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After months of mulling my First Yelp review, I decided it would have to be my favorite restaurant, Gui Rim!
Ah, the pressure... what to say, where to begin?
The meat, as many before me have said, it awesome. I mean, for $16.99 for all-you-can-eat kalbi, ribeye, pork belly and to have it be incredibly tasty on top of that? Win!
The sig other and I have been hitting this place up consistently for over a year, maybe once or twice a month. The staff are always attentive, and have come to recognize as regulars (free beer? YAY!) and the owner/manager Paul is awesome. Always there to greet us and whomever we bring into our deliciously smokey meat den of inequity.
Again, to reiterate many a past post, this place isn't for big groups (there's only only big table), and at most you could cram five hungry adults into one of the regular tables. Also, I think they've actually done something about the oft-derided smokiness. Sig other thinks it's the new grill grating- more stainless steely, and smaller vents slots?
OH. And don't make our noob mistake of circling endlessly for parking! $2 valet awaits your chariot to expedite major belly filling.
The condiments were meager, the portions were lacking and the meats were fatty.
Saved from a two-star rating by virtue of not being Soot Bull Gui Rim 2.
Checked this place out tonight at the behest of a co-worker who recommended it. $16.99 for all-you-can-eat sounded like a pretty good deal, so we went in hungry and ready to rock and roll.
We were seated promptly and the panchan arrived seconds later. The grill was lit and the sauces delivered. So off to a good start.
We ordered our three meats (out of 21 options) and went back to work on the side dishes. Seemed to take a long time to get the chicken, beef, and pork. Especially when you consider that it arrives, well, uncooked. So how long should it take? We were done with the appetizers before the meat was anywhere close to finished, so sat and waited a solid ten minutes for the second course.
The chicken was okay. The steak a little tough. The marinated pork was the winner of the night, spicy and saucy and grilled in a tin makeshift platter, with jalepenos and garlic. Very nice.
We waited another ten minutes from the time we were finished with round one, until we finally flagged someone down for round two meats. Waited another ten minutes, then on the grill, then waited another ten minutes for them to be ready. I considered whether this might be strategic; wait for us to realize we're full so we eat less. Maybe. Maybe just conspiracy theory.
Ultimately, it was a decent dinner and not too expensive for the quantity, but I remember going elsewhere a few years back with friends and it was better. I remember a place in Phoenix that was much better. So it was a three-star experience overall.
What Gui Rim lacks in size (its a smaller restaurant), it makes up in selection and service. They offer 21 varieties of meat (kalbi, brisket, marinated beef, tripe, marinated pork, pork belly, bbq duck, squid...). And they're generous with the portions. They don't limit your selections like other places I've been. $16.99 for all you can eat including a variety of banchan, steamed egg, rice, salad and dduk.
They care about their customers. While we were waiting for our table, the host kept apologizing since we had reservations for 8:30pm and our table was still occupied. It made the wait tolerable since we knew they didn't forget about us. Also, service was great. It was really busy that night, so there were times where it took a while to get a server. But overall, the staff were super friendly and courteous. And they gave us what we wanted.
Such a good time! I don't think the restaurant expected us to eat so much. It took us only 10 minutes to go through one platter of meat. After 2 hours of eating, the portions they brought out got smaller and smaller. We figured it was a hint for us to wrap up. LOL. But they can't blame us, we had 4 guys and 2 girls who can eat just as much!
So, my Socal friends were initially skeptical of my choice since they've never heard of Gui Rim. But at the end of the meal, I was given the nod of approval and a job well done. Yeah, in yo face Korean boys! Chinese girl knows how to eat and find good places too! =P
From all the times Ive been to this Korean BBQ I only got sick once. I dont know what happened when I went but I wasnt the only not feeling good after I ate there. But other than that the food is always good or the meat I should say.
Gui Rim vs. Road to Seoul
1. Both places have some seriously good meats.
2. This place is lacking in customer service.
3. Both places bring out meats quick and fast.
4. Road to Seoul has better ambiance.
5. Road to Seoul doesn't bring the wrong stuff out.
6. Road to Seoul doesn't "accidentally" bring you out tons of chicken.
7. Road to Seoul has easier parking.
8. Road to Seoul has that Cold Rice Tea Drink that is perfectly brewed!
9. Road to Seoul has Mina!
10. Last but not least...Both places are 16.99!
Bonus- Both places have five star reviews by Stephy S. Thanks Stephy for yet another great review! I owe you much thanks!
