Reviews of Shin Chon Restaurant (Restaurant)

Don H

Great quality barbecue meat and all around good Korean food. The fresh beef rib meat (saeng galbi) is delicious. Although a little pricey, the barbecue is worth the trip.

Andrew Steven

Beautiful restaurant. Beautiful food. Beautiful service. Most of all they didn't charge me for extra eggs in my Bimbibab.

Crystal Samoya

The line was long, but definitely worth the wait! The food was so goooood! :)

John Cho

This is what we call "The real korean food!!!". Awesome food and service!!!

Housna

Bad service. Food was bad too. Never again

Fidel Benitez

Compare to other Korean BBQ places I've been to it's an expensive place for Korean BBQ. Food was ok a little bland compared to the food I've experienced during my time living in Korea and the amount of food is very small. Service was good. Prices are ridiculous on the meats and the amount is very small. I was confronted by the manager for not tiping more than 20%. I explained my reasoning behind it but she seem to not care. Hope they reconsider their prices and maybe let people know upfront that they need to pay 20% if not they will be harrassed prior to leaving.

John Chubb

Check out our table photo after dinner, not a morsel of food left over...all the five family members enjoyed. We had a mix of spicy and mild so all loved the choices.

Lyza Minelli

I always have a great time, they work very hard and you can tell by their food! Their food is very fresh and Ive been going there for years!

Ernest Barretta

Authentic Korean BBQ - friendly, attentive service

Eric Towles

Service was excellent and everything tasted great. The staff was always there for refills on drinks or sides. The inside was also very authentic with Korean artwork and music. Will definitely be visiting again.

Ng

Staff was amazing and very friendly! Service was exceptional and loved the traditional Korean bbq. The turtle shaped grill was so unique! The fan above the grill helped with the clothes from smelling afterwards- overall the experience was great; highly recommended!!

Mai-Phuong Trinh

Good food except the wait

Andrew Kreller

Amazing food, amazing service!!!!

Taylor Carr

This is an awesome Korean Barbecue! My sisters go for their birthday every year. The food is great and so is the service. They give a lot of side dishes and the portions are a good size. It is great for big groups, we just went with 15 people and got the barbecue. It came out to about $25 per person. It is a little on the expensive side, but worth it for a quality Korean meal. One of the fun points of this place is the wall that you can write or draw on. Look for our drawings!!

Dina Cuevas

Great for beginners especially when it's not busy, the staff is super friendly and will explain how to cook and eat according to tradition. Food is delicious too. Overall an amazing experience!!

Wes Murray

First time at a Korean BBQ joint, it was awesome and I will be back! If you've never been before they bring the raw meat to the table and cook it on a grill in front of you. They also will bring a bunch of different smaller bite type things around for you to try with your meal.

황광룡

This is Korean restaurant. Korean BBQ is good.

Erin K

Everything is always delicious here. The meat is super high quality and the banchan is tasty. It might not be the cheapest option but you get a good atmosphere and the service has always been quick and friendly. Would bring my friends here to show off Korean bbq before anywhere else.

Robin Warden

Excellent, always

Ana Fernandez

Simply delicious food

Taejoon Baek

If you are Korean and want to eat korean food..

Mico Villena

They're what to expect from a Korean Buffet. Portions are good and appetizers keep on coming. Awesome meat cuts. Love the part they give Yakult yogurt milk for dessert and palette cleanser. A good way to have a taste of the Korean experience. Happy to know Korean buffets exist even in the USA.

E L

Their marinated galbi is amazing!

Jamie Alpers

Best Korean food in the area (yes its better than Honey Pig)

Chen Huang

One of the best Korean BBQ restaurant. Do have a time limit now.

