Reviews of MARU Korean Restaurant and Bar (Restaurant)

snagillum x

The food is delicous, friendly service. I'm going back for more

Spencer Lambert

Sadly, GrubHub has eroded the quality of this relatively good Korean restaurant, as it has many other local favorites. The kitchen and service staff now has to contend with two or three times the number of orders, with no discernible increase in staffing. The result can be an unpleasant dining-on-premises experience. For one thing, they often run out of favorites like fried chicken. For another, service is slow and sloppy as the kitchen struggles to keep up and the overworked servers deal with dozens of take-out orders. The food is still good... IF they haven't run out of what you want or forgot what you ordered, and IF you don't mind waiting for your food while GrubHub orders take precedence.

Long Rider

Modern take on some classics Korean dishes. They have Army Stew, but wife chose bulgogi stew and it was fantastic. Great flavors, very good lunch prices, and great friendly service.

Paul Krebs

Great meal. Kimchi fried rice was terrific and the Udon noodles were well seasoned and well portioned. Give this restaurant a chance! The service was fast and quick and Qui-Gon was a true professional as a waiter!

Jim Safley

A good Korean restaurant in Charlottesville's downtown mall? Absolutely! Traditional fare and drink with some updated flavors, you must try this small and lively chef-owned-and-operated restaurant. Share a bottle of soju or makkoli and enjoy yourself!

Elisa Ferrante

Pretty good experience overall but the servers could stand to be a little friendlier and personable. They looked like they were extremely unhappy/angry. Despite that, the food is excellent and very flavorful. Very traditional dishes that are well executed. The space is beautifully renovated. For those with babies, there was no changing table in the bathroom so that's something to consider.

Dermina Vasc

Very tasty food, and not expensive.

Phil Sheridan

I have to admit I don't know much about Korea food. I have heard about Kimchi. But Maru is a fantastic restaurant. Place was full, but a server saw to us very quickly. Service was great, food was delicious, and portions were fairly large-- and above all it was cheap. Atmosphere was classy and clean. There are some spaces a little to close to the door which I imagine would be less then ideal in the winter months, but I didn't sit there so I wouldn't know. I did not use the restrooms and I did not stop by the bar.

Melissa Kehl

I loved this restaurant. We got beef bulgogi. Bibimbap, and a very spicy stew whose name I couldn't spell if I tried. Everything was great prompt service and everyone was great.

Adam Carpenter

Food was good and reminiscent of what I've had in Souel. Service was unfortunately a bit of an issue. Our waitress was severely over-burdened with taking and serving orders as well as bussing tables for the entire restaurant...and this was on a busy Sunday. I will chalk it down to a new restaurant still working out kinks, but word to the wiser: the difference between 1 and 2 servers financially is not as significant as the chaos and damage to reputation it can cause a restaurant.

Zhepard

Great food and super friendly and attentive staff!

Trey Martin

The food was amazing and a great first foray for us into the world of Korean food. Thanks!

Jaruchan Palakawongs

Delicious!! Best Korean in Charlottesville and great service also!

Bryce Caster

The food was spectacular but the service was really lacking. It all started when checking in. The host promised us a table at a certain time, but then reneged. Be honest upfront! We ended up getting a table but the service was really slow. I would not return again on a busy day, but would consider another visit if it was slow.

Bao Nguyen

Good korean food. Had the squid for appetizer. Good crispiness and good sauce. Bulgogi beef was great and had good flavoring with good caramelization on the beef. The hot stone bibimbap was okay and hence the 4 star. The spicy pork wasn't that spicy and meat was a bit dry. The sauce that came with it was a too vinegary/runny and not the thick sauce sauce Ian used to with other places.

Ana Stevanovic

Food is great. Legit Korean cooking. Nice outside sitting.