This place has great bbq. We had no problems with the meats. They are quick and fast. While I still am partial to Road to Seoul, this place comes in at a close second..in my opinion. I made my decision to stick to Road to Seoul and Gui Rim and rotate. No need to try any new places, unless you think there is one better. If you do..let me know!
This place leaves you in a comatose state!
YUM!!! I went with 10 friends, we had reservations. Got there a little late, all the meats, banchan, drinks, everything was ready for us. We just had to sit down and start cooking. The service here was exceptional. Not sure if we lucked out, unlike Nick H. but we were treated really well. They were very attentive, constantly making sure we had what we needed.
The meat selection here is awesome. The rib eye, beef brisket, and kalbi were all delicious. They gave salad, rice paper, and had various side dishes. You ended the meal with some cold Korean noodles (it is included with the AYCE meal). This was so awesome and refreshing with the mustard sauce they give you. Everything was so good with some Hite beer!!
I don't care too much for the decor. Usually I'm focused on conversations and friends so it doesn't bother me what it looks like.
The place is small. Parking is... well there is none, you can always valet if you'd like. Can't wait to come back...
Made reservations for a party of 15 initially but had to call in a couple times to change it. The person who picked up the phone was always so accommodating and friendly unlike the usual Korean restaurants which I have called. Our party arrived 15 minutes late but our table was fully ready with the dishes all set. The only drawback was that since our party was now 20, they didn't have a table large enough that would accommodate us! We had to be separated into 3 tables :( I just wished I could have been informed of this when I made the reservations. In any case, the guy who helped me the entire night was ultra attentive and extremely nice. In the end, he comped us some beer. The menu is quite extensive but for sure some I would not try again. Overall, meat was fairly good. Service excellent. Place is very small though.
The food is OK but the service is so bad... They really need to improve. I can here so many people ring the bell.
First, $16.99 for ayce.
Second, their meat selection is amazing. They have everything from kobe beef to your usual chicken. They also host some unusals: duck, octopus, tongue, shoulder, neck, tripe, and others that I don't remember. But you over 15 options for meat.
Also, their service was pretty good. They were attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. Also, they provide you with good portions. We asked for small orders of everything because we wanted to try the different meats, and they were very accommodating.
Parking can be difficult. But they do accept reservations.
Another AYCE to eat at. The chaddol (sliced brisket) is very delicious. Not a big fan of the marinated kalbi (in general, not only this establishment) but it was ok. The pork belly was also delicious. They have a crazy amount of things on the menu. Asside from the aforementioned and other normal items, the one that stands out is BBQ Duck (wtf?). Did not have.
It is super smokey, but what's the point of eating kbbq if you don't smell like a walking piece of bbq meat after? I know my roommate's dog likes it...
The kimchee had a delicious flavor and we finished the meal off with some naeng myun. It ain't no yu chun, but it's free.
I don't know what everyone is going on about with this place!? Korean BBQ is something that I totally love & have been to many K-town places, at least 10. Out of those 10, this place rates the lowest.
The meats were all very tough & sinewy - kalbi, brisket. Even the marinated ones were not so great. We also ordered tongue & boy was that nasty - they didn't bother to take the outside skin off the tongue. We kept trying the meats but it didn't get better. The selection was large but if everything isn't tasty, then what's the point?
To top it all off, the place was really really hot inside. Yes, there is the expectation that the place will be hot considering that people are grilling at their tables, but c'mon! We were sitting by the door where there was a breeze & that was the only way we could have continued the meal.
Not worth going at all & will never go again.
There are tons of AYCE kbbq places in ktown and its an endless argument about which one is best. Especially when you consider that all of these places go through cycles - they establish a good rep, more people start going, then too many people end up going, so you end up waiting forever for a table, and on top of that both service and the quality of meat start declining.
