Korean BBQ
2711 S Alma School Rd,Ste 14, Mesa, AZ, 85210
Korean BBQ Menu
-
KoBA Delivery Menu
Healthy Meal suggestions for Korean BBQ
-
KoBA Delivery Menu
Visit below restaurant in Mesa for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Mesa for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
2711 S Alma School Rd,Ste 14
Mesa, AZ, 85210 - Phone (480) 777-0300
- Website https://www.koreanbbqaz.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Joyce W.
Even though I still have 4-days of Vegas places to review, I -had- to review this first. So my mister and me came here tonight for dinner. We live pretty close so we always see this when we're running errands. Tonight was the night we were gonna eat eat eat! Since the place was so busy, service, of course, was lacking. The menu itself was odd. Siu mai and tempura, Chinese and Japanese flair, at a Korean restaurant? How odd. Anyways, we ended up getting Jap-chae, Bulgogi with mushrooms, and pork belly. As I sit here now at 3:49am eating leftover jap-chae, one conclusion comes to mind: Eh, I've had better. Here's the breakdown: Jap-chae: Standard, saucy, and oily! I'm not talking about a little oil. I'm Asian. Such things don't bother me. But there is A LOT of oil. It's kind of a put off since I ordered a noodle dish and not a box full of oil. Bulgogi with mushroom: Very flavorful, juicy, and yummy. They give you three types of mushrooms. With such a signature Korean dish, I doubt they could mess it up. Pork Belly: The meat came out frozen so when we grilled it up, it became tough. I was the most disappointed with this dish. Overall, I don't think we'd be coming back. The waitresses were really nice though so don't be frightened away!
(3)Elise K.
Food was really good here! Just wish there was more of it for the price. We all left full, but I'm just used to bigger portions when we go out for KBBQ. I understand what the other people were saying about the service, but it didn't bother me that much. The waitress was really nice and I just let her know whenever we needed help because she was doing like so many other things... Definitely planning to come back here!!
(4)Amy B.
What kind of business doesn't hire enough people to be able to properly service a half empty restaurant? Today we sat at a table for 40 minutes and didn't get even get to put in an order before we decided to just leave. Last time I was here the cook had to come out to help us because the one waitress who works there was so overwhelmed. It's a shame this place is so understaffed because I've been here before and the food is decent. Unless they hire more people I wouldn't recommend coming here. They can only handle two parties in the restaurant at a time.
(2)Mickey A.
First thing's first. My dad is addicted to Gyu Kaku (Chicago location). Like seriously, he is. So when we were in town, he really wanted to go to a place similar to it. My brother and sister-in-law had heard of this place through word of mouth and decided to venture out of their comfort zone with us in tow. The place looked like it wasn't open or was in the beginning stages. It almost looked like it had been a small town college bar at one time. Our servers were nice and put up with our questions and requests (like refills). It's a little on the pricy side, but we did get more sides than expected.
(3)Janet N.
I don't get the low rating for Korean BBQ. Yes, the interior is a bit shabby and a bit too empty ... but the food was seriously the best Korean I've had here in AZ. Plus, the pricing was a bit decent in comparison to other Korean establishments I looked up prior to dining here. Incredibly empty, there was one party of about 8 people dining here and a family of four on a weekday night. The interior is fairly large, drab interior and empty. Ordered the Pork Belly (Samgyupsal) and Bulgogi for Korean BBQ which came with a Green Onion Salad, Lettuce, Pajeon and Kimchijeon and side dishes (Ban Chan). The pork belly is frozen, but still good. Bulgogi had a good marinade and tender. Intrigued they gave Pajeon and Kimchijeon, although the latter was not as good. These fried little pancakes with veg are delicious and filling. The side dishes were okay, but lacking. Kimchi, pickled cucumbers, braised lotus root and fish cake were served. Glad they gave us Green Onion Salad, Lettuce with the little helping of garlic and Jalapeno to eat with the pork belly. The service was actually really nice, we were checked up on often and the lovely lady even made sure ask if we knew how to cook everything (which we did)- but thoughtful! Price was decent as previously mentioned it was about $13-$17 per plate of meat. Good portion and side dishes were refilled when asked. For the price, the food and service was good. Yes, you will smell like KBBQ but that's pretty inevitable especially with overhead smoke extractors.