Joshua Logsdon

I've been to Maru twice now, to review their Kimchi Fried Rice and also their Fried Udon with Spicy Pork and Vegetables. So far, I think this restaurant is A-OK. With the Kimchi Fried Rice, every bite tasted like Kimchi that you can get at any Asian market. The portion was larger than your average rice dish, but towards the end the monotony of the flavor and the strong Kimchi taste started to get boring. The Fried Udon with Spicy Pork was better, I would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. The pork was the best part -- it was cooked perfectly, had good flavor, and clear grill marks. The noodles and vegetables also provided a good balance. My problem with it is the same as the Kimchi rice -- after a while, the flavor profiles became indistinct because of the sauce and every bite tasted basically the same. My overall impression is that Maru is going for flavor, but ends up over-flavoring or not using enough different flavors to keep the taste buds interested. The portions, even for the lunch menu which I ordered from twice, are good and more than enough to fill you up. Lunch will cost you about $10, while dinner is $12-15. A comment about the service -- probably because it is a new restaurant, but some of the waiters didn't seem to know what was on the menu/in certain dishes. Also, the service was a bit rough -- I was asked multiple times if everything was OK in situations that didn't need to be which disrupted the eating experience. The location is tight and limited, and the kitchen is right next to the tables which is a nice touch. However, if it's busy I would expect the tables to fill up fast and stay filled. The food came quickly -- 5-10 minutes. Overall, it's not the best Korean food I've had by a long shot, but it is worth going to satisfy your craving if you want a large portion. I'll be going back to try other dishes, perhaps to hit on a "specialty." Though with Kimchi fried rice and fried Udon with spicy pork already under my belt, my expectations are that I'll come up the same again. If you made it to the end here -- thanks for reading.

Charles O

Had amazing dumplings and dolsot bibimbap. I have had similar Korean food in more authentic locations and this is spot-on. Actually my bibimbap was better than I've had in other Korean places because my yoke was actually silky and not overcooked. I highly recommend this place to anyone who has not been to it as it stands out as one of my new favorite places in Charlottesville, the home of literally hundreds of great restaurants.

Brian Hammill

The waitress was very knowledgeable about the menu and very helpful for me since I was not very familiar with much Korean food.

Eryn Merchant

Oh it was so good, I can't wait to go back again. I was surprised the place was so packed on a Monday night but service was still super speedy.

Lucy Jean

Best Korean food in town by far! (-: The master chef is extremely kind as well!!!!

Zunair Khokhar

Staff is unprofessional. They don't listen to the customer. One of the waiters spilled sauce on me and didn't even apologize or help clean up. Despicable. The quality of the food isn't that good either.

Normandy

Outstanding Korean food. The quality of the beef and pork they serve was excellent. The vegetable side dishes they served was very fresh. Would go back there again.

Matthew Roy

Ok food. Terrible service and what appear to be multiple critical health code violations. VDH should inspect this place.

Carlos Flores

Great korean food. Try a pot

John Lytle

Good food and the outside dining by the tree was nice.

Benjamin Doerr

At least once a week I find my feet bringing me in the front door for lunch. For $10+tip you get a really filling lunch. I've settled on the Udon with Spicy Pork which isn't too spicy and has a rich sauce and vegetables. There must be something about this location, Eppies, Miso Sweet and now Maru have all been amazing lunch locations. I hope be eating at Maru for years to come.

Ila Albert

Love this place! The soup with spicy broth and seafood is incredible and portions are generous

Darcy Johnson

Great service, yummy food and we really enjoyed the atmosphere. Looking forward to next time!

Larry Wolfarth

Always relaxed, with responsive service and good food

Ashish Singh

It was a decent experience, but nothing new here. I felt it was pretty similar to Doma.

Emilia Maia

I loved it. Delicious food and beautiful place.

Richard Milbury

The best Korean in town. Trust me!!!

David Lockledge

Great bibimbap. Cheap eats done right.

Bad Mutha

Eeewwww gross

Jonny Walker

All main dishes were unseasoned. Beer I ordered was not the size on menu and after I was given it I had to go inside and ask. I was told it was a dollar cheaper so in the long run I paid more than my friends for a smaller beer. Wings were good when hot so 2 stars as long as you do nothing else.

Joseph Snell III

Great food, good portion sizes, quick service!

Gerardo Nevarez Moorillon

Great ambient and delicious Korean dishes.

Stephen Johnson

Went for lunch with coworkers. Everyone enjoyed the udan and bibimbap lunch specials. They were reasonably priced, delicious, and came out super fast. I look forward to coming back and trying more of the lunch menu!

Daniel Johnson

Professional staff

Laura Farr

I've eaten here and gotten take out, and I love this small specialty restaurant. Gordan Ramsey would praise their small menu capitalizing on their unique Korean barbeque. They have both spicy and savory dishes to please any palate, at an affordable price (dinner for two about $30+tip). The service is attentive, although they can get pretty busy on a weekend night. Their take-out is a good option!

희성방

excellent

Katherine Yan

Tasty Korean restaurant with well done food and nice decor.

Gerald Tsui

Love the shaved ice desert.

