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Arirang BBQ House
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
85 reviews for Arirang BBQ House
Review Highlights
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"...table also ordered the Seafood Pancake (Excellent) and the..." In 6 reviews -
"The meat quality is great and tasty." In 7 reviews -
"And they also have private rooms so this was a definite..." In 3 reviews
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85 reviews in English
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Review from Will M.
Updated - 5/18/2012 3 photos
I'd have to rate this as 3.0 stars, 4.0 stars for service and 3.0 stars for the food. Their prices overall are steep , but we stayed less expensive non-meat dishes. Later, I told my Korean friends we went here and they both said, "Arirang to me is mediocre food, high prices, and poor service, especially on a weekend." But on a week night, I liked it OK.
I admit to lacking knowledge of Korean food outside of bulgogi, kimchee, Korean BBQ, and those cook your own places. So after my friend John (the only blond haired dude in the place) and I played tennis near Irvine lake for an hour and a half, we decided to try this cool looking place nearby. We were sweaty, both in our tennis outfits while everyone was way better dressed. We were the only non Koreans in the place, and we were totally clueless as to what we wanted. The waitress sensed we were as clueless as we looked, and in broken English, did a great job trying to explain what things were. Throughout the hour we were there, she, the other server, the manager, and the Spanish speaking busboy would ask how things were.
Thankfully, we are both somewhat adventurous trying out food. We agreed that seafood dishes tonight would be a better bet than beef and others meats. We didn't want to spend over $50 on dinner tonight. After looking at pictures, since descriptions were sparse, we narrowed our selections. We forgot to write down the complicated names. But one was tofu seafood tomato based soup and the other a cabbage and veggie seafood casserole on top of rice which we were told to mix. Both were medium in the heat department. And both featured very tough textured octopus tentacles. Not so good, but are you hungry yet?
There were several small plates of interesting vegetables, like pumpkin mashed, bean sprout salad, marinated white radish, fish and eggplant, kim chee, seaweed and a spicy sweet sauce, and a few other items which escapes me. After about a cup each of the soup and vegetable dish, a half cup of rice, kim chee, and veggies, I was full. My friend, though, was a human vacuum. The guy loved the food, and he admits to not being picky. He is dating an Asian woman, so he's tried everything from chicken feet, to rabbit, and now octopus. In fact, he took leftovers home.
It got loud and lively for some of the time. There was a company dinner of some sort, and the party of 4 behind us ordered one of the $100 cook your own meat combinations. They also imbibed in lots of beer, and were probably hoping there was karaoke...but there is none. All in all, not too bad, but my Korean friends swear they need to steer me to try better, less expensive, and more genuine Korean food...and it doesn't always involve rubbery tentacled octopus.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/15/2012
Interesting that as I write this, Arirang has a 2.5 star rating. I'd have to rate this as 3.0 stars,… Read more »
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Review from Andrew L.
Fountain Valley, CA
5/20/2012
Food was extremely mediocre. Just about everything we ordered was under-seasoned and it was clear that our meats hadn't marinated nearly long enough, and the galbijjim was boiled at the last minute as opposed to the long braising that it requires.
Prices are comparable to a nice Korean BBQ place in LA, but less than half of the quality.
Service is extremely lacking. We waited 20 minutes before we decided to flag someone down to take our order. Throughout our meal, employees would zip by our table grabbing random things like our water container, scissors and etc... to bring it to the table next to us. Not only is it rude and inconvenient to us, is that sanitary for the other table?
Servers were very inattentive... except for when it came time for the bill. The female employee snatched up the bill and the first CC that came down before we were able to put in money for our individual portions. My friend chased her down to get the bill back and she *reluctantly* gave it back to him.
Will not be going back to this place. -
Review from Amy L.
Irvine, CA
4/11/2012
The last time I was here for lunch was about 6-8 months ago before today...
To our surprise, the menu has been changed and all the items went up in cost about 25-30%!!!
It says "Lunch Special" but these are dinner prices (lowest item $9.99 - up to $15.99) The banchan is good (you get about 8 different kinds) but that's not enough to keep me coming back at these high prices. -
Review from Michelle L.
Irvine, CA
3/26/2012
Just say NO. I've been here twice and both experiences had me walking out the door telling myself NEVER AGAIN. The sad part is that the location is SO PRIME since it overlooks a really pretty lake.
