I have no pictures to share because we ate so fast!!! but definitely get the gookbaps because that's what this place is known for and definitely get the kalbijimm!!!! so so so good and staff was so accommodating with our big group even tho the place is for small seating! will go back when we are in the fort lee area again!
Michelle T.
I heard about this spot through my friend and I was excited to try the raw crab dish for the first time! It's a hole in the place but felt very homey, it was packed on a Saturday afternoon and I can understand why, cause the food was 10/10. We ordered the marinated raw blue crab, which I thought this was a great place for first timer like myself. The sauce wasn't too overpowering and I enjoyed the sweetness of the crabs. I also ordered their signature beef stew (Ahjae Gookbap) which was worth every penny. There were huge chunks of beef accompanied with some glass noodles. My friend ordered the oyster soup and I loved the savory seafood flavor! Service here was friendly, fast and attentive, they refilled my banchan when requested. Would definitely come back in the future!
Nancy A.
I came here through Yelp and it was so delightful. Thank you Yelp for providing such an amazing event and offer to try out Ahjae Gookbap's shrimp ball appetizer called "Ahjae almandu" It is a cute opening and pretty cozy area to dine in with your friends. Once I got in, I was greeted by the waitress who was really nice and courteous. She asked either I wanted to dine in or take it to go. I told her dine in and was seated at a long bench table, which was enough space for my bags! Hehe After being seated, she gave me sauce which was sweet to dip the shrimp balls. I also got daikon and kimchee to try out. The kimchee was good! I love it so much and their spice level was perfectly spiced out for me. Not overly spicy or weak. Then afterwards the waitress brought out the nice display of shrimp balls which was so lovely to eat. I can't fathom the beautiful display and then plate they used. The shrimp balls look like crystals to me. So cute and lovely to eat. I took my first bite and knew immediately it was very flavorful! You can taste the shrimp along with the rest of the ingredients that balance out the shrimp! A must try for anyone who wants to come here. There is also free water for you to grab from the water cooler, either hot or cold water!
Huiwen C.
Favorite spot for cozy Korean food! Came back tonight and they added quite a few soup options, perfect for the cold weather. They serve kimchi and radish kimchi for banchan - the kimchi is fresh, spicy and crunchy! They also sell the banchan for $10 each a container. The oyster jeon was really juicy and fresh - highly recommend for an appetizer. The dakdoritang is full of tender, fall off the bone chicken. It is spicy, slightly sweet, and piping hot. They also serve an egg omelet and seaweed to go with the rice and soup. The bibimnaengmyun always hits the spot - spicy, refreshing with large pieces of pear, and two jumbo pieces of beef bone. The two ladies are always very nice! They give extra napkins without asking and ask how we liked the food.
Ron R.
Looking for something new to try when it comes to Korean food, it was perfect to visit Ahjae Gookbap yesterday. Having lived in Asia for a number of years I was use to being in Korea and having a meal that was perfect. The visit yesterday was like that. But a bit less than expected. It was more about take-out than a formal lunch especially at this price. I did order some of the items I always enjoy: Shrimp Ball appetizer, followed by Bibingnaeng and an order of Ddukbaegi Bulgogi . This was a good idea of what to have on a nice day. The food was fresh, tasty and well made. It was a fair proportion and rich with fine items to enjoy. The Shrimp Ball was of a fair amount to start with and even share. It was perfect. The Ddukbaegi Bulgogi was like a typical bowl of soup borth with meat, noodles and some vegetables. It is always added with a bit of spice and sauce to make it a little stronger to enjoy. As for the Bibingnaeng it had the right proportions of meet and vegetables that, once more, could have an addition of sauce and spice if you prefer. The service was good. The variety was perfect for choice. The price, a bit higher than expected in this environment. There is a fair amount of individuals art the lunch time. Dinner might be something else. It was worth the visit in an area where there is a large arrangement of Asian cooking and establishments. Kamsahamnida (thank you)!
Michelle C.
