line as people ahead of me stopped to ask questions about ingredients and sauces. I ordered a bulgogi bibimbap with brown rice, kale, radish salad, eggplant, carrot, and gochujang sauce. The food was tasty and filling. Unfortunately, the rice and bulgogi were not as warm as I would have liked. Also, the person who prepared my bowl substituted mushrooms for the eggplant I requested and I only realized after I had already paid.
Stopped by for a bite after an afternoon exploring the Smithsonian museums. It was moderately crowded, but it was quick to order and I got my food quickly. I ordered the bulgogi bibimbap and it was delicious. I chose the gochujang sauce and I love the variety of vegetables that came in the bowl. I also chose the black rice. The rice was perfectly cooked and I love that they have this option as it is very authentic to Korean cuisine. I would give this bowl a 9/10 for the variety of vegetables, taste, and decent price ($13). I would love to try the spicy chicken bowl next time.
This build a bowl place offers flavors that seemed genuinely Korean to me. This wasn't 100% a good thing, as the pickled radish salad smelled a bit too much after riding with me on the Metro for a while and one of the sauces I got was so salty it made by heart flutter a bit. I appreciated the black rice and the greens and got a decent portion of tofu and vegetables, and it was a quick and easy pickup experience. Given that the whole point is to build a bowl, if I had a chance to do it again I'd pick differently and not use the sauces heavily.
The Rice Bar is a must go each time we visit Washington DC. It's in a very convenient spot in the city. It's unique with the way you have to order, you fill out a card with what you want, so it's perfect for introverts. They have pre selected bowls, or you can build your own. The place is very welcoming and so is the staff. Kind of small on the inside, but definitely a great take out location. They also tend to be a bit pricey, but definitely worth it. Easily our favorite place to eat in DC.
Rice Bar is such a good concept full of great food. After filling out your preferred order and sharing the sheet with the nice person behind the counter you get to watch happily as they prepare your excellent order. The Bulgogi was excellent but my favorite part is always the udon noodle base I choose, those noodles really soak up all of the other flavors. The restaurant itself was pretty busy with people coming and going regularly, but there was space and seats aplenty.
I love a good bowl place, especially when I love all the things that go in the bowls! Seriously, all of the options are good here and they have paper tickets you can fill out when customizing your bowl which makes the whole process super easy. They also don't skimp on the toppings so you won't leave hungry!
Chipotle meets Korean. I love this concept and I love bibimbap even more. We came as a party of two during what we hoped would be the downturn of lunch rush at 1:30pm but it was still very busy and we had to wait a couple minutes to find a table in the small but cute space. Kind of like chipotle or sweet green concept, you basically construct your own bibimbap bowl with Korean ingredients (think rice, radishes, carrots, seaweed, kimchi, gojuchang, fried egg, etc). You can also pick a noodle soup base instead of rice. We got one of each. Both bowls had great flavor, very Korean and reminds me of simple Korean home cooking at your childhood friends house. We got the clear noodle broth and it was honestly mind blowing. Excellent umami balance and not oily at all, it paired perfectly with the simple ingredients in my noodle soup. Love this stuff, highly recommend TLDR; come here for a healthy, hearty, classic Korean bibimbap or noodle soup
Absolutely delicious!! This is make your own bibimbap place...reminds of a Chipotle, but Korean and way better. When you arrive, you'll be able to fill out a sheet with your order. You can order some pre-set options, but you can also customize your own bowl which is what I did. All the ingredients taste so fresh, with the perfect crunch. The sauces were delicious too, and you can add multiple ones to your bowl. In addition to the delicious food, they also had a soda fountain with great flavors like pineapple cream soda, cherry soda with tarragon, and vanilla cream soda. Loved it!! read more
Glad Rice Bar opened up in Penn Quarter, a healthy option! It's hidden on the corner and easy to miss, so be on the look-out! The menu can be a bit overwhelming with sooo many options and bases to choose from - salad, noodles, rice, soup, etc. I wasn't sure which paper menu to select, and bypassed annotating my order and ordered directly from a server. I got the Clear Noodles and loaded it up with veggies - eggplant, burdock root, carrots, seaweed salad, kale, mushroom, roasted seaweed with tofu and topped with a fried egg and scallions and teriyaki sauce and sesame seeds. As I got more than the 4 standard toppings and fried egg, I spent over $20+!. It was a bit heavy on the seaweed, next time I'm going to skip the seaweed altogether as well as the mushy carrots and should be hopefully within my 4 topping limit! The fried egg was tasty and helped to elevate the meal, it was worth paying the extra $3 surcharge. The food was very flavorful and healthy. I'll definitely be coming back again and want to try the authentic Bibimbap in a clay pot for $3 surcharge! read more
