Jin H.

If you want korean bbq and on a budget you can't go wrong. considering korean bbq 1 serving is usually over the 22 USD at any other korean restaurant, other than honey pig ( ) . however if you think honey pig is good you really haven't had korean bbq. if you plan on drinking here late at night just becareful MoCo police is usually camping out at the taco bell next door and will follow you to ensure no under influence driving, so make sure you have a DD if you drink
(3)
J K.

When I first heard this was an all-you-can-eat Korean bbq place in Rockville, I had to try it. It's definitely an all-you-can-eat (AYCE) place, but the question is how much do you really want to eat. The meat is not pre-marinated. They do provide a few dipping sauces, but it's just doesn't seem to taste as good as the places in Koreatown that have marinated meats for grilling. The waitstaff were very pleasant, but the cooking was incredibly slow. By the time the meat was cooked, we were a bit tired of waiting. It's not really a buffet because they bring out the meat as you request it, but the place could use some work. I will need to try it again in the near future after they've iron-ed out some of the wrinkles.
(2)
Justine K.

eh not the best cut of meat, it was all very fatty. cool restaurant though, very trendy interior. employees could be more attentive
(3)
Richard S.

I went to Iron Age with some friends for a celebratory dinner. 3 of the 4 of us are Korean Americans so it was a group very familiar with Korean bbq. All in all, it was an ok experience. The service was excellent. The waiters were very attentive and responsive to our requests. I liked the contemporary look of the restaurant and the energetic atmosphere. In terms of the food, I definitely didn't go there with high expectations. I typically lower my bar a bit for cheap AYCE restaurants. I read a number of complaints about the lack of banchan. As far as I can tell, they've addressed this problem. They quickly replaced anything that we requested or ran out of. Granted, the variety is less than some Korean restaurants, but I was there primarily for the meat so I didn't care. Now in terms of the meat, we decided to go with the option B which allows you to choose from a larger variety of beef and pork. After the first couple rounds, we all decided to just stick with the marinated meat. The non-marinated meat was fine. It just didn't make sense to be eating it when we could be eating the more flavorful meat. With regard to the marinated meat, our impression was that it was not marinated sufficiently. I make galbi at home and I marinate the meat for at least 48 hours. The meat at Iron Age tastes like it's just been marinated for a few hours because it lacks the depth of flavor that should be there with Korean bbq. At the end of the day, I ate a ton of food for $22. Because of that, Iron Age was good enough. It's possible that I'd go back if I'm craving another ridiculous meat fest and I can't find another AYCE Korean bbq spot nearby.
(3)
Cindy B.

Food was pretty good. I love the all you can eat meat, salad, kim chi, and side dishes.I like that the food was cooked right in front of you. The service was not the best but was okay. The waiter did not care to smile or tell us about the food since it was our first time there. I only went since my friends all like the food.
(4)
Michele K.

This place is great and the food was mmm...mmmm....good! It was AYCE so I loved that. This is by far better than Honey Pig. You have two choices for AYCE. You have to pick A or B. Surprisingly, the service and waiter was one of the best service I have gotten since I moved out to Maryland. I was a little skeptical at first because of the prior reviews, but he was very attentive, courteous, and came back to the table several times. He cooked our meat, cut up our meat, and then kept on coming back to do it again with whatever we ordered. It is noisy and K-pop is in the background, but I highly recommend giving this place shot. If you are accustomed to the regular Korean BBQ scene, then you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Eddie K.

Iron Age is still a great deal for Moco compared to the prices of Honey Pig and other Korean restaurants. Yes, they raised their prices a few dollars, but now they have some items that are marinated. I really like it here - I wish they can clean their booths a little better. If you put your finger on the top of the booth, it is full of grease - hence why the place will always smell like smoke.
(5)
Fred K.

Finally a AYCE Korean barbq in Moco. It's better valued priced if you eat lots of meat than say Honey Pig in Germantown. The service is quick and efficient, refilling your banchan per request and comes with free egg and soup (unlike Honey Pig). Next time, I will have to ask them to switch out the grill after my first or second round of grilling. This place is rather smoky (wish their fans were more efficient), so leave your coats in the car unless you want them to smell like barbq for days. The K pop music videos I guess are here to stay, like Honey Pig and other new Korean restaurants. Their kitchen closes late, so if you have the midnight cravings for barbq, and don't want to trek it to Germantown, this place is open late.
(4)
Jessica H.

This was my first time having korean bbq and it was yummy! The marinated meats have a great, flavorful taste. Our waiter was nice and friendly and helped us cook the meat. The only complaint I have is that the delivery of the side dishes was dreadfully slow and I was not a big fan of the flashing TVs everywhere playing kpop music videos (but what can you expect?) Overall, great experience and would come again.
(4)
Meana K.

I typically go to Annandale for the best Korean BBQ options, but I've found a few places in MoCo that I like. A friend suggested we come here instead of Honey Pig and claimed it was better food and value. As we arrived, there was a wait of more than 30 minutes. The place was packed, loud, and smoky, and the atmosphere felt frantic. There was a sensory overload with the large screen showing K-Pop videos, servers rushing around, the volume of the conversations in the place was super loud in order to be audible over the overly loud music. We finally were seated, right next to the big screen. Ouch, my eyes. Various servers came by who were confused, seemed apathetic about providing any actual service, and couldn't be bothered to walk around the large table to talk to us -- instead we basically had to mime and point since the place was so loud we couldn't hear anyone who was not seated directly next to us. Throughout the meal, it felt frustratingly impossible to get any server's attention to ask for more drinks or enough chopsticks for the table, etc. The banchan came out pretty quickly along with a nice salad. We put in our order, and soon the meats were cooking. Everything tasted good although I noticed most of the meats weren't really marinated. Some of the meat was pretty grisly, but at an AYCE place I'm not expecting the highest quality cuts. Did I like the food? Yes. The service was terrible, however, and with the auto-gratuity on large tables, it's no wonder they don't bother to make any effort. The atmosphere was unpleasant -- I prefer the hole in the wall authentic places that aren't going out of their way to be contemporary and appeal to the mainstream. Would I eat here again? Hmm, why bother when there are so many better options for the same price or cheaper?
(2)
Janis H.

I love this restaurant: Servers are friendly Food is delicious Closest Korean restaurant in the area that has the ambiance of the buffets in Korea. You aren't rushed Plenty in tv's The owner is very nice The soybean soup is delicious We go here at least once a week
(5)
Robert B.

Located in an utterly nondescript strip mall in the DC suburb of Rockville, MD, Iron Age Korean BBQ is a real delight! This is a classic 'don't judge the book by the cover' situation. You are first struck by the dining space: it is large, and airy, finished in steel and concrete with a good selection of smaller tables and long ones for large parties. Each side of the room is lined with large LCD screens showing what appear to be endless 'K-pop' (Korean pop music) videos, but happily at a lowered volume level that makes table conversation in less-than-battlefield-tones possible. IAKB serves an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ that you can cook yourself at the table with a delightful assortment of meats. The dinner includes a very good assortment of sides (green salad, Korean pancakes, soups, etc., to round out and balance the dining experience. All the ingredients are fresh and of excellent quality, and the meats come with a large assortment of dipping sauces and condiments. Service is particularly good as well. The staff is young, attractive, very pleasant and well-trained, and will help you grill your foods at your table if you wish. They are also very good at checking with you regularly to ensure that you're enjoying you're dining experience. Overall this is a very satisfying restaurant. The only thing that keeps them from getting a 5th star is that they could've done a slightly better job of explaining how to best use the many condiments (garlic, jalapeno, shredded radish, etc) with the meats, for the benefit of round-eye newbies like me. I sure wish these guys could be in Seattle; I'd be a regular!!!
(4)
Stephanie C.

The price and all you can eat is definitely preferred over Honey Pig. :-)
(5)
Ash S.

I came here for lunch with a large group. I thought it was an interesting concept and a suprisingly healthy one, hence the four stars. We all skipped breakfast, so starting off with the egg souffle, potato pancakes and pork belly felt like a nice mini-breakfast. The egg souffle is a lot better with the sesame sauce provided. The soup (no idea what its called) was also quite nice. We had to ask for more side dishes like the pickled radishes, which I thought was a little odd. We had various different kinds of beef, including the brisket, which was my favorite with spicy sauce, it reminded me of korean street vendor food. As far as the at-the-table grilling, I think the concept could have been refined a little. For instance, the grills IMO should have been oiled or greased in some way. The pork and chicken tended to stick really bad and the grills kept having to be swapped out. Also, it really helped that everyone in our party was into cooking, b/c if we'd waited for our server to come back and flip the meat we would have been eating charcoal... but we managed quite nicely. The best part was, after eating a large meal I didn't feel tired or sleepy at all. The mostly meat and veg combo (we all passed on the rice) is very conducive to feeling alert. And in all honestly it's healthy. Would go back here again for a special occasion (our meals with sodas came out to approximately $24, which is too much for me to do every week).
(4)
Jack W.

I love this place! There are no all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ places in Rockville so that's probably why I give this 5 stars. I like all the meats and definitely get my $28 dollars worth when I go. The waitstaff has always been friendly to me. I even enjoy the crappy korean music videos they play. Nothings better than drinking soju and eating korean BBQ while a PSY and Snoop Dogg video are playing on the TV. Just make sure you wear some crappy clothing because you will definitely come out of here smelling like the food.
(5)
Mandy C.

BBQ is great, but the service was horrible!! The waitress gave us a grad time on everything with no reason, and got wrong on our order. There are so many other Korean BBQ places, will never come back again!
(1)
Steph M.

The menu essentially entices most customers to select the $25 all you can eat option (when compared to the pricing of other alternatives). Meat was flavorful, but beware---when the venue is busy and the servers are heavily occupied, your meat will be unattended longer than necessary and toughen quickly. Be prepared to jump in and tend to the sizzling meat on the grill yourself! Other that the glaring K-pop blasting from every corner of the restaurant---ambiance is pretty smokey and crowded. However, watching effeminate k-pop stars flounce around in crazy outfits to mickey-mouse club-esque choreography does do a good job of distracting from the venue's dimly lit, loud environment.
(3)
Elizabeth S.

I waited a while to write this review, because I wanted to check out Honey Pig again (it's been so long since I been there), and I wanted to compare the two. Well, I went to honey pig last night and decided I LOVE Iron Age WAY better. This is why: 1. Price: All you can eat with two options. A or B, A if I remember correctly is $18, B was around $20? At Honey Pig its almost $15 for ONE thing of meat. Iron Age 1, Honey Pig 0 2. Sides: I decided the sides at Iron Age are sooo much better then Honey Pig. I was so disappointed last night when I was at honey pig. Iron Age gives you Egg SoufflÃ©, potato pancakes, and the traditional kimchee, beansprouts, radish, etc. Iron Age 2, Honey Pig 0 3. Service: The service at Honey Pig was meh, but we went on a weekday. So the service wasn't great nor bad compared to when I went there on a weekend (which was horrible). Iron Age, the waiter was very attentive. He kept on coming back "want more meat?" in broken English. Kind of cute. Again, we were here on a weekday around 7:30pm. Iron Age 3, Honey Pig 0. 4. Quality: For the price at Iron Age, you get a better deal. The meat wasn't amazing or a home run, but it was decent. The only complaint is they didn't have Bulgogi or Kalbi, which are my favorite. My mind got fuzzed because there was so much meat I couldn't see straight. At Honey Pig, they charge you by the meat, and they don't give you that much. I felt that I was ripped off. Iron Age 4, Honey Pig 0. 5. Final Price: We spent $80 at Honey Pig, and the guys weren't even full! Ugh. At Iron Age it was about $88 (22$ *4) + $15 (Korean Wine) =$103. So that means we should have went back to Iron Age, got more food and better sides for just a little bit more. Btw, the Korean Wine is a rip off. We went to the beer store near Iron Age and found the same bottle for $9. I guess they have to make money somehow. Iron Age 5, Honey Pig 0. Iron Age WINS!
(5)
Foodie F.

Service was good and so was the food. Reservations are helpful, but be ready to eat fast, especially if you have the party room. They tend to rush you out.
(3)
Eric L.

Ironage gives you plenty of meat and the cuts aren't to bad. I wish the meat was better marinated but outside of that. How can you argue with decent cuts of meat for the price they offer with the sides they give? Definetely recommend if you want to pig out!
(4)
Allen Y.

3.5 stars; great new option in the Rockville area. All you can eat for under $30, and even though it's a waiter grilling all your meat for you at your table, they're pretty good about bringing food out quickly. You also get unlimited amounts of the side dishes. The meat isn't the most flavorful, but you get sauces. I'm not sure if there's too much of a difference between the two AYCE options, but I would advise going with more beef than pork.
(3)
Eric W.

We've been coming here since they opened. Being frequent customers, we can see a slow and steady decline in the service. The older lady owner seems to be a hawk watching all her employees with a close eye. They wont seat you at a large table unless you have 8 people, yet that table will stay completely empty the entire dinner service while people are waiting and waiting and waiting. The food seems to have remained consistent but they raised their prices. We will still go back because it is a decent value and close to home, but if the owner keeps on harping and micromanaging their employees, it could lead to worse service. Our server this time was Hannah and she was very pleasant. Hope they keep her around.
(2)
Sherri D.

For all-you-can-eat, it's not a bad deal. If you're expecting good quality? Meh, not so much. The bulgogi was my favorite and the rest were just trash. The brisket especially! Gross. I was not impressed and the meat was actually very bland. Compared to other KBBQ spots in northern VA, the meat was just lacking that oomph-factor. Decent yes. Delicious, so-so. I'm sorry, but I still like Honey Pig and Kogiya better.
(3)
Laura H.

Iron Age is one of my favorite places to eat, period. I've eaten at Honeypig a couple of times but Iron Age absolutely eclipses it in terms of quality and price. They've changed their all you can eat menu to be cheaper and include more options. I LOVE their pork, and I typically don't really care for it at other KBBQ places. They also give you unlimited sides and sauces. I don't really understand people's complaints about the service - whenever I go the servers seem to be very attentive. They may not converse with you or anything but they're busy and they still do their job well - they're fast and are always on top of your next order. Besides the great food, I've always really liked their decor, and of course they play kpop music videos all the time. If you want cheap, tasty KBBQ then come to Iron Age! I definitely think it's better for big groups than Honeypig.
(5)
Vanessa R.

Really good food service could be a little better but overall a really good place to eat!
(4)
Paul C.

The food is ok but the services is terrible. The servers are young and were very rude. Need to work on their customer service.
(3)
Eileen B.

This review has nothing to do with the food (which is actually rather good) and everything to do with the service. We were told a 30 minute wait when we arrived. We decided to suck it up and waited. At 40 minutes I checked on our time and there were still three groups ahead of us. We decided to stick it out since we already has such a long wait- odd for a resturaunt with three empty tables in front. Ten minutes later we find out they just gave away our table to someone who just walked in and asked for it without waiting. The host had literally nothing to say in way of explanation or apology. And when I say nothing I mean he just kept repeating " uh, uh" over and over while staring at his clipboard. We ended up next door at Taco Bell, where the food may be discussing, but at least some idiot won't make me wait all night for nothing.
(1)
Jane P.

I came here after going to the new Iron Age in Centerville, VA, so it's hard for me not to compare the two places. At this location, my family got the choice with less meat options for $20.00. There wasn't a lot to choose from. There was beef brisket, spicy pork, sweet soy sauce marinated beef, and some other things on the menu that we didn't order because they didn't sound great. Aside from the limited meat, there was some other dishes we could order like: stew, steamed eggs, rice, and pancakes. I would recommend the steamed eggs and stew, but don't waste your stomach on the pancake. The pancake was super oily and was just a cooked piece of flour. yuckkk! At the end of your meal, you can get ice cream from the ice cream machine located on the right side of the restaurant. Make sure you get it even though you're full! hahaha. I would have to say that this location did a lot better job in terms of service. The server was attentive to our needs and constantly coming back to our table to check up on us. She made sure we had enough meat at all times, so we never ran out of cooked meat.
(4)
Ann P.

This place is a four star Korean bbq restaurant. First off, the restaurant is a buffet where they serve you. It's a flat rate for all you can eat Korean bbq, you order as much as you can eat. It's about 20$ per a person. The bulgogi is decent. The meat for the bulgogi is not as thin and tender as I'm used to eating. The bulgogi is big chunks of beef with the sweet soy sauce marination. Not your traditional bulgogi. However, their spicy pork belly is awesome. The pork is not too spicy but spicy enough. It's a good level of spiciness. You don't have an overwhelming spicy heat lingering on. I wouldn't recommend eating the chicken. It was not that good. You also have unlimited rounds of Korean side dishes and soup. They have four different sauces for dipping your meat. All their sauces are delicious especially their sweet Teriyaki style sauce (i don't know what it is called). End the meal with free soft serve ice cream!
(4)
Debbie L.

Iron Age - a nice, ok-priced location for AYCE kbbq! They only serve AYCE. The servers are attentive and they take away any uncooked meat your table couldn't finish, which is nice because they are not wasting. In the front of the restaurant, they have a big screen where they play k-pop videos. I would say don't bother with the pancake. The cherry on top however, is the ice cream machine. So refreshing to eat ice cream after meat meat meat (and in my case, lots of steamed egg) meeaaaattt.
(3)
Cory X.

All you can eat Korean BBQ and soft serve ice cream = totally worth it.
(4)
Nancy C.

Fantastic! Little did I know I was walking into an all you can eat korean BBQ joint but am full and happy. The spicy pork bulgogi was delicious! It's table top cooking and the menu consists of 23 items to satisfy your meat and sides cravings. I was surprised that they didn't bring out kimchi with the cabbage and not a huge variety of the typical veggie sides but all considered there's still plenty of other sides and I bet they change depending on when you go like most korean places. Anyways I can't wait to come back soon what a gem. The atmosphere is cool hip and modern too with modern korean music playing so it's got a nice young casual vibe! Oh yeah and great service the young gentlemen working there are attentive, quick and service oriented.
(5)
Karen S.

I'm not a huge fan of Korean bbq: I don't like the way I smell when I leave and I can never eat enough to really make the AYCE ones worth it. However, for a birthday dinner for one of my friends, it was a pretty good choice for dinner. We had a big group so we sat at four different tables, but they were in the room to the left of the entrance, so we were still pretty close together. I think we chose the B combo, which had slightly fewer meat options, for $20 per person (ultimately we paid $25 per person with tax and tip). We got several rounds of meat-- I honestly can't tell you everything we got-- and I think my favorite was the brisket. The bulgogi was a bit tough. I liked the salad that they happily replenished over and over for us (lightly dressed and a good counterbalance to all the smokey meat) as well as the pickled radish rounds in the pinkish liquid. I liked the random K-pop songs and videos, though the TV closest to us was kind of wonky. The industrial decor gives it a trendy feel. They let us pay table by table and told us they would have preferred that we bring cash, since we had so many people, but they still managed to charge our combination of credit cards and cash pretty quickly. Service was reasonably good; I never felt like we had to wait that long to order anything.
(4)
Andrew D.

If you want to pig out at a Korean BBQ place then this is the place for you. Iron Age offers a buffet style Korean BBQ for a fairly decent price. There's two different buffet option that you can select, the option B gives you the standard meats that you find yourself ordering in a normal BBQ restaurant and for a few dollars more you can get option A that gives you all met like rib eye, steak and cow stomach. Regardless of which option you get they always start you off with some salad, bean paste soup (not miso soup) , Korean pancakes and steam eggs. However on my last few visit the items are sometime replaced for other things. Wait staff has always been nice on my visit there so there's no complaints. There's K Pop that is shown on TV that hangs around the walls of the restaurant. It can get a little overwhelming at some times having the music playing all through out your dinner. Keep your jacket in the car unless you want everything to smell like BBQ. They recently added a soft serve machine so you get that as part of your buffet as well. Drinks are not included in the price of the buffet
(4)
Kevin D.

Good balance of quantity and quality! When it comes to all you can eat style of Korean BBQ, iron age gives you the best deal for your money. Meat wise, the Bulgogi, both pork and beef, taste great. Although the pork takes longer to cook than most. Was not particularly a fan of the chicken though. The marinade of the chicken left a strange after taste. 4/5 Sides wise, they were great. Particularly the potato salad, spicy bean curd soup, and fried pancake. 4/5 Service wise, our waiter was a chill dude and brought out more sides whenever asked. He took his time bringing out the meat though 4/5
(4)
Antony R.

We first came to Iron Age with a high expectation because we see many good comments on Yelp. Those were right, we had a fantastic first experiment here. Good food, friendly servers, quick services( don't have to wait at all). Our servers took the orders and come back with everything we want in five minutes. It is really impressive to me. We had the gogi A which is 25$ per person, we were 4 people and the check was around 110$. It really worth what we paid, we got unlimited of BBQ. Also, It was my girlfriend birthday, I really love their birthday celebration. We were really surprise and excited as our server yell really loud to say Happy birthday to my girl friend. Thanks again to Nick, He did a great job serving us and I love his birthday celebration. We definitely come again and introduce to our friends.
(4)
Benjamin W.

We had never been to a Korean Barbeque restaurant before, especially of the all you can eat variety. But I have to say that after visiting Iron Age once, we'll be back! The introduction to Iron Age can be a bit overwhelming, and is definitely tailored to those who enjoy the aromas of different meats cooking open to the air. If I had one complaint, it'd be that once you enter, and especially if the place is crowded, it does seem a bit disorganized at the front to get seated. But that's a minor complaint. So the gist of this place is that you order either option A or option B, both of which have a list of meats on them. You can order as much as you want of any of the meats from the particular menu. You can also get unlimited side dishes refilled. The sides are amazing, and the meats that we had sizzling on our grill that's mounted in between us on the table were flavorful and plentiful. I would say that the price is very reasonable for all you can eat quality meat, and the atmosphere, complete with k-pop videos on TV's throughout, make Iron Age a five star experience!
(5)
Giancarlo P.

Iron Age is the best! For one I live across the street from it. Two, the all you can eat MEAT is amazing! The service is also great everyone is so nice. Definitely Recommend!
(5)
Caroline L.

I've gone a handful of times now so I feel comfortable making an overall review. I looked at the reviews in the past few months and I have a feeling the owner/managers have been listening. I saw complaints about them charging extra for the side dishes or soups which swayed me into not going for awhile. The last few times however they gave me more without any hesitation (and no extra fee). I've never had an issue with customer service and the wait staff are pretty friendly especially if you seem unsure about what to get. AYCE places are tough to price b/c there are those who never get their money's worth and then there are those who waste food by asking for mire (and leaving it behind) or can eat a ton. I think the pricing is expensive for what it is but a lot has to do with lack of competition I think. Oh and sometimes the loud Kpop music, especially if you like to drink soju adds onto the vibe but I've seen them tone it down during the lunch hours which is good. So overall not bad. But part of that has to do w/ the laziness of going to Rockville instead of Annandale.
(4)
George P.

An awesome place for meat lovers like myself. The services is meh. For some reason, Won gives me an attitude now when I go. He use to be the nicest guy when he first started. Guess working there a while has gotten him jaded. Shame. Some other staff members are nice, but most servers have a sour attitude. Whatever. It's the meat that's important.
(4)
Mona R.

I've come here twice for lunch because my friend loves this place. The food is good I never want to try honey pig but have the various steak meat. service is hit or miss here. We asked which of their meat was most tender and they didn't really know. They have a pancake sort of side dish that o liked. I'd say it's a good place to come to with a group since it's an all you can eat. One thing that weirded me out was when they cut the meat with scissors they also have a lot of tvs blasting Korean pop music lol
(3)
Tyler I.

Pretty good place. I enjoy the price for the all you can eat. Staff seemed a lil rushed and seating might take a while Food 9/10 Service 7/10
(4)
YM C.

I dined at Iron Age this past weekend and the food was good. For a Korean American the whole dining experience was a bit confusing. The meat came to your table as you order them of a menu. They cooked the meat at your table. The cuts were fresh and generally good. The confusing part were the side dishes (ban chan). There was none. They served diced picked radish, a soy pickled chayote side, and a Korean mashed potato salad. That was it! In most Korean restaurants these side dishes take up most of the table! And the refills keep coming. At Iron Age, they just took away the dishes and never replenished. So I guess that's the "fusion" part of the concept. The decor was very industrial iron agey. It was different. It was good. Unfortunately, there was not much for kids to eat. Especially if you have a picky eater. Overall this is a must try and must see.
(4)
Laura C.

******GO HERE AT YOUR OWN RISK***** This place has been going downhill for some time - steadily increasing prices and decreasing service and food that's ok at best - but after my wrist got sliced by a bottle there and I had to get stitches and they were very rude and basically said "you should be grateful we are covering the medical charges." I decided not to sue, but after how rude they were to me I really wish I would have. Go here at your own risk and so u don't end up with stitches make the servers open your soju bottle. That is what happened. I just unscrewed the bottle bc the server forgot to. The neck of the bottle snapped off and sliced my wrist. Like I said DO NOT open your own bottle. Horrible service aside and horrendous treatment from the managers, the food is not that great and the prices keep on going up. Go to Honey Pig, Mola, Airrang, Wang Jjang, get Bon Chon, the list goes on!
(1)
Sam L.

I can see the lure of this place, in comparison with those in love with Honeypig. Honeypig to me has went downhill, since their pricing/portion ratio has taken a turn for the worst, Iron Age remains a steady establishment that fills you up with cholesterol for a single price (depending on which menu you choose from). As luck would have it, our visit was blessed with a super helpful waiter (Andy?) who made beautiful recommendations and enough portion size for us to taste (before committing). Tasting before committing is probably the best idea since PB&J, because you'll soon find out that most choices taste average, and a few will tickle your taste buds. For us, anything with Iron Age in front of the meat is the golden ticket, because they marinade them thoroughly to make them juicy. Pork belly is also a hit (you can get spicy or non-spicy version) while a few other beef/pork items were just so-so. Fortunately because our super waiter carefully portioned our meal in the beginning, by the middle (climax) of our meal, we were enjoying our favorite cuts and meats. So to sum up: ask your waiter to provide small portions of items you'd like to try, then go crazy and fill up on your favorites! Amateurs would order too much of the 1st and 2nd item, then regret wondering what other meat items taste like. Other tips: wear shirts you don't care (wife-beater doesn't count) and come before 6:30pm to beat the rush.
(4)
Deneise T.

Where can you get fast Korean food with having the feeling of being teleported to Korea? This place. Iron Age has a very young and hip ambience - great for hanging out or catching up with your friends. The proteins here are okay. They come out a bit on the moist side - possibly due to being frozen and thawed out. My go-to protein is always the beef brisket and the steak. IMO they are good cuts and they have a balanced taste. The brisket is on the bland side, but that's why you have the sauces/oils to dip it in. If you do not want an oily or heavy side I would suggest getting the steamed egg. In the past I would always get the egg and the pancake, but recently the pancakes have been getting nasty. By nasty I do not mean gross or bad tasting, it's just not what I was used to. The steamed egg has gotten smaller too, but it is still good. The music at Iron Age makes the experience fun. If you are unfamiliar with K-pop, try watching the music videos and you will be amazed by the colorful and quirky singers. It's cute and a little scary... Although the music makes the experience, the music also takes away from the experience. K-pop music is blaring in this place, almost deafening you because of the continuos loud and catchy music playing all day long. You have to shout to take or get on each other's faces so you'll understand each other. **They just recently added a soft serve ice cream machine. It's not the best ice cream, but it's free and it's unlimited ice cream - well, that is if you eat there, you can't just come in, get some and leave OR CAN YOU?? Overall, Iron Age is a nice go-to place for fast, okay-quality Korean food.
(3)
Diana J.

