Manna House

Bim bim bap was great. Staff could not have been nicer. Great portion size and reasonably priced. I Recommend!

The staff was friendly but the food was poor value for the money with small portions
The bimbambap was some rice with a few vegetables and very little meat. The taste was ok, but I had to go home and eat some left overs from the day before to fill up.

This is just a place you want to have around for a long time. The owners are always there, they are committed to bringing you fresh, tasty, authentic food, they are super nice and I have always had a good experience there whether it’s me alone for lunch or with the family for dinner. olae salgo beon-​yeong Totally ripped that off from google, but hopefully means «live long and prosper» the symbols/​hanja would not paste.

I have been going there for years. Friendly staff. We always get welcomed by one of the owners. The food is always fresh. I have never had a bad meal here. I do miss the sushi which was amazing but the stopped serving it. But they still have a pretty good menu w/​a lot to chose from. Their soba noodles are excellent and I love their teriyaki salmon binto box is a favorite of mine. I highly recommend this place if you enjoy Korean and Japanese cuisine.

So tasty. The bibimbap is perfect and the pancakes are, consistently, the best I’ve had in years. These are fresh, melt-​in-​your-​mouth tender, piping hot and stuffed almost to the point of structural failure (but not) with whatever goodness you’ve ordered.
The soups are good, the beef is good. The staff is sweet and the food comes out quickly.
If you want a big to-​do Korean barbeque dinner, this is not your place. And I think the reason that it’s so often on the empty side has more to do with Arlington’s demographics than the quality of the cooking.
(A recent return trip to everyone’s fave Korean restaurant in NYC’s Koreatown has me convinced. This place is secretly awesome.)

Don’t come here. I mean, why would you with all the choices in the area and reviews like this on Unilocal.We came here for what we thought would be a quick dinner before an engagement at the theatre next door. A quick glance at the menu and the fare seemed appealing. The place was not crowded (perhaps that should have been a clue) so we expect we would get seated right away.
Indeed we got seated, but that was about the only expedient part of the night. Our waitress took her time getting us water, then took drink orders and brought half the drinks. My beer never showed up… I guess she didn’t understand me or forgot. Finally we put in our orders, and they came up nearly 45 minutes later. We definitely didn’t have any bothers by the service. No one asked how we were doing. If we wanted more drinks, or if I had even gotten my drink… Finally we just needed to get the hell on so I went and stood by the host stand/​register until some guy in the kitchen found me and said, ‘One minute…’, then the lady comes out 5 mins later and takes another 5 minutes to get our bill and a take out box.
For Christs sake, time passes faster on 10 hits of LSD. These people are in some alternative reality where time and space are not what we know them to be here on this plane of existence. Don’t go here unless you have a crapload of time on your hands, and maybe consider a flask or BYOB, because the drink service is very poor.
Only giving it two stars, because once the food came it was actually half-​way decent. Wish I could give it 1.5 though.

Korean right around the corner? Sign me up… Or not.
I was pretty excited about there being a Korean restaurant in Arlington Center, so close to my new place, but all that excitement was for naught. Walked into a semi-​empty room with one girl in the corner on her laptop and one verrrry uninterested woman who sat us with some menus. Plop. Fast forward five, ten minutes — no sign of anyone! What. I guess it was a good thing that we needed to decide what to eat, but a glass of water in the meantime would’ve been nice…
Service during and after dinner wasn’t any better, though. The woman who sat us literally disappeared for a while, and it got to the point where the table of four next to us had to yell «Excuse me? Hello?» at least five times before she came out of the kitchen to take their check and to give us ours. Not exactly fine dining, I realize, but some attention would’ve been nice…
So all these «would’ve been nice“s add up… to two stars and a disappointing meal. If you want ignored while eating OK Korean food, then please, be my guest.

I usually go here for lunch once or twice a month
There is a bit of a waiting time but it is totally worth it.
There is meticulous craftsmanship in the food and it really shows in the presentation and the taste.