The Alex that's worse than Alex

Came here with friends and family. I got a 'family for 4' combo/meal for 8/7 people. (We had 8 people, but 1 ordered bimbimbap.) It turns out that the 'family for 4' combo is actually good for 8/7 people. The portion(s) was/were absolutely massive. The sides were as expected- The average selection you would get from a Korean restaurant. At the end, they gave us something your kids might be crazy for: Yogurt Flavored Drink. If you've ever been to any Asian market, you've probably seen it. Servers were very cheerful and helpful. Service: Can't be measured/10 - no comments Food: 10/10 - I think the food is good, if not great, for the price. Random stuff: 10/10 - whatever

Hak Kim

Owner is very nice

John Ryan

This is our favorite Korean restaurant in the area. The food is always good and the staff is so nice and friendly. Never a bad time here.

Soo Mi Kang

Great Food, prices are a bit high.

Tamara Carr

We have been going here every year for my birthday for 4 years now. We love shin chon! The amount of side dishes is intense and the bbq options are great. I've only ever ordered from their Korean menu, but it is so good. The prices are a but high, but they give such large portions. The restaurant is very family friendly. They have more private rooms for large groups

Mr. Lee

I wish the gilbi would be cut lean but i love it different variety of side dishes

Electronics Developer

There are only 2 korean places to eat in ellicott city now june 2018. This one and Hang ah ri. I simply dont understand why other korean rsstaurentss make food....I mean food...the food you can't feed your own child.

Unanimous Unknown

Weird management after owner changed. I called at 5pm placed and order to be picked up at 6pm. She told me to call back at 5:40pm.

Dhruba jyoti Das

Good korean traditional food. Staff good.

Anne A.

This is a little pricier than the KBBQ place down the street, but I prefer it. The food quality is better and there's more banchan served with the barbecue. The ladies are helpful and always check to make sure you don't overcook your meat. I've been going here for more than a decade and have always enjoyed my dining experience.

Paul Jung

Edible food, terrible service.

Christina Cosio

The food was wonderful. But beyond that, the wait staff was very kind and patient. I was/am not familiar with Korean cuisine. Our waitress took the time to explain what I needed to know, and made me feel welcome. All of this inspite of the fact that the restaurant was very busy.

Christi Tran

Wonderful traditional Korean BBQ restaurant with all the bells and whistles of Banchan and service. Quality and variety of menu, you get what you pay for!! Well done, I will be back!

park jin

after their ownership was changed, the side foods is getting so simple and tiny amounts. And meat amount is less than before. however the new owner and employees are so nice.

Charlie Song

Fresh meat Galbi Korean bbq...!! And good service....!!

Lily Quinn

Great food and service. It is a little on the expensive side, but worth it for a quality Korean meal. Food temperature was excellent and the service was fast.

Sabine Burton

We like the authentic dishes and the always special side dishes they offer before the meal. They are always fresh. The staff is super friendly and they work hard to get you seated and get your dinner to you quickly.

Brian Ro

Little pricey, but good Korean BBQ.

Martha Kennedy

Delicious place! Probably the best bulgogi in town.

yiru lee

Went there for dinner with two other people. The food was alright but the service was terrible. They only focus on the big table or BBQ. For my visit, I feel i was totally ignored. My order took forever to arrive, no water and side dish refill at all.

Thomas Howard

The best Korean bbq spot around. The meat quality and bonchon is super fresh.

Bong Joon Kim

One of worst sushi I have ever tasted. Basically don’t know what the sushi and rolls are.

Jo.s

really good meat place. meat quality is good.

Uri Yoo

Quality food. Pricy. Service could use a smiling face.

Evan Rowley

Best option in the area for traditional Korean. The quality is in the ingredients and preperation. Look for an Americanized KBBQ (i.e., one with an English name) if you prefer sweeter Bulgogi & louder music.

Ray Quinn

This is the best place for Korean BBQ

Elaysha Harris

This is the second time we had been here and they are good and friendly.

Carl Robinson

Great food. Plenty of food. Staff quick to help.

Salim Hassan

Pretty good place to eat! They have a lot of unusual options, and the BBQ tables are a neat experience.

David DeBates

Always great traditional Korean food.

lee pak

Terrible. Their restroom was closed and told us to go to Lote grocery store to use. Didn't say sorry for the inconvenience caused because there restroom was out of order. We spent closed three hundred dollars there. Food was ok buy service was no good.Do not recommend any one.