I saw on Tiktok that this was one of the few places that offers marinated raw crabs, which I have been craving since my trip to Korea. In addition to the crabs, they also have a simple menu, with offerings like their eponymous $18 ahjae gookbap (a warming beef soup that comes with a giant meaty beef bone, cheek meat, and honey comb tripe) and $16 gool gookbap (oyster soup packed with a ton of vegetables like seaweed, daikon, chives, mushrooms and tofu). Personally, I preferred the latter as it was sweeter and texturally more diverse. However, the ahjae gookbap had a very lovely and strong beef flavor-- dare I say even better than the soup at Parksanbal? As for the soy marinated crabs, they were so flavorful and delicious. We ordered the large platter ($36) which came with four crabs. The crabs were pleasantly savory with an inherently seafoody sweetness underneath. The texture was a little gummy and cold, which can be off-putting to some, but I loved it. My favorite part was scooping up some warm rice to mix in the shell together with the cold sauce and the roe-- it is simply delightful and a creamy bite. My only complaint is that the crabs were probably out of season as they were a little on the smaller side, with only a little bit of roe in each shell. Even the flesh was difficult to squeeze out because of how little there was present. The banchan served was pretty decent, though we were not fans of the spicy cabbage muchim, which tasted like raw, unfermented kimchi. However, the spicy radish kkakdugi was so refreshing and perfectly seasoned that we decided to order a deli container to-go, which they sell for $10. Overall, I did really enjoy my visit to Ahjae Gookbap and would like to return when I have the chance to try the rest of their gookbap. I will point out that someone in my party did call me up the next morning to tell me they got food poisoning (most likely from the crab) as they did not eat anything else after our meal but I personally was feeling fine. As with all raw foods, eat at your own risk!
Suzie C.
Very tiny restaurant but the crab and gookbap was great! My parents didn't love the gookbap (they are picky older Koreans and just prefer my mom's cooking everywhere we go) but I always take their standards into account for the older generation.
Ana M.
Perfect spot for heartwarming, wholesome, comfort eats. I ordered the oyster soup with chives and it was perfect for the rainy and cold weather outside. My partner got the cold buckwheat noodles with beef and he really enjoyed it too. We both enjoyed our meals. We also ordered the small soy marinated crab (comes in S & L size) and honestly I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm picky when it comes to eating raw seafood (took me a while to open up to sashimi!), but I was pleasantly surprised. I never would've ordered this for myself, so I'm glad my partner did because I really liked the crab! The crab tasted like uni - but better! I'd say it was a sweeter and smoother version of uni. If this spot wasn't so far from home, I'd love to regularly come back just for the crabs. I had a great meal here.
Rosanna N.
This place was super close to where I was and I was super excited to try the raw crab. Blue Soy Crab (10/10): This was so good, it was so soft and flavorful. I would definitely get it again. Ahjae Gookbap (8/10): This was good and heartful especially because it was so cold out. It stayed hot the entire time and made you feel warm and full. Ahjae Ppyojim (10/10): The meat was so soft and flavorful. It was super good and there was such a big portion. I would get this again Bibingnaeng (8/10): I was surprised at how good this was and really liked the flavor. It paired well with the other dishes that I got. Bulgogi BBQ (6/10): This was good but I was disappointed by the flavor. It seemed a bit soupy. The service is fast but the place was smaller than other restaurants nearby. I would definitely be back.
Angela K.
Recently I've been getting a lot of takeout from Ahjae and enjoying it! It's worth noting that their regular gookbap is sort of like a galbitang. I'm not a ran of tripe but there's not too much so I usually just take it out. I also had the ddbaegi bulgogi and it was a little sweet for my taste. I want to try the samgye tang too. They sell pints of broth too which is great for making soups at home. There isn't a lot of seating inside but you can still get a table if you'd like. Would recommend!
This place is so disappointing I just wanted some tofu stew after a long hike but they don't have tofu stew?! And they are mainly soup restaurant. Also the crab is not good
Jim K.
Excellent gukbap, kimchi, and dumplings. Broth tastes the way grandma used to make it. Kimchi is freshly made and also has a distinct, bright taste. Generous portions. Ambience is no frills. A bit tight but cozy.
Philip W.
Personal Rating: [3.5/5], Yelp Rating: [5/5] Small shop, but big flavor. First time having soy marinated crabs and it was great. Service was good, lots of banchan. The oyster pancake (Gul-jeon) was good too, not a dish you see often.
Anna S.
I will only recommend this place for their soup items. The soup was very authentic! The spicy duck dish was normal, nothing special. But don't order the raw crab. It wasn't smelly but the flavor was not well marinated into the crab, so I didn't taste anything but drinking plain soy sauce + tasteless raw crab. There was only one person working in the kitchen & one person to serve so it took longer to wait when we were there during the dinner time. The dinning area was small but the environment was relatively clean. I will go back again for just their soup menus & kimchi side dish! p.s. I was unexpectedly surprised by their kimchi side dishes, it was very authentic & fresh & tasted like homemade kimchi!
Anna Q.
I came here twice for the ahjae ppyojjim the first time I came the meat fell off the bone and it was so soft and tasty! It was the morning time. Then I came late at night and the meat didn't fall off the bone and was not as soft. I definitely liked the first time better. Kind of thrown off by the inconsistency but it is still good. I also tried their marinated raw crabs! I liked mixing the rice in the head of the crabs it was delicious!
