If you're seeking good service and impeccable English, this may not be the ideal place for you. The front-of-house and kitchen are managed by a grandmother who ensures that everything you order is authentically prepared and fresh. Nestled in a small plaza, this restaurant embodies perfection and transports me back to the old K-town. I hope this spot continues to thrive and avoids being overshadowed by discourteous and entitled tourists, as it truly captures the essence of its authenticity.
YMK WEBFEST
This restaurant in Los Angeles is known for its traditional Korean food. The owner, an elderly lady, is an excellent cook, and the food is incredibly delicious, making you feel like you're eating authentic Korean cuisine in Korea. The service provided was also exceptional. The kimchi was outstanding, and the meat soup was absolutely the best.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
kim j.
Do not ever go here very dirty dining on my food has fly and she feel its nothing so disgusting
Hongchul Ahn
I had okay foods tonight. When I picked up my bill after taking a boiled beef ($27.99) and a bottle of soju($10), the total came to $50.43 probably including tax. It was okay but when I checked up the charge on my debit card at home, the total came to $60.43, although I wrote CASH in the space for tip and left a $10 bill. They couldn't get confused since I asked them to break a $20 bill for 2 $10 bills. Besides, I myself wrote the number of $50.43 in the total amount in the merchant's copy. Hence, the total tip amounted to $20, roughly 40 per cent. They cheated me by charging $10 more without obtaining my consent. Do NOT trust this restaurant!!!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 1
Tony N.
Truly amazing hole in the wall. You know it's good when the signs are only in Korean.We has the Gobchang (small intestines) Casserole, and it was one of the most delicious and well-seasoned soup I have ever had. Their homemade banchan was also out of this world. Just positives all-around. Excited to be back soon :)
Dzax H.
Been coming here for 10 years one of the best places to enjoy soups rainy day must try beef cheeks
Diana S.
Hands down my go to place and I was authentic Korean food that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. This is a small business ran by a Korean grandma and she has the magic touch. She helps with the cooking and the food here always hits the spot. Whenever I come I get the Gonjiam casserole with boiled beef on the side. Spicy pig feet salad, homemade steamed dumplings, and spicy cold noodles. Whenever you're craving that authentic Korean flavor this is the place you want to come too!!
Gee K.
where's the beef. no price on the menus either. this place has been around for years known for their cow head meat soup, but apparently from what i can gather on recent yelp reviews and other friends who frequented gonjiam in years past, ownership has changed. the older lady who seems to be the current owner here seems to have a reputation. felt like a home-y, authentic jungol (so many mom and pop places in ktown are gone now) on a chilly, december friday night around 8pm, and the restaurant was completely empty. the owner didn't particularly seem to want our business and gave me the feeling she was bothered i came in an hour before closing (yelp lists closing time at 10:30 and google lists closing at 10pm but they close at 9). it got weirder when she pushily tried influencing what i wanted to order. and not in a nice way like these are our tastiest menu items, but this is what will be least work for us before closing vibe. thought about walking out then, but i wanted to give an old korean mom and pop shop a try, and i can handle old school pushy korean adults. despite her pushy suggestion to order the boodae jjigae (military soup you can get at so many other restaurants), i told her i wanted the gonjiam jungol - a large shareable clear broth stew with white cabbage, oxtail, and ox knee. there was barely any meat and there were oxtail that was probably on the smaller tip of the tail of the cow, so tiny. i think with two diners, we had like 8 small pieces of meat each. i did take her suggestion to order the boiled beef with tossed veggies (sooyook moochim). i liked the flavor, and the dish was good, but again on the small side. we ordered these two items and a bottle of soju coming out to about $90 pre tip. i wouldn't know what each of these menu items cost because there were no prices on the wall or booklet menus. i ordered blindly knowing general prices in ktown. for the amount of protein and quantity of food, it was slightly overpriced. add more meat and charge more. geez. if you're nonkorean, i wouldn't recommend coming here. you're not going to like the gruff service. i'd only come back to try their staple item - the cow head meat soup for a quick meal or to go. but then there's so many other korean beef soup places that are more central ktown that i'd rather go to. probably won't be back.
Dexter Kim
Worst ever. The soup is too bad. The taste was like chemical soup. Also, the table was so dirty. The manager is not so kind. She was watching TV or reading a newspaper while serving.Please find other places.Parking: Too narrow
Dexter K.
Worst restaurant ever. Table is so dirty and the soup is too bad. Taste was like chemical soup.The manager is not so kind as well.