5 months ago
Amazing service , the owner is very kind and helpful, the food was also so delicious. The portion sizes are perfect as well i didn't feel bloated or bad at all afterwards. Ambiance is great they have a terrific playlist for music and a lot of searing options. Would definitely come back!!! read more
This restaurant is not big, has limited seating but the location is just great. Conveniently located near Smithsonian museums, so we were able to fit lunch here between museums. They offer different kinds of bibimbap and noodles, but you can also build your own by marking ingredients on a form. I got bulgogi bibimbap. It had some fresh veggies, kimchi, egg and a lot of rice. It was so tasty. Again the seating is limited and there is not much space between tables and chairs so it's for a quick meal. But it was perfect for tourists like us. read more
10 months ago
Came back on a cold January night before heading out. It was quiet for an early dinner. We both decided on a hot soup item. I had the tempura udon and my partner had the spicy Korean ramen. There was a short wait for the shrimp tempura in my udon. But it came out nice and crispy. The udon noodles were nice and chewy and the soup was not heavy. The spicy Korean ramen was ok. It wasn't too spicy, it reminded us of shin ramen (which we don't mind). It also came with a bowl of rice and some toasted nori (which we also enjoyed). read more
I loved the ambience, the service, and option. Thought the idea of a rice bar was genius. Didn't have to wait long even though there's a line. It's constantly moving. Got the bibimbop special and I was impressed that it tasted authentic. Flavorful, meaty, and overall delicious. I highly recommend this place. read more
Korean casual chain very close to the natural history museum. It's fairly large with seating (few regular tables and a few high tops). The food was by no means authentic, but it was quite tasty and the prices reasonable. I do think they marinated too much though as it was a little too strong. Generous serving... I was fairly full after finishing. read more
2 years ago
My kids and I ate at Rice Bar during a trip to DC. None of us had ever had "Bibimbap", but we wanted to try it! They could not have made it easier. When you come inside, they have notepads with a list of options for how to customize your dish. You can pick rice or noodles, and which kind of noodles you'd like. You choose between miso soup and clear soup, unless you're eating it as a bowl without soup. You pick a protein, and then 4 additional toppings. You can add extras, like an egg, as well. The gentleman behind the counter was incredibly helpful and answered any questions we had. My son and I got bulgogi (ribeye) with ramen noodles. I got broccoli, mushrooms, edamame, and crispy seaweed with mine, as well as clear soup. He got miso soup and carrots with his. My daughter got bulgogi in a bowl with lettuce. We also got an order of dumplings to share. Everything was so delicious! They had soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and a hot sauce of some kind you could add to your bowls at your table. The restaurant is not very large but is bright and inviting. There was plenty of available seating. My daughter said this was her favorite meal of our trip! read more
Looking for something near the National Mall? Come to Rice Bar! Here are our 5 Star FAPS: Food (F): We ordered the two pre-made bi bim bap bowls- the bulgogi and the kalbi with black rice! Both were delicious, nutritious, and filling! The right amount of rice to veggie and meat ratio. Well-cooked rice as well! There are many different options as well as the option to customize your own bowl! Ambiance (A): Cute, clean, and friendly! Parking (P): We didn't drive, but we were looking for something to eat near the National Mall. We came from the National History Museum, and it was about a 9 minute walk. Service (S): Fast and friendly food service. Self-clean up and self-serve service. Overall, come check it out yourself and enjoy some masitseumnida bi bim bap! read more
Second time trying this place - it's alright. Imo poke is better. They didn't fill the bowl as much as I would've liked, but the price was better than most poke places. I didn't think they had the best sauce options. Overall though, it's great for a casual pickup for lunch and it's super quick. The servers are very efficient and super nice! read more
This was a change of pace from all of the food trucks by the museums. However, I would have liked to see an improvement in customer service such as explaining to customers that they can get noodles or bibimbap. It's kind of like Chipotle/Subway/Bibibop. If you've never been there before, then you may get confused. I got the Korean ramen which is basically just packages of ramen from your nearby grocery store. They give you rice and seaweed with it. No meat. I ordered bulgogi to eat with my rice. Seating can be tight in areas because it's so close to the next table. Unfortunately, it's a 3 for me due to the store bought ramen. I would have liked them to actually make their own ramen. Service was okay, the cashier was the only one helpful. The other people serving looked like deer in headlights. read more
