Mandu

My girlfriend and I were visiting Washington, DC and decided to give Mandu a try. The restaurant itself is modern, clean, and nicely decorated, making a great first impression. However, when we walked in and saw only a couple of tables occupied, I had a feeling it might not live up to its appearance. Unfortunately, that feeling turned out to be justified once we looked at the menu and tasted the food. Overall Ratings Atmosphere - 4/5 Service - 3/5 Food - 1/5 Parking - Street Parking Atmosphere - The restaurant is modern, clean, and well maintained. The dining room is attractive and comfortable, and it feels much more upscale than your average Korean restaurant. Service - Service was adequate. Nothing stood out as particularly good or bad. The staff took our order, brought out the food, and checked on us occasionally. What We Ordered - -Galbi - At over $40, this was by far the most disappointing dish of the meal. I've had galbi at countless Korean restaurants, many of which charge under $30 while delivering significantly better flavor and quality. The seasoning was noticeably different from what I'm accustomed to, and not in a good way. For the price, it felt extremely underwhelming. -Pa Jeon - Just okay. It was a standard Korean pancake that didn't stand out in any particular way. -Tofu Stew - We ordered it mild, but it was surprisingly spicy and excessively salty. The saltiness overwhelmed most of the other flavors in the dish. -Korean Fried Chicken - Unfortunately, this suffered from the same issue. The chicken itself was decent, but it was far too salty, making it difficult to enjoy. Final Thoughts - The biggest issue for me was the value. Nearly every dish felt overpriced for the quality being served, and the excessive saltiness across multiple items made the meal even more disappointing. While the restaurant looks great and has a modern atmosphere, the food simply did not justify the prices. Considering how many excellent Korean restaurants I've been to over the years, this was one of the more disappointing experiences. Unfortunately, I wouldn't return.

The food was good, but I don’t think it justified the price. We started with the KFC wings, which were delicious and probably my favorite part of the meal. My husband really enjoyed the Soondubu, but I thought it was just average. I ordered the Galbi, which was flavorful and came in a generous portion. We only drank water, and our bill came to about $97 (including tax, before tip), which felt a bit expensive for what we got. The service was friendly, attentive, and quick, so no complaints there. The atmosphere was also pretty average. Overall, the restaurant wasn’t bad, but with so many great Korean restaurants in the DMV area, I don’t think this one stands out enough to justify the cost. I probably wouldn’t go back when there are better options nearby.

Absolutely delish! Huge portions so come hungry. The food was fresh and authentic. I would recommend bringing business connections, dates and friends here for solid food in an atmosphere where you’re able to still have a conversation, background music and was at a great volume. The location is also very easy to navigate to, safe and central to downtown DC.

Loved my visit here! My party and I ordered the mandu (half steamed and half fried), dolsot bibimbap, and galbi. The mandu was so juicy and delicious! I recommend getting this! The bibimbap was perfectly seasoned. The galbi was slightly salty, but the rice & lettuce balanced it out. The banchan provided was impressively delightful. The portions are a good size, so definitely come hungry! I throughly enjoyed my meal here, and would definitely come back!