Sam Oh Jung

I would never say that Sam Oh Jung is the top Korean spot in NoVA. I go here for 2 reasons: (1) my family has been coming to this place since 1992 — long time and (2) they have new ownership and the food quality has gone up.
Me being half-​korean; the food reminds me of home. I love it and always have a good meal when I am here. For me its a must every time I find myself in Springfield, VA.

This place has the best bulgogi I’ve had and it’s fairly cheap on the lunch menu.

Growing up my dad was never really 1 to go out and eat, he always said home cooking was always better, but I think he did cause he was rather frugal LOL. Anyway, whenever we did go out and eat it was ALWAYS Sam Oh Jung — ALWAYS… and I’m rather surprised it’s still around.
Anyway, I have fond memories of this place — the kind old lady who always greeted us with a warm smile and never gave me grief for running around the place like a mad child (I was a rather rambunctious soul) and I remember eating there 1 last time before I left for Virginia and enjoying the food.
Ahhh, I miss these homey places back east.

3.5 stars
bulgogi carts can kiss me hairy celtic arse.
it’s not that i don’t like the bulgogi carts (i sure as heck do), but what i can get here for $ 7.65 for lunch leaves the bulgogi carts in the dust. i come here for lunch on occasion, so i can’t comment on the dinner menu, but the lunch menu has all the usual suspects of korean bbq; your galbi, bulgogi, etc. i usually get the dak gui (chicken) or the jaeyook gui (spicy pork). every order comes with 6 different kinds of fresh panchan (vegetable side dishes) and a side of rice (of course). the main meat gets served on a smoking hot plate, not unlike a fajita plate. now the meat dishes don’t taste as well as my mother-​in-​laws home cooking, but who can ever beat the mother-​in-​law? that is the only reason that i can’t give a full 4 star rating, because i know the bbq can be better. however, what you get for the price… forget about it.
a side note — i found this place soon after i discovered the ravi kabob house, which it sits right next too in the same strip mall. so what can be better than scarfing down a plate full of korean bbq pork for lunch? scarfing down korean bbq pork that’s right next door to a place that serves only halal meat.