The best part of Iron Age is AYCE meats. The meats are mostly not marinaded. You dip your grilled meats in sauces. The quality of the meats are OK. They are served with a side of salad, picked radishes, potato salad, kimchi radishes, jalapenos and garlic (raw or for grilling), and rice (you have to ask for it). There are different "menus' to choose from and we always choose the one with the most cow meat. The spicy pork belly isnt very spicy and doesnt have a lot of taste it it. I would ask for more spicy sauce on the side. And of course I always order the pancake even though its not that good... its really think and sometimes its crispy, sometimes its soggy. The steamed egg is just steamed eggs. They are opened relatively late, too. The service is good too. And if you need them, there's always a button for a bell to ring for them.
(3)
Zahra K.

I have been coming here since it opened a few years back, and the quality of their meat has improved drastically! My go to here is the Iron Age Steak, it is marinated with jalapeno and other spices and cooks up wonderfully. I also love the salad they include. If you are a non-pork eater (such as myself) the cheaper option unfortunately is not the best deal. Opt for the pricier option, and you get a wider selection of beef. I have never had anything else here other than that. You do have to request kimchee. This place is really popular in this area, and the weekends tend to get packed, so be prepared to wait. Otherwise, sit back, indulge in the AYCE delight with Kpop blasting off of every TV screen.
(5)
Chih Chao C.

We waited for a while. It's all you can eat korean BBQ. We chose a lot different kind of meat. It's suitable for a group of guys.
(4)
John M.

Food here was just not very good overall. The top blade steak in particular is the worst item I've ever had at a Korean BBQ restaurant. Chewy and unseasoned - completely flavorless. The beef bulgogi and Iron Age steak were passable. Everything else was somewhere between passable and bad. Service was fine and it's all you can eat for $20-25, so I don't think the price can be beat.
(2)
M A.

I've never been to a restaurant that refuses to serve take-out. I'm not sure why, but they don't. Now you know.
(1)
Donna Y.

Rude vampire waiter Buffet $22 with soft drink Four dipping sauces K pop music videos in background Egg soup thingie And plain seafood pancake which was soggy in the middle not crispy Meats were really fatty They have chicken on the menu
(3)
Sharon L.

Have been here a couple times with friends and family for dinner. Is AYCE for a fixed price, w/ two dinner menu options: a $20 option B and $25 option A (has everything in option B but also adds octopus, 'Iron age steak', 'Hanging tender' and beef brisket. Ambience/decor: - Loud music! Korean music videos constantly playing on big screens throughout the place. Good to come with friends, not so much with family (dad was complaining the whole time about the loudness...) Service: - First time I came here, was with a big group (10+). Service was horrible; impossible to flag waiter down, and when we placed orders they would take ages to arrive - Second time w/ my family: much much better. Waitress was attentive and our stuff came out quickly. So seems like a hit or miss... Food: - Pan chan (sides) were meh. Didn't have my favorites-spinach and bean sprouts :( - Salad was meh, not as good as Oegadgip's crack salad in Annandale! - Meats: good quality & have thicker cuts vs other kbbq places in Annandale. Best ones were definitely the iron age steak (basically kalbi), the hanging tender (very well marinated/tender beef), and beef brisket. Pork belly was ok - Free ice cream from the ice cream machine! Overall probably the best kbbq option in the Rockville area, albiet a bit pricier vs the ones in Annandale. Would come here if in the area w/ friends, but likely not to be my go-to kbbq spot.
(3)
Dani P.

I love Korean bbq, and this place has one of the best lunch specials I've seen at a bbq place: $16 for all you can eat bbq based on a list they have. The list is expansive, so really it doesn't feel like you're being limited. I came here with coworkers to celebrate a coworker's last day, and it was empty before noon. The servers came out with meat fast, and as soon as one set was done cooking, they were immediately asking us which meat we'd want next.
(4)
Lindsay H.

Looking for a place to take your excessively chatty girlfriend? Do you like poor quality meat cooked on a gunky griddle? Then Iron Age is the spot for you! I appreciate a Korean restaurant so authentic that it's replete with funky K-pop and B-Boy videos, but IA really takes the cake; the music is so loud, and the TVs are so big that you don't have to hear a word your dining companions say (you literally won't be able to). The boisterous atmosphere surely must be an attempt to distract from the fact that the AYCE menu is an utter disaster. For $28 a person I was expecting sheer BBQ pleasure. But something must have gotten lost in translation, because "pleasure" in IA speak means low grade meats, and not a single piece of seafood to be found (octopus at Korean BBQ is my favorite so I was very upset to say the least). You can order shrimp or calamari separately I found out, but if I'm paying 28$/person for sub par meat, then clearly I'm not going to shell out twenty more clams for what should come with AYCE in the first place. Banchan was mediocre at best. All radishes and NO KIMCHI. You read that correctly, no kimchi in the Korean banchan. (Should have expected that though after seeing that they offer more Japanese beers than Korean brews). The pajeon was undercooked and tasteless. And the dipping sauces were, well, weak sauce. I'm sad for Americans who eat at IA thinking that real Korean BBQ tastes that way. Service was fine, hence the second star. But I leaned an $85 lesson of where not to get decent Korean BBQ.
(2)
Paola A.

Always a pleasure in my stomach coming here... I even went during Christmas 2014 because we already did our "Christmas Dinner" the night before and we wanted to leave the house and not cook. It was slow that night, of course. However, out of all the [BUSY] times I went there, this day, I felt very rushed. No, I did not come an hour before closing. No, I was not the only customer in there. No, we were not the last ones there. Although we got our food fast, I felt like they kept asking us every 5-7min if we knew what meat we wanted next. We replied saying we are pacing ourselves or we would let them know. (Gosh sake, there were still meat cooking in the grill) Then two minutes later, someone else would ask. I think it is best if each server would have their own designated table. I mean, they probably do, but they go around on all tables (thankful for) but once someone flips my meat and walks away, another would come and flip it back. It really gets irritating when one person turns our grill of when we just asked the person who last flipped our pork belly that we want it crispy and to leave it on low. IDK. Too much going on and I feel like I always have to repeat what I just said two seconds ago to two people ago... get it? This thing always happens to us when we go there. Although they are friendly 90% of the time, it's annoying. Let us eat, please. K, thanks. The food is great. All you can eat here has two options: A or B. A is more selection and B is the basic of pork belly, brisket, chicken, plus one item that I do not recall. I love the pancake, steamed egg, and the salad. Go later on Fridays, it gets really packed after work till about 9pm. They open late, so no hurry.
(4)
Jess C.

I have been here twice, and both times it was a good experience. The only con about this place is that it is noisy now, and not exactly a place I would seek for good ambiance and a place to have a quiet meal where you can actually hear your dinner partner. They have changed their prices so that there is a $20 all you can eat dinner option without the steaks and $25 with the steaks. I opted for the $20 because I felt like there were more than enough meats to choose from already. My favorite by far was called the "Iron Age Pork." There was a wait on a Saturday night, and they do not accept reservations for parties under 8 people. The staff wasn't super friendly, but they did their job and got your food right away. When there is a wait, you kinda feel rushed out of your meal because others are waiting for your table. I guess Iron Age has gotten too popular.
(3)
Justin P.

Pretty much worth going here if you wanna eat til no tomorrow. Quality is flavorful and service is good! Not much else to say
(5)
Minjeong L.

i had the buffet option n would say it was pretty good. all you can eat for 20 bucks. great location and great staffs
(4)
Annie T.

I use to love Iron Age so much! When I first came the service was the best I ever had. Sadly with the price increases and restrictions I can't say I love Iron Age anymore. Since we had a party of 7 we were seated at a table in the middle of the room, meaning we had a portable grill. The portable grills did a terrible job of cooking the meat. The pork belly never got crispy. We has 2 grills for our whole party and I was sharing a grill with 2 other girls. The server never changed our grill until we asked b/c he didn't think 3 little girls could eat that much. Our grill got pretty filthy and I wished he changed our grill earlier. It also rubbed me the wrong way how you no longer get the seafood pancake and if you want extra egg it's costs u extra. With the increased prices per person mind you, I think they could afford to give extra egg at no charge. Thank god they didn't charge more for extra salad or the potato salad or else I would never go back. My fav meat use to be the garlic pork belly and when I first came it was the garliciest thing ever. Sadly now I can barely taste the garlic. It just seems like they skimp on everything now. I still love the salad and potato salad since it has a great flavor and it's refreshing to eat amidst the sea of meat. I think Iron Age is best to go to with max of 4 people, so you're guaranteed a booth and there is enough meat while waiting for the next one to cook. I'll still go to Iron Age once in awhile. I just won't be as enthusiastic as I use to be.
(3)
Olivia P.

Adding this to my favorites list. Here's the current deal: $26 for all you can eat. Plethora of different meats to choose from prepared unseasoned, garlic, or spicy. Meals come with pickled veggies, salad, potato salad, bean paste soup, and white rice. They also give you four condiments for dipping; a spicy garlic, just spicy, sweet soy, and salty oil. It was all great. Really. This place should be packed every weekend all day long.
(5)
Peter L.

Like the place and you cannot beat the price, but the only think I do not like is I smell like the place when I leave. Other than that it is a Korean BBQ without great ventilation. The service is good...the food selection is good and it is what it is. Great value if you are a meat eater.
(3)
Connie Y.

I've been here three times now and would argue the quality has gone done since it's opening along with having higher prices. Iron Age is an all you can eat Korean BBQ restaurant with many families and large parties that frequent the place. I would suggest only going there with less than 4 people or at least making sure you sit at the booth because the lone tables in the center do not have a full grill set-up. They provide only a grill pan with a portable gas stove. It's functions like a George Foreman grill where the oil drips off, BUT it doesn't work well with BBQ. You do not get the char-grilled taste. In addition, our grill pan was never changed until we asked because our waiter did not think 3 girls would eat a lot. So, our meat was pretty burnt and blackish each time it was cooked. Make sure to request a change of grill pans. In addition, the seafood pancake and extra egg is no longer included with the buffet. Only at an additional charge. Requesting additional side dishes is still free. Lastly, I recommend getting the galbi beef as it seems the most fresh although do keep in mind, all their meat is frozen then served. Only go there if you are craving meat.
(3)
Charlotte S.

The boyfriend was craving KBBQ and didn't want to spend the obscene $25-$30 per serving they offer at traditional restaurants so we came here. Left our coats in the car and I steeled myself. I was still woefully unprepared when the door opened. The smoke hit me like a wall and my expression was immediately one of disdain. My boyfriend apologized in advance. Buffets are a waste of money for me and these endless KBBQ places are no different. We initially ordered 2 of Menu A? B? I don't even know, I was trying to reconnect with my brain over the loud K-Pop (awesome that they showed a BTS music video, though; I had to resist the urge to dance). I then noticed the price for the menu and told my boyfriend I didn't want any since I would literally have just 2 pieces and give up. I hadn't touched any of the meat (never even touched my chopsticks). I did notice that rice came out so after a few conversations (the one guy cooking our meat didn't want to let us cancel one of our orders) with a slightly higher-up (I say that because they all seem to be 20-something Korean exchange students), he charged me just for the rice only. I sat in that smoke and smell-infested place and ate plain white rice for 30 minutes. As for the actual food, my boyfriend only had this to say - "that was not worth it." I guess the meat was just sub-par that day or he was never impressed to begin with. If you are a big carnivore (like the guys next to us; good god, I think anyone would lose their appetite at observing how much people can eat), this place would probably be a good deal. If overwhelming smoke, smells, and sounds tire you out just like they do for me, stay away at all costs. Also, be sure to use about a fistful of shampoo and body wash when you get home to feel remotely clean of any KBBQ residue.
(2)
Rachel L.

This place is amazing. My mom and I are obsessed with it. We go a lot at lunch but honestly lunch or dinner its still really really good. The service is pretty good especially when they are busy. The only thing I do not like is the chicken. Its not as good as the porks and the beefs they have on the menu.
(5)
Tommy N.

It's an all you can eat Korean BBQ run by fairly young staff. The table has to agree if they want to choose from Menu A or B. One of them has more choices than the other and costs $5 more. Note that I said the table has to choose since if even one person wants the more expensive option, everyone else will have to pay that price. The choices on the menu are your typical Korean bbq fare. Nothing unexpected here. My gripes about the place is more about how the place is run. We came Friday night during rush hour so a wait time would be expected. The host told us that we would be seated in 5 minutes. Wonderful. Roughly 20 minutes passed and the number of people waiting to be seated only increased. If somebody would start cleaning tables, there were enough empty tables to seat us all. You would think they were understaffed if they weren't running around everywhere. You come to the realization that these people need better training. They just were not efficient with their job in any way. There was a gentleman eating alone took up a table for six. Waiters were making unnecessary trips back and forth. Everyone seemed busy but not much was being done. When we were finally seated, we ordered two types of meat, 3 sides, and drinks. The guy didn't bother writing any of this down so I assumed he felt confident enough to remember everything. He didn't. He brought water but forgot our drinks. He then brought our drinks but forgot to bring our glasses. He finally brought our glasses but one was very obviously dirty with bulgogi sauce. He brought our food but only brought one type of meat and no sides. It took took a couple more trips until we had everything we wanted- minus that last order of meat anyway. Almost every time we reminded him to get something for us, he came back to help another table before darting back into the kitchen to get our item(s). We had to cook the meat ourselves for the most part which kind of defeats the purpose of going out to eat I think. It wasn't a pleasant experience to say the least. I also didn't appreciate them placing the scissors and tongs directly on the table after using them when they did finally come by to check up on the meat. That's pretty dirty. We left it on the metal serving plate. Come on, guys. Stop putting it on the table. It's right there! *Gasp* Wait a second. What if they did all of this intentionally to piss us off?
(1)
Robert C.

This place has really gone downhill fast within the last few years. 1st off, their customer service just plain sucks. Their manager kept refusing to seat us in the booth. 1st time around, he said we need to have a party of at least 4 even though there was no one there. 2nd time, we met their party requirement and still got rejected. He single handedly made us hate this place! Their food's also overpriced. It went up by like 6 bucks within the last year. You get 2 options for the all-you-can-eat: a) $22 for sliced beef, chicken, pork belly & seasoned spicy/garlic pork belly. b) $28 for all the $22 deal + Galbi (ribs), steak, hanging tender cuts, marinated beef, pork + soda. I highly recommend this option since there're a lot of meat options to choose from & they're significantly better than the other one. Even though their marinade's decently good, the quality of their meat's definitely gone down. I only go here when I'm too lazy to drive to Annandale.
(2)
M W.

The worst service ever. The 2 waiters had attitudes and we never got seconds for a all you can eat. I asked to speak to a manager or owner they refused to get them. Will never go back!
(1)
Bruce E.

Very friendly service and tasty sides. Was 1st visit and left quite satisfied. Unlimited barbecue all prepared at our table. We had 2 beef and 1 chicken all well cooked. Table chefs should be careful using same tongs to Lift raw chicken and then serve cooked meat. We did fine but 2 tongs good idea
(4)
Mark S.

The food is great. We really loved the Iron Age Steak. The dipping sauces that they give you (4 of them) are all really good and go with the meat well. The meat is fresh and flavorful. The decor is very industrial looking (unique) and is clean. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. I'll definitely go back! p.s. a new one is opening in Centreville, VA.. so I might not be going to Rockville to eat here, but Centreville instead.
(4)
Danny C.

After going to church on Sunday, about 15 of us excluding the kids came here for a nice feast. I've read some reviews before going so I lowered my expectations. Come to find out there was nothing wrong with my experience there. In fact, because of the company I had there, my experience was absolutely outstanding! When coming inside, you can see the granite or stone walls and the lay out to be in remembrance of the "Iron Age", however seeing their uniforms, I had to ask what their uniforms represented. They all said "Happiness!". Okay, uhh.... Let's move on. We all sat down and were given instructions on what to do. The menu has a few small pages with the options A and B. Option B costs 23 dollars and gives you about 5 different meats that you can choose from and is AYCE. Option A costs 28 dollars and gives you about 10 different meats (Including Option B) that you can choose from and is also AYCE. Just a 5 dollar difference? And sodas are included. We all decided to go with Option A. 28 x 16 + tax + gratuity = $$$$ We had a waiter and a waitress and they were absolutely fantastic. The table I was seated on had my brother, a buddy and his gf and another woman totaling 5 and my buddy is the type of guy that is outgoing to some and obnoxious to others, depending on how you feel. He was probably obnoxious and annoying to our waiter which served us the most out of the 3 tables we've all occupied. But our waiter never lost his composure, always kept his cool, had extreme amounts of patience and was always friendly. We were the only table that ordered 14 times. The other 2 tables ordered probably around 10 times total. We've ordered everything from Chyumuluk (Marinated Iron Age Steak), Iron Age Steak, Brisket, Marinated Steak, Marinated Pork, Gochujang Songyupsal (Marinated Pork Belly), Garlic Songyupsal (Garlic Pork Belly) and I can't even remember how much we ate and ordered but they were all delicious. Then we had 4 little bowl thingies that contained a sauce for each section. One was just salt and sesame oil, one was sweet, the other was a bit chunky and savory, and the last one is sweet and chunky. You can literally dip any meat in any sauce and enjoy it all. Srs. The whole experience there was nothing short of great. I ate as much meat as I could, free refills of coke, free refills of any banchan we've finished as well as rice. Patient staff and delicious food. I forgot 1 thing. The TV's were all blasting Korean music videos and at a certain time, they raise the volume so we all have to yell at each other just to hear.
(4)
Liza A.

Love it love it. If you come here make sure you come with an empty stomach cus you will pig out. Endless sides and sauces, and endless Korean barbecue. ..stay away from the octopus...really not my favorite though I love seafood. You will have to wait for a table but that speaks volumes because everyone and their mother wants to come here. A very unique environment with a bunch of tv's playing videos of Korean pop rock music but it is actually amusing. Beer goes excellent with the food. We tried to try everything and even if I wanted to mention all of them I couldn't cus I don't remember the names, but I left happy and full. For an all you can eat, it was a very good experience
(4)
Adrienne C.

I'd give this place 4.5 stars! I really enjoyed this place. We got their Gogi A option for $28 per person - there was a Gogi B option for a few dollars less, but might as well splurge a little to get ALL THE MEATS! The meat is served with a pajeon pancake and dwenjangchigae (fermented soy bean paste soup), as well as a basic salad and a few banchan (side dishes). The soup and the pancake are nothing to write home about on their own, but it was just the right complement to the endless BBQ! Besides, this place is a BBQ joint so I wasn't expecting to be blown away by the side dishes. If I wanted that I'd go to a regular Korean restaurant - can't have it all! We had a variety of beef and pork cuts (chicken is available too, but we got too full before we could try), which were cooked at our table by the very polite and friendly staff. I also appreciate it when restaurants serve their beer in a CHILLED GLASS, which this place does. Ahhh so refreshing! What separates Iron Age from the Korean restaurants i've tried in Annandale (Honeypig, Yechon, Nak Won, etc) is the decor and the ventilation! Iron Age looks quite upscale and well-designed, has a younger atmosphere, and doesn't have that stale smoky stench found in most other Korean BBQ joints. In fact, it reminded me of LA's Koreatown restaurants in terms of service and ambiance. The cherry on top was the self-serve fro-yo machine at the end of our meal! Overall, we left feeling very satisfied and happy. Will definitely return. p.s. I didn't feel hungry again for the rest of the day after eating my AYCE lunch here, so actually the price is quite reasonable if you think of it as 2 meals!
(4)
Jennifer Y.

Good for the very hungry, unlimited meat is very satisfying. The choices in meat were alright, not super flavorful but passable. We got option A, the beef bulgogi and Iron Age steak were among the better ones
(3)
Steven A.

I'm definitely a fan of this place. The food is great, and the service is exquisite. Our waiter's name was Scott, and he went above and beyond what was expected. The only con I could mention is with what a previous poster here said, that soft drinks should be included in the price. They do that, and I'll come back and 5 star this joint.
(4)
Daniel C.

Food and the meat quality was pretty good but I was very disturbed by their policy. I went there with 15 other people. The server expected every one of us to choose EXACTLY the same course and pay the same price. I told him that I am paying separately and do not share with other people. He kept telling me that people will share food. This policy really bothered me the whole time. Restaurants need to let individuals choose what they want, not what the whole group of people want.
(1)
LaKisha P.

Iron Age offers all-you-can-eat for a very reasonable price. Both options are under $30.00 and the selections are great. We picked the top option which allowed us to pick meat selections from both menus. Options include various cuts of beef, pork and chicken. The side dishes are some of the best I've had at a Koren BBQ restaurant. The atmosphere is very upbeat; they are playing music and music videos all day and night. It's very casusal and good for parties and family gatherings. (The smoke from the grill gets trapped in your clothes so be preparedand warn your guests.) They have a very nice staff. Additionally, if you are new at the BBQ experience, they will suggest an appropriate order to grill the meats for you. Although we've been many times we didn't feel like thinking the last time so we took that option! It's a great way to just enjoy the food since you don't have to think if the next meat to oder! This is our favorite Koren BBQ place!
(4)
Kenneth D.

Food was great, prices were awesome, and the service was up to par. I would suggest choosing the all you can eat option for 25$.
(5)
Fenny L.

Ode to The Magical Meat Fairy: There is a place Far away from strife, Where any fatty can go To gorge for his life. To Iron Age! Where the tender meats will roast, To the Magical Meat Fairy! To whom with soju we shall toast! For she is the one Who brings out the platters, Full of meaty goodness (the only thing that matters). Yes there is banchan And crispy vegetable pancakes, There are soups and eggs Forget that - BRING ON THE STEAKS! As she sets up the grill - Oh so delightfully quick, Cooking meats and more meats We eat until we're delightfully sick. Always quick and friendly Is our Magical Meat Fairy, Keeping our plates full She never frowns nor tarries. We ask to switch grills So we can have spicy pork belly, So tender and flavorful Like a fatty delicious piece of jelly. Finally, the last of our soju We drunkenly drink, Nay - she brings us more With a cheerful wink. To our Magical Meat Fairy You know who you are - Our bellies will forever love you, You'll always be our meat star! So in summary of this ode: For as long as I can fart... Oh dearest Magical Meat Fairy, You'll always be in my heart. P.S. TIP YOUR SERVERS WELL. If you don't, and you make my Magical Meat Fairy unhappy - I will CUT YOU. CUUUUUUT YOU.
(5)
Lilly N.

I think it's one of the few AYCE Korean BBQ places in the area. They have two different options, I think we mostly opt for the cheaper option, but the meats are pretty good. Not the best of course for the price you pay, but definitely not too shabby either. It also comes with unlimited rice and other sides which is a plus. Be prepared to come out smelling like meat once you're done with your meal. It's been pretty packed everytime I've been there, but the wait is never terrible - maybe 30+ mins?
(4)
Katie B.

Love the all-you-eat variety! Their brisket was soooo good. All the waiters are really cute and friendly. They play kpop videos on a big screen, which was a fun touch for me. Honestly this is one of the best Korean BBQ places I ever been to, and definitely had the most fun atmosphere.
(5)
G M.

Awesome Korean BBQ! Not a full Korean menu with a lot of variety, but they're good at what the do. With all-you-can eat servings, a good place to go if you're hungry.
(4)
K S.

To be blunt, Iron Age is a poor excuse for Korean BBQ. Annandale and Woomi (Wheaton) have nothing to be worried about regarding this feather weight contender. At first sight, IA has the potential to be a great Korean BBQ Buffett (less the obnoxiously loud K-Pop). The ambiance is good, multiple types of grills available dependent on type of meat, and attentive staff. Now the bad. If you're like me and unlike most of the Montgomery County crowd, you go a restaurant for the food. Excuse me if I'm a purist, but the meat for lack of better word was tasteless and still semi frozen. I could have gone to Great Wall and bought the same meat and made my own dipping sauces while keeping the K-Pop on pause.. No bulgogi, no kalbi ribs, or spicy pork? Is this place not Korean BBQ? Yes the pork belly and brisket were decent, but you can't really mess up taking frozen meat to the table. With no marinades or seasoning on 90% of the meats, I kept finding myself asking for more dipping sauce (sesame oil) and becoming more disappointed as the meal continued. In the end, Iron Age receives a B- for effort but the food alone doesn't warrant another visit from me. Until the food improves, I'm driving the extra mile to Il Mee or shelling out some more cash at Woomi.
(2)
Kristin M.

Love this place, though not sure why it insists on calling itself an "Asian" grill - it's totally Korean and should be proud to just stick with that. The staff even corrected me while my Korean hubby and I were complimenting the decor. Soju is also overpriced (it's only a fraction of the cost down the street at Hmart ... skip it for dinner and buy yourself a bottle to take home if you're really dying to try it). Otherwise, the price is right, the food was good, and the decor like a very modern place in Seoul
(4)
Erin K.

LOVE this place!!! It's pretty awesome. Good meat for the price, fun ambiance. Reminds me a lot of K Town in LA - my old stomping grounds. Got to be honest, it is pricey for an ordinary week night out. But what you get for the price is really great. The service was excellent too. They cook your meat for you and work really hard to keep your table stocked with food. The pan chan is a little modern and a little more mainstream than other Korean places, but in a good way. And they serve you REAL Dwenjang Chige, not the Japanese-style miso you get at other Korean restaurants. I have heard some people say that it's too smokey, but to be honest that doesn't bother me. I'll be going back again and again!!!
(5)
Kristen H.

I've been here a handful of times and got the chance to bring my Mom here for the first time last weekend for lunch. The aroma when walking in the doors is so rich with the BBQ smell, it gets my mouth watering before I even sit down. My mom and I decided to share option B, which comes with chicken, beef brisket and thick slabs of pork. We probably should have brought a third person for this meal, soooo much meaaattttt. We were stuffed and ready for a nap once we were done. The quality of meat and poultry has always been great here, and I love pairing them with all the individual sides they offer. I think there is a side that suits everyone's taste buds available. My favorite is the scallion potato pancake. I'd say it is pretty fairly priced with the amount of food you get. It was $23 or $24 dollars a person. This is nit picky, but I asked for a hot tea and they served it to me in a plastic soda cup like from a cafeteria. That's fine for cold drinks, but it's uncomfortable to hold hot tea in a plastic cup. Also, it is a tad loud for me. Other than that, I've always had a good experience here and would recommend it to fellow Korean BBQ lovers.
(4)
Xin M.

I LOVE iron age's food. the salad is amazingly seasoned, fresh and served cold- unlike Honey Pig's salad which comes out warm, unseasoned and not fresh. The unlimited BBQ is great, pork belly and Iron Age special pork is great. Waiters are all young and very friendly and attentive, they kept coming back to check if you're ok. Free steam egg and soup taste great as well, so much better than honey pig. the only nuisance is they play very loud music and have a large screen that constantly plays Korean Koop videos and u can't help but watch. -.-
(4)
Jeff S.

