Maybe it’s not saying much to call Adam Express the best Korean joint in the District, given the lack of the kimchi-heavy cuisine within our borders. And maybe you have an issue with singling out a place that also serves Japanese and American-Chinese dishes. But the minute you taste owner Bae Hyolyuk’s bibimbap or his bulgogi, you’ll realize this food is the next best thing to eating in Seoul. Hyolyuk, in fact, owned a restaurant back in his native Seoul for years. The guy—all 100 pounds of him—knows what he’s doing. He also doesn’t close between lunch and dinner, which means you can enjoy a big ceramic bowl of bibimbap—piled high with bean sprouts, mushrooms, carrots, beef, and a fried egg—just about any time you like. Just don’t plan on eating it there. Adam Express has only a handful of stools in the whole place.

—Erin Zimmer