(4)Victoria H.
So this was a very bad experience for my husband and I. We came in and it was empty, dark and gloomy feeling. The waitress placed us at a table in the dark! I could barely see my food! All that aside, its a bit pricey. We asked if the 20 something worth had a good decent amount of meat, she said its quite a lot. She brought out the meat and it had only 4 pieces. The rice was really soggy. The table was real sticky. I was just expecting way more out of this place i guess. I think it could of been better if they just clean it up a little bit more, make sure that they give more meet if we are paying 20+... i know meat isn't cheap but wow 4 sorry pieces.. sad sad sad. Overall i mean, the people seemed nice but it just was not a good experience overall. Hope they can make some adjustments to make it better. It has potential.
(2)Teleitha I.
First, let me say that I came here expecting it to be like the Korean BBQ in Los Angeles. It was not... They cook it for you and it wasn't that great. The staff was nice. It just wasn't the experience I was hoping for.
(4)Sam J.
Food was good don't get me wrong they do it right here, but $80?! Really?! I was in LA where the food is usually more expensive than Mesa, AZ and had all you can eat Korean bbq for $20 this pricing is horseshit in a chef salad! But again the food was good just priced WAY too high!
(2)Carl C.
Dirty....bathrooms smell like sewer gas.....no one in there....expensive....tired looking.....food average.....NO!
(2)Damon D.
Unclean, children yelling in back, just had a skeevy vibe. Left without ordering. Apparently Yelp wants me to go into more detail, so I invite them to go into this place and see if they have anything to add.
(1)Nikki R.
This restaurant was probably the most uncomfortable dining experience I think that I have ever had in my life... My boyfriend and I looooove korean bbq and we were looking for a good one in Arizona. First of all, we were the only customers in the restaurant for dinner. Whoever owns the place probably lives there in the back room; his/her friends and family were there and kids were running around like it was day care, there were toys and homework on the ground. The worst part of the experience was the service. The waitress was very nice, but she stood right at our table the entire time we looked at the menu, hovering until we decided. When I tried to tell her I wanted the bibimbap she tried to tell me that I wanted something else and that I would like it better, and I insisted that I wanted bibimbap, but she kept insisting that I get other things that were more expensive than what I was choosing. She seemed very pushy and did not understand the concept of a menu and ordering things. The food itself tasted good but was completely overpriced. You also do not get to cook the kbbq yourself, they bring it to you already cooked. Maybe I am just spoiled living in southern california where Korean BBQ plates are about $15 for all you can eat, or even less, but we got a korean bbq plate for about $25, and it was only one plate, not even all you can eat, which was absolutely ridiculous. If you are expecting AYCE KBBQ that you cook yourself, or decent prices then this is not the place for you.
(1)Kelly A.
Just went here for dinner and was told in an empty restaurant we need to wait 20 minutes because only one server is available. Close your doors for good if you can't service people!
(1)Jennifer M.
It has great reviews but I am really confused why. Maybe I have just been spoiled by great Korean until now? The place is fairly large and really old and worn looking inside. The food was mediocre at best. We got the ribs and beef and two bimbi bop. They were all mediocre (at best) and prices were pretty high. Service was decent. I will most likely never return.
(2)Sacha B.
Terrible service! Waited 30 min to get a table when half of the tables are empty. Only one person in charge. Dirty bathrooms.
(1)Mimi M.
Finding good Korean food is really difficult in AZ, however Korean BBQ is consistently good. The interior certainly isn't fancy, but I care more about the food than the ambiance on an average night. The Kimchi and other side dishes are very tasty, (the kimchi's spiciness isn't dialed down for American taste buds) the Jap Chae is absolutely delicious, and I have never been let down by their Gal Bi. They have Soju that is worth drinking as well as a couple Korean beers and you can always ask the extremely friendly waitress or owners for a recommendation. I have been to Korean BBQ many times in the past and intend to return in the future.
(4)Phat T.
