Gaju Gimbap

Do not go here. Worst service. Extremely disrespectful to the customers. What a joke. Food is also mediocre but the price is expensive. The owner should really change the cashier.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Gaju Kimbap!!
This is the best kimbap spot in LA!

It’s not particularly fancy or flashy—it’s just like the kimbap your mom would make. There’s nothing overly special about it, but the seasoning of the ingredients is just right, and everything blends together perfectly. Plus, the prices are still very affordable, making it a comfortable place to enjoy a meal, even on your own.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 5

Service: 3

Recommended dishes: Cheese Gimbap and Rice Noodle Soup, Tuna Kimbap, Ham Gimbap

자타공인 LA를 먹여살려온 가성비 김밥 투고 맛집 get ham / tuna / bulgogi - try some freshly made kimbap here.
Taste 5 times better than the frozen ones.

Price may higher, but it’s double portion box (2 rolls) than typical Korean kimbap place in Korea, and taste double times better (eat right away within few hours) & authentic.

It’s the perfect location to shop for grocery and take a box to go to eat right away when you get hungry. 😋
a box of this kimbap is actually portion of two rolls & you can order half-and-half flavor as well.

Vegetarian options: You can ask for a vegetarian menu (veggie kimbap & kimchi kimbap - if you are ok with seafood marinating)

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Ham Gimbap

The kimbap is delicious, but the banquet noodles are made with too much kimchi.
It doesn't work. Next time, I'll either not put it in or put in just a little bit.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 3

I had an extremely unpleasant experience with the lady making gimbap at this supermarket. Despite clearly asking her for freshly made gimbap, she pretended to comply and made me wait for ten minutes, only to hand me a pre-made, cold, and unappetizing roll.

Her attitude throughout the interaction was shockingly rude and dismissive. It felt as though she had no regard for customer satisfaction or basic courtesy.

While I think the supermarket itself is great, this experience has completely soured my impression. I’m genuinely hesitant to return because of this unprofessional and disrespectful behavior. This kind of service is unacceptable and should be addressed seriously.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

If you eat squid rice bowl and banquet noodles, you will lose 5 points. It's too much for elementary school students, so prepare a drink.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Tucked in the back corner of the grocery store is some bomb kimbap. You get a free bowl of soup if you dine in. The woman taking orders was so patient with me and kind. We got tuna kimbaps and walked away so happy.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

They have various kinds of Korean food. Good taste n reasonable price of the food.
No tip is required. Free parking

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Spicy Squid

TLDR: great gimbap for a reasonable price, extremely rude and borderline shady practice.

For a long time I've actually been recommending Gaju Gimbap a lot. However, my last visit as well as those by friends and family were severely disappointing.

The food is great as always. They have a whole crew in the back that makes some of the most amazing kimbaps ever. Very little rice, which is always a plus, and full of the ingredients. Not too salty at all, and the rice is perfectly fluffy without being too wet. FYI, all of the kimbaps go through the same cutting machine from what I was able to see, so if you're someone who's vegetarian or vegan I'd keep that in mind.

The service, or lack thereof. As a Korean I'm acutely familiar with and am fully immersed in the culture. However, this was just not it. The cashiers were having some issues with the person checking out just before me with their card or something, and the issue seemed to go on for well around 10 or so minutes. I wasn't in a rush for anything and although I saw my food ready I didn't want to bother them. One of the ladies (one who wears her glasses all the way down the bridge of her nose) then looked at the order sheet multiple times and seemed to go back and fourth with adding and then removing the kimbaps. But I figured they probably had a whole system and knew what they were doing so I just waited until they were ready. She then called up my number and I just verified that this was the 4 kimbaps and 1 noodle I ordered. I asked because they were split into two containers and one singular roll, so I wanted to make sure there wasn't one missing or something. She then got quite short with me, then said in a rather sharp and purposefully slowed voice "do you see this one, this one, and this one? huh? they're all in here, jeez!". I was taken aback but having seen the card altercation they had 10 minutes prior I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt, thanked her for verifying, and requested 5 pairs of chopsticks (we ordered enough for 5 people and were going to share).

She then goes "FIVE? FIVE CHOPSTICKS? Why do you need FIVE chopsticks to eat this?" and at this point I got really annoyed because I felt like requesting five sets of utensils for a large order of this size was completely reasonable (I mean, otherwise how does one eat the noodles?) and it's quite literally written on their wall "Utensils for to-go orders will not be provided unless requested". So for being respectful of their policy and following their directions I was told off.

I then explained that we had five people total that were sharing and that we planned to eat using chopsticks. She then continued to comment "I just don't understand why you'd even need FIVE chopsticks but whatever". She then asked if I was buying anything from the Gaju market. I wasn't, and it was such a random question that I asked her "No, but how is this relevant?" and she said "well if you are, then you can ask the cashiers for utensils when you check out. that way it doesn't come out of OUR supply and it just goes out from the market's". So I told her, "well but I would still be buying the kimbap to eat from your store and not the market itself, so the need for a utensil would come as a result of the items that your store sells rather than other unrelated products I might be buying from the market". Then she put on a very condescending face and said "Hahaha I'm trying to teach you that when you DO buy from the market you need to do that so the chopsticks won't be coming out from our shop, okay? Like do you get it now?"

I couldn't believe that this lady was trying to school me into saving like what - 7 cents at most for her shop? by exploiting the market they were renting out of. All that for five chopsticks like please. It was such a ridicu

Food: 4

Service: 1

We got lucky that we got a table without waiting much during busy lunch time on weekend. Their food was pretty amazing for the price and we were pretty stuffed. Oh! I have to mention that their kimchi was absolutely amazing. I don’t remember when was the last time we less than $20 for two people so it was a great deal and I would love to go back when I get a chance!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Tuna, Janchi Noodle Soup

Kimbap and jjolmyeon are delicious. But I wish I could be a little kinder.

Kimbap and jjolmyeon are delicious. But I wish I could be a little kinder.

The two ladies at the front took my order. I noticed all the people who came after me getting their orders before me. I asked them why it’s taking so long. They said it usually takes 15-20 minutes. I said it has been more than 20 minutes. When I asked for a refund my food was ready. My daughter was watching all this and thought it was so funny.
The two Korean ladies never apologized. They were like two teenage bullies you see in k drama but older.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 3

Service: 1

When I reordered because they gave me kimbap that was different from what I ordered, they made me wait my turn as if I was ordering a new one and then handed me the kimbap and didn't say a word of apology.The kimbap is decent for the price and the ingredients are decent, but the service is so-so.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 3

The best kimbap restaurant in LABanquet noodles too

Food: 5