Gom Ba Woo

This is definitely my go-​to restaurant when I’m craving Korean stews or bibimbap (this is the only place from which I will order it). I’ve been a regular customer for years, as has my Korean father, and the quality has never faltered. I go so often that they automatically bring me regular water (not the usual barley tea, or boricha) without needing to ask for it. I’ve occasionally gone during their off-​hours in the middle of the day and have seen them freshly preparing their mandu (dumplings) and cleaning/​sorting out vegetables, which goes to show how meticulous they are when it comes to food prep.
Anytime I’ve gone, I’ve always seen at least one of the owners working and mostly the same people working there. They’ve always been friendly and attentive, and the fact that it’s a small venue, makes me feel cozy and relaxed.
If you’re looking to try a good Korean stew place in NoVA, I highly recommend this place. You can’t beat the price for the quality they provide!

This is one of the better Korean restaurants in the area, which means it trumps most of the Korean restaurants in Montgomery and PG county in Maryland. The place isn’t big, so if you have a big party, call ahead or prepare to wait. Between the 5 of us, we ordered a bunch of goodies based on Unilocal reviews and gut intuition: steamed dumplings, bossam, some crazy spicy Korean jambalaya looking dish and oxtail soup. All exceed our expectations and more!
The service is quick but like most Korean restaurants I’ve been to, the staff members are super busy so you’ll need to flag them down when you need something. It’s not meant to be rude, it’s a cultural difference.
One criticism I have is with bossam, which is they should serve it the authentic way by going with oysters. Granted not many Korean restaurants do this (mostly because of cost), I’d be happy to pay a little more to have that option. Some would complain the oxtail soup is too plain, but since they give you salt and sauces to let you blend your own, it’s my new favorite way to approach the delicious broth. Broth on!
While Gom Ba Woo doesn’t stand out from its NOVA-​Annandale competitions, it’s still right there in the middle and far better than anything we can find in Maryland.

I’ve been here twice and both times have been great experiences. The waitresses are very kind! Some are quieter than others but they still give prompt service. I’ve had two soups, the galbi-​tang and kimchi-​jigae and two appetizers, the mung bean pancake and the dumplings. Everything tastes great! Some dishes may need some salt depending on your preference. The portions are huge and I am definitely full after dining here. For some homey food in a comfortable setting, pop by Gom Ba Woo!
*on a side note, I am waiting till summer to try there cold noodle dishes since those are apparently seasonal!

As a long time nova resident, this place will be my go to restaurant. The soups are probably the best in Annandale. I always see the owners working here, which shows how dedicated they are to preserving the reputation of their establisment. The broth is serious old school and the time it takes to create the exquisite taste and consistency is extremely laboring.
The servers are nice and give off that «no pressure» give that is missing in a lot of places.
Gombawoo is like your favorite aunt that you visit whenever you’re craving some homey good food.
You walk in, order, and just enjoy the hell out of everything on the table.
The restaurant gets packed during the weekends. People of all races come here, and their popularity is all word of mouth.
My top 3 favorite dishes
1. Galbitang: season it with salt and pepper and the, add some rice to it
2. Kimchijigae: the all time quintessential korean soup dish that will make or break a korean restaurant. Simple ingredients but their recipe is what keeps me addicted
3. Seafood pajun: my god, this dish will make your mouth water once you taste it. Perfect mix of crunch/​chewyness/​seafood flavor.
Cons: limited seating, this place has been open for over a decade and nothing has changed.
It’s all about the food, and I keep coming back even though it’s 30 minutes away.
If my old school korean grandparents praise gombawoo, you know it’s the real deal!

This is a cute little place with friendly faces.
I love their galbi tang when I’m craving something hot and spicy. I sometime go for their bossam, which definitely has much more less fat than any places around. Their stuffing and the wrap that goes with it are little too sweet for my taste buds. Other than that it’s always nice alternative to switch back and forth to when craving korean food.

My current obsession is kimchi jigae, and I’m on a quest to find the best kimchi jigae in the area (suggestions are much appreciated!). My BFF Justine S and I dined here for lunch and both ordered the kimchi jigae and an order of the steamed mandu to share.
You could tell the mandu was handmade (as opposed to frozen) which was definitely appreciated. The kimchi jigae had the perfect portions of kimchi and pork, and the broth itself was flavorful and hearty with just the right amount of spice. They also offer purple rice here which is a healthier option compared to white rice.
The service was friendlier than most other Asian establishments and we didn’t feel rushed at all. The restaurant itself is located next to the Giant grocery store in Annandale.