The first time I came here was only because I had a coupon. And trust me you need a coupon here. It's so expensive and the food is not even worth it. We are talking almost twice as expensive for the exact same quality someone else. Another thing, this place states that it is a BBQ house. If it is a BBQ house, you should offer an AYCE option but they don't have that. In addition, the meat quality is really bad. The second time we were here, it was because it was late and my family and I didn't want to make the drive to Garden Grove. So we were really hoping that this place had stepped up its game. But no we hoped for too much. Not only did the food suck beyond belief, their service has totally gone downhill. A DISASTER.
Do yourself a favor and never come here. Take that money and eat some tasty food somewhere else. 1/5Listed in: Made in KOREA
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Review from Steve L.
Irvine, CA
I like the food here. The quality of the meat isn't bad. The location is good as it overlooks the lake.
The biggest downfall with this restaurant is the pricing. Compared to some of the other Korean restaurants that I've been to in the past, this place might cost as much as 1.5 times more for the same quality. Since they're a korean bbq restaurant, I feel like if they offered an all you can eat menu, it would help this business a lot. It would definitely make me more willing to come back here to eat. One example of how much their food costs would be one of their combination meat platters which is $44.99. It comes with some brisket and some short ribs. $44.99 for that??? Come on now, I can go to other all you can eat korean bbq restaurants and get unlimited brisket for under $20 for sure.
The service here wasn't so great either. When I call for the waitress, it takes a while for them to come to my table. And even after I tell them what I want, it just feels like they are not as attentive as they should be and takes a while to get any type of service. I was not satisfied with it.
They really need to start offering an option for all you can eat or lower the price. If not, I probably won't be coming back and they will probably lose a lot of business. -
Review from Amy K.
Newport Beach, CA
2/20/2012
We ordered some combo and it came with beef, shrimp and some other types of beef. It was good and ban-chan were all good as well.
But...the service was ok. I wish they were more friendly.
I would go back there and i would recommand other people to go if they like to try korean food. -
Review from Amy L.
Irvine, CA
2/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Good squash/raisin appetizer :)
The rice bowls were pretty good, and the service pretty good. For its location, this is a pretty good place to eat. -
Review from Kristin C.
Irvine, CA
2/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
meh. i was craving some kbbq but when driving by my usual place in irvine, shik do rak and seeing how crowded it was, justin b and i were not in the mood to wait haha. driving around aimlessly, we saw Arirang and decided to stop in for dinner. checked the yelp reviews and even with the low ratings, we had our hearts set on kbbq and decided to give it a try anyway.
no ayce but with just the 2 of us, not a big deal. they have a combo special for 2 that is $44.99 that comes with brisket, short rib, veggies, steamed egg, and tofu soup along with your standard banchan. the meat here is just ok. kinda tough and chewy and just didnt have the same flavor as my usual kbbq spots. another weird thing is that they dont have rice paper, they serve you actual white rice. the best part for me about kbbq is wrapping up the brisket in the rice paper and making a taco out of my meal haha so i was kinda disappointed about that. there was more than enough food for the 2 of us and we even took leftovers home with us but i felt the price point was a bit high and was more than im used to paying at most ayce joints...
service was ok - it wasnt too busy when we were there so we didnt have any trouble getting helped. they do cook the meat for you here on the grill so that was kinda cool i guess. oh and another plus is that their ventilation system is pretty good. i didnt leave the place smelling like kbbq haha
overall, i left dinner with my kbbq craving not satified. while it wasnt a horrible meal, it just wasnt that great either :( next time i may just have to bite the bullet and wait it out at shik do rak :( -
Review from Young Y.
Garden Grove, CA
11/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Our party of 4 was planning on going to Gen korean BBQ in tustin; however, they made us waiting in line over 30 minutes to let us know that we will be waiting another hour. f$#@$rs
As an alternative, we decided to visit Arirang BBQ, which is located on Barranca pkwy and Lake st. This business establishment has huge parking lot to accommodate big parties and it's located next to irvine lake. the waitress and the employees greeted us at the door by bowing. the interior decor is very luxurious w/ clear glass walls and a water fall. we ordered a combo #B which comes w/ various raw beef, pork bellies, and korean ribs. The price was $100. being party of 4, it's about $25 each. which isn't too bad considering irvine.