The food here was okay, nothing bad, nothing great. Best thing of the night was the grilled beef tongue. Thinly sliced and nicely marinated. The service is a bit on the slow side, but friendly. I will say that that the prices are high for the portion size. There were only a few banchan dishes, I'm used to Korean eateries where the banchan covers the entire table. I live in Southern CA, where there is a plethora of Korean eatery options, so the prices tend to be lower and the quality better. Not a bad option for the area.
(3)Irene T.
This is a pretty decent korean bbq place in AZ.. considering that I am starved from the good stuff in So Cal. The lady was really friendly and even offered to help us cook.. I know most people like that but I'm a big of a control freak so it made me uncomfotable when she was cooking and telling us what to do. Just let us do our thing without us being pressured to stuff our face with the meat you cooked. The pan chan was decent, no potato salad, decent radish kim chi. The brisket was chewy.. I'm just really missing So Cal korean bbq but this holds me over till I visit home.
(3)Danielle Marie S.
I had udon soup from here and it was awesome! It was the first place I tried boiled octopus and I fell in love. Its pretty cool in there too. You even have the option of cooking your own food on the small teppanyaki grills on the tables. I don't know too much about Korean cuisine but it seems pretty authentic to me. The staff is very nice, and the portions are enough to fill you and then some. If you're craving high quality Asian, this is the place to go.
(5)Jennifer C.
Kalbi is very good. My kids love the Kim bap but they only have it available half the time. The panjan never disappoints. Service isn't the friendliest, but I challenge anyone to find me a friendly Korean joint.
(4)Mary Y.
Purchased a Groupon and thought it was a great deal. ( $40 worth of food for $20.) So my husband and I were craving Korean BBQ and headed out here on a week night. We walked in and there were only 4 other people inside at the time. And they were non-Koreans which was surprising to see. The waitress was Korean and sat us down at a table. We decided to order my favorite meat (Chal Doel Begee) but she said they didn't get the delivery today so they were out. We then selected our 2nd choice which was Galbi and then she said they were out as well. We were definitely disappointed and we should have just walked out but we were too hungry. She said the pork belly is their specialty and they had it in stock so we went ahead with that. Typically pork belly is a cheaper meat at Korean restaurants so I usually try and avoid ordering it. But had no choice. Growing up in LA, I've used to great side dishes at a Korean BBQ restaurant. They brought out 4-5. They also include green-onion mix(par-ree chae) as well as lettuce and garlic. The total came out to $48 so we used our Groupon and in the end paid $28 including tip. It seemed like there was only one waitress working and one bus boy at the time. Since it wasn't busy, we didn't wait that long for food but I could see it being a long wait if there were bigger crowds. It looked like they had a full bar but didn't see a bartender. I'm not sure this is the standard of Korean dining in Arizona but if it is, i'm going to have to drive home to LA for Korean food in the future. The only bright spot is they offer Karaoke and have separate rooms for that. Not sure how much that costs.
(2)Taylor S.
Upon first entering the establishment my boyfriend and I noticed it had a rather run down interior that probably wouldn't meet health code with the visible water damage on the ceiling. The only thing to keep us company aside from Asian pop-music videos was the sweltering heat! We got our food to go, only to find out that most of it was too fatty to be edible. Needless to say $45 dollars later we were left with greasy fingers and empty tummies! Never going back!!
(1)Josh B.
I went here for lunch and was surprised to find myself as the only person in the restaurant. One of the humerous things that I found as I walked in was a sign that advertised karoke all day every day. I'm not a huge karoke fan, but my wife is, so this will have to be another dinner visit another time. The service was extremely friendly and timely, unlike some others have reported, so that was a pleasant surprise. I ordered the beef bulgogi for lunch. As one would expect a host of side dishes arrived before the main dish. Most were the type of vegetable sides that would be expected, although there were a few surprises. The kimchi (two different types) were a little more mild than I normally prefer, but still tasty. One of the surprises that was a new thing to me was a brown, firm, starchy sort of thing that looked like a symetrical cross section of a sea sponge. It was tasty, although a little odd to look at. The beef bulgogi arrived in short order and was quite good and ample for a lunch price and portion, especially with the large cup of rice that accompanied it. No major surpises in terms of flavors for typical Korean BBQ. I was invited to come back for dinner and was promised that the table-top BBQ units are in use and the menu consists of cook at your table selections of meats. I'll definitely return to try dinner and for another run at lunch to try some of the other menu items.
