Hansung BBQ

food is really good and authentic!! Prices are on the higher end, but their portions are also really big (like 1.5 serving size). it’s clean inside but the interior gives off a creepy vibe lol.

Went to Hansung BBQ with my wife and toddler on a peaceful Sunday evening ~6.30pm to get a nice dinner after grocery shopping. We were immediately seated and the restaurant was very empty. I remember there were only 2 tables and 2 waiters. We ordered the Hansung Galbi since it was the most recommended choice on Google Maps, which was $54.99. The waiter confirmed the portion for 2 pax. I did not read carefully that the price was "per pax" but my wife mentioned she read it (My bad). The food was immediately prepared to be cooked on charcoal and the meat being cut (I thought that we could cook it ourselves on the grill, given that’s how most KBBQ joints operate) - so we were "eating with our eyes" and the smell was good. Everything was served at a fast pace - The speed at which the server prepared the food made me felt like I was rushing to catch a flight/train, even though the restaurant was very empty. Once the galbi was cooked and cut - everything was kept, such as the charcoal and the grill etc. My wife and I were slightly annoyed by the fast pace of service as we just wanted to take our time to enjoy our dinner while handling/feeding a toddler. My wife and I were puzzled why this is so. The "complementary" dessert (sugar water with a few brown rice grains?) and bill was brought to our table before we had the chance the finish our delicious food i.e. ~ 5 to 10mins after the food was all prepared/served. I put my credit card on the bill so that can process ASAP and they did come back with the final bill for the tip while we were still consuming our meal. The waiter came to our table twice/thrice to check if the tip was written - I was very annoyed and confused about the rush. So as soon as I managed to finish my food, I wrote the tip and final bill amount. (I gave 15% because we were very annoyed by the pace of service and am very confused about the rush when the restaurant was so empty, to which I understand why now.) Long story short: The waiters expect 18% tip on the post-tax bill and we were "strongly suggested" by the waiters several times to give that amount. My wife informed me that she heard both the waiters complaining in korean about the our tip after "rejecting" the final bill several times (looking at the amount and putting it on the table), while I was at the restroom. We were very shocked by the waiter’s response. This is the first time we were pressured to tip more than we wanted to. Safe to say this will be our first and last time at Hansung BBQ after such an experience.

Here on vacation and randomly googled to find this Korean joint nearby. Decided to give it a try and it was pretty legit. Guess I can say that since I’ve lived in Seoul for 3 years and know when it is authentic. Meats were good, with the exception of the brisket where it would be nicer if fattier. Banchan was ok though the braised beef certainly stood out. The smell of bbq meat is therapeutic 😊

A Korean BBQ joint that uses actual wood charcoal cannot go wrong. You have the primary element that makes any meat and grilling great. Yet, Hansung fails to completely mesmerize. And the reason is the meat. Let's start with the atmosphere. It's somewhat like a hybrid between a night club, a dungeon, reeking of burnt coal. You feel like you're going to get cancer the moment you step in. Good scent though. Who doesn't like grilled meat? Next, the service. Like any decent Korean BBQ, the server swings by, grills the meat, and cuts it up for you. No qualms here. The lady was friendly. My only issue is she kept on not getting us soy sauce. I can see that they have soy sauce as it appears in other food. But she somehow couldn't bring us a bit on the side. Now let's talk about the meat. First, no matter what you do, you must use fresh, high quality beef. The Hansung galbi was the only saving grace but with thinly sliced rib meat marinated in soy and sugar, you really can't go wrong here. So again, galbi was great. The wagyu ribeye. Definitely avoid. This was tough as a cardboard sponge. There is no way this was a wagyu-grade ribeye, let alone being fresh. And they don't marinate it at all, which means they are banking on completely the meat to be flavorful. A complete fail and waste of money here. Finally we also had the gopchang, the small intestines. Comes again, completely unmarinated... and this is really tough to pull off as the intestines are tough, unflavorful, etc. All they had to do is marinate it with their galbi sauce but again, they seem to not really be tasting their own food. Hansung is a disappointment in many aspects. And they're not that cheap either. Unless you are coming to get hammered here with soju and need a bit of protein on the side, I don't think I'll be coming back.

Felt very pressured to leave even though the place was barely half full with the servers wanting to cook everything right away before we just started the first dish. Otherwise, the BBQ and side dishes tasted great. Old school vibe. Big empty parking lot with not many other stores in the plaza.

Love how they do the BBQ'ing for you at the table and each piece of meat is grilled to the perfect doneness! We were just busy eating from start till the end. Service is superb and it justifies the price they charge. The cold refreshing buckwheat soba noodle pairs perfectly with the savory BBQ meats.

One of the few Korean restaurants in the Bay Area that still uses charcoal instead of propane, and it makes a big difference for the taste! Lots of good bonchon, and the meat sauces are good as well. Very efficient service, and plenty of parking.