Ga Bo Ja Restaurant
7119 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA, 22003
Ga Bo Ja Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Annandale for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Annandale for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
7119 Columbia Pike
Annandale, VA, 22003 - Phone (703) 354-1356
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:00 am - 12
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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P C.
We we went here for dinner in a party of 5. Most of the menu was in Korean but the waitress did her best to explain the menu. We went with the "Special A" although we were not entirely sure what we were going to get. It was AWESOME! The waitress kept bringing plate after plate of pan chans that it was like ordering at a tapas restaurant. After all the panchan she brought out an entire fried fish was was beautiful and delicious. Then next course was a giant sashimi boat with fresh flounder from their tank, rock fish, white tuna, red tuna, salmon, and yellow tail. The sashimi took an extra 5 minutes so they gave us a complimentary Korean pancake dish! There was so much food and all 5 of us were stuffed but that wasn't the end. Next came a spicy fish soup and a tasty yogurt dessert drink with our check. The cost of the special was $150 so for 5 people it was really reasonable and we were all stuffed. Definitely going again! Great service, great food, excellent quality, and good price!
(5)Jenny D.
I've been here twice and will definitely go back. First time I got kimichi stew which was very good, spicy and hit the spot. Second time I got sushi, the spicy salmon and eel roll were delicious. Both times I ordered tea and they didn't charge me for it. Also they bring out these little samples of various dishes before your meal, all complimentary and tasty.
(5)kei c.
Great korean seafood place. Nothing extraordinary on the menu, but everything was fresh and tasted as they should. Nothing to complain about here.
(4)Iced V.
This place actually has great tofu soup and fish soup. You get a great value and excellent service. Not the best place for sushi but they have a great flouder sashimi option.
(4)scott s.
unbelievably cheap, friendly service, decent food. i'll give it four stars. i came here on a saturday for lunch. the place was dead, which means i got just about as much attention as i wanted during the meal. neither of the waitresses seemed to speak much english and i don't speak any korean, but this does not bother me in the least. in fact, it almost made the experience better. the server came out with the tea and gave me a menu (thankfully, bilingual). i ordered the dolsot bibimbap (perhaps the only korean i know is the name of dishes -- i have no verbs whatsoever, but i can name what i want to eat!). the banchan was kind of slow to come out. not sure why. there were plenty of plates, but i have to agree with one of the other reviews that they just tasted a little off. not sure what it is. maybe they were a little old . . . ? or they use some weird detergent to clean the plates and that gives the stuff a strange taste . . . ? not sure. i mean, it wasn't totally offputting, but there was a little funk going on. anyway, overall the food was really good, the service was very nice, and ti was cheap. just dock them a bit for the funkified panchan.
(4)Stacy C.
Yep, the reviews were right...best sushi I've ever had!
(5)Janet C.
uhhhhh delicious. it's kiiiiiinda hole-in-the-wall, but not as hole-in-the-wall as to sok jip. it's a little cleaner, brighter, maybe slightly bigger. anyway, this place doesnt have fancy meat grills, or even fancy menus (the menu is just printed on the placemat), but it has good food that i'll go eat if i miss my momma and her food. i got the "hangover soup w/ dried pollack," which is actually a soup with bean sprouts, scallions, some egg, AND dried pollack, which kind of reconstitutes in the soup, but not really, so if you dont mind the kinda chewy texture... get it! eat it with rice! and the side dishes! manfriend got the LA galbi (bbq ribs) + soy bean paste soup combo. the beef was a little fatty, but nothing i would send back to the kitchen or anything. it was nicely marinated, and the soup is good too, you just have to get used to it if you didnt grow up eating it. anyway, everything was solid, AND super cheap. i mean, what sit-down restaurant can you go to nowaday where dinner is $25 for two, INCLUDING tip and tax?
(4)Soo Hyun Y.
I've been here many, many times. Just a small cozy place where one can drink while eating a sashimi platter. Have to admit, a heck of a lot of side dishes come out, but I don't know if that's because I'm a regular and tip well, or if that's just the way they normally serve food. The food is expensive, but I find myself coming here again and again.
(4)Brittany M.
Visited for our first time, today, for a long late lunch. Could not have had a better meal to start the new year! We ordered kimchi pancake, a grilled mackerel with bean paste soup, and spicy blue crab soup. An absolute feast. Everything was delicious, and the bill came to $27. I felt like I was stealing!
(5)Jason D.
High quality, fresh sashimi. Waiters were very friendly. So much food for medium sashimi assortment. Will be back as soon as I have room in my belly.
(5)Anna K.
I found a cockroach floating in my soup as I was eating. I thought I was going to throw up. I informed the waitress and she didn't seem too surprised and apologized. I will never go back to place.
(1)Raak S.
"Good deal sashimi/sushi" It usually mean the restaurant has to sacrifice the quality somewhat. Ga Bo Ja is an exception. While its traditional Korean dishes (Bulgogi, Galbi, seafood pancake, dumplings) are top notch, you will miss out if you don't try one of Ga Bo Ja's sashimi combos. The first time I tried the sashimi for one with side dishes, I knew I was going back for more with larger group of people. Even the variety of the fish on the entry-level set is not anything spectacular (the usual suspect Salmon, Tuna, Yellowtail, Founder, etc.), the quality and quantity are both superb. All the fish is fresh, buttery delicious. The chef got skill! If you order the medium sashimi platter for large group ($99 as time of review), it will additionally come with Escolar (the so-called white tuna), flounder fin and even more side dishes. Warning: some people cannot digest Escolar very well which resulted in upset stomach. Try just one piece the first time (if you can resist). If you feel like Andrew Zimmern for the night, you can choose more adventurous sets that include lobster, abalone, sea squirt, sea cucumber, etc. Let me tell you, you can get full just eating the side dishes that consisted of various types of preserved vegetables (of course Gimchi is one of them), grilled fish, fried small fishes, cold and hot appetizers. The variety (and the surprise) of those side dishes is one of the best features of Ga Bo Ja's combo/platter sets. The ending of most sets is a bowl of spicy grilled fish bones soup with rice cake and a bowl of rice. The fact that they grilled the fish bones (flounder?) before putting them in the spicy broth actually added depth to the flavor of this traditional soup. Very hearty, warm-your-stomach-and-your-soul soup ending to the perfect meal. Free yogurt drink after the meal was also a nice touch. Service was always good and attentive. I was never once disappointed.
(5)Col S.
Quality and service are standout here, especially for Annandale which boasts quite a few awesome choices for Korean food as well as many more mediocre choices. This is a great choice if you're looking to have sushi or sashimi, Korean style at value prices. Ive come here twice, once for lunch and once for dinner. Our dinner was a lovely weeknight one. We ordered the baked mussles, hoe deopbap, and some sashimi. They're very generous with the Banchan (small complimentary plates) which are more plentiful and of better quality than many offered by other restaurants in the area. While everything was delicious both times, I highly recommend the hoe deopbap, sliced fish, vegetables, sushi rice, and sesame oil accompanies by chili sauce. It's light, refreshing and only $7 for lunch or $13 for dinner. Once you finish your meal, you see ever will bring you both the bill and one of those tiny bottles or Korean yogurt drink... Love this place.