More of a 3.5 stars.
4 – 5 stars for the food, 2 – 3 stars for the service.
One of the better Korean restaurant in the area. After the first time I came here, it left me craving to come back for more. After the second time I came here, I think my craving will be satisfied for awhile.
Food: — dobukki was flavorful, good level of chewiness, delicous;
— pork and squid bbq were delicious!!!
— galbi was delicious the first time I had it, a little too sweet hte second time
— seafood kimchee jiggae — would recommend this flavorful soup
— seafood kimchee pancake — it was okay, not a must
— japchae — would recommend
— bibimbap — it was good but it came out so late in our meal (they forgot to put in the order), that I was too full to really appreciate it
Service: decent at best; my friend and I both were splashed with oil when the waiter was cooking our meat :(they forgot one of our dishes until we asked them about it.
Will probably return again for the food, just not anytime soon.

We went here on a whim before seeing a movie at The Regent Theater and boy were we surprised!
My fiancée and I got the Okdul bimbimbop (mine with tofu, and his with beef) and it was DELICIOUS. The perfect combination of vegetables, rice, tofu combination. Our waitstaff was extremely helpful and friendly and talked us into getting the korean rice wine… which was amazing and very alcoholic. We split a small bottle and were feeling very bubbly and nice.
Not to mention you get a bunch of samples of different tastes before your meal arrives.
Everything came out quick and well-​timed.
It’s not the fanciest place alive but we will definitely be coming back!

After going through the ardor of swapping out my cable box down the street at RCN, I thought some hot, comforting Korean food was very much in order. I had a LivingSocial voucher that was about to expire, so the timing was perfect.
I got there right when they opened at noon, and they weren’t quite ready for me. To their credit, they were extremely nice and did everything they could to get me seated as soon as possible. (Also, they didn’t give me a hard time about my LivingSocial voucher, which was refreshing.)
I was ravenous, so I ordered an appetizer of veggie tempura despite knowing that my bibimbap would come with a few side dishes. It hit the spot — it was light and crisp, just how it should be. Soon after getting the tempura, they brought out the complimentary side dishes. There was kimchi, radish, potato, bean sprouts, and a bowl of miso soup. Of all those dishes, the kimchi was definitely my favorite. I always love kimchi, but sometimes when it’s been fermenting for a long time, it can be too much for me. This kimchi was perfect: fresh, with just the right amount of sourness and spice.
And the bibimbap. Oh sweet Lord, the bibimbap. First of all, make sure you get it in the hot stone bowl (the «okdol» of the okdol bibimbap). The rice continues cooking in the bowl and gets all crispy on the bottom. Those crispy bits are the stuff of dreams, my friends. And about the rice — I was so pleased when I saw the proportion of rice to veggies/​beef in the bowl. I’ve often ordered bibimbap and gotten a huge bowl with way too much rice. At Manna House, they give you a bowl that’s about three-​quarters of the way full, but you get equal amounts of rice and meat/​veg. To me, this is the most perfect, delectably harmonious ratio. My one small gripe about the dish was the egg was more cooked than I like; I prefer the eggs in my bibimbap a bit runnier. All in all though? Damn tasty.
I can’t wait to come back to try the rest of the menu. I’m thinking the next time I get Korean, I might want some intestines in super spicy soup. Manna House is just the place for it.

Ambience: Casual, kid-​friendly, cozy (on the smaller side)
Service:
— Nice and attentive service however they took the banchan away early because there wasn’t enough room on the table.
— To go containers were not good for holding saucy leftovers.
Food:
— Ddukboki: very good, a little spicier than I’ve had elsewhere but the rice cakes were a good consistency, the dish had plenty of sauce and also had glass noodles which I love.
— Kan pun gi (fried chicken with sweet spicy sauce): also very tasty, nice and crispy with a delicious sauce.
— Hwe dup bap (rice mixed with sashimi): the previous two dishes ranked a 4 but this dish brought down my rating. The sashimi was not as fresh as it should be (tasted fishy) which detracted from the dish.