Our combo came out... fresh!, i could see glittering marbles around the fat. our table was full of side dishes, from kimchi to other types of kimchi. lol I happened to seat under fire control/knob, and couple times, our waitress reached over near my crouch without saying anything... yack few times, i jumped out of my seat. our table did not come with hot sauce like other korean restaurants ,so i asked for one. Arirang's hot sauce is awesome!!! it was definitely spicy. it tasted somewhat like salsa blend w/ chinese hot sauce. the hot sauce isn't my #1 favorite (tommy's sushi is currently #1 on my list) but it definitely is on my top 10 list.
overall the food had good portion, not too much, not too small.
I believe this is place is sooo under rated.
I would have given a 5 star if the last dessert "korean traditional cinnamon" drink was good but it was too watery for me... -
Review from Makoto I.
Irvine, CA
3/25/2012
We went to this restaurant only because we heard they serve Marinated Crab (Kanjan Ke Jang), however, its taste was rather disappointing. Also, quality of meat served was not as good as Shik Do Rak, which is always crowded with even non Koreans. They charge you for extra rice, which never happens at decent Korean restaurants. Disappointing..
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Review from Yoshi I.
Irvine, CA
1/7/2012
I have been eating here for the last few years when we have at least 5-7 people. they have 2 semi private rooms for such a group as well as one large room to accomodate 20-30 people. The restaurant serves korean BBQ as well as traditional korean dishes. I am not fond of their BBQ too much but their seafood pancake is a must have.We usually have "chige nabe" intestine cooked in pot at the table w/ lots of vegetables. I know it does not sound good but tastes not bad if you don't pay too much to what's inside the pot. the services at this restaurant are not great but any short coming in the slow services is offset by the great price especially when you have a group of people.
I recommend you try this place when you have freinds who wants fill thier stomach inexpensively. -
Review from Steven T.
Tustin, CA
3/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great quality with good portions for the lunch dishes.
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Review from Lisa A.
9/18/2011
Yum! :)
Went here with friends on Saturday night, had one of the private glass rooms and it was fantastic!
Server was very attentive, cooking the meat when we got to talking and brought anything we needed very quickly.
The meat was amazing...both types of beef were perfect. There was also shrimp and short ribs, but I was all about the beef.
I didn't find the place to be smoky at all, even in our little glass room. The fan sucked out all of the smoke without the fan being too loud or making a weird noise. And we didn't walk out smelling like KBBQ!
The men had some soju and I had the black raspberry wine. Delicious!
I found this restaurant to be great, and yeah, I'm not Korean. I saw the reviews and didn't find service to be awful, nor the quality to be bad. Both of those I found to be the opposite. I'll be back for more MEEEEAAAATTT! -
Review from Brenda L.
Irvine, CA
9/25/2011
The meat quality is great and tasty. However, they need to improve their service....we were sitting there for a while before someone came and took our order. The server placed the food on our table randomly and some of them were so far away that I had to get up and rearrange the plates.
I will go back and see if they have any improvements on their service..after all their food taste pretty yummy! -
Review from Johanna P.
Irvine, CA
3/4/2012
I love KBBQ. Excellent meat quality here and love the banchan. Those who love Shik Do Rak but don't love the wait should definitely try this place. Much more expensive though so be ready to lay out the cash. AND they DO NOT offer AYCE. The restaurant has a nice feel however if you are coming with a group larger than four - the table set is a bit awkward - one small BBQ top for 6 people = not enough cooking space. The servers are very attentive, which is nice since we like to order as we go and often need many rounds of banchan, beer and soju. Since it's a bit hidden from view, you won't have to wait long for a seat and they offer RESERVATIONS which is always nice.
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Review from Angela C.
5/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
2 stars for it didn't give me food poisoning, but I'll never come back here again.
I warned my MIL that this place got poor reviews, but she still wanted to try it for my FIL's birthday since we had never been and its spacious enough to accommodate a baby and stroller (unlike Shik Do Rak with its limited space and crazy crowds). In fact, we got our own private room.
There's one thing I hate more than bad food and it's bad food + high prices. We got the combination dinner that feeds 5-7 people. It comes with a variety of meats + an egg dish + soybean stew. The portions are definitely a lot smaller than Shik Do Rak even though it cost way more - $140.