(4)Bao H.
Korean BBQ -- Warning while attending and eating Korean BBQ please dress appropriately! After effects may include - full belly, the need to use a toothpick, flush face (especially when you're Asian), and YOU SMELL LIKE YOU JUST ATE SOME KOREAN BBQ comments! I should have known, but I enjoy putting on a nice blazer -- that now needs to go to the cleaners. Moving on, Korean BBQ is a small mom-pop shop. The name of the restaurant got to the point and no beating around the bushes here. You get what you order. Grill your beef strips and pork fat yourself! Hmm ain't nothin' like some pork fat over some Hite & OB beer -- Soju doesn't hurt either, but make sure you can handle yourself after a few rounds. Overall, the food was pretty good and authentic here. Service was lovely and our waitress started the grilling for me and showed me the tools and tricks. Yes, my friends I'm not much of a cook even in front of a grill. As I said early Korean BBQ is a small shop with some basic decor. They have a full bar, but I didn't take advantage of it since I was busy trying to grill haha! They seem to have a karaoke room that was empty. Not sure if they have karaoke nights, but let me know and I'll bust out my Bruno Mars impression! - Enjoy!
(4)Paul V.
Selected this place for midweek dinner with family. The waitress was friendly, efficient and served us well. But her English was just enough to communicate. The food was OK. The kimchi condiments were mediocre. The meats - we had beef ribs, sliced beef & chicken - were well marinated. Overall experience = Average.
(3)Gehan K.
Passable for a korean bbq place. Had the usual ribs, bibimbap, bulgogi was good as usual. However the dumplings were not as great as it should be. The kimchi was ok and so were the sides.This is as good as gets in Arizona I suppose so I cannot be too spoiled coming from Portland with great BBQ places. I still ate and finished as much as I good, so of course it is not a 4 star. It was disappointing that they did not have the seafood pancake...as much as the waitress tried apologizing...she seems to be apologizing all the time. I feel bad as I am sure she wants the business to succeed How to improve? Easy...make sure the service that everything is right the first time...all sides and rice given in a timely manner and inform guests of what is out on the menu. They should procure better better quality meat as I can see the meat was not as red as it should have being.
(3)Tara S.
If you're expecting an upscale atmosphere to go along with the $17.00 entrée prices, then you're going to the wrong place. This restaurant is nothing short of a hole in the wall with an interior to match. But if you want authentic, absolutely yummy Korean dishes served just the way you like it (since you cook it yourself), you've found your spot. The service depends on how busy they are; expect only 2 or 3 waitresses for the entire restaurant even during busy times. During peak hours and days, you can plan on having an empty drink glass for awhile. But if you're lucky enough to be there during a non-rush, you won't be disappointed. The short ribs are nothing short of amazing and the side dishes are ample and fresh. I love bringing my kids and cooking our own meat over the tabletop grill, and they love trying new things. Plan on walking out with a $50 tab for two and a full tummy. This place won't disappoint.
(4)Su-shien C.
Went there after a long hike at Flat Iron. 3 miles one way with 2,500 feet elevation change- 6 miles total! Took us 6 hours and we were ready for some fine Korean BBQ afterwards! Interior looked a little shabby. Loved the side dishes, goog pork with spicy red pepper, bul go gi, and I had the beef with cabbage spicy soup. All good~ not excellent. Friendly service.
(3)Richard P.
Dwaeji bulgogi was very good, a tad fatty but flavorful. The pan fried dumplings were much better in the sauce but were still kinda meh. Granted, we were there at lunch time and weren't able to get the full-on BBQ-at-your-table experience. The extras they give definitely gave you a tour of Korean cuisine, though I have to say their kimchi was kind of flavorless and didn't have any heat whatsoever. The large TV playing afternoon sitcom reruns did lower the class value of the place, considering I didn't see any kids running around, I'm not sure who all they had it on for.