(5)Chiae W.
I absolutely love this place! I discovered this tiny hole in the wall restaurant a few years back and have been coming back with different people telling them how authentic the food is. Despite the restaurant being really small, it has amazing food. Tastes like home made food. It is definitely a place you need to try!!
(5)Mina C.
Oh man. Here we go again. I love love sashimi, and all things Korean, so when I had a sudden urge for sushi, but did not want to trek to my usual spot, so decided to give this place a whirl. This place has lots of different fish cuts, but personally the side dishes were OUT OF THIS WORLD. We got the specialty fish to try things like sea cucumber (omg so disgusting) and the conch (YUM). When I talked to the lady we were ordering from she said Koreans LOVE sea cucumber. uhh I guess I must be a black sheep of Koreans, because to me it was nasty. It was hard, slimy, salty, and wayyyy bitter. AHHHHHH okay. Next time, stick to the normal sashimi. I'm adventurous, but never again. The side dishes were plentiful with yumminess ranging from the acorn jelly thing, to tang su yuk (korean sweetnsour pork), there was even chicken as a side dish. The meal comes with the egg pot and deng jjang jigae (fermented bean soup). At the end they bring you the maeuntang (spicy cod fish soup). I wanted desserts somewhere else in Annandale (bing sooo) but didn't, scratch that, couldn't make it there after this awesome belly stuffing meal.
(5)Jackie B.
Favorite place for raw fish!! Sashimi here is incredibly fresh...like I-think-they-kill-the-fish-on-the-spot fresh, and the cuts are generous. (I'm not sure about the killing-on-the-spot thing, btw - if anything, this may only pertain to their flounder, but they all taste that fresh)! The flounder and assorted sashimi combos are awesome, because they come with a ton of side dishes, soup, and sometimes even raw oysters. If you haven't had Korean-style sashimi before, try dipping the raw fish in the cho-gochujang (vinegar-y red pepper sauce) instead of soy sauce. So tasty! The ladies who work here are really friendly and have been pretty patient in explaining menu options. Their menu could use a lift though. Not only is most of it in Korean, but it's not very descriptive. You'd have to ask how many people a "medium" boat would feed, or which menu items include the side dishes and soup. It is definitely worth the trouble though, and you won't be disappointed!
(4)Seung Yeon C.
Worker pushed us. The service was uncomfortable. Food was okay. I'd like to go for lunch.
(4)James L.
Ordered Sashimi but was told they were short staffed and it would be a while...We were there for that so we waited. It was yummy..Suggest you order San Nak Chi if you want to freak your friends out. Sashimi and Sushi were quite yummy.
(5)Justin L.
This place is awesome. Their hwe dup bop is a great lunch deal and a generous portion. Service has been outstanding every visit. They even give free special dishes (in addition to the banchan)!
(5)Jane L.
Used to come here all the time- they renovated in the past year or so and the restaurant is cleaner and more spacious than before. However, they seriously skimp on the portions and side dishes now.. Very overpriced for what you get (if you order the medium sashimi combo $99 which used to be $79) compared to similar restaurants in the DC area. I would highly recommend another place for sashimi. I've never left a restaurant like this hungry until today- usually everyone is uncomfortably full by the end of the meal since you get so many side dishes with a sashimi boat/platter at a Korean sashimi restaurant.
(3)Hj W.
Korean-style Japanese restaurant. My friend and I got... I think a medium sashimi combo and we ended up having way too much food when you include the banchan and extras that you get like the egg stew, boiled saury, or the fish stew that we got. Reasonable prices erring slightly towards high. The whole meal was, on an absolute cost basis, really expensive... but considering the amount of food we got, a good enough deal that I didn't ding them a full star. Fish tend to be fresh and instead of heaps of cheap tilapia, they use a lot of fluke (flounder) that makes it feel like it's worth the price. They may as well be killing the fluke on premises. The other fish were standard salmon, tuna, etc. and they were fine, although we both noticed that the escolar was slightly frozen. That does ding them some points. Overall, a nice little place in Annandale that stands out in a sea of Korean restaurant mediocrity. I don't crave sushi from Ga Bo Ja but I'd certainly go again.
(4)Kimmy L.
Never have I ever...had my jaw drop for each menu course at a restaurant before. Granted there were 8 of us and we ordered their largest sashimi package on the menu...I was not prepared for the amount of food we were getting! The bonchon was served immediately and we devoured everything from the bbq eel, to the steamed egg...THEN our sashimi came out on a luggage rack!!! A luggage rack!!!!! That is how much fresh sashimi we were served. It was fun being adventurous and trying all different kinds of fresh seafood...including a still kicking lobster sashimi. EEEE!!! The flounder and salmon were my favorite. As if that wasn't enough, our server took the lobster claw and made soup for us! Everything was finished off with an adorabley tiny yogurt drink. Each course was amazing! Our server was so incredibly nice and accommodating to us non-koreans. The non-koreans of our group even got a high five as we exited! Such a fun experience and I would definitely go back again with a large group. *Tip - our server informed us that they are expanding their restaurant and are now open 24 hours!
(4)Emanuel P.
Go damn this place reaffirms my love for Annandale. Bang for your buck sushi. I've had more tender sushi at other places but who gives a shit you get a ton of sushi in the small sushi sashimi combo and for two people with all the sides you eat like a king. The service was top notch and a broiled fish was given to us as an appetizer. The broiled fish was a luxury that not everyone is going to understand, but I certainly do. Open late. I will be going back to this small oasis.
(5)Laura S.
This is my go-to place for Hwe-dup-bap for lunch. it used to be $6.99, but they kicked it up a dollar ($7.99 now).. still fairly cheap for the amount they give you. The sushi is always fresh It's awesome that this place renovated. it looks great and they even now have "party rooms" in the back. The place is much larger and has way more tables. I'm happy that their business is doing well and I hope it continues to grow!
(5)Albert L.
You like seafood? You like sashimi? Good, because GBJ is all about that. When you come here, you're not coming to get your run-of-the-mill bulgogi or bibimbap. Sure, you could, because it's a homey place that actually would do them very well. No, you're here to get one of the various sashimi offerings that they have on the menu. Just imagine, a large platter of fresh-sliced tuna, salmon, yellowtail, whitefish, etc ... and a constant stream of interesting banchan. Top it off with a fresh seafood soup with flour dumplings at the end, and you've got a really complete meal. The service here is very attentive and friendly, and because the space is small, it does feel like you're at someone's place just having a great dinner party. With excellent Korean/Japanese food. I'd recommend coming with a semi-small group (4) to split one of the sashimi combos. They're probably the best bang for your buck and a great way to experience GBJ's offering.
(5)Jia N.
Ordered the same - large sashimi combo deal with sides and fish. Side dishes were very good, better than last time; seafood was also very fresh. Excellent food and excellent service. Definitely recommend Ga Bo Ja if you're looking for a Korean style sashimi experience.