I have no pictures to share because we ate so fast!!! but definitely get the gookbaps because that's what this place is known for and definitely get the kalbijimm!!!! so so so good and staff was so accommodating with our big group even tho the place is for small seating! will go back when we are in the fort lee area again!
I heard about this spot through my friend and I was excited to try the raw crab dish for the first time! It's a hole in the place but felt very homey, it was packed on a Saturday afternoon and I can understand why, cause the food was 10/10. We ordered the marinated raw blue crab, which I thought this was a great place for first timer like myself. The sauce wasn't too overpowering and I enjoyed the sweetness of the crabs. I also ordered their signature beef stew (Ahjae Gookbap) which was worth every penny. There were huge chunks of beef accompanied with some glass noodles. My friend ordered the oyster soup and I loved the savory seafood flavor! Service here was friendly, fast and attentive, they refilled my banchan when requested. Would definitely come back in the future!
I came here through Yelp and it was so delightful. Thank you Yelp for providing such an amazing event and offer to try out Ahjae Gookbap's shrimp ball appetizer called "Ahjae almandu" It is a cute opening and pretty cozy area to dine in with your friends. Once I got in, I was greeted by the waitress who was really nice and courteous. She asked either I wanted to dine in or take it to go. I told her dine in and was seated at a long bench table, which was enough space for my bags! Hehe After being seated, she gave me sauce which was sweet to dip the shrimp balls. I also got daikon and kimchee to try out. The kimchee was good! I love it so much and their spice level was perfectly spiced out for me. Not overly spicy or weak. Then afterwards the waitress brought out the nice display of shrimp balls which was so lovely to eat. I can't fathom the beautiful display and then plate they used. The shrimp balls look like crystals to me. So cute and lovely to eat. I took my first bite and knew immediately it was very flavorful! You can taste the shrimp along with the rest of the ingredients that balance out the shrimp! A must try for anyone who wants to come here. There is also free water for you to grab from the water cooler, either hot or cold water!
Favorite spot for cozy Korean food! Came back tonight and they added quite a few soup options, perfect for the cold weather. They serve kimchi and radish kimchi for banchan - the kimchi is fresh, spicy and crunchy! They also sell the banchan for $10 each a container. The oyster jeon was really juicy and fresh - highly recommend for an appetizer. The dakdoritang is full of tender, fall off the bone chicken. It is spicy, slightly sweet, and piping hot. They also serve an egg omelet and seaweed to go with the rice and soup. The bibimnaengmyun always hits the spot - spicy, refreshing with large pieces of pear, and two jumbo pieces of beef bone. The two ladies are always very nice! They give extra napkins without asking and ask how we liked the food.
Looking for something new to try when it comes to Korean food, it was perfect to visit Ahjae Gookbap yesterday. Having lived in Asia for a number of years I was use to being in Korea and having a meal that was perfect. The visit yesterday was like that. But a bit less than expected. It was more about take-out than a formal lunch especially at this price. I did order some of the items I always enjoy: Shrimp Ball appetizer, followed by Bibingnaeng and an order of Ddukbaegi Bulgogi . This was a good idea of what to have on a nice day. The food was fresh, tasty and well made. It was a fair proportion and rich with fine items to enjoy. The Shrimp Ball was of a fair amount to start with and even share. It was perfect. The Ddukbaegi Bulgogi was like a typical bowl of soup borth with meat, noodles and some vegetables. It is always added with a bit of spice and sauce to make it a little stronger to enjoy. As for the Bibingnaeng it had the right proportions of meet and vegetables that, once more, could have an addition of sauce and spice if you prefer. The service was good. The variety was perfect for choice. The price, a bit higher than expected in this environment. There is a fair amount of individuals art the lunch time. Dinner might be something else. It was worth the visit in an area where there is a large arrangement of Asian cooking and establishments. Kamsahamnida (thank you)!