(3)Ken G.
Food was OK. Service was slow and the restaurant itself is really dated and not as clean as I would like. My son got very ill after eating here?? Coincidence? I don't know...
(2)Diana L.
This is a really good restaurant! A must try for people who like Korean food! Favorites: Bulgogi with lettuce wraps and chap chae I really want to go back to try the karaoke here.
(4)Bryce R.
Friendly. Good service. Average taste.
(3)Julie M.
The K BBQ here I've found to be quite tasty but the service has been pretty hit-or-miss. I think I've been 4 times and 2 of those times the service was pretty darn rude. The last time my date and I just ordered one thing because in the past we totally over ordered. Our server gave us that snide look that implied, "That's *all* you're getting?" That's how both of us interpreted it anyway and she didn't pay us much attention the rest of our meal, even though there was only 2 other tables of people in the entire restaurant. Also, our meat has burned on 2 occasions because the waitress waited too long to come and flip the meat. I wish I would have just flipped it myself so I didn't get those little badly charred bits in my Korean BBQ. The food is pretty good but I don't think I'll be back.
(3)Baylee G.
Great food and great service!
(5)Marianne H.
The Korean BBQ is okay here, but the side dishes lack flavor. One of them was a bowl of pepperoncini, like the kind that comes with pizza. We were literally the only ones in the entire restaurant. I prefer Takamatsu.
(2)Brian T.
Sad to say it's been WAAAAYY too long since I"ve been here. A buddy from back at home (Seatle) was craving some spicy Korean pork so we all went here for dinner last night. I'm ALWAYS a fan of Korean BBQ, and this place does not disappoint. We ordered the Kalbi, marinated short ribs. We also went with the Spicy Pork in Red Pepper Paste (Dwaeji Bul Gogi, it's not as spicy as it sounds but very good). The last meat dish we ordered marinated chicken, Dalk Gui. We started with an order of the potstickers and they serve this killer lightly dressed salad with a touch of white vinegar, sesame oil and salt and pepper. In typical Korean BBQ, the bring out an array of small side dishes to complement your BBQ. Some are spicy (different types of kimchee), some are salty, some are hot (last night, one dish they had was this awesome tofu that had to have been cooked on the flat top) served with this good sauce, boiled eggs in soy sauce and a sesame sprout salad. This is one of my favorite parts of the experience, you get all these cool little side dishes to eat with your rice and BBQ. On to my favorite reason to come to Korean BBQ. There's a grill in the middle of your table and a hood above your table. They bring out your meat already marinated, and you just grill it up as you like it and as you're hungry. The marinades are out of this world and the food is simply great. Now that's just an option, you can have the cook it up on your table or in the back in your a weenie. Overall, for 4 of us the tab was around 115, but that was for 3 meat dishes, an appetizer, all the sides, rice, few big bottles of OB Korean Beer and two small sakes. If you're looking for something new and a tad bit adventurous, this is it
(5)Tarrah C.
I love this place. The bbq is amazing. If you order from the BBQ menu, get number 3 (ribs) and number 5 (beef with mushrooms). I've been here three times and have never been disappointed. The korean pancake is goood, however, it's a little thicker then the ones I've had in New York, and sometimes the seafood is a little chewy. I wish they had the plain scallion pancake, I like it better than the seafood one. And no, they don't give as many condiments as other places I've been....but, considering they are not exactly close to any Korea town, I think it's authentic enough for the location (Mesa, Az!). The place itself isn't much to look at, but the flavorful food more then makes up for it. Every time I go, it's the same waitress, and based on what I've read from other reviews, I'm thinking she IS the only one. We went there this evening, and almost every table was full and yet she was the only one serving. So, serivce was needless to say, a little slow (hence the dock off one star) Other then that, I'm a fan of this place. I'm glad it's just around the corner from us!
(4)Danny S.
I spent my senior year of high school in Seoul and have always had a love for Korean BBQ. It's been a while since I have been in a korean restaurant that is authentic. Rude waitress, yelling at each other, and awesome, awesome food. I felt like I was back in school, just with less hair on my head. I highly recommend the bulgolgi and lettuce. The bean paste was spot on. The only concern is the price is higher than it should be. This goes on groupon often so you can wait for that. One dish is big enough for two people in many occasions. Thanks again for this awesome place
(4)Jimmy W.