T C

Nice and courteous staffs, variety of food to choose from. Only downside is that most of times there's a wait. You can call ahead on certain times and it's strongly recommend. Also they only have one toilet per for men and one for women so usually there's also a line to use the restroom.

Stanley Salamon

Great service! Everyone was so friendly and the food was amazing! Love that kimchi!

Arlysse Furlow

The Dolsot Bibim Bop was delicious and so was the chicken Teriyaki.

chris lefever

Friendly service and great food. Ordered way too much as always but it was an enjoyable evening with friends.

Justin Fox

Fresh, fast paced. Super clean for Korean BBQ. It's my goto spot.

Oshia Slayden

Traditional Korean dinner available with knowledgeable and welcoming staff. Best Korean restaurant I've ever been to. Make reservations on Fri night and weekend. It's pretty popular!

Jin Jou Meighen

Great Korean dining experience. I have been coming to Shin Chon for many years. The food is consistently delicious with good portions and generous side dishes. The staff here is very dedicated to the customers, always polite and pleasant. I often come here to dine with friends from all different ethnic backgrounds for a special dining treat. We all enjoy the Korean dishes. Best Korean restaurant in the region.

Stephanie

So good! Decided to do the combo for 4 ppl for $115. At first it looked like there wasn't enough meat (we always go to a AYCE) but surprisingly it was just right. The servers were attentive and very courteous and the food was phenomenal. The quality of meat is definitely better than an AYCE place. Will be coming back for sure.

Jenny Brown

Very good authentic Korean food, reminds me of when I've been stationed to Korea, and also studied there in the past. Feels like the place was picked up by a giant in Seoul and dropped here. Complete with the table button you press for service (the wait staff will mostly leave you alone unless you press the button, as is common in Korea) and the little digestive aid yogurt drinks after your meal. Only gripe is that we always have to ask for rice, but it may be because other white people don't eat their bap (rice) and the restaurant doesn't want to waste rice. Have eaten here several times over the course of several years and is always good.

Snow Rhee

Amazing 10/10. There kalbi is amazing!

Bradley Garrett

Unique experience - they cook the meat you order at your table. Tons of included side dishes too. It gets very busy so come early or be prepared to wait

robert morse

The server was very helpful.

Nicholas Roy

Honest to the reviewer below, maybe you should not got out to $100 dollar meals if you can't tip properly. I've ate here and it's a lot more work then waiting tables somewhere else, I can't even believe how something would think 5% is even remotely close to a reasonable tip. If you can't afford to tip you shouldn't be going out.

Jean David

As inattentive service for Korean barbecue as you can get. $$$$$$$$lPRICEY and BAD taste after $87 plus tips for only 3 items . Gamey meat dripping with fat came out 40 minutes late brought to wrong table first and passed off to us after we hailed waitress to our table without apologies YUCK. Again No apologies by waitress here for soup dish 20 minutes later only a smirk like did they did you a favor by even feeding you. You need to re-train owners not staff on etiquette and manners. It's supposed to be a restaurant not a mess hall. There are tons of great places in Ellicott city, this has to one the worst ,hands down.

William Dyer

We had a table of 5 and ate through an entire giant turtle platter of Kalbi, pork and bulgogi, plus all the bonchon. The restaurant was packed and I would highly recommend getting reservations or coming super early. Everything is delicious and you can’t go wrong!

Michael Jimenez

As others have said, pricey, but you get ebay you pay for. The meats, stew and noodles are all great options. Don't be afraid to use the table button to get their attention, and the side dishes can always get refilled if your jonesing for more (great) kimchi

Sean O'Brien

Delicious food, but a bit pricey compared to all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ options nearby.

Steve Hayes

Excellent service! Phenomenal Food! Exceptional company!

Tony Moore

Great wait staff. Food was good. Will be back.

Jakub Jencik

Great atmosphere & attentative staff. Duck was a bit on the dry side. The rest of the food was awesome.

Daniel Saidman

Fantastic food. Duck was phenomenal. Brisket was the bee's knees. Wear loose pants.

choing qu

Just another korean bbq place with mediocre food. They use too much seasoning in everything and you will leave this place feeling salted up. There's not much of good korean options in the DMV area... Move up to NY for much better options. If you end up going here I would recommend getting beef instead of pork. Pork seemed a bit off putting.