Windy? Snowy? Rainy? Well in any of those cases, Gom Ba Woo is the perfect stop for some hot food and especially soups like seollongtang, an oxtail soup (my fave yasss) and it reminds me of that kdrama, Shining Inheritance where the halmoni is the owner of a large company specializing in seollongtang lolol~ sorry just had to mention. But regardless if it’s not cold or anything, they still have some great food for any occasion.
They have a variety of options on their menu but the one thing I like is that it is not overwhelming. In addition, they have pictures for every dish that shows exactly what the dish looks like that makes it a lot easier if you’re not Korean.
What I have tried here includes the
*binddaedduk, or the mung bean pancake which I find delicious! It’s crispy in the outside and tender on the inside. You’re really in for a treat if you get this, it’s delicious!
Secondly… What I’ve been raving about… The *seollongtang the oxtail soup with plenty of meat and just needs a bit of salt and pepper, kimchi paste, and scallions for a fully satisfying meal. I also added rice to my soup which was bomb: P
They also have *yukgaejang, another one of my favorites which they make pretty well too.
Haven’t really tried the galbi or bulgogi but I have heard great things and always smell amazing as they are passing by with the orders so I will definitely try them during my next visits.
I found the atmosphere here very warm and inviting and delight to dine in because the service was great too! It was exactly as many of the other Unilocalers have said, «like grandma’s place.»
Like most Korean restaurants, they also start you off with some barley tea and the various side dishes. The service is fast and very friendly. They have a casual atmosphere with a TV playing in the background and a shelf full of authentic décor.
It is located a few stores down from Giant the grocery store and right next to Phở Hoa.
Another wonderful Korean restaurant you can find in Annandale a.k.a Koreatown. From the very many restaurants you have been to in this area, add Gom Ba Woo to your list, you won’t regret it!

Location: Was a tad difficult to find at first. It’s in the same parking lot as Bonchon, and their banner has a bear icon on it.
The vibe: I felt like I was eating in a Korean person’s home! Felt very homey.
The food: I was impressed by the different variety on their menu– it’s more than the usual soup/​stews and bulgogi. The appetizers are a little pricey– ~$ 25 for pajeon? I had the sautéed squid and the soondubu. Squid was alright but the soondubu was killer! Broth was very flavorful. They don’t put an egg in it though.
Service: They were attentive, fast, and welcoming! Will definitely come again!

Fresh, good ingredients. Went there several times now, and the food never failed me. They are known for their «galbi tang,» which is a beef soup with rice noodles and radish. I personally like the spicy version of that, which they have on the menu, as well. They also have other traditional soups that are rich in flavor and authentic in taste. Good sociable environment for friends and families!

Almost grandma Seongbukdong back in la. Just a touch below that awesomeness.
But this is a grandma style place. There’s a few older Korean women in the kitchen. They had to ask my Korean friend to translate when I asked to split the check between two cards, ²⁄₃ and ¹⁄₃. Their galbi tang is very similar to the ones from LA, maybe they cut their meat a little differently, but pretty close.
However…
GIVE ME MORE SUL LANG TANG!
The bowl was noticeably smaller than the galbi tang. And you filled it with noodles. I WANT MORE AWESOME BROTH!!!
So yeah, good food. Close to perfect, but not quite.

A little disappointed this time. I understand it was dinner time and the restaurant was crowded but the service was not really there in the beginning. My friend and I weren’t even asked what to drink but we were given randomly one hot and one iced tea. The food was decent but once again the servers kind of left us alone. So about the food, we ordered dwenjangjjigae (soybean soup) and haejangguk (chinese cabbage and soybean soup). Both were very decently portioned and good. Just make sure to avoid peak times.

This might be my new fave Korean Spot. I’ve driven by this place many times and was always skeptical for some reason. I decided to try it out with my friend today. The restaurant is small and very clean. The women working there are welcoming and friendly. Food presentation was nice and yummy. I’ll definitely be back!

4.5 for the taste and 5 for the price.
I forgot how great Gom Ba Woo was until recently. Jason C doesn’t like Sul lung tang/​sulrungtang, so we just never came here together.
Gom Ba Woo specializes in Ox tail soup, and the food is teriffic for the price.
These days restaurant prices have gone up so high that there aren’t many places where you can have a decent meal for less than $ 10~$ 15.
My recommendation is to get the combination oxtail soup — it has so much meat in the bowl, and you can’t beat the price for the value.
And if you like potato pancakes, try ordering bindaedduk –mung bean pancake. It tastes very similar to crispy potato pancake (almost like hash brown), but it tastes very rich and delicious. Ask the lady to make it extra crispy!
My one and only complaint about this place is that their kimchi is just meh. A great sul lung tang restaurant always has amazing kimchi, but Gom Ba Woo’s kimchi is mediocre supermarket quality.