(5)Jen T.
Low key Korean and sushi place. Closer than Lighthouse Tofu. My Best girlfriend and I stopped here for lunch after our birthday facials. We shared the Mandu and both had the spicy monkfish stew. Arrived with plenty of banchan, steamed egg to share, and side of rice. Liked the spicy potato banchan. The rest was average. Didn't care for the bones in the stew. Be careful not to swallow them! Looked real attractive spitting them out while I ate. Overall, lots of food to make our bellies full. Good service who made sure that we were satisfied throughout our meal.
(3)Margaret D.
Walk in and immediately breathe in scents of sesame and fragrant fresh fish. That's how it's supposed to be! We tried the soondubu, dulsot bibimbab, kalbi short ribs, and spicy cod fish soup. The stew based dishes were the shining stars! Soondubu was flavorful with seafood bits, better stew base than the popular Lighthouse Tofu around the corner. Cod fish soup had an amazing fish broth. So flavorful and full of the sweet and savory fishiness, came with plenty of cod hunks! Spiciness level was medium or lower. The bibimbab was not so special. Rice was a weird soft non-chewy consistency, vegetable and meet components to mix in didn't seem to have much seasoning at all, sauce didn't have enough oomph. Kalbi short ribs were also lack luster. The marinade seemed too light and the onions underneath needed more sauce (otherwise unseasoned). They were also too raw. Side dishes were very enjoyable, and tasted fresher than many that you see in other places. Larger portions than Honey Pig. Conclusion: Come back with the plan to try all the delicious stews! Go for meat or bbq dishes elsewhere. Note that they also have sashimi and sushi.
(3)Ruchi S.
Went here for lunch because I was craving sundubu for months. I've been obsessed with a soft tofu restaurant in Philadelphia so I had high expectations for sundubu in k-town. It was just average. The restaurant was nice, very private and good enough service. But as far as food is concerned; I don't think I'll be going back. I'll try another place.
(3)Chris C.
This place is one of my new favorites in Annandale. Away from the craziness that is Honey Pig, Lighthouse and Kogiya (which are all delicious in their own right), Ga Bo Ja is just down home delicious Korean cooking. There's a much more relaxed atmosphere when eating here and you're definitely not feeling rushed. I've dined here a few times and I would recommend getting one of the "Specials". The Special comes with fresh sashimi or sushi, free sides, and a spicy broth soup at the end. From what I've seen, each "Special" offers different/more sides etc. The Special Small was fine for 2-3 people. It's also very affordable as well. This is the place where Korean Businessmen come and eat/drink for 3 hours. We sat for 1.5 hours and none have been eating the entire time. Haha. Check this place out if you're in Annandale. It's a nice change from the regular Korean establishments here.
(4)Nicole L.
I read my fellow Yelper elites' reviews but discovered that the restaurant had undergone a renovation - widening of the main entrance, interior and price! The new interior looked really new it was much more contemporary than most of the Korean restaurants there. At first we felt really comfortable we were glad the staff were responsive and friendly. We looked at the menu the main items were in English but the rest in Korean. We wanted a sashimi platter for 2 it was written in Korean and price = $29.99. Okay let's see....The sashimi boat featured the typical selections (salmon, tuna, maybe yellow fin and a white fish) the white fish was stringy and fibrous and they repeated that fish twice. The quality was just not there for the price. Next item, the seafood pancake, it looked great at first but upon picking it up we saw it was still gooey inside - undercooked pancake batter. Not only that the pancake itself tasted like there was too much flour to water proportion it was really cakey. It was just too much. I told one of the many servers - so nobody was really keeping track. The server apologized and took the pancake back to the kitchen. Another server came over with the third dish - spicy octopus on a hot plate. That was great. We started eating it because it was so irresistible but the server never returned with rice. A long while later, another server came by with a plate of salmon bones with barely any meat - looked like the leftovers from the sashimi. She said it was on the house. While it was nice I was wondering if it was not too dangerous to be eating at our own risk picking through the bones. Then the seafood pancakes came back, the same one that left just cooked longer. By that time we lost our appetite and it was still as cakey as before. The server came by and knew we wanted a box for it. When we were almost done with the octopus one server came by and said, 'oh we forgot to serve you rice'. She disappeared and we didn't really expect anything would come of it. After another long while she returned to say that she had something else for us when we wanted to get the bill. She said it was fish bone soup with the rice dumpling that I wanted initially but it was a large casserole for 2. I asked her to pack it up. The soup was filled with little pieces of bone floating in it. If you didnt mind and was skillful you would enjoy dodging fish bones with your tongue or sieve it out, the soup was tasty especially with the flour dumpling. Yes 1 complimentary flour dumpling. It was an interesting experience nonetheless. At the table across from mine, another group seemed to have some issues with their dining experiences they were conversing with server at the time of billing. Perhaps this place has changed management and needed to work out some kinks. On the fence with this restaurant.
(2)A S.
Funny story. Went to check out the Hwe Duk Bap at the suggestion of Yelpers a few weeks ago and had an amazing meal. The lunch portions were very generous and the sushi fish was fresh. Though the side dishes were, meh, overall I left very pleased. Forward to today... I told a friend about GA Bo Ga and took him to Annandale for lunch. He got out of the car and walked into the restaurant NEXT to what I thought was the restaurant. When I walked in, I did a double take because nothing looked familiar. Lol!!! I went to the wrong restaurant last time! I need to find out the name of the place... Since we had already gone in, we sat and ordered. When the dish came out, it looked pretty different. The bowl was a little smaller but I could see right away that there was definitely less sushi overall. A big turnoff was that the fish that was in there wasn't cold. It was lukewarm. I've had a. LOT of Hwe Duk Bap in my days. Yes, does have rice in it, but the sushi pieces should be chilled to prevent bacteria etc. These pieces were room temp not because of the warm rice, but because it seemed like the hadn't been just taken from the refrigerator.... If you want great Hwe Duk Bap, go next door.
(2)Irene C.
Wow, this is the perfect place for sashimi lovers! I came here w. a korean friend of mine. I probably would not have been able to locate this place without her since the sign is in Korean, not "Ga Bo Ja" We ordred a medium Flounder Boat. Came with a TON of side dishes and a spicy seafood soup w. rice. The service was awesome, even though the waitresses did not speak english, she always asked my friend how I thought the food was. Great service, I would definitely be back!
(4)TaSharra C.
This is the best spot in va for Korean. I love the prices too the servers are awesome, they always remember me!
(5)Jim H.
Hole in the wall sushi slash Korean restaurant. Food is really good here and the service is good too. I had the sashimi boat and it came with all these tasty side dishes. Only thing is they share a small parking lot with other businesses so parking can get tight.
(5)Della L.
My family has been coming here for many years - through varying staff and ownership changes. High Points: Large portions, Amazing fresh seafood It's a tad pricier than I like to spend for some dishes, but the sashimi and seafood korean dishes are fantastic. The service is friendly - but some Yelpers should understand that "service" in korean restaurants isn't like other places so don't freak out if you aren't fawned over. I do question the MSG use though - lately I've been having some killer headaches after eating here. Hopefully those were unrelated but if it happens again I'll have to drop my rating down.