I actually thought the meat quality was pretty good. Tender and flavorful with beautiful marbling. It was everything else that was bad. ALL the side dishes tasted funny - the kimchi was funky, the egg dish tasted like egg in tap water (metallic aftertaste), they don't offer dokbosam (that thin rice thing you wrap your meat in), the thinly sliced radish tasted mushy and old, and even the soybean stew tasted off. *Shiver*
It's a great location by the lake, and the restaurant ambiance is nice, but what's the point when the food leaves you shaking in disgust?
At least I got one good thing out of coming here - a new place to yelp. -
Review from Belinda S.
Los Angeles, CA
Service needs to be improved. In any case, meat quality is pretty good. The ambiance is nice inside, it's also quiet and non-smoky as compared to ayce restaurants.
The beef carpaccio is something I would recommend. They serve it to you first so the cooked meat doesn't interfere with your tastebuds. -
Review from anisa t.
Irvine, CA
8/18/2011
I went here once... with a group of 6 they stuck us in a room in cased in glass I felt like a fish stuck in a fish bowl..... all the smoke surrounding us....
it looked nice inside but we barley got any attention suck inside that glass case.... food was OK, I rather go to chum sol gol, or shik do rak... people here were not very friendly... idk if id come back again.. -
Review from Shawn D.
Arcadia, CA
9/15/2011
Sadly this place used to be good but has rapidly declined recently. I've been a customer of the restaurant for 3+ years and always felt the food quality was good, if a bit expensive. When this place came out it Korean BBQ wasn't that common in Irvine, so it was nice to have a place that was like the K-Town BBQs but was local (and in a nice lakeside area as well).
Unfortunately they have not kept up with the local competition and the food quality is probably average versus Kobo or even BCS, but still with the high prices. The worst of it is that the service level for the restaurant has dropped sharply. While Korean places generally have a reputation for average or poor service this place hit bottom when I was last there.
First, if you're in a Korean BBQ place and the side dishes come out, shouldn't you get Kim Chee? I mean, what place doesn't have Kim Chee as a side dish? I have to ask for Kim Chee. Isn't that a little weird?
Secondly, at this BBQ you don't cook on the table your server does it for you. Some people get a little irritated at that but I understand that's their policy at this place and generally I don't mind. I DO mind when the server starts making comments about our conversation when it's not especially directed at her. I REALLY DO mind when they serve the two men at the table but DON"T serve the two women sitting there. Really.
I could go on, but I won't. Sorry but this place fails. Not recommended. -
Review from Kevin L.
Los Angeles, CA
7/4/2011
I've been here a couple of times - the impression: rather mediocre. Then again, perhaps my view on Korean BBQ is just slightly critical - Irvine does have a very very popular Shik Do Rak.
I agree with other reviewers that the price at Arirang is slightly above what I would like to pay for Korean BBQ. However, it wasn't entirely unsatisfactory a visit. Their seafood + vegetable pancake dish was quite delicious.
The meats... well, nothing spectacular, I must admit. However, it was satisfactory. Enough said. -
Review from Jonathan S.
Irvine, CA
4/15/2011
Having frequented many KBBQ restaurants, I was utterly disappointed with Arirang. The restaurant and ambiance is nice, but everything else is terrible.
First of all, this place is extremely pricey. I came here with 3 other people for lunch and our bill came out to be $122! It's not an all you can eat KBBQ joint so you have to order their plates or combos. If you do the math, that is a little more than $30 a person! With that price, I was expecting the meat quality to be superb, only to be disappointed again.
As I mentioned earlier, I have frequented many KBBQ restaurants, and although the quality here is better than your average, for the difference in the amount you have to pay, the quality difference is marginal at best. The meat was good, but not worth the difference in price they were charging. In addition, the jjigae was worst than some of the other cheaper restaurants I have been to.
The biggest gripe I have about this place is the service. If you are paying $30 per person, the service better match the price! There are other all you can eat KBBQ restaurants that charge $16.99 and there service reflects that price. The ladies that are working here are very rude and impolite. Being Korean myself, I understand that we are generally rude, but that type of behavior is only tolerable to a certain degree. If you've ever experienced rude service, I'm sure your familiar with how it can take away from your overall eating and dining experience. They were quick to refill whatever we asked, but their method of throwing the plates at us, and slamming down utensils took precedents over their speed.
I will not be returning to this place ever again! I will stick to my other favorite KBBQ restaurant in Irvine, where the service is ok, the meat quality very close to Arirangs, and where the price is more than reasonable. *Cough* Shik Do Rak *Cough Cough* -
Review from Jackie D.