Came here on a Friday night for a meal — and of course, I get the bibimbap in the stone bowl. (Confession — I have a bibimbap addiction!) I don’t claim to be a Korean food connoisseur, but I really enjoyed the food and thought the prices were pretty typical. Note that the specials all come with little side dishes like kimchi and picked radish, so ask for it if they forget to bring it over.
And they gave us little yogurt drinks for dessert!

I was craving authentic Asian food and decided to try this place because of the good Unilocal reviews. However, both my boyfriend and I were underwhelmed.
The good: The complimentary appies were yummy, especially the tofu.
The bad: Steamed gyoza was lukewarm on the outside, and cold in the center.
The underwhelming: My bibimbap was average. The marinated beef was delicious, but there was so little of it! Our server/​hostess was the only server for the entire restaurant, and she seemed a little out of it. When we first arrived, there was only one occupied table, and our server seemed confused as to where to seat us. She also forgot to bring our miso soup until we were halfway through our entrees.
All in all, not worth the drive to Arlington.

I usually only write about music, but I am making an exception. Manna House deserves more respect.
First, some background. My wife is Korean-​born and lived there at length. I have been to Korea a couple of times for weeks and have eaten home cooked Korean food in Korea, as well as Korean restaurant food in Korea, often. Whenever a Korean restaurant pops up on our radar wherever we are, we go eat there. I know a good bi bim bap when I taste it, hot or cold.
Folks, the bottom line is that if you don’t like the Korean food at Manna House then it is you who doesn’t know what real Korean food tastes like. This is homemade Korean food, and it is great. I am not saying Manna House is the *best* Korean food in the area (my wife is on the fence between this place and the one in Medford) but this is far, FAR, from a ‘one star’ kind of place. It is absolutely no worse than Koreana or that place near Coolidge Corner, the popular Korean places in the Boston area. It’s also a nice dining experience, which I am going to relate as one who has gone here many times.
My wife has stated (and it is verified in Korea) that a good Korean restaurant serves a multitude of free, small appetizers that consist of vegetables, tofu, and other light snacks. Manna House serves at least six and doesn’t blink at refills (if you are one to munch freely). I have seen other places in the area provide three or less, even zero. Point for Manna House.
Manna House actually has a Korean beer available on the drink menu as of this writing. O.B. is one of the most popular beers in Korea (apart from Hite and Cass), so at least when you want a beer you can get a Korean one. Half the Korean places in the area think that offering Sapporo or Tsingtao is close enough. Please. Another point for Manna House.
The food options are deep. The menu has many dishes, including the signature bi bim bap as well as the spicy pork dish (my favorite). My wife always orders the champ-​bong (fish soup), which she misses having in Korea. We haven’t tried everything, so I don’t know if there are any particularly poor dishes, but the traditional ones have been tried and well received. The appetizers are also very good, including the seafood and vegetable pancakes, mandoo, and rice cakes in spicy sauce. Those are certified delicious.
The service is swift. It does help that when I’ve gone there it hasn’t ever really been a mob scene, but I get my entrée within twenty or so minutes rather easily. Even if I don’t, I know that there is only the owner and a daughter or two working as servers (as has been previously mentioned in Inah C’s review) as well as maybe a cook or two in the back. I do understand that it could be frustrating when the server is usually one who doesn’t speak in native English, but I believe that the owner does have good intentions and tries. When she speaks in Korean to my wife, I see a bubbly, friendly spirit. If only learning Korean wasn’t so tough …
The atmosphere is very quaint. This isn’t the madhouse that is Koreana given its location. Manna House is modestly decorated and seats just enough to fill the relatively small space beside the Regent Theater. Of course seating will be a little bit close, but given the food quality and quantity it is worth it. The music is usually traditional Korean pop, never too loud (but always bubblegum … c’mon, it’s K-​Pop). I have never been there when the music has been overwhelming, so I am unsure of previous reviewer accounts.
I was a bit surprised about some of the unfortunate orders and server issues that have gone on in people’s visits to Manna House, and I can understand that those experiences would provoke one to 1-​star this place. However, given that I have gone there many times, during high and low volume evenings, I believe that those experiences are the rarity.
Manna House is great, honest Korean food. Go there with an open mind towards the experience and the menu. Try a Korean staple and be satisfied. If you liked what you ate there, please return to this site and try to put in a good word or two. It’s one of my wife and I’s favorite restaurants in the area.