(4)Hannah H.
When you walk in, the sushi chef greets you warmly, and the ahjummas lets you pick a table and get comfortable. The restaurant itself is a small place in a plaza, so don't expect something glamorous. People come here for the fresh fish, especially the sashimi, and a lot of group orders are focused on that. The ban chans here are pretty fresh - the spicy moo was awesome, and the ggakdooki and the kong na mool was great, too. My husband and I ordered from the 'Chef's Special' - the bulgogi as well as the jae yook bokeum. The bulgogi was good - it could have been a little bit more moist since some parts were a little dry (I love slopping the juice onto my rice). The seasoning was good, too. The jae yook bokeum was alright (definitely better than Lotte's), but wouldn't order it again. We also got a Spicy Tuna and a Spicy Salmon roll. Both rolls were bursting with the fish, but it seemed as if it was more sweet than spicy, and too much of the sesame. I really really really wanted to like it since the sushi chef was this cute ahjushi. The prices are pretty okay - $5.50 for the basic rolls, and about $15 for the entrees. They also offer broths and other fish-/seafood-related dishes. I'd come back here to try out their sashimi, but it's nice to have a decent place in Annandale. Service was excellent, and there's plenty of parking in the lot. +fresh maki rolls
(4)Mattie C.
We got a "small" sashimi platter for around $50. At first I was very nervous about the size and the price, but along with the sashimi they serve a bunch of Korean side dishes. This ended up being a pretty fun experience trying new things that I had never had before. Unfortunately, I have little clue of what the side dishes were - they came with the sashimi and didn't seem to be labeled. There was a really bony fish in red sauce that I liked but it was difficult picking it out of the bones. Really good small potato pancake things, fried corn drenched in butter, really hot cooked egg (that was really good), a small salad with sesame seeds and some sauce on it, something that looked like potato salad, crispy shrimp in some kind of sweet sauce, and a plate of pickled onions. I know I am forgetting a couple things.. OH at the end they brought out a soup that had fish pieces in it, and the broth was EXTREMELY spicy. I liked it but it was tough on my tastebuds! Even spice-loving boyfriend was having difficulty. And I almost forgot one of my favorite side dishes, rice with a generous helping of flying fish roe dumped on top. That was amazing. In all, I really enjoyed trying all the side dishes and learned that I actually like several of them (I didn't think I liked Korean food at all and usually refuse to go to Korean restaurants). And the sashimi on the platter was really fresh and delicious although they had less variety than I had seen at other places. There is a fish tank, they serve hot tea, and everyone else in the restuarant seemed to be regulars. They were also all Asian which leads me to believe that this is a good spot. I would definitley go here again and would be more willing to go to Korean places after the experience here. Definitely recommended!
(4)Debby P.
I dined at this restaurant the day before Father's Day. What a big mistake that was! The waitress told us their 'Special A' Sashimi Platter ($120.99) that comes with side dishes would feed 3 adults. There were 4 adults in our party of 6 who wanted to eat sashimi. We figured since such platters come with a good spread of side dishes, we would be okay with one platter to start; with the option to order additional dishes later. The other 2 who were not into raw fish ordered "Al-bop" (masago egg rice) that were served in stone pots. This dish was not bad, but nothing too impressive. We didn't order Special B platter ($150.99) because my family doesn't like raw lobster and the other shellfish that come on Special B platter. Based on my previous experience at another competing restaurant, I expected more from $121 platter. The side dishes were cheap which included a small amount of mushrooms, grilled salmon head that barely had meat on it, a few pieces of fatty pork belly, a few spoonful of corns, 7 pieces of battered fried pork with sauce, and small bowl of soup. Not only the amount of sashimi on the platter way too small to feed 3 adults, their quality and taste were below average. So, we decided not to order any more sashimi, even though the platter was too small in portion. Perhaps because we didn't order expensive dishes, the quality of service was at its worst. I waited more than 15 min for a bowl of rice. I had to ask 3 different waitresses before finally receiving my bowl of rice. In fact, I had the worst dining experience in a decade. Ironically, the last time I had such an experience was at this very restaurant almost ten years ago. The food I ordered back then tasted so horrible that I barely ate. I had 3 bites and asked for the check. The only reason why I dared to return to the same restaurant was because I was told the owners have changed. It also recently had a major remodeling done. To top off my worst dining experience of the decade, they gave us an incorrect bill with additional charges ($50 more ) for food we never ordered. Because the bill wasn't even itemized, there was no way to know we were paying for food we never ate. The receipt just listed a total amount we owed. Kudos to my mom for doing quick math in her head. I don't know how this restaurant received such high ratings. I was willing to spend the money for a nice seafood experience with fancy side dishes. I know sushi and sashimi are not cheap. What a COMPLETE waste of $180. I left the restaurant hungry and offended.
(1)Tim F.
Super great food at a super price in a pleasant settings with great service. That about covers it small and cozy, after a few minutes you could forget what country you were actually eating in. Amazing value overall but imagine lunch specials even on the weekend. We had a mixture of grilled fish and also sashimi, all was sooo good and the bonchon side dishes were restocked so quick. All of the staff seemed so pleasant and welcoming to all both Korean and non Korean customers. My local favorite for sushi and sashimi.
(4)Jane H.
Great place to get sashimi! I came here twice with my girlfriends and both times have been a really fun experience. The last time we went, we ordered 3 lbs of flounder and medium assorted sashimi, which was enough to stuff 5 girls full. Our table was bursting with all the side dishes that come out with the flounder (I'm not sure if they also do that with just the assorted sashimi) and everything was delicious. Keep in mind the side dishes can change at any time depending on what they have that day.. you don't always get the same thing every time you go. At the end of the meal, they brought out two bowls of spicy fish soup and rice, and it was a nice ending to the meal. Also, they gave us Korean yogurt for dessert when they brought out the check! Yum! You don't see a lot of Korean restaurants that still do this nowadays. Service was great too, and the ladies are always smiling and ready to help.
(4)Kelsi G.
This place is kind of a smallish hole-in-the-wall place, but I like it! When I went with friends for lunch we were practically the only ones there, and we all got the dolsot bibimbap. It was reeeeally delicious...it came out in a sizzling bowl and all the ingredients were so delicious together. There was even some of the burnt rice that stuck to the bottom of the pot too :D I definitely want to come back and try what else they have, including all of sashimi!
(5)Lisa N.
Came here for lunch with my boyfriend the other day. Ga Bo Ja is a quaint little Korean restaurant where the service is super friendly. For $6, you can order the Hwe Dup Bap- #1 (the order also came with a yogurt drink and spicy potato appetizer) and be full and satisfied. Like many other reviewers stated, this huge bowl contains rice, salad, and fish (such as salmon, tuna, white tuna). I'd prefer it with less salad because I felt like it altered the ratio and made it difficult to find the fish. Nonetheless, it's still a great deal!