천수현

The place used to be great with the previous owner. Tonight we visited again, there was no hostess at the door like usual and we had to wade through a crowd of people and talk to people at the register. We are used to the wait time, so that didn’t bother us. We ordered food and the waitress was extremely snappy and rude to both my friends and my wife. Was trying to eat and the waitress was constantly in my face and bumping into me when I was trying to eat, which ruined the entire experience. We all left very angry and extremely dissatisfied. They lost a repeat customer tonight.

Matt Patterson

Fantastic Korean restaurant! The service was good; servers were attentive and pleasant.

The food was fresh and very tasty. Shin Chon has vent hoses above the grills that keep the restaurant tidy. We had pork belly and bulgolgi. Everything was very fresh. Plus the grill was in the shape of a turtle!

I would absolutely come back and would recommend to others!

VT Al

Great for dine in Korean dinnner.

Amelia Mingo

Great food, great service.

David Lee

Great food. Great people. Highly recommend it

Daniel Everitt

This is, by far, the best tasting Korean food I have had!!! Service is attentive, food is ample, truly delicious, atmosphere can be busy, because place is packed at lunchtime. You will not leave hungry. Recommend getting a table with a grill, the pork belly is my favorite!!

Bilal Badar

Always great service and food.

Gregory Davis

Great food and tableside grilling!

KF Wood

I love love this place! Very hospitable staff/owner. Super delicious food, fast service and very friendly staff.I love it when they acknowledge me when I try to speak Korean. :-)

Amanda Dowd

The Korean food here is authentic and extremely delicious!! Gets pretty busy around peak times but it's always worth the wait. Great service and great food every time. Highly recommend the bbq.

Joe Bello

I miss this restaurant so much. Enjoy it if you can.

Zaya

Food was fine, but service was absolutely awful. We sat down and were brought ice waters, which was great. It was cold outside so we asked for hot barley tea from two servers and got nothing. On the 3rd request, the waitress took our ice waters without saying anything and dropped it off at a table that needed to be bussed. I was so confused about this and waited for her to come back. When she brought the teas, I asked for the ice water back. She basically ignored me. We waived down another server to ask for two glasses of water, to which, she rolled her eyes. We eventually got the ice water, but we were completely thrown off by the service. It’s one thing to forget a patrons request, but to intentionally ignore and blatantly roll your eyes?! Never again.

ann christopher

It's amazing how much food they keep bringing out

g webb

Very nice authentic Korean BBQ restaurant. Ask for a table with a grill if you want BBQ. Reasonable prices for high quality food.

Eui Jeong Lee

Waitress are kind

S. Lee

Always satisfying!

COL PARK

They don't know how to handle with the waiting list. Poor customer management !!!

Patricia Bilich

So much food!!! A really great place!

sweluni polumi

I went with a group of friends for my first time here. The atmosphere is casual and family friendly. The food is very fresh and service fast and polite; the turtle shaped grill was adorable. The price is on the high side though.

sang jung

Not bad. So so service. I have to cook the barbeque myself bc hard to find the servers.

Korren Golden

Great soju! Good food! Great price!

Kang T

We love the taste and quality of food in this restaurant. It is one of my casual Korean restaurants to eat at. One thing I will say is that the staff in this restaurant is always rushing tables to eat fast so they can clean up. I never feel relaxed in here while I am eating but I tolerate it because the quality is great. Hope they learn to let people take their time while eating especially since they are higher in price.

Suk Chon McMillan

I normally go here about once a month, but the last couple months its been very good. Intestine soup is really great, and so are the side dishes.

Jennifer Greenslit

This was very fun and tasty! It was my first Korean BBQ experience, and I loved it. The server was helpful with suggested combinations—good for a first-timer. Everything was delicious!

Jayme Newell

Highest quality kor food. Best value is when dining with a group as portion sizes are grand and you with a group you can have more variety in your choices.