Best best best place!!! We go to this place (or make togo) once a week and tried all of the menu, never failed.
Michelle I.
always love this place and their food - perfect homemade grandma food that just hits differently. always went during dinner or like closing so there were never a lot of people but went one time during the weekday at lunch and there were alot of people. never fails to provide good food
Sunny C.
Gonjiam is an authentic Korean restaurant serving stews and various meat options. The sides (banchan) are all absolutely delicious, and I always order the Gonjiam stew when I come here. You're not going to have the best service or attentiveness that one might expect, but if you're looking for a great authentic Korean dish and experience, this is definitely the place to come to!
Ellie K
Wow, this place really does serve authentic soup! Side dishes are super delicious especially radish kimchi. Service is always good too.
Steve S.
Restaurant is named and known for beef head meat soup. I have been coming here for ages mostly take out, not much dining in. I really did not pay attention to the owner but I guess the owner has changed within the last year or two, as others have mentioned. Did not see much change in food price nor recipe. This is an alternative to sullang tang, typical Korean beef bone broth soup. Time to time, I miss having old fashioned, home cooking meals. This is one of those spot in Koreatown. Having a hot bowl of soup of beef head meat on a cold day is comforting and hearty. The only complaint are having to hear an earful of owner complaining to the meat distributer on the phone and having a ton of mosquito biting my ankles and legs under the table. It was funny to hear the owner b**** and moan in mixed Korean and English to the Hispanic on the phone how they sent her a box of beef intestines instead of beef bones. I was amazed at her command of English as she looked near age of seventy. The guy on the phone spoke less English than her. At times she had her Hispanic cook from the kitchen talk to the distributer. While eating the food and listening to the phone conversation, I completely ignored the mosquitos biting me. Do not order the dumpling. It is plain and boring and really over priced. I guess it is pricey because they hand make everything about the dumpling. At that price, I say get a bag of Bibigo pork and vegetable dumping at a Korean grocery store and boil or air fry, or better yet, pan fry with oil, and steam cook at the last couple of minutes, at home for really good dumplings. The price is decent, service is poor as the elderly lady takes order and serves the food. Borderline hole in the wall, do not expect a clean look. The parking is available morning and lunch but can be limited as the lot shares with a liquor store next door and a bar in the evening.
If you're seeking good service and impeccable English, this may not be the ideal place for you. The front-of-house and kitchen are managed by a grandmother who ensures that everything you order is authentically prepared and fresh. Nestled in a small plaza, this restaurant embodies perfection and transports me back to the old K-town. I hope this spot continues to thrive and avoids being overshadowed by discourteous and entitled tourists, as it truly captures the essence of its authenticity.
This restaurant in Los Angeles is known for its traditional Korean food. The owner, an elderly lady, is an excellent cook, and the food is incredibly delicious, making you feel like you're eating authentic Korean cuisine in Korea. The service provided was also exceptional. The kimchi was outstanding, and the meat soup was absolutely the best.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Do not ever go here very dirty dining on my food has fly and she feel its nothing so disgusting
I had okay foods tonight. When I picked up my bill after taking a boiled beef ($27.99) and a bottle of soju($10), the total came to $50.43 probably including tax. It was okay but when I checked up the charge on my debit card at home, the total came to $60.43, although I wrote CASH in the space for tip and left a $10 bill. They couldn't get confused since I asked them to break a $20 bill for 2 $10 bills. Besides, I myself wrote the number of $50.43 in the total amount in the merchant's copy. Hence, the total tip amounted to $20, roughly 40 per cent. They cheated me by charging $10 more without obtaining my consent. Do NOT trust this restaurant!!!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 1
Truly amazing hole in the wall. You know it's good when the signs are only in Korean.We has the Gobchang (small intestines) Casserole, and it was one of the most delicious and well-seasoned soup I have ever had. Their homemade banchan was also out of this world. Just positives all-around. Excited to be back soon :)
Been coming here for 10 years one of the best places to enjoy soups rainy day must try beef cheeks
Hands down my go to place and I was authentic Korean food that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. This is a small business ran by a Korean grandma and she has the magic touch. She helps with the cooking and the food here always hits the spot. Whenever I come I get the Gonjiam casserole with boiled beef on the side. Spicy pig feet salad, homemade steamed dumplings, and spicy cold noodles. Whenever you're craving that authentic Korean flavor this is the place you want to come too!!