(4)Jessie H.
This place is pretty authentic. It's right next to Cafe Tu Ah in a shopping center a little past honey pig. We ordered the small sashimi between 3 people. We then each ordered our own entree. I got a bibimbap. My friends got the soondubu and blue crab soup. This place is pretty good! The sashimi was so FRESH and comes with a lot of side dishes!!! It's pretty filling! The food is delicious and you don't have to be Korean to come here, they speak English just fine. Next time I come back I'm getting a bigger sashimi platter.
(4)Rob E.
I do not understand all the good reviews for this place. Maybe their regular food is good but their sushi is not. I ordered the sushi large. $21 for a California roll and 10 pieces of nigiri. Sushi quality, cut and size were on par with buffet sushi. Very small and thin cuts of fish, they were even ripped in some places. Very disappointing, the grocery sushi at Hmart is 10 times better then this place.
(1)Jen C.
You impressed me, Ga Bo Ja! My friends and I were craving sashimi, and they recommended to come here for fresh fish. We ordered the medium sized sashimi platter, which came with plenty of sashimi to enjoy for 4 people. (If you are hungry, opt for the large.) Be forewarned though, as this platter is accompanied by a LOT of free sidedishes. Boy was I impressed. All of their free side dishes are the freshest I've ever had out of all the Annandale restaurants I've been to. The greens are nice and crisp, not overly seasoned, and they supply a couple of sizzling platters with corn over butter and enoki mushrooms over butter (yum!). I was also excited to see a small kalbi side dish, signature Korean acorn tofu, fried yams and even fried kale. The sashimi itself was extremely fresh; fresher than I have tasted at Moco sushi joints. It's a different style of eating it here, as they supply a sweet dip and seaweed paper to wrap it in. For $50, we enjoyed a feast. With the platter you also get freshly steamed egg (perfect), in addition to a light, spicy fish soup (I'm so glad this was light/clear...not heavy like other places). This was a nice ending to our sashimi meal. We also ordered the milky korean alcoholic drink that is served in what I call kitty bowls. The sushi chef enjoyed watching us as we all squirmed at the taste--remember to shake the bottle hard. And with our truly noobish moment, we left Ga Bo Ja satiated and happy. Great value and very attentive service.
(4)Wei F.
A small place with a big focus on fresh seafood and friendly service - Ga Bo Ja is worth a visit for those loving raw fish/seafood along with reasonable pricing.
(5)Magic Mark L.
The reviews seem to be correct. It's a small place and the staff is very friendly. Good place to take a date. It you get one of the sushimi combo's labeled A, B or C (small, medium or large, respectively) you will be very happy. No kidding, they bring out maybe 12 - 15 ban chan sides that are all really good. You can judge a Korean place by their ban chan.... I have been to this place 4 times within the past month and can say that it is consistently very good. I recommend it.
(4)James W.
The sushi is good, not the best I have ever had but still tasty and reasonably priced. The place reminds me of the little hole-in-the-wall type restaurants typical in Japan and Korea.
(4)Christine F.
I have been here several times and every time the food was absolutely AMAZING!!! My Korean friend brought me here. Great service. FRESH FRESH Sashimi! I love the Hwe Dup Bap and the Seafood Dolsat Bibim Bap Each dish comes with extra sides. The portions are big and reasonably priced! It's a small place but definitely a GEM!! Cannot wait to go back!
(5)Lisa L.
This small Korean restaurant became my new lunch spot. The waitresses and owner greet you warmly and always give recommendations to what's the best dishes to get. The small sides and egg dish always come out steaming and warm. The bento boxes are delicious. The sushi was fresh. I absolutely love their dolsot bibimbap. Absolutely yummy. Great dishes at cheap prices with excellent service. A keeper in my book. One thing that was a plus for me but might be a negative to others is their motherly way. Some of the waitresses make sure you try everything and eat your veggies. Kinda reminds me of my mom. I never leave anything untouched. Don't take it personally if they tell you to eat more. lol.
(5)R. G.
A truly fabulous little place, even in Annandale, crammed full of awesome Korean restaurants. This may become a new favorite. I ordered bibimbap cold -- came like a salad: fresh veggies & beef, with rice on the side -- and spicy salmon rolls. With my order, I was given puff egg soup, miso soup, 6 little side dishes, and a tiny bottle of orange-flavored drink at the end. The veggies were so fresh they still tasted faintly sweet. I scarfed this entire spread by myself in under one hour. The service was friendly and very attentive (caveat: I went at 4PM on a Monday, and naturally found them rather empty). The atmosphere was homey, and everything seems very clean. Highly highly recommended!
(5)Howard C.
First off, this place is difficult to find. The front door doesn't have a sign saying ga bo ja. It says Korean and Japanese food. Look for it by its street address. When you enter, the place is packed with Koreans....usually a good sign for a Korean restaurant. The food here is fresh. I enjoyed the sashimi and the ban chans. My wife ordered the chirashi bowl which looked amazing. Actually...heh heh...it tasted amazing too. I had what she couldn't finish. Yes, there was that much. I ordered the roasted eel with a side of sashimi. The eel's flavor was okay, but the eel wasn't roasted. It was fried. That was a big no no. How can you advertise it as roasted eel, and instead fry it and throw some sauce on it! For shaaaame! The service was slow and the waitress unfortunately didn't seem to care too much about our table. Understandably so, because the table next to ours was a huge group of Korean men who probably ordered over $400 worth of food, she messed up our friends order and it took her 30 minutes to correct things. By the time her dish came out, everyone at our table had finished eating already. The waitress did apologize however. I would consider giving this place a second chance. I think it can do better.
(3)Shoshanna G.
My new favorite korean restaurant! Their soup/jjigaes are awesome. Recomend following items: Hae dup bob, bibimbob, grill fish & miso soup combination, spicy pork I'll definately go back. Their price is so much better than yecheon!
(5)Donald P.
"Ga-bo-ja" in Korean means "Let's go try it out", certainly a unique name. We used to joke around when deciding where to eat...."Ga-bo-ja ga-bo-ja". Redundantlyfunny. Anyway we finally got that chance today and was pleasantly surprised. This is a Korean restaurant that specializes in seafood and sushi, but there's a variety of other foods as well. We walked in hoping there would be a good lunch menu, but as we sat down and looked at the menu, and I heard my wife exclaim..."huh?" It could only be the sound of "no lunch specials?" I looked at the menu and my eyes nearly fell out when I saw $4.99 Hwe-dup-bap (rice topped with vegetables and sashimi), $4.99 Ggot-gye-tang (spicy crab stew), $2.99 Beck-ban (rice + side dishes). These are like KOREAN prices. For those of you that have been to Korea, you'll know that food in general is cheap. Nearly every table was occupied, and so we were shuffled into the back area, where there's another small little room. We didn't like it so we asked if we could be seated up front. Just then a table opened up and we were able to sit in the main area. The food was pretty good, as well as the portion size. You'd expect at half the price you'd get half the portion, but it's regular size. Honestly not the best hwe-dup-bap I've ever had, but for the price...it's amazing. The both of us had lunch for $13 (tax + tip) and left with big smiles on our faces. My recommendation and as the restaurant name implies..."Go Try It Out !!!"...for lunch that is. Lunch specials from 11:30am - 2:30pm
(5)Tommy N.
