About Honey Pig
For many, Honey Pig is synonymous with Annandale’s Korean barbecue scene, thanks to the popularity of the seven-year-old Annandale original, which still serves 24-hour crowds eager for their fill of grilled meats and cold beer. The family-owned operation has since expanded to six locations, from Maryland to Taiwan, all outfitted with low ceilings and corrugated-metal walls. But back to the original: Why brave hourlong waits on busy nights? Because the place is pure, hedonistic fun in a way most restaurants aren’t, and you won’t leave hungry or bored. Order a chilled bottle of soju and fried mandu dumplings while you wait for heaps of spicy pork belly and beef ribs to cook on the hubcap-like table grills. Service is swift, but you can carry on the party at Honey Pig Izakaya, the karaoke bar down the road.
Cuisine: Korean
Where you can get it: 7220 Columbia Pike, Annandale, 703-256-5229; 13848-B Braddock Rd., Centreville, 703-830-5959; 19743 N. Frederick Rd., Germantown, 301-972-2436
Also good: Kimchee pancake; bulgogi beef; squid and pork in spicy sauce; buckwheat noodles in cold beef broth.