From an white mans point of view, kind of the Korean version of Japanese Steak House with KPop videos playing nonstop. A bit loud for some but I like it.
(4)
Diana S.

I would give this place 3.5 stars. The food is decent, it's cheap for all you can eat. But the customer service is terrible. We had to wait 20 mins for a table when there were empty tables. After we were seated, there was confusion as to who the waiter for the table was, and so no one would take our order. The staff seem tired and not happy to be working here. But the food is decent. Not high quality, but okay for the price. It's loud, not good for families.
(3)
Sathish P.

This place is nice for meat lovers. The staff did a great job in explaining their menu and almost all the meats we tried tasted great. Will be back again.
(5)
Henry O.

Great place to dine!! Pros: all you can eat Food is great Price is fair (not to expensive) Kpop is awesome Cons: If you don't like Kpop be warned! You may leave the restaurant smelling like food/smoke Don't come an hour before closing, waiters may pressure you
(4)
Vanessa U.

I loved the food. The time i went with my husband on friday night was wonderful and i loved it. The food was great, the music, the videos, the waiters...... the last time i went on monday for lunch, i don't know if because it was monday but the waiters were to slow with the food and taking care of us. I believe they need more customer service on weekdays.
(4)
Jacob Y.

My first time at Iron Age.. Awful..The meat rotation rate is SO slow.. By the time we (my bf and I) finish our two slices, (he only brought out two slices at a time) we have to flag down our Inattentive server or grab another tables server for them to bring us some more.. The two slices of meat at a time was only annoying because we had a server who paid us no attention.. And when we asked for more, it would then be brought out. We had to wait and wait making the dining experience less enjoyable. It was very disappointing because I read so many good reviews prior and had high expectations. I believe our server was Nick. He has absolutely no customer service skills... He kept asking, "are you guys done?" ...no..but we'll let you know when we are done. Our first and perhaps last time here.
(1)
Ellen L.

It's officially my go to place for just about every casual occasion with family or friends. Food was awesome and the service was prompt and courteous. The only downside is that they should include soft drinks into the deal. Raising the price from $25 to a few more bucks to include soft drinks make sense compared to their current situation. I understand beer and other drinks should stay out of it. The decor suits the name completely. The music can be very loud at times but hey -- you're going there for the experience and the group dinner not the music. I've been here at least 3 times now and each time I fall more in love with the place lol. Totally recommend it to anyone. Great hours too!
(5)
David C.

I don't know how they make money here, but man this is an awesome place. I understand when the term all you can eat usually means lower quality, but I bet that's not the case here! friendly and quick service, Pop Korean atmosphere attracts younger group. on top of that the BBQ has got the right season and not overwhelmingly sweet like a lot of the Korean BBQ place. open late for those restaurant managers like me, it's definitely a new regular spot for me! the reason of the 4 star is the price of the Soju. i guess they're trying to bring up the profit margin with their drinks since it's an all you can eat restaurant.
(4)
Michael M.

All you can eat lunch for $16 with all the little dishes. Challenge accepted! Black and welded steel is what greets you as soon as you walk in. The "Hot Topic" theme was quickly forgotten when the sweet smell of BBQ filled the booth. Sizzling chicken, pork, and beef paired with the colorful collage of assorted side dishes that filled the tabletop leaving little elbow room. Rice and Kimchi had to be requested.
(5)
Amy M.

DOWNGRADE! recently they raised their ayce price from $22 to $25. you pay an extra $3 for extra attitude from management, poor customer service, and lower quality meat. the current "manager" is rude and certainly has no business being in the service industry. this is the second horrible experience with him. i was once the yelp duchess of this place because we would come here so often but i guess all good things must come to an end. after we noticed the decline in service/meat quality, we kept giving them "one more chance" in hopes that they would improve but mark my words, i will never step foot in this place again. last night was the final straw. for ayce korean bbq go to oegadjib in Annandale! good quality meat, servers sans attitude, better sides, and cheaper! $18 for ayce. you've been warned! (to add, i just noticed i've checked into this restaurant 26 times. those are the times i actually remembered to check in. i've been here much more than 26 times. iron age, you've lost a once loyal customer. SMH.)
(1)
Alejandra C.

I love Iron Age! Been there more than I can remember, maybe 6 times and it's always been delicious. I've tried a few Korean BBQ places in MD & VA but so far this is the best I've found! Each table has its own grill in the middle, except the big tables for large parties--for those they bring out portable grills. You have two options for the all-you-can-eat BBQ, I've always gotten the cheaper option since the variety of meat is more than enough (samgyupsal (regular & spicy), beef brisket, chicken, etc). They're all super tasty! I also love the spicy lettuce they bring out, and it also comes with pajeon (Korean pancake), an egg side dish and a spicy soup. As far as the environment, it's pretty energetic and a bit loud. They have TV screens all over the restaurant playing K-pop videos. The service is good, most servers are young, nice, and some are funny. For birthdays they'll play a happy birthday song on the loudspeaker and give you a free bottle of cider. In conclusion, go check it out! :)
(4)
Ken L.

This place is right by my house so I've been here many times. I was very excited to have an all-you-can-eat Korean bbq spot near my house however I still find myself driving out to Annandale to fulfill my Korean bbq needs. I mean this place have made many good changes since it opened (like getting rid of the rice triangles) and I would go here if nobody is willing to drive all the way to VA. However, the meat doesn't compare to some of the better restaurants in VA. The pork belly is pretty much a big piece of fat (more than it should be) and the grilled pork tastes really bland. The only edible one from Set A is the beef brisket. Set B has a lot of stuff to try out but a lot of the items ended up tasting the same. The side dishes were just alright, I expect better. I thought the service was really good though.
(3)
Jasada F.

A definite must go to place when in the Potomac/Rockville area. The staff is friendly and helpful and went out of their way to make our experience enjoyable. This place is noisy in a good way, with K-pop videos playing on their plasma screens that surround the restaurants. The food was great and plentiful, I suggest the brisket and the Iron Age ribeye. We washed it all down with many Korean Case beers.
(5)
Chris L.

This place was pretty good after the new management. Especially the lunch special, shabby, etc.. We become a regular and go there once every week. However, it get so bad in the past couple months. No soup with lunch special. Bad quality and taste. Tried three times in last month and won't go back!
(1)
Willy L.

Go during lunch, where the price is a lot more reasonable. Not missing out on too much from Golgi a.
(4)
Bao T.

If I could give them a zero I would. Coming from out of town and getting the service that was given is just ridiculous. One word RUDE!!!!!!! Would definitely not coming back nor recommends anyone to come there.
(1)
Den F.

Interesting concept of pre-selected all you can eat menu options. The majority of the meats did not wow me since most of it was dry and did not have much taste. I was not sure what was what I was eating it since the waitress would bring out a tray of meat and grill it in front of us. I remember liking 2 of the meats, but could not remember what they were. It also comes with side dishes, a pancake, steamed egg, and tofu stew, which I was a fan of. I really liked their mashed potato salad-like side dish. They also had radish and kim chi, which were just okay. I think I would prefer to go somewhere where I would be able to pick and choose the meats I would like as opposed to an all or nothing. I enjoyed the K-pop on the screens and playing throughout the restaurant though. The staff was also friendly.
(2)
Jin L.

This place represents textbook consumer-provider betrayal. Have excellent prices, service, and food quality for the first year or so of opening then jack up prices, downgrade service, and tack on fees for little things here and there. Being that they're the only AYCE korean bbq in MOCO I almost can't blame them for pulling this stunt. The only solution is competition. I'll be traveling down to virginia for my korean bbq needs - where competition has driven up quality and service with stable prices.
(2)
Sujit B.

Let me say I am vegetarian to begin with. It was really tasty. I had the salad and added the pickled radish I think it was, potato salad, soup with tofu and scooped spoons of rice before adding broth to each bite, potato pancake, and red bean spicy rice. Everything was delicious. I just wish we could have ordered tofu to be on the grill with veggies maybe. The waiter was attentive and accommodated us since we were vegetarian. They speak english in there so they understood no meat and no meat broth or fish. I enjoyed going and would def visit again. Hopefully they add a veggie option. 2 veggie people= $25 + drinks
(4)
Sophie F.

Came here with some friends for a birthday. I know, wtf is a vegan doing in an all you can eat BBQ lol. Let me tell you the unlimited salad bowl is delicious and free. Who can turn down anything with those two words in the same sentence? Great service, very chill atmosphere, good times with friends new and old.
(3)
Alex B.

I've eaten here multiple times, and every time it's a great experience. I always do the All You Can Eat option, and it is definitely worth the price. It's pretty loud and a little smoky from all of the grills going, but I personally enjoy those aspects. They play K-Pop music videos on TVs throughout the restaurant, which are pretty entertaining. The service is great--you're never waiting around for a drink to be refilled or to get another serving.
(5)
Eric S.

Excellent food, beats honey pig in value and quality. Option A ($25) was fantastic
(5)
Annie J.

I vote for Iron Age vs. Honeypig. I think you get more for your money at Iron Age. I ate dinner here for the first time last night. I loved the variety of side dishes provided (served immediately, placed on our table before we even looked at the menu). The service was quick and friendly. We ordered the all you can eat on menu B (Menu A offers more cuts of meat, and includes everything from menu B). Menu B offers brisket, pork belly (choice from 3 different seasonings), and chicken (choice from 2 different seasonings). We really liked the personality of our server/cook (I didn't catch his name). He suggested we start off with the beef brisket, because it cooks the fastest, so we could eat the beef while our next meat choice gets cooked. I highly recommend the pepper paste pork belly and soy sauce seasoned chicken. YUMM. My boyfriend and I were getting full after the beef, chicken, pork, and back to chicken, and the soda (included with meal), all the sides, and extra sides, and bowls of rice... so we were calling it quits, even though we wanted to try the other seasonings. But our awesome server encouraged for more, and said he could bring out a smaller portion, so that we could try something else (so we tried the garlic pork belly). I liked the uniqueness of the decor, everything is metal... Reminded me of chipotle, but more dark and felt "underground". The ambiance isn't for everyone, but I liked it. I also loved the k-pop music videos, there were TVs placed all along the walls, up high, so that you could easily view the music video anywhere you sat. We sat at a center table, where the food is cooked in a gas heated burner, but I think the food was still great. The meat was cooked perfectly. I'm already planning to make several trips back, I want to introduce this place to several of my family members and friends. Menu A costs $28 and menu B was $23, which is such a great deal for ALL the food you get. ALL the meats and all the sides and all the soda. I can't wait to come back, but my tip is to GO HUNGRY.
(5)
Jean C.

I went there last night,they already changed their prices,a little bit high from 22 dollars to 28 dollars per person,its okay I told myself if its worth it ! ....they dont have the fried korean pancakes anymore :(...the server bring out those small side dish appetizers which looks sad and awful :( , the salad looks like recycled.... then the server bring the meat .....one small beef and all in our group looked each other because we were 4 of us and he bring one piece of small beef ,no taste..bland....the servers were RUDE,....we waited for 30 minutes asked for second meat....again he bring one piece of beef ,What the heck ! This is eat all you can ,for 28 dollars per person its a robbed ,it feels like you need to beg everytime for the meat,this is a robbed and I would not comeback here anymore ! We paid 120 dollars for begging everytime,dont waste your money,Dont come here !!!
(1)
Tina Z.

Kinda expensive for what it is but the service is definitely better than what you're used to if you go to kbbq restaurants often. The ambience was cool and the food was good. We went with the A menu for the buffet and our favorites were the marinated pork and chicken.
(3)
Joseph Y.

Love the hanging tender and the ribeye!
(4)
Camila V.

Terrible service ! They're house rules are ridiculous and inconvenient specially for big groups! Not coming back ever !
(1)
Dean H.

I don't know if I just finished dining at a Korean BBQ restaurant or did I spend 90 minutes in a club and drown myself into this relentless stupor of Kpop? What is up with the pricing strategy? Option B (some of the meat) is like $24 and Option A (all of the meat) is $28. The intention behind this pricing strategy is obvious: it forces you to get A because extra $4 . They know and we know that 'A' is a perceived better value than ''B'. But it really isn't. Ambiance? It gets a fickle 2 out of 5 star from me. They definitely spend money on the design. I appreciate it. I like that there are several TVs all around the restaurant that is tuned into Kpop while I wait for the young and hip staff to come grill my Bulgogi. It keeps the mind busy and not focused on how hungry you are. But Jesus. Why do you feel the need to crank up the music so loud where I have to yell at my friend in order to have a conversation? This is the most common complaint from all the reviews. If I wanted to juke and dance to the rhythm of Kpop then I'd go to Ktown in LA and hang with the Koreans out there. I simply just want to enjoy a dinner with friends and catch up. I see this same concept applied to other Korean restaurants too like Bon Chon. Is this something common in Korean culture where they all want to dine out in a clubbing environment? And gents- if you're considering this place to take a date, don't. And when I say a 'date', I mean the type where you want to get to know the girl and have a conversation. Not the type where you just met her on Tinder. This is a solid place with a group of friends and you don't mind yelling. Have that expectation coming in and you'll be fine Food? It's not that bad. I mean it is all you can eat. They only have one spicy dish which is the spicy pork and that is yummy. I'm not sure if you can request for all meats to be served spicy? The side dishes are solid and way better than overrated Honey Pig. Seriously, if you think the kimchi and side dishes at Honey Pig is good, then you're probably the same person who thinks Panda Express is good Chinese food. It's not. And kudos to the dipping sauces too. Lovely. I busted a gut eating here. In summary, if you are a carnivore who is comfortable talking to your friend like you're at a club (eg; yelling at each other from 1 foot away), then you'll like this place. Otherwise, proceed with caution. Btw, what is up with the military style shirts the waiters wear? Is it meant to be a cooler alternative to the standardized polo shirts that other restaurants ask? Whatever.
(3)
G C.

Went for the first time with my friend who is a Korean translator so he got to practice ordering with the server. There was a little bit of a wait, but I like how they will text you when your table is ready and will hold your table for five minutes. We ordered off Gogi B since Gogi A overwhelmed us with the selections. Food was good, but my friend and I weren't sure what the banchan sides were, my favorite was the salad. Plenty of meat and the server asked us quickly what dish we wanted next. My friend liked the pork belly a lot and the pork ribs, I preferred the pork ribs and beef bulgogi - we ordered five different types of meat before succumbing to food coma. The only complaint I would have was the amount of times we had to ask the server for refills. She did refill our water promptly, but we had to ask 3 times for kimchi and once she asked my friend if he needed a refill of rice but then forget. We also never got a refill on dipping sauces. I think part of the issue is that they are so busy - maybe have some people who are solely responsible for refills. Oh, and we saw a child lick the ice cream machine (directly where the ice cream is dispensed) and told a server (not ours) but I guess she misunderstood and they didn't do anything. Good thing both my friend and I are lactose intolerant.
(4)
Dee P.

The food is great but I'm giving a 2 for their terrible service. We were there recently with a large group, and because they automatically charge a 20% for large groups, they were just terrible. Their late service, attitude, and refusal to change the grill after they've burned the meat...just wasn't worth the good food.
(2)
Brian T.

Being a California native I was a little skeptical of good kbbq in the DC area. However, I was pleasantly surprised! My partner and I opted to do the option A which ended up being about $28 a head. A little expensive in my book especially knowing back home you can spend $10 and get almost the same thing. Anyways, our server was very courteous and helpful which is another surprise considering the terrible service expected at kbbq joints. Anyways the meats were pretty good. I particularly enjoyed the beef thick steak which out waiter suggested. My only complaint was that loud Korean pop music playing while you eat and that the thick meats had a bit of fat and gristle on them. Other than that I thoroughly stuffed my face and enjoyed it all. Did I also mention they have ice cream too?! Always a plus to finish your meal. Overall I was pretty impressed by the quality and service of this place. A little pricey for me, but if you're in the DC area, this is the spot to go.
(4)
Nina G.

Best bang for your buck! All you can eat for $20! ...or $25 if you're feeling fancy. Never tried that menu though. Recommendations: pork belly, pork rib
(5)
Vina Y.

The all you can eat menu A pretty includes everything on the menu for $27 or $29 (dinner). I don't know about others but they selected the first three meats for us when we choose Menu A - 2 different cuts of steak and a marinated beef. We probably would have only ordered the marinated beef and I was little annoyed that it seemed like they were trying to fill us up with meats we didn't choose. After that, we ordered about 4 more meats. All in all, it was pretty good - not the best cuts or marinade in the area but it was satisfying. Only came out with 4 side dishes and we had to ask for a lot of things that should come standard like rice, kimchi, and lettuce. Overall, a good experience but I'll probably just go to Annandale for better meat at the same price.
(3)
D. K.

Huge fan of this place. The servers are hot (They are dudes), the food is fantastic, and K-Pop videos. For the amount you get,it's worth coming here with a large group- I can't imagine coming here by yourself because you will be stuffed. The only issue is that the air in this place gets a little smokey when you first walk in, but you eventually get used to it.
(4)
David H.

I now vow to make it to Iron Age at least once during my visits to the DMV area. I am lucky one opened up in Rockville by the future in laws place. I can only dream of having a KBBQ place this good in Orlando. Come hungry so you can splurge on the AYCE option. $28 a person gets you a long list of different meats you can order with all the typical bon chon. My favorite meats are the pork spare ribs and the brisket. The brisket is a must. Super thin semi-frozen slices of fatty brisket just melts in your mouth. This is the one meat that you will order several times in one sitting. Anyways, when it comes to korean bbq in the DMV there are several options, I think Iron Age is one of the best. As a final note, if you are in a party of seven or more, be aware they do include gratuity into the check. I almost added a large amount of tip on top of it. No where on the receipt did it say "Additional tip" like I have seen at other restaurants. I was not told this either, I had to double check cause the total made no sense.
(4)
Carmen S.

Visit again at 4pm and it was quiet compared to the usual loudness that occurs at night. Still love them but I'm not sure if drinks are included as we all ordered water. New menu now: Gogi A: Spicy chicken, soy chicken, soy pork rib, Iron Age pork steak, spicy pork bulgogi, soy pork bulgogi, pork belly, garlic pork belly, spicy pork belly, beef brisket, beef bulgogi, hanging tender, beef abomasum, Iron Age steak, top blade steak, webfoot octopus. Gogi B: Spicy chicken, soy chicken, pork rib, Iron Age pork steak, spicy pork bulgogi, soy pork bulgogi, pork belly, garlic pork belly, spicy pork belly, beef brisket, beef bulgogi. Both share the same sides, which you have to order: Pancake, bean paste soup, steamed egg, rice, jahpchae, spicy rice cake, vegetable (mushroom, onion, sweet potato, etc.)
(5)
Jordan E.

In short, not somewhere I'd go out of my way to visit again. The gist of it - all you can eat Korean BBQ in a cozy/hip, LOUD atmosphere. I'll skip my normal long drawn explanations and leave you with the following nuggets; - The wait staff ALL seemed like they were doing us a favor by waiting on us. They were visibly annoyed by our non-over the top requests of receiving food in timely fashion instead of thirty minute intervals. - Slow service and getting refill on waters took multiple requests. - The quality of the food was LOW. I understand this is all you can eat, but its still $20 not a $10 golden coral type of deal. - Although the all you can eat menu looks large, its simply too small an offering. The large 20 option menu really is only 4 or 5 items, 'repackaged' differently. We noticed almost no difference between 'spicy chicken' and the other options. - The sides/sauces they give you are minimal. Asking for more took forever. I'm one to love meet - but shoveling sub quality meet in my face with no plentiful helping of vegetables was weird. Nothing really stood out to us on the menu - everything was just, well, mediocre at best. 2.5 Stars but rounded down.
(2)
Daniel M.

Went here on a Saturday night. It was a great Saturday night! There was a short wait. Great Korean music and music videos. Favorite went a little something like "no lil booty, big booty." Cool atmosphere. Everything was dericious. Got the gogi A AYCE! Ate everything! Perfectly seasoned and marinated meats! They used to bring out the pancake on its own and now you have to ask for it... We asked for it and they forgot it... They have free ice cream which was really good. Hoping to go back again soon yayy!!
(4)
Priscilla L.

So delicious, it is all you can eat, so come hungry! It's fun and you definitely have to make time and space in your stomach to enjoy iron age. Great unlimited side dishes as well as meats. Try the Ribeye and garlic soy chicken! (Lunch is cheaper)
(5)
Mari K.

Get ready for super loud music (loud environment in general) and slow service. I came here when they first opened and then a couple more times after that. My VERY first experience was actually decent. New restaurant, unlimited k-bbq? Who wouldn't be excited about all of that? And I'm sure that the servers were trained better since they were a new restaurant and they had to get the customers to come back and tell their friends about it. My experience after the first experience has been bad. I have given this place numerous chances but it's the same every time. I always ordered the unlimited meat with galbi every time I have gone and the quality of the meat isn't great. Then the servers seemed rude or gave looks if you didn't speak Korean.. I remember there was actually a server who had hickey's all over his neck which my husband called him out on because it seemed very "unprofessional". Also don't think about bringing your new date to this place either. You won't be able to hear your date with the loud music drowning every sound.. unless that's what you want. If you want good K-BBQ, go to Annandale or even the Honey Pig in Germantown. There's so many other options. Also this isn't the only unlimited Korean barbecue place. There's a couple in Annandale and if you're complaining that it's too far, the food will make it worth the drive, trust me. I won't be returning anytime soon and already haven't for a long time.
(2)
Boyu L.

Went there with my family. We are big fan of Korean bbq and have tried a decent amount of korean food elsewhere. The food is great. Nice sesame oil dipping sauce and a large selection of meat for AYCE. I would rate a 5 star if they can turn the loud k-pop music down because it is kind of annoying. Other than that the service is great, well cooked side dish and steamed egg. I wouldn't mind driving here to get a big meat banquet.
(4)
Victoria E.

This is the best brisket I've ever had. Everything is so good.The waiters and waitresses are so fast bringing out the meat. And free ice cream at the end. The only complaint I have is on the weekends the place is packed and the music is louder than my thoughts. I came to enjoy my dinner. I think they should have a bigger place due to the amount of customers they get.
(4)
Josh W.

Okay, so this place is what it is - lots and lots and lots of meat, eat your fill and then some. They've got traditional Korean sides, too, fun decor and wall mounted televisions with continually-running K-Pop music videos. The meat is of reasonably good quality, but in terms of flavor it doesn't compare well to Mission BBQ or Chima, which set the standard for me. While I've come here maybe 3 times or so, I think I've reached the limit on stuffing my face with meat for its own sake, and now my gluttony is going to be a little more refined. Nothing against Iron Age, though, it definitely does its thing, and it's worth trying.
(4)
Kits G.

We ate here and itsss sooo good. Specially the choices of meet. We loved the Iron age steak. Its only $20. Its also good for kids. We enjoyed everything and the service. Servers are also good looking lol.
(4)
Ruth C.

Reservations recommended. Plentiful parking in the long shared strip lot. We were in the half surrounding by screens playing K music videos, raising our voices to be heard as the evening grew dim. Two burners at the long tables, and everyone at your table orders off the same plan. Two and a half stars. You get what you pay for. Courteous and reasonably attentive service delivering frozen, meh-quality meat that could use a little more seasoning. Banchan were conservative and basic: gyeran jjim was decent, pancake lightly chewy, the jeon and jjigae barely met minimum tastiness requirements, but the radish kimchi and potato salad were completely forgettable. From A menu, I favored the brisket over the pork belly, over the faintly marinated pork. Barley tea was the highlight of my night, but I'll be back to try their B menu... Picking from only two AYCE sets and my favorite meats are split.
(2)
Chris S.

I feel my review will be a little skewed because my sense of taste was slightly off because of some congestion when I went to Iron Age. I happen to love the K pop videos that were playing throughout the restaurant. I've had no exposure to these videos before going to Iron Age and they were easily the best part of the evening. I don't know if it is a ploy by Iron Age to distract you with the videos so you won't eat as much meat but it worked for me. Service was very pleasant, the staff was very responsive with bringing out meat and the other add ons quickly. There was very little downtime when there was not either meat cooking on the grill or some other appetizers such as pancakes or kimichi or some other side dish being made available. Meat was quality, you either order option A with three varieties of meat or option B with a variety of meats as well. Meat options seemed to be beef or pork for the main part. The meat seemed to be mid grade in quality and a generous portion was provided. I definitely plan on returning for the K pop videos and also to give meat a chance when my taste buds are fully operational.
(3)
Mike B.

WHAT? WAAAAAHHHTTT??? (Kyle's Mother On South Park) WHAT WHAT WHAT?! That was me all night at Iron Age; the virtual Korean Pop concert in the middle of dinner. WHY SO LOUD?! It's soooo loud, it's like they're trying to hide some other noise. Is there like a dying whale in the back or a band of mating harpys? I just cant... The music was so loud and the table- wide (because of the grill in the middle), I couldn't carry conversation with the people sitting directly across form me. This whole thing is kinda funny cause... it's an AYCE Korean BBQ joint... so I was looking forward to sitting down and having a long drawn out conversation. The service was very good. The food was pretty good. I enjoyed the brisket and pork belly personally. I loved all the little sauces and vegetables it came with. I have never done Korean BBQ "right" before... and this time I understood the whole "play with your food thing" thank you Ruth C. I would come back here again if it wasn't so freakin' loud. It was a Friday night and they are open till 2AM on Friday night.. so I guess its suppose to be a late night party atmosphere? But that's not what I want when I'm eating dinner.. sorry.
(3)
C Q.

We have been there twice. Both time we ordered Option B ($20 per person). We tried all the beef and pork options and our favorite was Iron Age Pork Steak. It was very tender and flavorful pork chops. We did not care for the pork belly or brisket. These were the two types of meat that my kids usually love. But the pork belly was tough and brisket (not marinated) had a slight off taste. The salad was good and very fresh. We like the mashed potatoes and the radishes. The side dishes tasted fine but did not have a good varieties as the other Korean restaurants. The pancakes were greasy and did not really have anything in it. I think this is a good Korean BBQ option if your entire group can agree on which menu option to choose from. It is not much more expensive than Honey Pig and you get to have different type of meats.
(4)
Nishat K.

After having come here a few times, I'm docking a star. Not because I don't like the meats or anything, that all deserves four stars! It's because of the service, or rather the one server. The last two times I've been here we've had the same server and I'm not sure if we just catch him on bad days or what but - 1) He doesn't seem very happy and isn't friendly AT ALL 2) He spoke extremely quietly and then got an irritated facial expression when either of us asked him to repeat himself 3) He walked past us several times, but was serving other tables right infront/to the side of us but didn't even stop by to ask if we wanted anything else or if we were okay. 4) We sat there with empty grills and plates for about 10 minutes a couple times every time we went. Another server, Sean I believe, made sure to do the things our server was lacking in both times. That's not a good look. 5) Because he ignored us so much a good amount of the meat was straight up burned but he'd get all pissy if anyone touched the grilled at our table. It was all annoying and just poor service all around. I know servers are busy and service is spotty to begin with, but seriously I'm a patient person and even I was annoyed! I'll be back here, but if we get him again I'm requesting a different server or to be moved.
(3)
Emm B.