I want to say I'm a fan of Korean food but my experiences have been limited to Korean BBQ and Bonchon, so when a friend of mine told me to meet him at this place, I was curious to see what it offered. Everyone at our table ordered the very first dish on the menu: D1: Hwe Dup Bab. I figured if four Koreans ordered that dish, it must be pretty good here so I followed suit. Hwe Dup Bap is like... Sashimi with in a bowl of rice with a lot of salad on top. The bowl that you're presented with is as big as any bowl of pho I've ever seen. Possibly bigger. Most of the volume is from the salad though. In the bowl you'll get a serving of rice, shredded lettuce, handful of sashimi (mostly salmon and what I suspect to be white tuna), shredded radish/seaweed, like a heaping teaspoonful of fish eggs, and sesame seeds sprinkled all over it. On your table there will be a bottle of sauce that you're supposed to use liberally before you mix it all together. The sauce has a strong sesame taste to it and has a tiny kick to it. I liked it a lot. It's a refreshing change from what I usually get. This is quite possibly the healthiest dish I've ever eaten at a restaurant and it's freakin delicious. The salad is all green and fresh, there's enough sashimi in the dish that you won't be left eating rice and lettuce at the end if you properly mixed your bowl. The staff here are all really nice ladies. They refill your drinks before they're empty and offer you seconds on your appetizer dishes if you finish it. All the other places I've been to sometimes forget about you after you get your order. So that's pretty nice. At the end of the meal, instead of fruit or a fortune cookie, you get a bottle of yakult. It's an odd little shot drink that is probiotic and taste a bit like a sherbert. Good food. Good service. It's a gem of a restaurant in an unassuming place.
(4)Carolyn B.
Love it!! The server was kind enough to let us stay to finish our food after closing and the food was good! gopchang! yum and sushi!
(5)Jane Z.
I think this place got even better! Everything seems to have been stepped up a notch, with nicer plates/dishes, more elegant plating, and even better side hot side dishes! It's still a cute and cozy place, but moved beyond the typical family-style ethnic restaurant. The fish itself is still fresh and tasty (definitely saw people grabbing flounder/lobster/penshell clams out of the tanks while we were dining). And still a great value, especially now that we've figured out the sizes of the combos! We get the regular combo - small will definitely leave you full, medium will leave you super happy for hours and hours, and large if you're feeling ambitious. :) Worth the 40 minute drive from my house.
(5)Sheri G.
We're getting more and more adventurous with our Korean eats and going to less mainstream places since we've already hit up the infamous Honey Pig, Yechon, and Lighthouse Tofu. Make sure you know the address or read Korean to find Ga Bo Ja because there is no sign written in English. Look for the blue awning with the fish. Anyway, this place was awesome! Besides the typical Korean dishes, they have a lot of grilled fish on the menu--mackerel, croaker, eel--as well as sushi and sashimi. And hello lunch special: $5 for hwe dup bap (which is sort of a rice and sashimi salad). There was a section of the menu written entirely in Korean without English translation so I can't tell you much about that! For dinner we went with a sushi and sashimi platter (25 pieces I think) and the grilled mackeral with "special sauce" that came with a damn tasty tofu and vegetable soup. The grilled mackerel was excellent: crispy skin, moist meat, and the special sauce was special indeed. There were 3 whole mackerels included ( yelp.com/biz_photos/Wqi4… ). Of course you get banchan; they had kimchi, pickled zucchini, fish cakes (one of my favs), 2 noodle dishes, miso soup, and a large egg custard. We gobbled it all up, and they brought us a second round! Not only that, they brought us fish katsu on the house. The raw items were all exceptional. I wish I was better at identifying sashimi though. Included was salmon, tuna, and snapper along with 3 or 4 others. There was this one fish that looked similar to salmon but slightly less orange: it was my favorite thing on the plate. So buttery, it basically melted in my mouth. Man, someone tell me what it was so I can order it again! I know, I should have asked. At the end of dinner, they gave us those little Korean yogurt drinks (which kind of freak me out cause they are all HFCS and sucralose. Why you need both, I don't know). The bill was $45 (no boozing that night), so it was a well-priced feast.
(4)Just X.
This is a small (10 tables max), wonderfully cheap Korean/ sushi restaurant. Service is seamless, portions are huge and the food is delish. Their specials are ridiculous. For example- I got 5 pieces of fresh nigiri, humongous amount of udon soup (with yummy, chewy noodles) and complimentary custardy steamed omelet with banchan, all for 5.99$ (9.99 for dinner). I say yay for Ga Bo Ja!
(5)Matthew L.
A cross between a traditional Korean dinner and a sushi house. The highlight of the place are the side dishes. This place brings out a ridiculous number of side dishes. The sashimi quality is pretty good. The usual white tuna, salmon, tuna etc. It is served cold or frozen, which I could do without. One thing I tried here for the first time was the stewed silk worm. I can't say I'd do it again, but you have to give it a try to say you've eaten one.
(4)Genesis B.
This quaint little restaurant has some great offerings. I'm already looking forward to trying out their other dishes. I had the dolsot bibimbap and it was delicious. The servings of sides was plentiful and the bibimbap was stacked with veggies and meat and topped with an egg. I'll come back for that any day of the week. The service was fantastic, they brought my meal out without too much of a wait. They even threw in a free egg soup for waiting 5 mins. And when I left, they gave a free yogurt drink for the road. The waitress was nice and attentive, checking to make sure I was happy with the meal and I was. That's about all you can ask of anyone serving you. Great food, a very homey restaurant feel, and great service. The hallmark of a local spot I want to eat at regularly. I can't wait. Next time, I'm coming for the grilled fish and fresh sushi. I watched the chef talking to a fish monger bringing in fresh fish and weighing those babies behind the counter. Sign of a good sushi restaurant when they have someone delivering fresh seafood to the restaurant.
(5)Jacob P.
Good Korean food. Generous portions of sushi. Would go again but it wasn't notable.
(3)Patrick C.
Very tasty bibimbap here. I've had both the beef and seafood dolsot bibimbaps and they are very tasty. I have also tried one of their eel dishes, and their sushi, and both were very good. Service is very attentive, and somehow, even with three people, our bill was under $35 and we were all stuffed. This has turned into one of my favorite Korean restaurants, and a regular place for me to go.
(4)Diana K.