I saw on Tiktok that this was one of the few places that offers marinated raw crabs, which I have been craving since my trip to Korea. In addition to the crabs, they also have a simple menu, with offerings like their eponymous $18 ahjae gookbap (a warming beef soup that comes with a giant meaty beef bone, cheek meat, and honey comb tripe) and $16 gool gookbap (oyster soup packed with a ton of vegetables like seaweed, daikon, chives, mushrooms and tofu). Personally, I preferred the latter as it was sweeter and texturally more diverse. However, the ahjae gookbap had a very lovely and strong beef flavor-- dare I say even better than the soup at Parksanbal? As for the soy marinated crabs, they were so flavorful and delicious. We ordered the large platter ($36) which came with four crabs. The crabs were pleasantly savory with an inherently seafoody sweetness underneath. The texture was a little gummy and cold, which can be off-putting to some, but I loved it. My favorite part was scooping up some warm rice to mix in the shell together with the cold sauce and the roe-- it is simply delightful and a creamy bite. My only complaint is that the crabs were probably out of season as they were a little on the smaller side, with only a little bit of roe in each shell. Even the flesh was difficult to squeeze out because of how little there was present. The banchan served was pretty decent, though we were not fans of the spicy cabbage muchim, which tasted like raw, unfermented kimchi. However, the spicy radish kkakdugi was so refreshing and perfectly seasoned that we decided to order a deli container to-go, which they sell for $10. Overall, I did really enjoy my visit to Ahjae Gookbap and would like to return when I have the chance to try the rest of their gookbap. I will point out that someone in my party did call me up the next morning to tell me they got food poisoning (most likely from the crab) as they did not eat anything else after our meal but I personally was feeling fine. As with all raw foods, eat at your own risk!
Very tiny restaurant but the crab and gookbap was great! My parents didn't love the gookbap (they are picky older Koreans and just prefer my mom's cooking everywhere we go) but I always take their standards into account for the older generation.
Perfect spot for heartwarming, wholesome, comfort eats. I ordered the oyster soup with chives and it was perfect for the rainy and cold weather outside. My partner got the cold buckwheat noodles with beef and he really enjoyed it too. We both enjoyed our meals. We also ordered the small soy marinated crab (comes in S & L size) and honestly I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm picky when it comes to eating raw seafood (took me a while to open up to sashimi!), but I was pleasantly surprised. I never would've ordered this for myself, so I'm glad my partner did because I really liked the crab! The crab tasted like uni - but better! I'd say it was a sweeter and smoother version of uni. If this spot wasn't so far from home, I'd love to regularly come back just for the crabs. I had a great meal here.
This place was super close to where I was and I was super excited to try the raw crab. Blue Soy Crab (10/10): This was so good, it was so soft and flavorful. I would definitely get it again. Ahjae Gookbap (8/10): This was good and heartful especially because it was so cold out. It stayed hot the entire time and made you feel warm and full. Ahjae Ppyojim (10/10): The meat was so soft and flavorful. It was super good and there was such a big portion. I would get this again Bibingnaeng (8/10): I was surprised at how good this was and really liked the flavor. It paired well with the other dishes that I got. Bulgogi BBQ (6/10): This was good but I was disappointed by the flavor. It seemed a bit soupy. The service is fast but the place was smaller than other restaurants nearby. I would definitely be back.
Recently I've been getting a lot of takeout from Ahjae and enjoying it! It's worth noting that their regular gookbap is sort of like a galbitang. I'm not a ran of tripe but there's not too much so I usually just take it out. I also had the ddbaegi bulgogi and it was a little sweet for my taste. I want to try the samgye tang too. They sell pints of broth too which is great for making soups at home. There isn't a lot of seating inside but you can still get a table if you'd like. Would recommend!
Restaurantji Recommends
This place is so disappointing I just wanted some tofu stew after a long hike but they don't have tofu stew?! And they are mainly soup restaurant. Also the crab is not good
Excellent gukbap, kimchi, and dumplings. Broth tastes the way grandma used to make it. Kimchi is freshly made and also has a distinct, bright taste. Generous portions. Ambience is no frills. A bit tight but cozy.
Personal Rating: [3.5/5], Yelp Rating: [5/5] Small shop, but big flavor. First time having soy marinated crabs and it was great. Service was good, lots of banchan. The oyster pancake (Gul-jeon) was good too, not a dish you see often.
I will only recommend this place for their soup items. The soup was very authentic! The spicy duck dish was normal, nothing special. But don't order the raw crab. It wasn't smelly but the flavor was not well marinated into the crab, so I didn't taste anything but drinking plain soy sauce + tasteless raw crab. There was only one person working in the kitchen & one person to serve so it took longer to wait when we were there during the dinner time. The dinning area was small but the environment was relatively clean. I will go back again for just their soup menus & kimchi side dish! p.s. I was unexpectedly surprised by their kimchi side dishes, it was very authentic & fresh & tasted like homemade kimchi!
I came here twice for the ahjae ppyojjim the first time I came the meat fell off the bone and it was so soft and tasty! It was the morning time. Then I came late at night and the meat didn't fall off the bone and was not as soft. I definitely liked the first time better. Kind of thrown off by the inconsistency but it is still good. I also tried their marinated raw crabs! I liked mixing the rice in the head of the crabs it was delicious!