Food was alright and the amount of food for the price is decent. The place also has a decent selection of meat. But the service was subpar and the constant loud music videos and TVs all around made me feel like I was at a night club instead of a restaurant. It was a place to go once, but not again.
(2)
Meggie C.

i went here when the place first opened. i went twice. both times i did not like it. reasons why: the buffet was kind of pricey for meat that was not marinated = no taste. then their sauces was not good which made the meat taste worst. the only thing i really liked was their mashed potatoes started. that was delicious. i would not go back, unless they start marinating their food.
(2)
Pinki P.

The quality of the meat was just okay. The taste, however is a different story. The galbi and joomuluck was seriously lacking marinade/flavor. The pork belly was okay for me because I dip it in the chili paste and sesame oil anyway - but the slices were a bit on the thicker side. Service was acceptable, at best. Overall, I give it 3 stars because of the convenience of the location for me, and the fact that it is AYCE.
(3)
S6 5.

ok - my background; i'm korean, i love korean food; annandale is hands down the best place to hit for korean food in the DC area so we decided to check this place out; venue, pretty nice; hip styling, loud music and waiters dressed in hip korean clothing. food - wow, pretty bad; we paid for the higher end meats; requested duck, they had no duck. the pork was cut very poorly; marinade was poor on all meats. side dishes were also bad. service - the waiter was super friendly and tried very hard but he had no clue what he was doing; kept mixing up the cooking utensils violating all common sense when it comes to food safety; almost burned my face by dropping the heat rack when swapping them out. if you have no where else to go and you're in rockville, i guess you should go; otherwise, stay away. i'll stick to annandale
(1)
Ronald G.

All show with little flavor. I ate here with some friends a few weeks ago. I'm not sure if this place has a different style of Korean BBQ, but none of the meat appeared to be marinated (rather bland). However, I can see how this would be a cool place to come at the end of a night out.
(3)
Myung M.

First time I came here, we went with the AYCE option and found it to be decent. Some of the meats had no flavor but the chadol was pretty good. Based on this decent first impression, we decided to try the shabu shabu for lunch. This was a totally different experience. First, the banchan. They say you only get three, of which only one was edible: over-fermented and mushy sliced daikon, over-fermented kimchi, and the only edible banchan, pickled soy sauce daikon. Then there's the service itself: our main waiter was helpful but also questioned everything we asked for. "Can we get more soup for the shabu shabu?" "Soup?!?!" His tone said "why would you want more soup?!" Then there was the overlord owner woman who hovered over our table, gave each of us the stank eye, and proceeded to scold us for daring to say aloud that the banchan sucked. Lastly, the portions of the food itself was lacking. For my party of four, we had a LOT of napa cabbage, but four frozen dumplings, four pieces a hotdog, two pieces of tofu, and perhaps 12 pieces of thinly sliced beef. It's hardly enough when you consider everything else was this napa cabbage. All in all, it wasn't the worst thing I've ever had, but I'll certainly never be back for the shabu shabu again.
(2)
C W.

I was completely stoked to find out there was a new Korean bbq restaurant in Rockville. A group of 10 of us decided to check it out after a night out and left quite disappointed. 1. The service was poor. Although the tables have buttons to call the waiter/waitress, they take their time to come to you. 2 Yes, it's "all you can eat"; however we all had to come to agreement on our order since we were sitting at the same table. Also, it's just meat...no marinade, no flavor...nothing. By far our worst KBBQ experience.
(1)
Christine M.

Went here with my dad for the all-you-can-eat meat fest. I've actually been coming to this location for the past 20 years (literally), and it's been a series of Korean restaurants that come in and out, generally not lasting longer than 5 or so years each. When this new BBQ place opened, we decided to check it out. It's $20 for all you can eat - you just order something and they come grill it at your table. The entire concept of how this place is run is really unique and interesting (definitely different from other Korean places). The staff is VERY good. Like, super respectful, fast, and competent. My dad and I aren't capable of eating that much meat in one sitting, so I feel this is a place for the super hungry. Anyway, I enjoyed the experience a lot and will most likely come back :).
(4)
ryan e.

hip, cheap (relatively), pleasant staff and most importantly good food!
(4)
Angela W.

We had so much fun! We went on a Sunday night for a family member's birthday. The food was great and the staff was so sweet and fun. Totally worth going! We got the $22/person option and it was great. Plus, they have fun K-pop!! It's a lot of meat so, be hungry when you go!
(5)
Dining S.

My family and I just ate there tonight. The first thing that hits you is the decor...very industial arts...they spent some money and had some fun with it. James was our server, and I truly cannot remember ever having service that was this friendly and genuine. I'm the type that doesn't ask too many questions. Just bring me what everyone else likes. There was an avalanche of sauces, sides, soups and pancakes,in addition to the meats. Lots of meats. The pork bbq was so good, I had regretted eating anything before it. All were fresh, nicely presented and delicious. The music was loud! In the context of the decor, michael jackson waiter uniforms, surreal videos etc, it all seemed to work. Hell, I told the waiter to turn up the volume. I would like to have seen more fun with the drink menu. How about some obscure asian beers, or themed drinks. A lost opportunity there. And where the heck is the bar? People need a place to wait, have a drink, mingle, etc. We had a good time, and I like the energy. A good place to have a few beers with friends over a bbq. This place will do very well in the cold winter months.
(3)
Justin J.

just amazing. great quality meat, simple, excellent price.
(5)
Grace Y.

Wish I could give zero stars. Food is decent but service is HORRIBLE. Went in a party of 6 but they seated in a small booth when they had larger tables open...the table was CLEARLY too small so we asked them to bring some of our food out later. Instead of doing what we asked, they crowded our table with so much stuff that no one could eat comfortably. Our drinks were empty 90% of the time we were there and it took them forever to come to the table when we needed something. If the food was amazing, I could deal with service lacking but that wasn't the case. Oh, and we decided to give them a small tip but they included a 20% tip in the check. WTF!?!?! Can't believe we had to pay to eat here...they should've paid us for the frustration they put us through. NEVER going back. GO TO HONEY PIG.
(1)
Sahar R.

Just to address Yelper's main complaint about this place: yes, your jacket, hair and clothes will smell like meat. I don't see that as a problem though. We are underestimating the power of scents here, people. Dogs and hot men will love you when you smell like bbq. It will even work out for the dudes, trust me I've made some questionable attraction choices based on the fact that the guy smelled like bourbon and pork. So let's just get over that part and take a shower when we get home. Sure it's loud in here, it smells like meat, you'll smell like meat, but this korean bbq place is just what Rockville Pike needed. Rather than drive out to the depths of Virginia and drive back with the meat sweats and a full uncomfortable belly, it is nice to know that the MD burbs have an affordable kbbq option. The dinner service offers only an AYCE menu has two options: Gobi A-$18 * Chadol (Beef Brisket) * Samgyuopsal (Pork Belly): Garlic & Pepper Paste * Dweji Gui (Pork marinated in soy sauce) Gobi B -$22 * So Galbi (Beef Short Ribs) * Toshi Sal (Hanging Tender) * Marinated Chicken * Joomooluk (Marinated Beef) * So Mak Chang (Beef Abomasum) Gobi B can also choose from the Gobi A menu. This all includes rice, a skewer of onion, bell pepper, zucchini, mushroom and served with 4 dipping sauces. Also on the table you will find salad, a miso based soup with soup meat veggies and rice, an egg 'souflee', a potato and veggie potato pancake, marinated pickled daikon, thinly sliced pickle radish the size and thickness of small tortillas to wrap around your grilled meats, another pickled veggie. Our group decided to tackle Gobi B, with our group of six people. If you compare eating tons of meat to a football game, here's how the night went down: First Quarter: So Mak Chang, Chadol (twice cause it was good), ribeye, Joomooluk Second Quarter: marinated pork belly and Dweji Gui Halftime: Decided we were all full (the guys outnumbered the girls, they all had healthy appetites, and they even struggled at this point). Third Quarter: nibbled on banchan while deciding on whether we should order the chicken (no vote). Fourth Quarter:defeat. Even our server was surprised since we had such a strong start. I have to admit some of the meats were lacking in marinade, and I'm pretty sure the pork belly was frozen being that it made a "clank" noise when it hit the grill, but for the price I would say it was good quality and cooked up fine. There was such and abundance of meat and choices, and the service staff brings items out at a rapid clip. It's very appreciated and convenient. Also, the blaring Korean videos on the five thousand TVs they have in here just add to the fun. I swear I now know every word to HYUNA"s 'Bubble Pop!' Even the staff here is dressed in Korean boy band fashion (cute military uniforms) and if you watch enough of the videos you start to confuse reality with the videos and wonder why your server isn't wearing manliner (eyeliner for the mens) and dancing too. All in all, I would have to say I had a fun night. The night produced Instagram photos of various grilled meats with ourhands making a heart on them (yup, we're one of those people), and that's a sign of a good night.
(4)
Tiffany C.

The food was really nice :3 I've been here many times, but the waiter this time didn't care about me or my friends, always giving us the stink eye and barely asking us what other meats we wanted. The waitresses helped us sometimes, but I kind of wished they were our waitresses~ so much better than the waiter.
(3)
Lester R.

Iron Age is a fantastic and really affordable Korean BBQ place in Rockville. First off you walk in and it's very trendy but not overwhelming but you're being bombarded by Korean music videos that look like an explosion of rainbows. Each time I've been there the wait staff has been very attentive. They all seem to speak great English wish is great because that means I don't have to have my friend who speaks Korean to ask for more sauce or drink refill. The food itself is pretty good. It's not the best but you do get your moneys worth when you go in there. It's all you can eat plus your given the usual Korean complimentary sides like pancake, steamed egg bowl along with several types of kimchi. It's very clean and it's just a very on the ball operation. It's a high end looking place but your're not paying high end prices. People are nice, attentive and they've never once tried to rush our table out of the restaurant to free up a spot. The line can go out the door sometimes but they're professionals who value their customers and I will go back.
(5)
Doug S.

Their food is absolutely delicious, but across the several times where I've eaten here, service seems to be hit-or-miss. Sometimes we get an energetic waiter who's fun to talk to and is always around to make sure we're doing alright. Other times, we wait over 40 minutes to get that drink that we don't even remember ordering anymore. On top of that, they seem to raise their prices every time we go here. If their food wasn't so damn delicious, I wouldn't keep returning.
(4)
Dora L.

This is my first time trying Korean BBQ, and this place made all the right impressions! The waitress cooked and cut the meats for my table and made recommendations when we were choosing between the Gogi Set A and B. K-Pop in the background (but i didn't find it hard to hear the conversations) and I loved the ambience!
(4)
Kenzie F.

This place has a lot of iffy reviews, but they seem mainly due to prices and portions, and service rather than the food. I was a little worried about trying this place after checking out the reviews but i was pleasantly surprised. This was my first time having Korean bbq, so I'm hardly an expert. We showed up and there were only two other tables. Our waiter was nice and the staff was very attentive. This may be different when it's more crowded. It was more than enough food for two of us and I really enjoyed trying some new things. We got option A I believe, and didn't make it through all of the meats. Although it's a little uncomfortable when you're on the end that smoke blows in your face for a bit, it was still fun. I haven't tried any other places like this to compare it to, but overall I really enjoyed the experience. I would definitely go again if we were closer, but this is about an hour away from us, so unless we were in the area it wouldn't be something I would drive out specifically for. It seems like the experience there is hit or miss. So, until next time!..
(4)
Ashleigh R.

Tried this place for the first time last night. I absolutely loved it. The atmosphere is great, really cool for groups too. It looks modern inside with Korean Pop videos playing! (By the way, never listened to K-pop before but this place totally makes me want to). The food was really good. We did the chicken, Iron Age steak, pork belly and a side of shrimp. Lots of flavor. I have never eaten Korean food before so nothing to compare it too. I would definitely recommend and go back. I've seen a few reviews that say it's pricey but I didn't think it was to bad. We had a table of 4 and the bill was about $140. The only reason I didn't give this place a 5 star is because of the service. It was not bad it was just average. I felt a little like our server had an attitude. But also maybe his personality. I would still go back!
(4)
Ken L.

I hail from SoCal, where AYCE KBBQ is pretty much on every block. Iron Age is one of my favorite restaurants in the DMV area, the sheer quantity of food for this price is just unheard of. I hit Iron Age up at least 2 or 3 times a month. You need to go into this restaurant with the mentality that you're there for long haul. It's a marathon, not a sprint. You have to pre-game for this and truly be ready to pray at the Korean BBQ ajumma altar. Banchan includes: Green salad Kimchi Pickled daikon Potato salad (Various other pickled vegetables) Remember, this is AYCE, so you can get more! The last time I took my friends here, we ordered Gogi B ($28, includes all A options and various cuts of steak and pork). We ate 5 rounds of marinated steaks, 3 rounds of marinated pork, 4 rounds of brisket and pork belly, and 2 rounds of ribs. That's some serious KBBQ eating. (This was me, a guy, and a girl, gettin our brotein on cuz you know 'tsup). My favorite orders are: Iron Age Steak (marinated steak cuts), Garlic Pork Belly, and the Fatty Beef Brisket. I've had great service every time, and I highly recommend taking your friends here especially if they've never had KBBQ before. It's a great place to test your palate and learn what you like since there's so much variety. I've been to most of the Korean restaurants in Annandale, and while many had extremely tasty dishes, none compare to Iron Age in terms of price. You will not find a better deal in the DMV, so start training.
(5)
Tiffany L.

Iron Age is a great place for Korean BBQ. I like this place better than Honey Pig because of the value, the different dipping sauces, and the marinades they use for the meat. We had a great waiter who was attentive and friendly. This place is buffet style where you pay a flat rate for all-you-can-eat, so if you don't eat that much, you might not really be getting your money's worth. Go hungry!
(4)
Andrea E.

Got attended quick delicious food too and i dont know why people say it way to noisy its fine
(5)
Dao P.

My favourite restaurant ever good quality meat and taste incredible delicious! It's better than honey pig, clean and great service. But only one thing that if you can separate like family room without loudly music I would love to go more often. I didn't go there almost a year after having a baby. It is too loud music.
(4)
Elizabeth W.

I don't know why I keep reviewing this place, I must be really rooting for it. In all honestly, I like the concept and the food. I even now like a server too. I seem to always come with big groups. This time we split into 2 tables because not everyone wanted AYCE. Big shout-out to Hannah and Sinhae. They were great servers. Hannah was by far the friendliest and most awesome server I've ever had here. She was friendly, funny and attentive. She also made sure we didn't eat under-cooked meat. Sinhae has a memory like an elephant. She knew our drink orders without evening needing to ask once. She made sure our meat didn't burn. All in all, awesome servers. The food is still mostly the same quality. The menu of meat has changed since they first opened. Less meat but much better at delivering quickly and with consistency. After thinking about it, I bump this place up to a 4 because of service.
(4)
Tiffany L.

My bf came here spontaneously.. We were hungry and couldn't decide where to eat in Rockville. We haven't been here in a long long time so we did notice some things have changed. The beef brisket was good. We did like that a lot. The pork was not very good.. We didn't even finish the order we had. The salad that used to be good barely had dressing this time. The sides were just okay.. And the sauces were watered down like before. For some reason we did enjoy ourselves a lot more this time. I say this mostly because we haven't had restaurant Korean BBQ buffet in so so long. Sooooo bump up one star .. Nothing's changed for the better.. Soup and egg portion is less.. Pancake was as flat as can be.. But pretty standard thin brisket if we want to grub on that and not drive to Annandale.
(3)
Kojo B.

More 3.5 close to 4, but gave them a four based on service and those delicious sides. So, while perusing restaurants to visit on this slow day at work i decided on Iron Age since i had bookmarked it. It is Korean bbq buffet style, i like meat and i like Korean food so that's perfect. Lunch special $16 you say, lets roll. I jets to the place get seated and they offer the banchan (sides). And then they started bringing the meats and grilling it on the stove tops, if its cold leave your jacket in the car, a pointer i picked from reviews. The sides were delicious, i think by far the best i have had in my limited experience of Korean food places. The meats were good, i had the bulgogi, brisket, the chicken and the pork ribs, i had about 5 or 6 more cuts to go, but being full and having exceeded my arbitrary lunch time, i tapped out. Key points, i didnt know that the sides were free on refills, well now i know, avoid the chicken (both), also the pancake was oily, i wont consider it seafood pancake, it just was ok, save your stomach and focus on the meats. I intend to get the cuts i missed out on next time, its a lot of food so be warned.
(4)
Maria L.

Gogi A at $28pp is SO WORTH IT! They include a seafood pancake, ribeye steaks, and the tender hanging tendon (?). YUMMY Our server was very nice and friendly too. Great experience
(4)
Marivic L.

Maybe it was how people hyped this place up to me. Maybe it's just not that good. I'm thinking it's a little of both. The place is kewl. TVs everywhere with pop videos on, youngish peeps everywhere, and it was pretty damn packed after 8 on a Sunday. We got greeted right away and everything was explained to us. So, we went for the more expensive all you can eat deal cuz I like to know that I can have anything I want. The server started us off with all the cuts of beef. While they were tender enough and cooked well, they weren't very tasty and no amount of sauce made it particularly good. The pork was much better because it's marinated very well. I found that he served us pork after the beef because some of the pork required a different kind of grill. Well, that's sad because I would've totally prefered any of the pork over the beef. The salad and sides were ok. So, this place ended up being a disappointment, particularly with all the great Korean places in the area. I won't be back.
(2)
David H.

Ban Chun opsoyo! That means no side dishes, at least very few. I had to ask for cabbage kimchee. This place is not recommended for those who want traditional Korean food. No rice with meal, which was kind of strange. Meat was pretty good though.
(2)
David B.

. Went on FAther's Day and waiters seemed disinterested and did not want to be there! No customer service ,one word answers and no smiles. Worse experience at a restaurant.What a shame for a restaurant to go down hill used to love-four or five start experience. Management needs to help!!!!!!
(1)
Zach M.

Fantastic Koren BBQ joint with plenty of great food and variety.
(4)
Althea E.

Be very specific about where you want to sit! Tables placed in the center use a gas stove and pan to cook the meat.... If you go here you're going to want a table with an actual grill. Makes all the difference in how your meat is cooked and how it tastes. Service up front was pretty bad as well. The guy that welcomed us was not very welcoming at all. Instead of trying to serve customers he was more interested in going outside to the parking lot to check out some girl's car. So all in all... Service not go great... Food cooked on a pan not so great... Flat soda not so great...BUT the salad?!?!? now that is some special salad.... I could eat bowl after bowl of the salad Iron Age serves.
(2)
Brian L.

The only real AYCE kbbq option in Rockville, they have a monopoly. A bit expensive compared to places in Annandale. Don't get me wrong - it's a great deal compared to Honey Pig. Ambience is fairly hip, with TV's showing the latest in kpop trends. Service is attentive. This place has the greatest variety of meat available that I've yet seen at an AYCE kbbq joint - something for everyone.
(3)
Zi-Heng Z.

This place has really picked it up. The meats are so much better and the marinade is so much better. Pancakes is back!
(5)
Kathy T.

Heard so many raves about this place so I had to try. Came in on a Saturday night, it was so packed. I started to get excited because in my perspective if a place is packed it's a sign that it's really good. The hosts was very nice and gave us a number. The decor was really cool, flat screens on every wall playing Kpop music. My boyfriend and I waited for about twenty five minutes until we were seated. We both got the 25 dollar all you can eat. The hanging tender was very bland, all I tasted was sesame oil. Marinated pork, pork belly (garlic and pepper paste) were delicious as well as the beef brisket. Service was fast and great. The only reason why I deducted two stars was because I didn't like how we didn't receive a good variety of side dishes with our meats. Don't get me wrong the side dishes were really good but i kinda wish they had more. I would have only taken one star off for that but then I realized there wasn't any Kim chi. It's a Korean joint, I expect Kim chi. Overall my meal was good, I will be returning. However if given the choice of Iron Age or honey pig I'd definitely prefer honey pig.... Cause they have Kim chi mmmm
(3)
Jen L.

Short Version: 1. Higher Prices 2. Ok Service 3. Mediocre Sides 4. Meat was still good I came here when it first opened several times and loved it. As it got more busy and more people knew about it, I heard some things about the quality going down. I decided to give it another shot and immediately noticed that the place had been re-arranged. Not much of a problem, but the noise level was still kind of high. After placing the order, I saw that they had drastically decreased the number of side dishes to things I didn't really want to eat.... There was no free steamed egg this time. The meat selection was good and it was all you can eat, but the service was only so-so. We had to flag down our server several times and it took them a while to get us extra rice and other items. Probably won't be coming back unless I really am craving all you can eat KBBQ.... They do take reservations, so I did that this time around. They had a table for us when we got there.
(3)
Kristine Elaine M.

Out of all the Korean places i been too, i can honestly say this is probably one of the best. I've came here a couple times and i remember the prices were actually really cheap for what they would offer which is all you can eat. I mean i don't mind the change per head because in the end its still all very worth it. They give you a bunch of side dishes and appetizers you can eat while the meat is being cooked, and the waiters are constantly assisting your needs which is definitely an A+. Lastly their meat is honestly what makes this place one of the best. To me however I believe the prices are starting to get a bit too high.
(4)
Jen C.

Amazing Korean BBQ! Great service, fun atmosphere. Came here with a big group and they served us promptly. Bringing over some drinks, banchan, and cooking the meat for us. It's a fun atmosphere where you can watch the kpop videos on the giant tv and get stuffed on amazing Korean food!
(5)
Ross B.

Are you looking to eat your bodyweight in Korean steak and pork bellies (which are basically just massive strips of bacon)? If so, Iron Age is the place for you! Bring 25 bucks and plan a good 3 hours to sit and eat. PRO TIP: Don't eat the rice they give you. It will just fill you up and limit the amount of Iron Age signature steak you can eat.
(5)
Christy T.

Went here with my friends and fiance for a pre-thanksgiving dinner, and wow! So glad we went here instead of honey pig (which is basically everywhere now in maryland). When you go to Iron Age, its best to get the ayce (all you can eat) deals rather than ordering it just by itself. There is two ayce options, with one pricing $18 which is a very limited selection (mostly pork), and another pricing $25 which is basically everything on the menu. Do choose the $25 as (in my opinion is the better deal) you know you will nom nom alot during korean bbq. Just note that for ayce, everyone in your party has to get a deal, and everyone has to get the same deal. Which isn't that bad at all. Anyways, what were my favorites? It was their special marinated ribeye, beef brisket, and their pork belly. If you eat alot, these ayce deals are way better than honey pig + groupon/living social deal. They also give out unlimited sides/banchan too; ranging from: egg, tofu soup, kimchi, pickled radish, mash potato, and a salad with a very good vinegary dressing (which compliments the meat very well). Overall, I like this place way better than Honey Pig (I like the meat quality at Iron Age). Atmosphere-wise, its quite hip with some of the servers looking like kpop star wannabes, and a huge screen in the back with kpop videos blarring. And service was quick and attentive (you also have a bell on the table to ring if you want someone to be there asap). Other than it being super close to me, the cons about this place is that it isn't open late night in the wee hours where you can come and get your drunk munchies on, and soju/alcohol prices here are super inflated. So if you want a fun drunken night, best be drinking somewhere else after to save your wallet I shall be back!
(4)
Joanne L.

This place is so overrated. It's all-you-can-eat, but I would much rather pay the same price for a limited (seasoned!) portion elsewhere than come back here. The meat was unseasoned and tasteless, and wasn't even that good when you used the dipping sauces. For the prices they charge, it is definitely not worth it. Service is okay at best too, especially if you're not Korean and can't communicate with your waiter (and as a result, the waiter avoids your table). I would've given this place only one star, but the side dishes were pretty good. The seafood pancake didn't come with much seafood, but it was still decent. The potato salad and egg were great. It's kind of surprising that they have good side dishes but bland main dishes.
(2)
Nica D.

I would've given 5 stars easily but service has declined from what it used to be. We came in one night and the server we had did not have any idea what he was doing, left the food, and if we didn't know how it worked everything would've been burnt. We had to ask for things that were constantly forgotten and never got to the table like drinks, chopsticks etc. BUT as soon as he realized we were done and want to leave is when he started acting like he cared.
(1)
Helen T.

I never write reviews even when a place has horrible food. But I have to say the manager is a complete jerk and makes you never want to come back. Horrible accommodations for large parties. The food was mediocre and they lack in side dishes. For the amount this place cost, I'd say take your money else where. McDonald's has better service than this place.! Be aware!!!!!!
(1)
Julie H.

I have been to Iron Age a couple times, the main reason I decided to come here was because it's KBBQ & all you can eat. The price is quite steep especially if you're taking a couple of people. Yes it's all you can eat meat, but from an economical standpoint - I could buy a lot of meat (the same types of meat there) & feed a family with it. The ambience of the restaurant is nice but the ventilation is awful. You walk out of there smelling like burnt meat no matter how long you're there or where you sit. That is not the case with all Korean BBQ restaurants. The cuts of meat are alright, low quality but it gets the job done. There's several different varieties but it gets old quick especially if you go there often. I've only been a couple of times and I think the variety of choices is getting old. The reason I like this restaurant is due to it's sides. I think the mashed potatoes is amazing! It's what I eat with the meat instead of rice. It's marvelous and addicting. My favorite cut of meat is pork belly so I enjoy eating that with the mash potatoes, the dipping sauces are alright but it doesn't beat the one from Honey Pig that I love. Overall, aside from one being a buffet and the other not - I enjoy Honey Pig more than I do Iron Age due to the food, ambience, quality, and service.
(3)
Annie C.

So this is a 3 visit in one review kind of review. I give this place 3 starts cause i have disliked it once, loved it for quite some time, and now i refuse to go back. First vist was when they first opened up about a year ago. The meat wasnt marinated like the other reviews have stated, choices were little, the dipping sauces were very bland, and service wasnt the greatest. The price was $23 a person for the full menu. Visits from october 2013 to about marchish 2014 I decided to give the place a second chance and came back. I was very impressed with the improvments they have made. Food was much better and service even better. They lated upped the price slightly but my friends and I didnt mind because they added new items to their menu and the food was good. We used to come here at least 2-3 times a month. The price now is $25 a person for the full menu. This is where the downhill of this review begins. We came one week after not coming for a week or two and we're told the pancakes and the steamed eggs were no longer all you can eat...... umm what? i thought this was an all you can eat restaurant? Despite that change we were still planning on coming back. I was not happy about no more unlimited steamed egg! (it was my favorite) My last visit in April 2014 I havn't been back in a couple months and I've been told that the prices have gone up again by a couple dollars now its $27 per person for the full menu I believe. This ticked me off. How are you going to raise prices and not add items but start cutting off sides from your all you can eat menu? The service was bad and the place wasnt as busy as we have experienced before. The waiter we had was rude and brief with us. Biggest con and always had been a con: The volume level of the korean music videos playing. You litterally cant hear the person in front of you how the heck are you supposed to order to your waiter?? This place has gotten a little ahead of itself because its been getting busy. I will not be coming back and would rather go elsewhere.
(3)
Priscilla Y.