Peter Kim

Delicious food. Always get the jajamyun, tan sook yook, and kampungi. I have always gone to this spot for many years and glad they are still in business. Alot has changed in the area so it's great to see a familiar spot in the area.

kevin nguyen

Service was ok and atmosphere was very loud but that comes with Korean bbq. The food itself was plain. We ordered the calbi and it tasted old and over marinated. Would not recommend

jae lee

Decent food and service. More expensive than other places probably for its prime location. Place is packed at dinner time and you will likely have to wait. They dont take reservations either. This isnt where i would go if i had other options.

Jeffry Kang

I recommend the beef rib soup!

Dora Bingeman

Love this place. Can't say enough good things about it.

Bianca Chang

Arrive early to avoid Friday evening crowd. Good food!

Philippe Bouvier

Delicious place! Probably the best bulgogi in town. One star for the pricing.. It feels unreasonably priced for the area and surrounding establishments.

Francesca Angeles

Went here on a Sunday afternoon. The interior of the place is so neat! Food temperature was excellent and the service was fast. Variety of appetizers too as soon as you take your order. Ordered bulgogi, samgyupsal, and salmon sushi. Everything was amazing!! Check out was so fast too!!

Najad Tuffaha

Authentic very good Korean

Liza Clay

Don't get me wrong the food was decently good, however the waitress chased us down because they weren't satisfied with the amount we tipped them. Our bill was $100 and we tipped $5, geez really I'm sorry we couldn't give more. But to literally chased us/followed us to our car and stand in front of our car and block us from leaving! We've never been forced to pay a certain amount when giving a tip we've seen "suggested tips amounts". This was literally a crazy first time experience with this restaurant.

Richard Snyder

The food is undeniably amazing. The service is a bit confusing and when you go in initially you'll have to make yourself known. Also there is always a wait. That's not a negative, it's a testament to how good the food is.

A google User

They pretty much seat Koreans first even when you are first in line. It doesn’t matter. Service is bad.

Donald Tan

Quite expensive, compared to other Korean BBQ restaurant.

Lauren Cano

Not impressed by this place. Food overpriced. Service was mediocre. If I'm going to be rushed and told my daughter she needs to move. I may as well go to honey pig. At least they have the tasty dipping sauce. We will not be returning.

Abir Chowdhury

Deliciously consistent Korean food ! Good BBQ selection too ! Don't forget to get some Soju !

Kent Meyer

Best side dishes around!

Keb

Good homestyle korean food, all round delicious. Pleasent interior although the music can be alittle loud. Servers were attentive at the start of our meal but lacking near the end.

Alejandro Gómez

First time here and loved it!!! Friendly service and delicious food!!! We'll be back!!

Karyn Ard

Staff is not the friendliest but the food is great

Miranda Jessup

Nice staff and food is fresh. The beef bulgogi is amazing. Hidden gem in Ellicott City.

Tammy Park

Definitely the best Korean food in town

Robert Couey

My favorite Korean restaurant in the area. The side dishes are really top notch!

Jason LaBarr

Best Korean restaurant on the east coast

Jin Kim

Good food and good service.

Tim King

Had some delicious sinus-clearing spicy soup here just the other day and it rocked. The banchan was tasty and while the service was a little slow, it wasn't really an issue and they comped us with a free dish without us even saying anything. Didn't do the BBQ but will next time because it looked and smelled great.

Michelle Maryland

Great food and good portions. Most staff are friendly.

Sonia Garcia

Service was a bit slow, food was pretty standard korean fare.

Steve Y

Friends took us here for our first time having Korean BBQ and it was fantastic! Everything we had was flavorful and delicious. We don't speak a lick of Korean so I know when we go back, we'll have a hard time ordering everything again but it's worth the effort!

Sang Lee

Food is okay here, but overpriced. Unfortunately there isn't another Korean restaurant that offers a similar menu.

Ed Roberts

Great food and service

Carlo Eduardo Salem

Pricey but quality is high and service is very good

Anthony Savaglia

The best Korean BBQ in the area

Robert Van Voorhees

Loses one star due to the fact it's usually very crowded, so service can be somewhat delayed. It's crowded for a reason, though, and that's the best Korean BBQ in the area.

