Grandma’s Korean BBQ

I’m sorry to report that Grandma’s has closed, and their website now says «life after Grandma’s BBQ.». I’ll miss them. There’s now a big sign saying «Thai Food coming soon» Stay tuned.

Based on just my first time there, I would’ve given it a 4 star, but after my second time, sorry but I gotta take one off.
I always order kalbi (or galbi) when I go to Korean restaurants. The first time it was super yummy. And the price~ Usually it costs at least $ 15 for a galbi lunch, they’re selling it for about $ 8. Not a lot of side dish but I don’t need them to fill me up before my food gets here anyways. My bf ordered the bulgogi and it was good too. Grandma and grandpa were friendly and attentive, so that was a 4 star for me.
However, when I went back for lunch a couple of weeks later, I ordered the galbi again and my bf ordered beef fried rice. The galbi just tasted… off… a bit too sour, I don’t think I’ve ever gotten sour galbi before. The outside was still a little soggy, something must’ve changed on their sauce, so it doesn’t get that nice slightly burnt crisp you get from normal galbi sugary marinate. My bf’s beef fried rice was kinda different than normal too… it’s like their rice isn’t dry enough or something, and we couldn’t really make out the beef. So it just looks like a heap of white and brown mixture. It doesn’t taste awful, but it’s just not what we expected when we ordered beef fried rice. Of course, I just told my white boy bf that’s just how normal korean beef fried rice is (I had no idea) so he would stop whining. We also ordered the yukgechang (sp?), it wasn’t even close, sorry but it was actually pretty bad.
All in all, it wasn’t a bad place, but after the second time, it wasn’t awesome neither. Hey but what do I know, maybe I’ve just used not used to the homemade taste. Unfortunately, we have at least 5 other Korean restaurants within about 1 mile radius of us, so it’s no longer worth the 15 – 20 minute drive to Grandma’s anymore. OK place to go if you’re close by tho.

I tried this finally after driving by it almost everyday for the last 5 yrs. It is very much a mom & pop establishment, the décor maybe a little drab but it still feels welcoming. I had the Kim-​bob for appetizer which was pretty good, though I do prefer it with fish sausage. We both had the Bool-​go-​gi which wasn’t too bad either, the meat could’ve used a bit more sauce. The service was friendly and quick, I’ll definitely be going back to try some of the other menu items.

My sister was having surgery yesterday at the University of Colorado hospital and I wanted to grab something fun and delicious to feed my parents. I figured if it was something they didn’t get very often, they’d be more likely to eat, and since my dad lived in Korea it might start some upbeat conversation as well. Grandma’s BBQ was perfect!
The restaurant is a cute little hole in the wall a few blocks from the inpatient pavilion. Grandma cooking in the back, Grandpa busily attending to the half-​dozen or so tables. Our order was simple, but everything we saw come out looked and smelled fantastic!
Our food was delicious, and although it looked like way too much food we ate it all! My dad started telling stories and laughing, and my mom, who hadn’t eaten hardly anything all day, was distracted enough to polish off her meal! The ribs were just the way I like them, all the meat was flavorful and moist. I loved the pineapple in the kimchee, and the Korean beef dumplings were hands-​down the best I’ve ever had! I could have handled things a bit spicier, but the full flavor made up for that.
If you’re stuck at the hospital and looking for an affordable escape for lunch or dinner, go here!

AWE-​SOME!
Came here for lunch and everything tasted just like home… well the Korean food from Hawaii. It’s hard to find places that have non-​American tasting food but this place is not one of them.
Really homey, not in a bad way, just not a 5 star dining experience. I got the Bi Bim Bob with no egg. Really good. I liked the veggies and the meat which was tender and tasty. My friend got the Bool-​Gal-​Bi (same meat in the Bi Bim Bob) which was a better deal. A LOT of meat for the same price as my dish.
Decent prices, quick, no frills… I’ll most def be back.

Two visits. Although the décor is rather austere, the food and the kind people who own this Korean restaurant make up for it. I worked in Korea for three years and fell in love with their food. In fact, I crave it. However, I don’t live that close to Aurora where most of the quality Korean restaurants are located. It is a half hour drive to Grandma’s but it is well worth it. The menu offers many of most popular dishes from beef bulgogi to the dumpling soup. There are usually three side dishes with your main order and two of them are different kinds of kimchi. On the appetizer side I only tried the spicy tofu and it was excellent. I have had the miso soup and the dumpling (mondu) soup. Both good comfort food. The portions are more than adequate and the food is hot. (I don’t mean spicy hot, although you can have that too.) I think many American shy away from Korean food out of unfamiliarity and the idea that it is all too spicy. This is not true. Many of the dishes have little or no spice. Korean cuisine is very healthful, nourishing and low in fat. If you like to be a food adventurer, then give Grandma’s a try. I think you will be pleased. Good Korean food for a great price. Now that’s hard to beat.