where's the beef. no price on the menus either. this place has been around for years known for their cow head meat soup, but apparently from what i can gather on recent yelp reviews and other friends who frequented gonjiam in years past, ownership has changed. the older lady who seems to be the current owner here seems to have a reputation. felt like a home-y, authentic jungol (so many mom and pop places in ktown are gone now) on a chilly, december friday night around 8pm, and the restaurant was completely empty. the owner didn't particularly seem to want our business and gave me the feeling she was bothered i came in an hour before closing (yelp lists closing time at 10:30 and google lists closing at 10pm but they close at 9). it got weirder when she pushily tried influencing what i wanted to order. and not in a nice way like these are our tastiest menu items, but this is what will be least work for us before closing vibe. thought about walking out then, but i wanted to give an old korean mom and pop shop a try, and i can handle old school pushy korean adults. despite her pushy suggestion to order the boodae jjigae (military soup you can get at so many other restaurants), i told her i wanted the gonjiam jungol - a large shareable clear broth stew with white cabbage, oxtail, and ox knee. there was barely any meat and there were oxtail that was probably on the smaller tip of the tail of the cow, so tiny. i think with two diners, we had like 8 small pieces of meat each. i did take her suggestion to order the boiled beef with tossed veggies (sooyook moochim). i liked the flavor, and the dish was good, but again on the small side. we ordered these two items and a bottle of soju coming out to about $90 pre tip. i wouldn't know what each of these menu items cost because there were no prices on the wall or booklet menus. i ordered blindly knowing general prices in ktown. for the amount of protein and quantity of food, it was slightly overpriced. add more meat and charge more. geez. if you're nonkorean, i wouldn't recommend coming here. you're not going to like the gruff service. i'd only come back to try their staple item - the cow head meat soup for a quick meal or to go. but then there's so many other korean beef soup places that are more central ktown that i'd rather go to. probably won't be back.
Worst ever. The soup is too bad. The taste was like chemical soup. Also, the table was so dirty. The manager is not so kind. She was watching TV or reading a newspaper while serving.Please find other places.Parking: Too narrow
Worst restaurant ever. Table is so dirty and the soup is too bad. Taste was like chemical soup.The manager is not so kind as well.
Restaurantji Recommends
Best best best place!!! We go to this place (or make togo) once a week and tried all of the menu, never failed.
always love this place and their food - perfect homemade grandma food that just hits differently. always went during dinner or like closing so there were never a lot of people but went one time during the weekday at lunch and there were alot of people. never fails to provide good food
Gonjiam is an authentic Korean restaurant serving stews and various meat options. The sides (banchan) are all absolutely delicious, and I always order the Gonjiam stew when I come here. You're not going to have the best service or attentiveness that one might expect, but if you're looking for a great authentic Korean dish and experience, this is definitely the place to come to!
Wow, this place really does serve authentic soup! Side dishes are super delicious especially radish kimchi. Service is always good too.
Restaurant is named and known for beef head meat soup. I have been coming here for ages mostly take out, not much dining in. I really did not pay attention to the owner but I guess the owner has changed within the last year or two, as others have mentioned. Did not see much change in food price nor recipe. This is an alternative to sullang tang, typical Korean beef bone broth soup. Time to time, I miss having old fashioned, home cooking meals. This is one of those spot in Koreatown. Having a hot bowl of soup of beef head meat on a cold day is comforting and hearty. The only complaint are having to hear an earful of owner complaining to the meat distributer on the phone and having a ton of mosquito biting my ankles and legs under the table. It was funny to hear the owner b**** and moan in mixed Korean and English to the Hispanic on the phone how they sent her a box of beef intestines instead of beef bones. I was amazed at her command of English as she looked near age of seventy. The guy on the phone spoke less English than her. At times she had her Hispanic cook from the kitchen talk to the distributer. While eating the food and listening to the phone conversation, I completely ignored the mosquitos biting me. Do not order the dumpling. It is plain and boring and really over priced. I guess it is pricey because they hand make everything about the dumpling. At that price, I say get a bag of Bibigo pork and vegetable dumping at a Korean grocery store and boil or air fry, or better yet, pan fry with oil, and steam cook at the last couple of minutes, at home for really good dumplings. The price is decent, service is poor as the elderly lady takes order and serves the food. Borderline hole in the wall, do not expect a clean look. The parking is available morning and lunch but can be limited as the lot shares with a liquor store next door and a bar in the evening.