Meh all around. You can always tell how good a Korean restaurant is based on how tasty their side dishes are. To begin with my dissatisfaction: Side dishes tasted really funky, the texture of the geh-ran-jjim was stringy and REALLY strange (seriously, it looked like spaghetti strands of egg and I don't know how you could possibly even mess this dish up), and food itself was just whatever. We ordered a mix of things: Mackerel w/ a side of dwenjang jjigeh, spicy salmon roll and the hwehdohbahp. Everything was just very mediocre. I would only go back for lunch to take advantage of the $5.99 hweh-doh-bahp (which, also, was just h-mart quality). Other than that, the prices for everything else on the menu fares the same as any other Korean restaurant in Annandale. AND there was a big fly hovering around our food and yes, I understand it's a sushi restaurant, but it's not even warm out yet... gross. Bottom line: Don't fully believe the hype set up by the other reviewers (that's what reeled me and the bf in). Next time, we will NOT be "ga-bo-ja"ing.
(2)thomas s.
If I want to get sashimi in Annandale, I would not go to any other places (and yes I have tried them all, including the one that closed down many many years ago that's located across from the Giant). The server is very friendly, the sushi chef gives me comp sushi rolls from time to time, and overall I am pretty satisfied. When I bring friends to this place, I usually order 3lbs of flounder and few other rolls and have yet to be disappointed.
(5)Debie K.
Leave it to a Korean mother to know the best deal within a 20 mile radius. The $5.99 hwedupbap lunch special here is a serious steal. I'm not quite sure how GaBoJa gets away with these prices but the food definitely does not suffer. I've tried the galbi, yookkaejang, and dwenjang and they were all spot on. My only complaint is that the banchan isn't the best (they can't get the kimchi right!) but everything else is fine, service included. This is one of my mom's favorite spots in Annandale and this is coming from a woman who is impossible to please.
(4)Danny P.
This place is above the other korean sushi restaurants in my opinion. It's smaller and service is great. OTHER PLACES: Whenever I go to a korean sushi place, I always order the same 4lb sashimi set. Usually they come with lots and lots of MEDIOCRE free appetizers. Then the fish is always pretty good quality. The final stew is pretty watered down. THIS PLACE: everything was so well done. Appetizers that came with the sashimi included Korean Ceviche, mackerel, tangsooyook(sweet fried pork), boiled eggs, roasted mushrooms, escargot, and other stuff I can't even remember because we got so many. The fish was very very fresh. The stew was very well done with lots of fish. Try this place yourself. You'll see the difference.
(5)Bonnie T.
WOW what a great find! Saw this place on yelp and came with a friend for lunch. We were impressed with the fresh fish and nice steam egg side dish. We will be back Go Bo Ja!!
(4)Aaron W.
The wife and I keep coming back to this place over and over again. The food is always great, sushi is quite good, and the service is always impeccable.
(5)Juliet K.
$5 hwe dup bap for lunch. ummm i think so! came out so quick. its a very small place and i dont know if they speak much english, so hopefully you come with someone korean, or know your korean food. i havent had anything else here so not sure how it is, but you can beat that lunch special!
(3)Myung M.
We went here for dinner. Sushi was decent. We ordered a sushi deluxe, an extra roll, and a bibimbap. We must have been the only table to get ripped off by the serious lack of side dishes. Other tables seemed to have a large variety of side dishes. We weren't sure if the side dishes only came with sashimi orders but I consider our $58 bill enough to warrant more than we got.
(2)Joshua S.
Would have never found this place if not for Yelp. Service was great. I went with two friends who had never had Korean food ever and the waitress patiently answered all their questions. Seafood pancake was amazing. The bibimbap was also really good. The stone bowls they come in are actually HOT not just warmed up enough to make it sound like they will crisp up the rice. The rice had some great texture and crispy bits which were pretty much fantastic.
(4)Joanne K.
What a gem! Located in Annandale, nestled amongst a row of restaurants and a karaoke bar, Ga Bo Ja can be easily overlooked. Its tiny sign is buried in comparison to the extravagant ones next to it. We entered the smallish but very clean restaurant, perhaps 5 - 10 wooden-lacquered tables and chairs. One lone man was munching his ban chan (Korean side dishes), picking at his small sashimi plate with thick and fresh looking slices of opaque fish while his spicy stew was bubbling next to him. We sat, noticing the menu paper placemats had both English and Korean with listed prices. Convenient. A cheerful and cute older Korean woman came to serve us hot barley tea and take our order. I got the Hwe Dup Bap (raw pieces of fish over a large bed of chopped lettuce and rice drizzled richly in sesame oil) while my boyfriend ordered the Dol Sot Bibim Bap (hot stone rice and vegetable mix). We also got the Kimchi pancake to share. It was a quiet environment. A few couples started trickling in, and one man had a large sashimi plate for take out. A slew of ban chan arrived at our table within 10 - 15 minutes. Marinated cooked potatoes, deep fried seaweed, cucumber and regular kimchi, gweranjjim (boiling egg casserole), sweet and chewy fish cake strips, pickled radish, and jap chae (clear noodles fried with various vegetables) were happily greeted by us as we dug our spoons and chopsticks in. The meal came out another 15 minutes later. The wonderful sizzling sound of the cooking rice from my boyfriend's dish invited us as the cute waitress who could be my aunt brought it out. My bowl of hwe dup bap was larger than expected-- think salad tossing bowl size. It was beautiful with the dices of raw fish topped with shredded daikon and thin strips of seaweed on top. I looked to the edge of the table and grabbed the plastic bottle filled with sweet gochujang (red chili pepper paste) and generously spread it over my dish. Fresh! The kimchi pancake was also large, probably the size of a small pizza, rightfully red, crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside. A few squirts of table supplied soy sauce and it tasted better than my mom's! (Don't tell her). Miso soup was also brought out for the two of us. And something I never encountered in my entire life happened-- after I finished slurping half of my miso soup, the waitress brought us both new fresh steaming cups. What? Unheard of. But so pleasant! :) I'm beginning to think that this places actually cares about the happiness of their diners. Satisfaction! My boyfriend and I were completely in awe at how much we were enjoying ourselves. Why would anyone settle for something else more mediocre and pricy? In the end, it cost about $35 for the entire meal. After I paid with my DISCOVER card (they take Discover? What?), we were given some free sweet yogurt drinks. Sipping the ice cold yogurt and walking out, I am thinking about the next time I can come eat at this restaurant. The only reason why it doesn't get 5 stars is because it took a surprisingly long time for the food to arrive even though we were one of the only few guests. I did not mind this so much because it made me think that the restaurant didn't want to hurry me out.
(4)Na L.
This place is a gem! My boyfriend and I got a Seafood bibimbap and a beef bibimbap. They have both the cold and warm versions. It was out of this world delicious! The bibimbaps are served in clay pots that are served still sizzling. While we waited for our entrees, they served us a variety of side dishes, egg soup, miso soup, and a scallion pankcake on the house. All the waitresses were very attentive and our sidedishes were always immediately re-filled. Definitely a different level of service than Honey Pig where you have to fight to get attention. For the two of us our total came to $20.00 excluding tips. It really was a steal for all the food they gave us! If you haven't tried this place yet, then what are you waiting for!
(5)Lt. G.