Cat Modlin-Jackson

Since moving back to Virginia from Houston, I've yet to find a Korean restaurant that satisfied my craving -- until I came to Maru. I make a point to come here every time I visit Charlottesville. Come for the service; come for the food; come for the experience. I haven't tasted galbi as savory and complex as theirs in a hot minute. And the udon is on point. The noodles have just the right texture, and there's an even balance of meat and veggies. It's so nice to find a restaurant that serves such spot-on versions of some of my favorite dishes. Moreover, the service is fantastic. I've been to Maru several times now and every time the food comes quickly and the staff is pleasant. I'll be a regular for years to come.

Carter Kitchin

Good udon

Yun Song

Pretty good korean food. Definitely worth giving a try.

Sascha Bragard

Not my taste but very good in its own way. All freshly baked, cooked, prepared. Eating with sticks is not that easy but very stylish. The restaurant is also in top design. Watch the chefs in the open kitchen preparing your meal. See the flames grill pork, beef or seafood. Fresh vegetables and fruits are prepared right in front of the seating rows. Dessert is very high class.

Paul Frields

Delicious, authentic Korean food in a non-fussy but cozy setting, with exceptional service and reasonable prices for the high quality (and swanky location on the Downtown Mall). Would definitely visit again!

Carolyn Hill

Excellent

Rob Mueller

Went for restaurant week. Very prompt service. Nice casual atmosphere. Everything was tasty and well prepared. Interesting flavors. We'll be back.

Sung Yoo

Overpriced and hardly authentic Korean. Food was mediocre at best. I actually felt sick in my stomach immediately after eating there.

Paula McIntosh

Tasty food, reasonable prices and relaxing outdoor seating. Derek was an excellent server - helpful, quick and personable. Will return.

Pascale Beliveau

Excellent food! We were pleasantly surprised. OK to go with kids. Not serving alcohol yet, we are the 1st week of March 2018.

Kevin Hensley

First time visit, dinner, 22 December,2018. The restaurant itself is along the Main St. pedestrian/downtown business district. This was truly a "chance" encounter, and a pleasant one honestly. From the outside if you look more closely, the interior is modern venue offering booths upfront and less private seating toward the back. (Pictures included) We were seated promptly and the server was a little slow to begin with arriving finally to take our orders, hungry. The service warmed up in both timelines and friendliness as dinner progressed. The order included, appetizers of Crispy squid and vegetable dumplings. Both were fresh, hot, and very tasty combined with house soy based sauces. The main meals ordered included: Using Bokkem (author), Maru fried rice, and Spicey pork plate. No issues on anyone of the three. Tasty on the palate, fresh, and served hot. I'm not a regular to Asian style/authentic meals but certainly can recognize fresh and well prepared food which this was. Well done! The overall rating should be in the range of 4.3-4.5

yo boy chef

I have been here many times and the food is always amazing. One of my personal favorite spots to eat. Aslo great lunch deal with a good portion and huge flavor

Jeff Kehl

Bibimbop and bulgogi were both excellent!

Bryan Webb

Large portion and really good flavor

Noah Phelps

A phenomenal, bang for your buck place on the downtown mall. The head chef is the owner. The staff is friendly and not as robotic as the service from a lot of places in Charlottesville. For the money, I think it's somewhere you should definitely try if you like Korean food or would like to try something new. Try the udon, bimbap, one of the skillet/plates or any of the stews. Even without considering the price difference between Maru and a lot of the other places on the downtown mall, it's still a restaurant/bar I'd highly recommend to anyone.

Juan Phillips

Outstanding place for quality korean food. I like it here always quality food & service. I think I might become a regular. It has a cool interior.

Kabot Simon

Food is pretty good but not fantastic. Definitely worth a try.

Ranishraj Nair

Best Korean restaurant in town

Nik Prithviraj

Enjoyed the chicken wings and the fried rice.

Ari Giroux

This is my second time coming, and my first sitting down inside- despite the rainy and horrible weather, the atmosphere was bright and inviting. The staff was friendly and attentive, and the food was absolutely delicious. Having so many vegitarian options also makes this a top place for lunch or dinner when I'm driving through and have time to stop.

Rachel Yantis

Great food, great atmosphere, and very friendly staff. They do a great job of making sure that there are vegetarian options and that they are clearly marked on the menu. Friend got the wings and gave them 5 stars for the spicy ones as well if youre a wing fan.

Faria Zahura

I tried their Tteokbokki item which comes with fish cake, boiled egg and gochunang sauce. The sauce is spicy and sweet, very delicious. The fish cake was not like what I expected. It was more like thin slices of fish. However, the dish was pretty good. One of my friends had fried rice and sea food topped with sunny side up egg which was good too. The rice had a kind of smoky flavor. Another friend of mine had a dish that contains chicken (I don’t remember the name). She said it was okay, not something she would try again because the chicken was dry. Overall, a good place.