Mom/​pop Korean joint executed to near perfection. Having brought both family and friends and sampling a wide array of dishes, this place never fails to leave everyone with full and happy stomachs. My only regret in writing this review is that it might drum up more business and consequently add to my wait time whenever I am craving one of their warm soups on a cold chilly day.
As one enters, one is greeted by one of the ajummas and offered the choice of hot or cold barley tea. The décor and aesthetic feels like stepping into a Korean grandmother’s house with wares on shelves, single TV broadcasting Korean satellite news, and an open door to peer into the kitchen with meats cooked on a knee-​high grill and cauldrons of broth presumably on a low boil for hours. The clientele, like the menu offerings, is definitely old school.
For the apps, the seafood pancake hits the spot, but if you’re looking to go a little off-​book, I recommend trying the kimchi mung bean pancake. It has a fried cornbread texture with a pleasant nuttiness from the mung bean well balanced with the tart and crispy fermented kimchi.
For the soups– the soulongtang and the galbitang are exceptional with an underlying beef broth that can only be extracted from hours of stewing bones into a milky marrowy goodness titrated to one’s liking with salt, scallions, and chili paste tableside. Random sidenote: Be careful not to touch the bowls since they are hot as lava, yet somehow the ajummas place them on the table with their bare hands… hardcore indeed! One of my other personal favorites is the rice cake soup which probably utilizes the same underlying broth and there is also an alternative option that includes dumplings (I prefer the former). The yukgaejang (spicy shredded beef soup) has decent flavor, but has an excessive amount of scallions but their single offering of soondubu is loaded with baby clams/​oysters so too much of a good thing works both ways depending on which way you go.
I can’t comment on the grilled meats but from the aromas and vigor at which I see other customers attack their food, I can only speculate they are on point. I look forward to many visits to come and future items to cross off my list are the bossam and the ox knee bone soup.
For some reason, I always hear Kum Ba Yah whenever I think of Gom Ba Woo. Fun fact: Kum Ba Yah is a Gullah pronunciation of the phrase «Come by here»…very apropos!
Pro-​tip
No MSG used
Accepts credit cards
Reasonable prices and portions with a slight discount with lunch over dinner

It’s about time I write an update for Gom Ba Woo.
I have been frequently Gom Ba Woo on a pretty regular basis now. Every time my girlfriend and I are feeling lazy and don’t know what to eat we end up dining here. Their sul lang tang is on point here! 99% of the time I visit this restaurant I get that specific item. I have tried their mandoos, their kimchi jigae, bibibimbap and plenty of other dishes and all of them have been very good. The service here is decent for an Asian establishment, both drinks and food come out quickly. The price is also very budget friendly. If you are seeking Korean food and don’t feel like eating at a KBBQ place then you must give this place a shot.

This is usually my go to place when I want something from mom’s kitchen. Its very home like. The side dishes have a slight bit stronger flavor. Plus the side dishes change with season. Its a great spot for soups. I like the surlangtang with mix meats.
This time around we tried the bossam and it was definitely delicious. The presentation was nice because it came out with a steamer… when they serve their dumplings it comes with a steamer also.
If you want a hole in the wall with moms touch definitely a good place to stop by.

Gom Ba Woo deserves a «Whoo Whoo!» for their
delightful Korean meals. We were there for soup and bean cakes. The Gom Ba Woo Sulrun or beef broth was tasty. The rich, beef broth was warm and comforting. I really liked the way each diner could season their own soup. This way, we personalized it to our own taste palette. There were many bowls of vegetables to go along with our soup. My personal favorite was the Bindaettock or giant pancake. It was made out of mung beans, but tasted like a potato pancake to me. It was crisp, brown in the edges, and so enjoyable. I could have eaten the whole plate. It reminded me of a giant, thick latke to those who are familiar. I was not a fan of the barley tea, but I am sure it was good for you. I was charmed by Gom Ba Woo and I can’t wait to return.

During my brief meal here– i was convinced that i needed to return.
This place is a little hidden-​but I have faith that it can be found. Very cute inside too!
The mung bean pancake. I could eat plate loads of the stuff. The flavor is amazing. The texture is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The color is just right and looks very appetizing. The thickness took me aback at first but it turned out to be perfect!!! Really– I would come JUST for this…
They serve you barley tea. So don’t worry that’s not weirdly tinted water on front of you…
Also had the ox tail soup and noodles. Good broth. You need to really season it up. The seasonings are on the table. Really not my favorite. But tasty all the same.
I really want to try more things from here! But mung bean pancake here I come!

This restaurant is really authentic Korean food. Everything was good but I just wanted a little extra sauce for some of the dishes and when I asked the waitress she made it sound like I was asking for something completely ridiculous… We just wanted some sauce…
I think it’s better if I ever come back to come with Korean friends…

Gom Ba Woo continues to impress. We have since expanded to their other foods, including the Soo Yuk, a plate of delicious pork meats.
The ladies here are friendly, and despite their limited English, try their best to describe their dishes, provide suggestions, and are overall just very friendly and helpful.
Since our discovery of this place, our love of another small, home-​cooking place across the way called To Sok Jip has lessened a great deal. Definitely a good alternative to TSJ.
Also, it’s more kid friendly. On our last visit, we saw a bunch of babies and toddlers hanging about at other tables, and the ladies working were very friendly to the kids and took the time to interact with them.