This is an All-You-Can-Eat Korean BBQ joint. They raised the price since I was last here, but they also added new stuff to the menu. I think they now have separate items if you do not want to do the AYCE, but know that everybody at the table will have to order the same option if they choose the AYCE. They have two options for their All-You-Can-Eat: Option A for $25: Everything, which includes steak, ribeye steak, chicken, beef brisket, marinated beef, marinated pork (Galbi), pork belly, etc. Option B for $20: Beef brisket and two types of pork belly. If you can eat a lot, then this place is definitely worth it. You can also keep requesting more side dishes, steamed egg, and soup. Not only that, you also get an unlimited amount of KPOP playing on all of the tvs!!! Yay?!? It is a pretty clean establishment. Service is quick and friendly. It is a closer and better option than Honey Pig, which always seems to be too loud and full of drunken people.
(4)
Janet L.

More like a 3.5 rating! I'm always happy when there are good restaurants in the Rockville area... it can get tiresome to drive all the way out to Nova (not to mention the gas costs! *gasp*) ... also, $22 for ALL YOU CAN EAT MEATS (you can also nudge the waiters a bit and get them to bring you chicken, shrimp, seafood). You get to choose between two options. Option A gives you a limited selection of meats (mostly pork) whereas Option B opens up your options. Option A also doesn't come with soda.... so you might as well go for Option B! :) It comes with soda and rice, and korean pancakes, and kimchi soup, and steamed egg (MY FAVE DISH SINCE CHILDHOOD), a bunch of different preserved stuff, dipping sauce, and so much goodness. I was going to give the place 3 stars because of the quality of the meat... they could've made the meats a little more flavorful, however, if you think about it... for the price they're giving you to gorge yourself with meat until you pass out, it's actually an amazing/sweet deal! If you go at a time that's not so busy (Sunday noon), your waiter will pay A LOT of attention, which is good :) :) Make sure to ask for more rice or for more lettuce/sides... I'm not sure if they'll actually be proactive about it. The place itself is pretty awesome looking... fun place to go and hang out with friends, for sure!
(4)
Eunice K.

service was really good. our servers name was richard. really nice. super busy on the weekends cha dol is really good steak is good too (marinated) (hit or miss. sometimes really good when med rare and sometimes really chewy.) to-shi-sal is good. eat it when it's med rare cus it melts in your mouth (needs to be cooked on the wired grill) the pajun (basically a filler) is strangely addicting. comes with picked radish so you can wrap your meat in it. steamed egg and fermented stew comes with the meal they dont have the triangle shaped rice anymore :( they offer free soda as well parking is easy to find. pretty loud inside with tv screens playing kpop music videos
(3)
So F.

We enjoyed our experience at Iron Age. Our first time there (we visit DC area often from FL), we've never been to an AYCE kbbq in DC area. Not the best quality/taste that you can find in the area, but I like their young vibe, industrial artsy decor, and good food at a fair price. They had a service button on our table, so in addition to the regular attention we received from wait staff, they were only a button away...
(4)
Whitney M.

This place is awesome!!!!!! My boyfriend and I have been here a couple of times and for the most part they treat us well, and the food is always great. Last time we came we made the mistake of going on a Saturday night. We almost didn't stay but I wanted to wait, we waited for almost 30 minutes before we were sat. When we finally got a table we chose our option (A or B) and ordered some drinks. The server never asked us what meat we wanted first and brought out hanging beef which is actually one of the items we don't like we told him to take it back and we chose the beef bulogi (sp) but they brought out soooo much more than they normally do that we could tell they were trying to get us in and out as fast as possible which we thought was pretty rude. Other than that the music is great and we will definitely go back.
(4)
Claudia R.

This has become one of my husband and I's favorite places. It really never disappoints. They have a wide selection of meats. We love the Iron Age steak and Beef Bulgogi best. The bean and spicy dipping sauces are my favorites while he loves the sesame and salt and pepper dips so we trade. Last time we went we tried the octopus. The spicy marinade was really good but it burned onto the grill. The staff was awesome and changed out the grill for us quickly before our next meat was put on. We both really love the pork belly. He likes the garlic and I love the spicy. Our daughter likes the chicken best. It is dark meat and very juicy and flavorful. Sides are also very delicious. The spice on the salad is awesome although I don't quite know what it is. I think it's a vinegar based dressing. The pickles are a perfect pallet cleanser after the rich meats - my favorite is the dicon rounds. Super thin and crunchy. The steamed egg is my daughters favorite but be careful! It comes out hot and stays really hot in the pot. The servers work together to ensure nothing burns on the grill and sauces are always filled. I like the newest addition (within a year) of the soft serve ice cream but it always seems to be out of order on weekdays and runs out quick on weekends. A disappointment for my daughter.
(4)
Jeffrey C.

Third update to my review: Since my last visit (and will probably my last visit ever) the prices has been hiked with a marginal increase in the types of meat offered. Steamed egg dishes are now an additional $3.00, and they have made their portions smaller. Pretty huge mistake IMO. In addition, some of the lead servers there are less than accommodating in terms of seating: they will shamelessly ask 10 people to squish into one table. The group auto-grat is 20%, pretty high for a restaurant that I would not consider to be upper-tier. I hate to say this, but I will most likely not be returning again. Though there is one pro to my visit: we have a usual server who is always very generous, quick, and extremely friendly. It's people like him who will be the reason I might even consider coming back, if I do.
(2)
Mae Joy P.

This Korean BBQ is really my partner in crime.. I can eat meat unlimited.. Especially my all time favorite beef brisket plus I'm a big fun of Korean pop music OMG the music are so latest that I can relate especially the theme song from Korean drama.. But back to food they try to improve every month the settings the side dishes and also the soups I really love them and oh yeah the crew or waiter are so polite as always and smile at you all time. It shows that there happy to serve you so thumbs up for them and to the restaurant
(5)
Ling L.

The first time I went was ok but the second time they didn't bring out all the side dishes, especially the kim-chee. The server only brought a little when I asked. The first time was much pleasant experience. The second time I was sick the next day and barf the meal from the night before.
(3)
Yujia F.

I am still sitting here eating but this will probably be my last time eating at Iron Age. Especially after when I ask if I could have one more round of steamed egg and the waiter told me there is an extra charge for it. Seriously? I paid $25 at an all you can eat Korean BBQ and you are going to charge me extra for a small bowl of steamed egg. Honesty I have been to Iron Age more than 10 times and I have never been satisfied with their service. Slow and rude. One of the waiters once served us never smiles. But at least they have free refilled steamed eggs. (Yeah I really like eggs). The only reason I keep coming back is because I live literally 2 mins away. I guess I will have to drive down to Virginia and have Korean BBQ there next time.
(1)
Katherine M.

Iron age has great food, and great service. It is on the more expensive side, but it's totally worth it!
(5)
Randy P.

So you want all you can eat Korean BBQ, this is the place for you. The focus here is on the food, so if you want a fancy place, or a nice quiet place to talk (the K-Pop can be a little loud on the TVs, and it can get noisy when the place in packed), you might want to consider other options. The service has always been very good, the staff is very friendly. I would suggest going with a group of people so you get a chance to sample a little bit of everything. Also note that the weekends can get busy (I have done a few drive bys on the weekends, the place looked packed), so I go during the week.
(4)
Tony B.

The music in this place was so loud that I could not even talk to the waiter to place my order. On top of that the service was very terrible and menu over price for the quality of food that is provided. (Cheap Steak should not be $40 a person) Also they included the tip already on the tab without the customers consent. Them slick little Asians!
(1)
Irene F.

Giving it another chance.... My friend who has never had Korean BBQ in her life thought the experience was fabulous. I'm saying this because this review is not for people who don't have a point of reference. She would probably give it 4-5 stars. My Korean friend and I were not too impressed- we would give it 2. So 3 star average. Our table did not have a call button so we spent a lot of time trying to find our waiter for water refills. The pork belly was not marinated at all. We had to ask for the spicy pork because it wasn't on the menu. I had to ask for hot sauce too and kimchi. We only got 1 small pancake for 6 ppl. Sodas are not included in the kids or $18 meals. Only 1 bowl of soup too and it was only 1/4 full. No egg. Only 3 skewers of veggies. Kids age 3-10 cost $10. My daughter eats like 3 bites of food an hour....so I was glad they made an exception and only charged me $5 for her. Although I think she would have preferred McDonalds at that price. My meal plus my daughters came out to $33 after tip. I don't think it was a good deal because I simply don't eat enough. We had 5 rounds of meat brought out. It was fine, but I think I'd rather spend my money elsewhere in the future. Once was enough for me.
(3)
Helen S.

I came here for dinner with three friends. This restaurant has two AYCE options. #1 is beef brisket and a few selections of pork for $18, and #2 has some better quality cuts of beef for $22, soda included. Since my group was all guys except me, and two of them were on a cross-country bike trip so they were ready to stuff their faces, we opted for the second option. The banchan was great, especially the potato salad, the Korean pancake, and the soybean stew. When the meat came, it just kept coming and coming. Eating with a large group of boys is quite fascinating because I have no idea where all that food goes. I ate enough to conceive a food baby and was just crying in my little corner, while they ate more than double as much as I did without blinking. Service was great. I think this place deserves a better average than what it has right now (3 stars) because the waiters were all super attentive. They checked on us at least every 5 minutes, refilling our drinks and replacing the banchan and meat as we ran out. I do wish that they had a more flavorful marinade for their marinated beef, but other than that, everything else is great. I typically hate AYCE places because only guys want to go and I get so full that I get dizzy (I know, I lack self control) but sometimes I have to take one for the team, and this place was admittedly tasty.
(4)
Don H.

3.5. Service, the new ice cream machine and overall value are good. Servers are nice and attentive. They come by and help cook the meat regularly. Sometimes the music can be loud. Do it for the meats.
(3)
I O.

I must say, after having been to several Korean BBQ places this one caught me by surprise for various reasons and all mostly good but let's start with a couple negatives. The brisket was extremely fatty I mean that is all you were eating. Ventilation was poor. Service in general was good, friendly and helpful but slow. You cannot go wrong with $22 option on the menu. Extremely satisfying. I think the hanging tender is the best red meat there. Chicken was excellent and the beef marinated in soy sauce. All in all it was a good stop for a 'bite' and leave like Humpty Dumpty.
(4)
Valerie L.

This is my final review of this place and after multiple chances, we will probably never return. My husband and I would rather make the hike farther out to get decent Korean BBQ and service that is not RUDE. And I mean RUDE. Let me preface this with: We frequent Asian restaurants all the time (small hole in the wall joints and Americanized alike) and are fully aware that service is not at the top of their list. This last time we returned (because the food was actually good during our last trip) the service was lacking but we were willing to overlook it. Well, we returned this time (with a guest) and it was awful. We got a table on a Friday evening fairly quickly and they took our order for our first meat within minutes. They cooked half of our first meat order and then after it was fairly burnt, placed the remainder of our initial meat in the grill. ......A full hour later, they STILL hadn't asked us for our second meat request. By the time they got to us, the server was so irritated with our request for a second meat and additional egg/soup that we were actually hesitant to ask for more (there were three of us! We needed more food!) we ultimately ordered and of course crushed it within minutes.....still hungry. We asked for another pancake (if you are keeping track, it was the second totaled order for the three sides) and within seconds, one of the servers comes up to our table and abruptly states that if we want any more, it will be $4/each. Whaaaaa??? I thought it was all-you-can-eat? Apparently NOTTTTT!!!! We are not large people and it wasn't like we were eating their entire food supply, we merely wanted to satisfy a little of our hunger! So two of the three of us had ordered a few beers in hopes in enjoying the fun environment, but towards the end of our meal, they gave us the check and rushed is out. So, in short, even though we moving closer to them, we will never be returning. I hate feeling like an unwelcomed dining guest So they were the rude, burned our meat, annoyed that asked for food and told us that additional items would be charged, and
(2)
Jerry S.

This must be the modern version of Korean BBQ, and I admit to being old school, a la kimchichronicles.tv . There was just too much different and not enough better to make me like it more. The decor is dark with angular graphics, and blaring Korean club music accompanies the videos on many screens. The first side was a fluffy egg souffle. Nice, but seemed out of place. Next, small scallion pancakes, a well executed classic. Potato salad was OK, but again not my idea of Korean. Two different versions of pickled daikon, but cabbage gimchee, the iconic Korean side, was not to be seen. The lettuce was torn into small pieces like a salad, rather than left whole to wrap the meat, The meats themselves were brought out one at a time, and the server would come and go, sometimes turning the meat and sometimes not, so that we had to keep watch ourselves to prevent burning. And the Option A meats were good quality, but none were marinated, thus omitting the best known K BBQ, bulgogi. I guess the comment I made about the cow stomach I tried at another AYCE pretty well sum it up: not bad enough to spit out, not good enough to come back for more.
(2)
Chris C.

I've been here twice and haven't been disappointed either time. I lived in South Korea for 3 years and found the food here comparable to what you find overseas. The all you can eat choice A for $28 is a steal for anyone who has a good appetite. The side dishes are numerous and tasty. They also have a really good selection of Korean alcohol. Our waitress cooks the food at your table and she was very nice. Absolutely will go back.
(4)
Connie M.

I don't have anything bad to say about this place. Meat, meat and more meat!!! YUM!!! As I am not daring enough to cook my own cow stomach/intestines, I went with the A combo which had sliced beef brisket (comes as frozen thin slices rolled up), pork belly (reg. and spicy) and marinated pork. Unless it is specified seasoned, the meat has zero seasoning but there are 4 dipping sauces (sesame oil with s&p, a sweet soy, garlic one and a red chili). I mixed the red chili with the sweet soy and it was fabulous! Honestly, if I knew the B combo came with an unlimited soft drink, I would have chosen it because it was only $4 more ($18 vs $22) otherwise the soda was $2. I am picky when it comes to potato salad but this one was so good, I am afraid I filled up on that plus I like eating my meat with rice. Rookie mistake!! I tried the pickled radishes, the steamed egg, the "green salad" and the scallion pancake. Really, the pancake wasn't bad but because only the edge was crispy and the bottom was soggy, it was easy to forgo for more meat! Did I mention how good the potato salad was? It was a little sweet and I don't remember celery but OMG...you have to try it! Or not. Don't try it because you are there to eat meat!! We had the QUIETEST server ever. He was very cute (if only I was 20 years younger!!) but I had to ask him to repeat himself every time. He was also pretty attentive. EVERYONE who had been here told me that service is slow and you have to ask for things. I don't know. Maybe I am a good customer (having been a server) but when I wanted more potato salad (at least 10 times), I would move the empty dish to the edge of the table and he would ask if I wanted more. Put the empty soda glass next to the table and he would fill it up!! We did get there early (6:15 on Friday evening) so it wasn't too busy but it was packed by 7:30. He was attentive enough. He would put the meat on the grill and even though he was too slow for the thinly sliced brisket (not a problem as we like our beef medium and could turn it ourselves), he was just right for the pork as he got back to flip and cut up the thickly cut pork belly. Honestly, I don't have a good reason to only give it 4 stars...the brisket was nice and fatty and with MY sauce was scrumptious! The server/meat griller was attentive enough. Our drinks and sides were refilled without having to flag him down or ring the "call button". When I told him that we would not need anymore meat, he quietly told me to let him know if I changed my mind! My sister did ask someone (not sure if it was our server) for kim chi but never got it. I only took off .25 for this because if she really wanted it, she would have followed up. My sister got to the restaurant before me and ordered the combo and drinks. I know this is a Korean restaurant and Asians are more docile, but as a former server I think someone should have said that since sodas are $2 each that we should have upgraded to the other combo which comes with a drink. The whole point of coming to AYCE is to stuff yourself silly and get the best bang for your buck...and as a server you want to upsell because customers tip based on the total of the bill. LOL. So minus half a star for not padding my bill...but really more for that hollow feeling I had when I got the check and wished someone would have mentioned it. Make recommendations. Customers appreciate it. A solid 4.25.
(4)
Drethi C.

My boyfriend will kill me if I make him go back here one more time since we have been here so many times already. I LOVE this place. I would give it more ratings if I could. I frequent here a LOT. We are always immediately attended to and seated. None of that pretentious stuff where they make you wait 45 minutes when you can clearly see an empty table. The staff is amazing. Always so nice and attentive. I have yet to have a bad experience. And the best part: ALL YOU CAN EAT. If you are looking for a great date night, definitely go here. You can bond while the food cooks right in front of you. But definitely pace yourself. You get like 10 different meat options along with a kazillion tiny little korean side dishes (love the egg and potato salad). I love the steak and brisket the best with peanut or sweet chili sauce.
(5)
Wendy t.

Always satisfied after leaving this place! Good quality and well marinated meat. I never feel rushed and service is awesome!
(5)
Nancy N.

I officially hate this place! I tried to give it another chance and guess what! They increased their prices again! They're so worried about making as much money as possible than actually caring about long term business and customer satisfaction! It's a shame! Whatever, I won't ever come back here again! It's so ridiculous. Oh and now they actually imprint: "One order of Pancake, eggs, and soup set comes for one group/table" (doesn't matter even though everyone pays one price) like uhhhh okay. Good luck with your business!!
(1)
Samuel G.

Surprisingly, the quality of meat has gotten even better than the last time I was here. I recommend the Iron Age steak and the pork belly, although everything is good. Delicious!
(4)
Hui H.

I visited Iron Age on a Saturday night for dinner with 5 of my friends. We ordered the AYCE option B, the more expensive option at $25 with 11 kinds of meat. The food was OK. Banchan was slim - the waiter only gave us 4 different kinds (3 kinds of radish: kimchee, sweet pickled, and spicy sweet, and a potato salad). The marinated meats were passable. I've been to better places in the DMV that have AYCE and their marinade is MUCH better (KOGIYA). I think what made this experience not good for me was the service. The waiter was really brief, he never smiled -- I felt like he preferred Korean speaking customers. Also, they have a ton of tv screens and projectors that are constantly blasting Kpop, which got to be annoying after a while.
(2)
Rhex X.

Good food. Really noisy atmosphere. Very sweet and nice servers but slow. Still don't forget the good food. If you are looking for an eat all you can place that has good food come to this place. Just bring your patience with you. Lol.
(3)
Cora B.

I don't normally write reviews, mainly because I will have every intention to but forget to when I get home. I left Iron Age tonight repeating to myself, in my head, write a review, write a review. I have been to this restaurant many times. I've grown up on Korean food, and since moving to this area from Washington state three years ago (which, btw, has a huge Korean community) I haven't found a Korean restaurant I enjoyed. The reason I continue to come to Iron Age is because it is the best from what I've tried so far and because my husband loves the place. When he suggests that we go here, I'm never enthusiastically and emphatically shouting in agreement "Yes, Honey, lets go!!!" I respond with, "ok...I guess so." And this is why: The food is good. Not excellent, but good. 8 times out of 10 the meet is on point. Occasionally, we'll get a whole lot of gristle and fat. The side dishes are very good. Their selection of pickled fare is enjoyable. I recommend combining your meat (especially the brisket) with the purple-y pickled radish slices. It takes the flavor beyond. I like the decor of the place. When I go to Iron Age, I don't expect to be watching Hockey games from the flat screens. I like watching the kpop. And I love the shirts that servers wear (The preceding is, of course, in response to a reviewer who felt the need to be so meticulous in his rundown of Iron Age that he even criticized the servers' shirts) The reason why I'm never really enthusiastic about going to Iron Age is because of the customer service. It is inconsistent. Depending on who is flipping your current meat selection, the server can be friendly and helpful, suggesting what to try next; or it can be lukewarm and lackluster. The servers sometimes seem like they are going thru the motions. You're just another table they have to tend to. Some can be so unwelcoming. And there are times when I leave the place, I don't care if I ever go back. Honestly, I go for the food and for my husband. That's usually how I feel about the place until tonight. Normally, I would give Iron Age a low 3 out of 5 stars. However, because of our server, CHARLES, I give Iron Age a very high 4. He was AMAZING! From the very start, he was very attentive and friendly. And when we ordered meat, when another server would change out the grill to a pan-like surface because it would be easier to cook the chicken on it, CHARLES let the grill stay because he said it enhanced the flavor of the chicken. And he was right. I felt like he actually cared about our dining experience. And in today's age, good customer service is hard to come by. GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE is like witnessing the passing of Haley's Comet. From now on, when I go to Iron Age I will ask for CHARLES. If he's not there, I'll just turn around and go to McDonalds. If or when you go to Iron Age, ASK FOR CHARLES!!!! The only reason I did not give Iron Age a 5 is because it is impossible to clone CHARLES and have just him and his clones service the tables. Imagine how disappointed I was when I found out that if I tipped him he would have to share that with the other servers. FOUL!!! I cry. I never carry cash on me, and I hope I don't get CHARLES in trouble. But his customer service was so good (Damn good) that I left my husband at the table finishing up the chicken while I drove to the nearest gas station to use the ATM. Got some cash money, came back to Iron Age, at this point husband is enjoying an ice cream cone, and discreetly placed that money in CHARLES' hand. Yeah, people. He's that good. If you want good Korean BBQ, go to Iron Age. IF YOU WANT A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE AT IRON AGE, ASK FOR CHARLES (and have some cash on you).
(4)
Tu-van L.

AYCE Korean BBQ. That in itself ups the Yelp star rating. Solid KBBQ in the area, and so glad there's a solid option in Rockville that's worth going to when you have a craving and don't want to trek all the way to Annandale or Ellicott City. For $18/person you can get the basic option that includes pork belly, chicken, and marinated pork (the best offering in this package). For $22/person your package includes all of the previous, three steak options (the marinated one is the best) and sodas. The fact that they offer marinated meats makes this place better than OGG. The place itself is designed for late night outings. Big projection screen, lots of tv panels, all playing awesome K-pop. So glad this place is in town. Don't know if my waistline allows me to come here often, but I can be rest assured that this place is around for me when I need it. Service was also friendly and very attentive. Not only was out main server useful in explaining the options but the entire wait team was awesome in watching over us, making sure we had enough drinks and ban chan and checking on our cooked meats.
(4)
Zach V.

A million times better this time! I was blown away! I totally recommend coming here! Amazing!!
(5)
The Dan R.

I'm used to the "All you can eat" KBBQ houses of Philadelphia, where you have to cook your own food. Iron Age gives you a server who takes your order, gets your food, cooks it in front of you, changes the grill in between dishes, and then goes to get your next food item. You keep eating until you are done. The service is spot on, the food tastes great, and then there are the sauces... They have 4 dipping sauces for customers to try with all of their orders. If you want things like Kim Chi, make sure you request it. They have a lot of radish based complimentary dishes. The other stuff, you have to know to request it, but they are cool about bringing it out once you've requested something. Regarding ambiance: There are video monitors playing Korean music such as K-pop, K-rock, etc., but I felt it added to the experience. My friends and I had a great experience plus we could clearly hear each other without shouting. There was a table nearby of at least 12 and they seemed to be enjoying themselves as well. When I posted news of this adventure on Facebook, my local Asian community exploded with how much people value Iron Age over HoneyPig, despite that they are two different styles of Korean restaurants. I've heard people go off on the cost, which was $28 per person. I understand where they are coming from and the issue isn't just the cost, the issue is what are you getting for the price you pay. It's "all you can eat" at a Rockville restaurant with a full service wait staff and the food is actually yummy. Food choices: I definitely recommend the Iron Age Steak (probably as close to bulgogi as you'll get here. The only marinade I noticed was listed as Galbi sauce, which is usually reserved for short ribs in my experience) and the Iron Age Pork. Everything my friends and I tried with Galbi sauce was delicious. I'm already looking forward to getting a group together to come back here. Yeah, its a bit pricey, but the experience was definitely worth the price.
(5)
Ping W.

Ohhhhhhhhh well, I like the food quality, but if the music can be not as loud and the serving speed up a little bit, but it would get a higher star rating!
(2)
M P.

The all you can menu is very good. The side dishes are all very tasty and flavorful. Service is usually good but can be spotty at times when busy. My personal favorite is the hanger steak. Bathrooms are clean and working. I think Iron Age is a great place for Korean BBQ and I would go back there again.
(4)
Renato S.

I love coming to Iron Age. The menu is pricier than other all you can eat places but what's the alternative? Sketchy Chinese buffets? Driving 40 minutes to annandale? I'd rather stay close to home. Menu A is awesome, hanging beef tender and the Iron Age pork are my favorites. But the marinated beef and sirloin are good too. The pricier menu is for the beef lovers I'd say. Good service, good value with the all you can eat. Minus a star for the overly loud music. It's never been that busy when I've gone either. Our last visit we were given an extra soup after finishing the first one. I'm not sure if it's included in the AYCE or not.
(4)
Jawd Z.

I love this place!! All you can eat for a good price! The meats are delicious and the sizes are amazing. I'm really upset that they do not make the pancake anymore. That was like a desert, it was sooo good! The ambience is great, waiters are very nice and they help each other so you're not stuck with one waiter during your visit. They have nice Korean music videos playing while you eat!
(5)
Jeanneth T.

It was my first time at a Korean BBQ restaurant and the experience was awesome! I loved it! From the built in grill on table, the korean music videos, and ofcourse all that meat!!! So yummy! I would love to go again, but like what others yelped, you should only go here when you have time to kill. And unlike what others have experienced with the service, we on the other hand had excellent service from the servers and the manager!
(5)
Joy C.

Food, Ambience, Service! Love it! Worth a try! It's perfect for everybody! They have eat all you can! We enjoyed the bbq, loved the side dishes and the service is amazing!
(5)
Bruno L.

I've been there twice and here is what i think. The food is great and for an all you can eat dinner the price is great, the atmosphere is great and the servers are WAY BETTER than the rude servers at Honey Pig, so basically for just a few bucks more yo get WAY better service than honey pig and way more food. It's a great place to go with friends to grab a few drinks (it's not korean bbq without some soju, am i right?) WARNING: you will be coming home smelling like grilled meat but who doesn't like grilled meat? I absolutelly recommend Iron Age
(5)
Tonya G.

I have been goin to Iron Age since they opened, the kids love it. However, I have to say the service is steadily declining. Over the last couple of months they have removed or are charging xtra fees for several side options that use to be part of the sides for the all u can eat. Basically now all you get is meat and lettuce. No more Korean pancakes and now at a table of 5 we get one soup and one steamed egg. Also they bring out 3 Slices of meat at a time for 5 people? Beginning to have a hard time justifying returning. Sad to see it go down hill.
(2)
Nicky P.

I love the side dishes. The pancakes, soup and egg that comes with your order is on point as well. It IS an all you can eat kbbq so the set price is pretty reasonable. The staff is okay; sometimes they're nice and friendly and sometimes they won't even bother looking at you in the face. Actually, a lot of the time they will stop by, cook the meat a little bit, and dips as soon as possible. Oh yea, they start to kind of avoid your table after the third round of meat. I don't really have a problem with that for I always spam them with "hey! Hey!! Excuse me! Hello!"
(4)
Jason C.