It has been a while since I've been back but you really have lost a star in my eye due to cutting your portion in the BBQ at least 25% and I have received the smallest portion I ever seen in any restaurant for the Squid Salad for $9. I just wondered am I being punished to be place in the darkest corner of the restaurant as well. That said, I still love your Dook Mandu Gook. You are still friendly to both us but I know other customers may not be so forgiving.
(3)lisa h.
A better name would have been Korean BBQ and Child Care Center. :-( Loud children running from room to room make for a tense meal. The waitress was very nice, but did seem overworked. There was another woman working, but she chatted behind the bar and didn't seem to be very helpful. The food was good but not spicy at all. Asking for Sriracha was like pulling teeth. It wasn't bad but Chodang is waaay better.
(3)Sean P.
This place needs to get their act in gear before they lose all business. The poor waitress was completely overworked at 9pm on a Saturday night, serving the entire restaurant (of six total people); she was on the verge of tears, it seemed. The food wasn't bad, but the service was really terrible.
(2)Sally M.
Great 1st time experience w/ my family! We got a bunch of different dishes & just shared everything. The kimchi here is great. I would say that if you're not familiar w/ Korean food to start by trying the kalbi or bulgogi (beef) with rice or bi bim bap (mixed rice, beef, vegetables w/ a spicy sauce). During happy hour they gave us 'buy 1 get 1 free' beer which was awesome. I'll definitely be back here
(4)Mandy M.
Are Koreans really giving this a half decent review? NO. Because it kinda blows. On Service-food and beverage is not a natural skill, but it would be good if they trained their staff to be more attentive (and friendly) The food: Poor representation of real Korean food.what Korean place doesn't have kimbab outside of the lunch menu? When I went here it was considered only on the lunch menu and way overpriced and wasn't even that good. Wtf??? Their panjan is not fresh. Not to mention that they are stingy with it. The deji bulgogi (spicy pork) was not at all good and their kalbi was very fatty. I honestly think this place is good for people who think they know Korean food (who really don't) because their friend's friend was Korean or something but most Korean loving hungry souls will go straight to Takamatsu.
(2)Jose T.
My family and I come here when we crave Korean BBQ and our budget allows. The servers are always friendly. My glass is always re-filled in a timely manner and it's pretty easy to catch the waitress' attention if I need anything. The food is really good. As with all restaurants like this, if you're a crappy cook, or if you for some reason not good at flipping meat over a grill, then by all means, ask them to cook your entree in the kitchen. The side dishes are excellent. They give you a good variety. If you happen to run out of a particular one, just ask for more. I've been dining here for about 7 years now, and I look forward to more years of their delicious food and good service.
(4)Terri M.
Stopped by on a Monday around 1:15 pm and there wasn't anyone in the place other than the waitress. Since there were 3 of us and we wanted our meal cooked on the grill table side, we were told at first that the food would be made in the kitchen. We asked if we ordered from the dinner menu would it be possible for the table side grill and we were told yes. The food was good and the sides were alright, nothing spectacular but not bad. The bill came out to $70 with an appetizer and 2 grilled meats. A little pricey for lunch, but we wanted to have our food grilled in front of us. Service was good and very accommadating to our request. We will definitely go back!
(4)Alexander C.
Please bear in mind that I try new things as they come. Korean has always mystified me.. I never even knew anything about it until one day me and the mister were cruising around (speedo shopping for our trip to Puerto Vallarta, j/k!) and happened upon this place. Okay I have to say I was blown away! This place is awesome! The service was pleasant and they completely demystified Korean BBQ for us.. my tummy is happy we went! Had the beef with mushrooms as well as the pork slices in chile paste. The server cooked the food in front of us on the tabletop grill which was very cool.. the food was fresh and just delish! The panchan was fresh and many, I think about 8 in all.. Oh the dressing on the cabbage salad, just amazing! If anyone ever wants to go out for Korean, Im so there!
(4)John D.