Josh Saarheim

Awesome food, tried a bit of everything and it was all great. We'll definitely be going back.

Dallas Ducar

I do not typically write bad reviews. However -- this needs to be written. I went to Maru during their first week being open and it was quite distasteful -- to say the least. The food was incredibly salty and the broth tasted like simply hot pepper paste and water. Regardless, the food would be quite forgivable, especially on an opening week, however, what truly disturbed me was the kitchen staff and their lack of basic food hygiene precautions. Namely, one of the cooks prepared my ramen noodles and raw meat for a stew with his bare hands. The lack of barriers between watching the kitchen and sitting in my seat, and subsequently consuming my meal, truly grossed me out. Needless to say I will not be returning. PS - The wait staff was very responsive and attentive, if it wasn't for the food hygiene practices, I would give it 3 stars.

Travis Debus

Food was delicious

Samantha Giannangeli

I am always excited about dining at Maru, until I’m there. The menu has a great range of options, and the food is terrific, but the service is awful every single time. I talk myself out of going to Maru for months on end because of that, eventually go back, and find myself disappointed all over again. Tonight was like any night. We ordered, got our meal, and were completely ignored after that. Fresh beverage? Forget it. The check? Nah. Other tables seemed to get service, but we sat there without a glance until long after we were done eating and ready to leave. It wasn’t even busy: we were one of three tables, with three servers on hand. I love the food, but I doubt I’ll be back. It isn’t worth the awful service.

soundsmith89

Bibimbop was great from start to finish. Served in a stone bowl, the dish stays hot and tasty through the whole meal. I haven't had much Korean before, so I usually have the wait staff surprise me with something random, and they've suggested great dishes every time!

Tom Cormons

Delicious, authentic, reasonable. Pleasant atmosphere and service. I hope Cville can support down-to-earth spots like this with wonderful food.

Elmona Reid

I ordered the Maru Fried Rice with Chicken to go. It was very disappointing. Half of my rice was burnt and it was very bland. The decor in the restaurant was nice.

Clayton Ballowe

I can't say enough about Maru on the downtown mall. The quality of the food is top notch and consistent. They offer large portions and reasonable prices which is difficult to find on the mall.

Rich Friedel

Yo! For lunch, this place is money!!! I eat here fairly consistently at lunch and I will say that, save for a few bumps here and there, overall Maru is an excellent choice. The wings, yeah the wings lol, are awesome! I love ordering the original and the soy garlic. The dupbap and bibmbap are a solid choice. The Maru fried rice is a consistent go-to for me.

Chris Han

Soy garlic chicken wings were beyond salty and tofu soup was below average but service was good.

DaeYoung Kim

My family tried this place out on the recommendation of one of my friends. I wasn’t expecting very much, as most Korean restaurants that are located in the middle of nowhere tend to be very lacking. Yeah, I was wrong. Before entering, you’re greeted with a chalkboard sign with their open times and any specials they may have. When you walk in the restaurant, you can expect to be surprised. It doesn’t feel like a Korean restaurant at all. You get a nice hipster/brunch vibe that’s very comforting. The restaurant has an “open kitchen” concept. You can see everything that’s happening. I stood and watched the chefs cook, and they didn’t say anything. I’m sure as long as you’re aware of the waiters/waitresses and don’t get in their way, they should be ok with you watching them cook for a bit. The walls on one side had wooden boards nailed on to it in all different colors. I thought it was just pallet wood so I asked if they just took pallet wood and put it on the wall. They said that it was reclaimed from an old barn. What’s special about barn wood is that it’s baked. After they get it wet, they bake it, and wet it, and bake it again. Just ask them and they’ll tell you. The tables also. Ask them about the tables. It was very interesting to hear about the tables. So much attention to detail went into creating this restaurant that unless you know what you’re looking at, it’s hard to appreciate all the time and effort that it took to bring it all together. Food was excellent. Unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures of the food because I was so hungry and didn’t even remember to take pictures. I assure you, it was good. Try the kimchi pancakes (kimchi jun), dolsot bibimbap (preferably on colder days), and chicken wing appetizers. Also, get the fries. It’s weird telling people to get fries at a Korean restaurant, but it comes with a gochujang aioli that gives it just enough kick to not completely overpower anything but also supplement the taste. If you’re on the fence about going and say “idk if this will taste like mom’s”. It won’t. If you go in with that expectation, you won’t like it at all. No restaurant can capture how your mom makes your food. However this restaurant has a very good take on it. Just go try it. It’ll be worth it.