Updated lunch review: On my previous review, I complained about the lack of lunch options when going solo. This time I went with a friend and tried their lunch special. The lack of food availability (unless you order the all you can eat BBQ) is still a problem, but I was able to sample dishes that require at least 2 people to place the same order. This time I ordered the Shabu-shabu hot pot and was pleasantly surprised. For those who don't know, shabu-shabu is a hot pot. It has a chicken/beef stock broth (this is Korean style) where you boil an assortment of vegetables (bok choy, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms), fish cakes, dumplings (2 pieces), rice cakes, and beef. You'll receive three sauces. One is a peanut based sauce for the meat, and the other is a sweeter chili sauce for the vegetables, and the last one is a soy-sauce-like for vegetables. For shabu-shabu, the sauces are the key ingredients that bring out the flavor and Iron Age did adequately well in this area (although these are not authentic shabu shabu sauces). At the end of the meal, they'll give you the option of mixing noodles or rice with the leftover broth. They'll drain a lot of the broth, add noodles/rice and seasoning, and simmer the remaining veggies/meat in the broth. I personally like the rice because I feel that it goes better with the seasoning. There is nothing magical about this shabu-shabu and I think it would be unfair to compare a place like this to shabu-shabu pots in higher end Japanese restaurants. However, considering the portion size and the price ($10/person), I think this is the best value for an Asian lunch meal you can get in MoCo (yes that includes chinese meals at places like Joe's Noodle House and Sichuan Pavillion which are cheaper). The only issue about this restaurant is the ventilation. A lot of people grill meat and inevitably, you'll smell like meat after you leave. Experienced people going into Korean BBQ restaurants always leave their jackets in the car before going in. That should really help mitigating the issue.
(4)
Nicole W.

So so so full. Total and complete meateatathon. Just fantastic. Great service, regular attention and never an empty bowl. $22/per person for ALL YOU CAN EAT freshly grilled brisket, ribeye, pork belly, marinated beef/pork and more. Hibachi is so 2012- get hip and check out Iron Age for 'westerner friendly' (not hyper traditional/authentic) delicious Korean BBQ! Open until 2am!
(4)
Priscilla A.

Very interesting place. Each person either pays $25 - $35 for an unlimited meat selection. As soon as you sit down there is a pan where the raw meat is cooked. Other pots, bowls, and plates are placed across the table with this spicy salad, rice, mashed potato, and other veggies. We'd pick 1-2 meats at a time depending on the types of meats and then had 4 different combinations of sauces to dip it in as we individually chose. I ended up liking this red colored sauce and stuck with it the entire night. The quality of the food was okay. I think you really pay more for the "unlimited aspect" of the food and the environment itself. Great place for a group of friends. Loud but good music. Could be too loud for some who speaks low so definitely not for a first date if you don't want the girl to loose her voice. Service was decent. Prompt but nothing special. This place is also open pretty late and ended up leaving at 1:30a on a Friday night. Probably wouldn't voluntarily return to Iron Age but if the majority decides on this place it's also not the end of the world. I would say give it a shot.
(3)
Yeree K.

I have no high expectation for ayce bbq place. i think this place is pretty good. But they are slow... so you cant eat so much because you will have to wait for them to order, bring meat, cook them... and you will become full. :) go if you love meat and want to eat a lot of meat. I think their side dishes are decent and better than honey pig... but still limited veggie/sides selections compared to the ones I've been to (in NY!!) dont expect good quality meat since this is ayce. but pretty good for ayce! the best way to have korean bbq is do it in the backyard or at the park with a bunch of people :-) Don't go here as a large group. you will be sharin this tiny grill with 6 people.... and also they add tips to the bill for big groups (18 or 20%..) I would go here when I want to eat a lot of meat (quantity over quality) with a couple of friends who also like meat. If you cant eat a LOT of meat and just meat, just go to a better quality korean bbq place. Korean restaurants give a huge selection of side dishes at no charge and also free soup too. order a bowl of rice to eat with the free sides. So sometimes even 3 people can share 2 orders of bbq and leave pretty full, with more variety of food (more balanced and healthier meal) other than just meat. :-D
(3)
Amy W.

I love the BBQ here but the service was horrible today! I'm shocked!!! Our waitress was super sweet but the owner (the older lady) gave us super hard time for a bowl of rice. May be she is going through Menopause. The waitress brought out 1 bowl of rice and 1 bowl of noodle for us. She was 2 steps away from us and the owner made her bring the rice back. Because they can only servce 2 bowls of rice or noodle and we can't combine them!!
(2)
Eric J.

None of the meat was marinated, but meh, it was still fun coming here probably just once every few months,
(2)
Hehe H.

Food is okay but service is f******g horrible. A group of us went last night. They were having AC problem and water was keep dripping onto us. We let the server know about the issue and he said oh it is only water no worried. Seriously dude, we are trying to have dinner and have water dripping onto us is ok? What comfort do I get from eating in these kind environment? Long story short, he asked if I want to talk to the manager. I said sure then it took more than 30 minutes for the manager to come. To make matter worst, instead of apologizing he start explaining why there is water dripping. Do I really care? He ended up asking oh so what you want me to do for you? I would love to say dinner on you since I think that is what he was expecting us to say. We just asked to switch to a different booth so We can enjoyed dinner. Gezz these people need to learn hospitality 101.
(2)
Kissdomie H.

It was my first time here with my mom and all I have to say is: Awesome. The side dishes are soooo good, especially the salad (with what tasted like sesame dressing) and the potato pancake. The meats were sweet and fresh tasting, just by itself. For the price of $23 per person for the B set, it was well worth it. Next time, I'll have to try the A set. The service was pretty good too and it felt good knowing everyone worked together rather than just one server serving our table. To finish the night off, we had self serving ice cream, which was pretty good considering it to be an asian place (usually self serving ice cream at buffet joints tastes a bit watered down). I am definitely coming back with a few more buddies :)
(5)
Maria M.

It's $22 for all you can eat korean bbq for dinner (option B), they also have option A for $18 which doesn't have all the meat that option B has. I've never been to an all you can eat korean bbq with no other entrees on the menu but meat. All the other ones I've been too in VA have sushi, as well as other asian fusion dishes that they serve along with the korean bbq. So that knocked it down half a star for me. You have to ask for rice or for the lettuce if you want to wrap your meat in lettuce which was weird to me because most korean restaurants I've been to give you these automatically without you asking for it. You also have to ask for the kimchi because otherwise, it's not part of their seriously lacking panchan (side dishes). Their potato salad was definitely on point tho, I'm not gonna lie. The meat wasn't too bad. Well seasoned, and it seemed pretty fresh. So that's good. The service was also very good even though we had a "trainee" as our waiter. He was so polite and came back often to make sure our meats were turned and if we needed anything else. So that made the visit nice for me. All in all, if all you're looking for is meat, then by all means, go here. If you want a little variety along with your meat, drive a bit further and venture into annandale and you will find what you want there.
(3)
Roy S.

This is a really nice Korean BBQ spot close by in Rockville. $18 gets you an all you can eat with 3 choices of meats, although you can opt for the spicy pork belly instead of plain which I highly recommend!! There are tons of condiments and all the pickled veggies were excellent!! Their hot sauce was also really good. Not 5 stars because the service while friendly is a bit spotty. At Woomi in Wheaton they are far more attentive and have a larger menu but the sides are not nearly as good. This is a really nice place and I will return!!
(4)
Justin H.

Great food with k pop blasting in the background with fun people and great atmosphere but come during the day to avoid busy crowds!
(4)
Anne D.

The food isn't bad but at the same time it's not that great either. Prices went up a couple dollars also. And they no longer serve the korean pancake. The staffs are pretty friendly and attentive depending who you get. If I wanted korean bbq again I would come back :)
(3)
Sungjin K.

the reason I am giving one out of five is because the service was terrible. I understand that they have make more money, but they do not give booth tables for two people. it was my first time seeing a restaurant not giving a booth table for two people. when I complained, the female server rolled her eyes on me and she was like "Ok I'll give you the booth if you want.." she did not apologize! If you ask a customer to go through inconcinience, you should at least say "sorry for inconvinience". I bet she would have called a police if I said another word although I did not yell or said any bad words. I talked with a quiet voice and the server almost went crazy.
(1)
Micheal K.

I have been visiting this place for 4 month. Service was like jerk, frozen meet was medicore, their manager who was in front of door had never been smiled. Actually he was mocking on me when i order extra side dishes, and he never come back. I will visit one more time with co-workers. I believe one star for this place is way too much.
(1)
Christopher Y.

If you're into all you can eat, this Korean BBQ is the place. Went on a weekend for my friend's birthday and they gave us a free shot. Surprisingly, the service isn't bad considering how crowded the place is. The waiters constantly come to check on the meat cooking and were fairly attentive. They bring out the meat you choose one at a time, cut the meat, and then keep coming to flip the meat. HOWEVER, if you don't request to change the pan, they won't do it. ALSO, don't sit in the center seats. Without an actual grill, the meat is cooks in it's own fat and doesn't get crispy (especially if eating pork belly).
(4)
Fernando Y.

Food paradise,Reasonable price! The only down side, you will stink BBQ after eating, but it's awesome !
(5)
Jess Y.

I just want to let all you Yelpers know, I am 100% Korean, and have lived in Korea for a portion of my life. So this review is based on my own personal expectations and taste for Korean bbq. Let me just begin by saying that I always tag along to Iron Age because everyone wants to eat it, but always leave angry. The lack of service makes my experience extremely unenjoyable. But I will get to that after reviewing the food. They bring out a very limited amount of side dishes (I'm really not used to this, I even prepare more at home when I serve meat) There was a salad, potato salad (which is yummy, I must admit), then pickled radish / jalepeno, and then another pickled radish. They also bring out hot peppers and garlic on the side. Overall, side dishes were decent- but nothing was memorable except for the potato salad. Later, after asking repeatedly, we were finally given our potoato pancake, dwenjang jjgae, and steamed egg. The steamed egg and soup are both always good. The potato pancake, however...... Let's just say I took a bite out of it, spit it out into a napkin and removed the remaining from my plate. The boyfriend learned from this and dabbed his off with oil-- No one else at the table actually consumed it. It tasted like oil. Nothing else. p.s. If you want kimchi, you have to ask for it. The meat was fresh and tasty, my only complaint would be the lack of service again, which resulted in cooking the meat ourselves. That takes away from a restaurant experience imo. Again, I will get to that later. You can either get combo A ($18AYCE) or combo B ($22AYCE). Combo A has pork belly, marinated pork belly, and pepper paste pork belly, and also thinly sliced beef. Combo B has steak, cubed beef, and marinated cubed beef. I believe they also have chicken but I am not sure. They used to have Galbi on the menu in place of the steak (the menu still says it's available) but they definitely do not have it. Service. Where to even begin...? I cannot even grasp how horrible we get treated when dining here. Hmm, let's start from the beginning! We entered. We were seated. We ordered our drinks and food. We wait 15 minutes for side dishes, another 10 to start the fire, and another 10 minutes to place 2 pieces of tiny steak on the grill. I don't know what the waiters are doing the whole time, but the entire dining area was empty of any waiters. All the customers were pushing the button, and no one was being serviced. When the waiter did come around, he would make eye contact and walk right past the table. What in the.... We had to ask for every little thing possible. They might as well set up a bar of meat and let you cook it yourself, since you have to wait so long to get food and you end up cooking it yourself anyway. The bottom line is, if you want to cook your own meat, receive horrible service, and have lots and lots of time to kill, this is the place for you! The boyfriend says, "I'm more fed up than fed." 1 Star for the potato salad, 1 Star for the meat. -1 Star for being put to work, -1 Having to beg for water and side dishes, -1 Horrible service
(2)
Rose M.

What is there not to love about this place? There are no all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ places in Rockville area. I like all the meats and definitely get my $28 dollars worth when I go. The waitstaff has always been friendly to me. I even enjoy the crappy korean music videos they play. The atmosphere is amazing and the food is great! Just make sure you dont wear something nice because you will definitely come out of here smelling like the korean bbq.
(5)
Kevin L.

We've been to Iron Age a couple of times and each time we go, it seems like less and less people are in the restaurant. Good sign for us, not so great for Iron Age. I've done both options - $22 and $18. Other than missing out on kalbi, the $18 is good enough for me (and I love pork belly anyways). Service definitely improves a ton when there's less people in the restaurant and you end up getting stuff faster. Feel free to ask the server for as many delicious pancakes and eggs, because that's what I do. There's also a decent about of banchan too, that's constantly being refilled. I'm okay will cooking myself... I don't expect the servers to cook for me. They also have a ton of TVs and this huge projector screen where you'll enjoy a fair share of current KPOP music videos. Compared to the usual amount that I get at Honey Pig, this is definitely the economical option. But don't except top-of-the-line quality meats. (If you're a vegetarian... don't even complain. It's a Korean BBQ and we love our meats)
(3)
Shad S.

I'm a huge Korean BBQ fan. I'm an even bigger Korean BBQ buffet fan. So when I read about Iron Age I knew I had to visit ASAP. When I got there and opened the door I got smacked in the face with smokey BBQ goodness and I loved it. It took a little while to get seated but it was also a Saturday night and this place is obviously popular. When we got seated, we opted for the bigger selection of meats and got it rolling. The small plates came out quick and after that the meat just kept coming. Everything that was brought out was delicious, but my favorites had to be the spicy pork belly and the beef brisket. Considering how much I ate, I think I got my money's worth. The space is pretty cool, other than the creepy K-Pop videos you're surrounded by. The service was very attentive and overall it was a great experience. For the people complaining about smelling like smoke and meat after eating here......... c'mon now.
(4)
K W.

We were so excited to try this place. Food was good but service was just awful. He had a group new to this experience and he could have cared less. He didn't speak to us unless we asked a question and even then, it was minimal. Perhaps we'll try again but probably not.
(3)
Jen C.

Absolutely exceeded my expectations. Best meat I've had at bbq? No. Best KBBQ for Moco-ers? Yes. The moment you step in, the ambiance transports you to a restaurant you'd see on average in Asia cause of the blasting Korean music and TVs plastered everywhere. When I first came to Iron Age, there were smiling waiters greeting you, ready to point you to your booth--you feel, almost, too special. They checked up on you often. Unfortuantely, now is not the case. Now, you play this game of "Do I seat myself?" and you need to press the button for anyone to come and help. They are also not as attentive about swapping grill plates anymore. Best option is the first all you can eat option. Included are: -one soft drink -steamed egg -pancake is super thin now and really oily, almost insubstantial. A waiter was taking a survey from all the tables and asked how the meal was. I told him about the pancake becoming thinner and he asked if we wanted another one. He missed the point. -rice...no longer in triangles that you grill, which used to be my favorite part of Iron Age -miso tofu spicy soup -not that many banchan choices, only radish for wrapping, some pickles and shredded radish -veggie skewer that comes with the first bbq plate -they also don't surprise us with the rice in foil anymore. Best meats are the beef brisket (very thin fatty slices), galbi, flavored pork belly. Overall, it's still where I'll go in Rockville for KBBQ, but the quailty in service and food items have gone down since opening. It's always disappointing when you get such elite service and food during opening and then slowly they start taking away the very things that make them special.
(3)
Nicole L.

Newly opened place - there was a history of Korean bbq places at the same spot but this time it was totally renovated. Iron Age had much more open floor plan with an industrial look. The restaurant appealed to young people it was a fun place with a wide screen showing MTVs of beautiful Korean people dancing and singing. We were seated at the booth the friendly server came up to explain to us the menu basically there was a cheaper more limited Menu A and Menu B had more choices of meats however they ran out of beef tenderloin and duck - figure that out a buffet restaurant that ran out of supply? Those items were probably the premium items and Menu B also cost more than A. The sides were very basic just some pickled daikons, marinated lettuce, a plain pancake, tofu soup and steamed eggs - all that came with the order. However they were all tasty. We ended up with the short ribs, hanging tender and marinated beef. The quality was good some cuts better than others. The hanging tender was the winner that night. They put rice balls on the grill but they didnt quite grilled as well as expected. At the end I was loaded with too much beef most likely it caused some meat sweats. I would go back again for a casual and relaxing dinner. Great for a group of people.
(3)
Charles M.

Definitely the best KBBQ place in the area. The music is too loud sometimes for a proper conversation so all you end up doing is eating... But the service is good and facilities are nice. I think the only worthwhile thing to get is the more expensive version of All you can eat. The Iron Age steak is fantastic and everything else is satisfactory!
(4)
Tom N.

Maryland FINALLY gets a All-You-Can-Eat Korean BBQ! $18 Bucks = Beef Brisket, Pork Belly, & Marinated Pork. $22 Bucks = Everything above and 5+ types of meat, including Galbi, sirloin steak cuts, hanging tender cuts, a marinated beef, beef abs.. and I think something else... and unlimited fountain soda (Don't drink the soda and save room for more MEAT! haha) I really like the look and feel of the place. They definitely live up to the Iron Age name while making it semi poshy as well. When you're seated, they'll bring out 4 dipping trays. Each one has a different sauce for you to try, sweet sauce, sesame oil/salt/pepper mix (my fav), a soybean paste sauce, and a chili sauce. While there are some marinated meats which you can use those sauces, they are really meant for the non marinated cuts of meat. They'll also bring out sliced radish, julienned radish, garlic/jalapeÃ±os for you to grill, unlimited salad that has been tossed with a vinegar/red pepper flake mix, soybean paste based soup with tofu and some beef brisket, steamed egg, and a seafood pancake. Depending on which meat you've selected for that round, they'll bring out a specific grill insert to cook it just right. When bringing that out, they'll also bring out a skewer of vegetables, Dok Boki(Korean rice cake), and sometimes a piece of sausage/hotdog. Also, they bring out a triangular mound of rice that you can grill too. The service there has been excellent for me, but it's also probably because I've been a regular since their soft opening. So here is the nitty gritty: Why people would love going here: Closer then driving to Annandale, high quality cuts of meat, comparable and good price for an all you can eat, You're a K-Pop fan and love watching it on multiple screens. Why people wouldn't enjoy going here as much: You don't live in the area or you don't feel like driving to Rockville, You only love marinated meats, you want even more banchan(small dishes), you despise K-Pop.
(4)
Norman H.

I didn't have high expectations here because my friend kept saying it wasn't worth going. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here, but for the socialness (is that a word?), it's fine. Service was present, and fairly frequent. The only time we used the call button, the server "rushed over because she thought my friends hair was on fire." Kidding of course, but it did make us not want to use the call button anymore...the refills for the drinks was slower than we would've liked [which was why we did use the call button.] But for the food and meats, it came out on time. The other servers were helpful and attentive. Food. I'm usually not that picky with food at all. It's there, it's edible, it's finished. Now this being a buffet, usually set the expectations for quality a bit lower. Fine. And maybe it was intentional, but the meats were very bland. Not tasty, but not tasteless. They had 2 meat assortments, A and B - one being pork, the other beef. They would swap out the grill, depending if you were ordering pork or beef. To save them the hassle and save you the time, order all of one type of meat first, then order the next type. (Then they'll only swap it out once). Unless you're at a table with 2 grills, make sure you grab a seat in the middle of the table to reach both sides!! Free refills on soda is always a nice plus.
(3)
Paul S.

Pretty good deal, AYCE KBBQ for $25 (although used to be less than $20). Quality of the meat has gotten better and they have more meat options than when they first opened. Sides and drinks were kept full and service was good.
(4)
Ellen W.

OK so why would I go here since I'm vegetarian? Because I was with a group of people that all wanted to go and I didn't want to be difficult. I called ahead of time to make sure there was something for me to eat and the restaurant assured me there would be. One can only eat so much pancake and salad. And that was pretty much it. The others were not too impressed with the different meats. It wasn't really that tasty they said. The service was pretty bad as most of the wait staff spoke very little English. They didn't bring out several items and we had to flag a waiter down every time we needed something because they didn't check on us at all. The price was pretty reasonable for AYCE meat if the meats were all available. But the price for the vegetarian option was not worth it.
(2)
Lola C.

All you can eat Koren BBQ is one of my favorite things. I mean who doesn't like to get stuffed on large amounts of meat you can cook at your table, i know i do. This place is the real KBBQ deal, very authentic. You have two options i always go for option B because you get more choices and I love the spicy pork belly. There is lots of K-pop on large screens playing so you can catch up on whats cool in Korea while you eat. Hint: its boy bands. The service is great, attentive, alert and on the ball. Bonus... all the waiters are so cute here that i actually refer to this place as "Koren Boyfriend" Be forewarned though Iron Age is always busy and for good reason.
(5)
Peng L.

I am not Korean so this is only the perspective of a Chinese guy. I thought for 25 it's pretty good in terms of the meat selection and all you can eat. You get brisket, pork belly, ribeye, iron age steak, flank steak. Kind of wish they had more small plates like kimchi but worth the 25 dollars four stars based on quantity, quality, and value.
(4)
Brandon H.

3 of my friends and I came here yesterday around 10:30pm. We were unhappy with the service. They didn't come around to cook our food enough and a lot of it burned. They brought out the food slow and only 1 or 2 portions at a time. They cut us off from ordering 15 minutes before closing. When I asked if they could bring us out a couple last steaks our waiter said "no." None of us got our money's worth or were full. When I was figuring out the bill the waiter says "can you hurry up cuz we want to go home" (as I pay a $100+ bill for 4 ppl.) Iron Age didn't show the generous hospitality many Korean BBQ establishments are known for. They didn't even replenish the classic Korean side dishes they give you in the beginning. I've never boycotted a restaurant before for bad service, but Iron Age will be the first. Don't go here.
(2)
Rhyan C.

I will take my money somewhere else after eating here numerous times! I totally agree with the other bad reviews on here. It's freaking buffet. How many times do I have to ask for my meat and refills? -and the waiters.. OMG! You want to be tipped you have better have some customer service. Food is decent I just can't stand the waiters. If I was told I have to finish my food like the other review was saying I will raise hell up in that joint! Time for me to find another spot. Good luck to everyone trying this place out. And the people with 4-5 stars on here good for you but I just don't see it.
(1)
Peter C.

I got the all u can eat meat so that was good. Honestly i thought honey pig was worss but overall it was good.
(4)
Jen M.

I've been dying to come here and review ever since it opened and today was the day! My extended family were visiting and we decided to go out for dinner. I automatically thought of this place (and because we live so close). We walked in and were seated right away. The interior design was really amazing. It was something that you would never expect. Anywhoooo We got "Plan B" the $22. We brought 7 people. At first there weren't many people. Maybe 5 or 6 tables filled? We sat down and the waitress came and explained everything to us. Not long after we ordered, they brought out the side dishes and the meat. It was fun to cook but I got a little paranoid because I kept thinking that I was eating raw meat (thankfully I wasn't). The waiters and waitress were very attentive. If you needed them and they weren't around, there was a button you could push that called them. (Every restaurant needs that) It came with some chopped salad so I guessed we were supposed to eat that with the meat... And so I did. Before the meat came out they gave us some potato pancakes, egg soup, and some kind of soy bean paste soup. They were all really good. When the meat came it cooked pretty fast and was amazing. They also came with these really good dipping sauces. Our waiter and waitress came very often to check up on us and see how we were doing. The only bad part was the quality of the meat:( Bad quality... Its not uneatable but its not the best. Buttttt the attractive waiter and waitress made up for it. LOL Another thing... On the bill, we were charged 196.9? something like that. We originally were suppose to pay $165 and on the bill they said they added a 30$ tip... We didn't write that and it was just added it to the bill... but at the bottom they ask for another tip? or something... Anywho... $30 tip.... So I didn't tip them anymore... Was I suppose too? Whatever, I'll ask next time. OHHHHHH!!! MUSIC AND TV AND AMAZINGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
(5)
Hana S.

The service was pretty good and the food was great! I love the theme of the interior design, very "Iron Age" like, The only thing is that they never changed the pan after we ate 8 rounds of meat, so at our 6th round you can really taste the char in the meat.
(4)
Solace C.

Ok so I had to try this place since everyone said it's better than honey pig.... So we go in and place is nicely decorated... We get our banchan fast.... They look fresh and appetizing where compared to HP it looked generic now that I think about it....so it's all u can eat but here is the bummer.... Everyone must agree on the same meats....no bueno if u like swine or bird... So my group compromised. The service was good....it's just our server looked so depressed... We were first timers here and we had to be explained this and that....one thing that was missing... Was kimchi... Man....they were cheap with that...they said we only bring I out if it's requested... They bring out the egg soufflÃ©...holy hell... Idk how ppl go bat shit over this....one bite and I almost turned green...but then they redeemed themselves by bringing me good ole Korean pancakes....love love love...l love that green salad ....yum.,..so we ordered from a... We got mostly brisket since it has flavor than rib eye...they come back and forth to do your meats and chop it up with weird scissors...they are on point with refills and getting wwhatver u want. It just I wish our server would smile,..he seemed so sad...overall this place tops honey pig..u pay more but it's all you can eat....they don't rush u to hurry up.... Even though there was a flash mob of,peeps waiting to be seated....they are picky when it comes to booths we had a party of 4 and asked for a booth and was like we need 6 peeps to sit...but then he relented.ill come back here in a heartbeat....
(4)
Andrey S.

For $22, you get from what I can tell is very high quality beef and pork in any quantity your heart desires. The side dishes are awesome. The atmosphere is loud but not loud enough to obstruct conversation. The many TVs showing K-POP are fun. I only wish I lived closer to this place, because this is by far the best Korean BBQ I have ever had. I would come here again and again given the chance.
(5)
Jonny V.

This restaurant serves a simple cuisine; hence, a simple review. The quality of the food is poor, and the service is so-so. Given that the area has ample options for discerning diners, it's hard to imagine that this place will be around much longer.
(1)
Joodie T.

Meat fans: this is your spot. Walking in you'll be greeted with a smoky mist from BBQ grilling on everyone's table. The scent definately marinates into your clothing but isn't that the case with all BBQ joints? We went on a busy Friday evening and the wait was approx 20 minutes. When we sat down, we were immediately greeted with menus and banchan. We ordered 2 all you can eat Gogi A and while we waited, a vegetable and scallion pancake, steamed egg, and tofu soup were brought out. Steamed egg was delicious! The meats were brought out 10 minutes later and the waiters were attentive about grilling the meats. The marinated ribeye and marinated pork were tasty and my favorite of all the other meats. Service all together was pretty good and we never had to wave over a waiter once. Really lucky and perhaps well staffed that night? I will tell you that the boss lady was on the floor and gave those chaps the eye if they weren't as attentive or fast so that was kind of amusing. A cool experience overall, but wouldn't come here before heading off to a night on the town just because you're going to smell smoky delicious.
(4)
Matthew L.

I thought for what it is (an all you can eat Korean BBQ place) it was pretty good. That being said, for the price you know what you can expect. The service is decent and the B option is worth the extra money (free drink and more cuts of meat). My favorite was the spicy pork belly. Limited bonchong selection, but that shouldn't matter when you are there for the meat.
(3)
Jane N.

I was excited to hear about Korean BBQ in MoCo since I hate to have to go to Annandale every time I'm fixing for some. Unfortunately, this place has some serious issues. 1. Ventilation - there is none. We kept asking if the fan was turned on, and they said it was. It must have been super low because the cloud of smoke hovered over us the entire night. 2a. Servers - lackluster service. I get that we're not here for the service, but don't be a d-bag. Learn to cook the meat correctly if you're going to do it at all. 2b. Our server had no concept of cross contamination, either. Yes, it's normal for other places to use the same tongs for raw meat that they use to cook over the grill, but they don't mix all the cooked meat and raw meat on the grill together. This really bothered me. Oh, must be because my husband and I both had food poisoning afterwards. It was a bad, bad 3 days. 3. Pricey - not because it's all-you-can-eat, but because, who really eats that much meat? Ok - this might be a personal issue. 4. Music - for the love of God, please stop playing Gangnam style. It played 3 times in a row - no joke. 5. Banchan - kimchi, onions, and garlic. That's it?! All-you-can-eat place without a decent selection or tasty banchan?? Tsk, tsk. 6. Meat selection - decent. However, the pork belly was all fat, no meat. Chicken was surprisingly tender. Everything else tasted very similar. I'm also not crazy about their menu setup. I understand it's how they want to do business, but not my style. I'm going to have to make the drive to HoneyPig after all.
(1)
Emily C.