Great first class Korean bbq. This place gets it right and it is the real thing.
(5)Thanh N.
Dont be fooled by the unoriginal name "Korean BBQ", this place is pretty good. The interior is a little dated and worn, but its otherwise clean and tidy. The place is spacious enough for big groups and they do make special accomidations for your big parties. One of their specialties is Korean BBQ cooked right in front of you and KARAOKE! yes a wierd mix but it works for me. We had a small get together for my bday party and decided to get some korean bbq. So this place came to mind. If you request to get the food cooked in front of you, then you'll sit a special table with a built in grill. 4 ppl per grill and 2 girlls at a table. They say that the meat portions serve 1.5 ppl. So you're party of 4 will most likely need atleast 3 entrees to fill everyone up. And they're right, the portions are a little small for the price. So you might need to go 1 meat entree per person if you're a big eater. However the food is very good. We shared 3 entrees per grill, the kalbi, bulgogi and the chicken. Only the chicken entree was lacking in flavor, everything else was very very good and perfectly marinated. As for the sides, i know they change from time to time so its hard to rate them, but they were good. The service was good also, could have been that we were the only party there but she was very attentative. After a few ginormous shots, it was time for some karaoke. The set up is fairly decent and the seperate room is actually big, can accomodate atleast 20 ppl. And more importantly, there is a door to shut in the music and singing. The selection is ok, mostly older song and mostly korean, but they have english and even vietnamese songs if you were so inclined so. So in review, this place has good korean food with ok prices along with 2 karaoke rooms. A good local place for korean bbq. and even to bring a large group. Pros: - great kalbi! and other korean meats - you're choice of cooking it yourself or have them do it. - they have a full bar with great drink prices - 2 private karoake rooms Cons - not a knowledgable bartender - smallish proportions if you're a big eater
(3)D. B.
In terms of food I give this place 3.5 Stars. If you are looking for great Korean food try Takamatsu. That said, their kalbi and bulgogi were satisfactory. They really lack in service - mainly courtesy. Before I discovered that Gameworks had Karaoke, my friends and I went here to sing Japanese songs because it was the only game in town. At first we would show up randomly with large parties, which I could tell they were a bit annoyed with. Later, we got into the habit of reserving their Karaoke room. Every time we go nowadays, we're given then "Oh it's you" look. I'm not exactly sure why, as our group pays the bill for the room, orders food and drinks and pays the added gratuity - shouldn't they be at least a little nicer about the business? It's gotten to the point where I don't even recommend the place anymore.
(2)Jennifer L.
Oh yes, this is real Korean BBQ. One whiff and I was transported back to my Galbee and soju-drenched Berkeley days...aah memories. If you've never experienced Korean BBQ - please go now! For beginners you really can't go wrong with Galbee...thinly sliced beef with a slightly sweet marinade that makes me wish I had the birthright to know its composition. The oh-so-polite servers will help you cook whatever you order at your table should you don the "I can't do this with chopsticks!" look - so fear not, K-BBQ neophytes. There's also a sofa with a bigscreen and karaoke machine should you drink SO MUCH soju you feel compelled to make a complete ass of yourself (we did). Oh, and for pete's sake, please do not waste a trip to Korean BBQ by ordering a rice dish. Korean BBQ is all about the MEATS!
(4)Ryan E.
I love K BBQ as I found some hit spots in Vegas and K town in LA. When I walked into this place with my buddy at 5 I found nobody. Typically I turn right back around and say screw it but I decided to take a seat and try it out. The meat tasted good like it's supposed 2. We ordered bulgogi n thin beef.. Chad o wak.... Or something. Forgot what it was called. The girl serving us could crack a couple jokes and keep us interested while cooking. What I didn't like was the sides. Kinda half assed and not much flavor. Also there were 3 other people workin there but nobody else could say hi. For a place that doesn't get much biz It all makes sense. They price their menu like a standard KBBQ place n they would get so much more biz if they came down from where they were at.
(2)Jenn V.