Based on all the love Unilocal is giving this place, I decided to check it out. Being a Korean food virgin, I really did not know what to expect.
This place is actually pretty close to my house, but I have never headed east on Montview so i had never seen it. Wow, I am glad that I found it.
I stopped by to get some take out. Like everyone else noticed, the place was dead when I went in (last Friday night). I met both Grandma and Grandpa. Seems like Grandpa speaks more english than Grandma.
I ordered the Goon-​man-​du which are very tasty vegetable and beef pan seared dumplings. The dipping sauce seemed to be a thick soy sauce that was pretty salty but good. I ordered for my entrée the beef bool-​go-​gi and it was delicious. The beef was so tender and flavorful. It was a pretty good size portion too. The rice was nice a sticky which is the way I like it.
I also ordered chicken fried rice. It had a lot of chicken and was very good. It was a little dry, but that may because I ordered it for lunch the next day, so refrigerating and microwaving for lunch may have dried it out a little. However it tasted very good and had lots of chicken.
I will definitely go back. The only piece of constructive criticism is that the décor is a little sparse, and hodge podge. It really does not have a great atmosphere, but the food is awesome!

Damn, this place is good. Don’t let the location or lack of people in the dining room scare you off. The food here is authentic, and seriously good. Get thyself to the hood and have some great korean

So I eat out A LOT and I would love to write a review of everyplace i go, but I simply don’t have the time, however this is one of the places that I have to make the time for!
Now I spend most of my working hours in cramped spaces with a lot of annoying people so sometimes on my days off I just need some alone time and a relaxing meal. Yesterday was one of those days. I was in the mood for a bit of adventure and wanted to go someplace new for dinner, but didn’t want to brave the Friday night crowds at the new «it» restaurant. So I decided to try something off the beaten path and after a little research on Unilocal I chose Grandma’s.
After reading the reviews i grabbed a couple magazines and made the drive from downtown to Aurora and had no problem finding the place or parking. Upon entering the place I found that I was the ONLY CUSTOMER THERE… it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Based on past experiences of restaurants with no customers my first thought was to act as if I was lost and then flee as fast as I can… I am soooo glad I didn’t!
I was greeted by Grandma and Grandpa themselves who are the cutest little couple that I hope to learn more about on the next trip, but it was 7:30 and I thought they closed at 8:00 (it was 9:00 i found out later) so figured I would get down to the business at hand.
I started off with Goon-​man-​du (Yaki-​mandu). They are large homemade dumplings similar to a Pot Sticker (6 for $ 4) filled with vegetables and beef, pan fried and served with a light soy based/​Green Onion sauce. They were like little pillows of yummy goodness. I didn’t want to fill up on them and tried to save a few to take home for later, but alas I just couldn’t stop myself from eating them all!
Next I ordered Bool-​go-​gi aka Grandma’s BBQ, ($ 8) It is Beef that has been marinated in Grandma’s special sauce, cooked over an open flame and then thinly chopped/​shredded and served with White Rice. All dinners are served with a choice of Soup or Salad and in this case I chose the soup. This soup alone is a reason to come here! I am not sure what the name of it was, but I would describe it as a Miso soup with Kimchee spices and fresh spinach. It was a great prelude to the next course of complimentary Kimchee, lightly Picked Chayote Squash and Garlic Cloves, and Radish Cubes in a Spicy Red Sauce. They were all very fresh and vibrant and the Kimchee was one of the best I have ever had!
My dinner arrived on a sizzling platter with a bowl of perfectly cooked white rice. The large mound of Beef itself sat atop thin slices of fresh Zucchini that were soaking up all the great favors of the juices dripping from the fire grilled Beef that was melt in your mouth tender and extremely flavorful!
So as I am eating my entrée in the awkward sound of total silence (if anyone there reads this, may i suggest a little music?) I just kept thinking to myself «why isn’t this place packed right now? They have everything… Clean, freindly, fresh, and great prices!
So that is the main reason for making time to write this review is to urge all my fellow Unilocalers/​Korean BBQ lovers to put this on the top of your «must try» list so i don’t have to put it on my «Favorite places that didn’t make it» list

Best Korean BBQ I’ve had since moving from Oahu to Denver! When you walk in the joint, you notice how the cash register area is cluttered with shelves, house plants, magazines, and other stuff which lends to the homey feel. Ran by an older couple, this tiny Aurora restaurant may not seem like much, but it packs a lot of heart.
Grandpa takes your order and sets out your drinks and banchan while Grandma is in the kitchen cooking your food. Both of them are very nice. Since there’s no other kitchen staff besides Grandma, it’ll take awhile to get your food and the dishes come out one at a time. I believe that this is the best part of this restaurant. You get a home cooked meal that had heart put into it, than some rushed, over-​priced, commercial plate of crap. Brush up your communication skills by having a conversation with your companion while you wait. If you’re planning on going by yourself, bring a book.
Ah, delicious home-​style Korean cooking! I ordered mandu, kalbi, and chap chae. The banchan consisted of 3 different kinds of kimchee. This was enough food for four people. Everything was cooked perfectly. If I had any complaints, it would be that the mandu dipping sauce should’ve been made spicy.
The food is definitely worth the wait and priced right. A meal for one will cost $ 10.00 or under. Although this place is not located anywhere near me, I will definitely become a regular here.