I'm so happy an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ place opened in Rockville. I am always looking to get my Korean BBQ fix but its quite a treck to have to go to Annandale every time I want it. And this place does not disappoint! For $22 you get your pick of meats off their menu, soft drinks included! There is also an $18 option, which gives you a choice of 3 meats (pork belly, beef brisket and one other). My family opted for the $22 option so we were able to sample a lot of their offerings. Most of the meat is good, but downside was that some of their beef options were not marinated so it wasn't as flavorful as other places I've been to, which is why this place gets 4 stars instead of 5. Overall though, the service is good (there is a button on the side of each table to call them if you want something), the meat selection is great and they are pretty generous with giving sides. Definitely would visit again!
(4)
Lindsey J.

Ate til I was stuffed! My favorite is option A. That beef brisket is amazing and all of the sides are just as good. The best part was how affordable this place is. $18 for all you can eat and you can cook the food yourself is always a winning characteristic of a restaurant. Whenever I come into this restaurant it is always packed with diners as well. I take that as a good sign. I will definitely be back for more Korean BBQ
(4)
Cynthia L.

Right idea, wrong execution. There are only 2 choices: A or B. A has about 3 dishes, 1 beef, and 2 pork belly. Plan B is more expensive at $22/person and has mostly beef and 1 chicken dish. We went with Plan B- Beef boneless chuck short rib, chicken marinated in soy sauce, hanging tender, beef marinated in soy sauce, and beef intestine. Everything except for the one beef and one chicken dish were unmarinated and therefore, dry, chewy and tasteless. The marinated meats were so lightly marinated that it tasted the same as the unmarinated meats. Now onto the (lack of) side dishes. Korean BBQ at Honey Pig or Shin Chon come with so many little side dishes there is almost no room on the table. This place had 2 turnip & 1 radish side dish. The potato cake tasted oily & rubbery. The salad was pretty decently, cut up and marinated. Their miso soup was spicy, and since I don't enjoy spicy (shocker, I know), it didn't appeal to me. The egg souffle was good, but had Way too much water... before you comment that steamed egg souffle has water in it, there IS a way to make phenomenal (and inexpensive) egg souffle (and simple), without dumping water in its contents. I had to ask for rice and I assume the same for kim chi. Unlimited soda refills. We didn't ask for more of anything because (a) nothing tasted good and (b) it was pretty late for us so we were too tired to eat an all-you-can eat. We were ok with the service but I give it a 3-star based on the quality of the meat and lack of side dishes that comes with a typical Korean BBQ feast. This place stays late open and really, it's only good for young kids, people with limited palates, and/or when you're coming home drunk or after late out at night. I realize there are no places in Mo Co that have solid Korean BBQ, but this places needs help before it closes down soon. Tip: Dress in clothes you can wash later because you will wreak of BBQ smoke.
(3)
Michael C.

I use to come here a few times a week about a year ago. Back then the prices for their all you can eat buffet were $25/$22 and since then they have gone up twice to $28/$25. When it's a full house or getting there, the service really begins to take a hit. On multiple occasions my party and I were left hanging at our table after ringing the call button for them multiple times, savings down servers, etc. However, if you come when it's not that busy, the service will be very attentive and kind like they should. The food is above average, but by far not the best. I'd rate the food 4/5 stars. They recently upgraded the decor, and I'd have to say it's about time, they were from wood/wire theme to a granite and more comforting appeal. For decor I'd rate it a 5/5, tons of TVs around the room for those that enjoy watch Korean music videos and things of that nature. The only major downside would be the pricing which I would rate a 3/5 or $$$. Overall I enjoy coming here when I do, and it's worth trying out.
(4)
Tom C.

Good stuff. First thing you have to understand is that a meal at Iron Age is a slow meal. Don't expect this to be fast food. This is an all you can eat Korean BBQ but you do not serve yourself at a buffet bar. The waiter/waitress will attend to the grill and bring out the meat -- one or two meats at a time. Once they get through the entire menu, they'll ask you if you want anything else or extra helpings of the things you've tried. Also, expect this place to be drafty. Dress accordingly. The exhaust fans over each table make things a little chilly. Just enjoy some hot tea and some good company. I'd definitely go back again. The music videos around the room were great. I tried to get SoundHound to identify the music for me so I could buy it on iTunes. No such luck. Great atmosphere.
(4)
Brenton W.

Just go here with the mindset that you're dropping $25 on the AUCE plethora of meat that's going to go into your mouth. That's all it is. Straight up, delicious, red meat that you cook on a hibachi grill to your liking. I love the intimate structure of having the hibachi grills at each individual table. This makes it a more accessible place in regards to if you want to go there on a date and not have to share your experience with a group of strangers, or you can go with a group of friends. Just make sure you're hungry! They also have trippy music videos playing on several big screens throughout the establishment.
(5)
Noell R.

Makes Honey pig look like broke ass soup kitchen...
(4)
Chris N.

Visited a new Korean BBQ placed called Iron Age on Rockville Pike. They offer two different types of all you can eat BBQ packages that are grilled at your table in front of you. I tried $22 (the expensive version) per person package that included mixture of beef ribs, sirloin steak, and pork. You can also choose duck and other meats. Service was great and food is great if you are a carnivore. It's definitely a place to check out if you are in the mood for some Korean BBQ.
(5)
Chris H.

Went on a Tuesday night around 6PM. It was pretty empty when we first got there and we got seated quick. A lot of people spoke badly about the service, but we never had any issues. Our waitress was very attentive with our food and came out quick with fresh meat and rice refills. My friend ended up eating for 2 hours straight (lol) and as the restaurant got busier, our service never got worse. The only real issue was there was a bit of a language barrier with our waitress because her English isn't very good; but, it worked out. The meat was alright, the pork belly was fine with the chili paste (you have to ask for that). Of the other meats, I think my favorite was the Galbi. It was just right. The music may be louder than most American restaurants, but out of all the Korean restaurants I've been to, the volume was fine. I didn't have any issue conversing with my friend. All-in-all, I had a good time. The food was fine, not superb, but fine. Serivce was good. I like Honey Pig (Annandale/Ellicott City) and Il Mee (Annandale) more, but this definitely had better service than those places. This is our first Korean BBQ restaurant in the Rockville area so can't quite beat that! The price isn't too bad as well! I would prefer to give it 3.5 stars but it's definitely no 4.
(3)
Alan Z.

Good: $22 all you can eat KBBQ and it's in Rockville!!! I like the atmosphere and all the sides they offer you. Bad: WAY TOO LOUD!!! I get that they're trying to attract a younger Kpop crowd and all, but they seriously need to turn down the KPOP just a bit. I can't even have a regular conversation with the person directly in front of me without shouting. The meat isn't as good as honeypig, but its unlimited so can't really complain :) I'm just glad I have a close KBBQ now. Used to have to drive all the way down to VA for decent KBBQ.
(4)
Kat F.

At first, I was comparing this way too much to Honey Pig. After some time of coming here, mainly because it's a lot closer to home than Honey Pig, I've grown to actually really like this place and it's pricing. EVERYTHING is all you can eat, even the side dishes, the soup, the steamed egg, the pancake, the rice,...EVERYTHING. I think that's what really got me. Most of the time, when you say "All you can eat Korean BBQ," you think of only the meats and don't realize all of the extra stuff can be all you can eat, too. My favorites are the brisket and the pork bellies (both garlic and spicy flavors), and they all happen to be on the $18 menu. There is one item on the $22 menu that is really good, but I can never remember what it is, and I'm usually very satisfied with the $18 menu anyway. The service is always really nice, attentive, and always moving around keeping themselves pretty busy. The ambiance is definitely geared more for younger crowds with the loud K-Pop music videos on the many screens in the main room. It's really a great place to hang out, listen to K-Pop, and eat as much food as you possibly can until the late hours of the night since they close pretty late anyway.
(5)
Chris B.

Oh my lurd just found my new jam. All you can eat Korean BBQ for 20 bucks. Pork belly, soy chicken, Beef brisket, all amazing and seasoned way better than Honey Pig in my opinion. Also better dipping sauces. Seriously its amaz and I'm going to go all the time now.
(4)
Jin K.

Food was pretty good (the meat at least). Side dishes were lacking and didn't taste very good but who comes to an AYCE meat place to eat side dishes? The place was packed Thursday dinner and plenty of people waiting to be seated. The service was mediocre but definitely not as bad as some of the other reviewers make it seem. The waiters brought out anything we asked for and continuously came to check up on us. Don't come here if you're trying to grab a quick bite to eat since, if it's packed, service will be slow. I really like the dark clubby atmosphere though. It's fun and loud and the Kpop vibe it gives was pretty entertaining for my non Korean friends. All in all, the meat was decent for the price, service was a bit slow and the atmosphere was entertaining. Edit: The hanging tender was especially tasty
(4)
Peter H.

Expensive, waiters suck, demand that u finish all food before brining out more when it's all you can eat...
(2)
Annie L.

Finally a all you can eat Korean BBQ place honey pig style in Rockville. Me and my bf use to come to this place when it was Sam woo and Hwaro, now it's on a whole new level. You go in and it's Korean music videos everywhere, we went there in the evening and to find out they close at 2am, so nice late night place to head to instead of trekking all the way to Annandale. As for the food the unlimited side dishes are great, love the steam egg and the tofu soup is good too, the pancake seems to be made from real pancake mix, love the salad could eat it all day. As for the meat, it was ok, which made me knock off a star, the Kalbi, lacked flavor as others said, but the sauce dippers helps with the flavor. Word of warning to the girls, I smelled like a charcoal grill when I left, in my hair and all over my clothes. Otherwise, I'll come again and try other meats we got so full after only three, beef brisket, pork belly and Kalbi. But in the end glad to see more competition in Korean restaurants in Rockville. Woo hoo! One tip, this place is a nice hang out for friends, however, not for an intimate dinner, since the music is loud, at least where we were sitting, "dead center". Also, don't order too much meats, since its all you can eat, you have to eat as much as you can while you are there, because you can't take anything home with you, and please don't be all Asian and bring your own Tupperware. UPDATE: Don't come for lunch, the waiters are rude!
(4)
Jakke F.

I would agree that music can be loud at points, but it wasn't unbearable. The decor was modern and fun.The service was adequate depending on the number of tables sat at even given time and they did a nice little birthday surprise for my brother.
(4)
W L.

I've been to Iron Age several times. Koreans would know it is a very rare restaurant where you can get high-quality mak-chang and chadol-bak-i. I always get great service and everytime I asked for more side dishes they were very quick. The noise level is a little loud because they play K-Pop music all the time but not too loud to have conversations with your party. I'd highly recommend this place who love korean bbq.
(5)
Peter C.

Over priced. Meat is ok quality but horrible for the price. The service is shitty. I came with a party of 19 and got 3 egg pots. They said if we wanted more they would charge $4. I ordered the AYCE option A which comes with a free drink. The waiter did not notify me of this. When i asked for kimchi they told me it will be right out. Nope they lied, yeah i understand that people make mistakes and theres a lot of people to serve but still its not that hard. I had to ask a different waiter to bring me my kimchi. I got uncooked rice. The manager came out and explained that it was fresh rice. That doesn't change the fact that it was not fully cooked. I will never return. 20% tip/gratuity was automatically charged. They forced my entire party to stay until all the money was counted to make sure we paid the right amount. You know how shitty the service is when the employees know they suck and still force you to stay so they can count. I strongly advise anyone from trying this sad excuse for a restaurant.
(1)
Su K.

---3.5 Stars--- Remember what Steve Harvey said about Charlotte and their football team in The Kings of Comedy? That's what Iron Age makes me think of. Rockville, you just got Iron Age and you all *claps hands on microphone*. You should be glad you got Ko
(4)
Natalia S.

Been to this place about a few times now, with small and large groups and it's been great except for my last experience. Made a reservation, which was easy. Got to the place, it was a bit louder than usual. Had a group of 8 and was placed in the middle section with the non grill table (well, it's a pan over the portable gas stove). I didn't think it would matter much or alter the flavor of the meat .. Well, it did. The pan is like George Forman grill, with a grease pan at the end and you are using that same pan from one type of meat to the others ... I'm curious if they will put chicken on the same used pan, I sure hope not! And if you think the meat tastes the same using that pan vs. the grill, take my word the grill is better. We had the Iron Age steak as our second meat and the seasoning is on the sweeter side. All the meat after that, tasted sweet. I'm disappointed as we were there to celebrate a great milestone for my youngest niece and we left very much disappointed. Maybe in a few months things would be better ... Get rid of that George Forman wannabe grill and stick to the original grill!
(2)
Hilary Y.

Its okay. The meat is good but sides are weird and TINY. The music videos are cool. Service was mediocre. Id rather try a different place in the future for korean BBQ
(3)
Mark C.

This was one of the most fun Korean BBQ restaurants my family and I have been to. The food was delicious and never ending! The service was impeccable when you go there definitely ask for Hannah as your waitress A+++ service! Thank you for a great night!
(5)
Manish K.

Good atmosphere. If they just marinated their meat I would go back. But it comes out so flavorless that it defeats the purpose of Korean BBQ.
(2)
Lucia S.

Okay, more data means more to judge by, so here goes ... second time (first time back) the chadol (beef brisket) wasn't as lean; third time back we had "the talk about the tip.". We've all had it and it's always awkward. Their story is always "this is our tip policy"; my story is "um ... no that's mine to decide." So even though the sixth at our table was a four year-old kid that only nibbled, that nibbling was apparently burdensome enough for our "table of six" to get slapped with their automatic 20% tip. We protested and they backed down, but we don't dine out to practice our skills of arbitration so not convinced we'll be rushing back. Last point--the service wasn't as great either time and we had friends share a similar story of tipping woe and less-than-friendly service. Iron Age, y'all need to up your game.
(2)
Jenn B.

The prices increased and I am fine with that especially if I'm recieving great food and great service. I really do love the food but what I can't stand is how slow the waiters are with coming around to check on what we need next. It's almost as if they are purposely trying to avoid us. I hate that I leave spending 70 between me and my bf and still feel hungry.
(3)
D N.

I am very happy that a late-night Korean buffet opened up in this area so I do not have to commute all the way to Virginia to get some. Overall, the restaurant is good. The interior is very well-designed, and the setting sets a great mood, especially for the younger generation. The workers very friendly and nice. Although they make some mistakes here and there, I don't consider it a big deal because it just opened. Skills come with experience. The price is very good. $18 for buffet that includes pork belly, marinated porn and thin beef. There is also a $22 buffet that includes all the meat in $18 plus other types of meat and free soft drink. The food was awesome, but I was disappointed at many stuff. First things first; the meat at Iron Age is phenomenal. It is one of the greatest Korean BBQ I have ever had, and the quality is very amazing. I am willing to say that the quality of the meat is better than any of the other buffets in Virginia. HOWEVER, my disappointment comes from the lack of side dishes. What is the point of Korean BBQ if there is no side dishes? They give you very little rice, no kimchi and no lettuce to wrap the meat in. The meat is exceptionally good, but there is nothing else good about Iron Age (food-wise). It is like going to a hamburger place with exceptionally good hamburger meat, but they do not give you lettuce, fries and sauce. Just merely bread and meat. The meat is good, but you cannot have a full experience without all the little things. For now, I am giving Iron Age a 3-star. If they serve more side dishes with lettuce and rice, I am confident that the customer count will grow. I visited this restaurant near the grand opening date, so it may not have been too developed. I will visit again sometime.
(3)
Willis N.

I love this place! I like go here almost every week or every 2 weeks. I can't get enough of all you can eat korean bbq. You can pick from Menu A: $25 (includes drinks )or Menu B: $20. The side dishes are also delicious! They play k-pop music videos which makes it a great atmosphere. For the money you pay in my opinion you are getting your money's worth. Sure the meat is not as good as Honey Pig but thats what the sauces are for to make it tasty.
(4)
Jeremy G.

I've been to a lot of Korean BBQ, but this is the best in Maryland so far. Iron Age Ribeye was my favorite, spicy and delicious. Service was excellent and friendly. Will go back.
(5)
Juris M.

Based on some of the other reviews, I was expecting much worse service and fewer panchan options, but I was pleasantly surprised. Our server was Sam and he was very friendly and attentive. Some people complained that their unmarinated meats lacked flavor, but to be honest, I enjoyed dipping the meats in the variety of sauces that they provided. Anytime any panchan dish was running low, they replaced it with a full one. Same with our salad, rice and meat sauces. I think what I enjoyed the most was knowing that I could go ahead and eat as much of the marinated galbi that I wanted, without worrying that my date wouldn't have enough. They were not stingy about anything and ultimately I ate until I couldn't. The soup and potato pancake were just ok. The egg was good. Our service was great and I thought the meat was delicious! All that, and considering it's right here in Rockville, means I'll be definitely visiting again.
(4)
Harrison O.

One of the best Korean BBQs in the area and it is not even located in Annandale. I recently went with 5 of my friends and I must say I was impressed. We all decided to have their all you can eat option A which includes all their meat selection from Steak, pork, bellies, beef brisket, spicy pork, etc. For $25 a person it is one of the best deal in town. Everyone gets 4 sauces to dip their meat, there is a steamed egg, spicy soup and Korean pancake that comes with the table. I recommend getting soju (Korean rice liquor 20% alcohol) to eat with the meats because it goes so well together (Think of it as Filet mignon and red wine). The service was very good even though the place was packed on a Thursday night and the atmosphere very industrial with Korean Pop music which is typical of the newer Korean BBQ places in this area. If you get the all you can eat option, be ready to stay for a few hours. We were there for about 2 and half hours and crushed 9 soju bottles. One tip, do not press the call button too much, apparently that is frowned upon, something we found out as we got a little too happy.
(5)
DJ L.

Service was still great, attentive, and refills kept on coming. If they don't ask you if you want more salad, soups, or pancake, don't be afraid to ask yourself (or get your bold friend to do it) It's all included, so consider it "free." The whole table has to order the same thing. We ordered Gogi B again, but they offered us meat from Gogi A. They still didn't have several meats off their Gogi B list (waiting for grand opening, they said - whenever that is). Take your rice off the grill so you can make room for extra meat. They tend to put on a small amount of meat. I'm assuming the longer you wait for your food to cook, the faster you get full = the less meat you eat, the more meat they keep out of your belly. Also, the meat is NOT marinated. That could be good or bad, depending on your liking. But they provided four "dipping" sauces. Pancake dip could be used as a fifth. :)
(3)
Rehman K.

Menu is crazy simple with two options. I love that this is an all you can eat restaurant. The staff always comes back asking if you want more. The beef is very food and the side dishes are very tasty. I really liked the iron design of the restaurant. Great atmosphere. Grill is part of the table so be careful with your knees! The scissors and utensils are not shared with other restaurants while at Honey Pig they rinse with hot water between tables. Also Honey Pig is not all you can eat.
(4)
Andrew K.

A decent korean bbq place in Rockville that just opened up a few weeks ago. There are two all you can eat option. Option A is mostly pork belly and pork cuts for $18 while Option B is the pork plus the galbi, joo mu luk, and another cut of beef for $22. I thought the galbi was ok but the joo mu luk or ribeye cut was pretty good. Some of the things I didn't like was they didn't have lettuce to wrap your meat and instead they just have the lettuce salad. You can wrap your meat with the radish which is good but I like having lettuce too. The rice is also cooked in the grill which I thought was odd but it tasted ok. I wish they had more side dishes but it is pretty much just a place to get meat. Annandale has many more korean bbq places with lots of sides for about the same price but this is easier for me to get to and a good option for korean bbq when I don't want to drive far.
(3)
Glenn K.

Decided to try this place out since I heard good things from friends and family. The restaurant is nice. Looked clean but it was pretty dark inside so can't say for sure lol. There's a bunch of TVs playing Korean pop videos. The food was decent. Nothing special. Typical Korean BBQ meats. Ban chan was pretty typical too but not bad. I'd probably come back if I really wanted Korean BBQ and didn't feel like driving to honey pig.
(3)
Jake B.

Went here for dinner this weekend at 9pm. We were seated right away, very fast service. Very friendly and funny staff, had a great time and a great meal.
(5)
Derek I.

Really, 3.5 stars! I went with my Bros to pig out on some ALL YOU CAN EAT Korean BBQ. For the price it was definitely worth it! However, I wish the meats were marinated more--we had to add more sauce to the meats but the bulgogi, pork and other cuts of meat were pretty tasty (again 3.5 star range--better than the average Korean BBQ in the area). The service was on par--and the wait staff were hilarious and very attentive. Can't believe my BRO Richard S. said I was not familiar with Korean BBQ---it actually is my wheel-house! I forgive you Bro!
(3)
Rosi A.

I don't usually take the time to write review but I felt it was a "have to" this time. Went one time with my bf about two-three months ago. Our experience the first time was good. Food was good. Sides were yummy. Service was ok. Since we had a good first experience we decided to go with my bf's siblings. We were a total of 4 that night, 3 guys and myself. Service was not that great, we found ourselves waiting to be brought more meat. Sides were limited. They no longer have the pancake. Soup is ONE PER TABLE regardless the amount of people sitting which is a max of 6 people at a table. We asked for more of the potato salad. They had a limit of only allowing TWO potato sides at a time/ table which made no sense. We asked for more several times, back to back since its only a small scoop of potato salad. Little did we know we happen to asked the owner for more. She told us that she thought we were eating too much potato salad, that its not unlimited. However, we asked two servers and they said it was. According to THEIR MENU, its an "ALL YOU CAN EAT" place. She told us we could only have one more side of potato. For 3 guys and myself I think we had a reasonable amount. Probably 1-1 1/2 scoops each. Basically, the OWNER approves of the "ALL YOU CAN EAT" approach since its on their menu and napkin dispensers, yet its really not. Soups and sides are LIMITED. Whether you're a party of 1 or a party of 6 sitting in one table, you guys only get ONE soup and limited sides. Not sure how ONE small soup in a bowl for 4 people makes sense. It'd be ok for one person or a couple to share, not so ideal when you're going to eat and don't really like the idea of having 2+ people eating out of one bowl. Wouldn't recommend this place. The owner came off as stingy and trying to save every nickel she can. Which to a certain extent can't blame her but there are nicer ways to approach it. Tellings us her opinion of our eating choices/preference and her concern of the potato salad running out when she has to open for a couple more hours was unprofessional.
(1)
Tee S.

Went at about 8PM on a Tuesday. Did not know anything about the restaurant. Music VERY loud, great smells though. Looked over the menu and realized it was mostly meat which I do not eat! Was told it was all you can eat and that I could speacial order shrimp which I did. Was not asked if we knew the consept of the restaurant nor were we told. First waiter was not very good. After he put the meat on the grill he never came back for a while and so if we had not took it off the grill it would have been overdone. When he returned I asked him if we should cook the meat ourselves and he said "You can if you want but it's part of the service!" Salad was nice and fresh, potato salad was tasty. Partner said meats were so so. Sauces were very tasty, soup delicious! The second waiter was more attentive and seemed more than happy to answer my many questions. I did have to ask for the shrimp again which seemed to have been forgotten. I received 4 shrimp. They were still dressed so it made it too much work for me to eat, plus I don't want to see the head and all the whiskers attached! I would not go back again, simpy because it's not my kind of food. I think the waiters should be trained to ask if the patrons are "first timers." This would go a long way.
(2)
Micah C.

I really wanted to give this place a try after reading all the reviews. It's a new KBBQ place that opened up in Rockville. I was so excited to go there for lunch with my boyfriend. We walked inside and the first thing we saw was a huge screen projector thingy where they were showing Kpop videos. And all around the restaurant were other tv's showing kpop videos. Throughout the meal, these videos kind of got distracting... and it was annoying when they kept playing the same song over and over again because some of the customers kept requesting the song (PSY - Gangnam Style... they thought the video was really funny). Anyways, the decor was nice I guess. Very...Iron age-y. The service was eh. This is what made me gave the place a 3. When we got there, we stood at the entrance for 5 minutes, waiting to see if anybody was going to get us a seat. There were only 2 servers that we saw running around. It took a while for them to notice us because it was kind of full during lunch time. Finally, our waitress, MJ, took us to our seats. She never asked us what drinks we wanted..... anyways... she explained the menu very quickly and left. They were kind of just all over the place and it takes a while for them to come to you (even though we rung the call button). Instead of MJ, an old Korean lady comes over to us and asks us if we wanted something to drink. They said they ran out of iced tea. Afterwards, she gave us the side dishes. There are a lot of side dishes compared to the other kbbq places I've been to (even have korean pancake and steamed egg soup and some kind of bean soup..... the dipping sauces were gooood too). We ordered Gogi B and she just came back with three different types of meat and they were all pretty good. Not the best I've had, but I was satisfied with them. The rest of the meats we got were all good too. I also liked their salad. The thing that my boyfriend didn't like the most was that we had to cook it ourselves. Well he did. It was kind of a pain because he wasn't able to eat comfortably, you know, like he had to keep checking the meat because he didn't want it to be uncooked or burned. So he kept turning the meat and stuff and this prevented him from eating comfortably (which is why he doesn't like this place). Like our servers just sort of left, and they barely went to check up on our meat or to see how we were doing. To the kbbqs I've been to, the servers usually cook it in front of us so we were just like oookay...... why go to a restaurant if we can just get ourselves a grill and cook it ourselves at home? Towards the end, the servers became a bit more attentive, especially this guy named James. He came over to us and checked on us more and even cracked some jokes. This is probably because the lunch rush was over. I feel that this place can do better if they hire more servers. I mean I understand they are new, but it's kind of a pain if you only have main servers running all over the place. They tried their best but I don't think they handled the lunch rush well.
(3)
The C.

Would have given them a 5 if there was more of a selection (i.e seafood) But their meat, pork and chicken selection is abundant. For service they definitely deserve 5 stars!!! They have the friendliest most attentive wait staff! I do not understand why there are or were negative reviews on service because i have gone to this restaurant over 5-6 times and always had a great experience with service. they are very attentive with drink refills, food refills and clearing your plates even on really busy nights during the weekends.
(4)
Talon K.

This is my best friends favorite place to go, especially if we have a group of people. The price is great and the food is delicious. I will admit there is a slight language barrier with the servers, but not so much that it's a problem. My one complaint is that of the times I've been here, more than half the time the food comes out before our drinks do... this surprises me. Our drinks do eventually come out, though sometimes we have to ask once or twice. It's not like we order crazy drinks- their drink menu is very limited and we always get bottled beers and soju. I think they could offer a vodka option- though I understand they aren't a bar and am ok with having a beer with my bbq. All in all I will continue to come here, the atmosphere is great- I enjoy the dark interior with all the lights and TVs, its very fun.
(3)
Daniella P.