We decided to try somewhere new for dinner tonight. Between the fact that this place is on the list for Dividend Miles dining (US Airways miles) and mostly positive reviews here, I figured we'd get some tasty food. Now, let me begin by saying the first (and only, until tonight) Korean BBQ place I ate at was (goes to dig up the name of the place) Shilla Restaurant near Denny Park (apparently there are a few different restaurants with the same name). I'm pretty sure we got the bulgogi (marinated beef) and the chicken (marinated, too). The side dishes were all very good, seemed fresh and well prepared. Overall, a good place that we plan to return to sometime in the vaguely near future. So, back to Phoenix, and Korean BBQ. We get there, and maybe about a quarter of the tables are occupied. The decor is somewhat lacking, but nothing bad. One thing I did notice, that seemed a little odd, was a cleaning cart was just kind of sitting there in the middle of the dining room floor. But hey, I'd just walked in, who knows what was going on before I got there. After a few minutes, we were seated. After only a short time, we were asked for our drink orders. My husband ordered a Coke, and I got hot tea and water. My hot tea came in the same kind of glass tumbler as my water did. Strange. As well as the odd presentation, it really wasn't very good tea. After a little time, we placed our order for the same beef and chicken dishes we'd had in Seattle. Seemed like a safe option. Shortly after, the side dishes came out, as well as some lightly dressed romaine salad and three large romaine leaves for "wraps". After setting these on the table, the waitress lit the grill and left it to warm. Before leaving, the waitress dumped a small dish of sliced raw garlic and jalepeno on the heating grill. About five minutes later, our raw meat arrives. And this is where I start to get uncomfortable. You see, some years ago, I had to take a food safety class. I know all about cross-contamination, how it's bad juju, and what you need to do to avoid it. I'm guessing at least our waitress ... well, let's say she's never been close to a food safety class. Not even in the same city. Anyway, I digress. So, with a pair of tongs, she places two large pieces of thinly sliced chicken breast on the grill, which takes up half of the grill. Then she takes the -same- raw-chicken-goo-covered tongs and picks up the pieces of barely cooked garlic and jalepeno off the grill and puts them back into the same small dish they began in (ostensibly ready to eat). And _then_ she puts the beef on the grill with the same tongs. She basically dumps the contents of the beef plate (beef and raw sliced onion, same as the chicken). At this point, the entire grill is covered in a thick layer of meat. So much so, in fact, that the grill top has cooled down so much that nothing's really cooking. Just stewing in its own juices, which to me, isn't really bbq. It's, well, stewing. She sets down the gooey tongs next to a pair of scissors and leaves. A few minutes pass, and I take up the tongs (eew) and turn over the chicken. I take a look at the beef, but it's still a damp mess with no room to spread out on the grill. The waitress comes over, physically takes the tongs from me and starts messing with the meat herself. Okaaay. Then she takes the scissors and starts cutting the meat up. The still raw chicken meat. Cuts the large pieces into smaller bite size pieces and leaves it to cook on the grill. Then, and I really shouldn't be surprised by this at this point, she picks up the beef with the tongs and slices a few pieces of it into smaller pieces with the _same_ scissors what just snipped up the half-raw chicken. A few more times pass where I go to flip the meat, and she comes over and takes the tongs away from me, and does it herself. And some more meat snippage. Finally, we get to eat. It's not bad, but really not very good. None of it, sadly. It's not -bad-, but definitely nothing I'd repeat. Not once during our meal did anyone come by to see if we were doing okay, ask us if we needed anything, refill drinks or anything. Oh well. On the plus side, we got to try a new restaurant that wasn't completely horrible. On the downside, I'm now at home with an upset stomach and preoccupied with cross-contamination nightmares.
(2)Vicki W.
The Korean food is really authentic, everyone that likes korean food should try this restaurant.
(5)Jen K.
If I eat food from different cultures, I always prefer that the ones preparing my food, serving me food, and patron eating the food are all from that culture. It tells me, "THIS PLACE IS AUTHENTIC." And that is what Korean BBQ is. The servers barely know English and I LOOOOVE that. The patrons near me....same thing! There are karoake rooms, etc. This place is awesome. I have yet to find any other korean bbq place that lets you cook your OWN meal on your OWN table on your OWN, just like Los Angeles. I take dates and family here all the time!!
(5)