1 year ago
Was so excited to find this place. It was packed and for good reason. Loved that i was able to make my bowl with any combination I wanted. Food was fresh and so good. Not a lot of seating, but things opened up quickly. I only wish I lived closer. read more
This place gets the job done when we need a quick Korean bite. You create your own bowls or noodle bowls with the Korean vegetables and meat. Noodle Soups are available also from Udon, Ramen, and the Korean "Festival" Noodle Soups the Korean Owner is always genuine making our visits here always pleasant. The Tan Tan Ramen broth comes out very Hot in temperature and for the price of $13, it is a good meal. The Kalbi or Bulgogi for the protein selection is always a bonus. Vegan Diets are welcome as they have options. Food comes out quickly and seating can be difficult at times due to the foot traffic from the Mall Area but if you wait a little bit seats will always open up. You can come enjoy some Korean Pop Music and even Beer is sold here. Cheers. read more
Found this place in DC by accident but so happy I stumbled upon it. It's like a chipotle for Korean food and it was well worth the long line . I love how everything was authentic right up to the metal bowls they used for serving. I loved my bimbimbap - and there are so many things I want to try for my next visit read more
1 year ago
I had dinner at Rice Bar Market Place in Washington D.C. with my wife and unfortunately, it was a very disappointing experience. We ordered the Galbi Bibimbap and the Poke Signature. As a Korean, I can say the food was decent -- the gochujang sauce had a nice flavor -- but that was about the only positive part. (1) Serious hygiene issue: We found a piece of plastic in the bibimbap (see photo). When we showed it to the staff and asked for a replacement, the employee simply snatched the bowl away without a single word. She later brought a new one and said "Sorry about that," then walked away without any explanation or genuine apology. It completely ruined the meal. The staff member involved is the same one mentioned below for her rude behavior. (2) Extremely rude service: One Asian female employee was shockingly rude. I've rarely encountered customer service like this in the U.S. -- or anywhere. She spoke in a very curt and unpleasant way, almost as if she was irritated with us just for ordering. When it took us a few extra seconds to decide, she slammed the rice cooker shut in frustration. The entire interaction felt hostile and made us very uncomfortable. I really wanted to enjoy this place, but the lack of basic hygiene and courtesy makes it hard to recommend. read more
10 months ago
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Food here tastes very good! Wasn't a fan of the seaweed salad topping but the meat, rice, and rest of sides I got were all delicious and the sauce was good as well. The seating was all a little cluttered since we were coming in after a large group probably, but the staff were quick to reorganize everything after we sat down with our food. read more
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Stopped by for lunch recently. It was only the owners working there, and they were a super friendly older couple. There's also a ton of seating available (at least for lunch). I went for a build my own bibimbap, and it honestly did not turn out well. Way too salty, with all the flavors drowned out by the saltiness of the spicy chicken I added. The chicken itself didn't even have much flavor besides salt, and it was unfortunately also quite dry. The other toppings didn't add much besides some texture, and the purple rice they had was a bit overcooked and mushy. Honestly really surprised this place has such strong reviews; maybe making my own bowl was the mistake and I just made some bad choices! read more
2 years ago
This is a casual, counter style place. You can choose a pre-set entree or customize one to your liking. There are paper order forms where you write down your name and what you want. I ordered a custom bibimbap with beef bulgogi, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, seaweed, and black rice with spicy peanut sauce. It was delicious! I loved how all of the flavors melded together. There were some small tables for seating as well as 2 large tables where groups could sit as they fit with other groups. The restaurant was festively decorated for the holidays, and warm and welcoming on this rainy, cold day. My entire family loved it and will try to make it back while we are in town. Highly recommend. read more
2 years ago