It’s a bit of a hike to get to Grandma’s, but then again, it’s a hike from central Denver to just about any Korean restaurant. That said, I’m not sure I’m motivated to make this drive again.
My friend and I went to lunch here recently. The place is small and rather austere. Grandma is in the kitchen cooking and her hubby is up front taking care of diners. There was only one other table while we were there, but it was a group of older Korean folks, which leads me to believe this place is probably good.
We started with bowls of soup. My friend’s was loaded with chicken, and mine had a sliver of it. I mentioned it to our waiter and he said «chicken is just for flavor» despite seeing that the other bowl was chock full of it, err flavor.
My main course was a sizzling pork platter of sorts. It was tasty, but it was splattering grease all over as it was served. When the splattering settled down, the meat just sat in a pool of grease. It was flavorful and unappealing at once.
My friend eats a lot of Korean food and noted that this was nothing special compared to the other places he frequents.

FRIDAY Feb 5^th 2010 :
Hubs asked me what we are having for dinner? So I suggest him, shall we go KOREAN today? He nods going with the flow on where we were heading that evening.
So to Grandma’s Korean BBQ we went, this tiny establishment located along Montview Blvd. When we arrived, we were greeted, by an elderly man. With a smile, he gave us the menu and 2 glasses of water.
While we were there sometime around 17:45hrs ish, many more patrons came by, but decide to have their food to go instead. Some even perhaps order in advance, so while they arrived, their food were ready.
As for us, we decide to order these :
* Seafood Pancake. I like this appetizer as my second BEST for the dinner that evening. Just like the pancakes my late grandma used to make it for me. A similar kind of pancake…
* Goon-​man-​du (Yaki –mandu). This dish, is a pan fried beef and vegetable dumplings. I dont really fancy this dish but Hubs like it and said its an A-​OK.
Our main entrees come with «the chicken curry». Its more like potatoes, and onions, braised in some chicken curry flavor. But I believe there are many more ingredients that comes with this «chicken curry» soup and its comes HOT, just the way we like it, especially on this Chilly evening.
Main entrees order were :
* Grandma’s BBQ ~ Beef Ribs steak, on a sizzling hot plate with some vegetables like cucumbers and caramelized onions. This is my main dish. I like this dish the BEST.
* Bibim Nang-​myun. Its a thin buckwheat noodle mixed with spicy sauce. This dish is served cold. This was what Hubs order for his dinner. When we were there, the menu stated that it comes with Beef Brisket. But when our order arrived, its just plain buckwheat noodle mixed with spicy sauce. Taste more like kimchee to me, and it does not come with BEEF BRISKET. Perhaps its meant to be, or perhaps Grandma forgot about the BEEF BRISKET. Perhaps.
While we were there for dinner, Hubs also order coffee, while I was given «HOT Barley Tea».
Since its only the elderly lady who cooks most of the dishes, the food can take awhile to be ready. So if you are not in the hurry and likes your food comes piping hot from the stove or the oven, you can give Grandma’s Korean BBQ a try.
All in all, we enjoyed our dinner here. Its a toss between 3.75 to 4 stars.
One drawback about this place is the location and the parking space. The parking space can be filled up easily and the establishment is along a main busy road.
Please be advised, that some of the dishes featured online does not tally with the dishes found on the menu at the establishment.
By the end of our dinner, many more patrons were dining away in this establishment.

Neighbor Sam was adopted from Korea and is always in search for a place that serves kim-​chee. For a surprise last summer, I took him to Grandma’s as I had seen it on my way out East. We have now been to Grandma’s 4 times and I feel very comfortable giving it a solid 4 star rating.
We have had duk mandu soup, bi-​bim-​bob, boolgogi, kim chee soup, and a few other things I cannot spell as Sam and Grandma have discussed what he wanted in Korean. Sam would give Grandma’s his rating based on the fact that they bring three types of kim-​chee to the table to eat with our meal.
Check out the white board as that is where the daily special is and that is where you will find a delicious meal that you might have never tried. I had a New Year’s soup that was so good. Grandma told me it is what she eats every New Year’s Day (like me eating black eye peas),
Clean, small, friendly. Grandma comes out of the kitchen to make sure everyone is enjoying their meal. And here is your Unilocal secret… Grandma used to own Seoul Café on 6^th when it was the darling of Denver. She is in business with a friend who does the business so she can cook. She loves to cook and would love to cook a great Korean meal for you. If you do not see what you want on the menu, ask.