Yes its true that Gui Rim's decor leaves much to be desired. And its small and not so well ventilated (you definitely leave smelling like bbq). But I tend to think of it as a no-frills, low maintenance type kbbq joint. it doesn't draw the massive crowds like some of the more currently popular places, which means you can usually just walk in and get a table. They bring out the meat quickly and change the grills regularly without you having to ask. They offer a pretty decent variety of banchan, including potato salad, a couple types of kim chee, bean sprouts, steamed egg, chap chye, etc. In terms of meat, they have all the standard ones, like brisket, kalbi and pork belly. They also have slabs of rib eye, which most other places don't do. And they offer some unusual options like duck and octopus.
I can sum up Gui Rim in two adjectives: decent but overpriced.
I know what you're thinking. WTF how can he say that it's overpriced it's only $16.99 he's crazy
Well, the price wouldn't be so bad if the meat were better. The meat was okay, but it definitely wasn't worth $16.99. The meat was tender, but it wasn't that flavorful. You can find better meat for around the same price (maybe a dollar more or the same price, actually) at Dae Wang Galbi in Koreatown. They have better parking and better meat.
Service was actually pretty good, though, and the banchan was delicious. I just felt that it wasn't really worth the money.
AYCE KBBQ = $16.99 for dinner.
If I had not been to Beul Dae Pol (which was closed on a Thursday night due to a "gas problem"), I would have given this place another star, but otherwise, it is now in the realm of the average or even a little below...
The only thing that distinguishes this place from the others is the variety of meat you can order in the AYCE option, which includes duck, tripe, intestines (whicy by the way were bad... chewey and full of partially digested "stuffing"). The beefs and the spicy pork were fine, but not overly exciting. This place also lost a couple of points because the tongue meat was not trimmed around the edges so you can actually see the tongue "folicles". I derrived more joy from grossing everybody out than actually eating it.
The banchan was nothing special. The kimchee tasted store bought (you know, the jars). They did throw out the chapchae in the middle so I was not completely disappointed. They also gave out the egg custard (like Japanese chawanmushi) which was nice.
There's valet parking nearby, though you are technically parking at the other restaurant in the corner. The valet didn't seem to mind. It's $2 to park. Otherwise, find street parking.
The place has a big screen in the corner in case there is a particular sporting event you want to watch.
Service was a little bit spotty. We had to ask for every time for the grill swap, any refills of water, sauces or whatever. Good thing we had the Korean ace. I tried the button once since I like the button, but it was easier to flag them down.
Like fancy steakhouses, I have become much harder to please. I have had the good stuff now, I am ready increase my KBBQ ranking.
Me and 3 other friends met up and had our afternoon gluttony outing on a weekday.
Now, this isnt the first time Iv'e been here, but something very messed up happened.
With four people, out bill was at a total of $86.xx.
At first glance we were rolling our eyes. They said they chared us a 10% tax, as california sales tax is about that percentage away - so that argument was reasonable.
However doing the math: 16.99 x 4 x 1.1 = $74.76
Where did that extra 12$ come from? I had no clue.
The lady who owned the place said that our total was about $69 + 10% tax would total to $86.xx.
We argued about it and they looked at us like we were crazy.
Anyway... other than that I agree with most of the 4 star reviews here.
Soju is $8.99 per bottle, we found the EXACT SAME BRAND at the store 1 block away for 3.99 a Bottle. That's less than HALF of what they charged..
Oh and they updated their grill racks and used a different design rather than the traditional grill.
Stay away from the Spicy Baby Octopus. Its not very appetizing. And the bulgogi is very plain. We preferred the brisket over the bulgogi.
Banchan Service was good. Ordered lots of those rice papers. We went through 5 pitchers of water without having to ask for refill.
But still... they over charged us. That's a very serious problem for unemployed college students like us. 12$ is good enough for 3 bottles of soju :D
I have never been this disappointed by a KBBQ meal in my life. In 5 years, this place has transformed from a 5 star establishment to what it is today. I ordered brisket, pork belly and unmarinated galbi. The galbi was already brownish when the waitress brought it to us. This may be the first time ever that I didn't order any more food after cooking the first plate of meat.