Let me tell you about this place. First, lots of panchan, including a sort of steamed egg thing that was delicious, and some tasty spicy potato salad. Second, our main courses were delicious. I had stellar kimchee jjigae (listed on the menu as kimchee stew), which came in an enormous pot that seemed bottomless (and hence, magical). My friend had a blue crab soup that basically had seafood spilling out of the bowl. And the kimchee pancake, which was technically my friend's, but which I stole some of, was thick and spicy. Third, for no apparent reason at all other than the fact that this place is run by god's angels, they gave us a free delicious fish appetizer, which tasted sort of like the filling in a fish taco but better. Fourth, everything was fresh and awesome. Even the ginger that accompanied my friend's sushi seemed freshly plucked from the earth. Even the Diet Coke tasted more carbonated than usual, and as a huge fan of carbonation, I like this. Fifth, free little yogurt drinks afterwards, if you're into that sort of thing. Which I'm not, but whatever. In sum, believe me when I tell you that this place rules. We have eaten at every Korean place in the area. Every one of them. We are no virgins when it comes to Korean food; to the contrary, we've been far around the block, if you know what I mean. And we are hereby proclaiming this place our new favorite. Let it be yours as well!
(5)Josh B.
First of all, this restaurant doesn't have the name displayed in English, so if you can't read Korean (like me) you'll have to rely on the address. The staff is very very sweet, the men's bathroom is pretty bad, and the food is hit and miss. Oh, the prices are really low and it's freezing inside as well. Just a head's up. We had a very early dinner on a Friday, and were seated and served immediately. Strangely, the banchan took quite some time to arrive. They also were the weakest part of the meal, not up to the other 100 Korean places I've eaten at in NoVa, NYC, and Cali. I ordered a grilled croaker, which was actually 2 fish, perfectly cooked and delicious with no sauces needed. The accompanying spicy tofu soup, was perhaps the saltiest thing that I have ever eaten in my life. Sad. My wife and daughter split a dol sot bi bim bap, which is pretty hard to ruin, and we were given a complimentary steamed egg appetizer as well as a few sweet Korean drinks for my little daughter. The total came to $23 without tip. Amazing. Would I come back? Maybe for some grilled fish, but hold the salt please.
(3)Amy C.
A hidden gem! I'm so glad I found this place. A word of caution though...the menu is a bit hard to read if you are not korean, but don't let that deter you! It's like a mini food adventure every time I come and I'm always pleasantly surprised. Most of the people who work there don't speak english either. But I think that's what I like about the place. It's definitely authentic and not just because the dining room is filled with korean people--but authentic because it's down-to-earth and homey and cozy and it just feels like there is some old korean grandma in the kitchen cooking up all these delicious stews and dishes for you. I still have not tried the sashimi and sushi yet so I cannot speak for that, but the kitchen food is superb and the price is hard to beat. They scale the number of ban chan dishes they serve you based on how much you order, but they are very happy to refill any of them for you if you ask. I always leave with a warm fuzzy feeling inside and a full belly. I can't wait to come back to try their fresh fish and order one of those mystery Special A, B, or C's!
(5)Jason R.
The side dishes themselves would've been enough to satisfy a hungry appetite. Never have i been to another korean restaurant that served side dishes as plentiful and as thoughtful as Gaboja. My friend told me that I was in for a treat. That the food there is fresh, I would be full before the main dish came out, and that I will definitely miss this place once I'm gone. All three were true, and I was certainly not disappointed. We ordered the combo tray. But before the main attraction was brought out, we feasted on the plentiful and colorful array of side dishes. Sorry to say, but I was already full by the time the sashimi tray came out. But when you look at the plate, and the sea cucumber is still moving....it only screams, HEY, I'M FRESH! EAT ME! Simply put, this place is as good as it gets when it comes to fresh sashimi. Good price, good atmosphere, great food. Bottom line, eat here.
(4)Thi T.
They have amazing grilled fish here. We didn't try the sushi/sashimi because we didn't see anything special, just the regular rolls and fishes that you'd see at every Japanese restaurant. The side dishes here were also abundant and very good. They have a catering menu but it was entirely in Korean ... I plan to take a Korean friend here next time so she can translate for me.
(4)Barbara C.
We went here a couple weeks ago, and it was simply amazing! The service was phenomenal, and the chef sent two appetizers to the table, on the house. The meal also came with lots of little sides. We ordered bulgogi and a pork item - very spicy. We loved everything, and couldn't eat another bite. What a gem!
(5)Nick B.
LOVED everything! Cute little authentic cafe feel. Food was amazing and service was great. Glad I discovered this hidden gem!
(5)Ali T.
Excellent atmosphere, quality food & perfect service...4 1/2 stars...will return
(4)Liz P.
I went there with a pretty large group the other night for dinner and since it's already small to begin with we were seated in a room toward the back of the building. It didn't seem very clean and there were crickets which made an interesting first impression.. None of us have been there before so we ended up ordering a sashimi platter and a spicy fish soup which was recommended by our waitress. Before our order came out we got a table full of banchan which on its own with rice could have been a meal. The only ones that stood out were the fried fish with slaw and the eggs. However, everything else was ok.. When we finally got our main dishes, everything looked amazing. They offered a cut of a flounder that isn't usually available or advertised on the menu; it was the side of the flounder next to the fin. The texture was very interesting as it's a little crunchy (not what you would typically expect from sushi). Other than that, the rest of the sushi and the soup was alright. Maybe we didnt order the best thing on the menu, but from what we did order the food was just ok. If someone can convince me to go back for something else maybe I'll try it again, but I probably wont go back on my own.
(2)Yan W.
Good freaking grief! Where am I? What am I doing here? Am I in one of those small shops in Korea? The prices are so incredible... did they raise their seafood in one of those tanks up front? That's the only way it could be this cheap... Have been here a few times and had the rice and sashimi dish and the spicy crab soup. The portions were HUGE. The food was extremely fresh (I saw the chef come out and pick the blue crab from the tank and quickly dispatch it into my soup and slice my sashimi from a fish so fresh, I assume it was floppy (I didn't want to stare). The service was also spectacular - these folks were super friendly! The only thing keeping me from the 5 star is the panchan. In my opinion, it was only good, not great. Either way, both times I went, it was only about 13 dollars for a table of two. It's cheaper than fast food places nowadays. I'll definitely be back to try their other lunch specials!
(4)Brian Y.
This oddly enough this is one of my favorite Korean Restaurants. If you're the type of person and will eat anything that comes out of the ocean like me, you will love this place. They have all kinds of different delights from the sea for you to try at an affordable price. You can get Hwedupbap there during lunch hours for only $5. I repeat $5. I'm sure the other faithful reviews already mentioned it but this is not a deal, it is a steal. During lunch this place is packed with heads eating just that. They are geniuses. I don't even know why I am giving this information out. This place is small enough and I don't know how I would feel if it was super busy. I'm going to stop typing now.
(4)Glenn B.
Ordered the griled eel, various sushi, soup and all the sides. Was the best eel I've ever had and everything else was top quality. Price was reasonable and the service was great. Cannot wait torepeat.
(5)