10/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
OK I agree the service here sucks. At least when we first came in. We sat there for a while before someone helped us but after that smooth sailing. I've had KBBQ a handful of times and honestly I never really cared for it. This time I liked it alot, in the past I would get these pieces of unseasoned meat, that looked still slightly frozen. This time the meat appeared to be fresh & already seasoned. We had Bulgogi & Short Ribs, both tasty. To start I had a beef tofu stew bowl, which was yummy as well. Had a fried fish too, not sure what kind of fish, but man was it tasty. All the condiments were great, except the Acorn Jelly. Condiments consisted of Kimichi, Pickled Bean Sprouts, some sliced boiled potatoes, salad, & an endless list of yumminess. Overall I see myself coming here again
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Review from Ted D.
10/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
5 stars for the food. the best quality meats I've had at any Korean BBQ. No qualms there. The service..... 1 star. went went at lunch time and the was only a handful of people, yet we waited for a server for what felt like a lifetime after being seated. I could understand if they were slammed, but come on!! maybe they were having an ill timed staff meeting!! either way, that is what made this a 4 instead of a 5 star review.
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Review from S d.
Los Angeles, CA
4/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here for party so I was in the private room.
The food was good enough. The party not being Korean the employees were helping cook the food. I was so annoyed and disgusted because I understood that they were helping cook, but they were using the tongs for the cooked meat and raw meats. There were people around the grill I was at who knew how to cook the meat and didn't need help. Just for safety reasons I was bothered by that a lot. I'm also upset they don't have rice paper here; they substitute it with radish.
On the other hand when my area asked for more items they generously came in a reasonable time. -
Review from YC L.
Irvine, CA
7/9/2011
With the review I saw for this place I was totally hesitant. Come on...restaurant by the lake is no place for Asian food!! But I have to say I was pleasantly surprise and thankful for my friend's insistent on going. The four of us got the 3 ppl combination and the beef soup. The meat quality was definitely worth an A grade. Although I prefer cooking myself, the servers were active in their assistance. The only down side was that the small dishes is only one time refill which is unheard to me! But I guess that is the price for the lake view?!
Overall a 4 stars and yes I will be back!!! -
Review from Peter Y.
Laguna Niguel, CA
6/20/2011
It's hard to rate this place - the food was ok, the service was no better than any other KBBQ places (chaotic and seldom) and higher "Irvine" prices.
The good - we had the combo ($99.99) which was a pretty good representative of the KBBQ. The familiar KBBQ flavors were all there, but they could have used a better quality of brisket.
The bad - the price and service.
The verdict - drive extra 20 minutes to Garden Grove....
Cheers, -
Review from Alice C.
4/29/2011
It's all psychological when you come to a place with bad reviews and low expectations and leave thinking OHH it wasn't that bad. If yelpers had rated this place high, I would have given even worse reviews.
This place had awful service (like most Korean restaurants) and the food just didn't stand out. With Korean BBQ, it's a make or break when you see the fat on the meat as being more than 40 percent of the lean meat. This is the case. -
Review from MiYun C.
12/10/2010
I went to Arirang to have dinner and the food was ok, certainly not as miserable as some of the reviews may allude to. There wasn't much ban chan (tapas) served, but the service was good though.
Besides, you can always take a romantic walk along the lake. We saw a beautiful swan and enjoyed a leisurely walk on a very brisk evening - Chilly Willy.
Although, I was mortified to see a Korean man with his family sitting next to us eating with his leg folded on the chair (you know where your knee is very close to your face) - seriously??? How does a grown-a*# man sit this way while dining at a restaurant. And, I certainly did not deserve the leering eyes because my date is not Korean. WTH!
Cheers! -
Review from Alex K.
3/24/2011
Came here for an early dinner Friday before the crowds showed up. Service was pretty good during our time there.
The banchan was good but the kimchi dishes were less than stellar. We ordered what I thought was the kalbi short rib, but they brought out the long rib instead. I can't complain, because it was still meaty good. The pork jowel wasn't seasoned, but really needs oil or butter to keep it from drying out and texturally tough. I was disappointed in the staff not bringing everything out. I don't mind that they didn't bring out the "lettuce" (thinly sliced pickled radish) and cost extra, but I had to ask for bean paste. Really? I have to ask for condiments? I didn't even bother to ask for garlic and jalepeños. -
Review from Sherry S.