The kimchi was extremely salty and the steamed egg looked suspiciously watered down. They ran out of rice paper half way through the meal, which only made the meal worse. At the end, I asked for cold noodles. The cold noodles were not very cold and the broth looked extremely oily. Anyway, everything was subpar and I have crossed Gui Rim off my list of KBBQ places for good.
I started going to Gui Rim 5 years ago and it was a great place! It wasn't smoky; the waitresses… Read more »
My friend brought me here, and before this day, I never knew where it really was. I cried ever since... figuratively speaking of course.
This place nice "fresh" meat and its just perfect for larger crowds. The meat selection is all that you may desire at any korean bbq shop & the service is quick with the meat. (Extremely important if you are protein loading & your party is full of guys that are gluttons)
If you have a craving for Korean BBQ & by craving I mean a empty stomach, this is the place for you.
Notes:
Parking is easy & Service is quick
My bf and I went there on10/3/2009 around 5:00 pm. There were not so crowded, only three groups in the restaurant, even though it was Saturday night. Anyway, the meat was awesome and fresh, especially the rib eye steaks. The side dishes were just okay, not impressive at all. Service was great and quick. The reason I gave 3 stars b/c the place is smoking store and the garlics got molded...so gross...I hate the restaurant which allows people smoking anywhere. It's so unfair to those who don't smoke.
Five stars for AYCE? I have to say, it's about the overall experience. The food is very good but not as good as the high quality Korean non-AYCE BBQ places, BUT, for the price, you get a 5 star experience.
THis is my favorite AYCE. My Korean friend showed me this place. It gets crowded so I always go early. I heard they now serve duck so I can't wait to go. In fact, I have eaten so much Korean BBQ that I am on doctors orders to take it easy and start eating vegies!
Let's talk about the meat: it's good. Very wonderful good stuff. I love their tongue and tripe. They also use Charcoal to add flavor to the meat. Smoky yummy flavor. But, with that smoky flavor comes the smoky smoke! You're going to come out of this place smelling like you stood over a fireplace. Your glasses will be covered with oil. You will smell like Kimchee and garlic. Everyone will know where you've been(or at least everyone who's been to Gui Rim!
They also have a Flat Screen. Just ask them to change the channel and they will. Great customer service although the majority of the waiters don't speak English. You just have to point at the menu on the wall and tell them what you want.
This is my new fav. Smokey and garlicy. nice.
Although they are meat nazis.
They yell at you if you don't order three meats at a time. Seriously.
They have the best selection of meats. All you can eat ribeye... nice.
Don't take my spot or I will punch you in the face.
Yeah. Not coming back here again. Why?
1. I came here before the "rush" and "crowds" - still got crappy service - as in, I had to repeatedly wave someone over or buzz for it, to which they took their leisurely time as if I was asking for something big. Not once did they voluntarily come to check up on me. That's nice.
2. They skimped on the meat. Not on portion or anything - I asked for three different types of meat, they gave me two. Wtf?
3. Just because I was eating alone, somehow I got the feeling they disliked me for taking up a whole table despite them pointing me to that very table and the fact that there were no smaller tables.. and oh yeah - THERE WAS NO CROWD.
4. They left other tables full of discarded dishes and food a full ten to fifteen minutes before cleaning them up -- yet when I gave in the urge to pee after eating for an hour, literally two minutes after I came back, they cleaned up my table. Why are they showing initiative to get me out of there?
5. The worst part: they threw away my beer which was the biggest reason why I even stayed as long as I did. I wanted to finish it and they deprived me of it.
6. They tried to apologize for it but I was on the verge of blowing up and making a scene - so I paid, gave a horrible tip (they should be glad I tipped at all), and left steaming mad.
In short:
-Threw away my unfinished beer.
-Cleaned my table when I wasn't even finished.
-Terrible, crappy, horrible service.
-Unfriendly waitresses.
AVOID.
Ok, seriously, like my fav fav fav place at the moment for All You Can Eat Korean BBQ. This was… Read more »
When you're looking for an endless smorgasbord of delectable meats, cooked to your exact specifications, "Who you gonna call?" Gui Rim! This place is in the business of being an all you can eat Korean BBQ haven, and business is a boomin. There are plenty of Korean BBQ places in this part of town, but in my opinion, Gui Rim ($16.99 for AYCE) is of the upper echelon.
