Hwangbooja Korean Restaurant

Small quaint family owned Korean restaurant filled with older Korean folks which is always a good sign The bossam is so soft and spicy radish paired perfectly. We also had Biji jigae which is ground soybean soup, braised spicy chicken soup was perfectly seasoned. The chinggookjang which is a stinky miso soup was also very authentic. Galbitang also had a large portion of meat and broth was very flavorful. 청국장 비지찌개 갈비탕 보쌈 닭도리탕

This was one of the best meals I’ve had since moving here. I ran a half marathon that morning and was deeply craving Korean cold noodles and raw marinated crab, and I’m SO glad I found HwangBooJa. (Disclaimer: this place is AMAZING even if you’re not ravenous after a long run) FOOD Bossam + Jokbal Combo (5/5): Deliciously seasoned and each wrap filled me with pure bliss. Such a filling portion size and we left with plenty of leftovers. Also pleasantly surprised it came with raw oysters, which are my mom’s favorite! Raw marinated crabs (5/5): WOW so glad to have a place that has this dish in the DMV. Killer with the purple rice they serve, and made to perfection. Dolsot bibimbap (5/5): This dish was the biggest surprise because I wasn’t expecting it to be SO DANG GOOD! Highly recommend letting it crisp up for a bit before mixing, because that crispy rice hits different. Every bite was absolutely divine and left me wanting more even after I cleaned the bowl. Mool naengmyun (4/5): So delicious but not my favorite noodle texture for this dish. However, the seasonings were perfect and I enjoyed being able to tailor the dish to my taste. SERVICE This place felt like eating at a relative’s house - it felt very much family owned and run, and everyone was so polite, kind, and sweet even though we’re not Korean (have definitely had experiences in the past where this made a huge difference in how we were treated). Especially big shoutout to the owner and his daughter for diligently refilling our side dishes, working hard to clean up everything quickly and serve everyone, and creating such a comforting atmosphere in the restaurant. I will definitely be back soon! Thanks so much for an amazing experience.

Soooo good, underrated spot for sure!!! We’re lucky to have all this amazing food right in Cville!!! Got the soondubu jjigae which was great but the galbi tang was out of this world. Next I need to try the raw marinated crabs, which everyone says is their specialty! Employees were SO nice too. Thanks for having us!

This cozy, no-frills Korean restaurant offers a variety of decent dishes. The Dolsot Bibimbap was served with a small soup, while the Galbitang was warm and savory. The ambiance is clean and straightforward, with food posters adorning the walls. The service was good, contributing to a satisfying dining experience.

This is our go to spot for korean food and we end up here at least once a month. We love their signature boodae jjigae. We just tried the bossam with oysters which was amazing as well. If you haven't been definitely worth the visit !

Every dish was delicious, including the house made tofu they generously served us. We’ll definitely be coming back!

I recently ventured out to Centerville to try Hwangbooja Korean Restaurant on a friend’s recommendation, and it did not disappoint! The highlight of my visit was the Korean marinated crab, which I tried for the first time. We had both the spicy and soy sauce flavors, and while both were delicious, the spicy version was definitely my favorite—it’s a "rice killer" for sure. It did take some practice to squeeze the flesh from the crab, so if you’re not familiar with marinated crabs, I recommend looking up a quick video or going with a friend who can show you how. We also ordered the jokbal (braised pig’s trotters), naengmyeon (cold noodles), and kimchi pancake, all of which were super flavorful and offered a variety of textures and seasoning. The fresh and plentiful banchan were also nice. The staff were friendly and attentive, and the low key atmosphere made for a relaxing dining experience. Overall, the restaurant offers authentic Korean food, and I’ll definitely be back for more!