Yelp did its thing and found the Rice Bar this Saturday afternoon. The Korean fusion restaurant is similar to Chipotle with choices of bibimbap, noodles, rice dishes made to order or following a curated list of dishes. Ordering is done by selecting a slip and choosing, toppings, protein, soup base and spice level. They also have chocolate chip cookies and 'Stubborn' brand sodas on tap and in bottles. Seating is communal in an open dining area with music playing over speaker.The place was pretty busy with a diverse Saturday lunch crowd when I arrived. After some consideration, I selected a noodle sheet and built my meal of bulgogi noodle soup, and I added an order of dumplings and fountain drink. I grabbed a seat at a long table to enjoy lunch and people watch. While the food was delicious, the dish complex with noodles protein, toppings and this was a new experience -I plan on coming back because I don't think I ordered the best dishes for me. read more
WOW, stumbled across this place in DC. What a great surprise. It's a simple concept, build your own bowl or select one of their specialties. Getting through the selection was a little hard for me because everything sounded so good. I stuck with the ahi tuna option and I was not disappointed. Service is rather quick and we got our food pretty fast. Not much to the ambiance, it is pretty simple, just like the concept. Very happy we ate here. If we have the opportunity to eat there again, we will. read more
One of several locations in the D.C. area, Rice Bar is a local Korean fast-casual restaurant where you can make your own rice and noodle bowls. Pick your type of rice or noodles, pick four toppings (there's an additional cost for more than four), a protein, and a sauce. My go-to is white rice with bulgogi and sesame oil and seeds, and several toppings. The space is large with tables and fountain soda. Customer service is excellent! read more
1 year ago
This place is so great and convenient to a metro station and the museums around national mall. There's not a ton of food in that immediate area so we went here and it was so awesome. The flavors were on point, very fast service and great options. Like other reviews have said, think chipotle style but Korean bowls. Excellent quality! The restaurant is located on the D St. side of the building--when we routed it this wasn't clear so we had to walk around the building to find which side it was. read more
Love the concept of this quick and easy Korean food spot in downtown. Chipotle style where you pick your base. Either rice or noodle bowl. They offer various bases from vermicelli, rice and yam noodles. Pick your protein: tofu, bulgogi, kalbi short rib etc. and pick your toppings from: kale, edamame, mushroom, broccoli, etc. great selection of stuff with various sauces you can try from peanut miso base to gojuchang. Fast and easy service. Meal turned out really good. Highly recommend read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
The Korean version of chipotle and it was good! I came in around lunch and was quickly helped. We got a rice bowl with bulgogi, spicy cucumber, bean sprouts and edamame. I wish the bowl was a bit hotter but I guess they do offer the heated bowl version for expensive . In regards to sides I kind of wish they had more options like you would get at KBBQ. Radish salad. Crispy mushroom... it looked like they just had regular mushrooms which didn't look appetizing. Macaroni/potato salad. Potatoes. I did like how they have the topped egg option, I would do that too next time. I enjoyed it and will be back for more! read more
Came here for lunch with a friend over the weekend and it was delicious! It's basically a build-your-own-bowl moment, like Chipotle or CAVA, but with Korean food. I got a rice base, with my four free toppings (corn, spicy cucumbers, roasted seaweed, and fried onions), and bulgogi (my protein of choice). For finishes, I put on green onions, sesame seeds, gochujang, and sesame oil. Oh, and I got a friend egg, because runny eggs on rice is a match made in heaven! The bowl was sooo yummy (I also added some spicy mayo from the self-serve station, which worked really well with the bulgogi) and I was very full at the end of the meal. The bulgogi was very tender, the veggies were fresh, the egg was a little runny to mix in well, and the flavor was impeccable. The price was a teensy bit higher than other similar restaurants, but I did add the egg, and either way, the portion size was generous and I thought it was definitely worth the money. There was plenty of seating and the staff all seemed very nice. The restaurant definitely filled up as the lunch out came and went, so it seems I'm not the only new fan! I saw some people order the noodles, which also looked good, so maybe I'll try those next! read more
A Korean take on Chipotle's concept! An excellent place to enjoy a Korean bowl. We opted for the spicy tofu bibimbap bowl and the bulgogi beef bowl with lettuce. The menu offers an array of toppings for customization - four are included, while extras come with a small additional charge. The staff excelled in offering suggestions, and the service was impressively swift. I'd certainly suggest dropping by for a speedy meal while exploring DC. read more
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Rice Bar - korean - Updated May 2026
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