The food is average, the experience was horrible.
No A/​C first of all.
Servers had pretty bad service. The young girl forgets everything you say right after she leaves the table. I asked if they had cold sake, she didn’t know and said she would check. She never got back to me until I asked her… when she brought out the appetizers. She even brought over our appetizers and said she would bring plates but took her a good 5 minutes before we reminded her. Keep in mind this is not a packed restaurant. At this point there were a total of about 3 other tables (~6 people).
The older server brought out the wrong jigae (korean soup) for me. By the time she realized it I had already put my used chopsticks in the soup. I told her that I already put my chopsticks in there and she gave me a look like it was my fault. The worst part is that she took it away and walked DIRECTLY to the correct table and served the same one. No, she did not go to the kitchen and get a new one or at least fake it.
The food and general service doesn’t deserve a 1 star, but watching a server serve food that someone else sifted through the food with used utensils is not sanitary and flat out disgusting.

Worst Korean I ever had in my life. Saturday night and the place was empty save one couple who didn’t look too thrilled to be there either. The food was bland and the place was blaring bubblegum techno music so I couldn’t even really talk to my wife, let alone get the waitress to understand our order. Then after the food arrived, she promptly disappeared into the kitchen and didn’t come out until the other couple and our table were looking around, glancing at our watches and getting ready to leave.
Anyone who likes this place probably hasn’t eaten good Korean food. Ever.

Recent reviews may have you think twice about coming to Manna House. Don’t. Manna House serves awesome Korean home cooking right in the middle of Arlington center. They recently got rid of their sushi bar which was getting more expensive for them to keep going and portions were getting smaller as prices of rolls were rising. Now the focus is where it should be, on some great Korean specialties. I rarely ever stray from my two main stays here, the pancake and the Unagi Okdol (stone pot sizzle). They make the meanest pancake you will ever have at any asian establishment. I dare you to find a better one! Their kimchi pancake has awesome kimchi flavor and is full of veggies. Their seafood pancake is stuffed with seafood and veggies. These pancakes are huge! The unagi okdol (15 $) comes in a sizzling stone pot that keeps the dish cooking at your table. Food remains fresh and hot for the remainder of the meal. They fill this with rice, veggies and eel. You could also go for beef, spicy pork, or chicken but we always go for the eel. In the past we have tried the soon tofu jigae which is a spicy stew with tofu. While a bit spicy, it is delicious and a great nasal decongestant. With each manna specialty dish you get one miso soup and an array of korean side dishes. We received 6 sides dishes including; grilled sardines, marinated spicy tofu, kimchi, green wilted veggie, pickled veggies, and bean sprouts. These were all great each with their own unique flavor. This is a family run joint and everytime we are here the owner is usually helping wait tables and she is friendly but unintrusive.
We always bring out of town guests to Manna for a unique delicious meal and they always love it. If I had to pick a regular favorite this is in my top 3 for sure.

Went there last night for an early dinner… Think they changed the name to Manna House recently… BTW, didn’t see sushi on the menu. Anyway… it took a couple of minutes before I was greeted, (no hostess/​waitstaff). Some guy came out of the kitchen and pointed us to a table… The place was decorated nicely but the four or five space heaters took away the ambiance…
The food was so so… probably better tnan the touristy Korean places around, but nothing special…
nuff said…

On my recent trip to the Boston area I was lucky enough to stop in to this little sushi/​korean restaurant in Arlington. It’s next to a little theater. The restaurant is cozy, clean, bright and tastefully decorated with Japanese/​Asian looking things.
I had Korean food– Seafood Tofu Soup and Kalbi ribs. Everything was great. The atmosphere was nice– a mix of younger couples and families, possibly a few business meetings going on. The owner/​wait staff was very friendly.
My friends had the yellowtail and said it was excellent.
Overall just about everything I could ask for, but the food took a little too long coming out.