Irvine, CA
10/15/2011
Not bad, not good. You can get a lot better and a lot more for your money at other places. The restaurant itself is really nice, it sits on near woodbridge lake, so you get a pretty view. If you're looking for a nice Korean place to eat, why not? But you're not going to get great service or great food.
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Review from Candice N.
Los Angeles, CA
I, too, was very surprised to see the low average rating on this restaurant. It's not one of the best, but I think it's definitely better than Shik Do Rak. Irvine is also quite lacking in good BBQ places, so this is my go-to if I'm too lazy to drive up to Garden Grove or if I'm back in LA.
I usually get the Galbi-Tang here or the Sam-Gye-Tang (I come around lunchtime more often on weekends). Today my family and I ordered the Seafood Casserole. It was really good, and the portion was very big, but we also got a Kimchi Pancake which was $12. Granted, it was huge, but I can see why people think it's pricey here (because it is).
The BBQ (from what I remember) is usually good quality meat, and the seasoning is just right. Next time I go here for BBQ, I should update this, because I'm really spoiled by LA AYCE KBBQ for a lower price than what they charge here for non-AYCE KBBQ.
PS -- I also think the naeng-myun is bomb here. Also a good thing to get at lunch :) -
Review from Joana L.
Anaheim, CA
1/30/2011
I am really shocked to see such a low average for this restaurant. I was here tonight with my girlfriends and the food was pretty darn good. We ordered the BBQ combo A1; I believe it came with brisket, shrimp, marinated pork ribs, egg soup and a few other things I can't remember. Pricing was pretty average to high for dinner, but I must say that I am pretty spoiled by garden grove's vast array of inexpensive KBBQ restaurants.
The meats were cooked for us by one of the waitresses - they actually did a pretty great job - at least better than what we would have done on our own. They were also fast to refill our side dishes (although they limit you to a max of two rounds of refills), which was nice - we hit a pretty nice pace of non-stop eating for about 40 mins. We ordered the combo that was stated to feed 2-3 people, but the 5 of us thought it was the perfect amount of food. We didn't order anything extra like we thought we would at the beginning.
I left satisfied but not satiated, and we all had a good time. -
Review from Anita L.
11/5/2008 2 photos
I should've listened to the reviews and stayed away, however, I was hungry and wanted to try something new, plus, I was right there so what the hell right?
As I walked into the restaurant I heard the loud chatter from within and when I entered, the restaurant was almost full to the max. That's a good sign right? I mean, this many people eating in here can't all be wrong? Or can they?
I was given a menu rather quickly and after I ordered my dolsot bibimbap ($11.99) my banchan arrived almost immediately after. Then, 2 people arrived and sat on the other side of my table. So there I was eating my banchan -- and they're not stingy with the banchan, gracing me with 7 plates including kimchi, kelp, beansprouts, potato salad, dried kelp sprinkled with sugar and fried potato chunks with a sweet sauce.
I quickly finished my banchan and while I saw my Persian neighbors receive really old school banchan -- perilla leaves, yellow croaker fish -- and their meals, I was sitting there with empty banchan plates and no bibimbap in sight. So I patiently wait and wait and wait. First of all, I was bemused by the fact that I, being Asian, did not get old school banchan, but they did -- incidentally, they left all the banchan untouched and there I was with empty plates.
It wasn't until another server was walking around plonking down bowls of soup for everyone that I think she suddenly realized I'd been sitting there a really long time. She looked at me and giggled nervously and then disappeared only to return again with my dolsot bibimbap, which incidentally was not sizzling and did not have any hot steam/smoke escaping from the bowl.
The server apologized and plonked the dolsot in front of me and I sighed when I saw it. The bowl was about half the size of a regular dolsot bibimbap you would get at most Korean restaurants. It was the same size as the one at Hashigo, yet Hashigo's was quite a few dollars less.
As I added the gojujang (which didn't have that deep red hue, but rather, a weird orangey color) and mixed it into the dolsot, I realize how no heat was coming out of the bowl. This means no crunchy bits on the bottom and my rice was also kinda lukewarm. As I sat there feeling sorry for myself and how my dolsot bibimbap felt like an afterthought on Arirang's part, I decided to dig in anyway since I was hungry now.
