Namsan Korean Restaurant

Malcolm Earhart 7 months ago

Unassuming Korean restaurant, I was surprised Kalamazoo had something like this. I was expecting more pan Asian than authentic Korean. They were fairly busy on an early Friday evening but I was able to get a booth. I took a few minutes to look over the menu but basically knew what I wanted before I arrived. Tteokbokki and the mackerel. Why I wore a white shirt to eat tteokbokki idk, but it was almost instant regret. Plenty of that chilli sauce but it was fairly mild in spice. You could find a few pockets of heat tucked in the glass noodles. The mackerel was everything I wanted it to be. Crispy, salty simple and straight forward. The banchan while on the mild side was good and paired well with the fish and rice. It was way more food than I could eat at once. Service was pleasant, I was seated and served quickly, pay at the register.

Ray Bas 8 months ago

Authentic korean at Kalamazoo. This is a classic place. Reasonably priced and very healthy food.

James Parmelee a year ago

This is my go-to Korean restaurant in the Kalamazoo region. The food is undoubtedly some of the best I've ever had in the local area, but--due to either lack of competition or expense of ingredients--is also some of the most expensive. Expect to spend at least $14 per person. Attached is a photo of the $20 spicy pork dish (my favorite from the menu) with all sides integrated. Judge for yourself whether this is a worthwhile expense. The portions are extremely filling, and the food is seasoned and balanced to perfection. If you're getting takeout, prepare for the containers to leak moderately. The service is passable; the older hostess may not understand you the first time you ask her something. The bathroom is padlocked and, upon getting the key from the host, opens to reveal an unusual mix of a dingy outhouse and traditional Korean decor. It's a sight to behold. Lastly, and a particular note about the atmosphere, it's my perception that this restaurant is largely popular among local Asian families or college students as a place of comfort and relaxation. If you're planning a trip here, stay quiet, polite, and conscientious.

Shillo Wright Edited 3 years ago

2023: I came back recently with a friend and it’ll be my last time. The service was still bad even though again, barely anyone was there. There was only one other table. We felt rushed to eat and pay and the food was pretty meh. 2022: My partner and I came for a late lunch and we were the only customers there. Parking is a little weird, but there is space to park. The interior could definitely use remodeling, but that’s not going to stop me from going there. We weren’t really greeted, but the only person out front was by herself and served as well. There was definitely a language barrier and again we were the only customers so I’m not taking the lack of enthusiasm as service to heart. We got wings for the appetizer and they were pretty lack luster. You can tell they weren’t marinated or seasoned and they were still cold in the middle. We saved them and heated them up in the air fryer at home. The entrees were very good though. My ramen was amazing and so was the side of kimchi, and my partner’s loved the pork entree. Will I rush to come back, no. But, will I give this establishment another chance and try other items on the menu, yes. It could have been a bad day and a bad time for

Sandi Castro 5 years ago

We were pleasantly surprised by the size of the appetizers: the kimche pancake was the size of a pizza and the K-Pop chicken was crispy with a spicy Chile sauce. The backbone soup was given thumbs up by our Korean friend and my husband loved it too. The other entrees ordered were black bean noodles (friend #2 ate every bite!) And I ordered bbq pork which was spicy-good and really tasty!! The only downside was 2 employees were running the whole restaurant and it took quite a while to get our food. The restaurant is popular with locals. It was worth the wait for sure.