Not a restaurant for korean people. I came here 2pm sunday to a casual male staff. They came to the table often but never took initiative with the simple things. The staff was friendly, but came off as poorly managed/ trained and inexperienced, which is the one that counts. I got the impression from the business that there is a disconnect between management and the customer experience. Side dishes came into the middle of the meal [which is forgiveable], but there was no "pah-n ch-ahn" perse. There was, Bean paste soup (deng jang), that egg souffle thing, a plain korean pan cake and oddly seasoned chopped lettus. No kimchi, bean sprouts, potato thing, etc... "Pan chan" sucks way worse than honey pig IMO, which is pretty bad and almost non-existent. REASONS WHY koreans wouldn't like this place: REASON 1 (customer experience): They don't give u a plate, a bowl of rice, or lettus (sang-chu). Instead, they give u a rice lid and a tiny triangle piece of rice... [wtf triangle???]. You never feel like you have space to eat or comfortable eating. REASON 2: sauces/oils/ garlic/ etc... are extremely petite. If you ask for more, you will get another petite offering, proportional to a ketchup packet. REASON 3: Metal grills that make the meat stick. REASON 4: Where are the matches and lighters at yo? lol It feels like a white person ate at korean resturant and decided to open one for themselves in rockville. Instead of hiring trained professionals in hospitality and management, they took an experienced eater and a random ah-jim-ah to run this business by cutting all the corners. MY advice: get rid of this $18 vs $22 AYCE buffet option, offer better portions, get real side dishes and keep them coming including a end of meal drink or fruit. The only way you will retain your korean customers, who should be your regulars, is to give them the same or better treatment of what we're used to. Great renovation and trendy store design, but until you the idea out of your head your going to make a sh*t ton of money because there is no Korean BBQ AYCE in rockville, this location will continue to fail. Give your local customers some credit; those who believe others are stupid are often ignorant themselves. White and chinese people will never know the difference, but the koreans see it from the get go [over ambition is the the #1 thing wrong with korean business owners]. Until management changes the customer experience and offerings, I will continue to drive 45 minutes to annadale or ellicot city
(2)
Allen A.

The food was okay but the food came very slow. They only bring out a little bit at a time and it took forever to cook. I don't understand why they wouldn't wants us in and out faster.
(3)
Alex G.

Great Korean food, good sides and all you can eat for a decent price. Who doesn't like that?!? Music is a little load for the older folk but a fun atmosphere with something to do while you hang out (cook your own food to your preference)
(5)
Harith D.

I went with a friend for Sunday lunch and at 10 bucks for each person we got the Shabu Shabu or hotpot thing. The waitress was nice and explained it to us, though maybe a little too hands on in moving us along at each stage. The hot pot instructions (for others new to Shabu Shabu) were to wait for the broth to boil, add a lot of cabbage and greens, wait 3-5 minutes, then put in a couple of the rolled meats and twirl them around to get them to expand their surface area and cook, then take them out after a minute and put them on your plate. You can continue adding cooking all your stuff until you get to your rice or noodles(we had noodles, they were excellent) and put them in last after most everything has been removed. Anyway, the meat and vegetable quality here was excellent. I've only been to Honeypig before, and this place was far better in quality. In terms of ambience, the restaurant is true to its name by having everything made of steel. Also the logo is pretty cool and makes me thing of a video game or an epoch. There are a ton of flat screen tvs along the tops of the sitting area and they mainly played k or jpop (I'm not sure which, no artists I knew except for 1 song by Adele, who I'm sure is listened to in both Japan and Korea)
(5)
Benjamin H.

For a quality Korean BBQ restaurant in the Montgomery County MD area, I think the food here is top notch. The service is always great and I've had a great time coming back every time. Definitely would recommend if you're looking for an all you can eat Korean BBQ meal.
(5)
Mark G.

My new favorite place for Korean barbecue. Great atmosphere,great food, and a great staff of waiters. They were constantly attentive and we never needed to use the service call button. For those of you familiar with honey pig, think honey pig but ALL YOU CAN EAT! I will be a regular and if you like Korean barbecue you should give it a shot.
(5)
Eric K.

Coach E came here with 7 friends to celebrate a birthday. This is definitely a place you go with the bros, and you should aim to get at least 3x your moneys worth. If you get option A ($25) you should aim to eat at least $75 worth of meat. The cuts here are pretty well done, not too sweet, and Coach E's personal favorite was the Iron Age Steak and spicy sampgyupsal. They give you 4 different sauces, and they are needed to enjoy the cuts. The meat itself is just okay, but the sauces really enhance the flavor. Coach E really enjoyed the potato salad side as well as the denjangjigae. However, the service leaves much to be desired. I actually wanted to hit one with my iron fist. Jk Coach E does not condone violence, even though he looked like he was cussing me out in his mind. However, we had like 4 different servers, and because we had a party of 8 with gratuity automatically added to the tab, the servers seem very disinterested and you could really feel the somberness that they exuded. Coach E waited 15 minutes for a refill on his potato salad the first time, and another 10 minutes the second time. Now, Coach E worked for Dominos pizza where we were trained to satisfy the customer with our speedy service and hate Papa Johns. These servers could really use some training from Coach E's managers at Dominos. So while the meat was pretty good when eaten together with potato salad and the sauces, the service justifies the 3 stars. However, even with the $3 increase in price, this is a great deal when you are very hungry. Coach E thus semi approves only when extremely hungry. Also they have kimchi available as a banchan but don't bring it out unless you ask, so you're welcome.
(3)
John H.

food is not bad...not a big fan of korean side dishes to begin with but my friend liked them...I just need to say that the staff here is SUPER friendly. MJ, Bob, Yun Sun were all exceptional and very helpful. Definitely returning.
(4)
S K.

Haven't been to the Atlanta one (opened after I moved away), but good price if you consider you're getting all you can eat. They also continually replace the grill so that you aren't consuming carcinogenic charred ashes (something they do at all ATL restaurants, but I haven't seen in DC). The servers are very good and stay on top of things. The ambiance is more for a younger crowd (kpop music videos), so it can be a little loud. But it's still family friendly and a great place to check out.
(4)
Cathy L.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SOME OF YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT. xD I love this place, man! Around 20 bucks for unlimited meat? I love how it's soo modern, TV's with k-pop everywhere, me gusta. The service button is awesome, ( I might have overused that ) I loved ALL my side dishes, which were also unlimited, they have these awesome triangular yummy rice balls of which I ate far too much. The waiters here are very attentive, making sure you have all you need with the push of a button! I also really like their bathrooms, they're so nicely designed. The only downsides to this place? I burn my own meat lol. and when I go to flip it over, the hot oil hits my arm. :\ Also, I wish their sauces were better, but nonetheless, I love this place!
(5)
Pete D.

Montgomery County has been in need of solid, good Korean BBQ. This place is suppose to be it? Hold fast. This place is still new, I get it, but let me give you a few examples, hopefully the management reads this. I'm not restaurant owner, but these are basic things that need to be addressed. This is the U.S. we have FDA regulations. Rule #1, never mix utensils to cut raw meat with cooked meat you consume Rule #2, do not put cooked meat next to or on top of meat currently cooking Rule #3, why is the cold rice touching the raw meat (more below) We arrived for an early Friday dinner and I won't complain about the meet and greet. In fact, I walked in a tad early to let them know we had a larger party. We came back 10 minutes later, our table was all setup with the various sauces, water, grill tops and menus laid out. The table unanimously decided for menu B. I don't know the exact Korean cut names, but I'll describe what I liked of the five items (or six). To me, more than 50% of the servers were younger and possibly in college or just out of college. The service we got for the table was great, refilled the sides, water was full, a second beer was offered, but going back to my Rules above, this failed. Oh, their grill stanks. It's a wired grill but the heating element only heats the inner and outer core and skims the mantle. The upper mantle and crust is useless! That's where the cold rice goes. It comes out in a triangle mold and placed on the edge. WHAT IS THE POINT OF THIS? Can I have my hot rice served another way? And honestly, the rice sat on the grill for 15 minutes and it was still cold, ok I lied, cool. Awful concept. So the proteins. The marinated hanger steak was the best here, that's honestly all that was worth it. If you want just unseasoned beef, the thinly slices of beef is also good with nice cuts of fat hanging around. The side dishes were not as pleasant and plentiful, and some what decent. We also got the pork belly which was tough in my opinion and the slabs were a bit too thin. All the other random cuts we got were either tough and just not up to par. Many of us have heard of the successful Honey Pig and/or Oegadgib and it is hard to not compare Iron Age to these. The two mentioned have been around for a while, maybe this place can turn it around. If not, I don't see this place lasting too long because of the quality of meat and they MUST fix their food preparation at the table service. Overall, this place does save a drive for the ones who live in the area, otherwise, if you're up for the trip and willing to pay extra gas, goto Annandale for some good Q.
(2)
Lily Z.

I came to iron age because I love Korean BBQ but Annandale is too far sometimes. And my boyfriend read the reviews online at yelp and all of them seemed pretty good, so we decided to give it a shot. But it is TERRIBLE!!!! Do not go here!!!! When I first walked in I thought it looked nice. However, I didn't get any service! We were ready to order but the waitress never came, I had to flag someone down. And we also never got water/drinks either. I wanted shabu shabu. But they only offer it during lunch. So, I ordered the $18 buffet with the pork belly. My favorite. I didn't think you could go wrong, but here I guess you can. The pork belly had a really distinct smell to it, I'm not quiet sure what it was but for the years I had pork belly it was never like this. The second I put it in my mouth, I spat it right out. I asked the waitress for more pork belly hoping that it was only that one piece that was spoiled. But the smell was still there. So I told the waitress and she took a few pieces to the kitchen and later returns and told us sorry and took all the meat and replaced it. I decided to smell the meat before it even cooks because my boyfriend thought it was the way it was being cooked. I realized that it was coming from the meat. And they did nothing and just said sorry. Another waitress later walked by to pick up the plates and asked me if I was going to eat the pork belly. And when I said no she gave me a dirty look. However besides the pork I want to say everything else was okay... Nothing great. Nothing to make me want to go back! The sauces were okay; there are 4 different sauces so I guess the variety is good. The steamed egg was soo watered down it was terrible. My boyfriend also asked for rice and the waiter came back with one bowl of rice. Isn't it assumed that we would both want rice?? Whatever I ignored that. I asked for a refill for my water later, since I realized that if I didn't ask. No one would refill my water. Afterwards the waitress only took my cup to the kitchen.... My boyfriend's cup was also empty. Since I wanted to get my money worth from the buffet I decided to load up on the Korean pancakes it was simple but good. There were only vegetables inside but still good nonetheless. And the sauce that came with it made it better. Also the salad was okay. It was different but okay. I had to eat something since the meat was no good. However my boyfriend did eat the beef brisket and he said it wasn't bad. I had a piece and it was okay but I didn't want any more meat from here after the pork belly. That smell was still in my mouth so I will definitely be getting some mouth wash when I get home. And to top it all off, when I usually leave a Korean restaurant they usually thank you and say goodbye. Here, nothing. They didn't say anything, we just walked out. It was a HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. I WILL NEVER WE GOING BACK EVEN IF IT'S THE LAST FOOD ON EARTH. THAT'S HOW BAD IT IS. I don't know how people can say good reviews about this place. I read the reviews before I decided to come here!!! They are all incorrect!!
(1)
James P.

The decor is very nice, and their meat was pretty good quality when they first opened. My next 2 trips back, the quality of meat has steadily gone down. It's an all-u-can eat Korean BBQ, and my last trip there, my family only ate the initial serving. It says alot when all of us didn't enjoy it.
(2)
Leo G.

Really nice BBQ joint... $22 gets you all you can eat with three choices of meat.
(4)
Sarah S.

My cousin and her fiance took me here when I visited back in January and, during a last minute visit this past weekend, we made sure to plan on getting dinner here again. First time we went, earlier in the evening on a weekend, it was quiet and we actually had a server help us cook our meat (I have a funny feeling they didn't think we could manage on our own, haha). Second time we went, this weekend, it was later in the evening on a Saturday and it was crazy busy, and we were left to ourselves (though a little button at our table allowed us to summon a server whenever we needed one). This place is so much fun and the food is fantastic. $22 per person gets you unlimited meat (beef, with your choice of cuts), and they offer other plans if you want a different meat or different amount. Each table is equipped with a little grill in the middle and a cup with special meat-cutting scissors, tongs, and metal chopsticks. You and your dining companions cook your own meat over the grill, which allows for each person to cook to whatever doneness they prefer. The table is loaded with sides and more are brought to you throughout the meal. To simply list some of what you'll get: scallion pancakes, white rice, miso soup (but it's spicy, and has meat, so it's different and awesome), a fluffy scrambled egg dish (no idea what it is, but it's tasty), garlic cloves and jalapeno pepper slices, pickled things (not sure what...veggies of some sort), and salad lightly dressed in some sort of spicy sesame vinaigrette (I desperately want to recreate this dressing because it is so freaking delicious). By your plate, you'll find four different sauces/dips for your meat: one is a chili garlic sauce, another tastes like a mix of soy and mirin (sweet and savory), another has ginger, and the last one is an oil-based sauce with salt and pepper. They offer a small selection of drinks, including Asian beers (a bit pricey though, so I'd stick with water) and, as far as I know, you can get refills of each and every side (I've only ever ordered the $22 Gogi B meal though). The restaurant itself looks like what you'd expect a place called "Iron Age" would...industrial in a way, with lots of stone and wood and metal. They have a big screen in the one dining area and play all sorts of fun and crazy k-pop (Korean pop) music videos. The servers are nice and the tables are each equipped with a button that, when pressed, calls a server to your table--great for when they're crowded. It could be fun for a date night, but it would definitely be way more fun with a big group of people. All of the sides and the selection of meats allow you to personalize your meal, which is great, and the amount of food you get is staggering (definitely an "eyes are bigger than your stomach" moment). If you're in the area and love meat, I highly recommend hitting this place up (beware of crowds on the weekends though). The foods and flavors are delicious (my favorite combination is meat, with a chunk of garlic, dipped in chili garlic sauce--it gives me nasty breath, but damn, it's delicious!).
(4)
Chug N.

This was my first time having Korean BBQ and I wasn't disappointed. The place was jammed (good sign) and a repeat customer waiting alongside us for a table, assured us it was delicious and worth the wait (only 20 minutes on a Saturday night). Cool industrial diningroom design; hip crowd. Service was attentive and quick. Fun meal and staff was great in explaining everything to us. The meat was of decent quality - and the marinated meats were delish. We literally had everything (beef and pork) and the sides were varied and plentiful. The K-Pop playing on every flat screen in the place keeps the joint jumping.
(4)
Elizabeth C.

Welp, never going back there again. Perhaps that location is plagued as it's rotated through different owners multiple times. I'll offer you 2 versions, the short and the long. Short version - Horrible horrible horrible service. Price OK, and food was mediocre, not bad not amazing. If you have high tolerance for loud music and bad service, by all means give Iron Age a try. Personally, I'd never go back again. Also, I prefer my rice in a bowl and not in a pitiful sized triangle shape on the grill. Long version - Walked in there, immediately greeted by unintelligible shouts, I assume something similar to the Japanese shouting "irrashaimase!" And ah yes, the multiple screens and one main projector screen playing non-stop Korean pop music videos while blaring over the speakers. It almost felt as if I were in a delicious smelling night club, minus the booze and dim lighting of course. Now don't get me wrong, I love Korean culture (I am Korean after all), but I don't really appreciate it blaring in my ears and being forced to watch it on a huge projector screen while I'm trying to enjoy my dinner. K-pop music videos for me are better in small doses, there's only so many booty shorts and flashing lights I can take. Now to get to the core problem and the reason why I give Iron Age 1 star. The service. We were immediately sat in a booth, we ordered our food, it came out quickly, they put on the raw meat initially for us and that was probably the last time the waiter came by without us pushing the call service button. We cooked the meat ourselves, no problem, we aren't high maintenance, but things started to go wrong. 1. Missing water, 2. No lettuce, 3. ran out of sesame seed oil dipping sauce, 4. the grill fire was out of control (Before #4 occurred we had asked multiple times for refills, still he'd walk by without making eye contact, as if he'd forgotten). Yes, out of control. So out of control that we had to remove ourselves from the table, did not want to catch on fire, the whole restaurant was filled with a thick gray smoke. A different waiter came by put the fire out, apologized, and walked away. He didn't change the grill for us, didn't turn it back on, didn't do anything. Just dumped water on it and that was it. That's cool. No problem, we'd all grown adults, guess we'll just take care of ourselves. Not that we're paying for your services or anything. And then the finale, again we asked for more lettuce, 2 times, still forgot. Finally we just shouted "SSAM!!!" At the waiter and finally, he brought us more ssam (lettuce). During the whole night it seemed that the waiter was attentive to 2 tables, the ones in front and behind us, and yet he'd make no eye contact with our table or even ask how our food was. How did it all end? The owner I assume came over and asked if everything was ok, then we explained the situation, and all they had to offer were apologies and handed us the check.
(1)
Sarah E.

Really great to finally have a good Korean BBQ place in Rockville so I don't have to drive to Wheaton and/or Annandale. LOVE this place! The service is awesome, everyone is SO nice and the price is amazing for the amount of food that you get. There is a $18 option or $22 option, both are all you can eat. I always go with the $22. You get more types of meat for $4 more. Why not? You can ask for more soup, sides, etc. as well and they don't charge you more (at least with the $22 option). They play loud K-pop and they are open late, which = more awesomeness!
(5)
Andy W.

This place is AMAZING. A group of 8 of us went late on Saturday night. They seated us and we talked wtih the waiter, Bob, about what our best options would be. We ended up ordering the $22 each meal. We asked Bob to just bring out his favorites, and we'd eat whatever he brought out. We had a few different types of beef, one pork, and one chicken. The beef brisket was absolutely amazing. I could eat that all day. He ended up making 4 batches of the brisket for us because it was such a hit. $22 each is not bad for as much food as we got and for the expereince. This is a great place for groups and was a great time. Having the food made at the table is always fun. It's not a show like Hibachi, but just a fun place. I would strongly recommend this place. I will definitely be back.
(5)
Hubert K.

Too many tables, too few and inexperienced servers. If they can't get the food to you, how can you enjoy it? We went here on a Sunday for an early dinner. Six guys - you'd think this is the target market for an all-you-can-eat right? Food: good. 3.5 stars... We got the "a" course, $18 / person, which is all you can eat beef brisket, spicy pork, pork belly and pork roast (chadol, daeji bulgogi, samgyupsal, and daeji gui). Spicy pork, roast pork and belly were the best meats, and we ha several orders... Meal also comes with side dishes, a pancake dish, a pot of stew and steamed egg (pajun, daenjang-jigae, and gaeran-jihm). A good value, but I was a bit frustrated that I had to wait ... I'd prefer to shovel food into my mouth with ceaseless abandon, rather than staggered in stages. Service: 1 star. All-you-can-eat? Or all-you-can-convince-your-server-to bring? The quantity of food you get is dependent on your waiter going back to the kitchen to bring more. And after two rounds of meat on the grill, the grill is nasty and needs to be changed. And then they need to bring more food. And side dishes. And water. Maybe their strategy is to stagger the service so you don't eat so much? If the waiter is not around you can't get more food? Either that it they are understaffed... Either way, it's frustrating to have to hail a waiter for more food constantly. At one point we asked for more meat, swap the grill, and more sides. Of course the server did it all backwards - he brought the sides out first, then the meat (which is raw), and then went back for another grill. Wouldn't you want to bring the grill first, let it heat up, and then bring the other food while the meat cooks ? Decor: 3 stars. Pretty fancy inside. A lot of TVs all blasting k-pop. Makes you feel like you're in Korea. Overall, good food, a little pricey, and frustrating service. If you're hankering Korean BBQ and can't get to Annandale or ellicott city, this place may satisfy. But be prepared for bad service, be assertive with your waiter telling him what you want (that's the Korean way) and you may have a good meal!
(2)
Lenny S.

Good food, fun place to eat but very loud
(4)
Michelle N.

I love this place. When my husband and I first stopped by -- on a whim after shopping at Penzeys -- we were a little intimidated by the decor. If the friendly hostess hadn't seated us so quickly, we probably would have turned around and never looked back. But, I am so glad we stayed and gave this Korean BBQ place a shot. We have since been back 5 times in three months and we have yet to be disappointed. The food is awesome and I get regular cravings for their pepper past pork belly. The staff has always been friendly, and the service is always tops -- an endless amount of meat, regular changing of the grill plate, bottomless drinks, sides, and sauces. No complaints at all. And the decor/ambiance has grown on me too. I highly recommend this place.
(5)
Giang L.

From our experience today, the service was above and beyond. All if the servers came by and asked us how everything was. They kept asking us what we wanted next. The options are slim but it's all you can eat. They answered all of my questions of why they did it this way or that way... As for the prices, it's not bad and they didn't charge me extra for anything I asked for. They did put a triangle clump of rice thingy on the grill but I just asked for regular steamed rice. Overall great experience. But they didn't have any beer... What gives?
(4)
An T.

Iron Age, GET YOUR [EXPLETIVE] TOGETHER! This place has GREAT potential to be a hit, but MAN does it need some work. Our group of four were feeling some korean-eats that night, with one suggesting Lighthouse, another suggesting Honeypig, and myself suggesting a combination of the two and trying the new Iron Age! Boyyy, did I get a few sarcastic thank yous that night. The night was just full of confusion. You get two options for all you can eat. What they fail to note on the menu is that "Gogi B" includes everything in "Gogi A" as well. We were pretty confused about ordering, considering we wanted both options. We kept reading about amazing service, and watched as it unfolded around us, but certainly not for our table until our last 20 minutes of dining. Our waiter didn't bring us menus until requested. We then asked if we should specifically order what we wanted first off the menu or if a little of everything would be brought out, and our waiter told us he'd bring out a little of everything. He brought out two meats, and we waited after finishing that. Alas, we had to ring and request more meats... Which we mostly ended up cooking ourselves. They then changed the metal tray for us in between, saying that different meats would require different trays.. which made us wonder, would they have to do that in between every 2-3 rounds of meat? We read about the soups and saw it at every other table, and when we asked if we were suppose to have some, our waiter responded with "I can get you some". Um, okay? Moving on, we asked for some duck to be brought out, only to hear "Sorry, we don't have any... Grand opening is next week and we won't have any until next week". Whoa buddy... how about mentioning that to patrons before they make their choices? Nothing irks me more than when restaurants don't have a particular ingredient or dish and fail to mention it to you until AFTER you've ordered, sometimes in which they replace it with something you're really not okay with. Gah! Honestly speaking, every other waiter we encountered that night seemed to be friendly and understanding, but our initial waiter didn't seem to understand any of our questions. So I say, make sure you have a waiter that understands you! We filled up on soups and salad, because our meats just took forever to come out. Meat quality was great, but pales in flavor. A lot of our meats ended up tasting the same not too long after. All in all, great environment, partially-great service, and decent food. This place just needs a little more organization, and coordination, and with that, I'll hopefully never have to venture all too far for all-you-can-eat BBQ!
(3)
Will G.

Finally a ALL YOU CAN EAT Korean BBQ in the Rockville area. Compared to Honey Pig in Ellicott City it doesn't taste as good, but it is very good. I have to give Iron Age 4 stars because the meats aren't marinated like Honey Pig or other Korean BBQ places, but they do give you 4 sauces to dip your meat in and imo it still taste great. All you can eat spicy pork belly's! How can you say no. The atmosphere is nice and very young. They play K Pop and have a big projector to show music videos. I've been here 3 times and I swear it seems as though it taste better each time I go. For 22 dollars all you can eat including a fountain drink is pretty good imo. I think their salad is the best I've had compared to other Korean BBQ places too. Friday and Saturday nights they're open till 2am. If you're hungry and you want a lot of meat without paying for extra meats definitely check them out. Gotta love unlimited jumuluk!
(4)
Samantha M.

Great food! All you can eat korean bbq for a great price ($18 or $22 depending on meat choices). Great service! And awesome k-pop to watch too. Definitely going back!!
(5)
Tres M.

Way better than il mee for the buffet korean grill experience but limited meat selection not as much as honey pig.
(4)
Kathryn E.

Came here once and I really liked the place. The ambience is cool, there's a bunch of TVs showing KPOP music, which I love. For $18 you can have 3 choice of all you can meats. I personally prefer the pork belly. Will come here again!!
(4)
Yong R.

Went there on a Sunday afternoon around 3-4 pm. Since there was hardly any people, I expected decent service and good food. I was disappointed on both points. We had the $22 AYCE but it seems they started removing things from the menu. The So Galbi was instead a slab of ribeye steak w/ a ton of fat attached to it. Without any seasoning it was pretty bland, so try to opt for one of the marinated cuts of meat. The egg dish and soup are a nice complement to the meal. Try to avoid the scallion pancake they serve you at the beginning. It will just make you full. The servers come to cut your meat while grilling your food which is expected at a Korean BBQ. However, we never saw our server after that. Be prepared to grill and cut the rest of your meats, otherwise most of it will be burnt. Also remember there's a button on the table to call over a server. We had to keep using it and ask them to bring more side dishes two or three times. The setup isn't bad for an AYCE, there just seems to be so many disappointments to this place. With all the great reviews for this place, I was expecting more.
(3)
Lucy B.

After trying Honey Pig in Germantown and actually hating the fact that I wasn't at Iron Age I realized how much I love this place. This place is FAR superior to any other Korean bbq place I've been to.
(5)
Wanda F.

I decided to try this place after my horrible experience at honey pig and I have to say the customer service was great. Our waitress explained to us the menu and gave us recommendations. She was very down to earth and provided a great experience. She was very attentive to our needs during our visit. The food was good and bit expensive but so worth it. I will be returning to Iron Age in the future. If you are hungry and ready for a big meal definitely come to this place.
(5)

Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.

Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.

Address : 1054 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD, 20852
Phone (301) 424-1474
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:00 am - 12

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Loud
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

Claim Restaurant

WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES

Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online

Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.

Search Your Favourite Restaurants.

Iron Age

1054 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD, 20852

Iron Age Menu

Jin H.

J K.

Justine K.

Richard S.

Cindy B.

Michele K.

Eddie K.

Fred K.

Jessica H.

Meana K.

Janis H.

Robert B.

Stephanie C.

Ash S.

Jack W.

Mandy C.

Steph M.

Elizabeth S.

Foodie F.

Eric L.

Allen Y.

Eric W.

Sherri D.

Laura H.

Vanessa R.

Paul C.

Eileen B.

Jane P.

Ann P.

Debbie L.

Cory X.

Nancy C.

Karen S.

Andrew D.

Kevin D.

Antony R.

Benjamin W.

Giancarlo P.

Caroline L.

George P.

Mona R.

Tyler I.

YM C.

Laura C.

Sam L.

Deneise T.

Diana J.

Zahra K.

Chih Chao C.

John M.

M A.

Donna Y.

Sharon L.

Dani P.

Lindsay H.

Paola A.

Jess C.

Justin P.

Minjeong L.

Annie T.

Olivia P.

Peter L.

Connie Y.

Charlotte S.

Rachel L.

Tommy N.

Robert C.

M W.

Bruce E.

Mark S.

Danny C.

Liza A.

Adrienne C.

Jennifer Y.

Steven A.

Daniel C.