I was so disappointed when I tasted it. The gojujang had no taste -- not only was it not spicy, it just was bland. The meat in the bowl wasn't the thinly sliced beef one would ordinarily get in a bibimbap, but rather, chunks of meat similar to kalbi. Alas, it was grisly, it was fatty, and it was inedible. I ended up spitting out what I had already placed into my mouth and the bits still in my bowl, I removed onto a plate. So there goes my 12 dollar bowl of bibimbap.... reduced to just rice and vegetables, and it wasn't even good tasting either.
The food here is very expensive. Looking around, I noticed the portions were skimpy and the food was either tasteless and bland, or it was overly salty like the bowl of complimentary soup given to me. The soup was served almost room temperature and the fishiness of the broth was intensified by the fact that it wasn't served piping hot.
With a large Korean population living in Irvine, it is mind boggling how none of the Korean restaurants stands out. One would think there is enough competition for the restaurants to kick things up a notch or two and serve food comparable to that found in Garden Grove. So until that day happens, I still think Kaya is the best of the lot for every day Korean food and for BBQ -- stick to Shik Do Rak even though it isn't the best.
What's truly sad is that for bland, tasteless food -- I can still detect MSG on my tongue. -
Review from Paul L.
10/27/2008
I thought she was going to swat my hand as I dipped the meat into my sauce. "NO!" our server admonished. "That meat goes in the OTHER sauce! The kalbi goes in THIS sauce!" I looked up with her with a look of surprise and contempt.
"Excuse me?" I asked.
"That meat goes in THIS sauce! The other meat goes in the OTHER sauce!" she exclaimed.
Okaaaaay. But what if I like THIS meat in THIS sauce and THAT meat in the OTHER sauce? And who the HELL are you to tell me otherwise?
She then proceeded to lord over our table, cooking our BBQ for us, and taking the meat off of the grill when she thought they were ready. "Can you cook it a little more?" my mother asked, almost timidly. Our server pursed her lips in disapproval and hesitantly complied.
About halfway through our meal, the server finally walked away. "Grab those tongs!" someone said. "She is taking all the fun away!" But within minutes, another server walked up, grabbed the tongs back and said, "I'll do that." We then suffered through the rest of our meal under the scrutiny of yet another ajuma from hell.
I don't know about you, but for me, having someone stand over your table and cook your meal for you makes for an uncomfortable dining experience. Even though a restaurant is a public setting, it feels really intrusive and like an invasion of privacy, especially when the server makes comments about the way we are eating our food.
Regarding the food: it was just average. The side dishes were tasty and plentiful, as were the portions, but we ordered the $99 combination, which includes enough meat to feed a small village (or 6 hungry Asians), one tofu soup dish, one egg soufflé-like dish, and a large bottle of beer. The value was there, I suppose, but so were the overbearing servers.
The next time I have a hankering for Korean BBQ, I think I'll go to Shik Do Rak instead. There, I can put whatever DAMN meat in whatever DAMN sauce I want! -
Review from Arianne N.
Newport Beach, CA
8/4/2009
I ate here for dinner tonight and I thought I was just overreacting to the service and food, but I guess I'm not alone after reading all the reviews!
It started right away when we ordered just one plate of meat to cook to share between two people. Our waitress seemed so surprised that two people would even dream of sharing a plate. I think she asked us three times if we were sure we didn't want two orders in such a tone that made me feel like she disapproved of the fact that we would even dream of sharing.
Then when our meat came, she set the platter down and immediately just threw all the meat on the grill even though my friend said in a clear and firm but cheerful voice, "Oh no! It's ok! We can cook the meat ourselves!" She flat out ignored him and kept rearranging the meat. We just exchanged glances and tried to shrug it off.
She also never acknowledged us when whenever we told her thank you. Also, our cute little water bottle was never refilled and they don't give you that much water to begin with. I know service at Asian restaurants can be shoddy at times, but it was such a complete surprise at just how much I hated the service.
Food itself was whatever. Meat was really chewy. Even if I chewed on it for a minute I could still feel a huge chunk of meat traveling down my throat when I swallowed. Yuck. The meat also had no flavor to it and the sauces sucked. How does this place stay open? -
Review from Stacey C.
7/28/2009
For shizzy.... BBQ nazis at this restaurant. We were SUPER annoyed that they cooked the meat for us. Leave us alone!!! I wanted to tell them that we can cook the meat ourselves. What is wrong with these people????
