It's been a while since I tried Cho Won Garden; the other Korean options in the area had more appeal. But when an offer for a Groupon appeared I couldn't resist. Still decent but some items have become a touch lackluster. 2.75 but I will round up.
I generally don't order appetizers at Korean restaurants because the banchan usually takes care of that aspect. Our $30 Groupon required us to order something additional to use all the funds so we tried a chicken dish. Can't remember exactly what it was called but it was the only appetizer that didn't contain gluten and was probably the best tasting dish we had all night.
Banchan was adequate but not spectacular. In addition to various kimchi there was an egg custard that was nice. Potato salad was also included which may not seem Korean but if you go to the places in LA it's served frequently. It's all about the different flavors and contrasts. The best by far and worth one point was perfectly crisp broccoli with a hint of sesame flavored dressing.
Main dishes were where things began to falter. My short rib soup was just ok, a touch bland. There was a plentiful amount of meat; I've been to places that had tasty soup with very little meat. Anyhow it was greatly improved by adding kimchi juice. My husbands Kimchi jjigae had the unmistakable taste of ketchup. I googled Kimchi JJigae and ketchup and found no hits. Perhaps they are trying out for the Korean version of Sandra Lee Semi Homemade cooking show; please just stop now before you bring shame to your family.
The restaurant itself is spacious and tastefully decorated. The service we received was excellent. The place is set up for Korean barbeque to be cooked at your table and that may be your best option if you're new to Korean food. After eating charcoal cooked BBQ at Soot Bull Jeep in LA I know I would be disappointed, but your mileage may vary.