Alan Tu

Excellent fresh kbbq. The meats were fresh and seasone well. We got the 4 person combo which is pretty pricey but there are a plethora of sides including: steamed egg and kimchi tofu soup. Pork belly is a must and the taste is too good.

Amar Gupta

One of the best korean restaurants near baltimore area.

Sang H. Kim

Very popular local Korean BBQ spot. Serving staffs are very friendly. Just be prepared to wait during dinner time... This place can get very crowded.

Tom Shen

Cold noodle and bbq Galbi should get married.

John Gillespie

Everything we had was delicious. Got the short ribs BBQ style. All the sides that come with the main course we're great.

Fred B

A fun time

TenZ Nguyen

This place has very good quality meat and bbq compared to another bbq places (Iron Age ir Honey pig) around the area. The customer service is pretty nice. They came and greet us. They even suggested us what type we should choose. One of the ladies show us how to eat it. This place has a lot of small dishes compare to Iron Age. The downside is that they just give us 2 kind of sauces: sesame oil with salt and pepper, red sauce. The price is about the same with other places if you divided to the number of people. When you go to all you can eat korean bbq, you will pay around $25/ person but the meat does not quality. We chose the option for 2 people with has 2 kind of meats: beef brisket, and cubes of boneless prime short ribs. This option included steamed egg and another soup (I don't know what the name of that soup), and a lot of small dishes. My favorite small dish is the small fishes one. We were all full with the 2 people portion. The price for the 2 people portion is about $53 ($26/ person) but you have more small dishes and 2 soups, and the meat is more quality than all you can eat bbq. Those ladies were pretty nice and friendly, they will guide you and explain for you about the food.

Chad Burger

Food was great, but the service was interesting. As the waitresses served the food they were ordering us to move plates and glasses to allow them to bring more food. It made the dining experience feel awkward.

Joseph Chen

The Korean BBQ was quite good. I went to this place at the recommendation of a Korean friend and after reading the other reviews. I wanted to avoid a long wait so dined here on a Monday rather than the weekend. I didn't think it any better or worse than Honey Pig which a lot of other reviewers have compared it to. I didn't see a menu online prior to visiting so I uploaded photos of the menu for others when considering this restaurant. If I have the time, I might return for a lunch special to try a few other items from the menu. I enjoyed their bulgogi and pork belly during my visit. The price is pretty much what you expect for Korean BBQ in the area.

maria millan

Great food!!! Super big portions, 3 people eat from 1 plate

M Reaves

If you aren't Korean you are a second class citizen at this place. They would not seat 4 of us and seated others first. So we left and won't be back. Honey Pig is so much better and more friendly.

Paul Spenard

Food was fine. Service was a little off today.

Jp 04

Meats are delicious

Terry White

The service and food were both good.

David Johnson

This place has been the go to for countless occasions, fancy or casual. The service is kind and quick, the quality of the food is excellent, and the prices are fair for what you are eating. If you think Honey Pig is real Korean BBQ, treat yourself to Shin Chon instead.

Hannah Fisher-Giles

We went with our two kids (3 and 18 months) and the service was amazing and they catered to the kids so much! Not from the area but we will be back!

Rashedul C

The best Korean BBQ in town! Nobody else compares! Great service and excellent food. A must in Ellicott City!

Kevin

LOVED their galbi tang. Perfect meal for a rainy day. Bibimbap was pretty good as well, and our meal came with a steamed egg as well!

Megan Rabideau

Loads of fun; loved it and the multitude of dishes, sides and BBQ .

Hing Mai

Everything was great, we got beef brisket and marinade beef for the bbq, and I like the air suction there to suck all the grease air away. The beef and radish soup was pretty good too.

Daniel Nam

Though there is often a line during prime hours, the korean meats here are top notch. As a native korean, appreciate the food, service, and vibrant ambiance. Getting the korean ribs are a must! The complimentary bean curd stew and egg steam dishes, as well as their kimchi, are really good. Recommend for a family outing or a night out.