Do not order the Duk Madoo soup...the Mandoo was not cooked all the way through. After asking to be cooked again...NO success. They were nice people, clean ambiance...but stupid people running this place.
Let me cook my own meat dang it!!! And cook your mandoos please! I might go back but next time, I'm going to grab the tongs and say, I will cook it myself!!! I like mine cooked longer!!! Makes me angry just thinking about their stupidity! -
Review from Christopher L.
Davis, CA
8/9/2011
This is one of those places where the food and service is just okay, but not spectacular. There is not much to say other than: "Meh. I've experienced better."
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Review from jody k.
Irvine, CA
11/26/2008
I went in for lunch. I had seafood soontofu and my friend had spicy pork.
Honestly, I liked my soontofu. Seasoning wasn't overwhelming and I didn't taste much of MSG. And there was a giant pealed shrimp in my soontofu.
My friend's spicy pork was good but it was a bit sweet for my taste.
The restaurant looked brand new, clean and spacious.
The service was friendly and prompt.
Banchan was good and clean.
I haven't tried their self-grilling BBQ. -
Review from Raymond S.
Irvine, CA
Updated - 1/12/2009
$20 for bulgolgi?!!
I decided to give Arirang another chance and yup, I know I won't be coming here again. Last time, I gave it a rather optimistic review but this time around, I've unloaded a world of hurt. The fact is, this place is so not worth the prices for what you get! And the service is spotty too!
Trust me, if the decidedly mixed reviews from other Yelpers haven't triggered a red flag, then maybe the idea of paying $20 for basic bulgolgi should be enough to make you reconsider your options. I showed up around 8pm on Saturday surprised to see that there were only 2 parties there eating. That was already a bad sign.
The menu items are sparse for dinner time, and yes for a BBQ restaurant, everything costs over $20 for what I was told - a plate of meat that feeds 1 person. Better cuts will land you over $30 and well into the $40's. No all-you-can-eat option? No free lettuce to wrap the meats in? Where's the basic bulgolgi or BBQ ribs? They show it on the "lunch specials" menu at a more modest $12 price but that's only available M-F at lunch.
Already turned off by the prices, I resorted to going for the "thin sliced beef marinated in special sauce" priced at $18.99. Since this is a KBBQ place, I was ready to get my DIY grilling on. Instead, they show up with it all cooked for me, which while convenient, made me irritated that I basically paid double for something I can get at any other Korean restaurant. They couldn't even let me enjoy grilling it myself?? And it's not like the beef was premium grade and it was more on the dry side too (tad overcooked). Ugh... I felt so ripped off. And since the waiter mentioned that one dish wouldn't feed enough for 2 people, I ordered the dumplings in soup with rice cakes ($12) which were just so-so. Oh and the side dishes we were offered weren't too appetizing...I ate 2 of the 7 varieties given.
For two people, our bill came to be $40 for 2 items. What a rip. Trust me, you're better off driving out to Garden Grove for all-you-can-eat KBBQ for those prices. If you want good BBQ, go to ANJIN. Heck, just go to ANY other Korean restaurant!
Avoid! Don't let the fancy interior fool you!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/18/2008
Another new Korean BBQ place in Irvine? This one is actually quite nice inside as the furnishings… Read more »
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Review from toufic m.
Orange, CA
1/14/2012
Avoid at all costs !!!!!
This is really a mediocre place with mediocre food and mediocre service!! That would have been OK if the prices were right. But this place is way too expensive for what you get.
We went in party of four. We go the $140 deal that supposedly feeds 5-7. We left hungry and unsatisfied. The meat quality was Ok but the side dishes were very lame and un-tasty.
The rice was brought at the end of the meal as well as the soup along with that bad-tasting "egg dish". Soda drinks are in a can- a disgrace for a place like this!
They started the grill for us, slapped on the meat, cooked the first portion and then left. We were left wondering whether it is a self-serve or not. When we asked later, we were told that they were only helping us get started but we should continue doing it ourselves. My big surprise was at the end. When I paid the bill, the waitress followed me and complained that my tip of $10 was too low and that they require 15%!!!! (which comes out to $22)
What for? We cooked our own meal !!! I did not see any sign posted on the menu stating that! I paid her and got out vouching never to come back here again.
For tasty Korean BBQ, stick with the Garden Grove area......