Gui Rim is located on 6th street right off of Western. It can be a little tricky to find since it is in the middle of the block as opposed to the corner. Luckily, there is a sign out front so there is no need to bust out the PKE meter to find the joint. Just find a cozy spot along any one of the surrounding streets to station the Ecto-1 and go right in.
The staff at Gui Rim is as attentive and quick as any Korean BBQ restaurant staff. I understand that it is a real chore to have to bring huge plates of raw meet to dozens of groups of people, not to mention drinks and the bountiful array of side dishes. There are no guarantees as to the effectiveness of ringing the service bell. I don't fault the wait staff at places like this for not having the customer service skills of Herbert Arthur Runcible Cadbury. It is pretty much the norm.
The look of the restaurant is decent. Although it does beat an abandoned firehouse, the decor is not anything to write home about. There's a pretty large TV in the corner where you can watch sports. They're typically pretty good at changing the channel as long as no one else is watching. The one negative thing I have to say about Gui Rim, (and the reason they missed the 5 star boat) is the fact that the entire place is always wet and slippery. Its as if Slimer and his friends were in the restaurant with the heater on the night before, having an all night rave and blowing soap bubbles after running a full marathon in the hot Southern California sun. The place is covered in what I can only assume is oil. The chairs, wall, and underside of the tables always seem to have a thin film of oil. The floor even feels like an indoor ice rink. (which I must admit is kind of fun) There are vents located above each table, but I don't think they seem to work very well (if at all). The slipperiness of the place is but a minor (and excusable) casualty in the quest for delicious food.
The selection of meat at Gui Rim is one of the more eclectic lists I have ever seen at a Korean Joint. Each table is allowed to order 3 types of meat at a time. The meats range from normal (short rib, rib eye) to the slightly weird, (tongue, shoulder) to the almost paranormal (large intestine, baby octopus). I've tried almost all the meats and they've all been pretty good. (eating the baby octopus makes you feel like a Kraken) My favorites would have to be the rib eye, the short rib, and the brisket. The huge trays of meat are served with a medley of side dishes which include: rice paper, kimchi, salad, egg, and other various dishes. The side dishes by themselves are good enough to warrant coming here. The Kimchi in particular packs the flavor punch of a Proton Pack.
The only bad thing that I can say about the food is that it is too tempting. Once the gigantic plate of raw meat is served to you and you begin to cook it at your table, the smell is intoxicating. It's difficult (if not impossible) to resist the urge to eat as much as you can, as fast as you can, as if the coming of Gozer the Gozerian is upon us. By the time you've finished your meal, you feel more like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and less like yourself.
On your way out of Gui Rim, you'll probably have the worse case of the meat sweats in recorded history and smell like a bag of puppy meaty treats, but you will definitely be satisfied. If you're looking for an affordable All you can eat Korean BBQ place with a wide selection of meat and an ice skate-able floor, then Gui Rim is the place for you. But don't take my word for it. Dun-Dun Dunt. (Reading Rainbow sound).
"I ain't 'fraid of no ghosts"
So good! So tasty! So right!
I know kbbq has become a bit of a fad, but there is a reason -- just so damn delicious!
This place is really good. Honestly. Go there tonight and check it out. The meat is fresh, the free side dishes are tasty, the price (about $20/person for all-you-can-eat) is incredibly fair, and the mood inside is festive and fun!
We usually go with a huge group of at least 10 people, so seating has always been difficult for us BUT there is a great little bar just down the way called Frank and Hanks where you can chill with a cheap beer if the wait seems ridonkeyulous.
The service is pretty good, considering how crowded they get and how drunk we become as the night progresses. The tables and bbq grills are kept pretty clean and it is not too smokey inside -- I have yet to wake up the next morning with the smell of Gui Rim in my hair or clothes, so that's a plus!
Did I mention how GOOD the meat is? We've tried a handful of other kbbq spots around town and this place has the highest quality meat we've tried so far. All of it tastes good. The beef, the pork, the chicken, the fish. There are no bad choices to be made here. This may be due to some of their tasty marinades and sauces, but I really feel that the difference is in the quality of the meat. They are definitely not giving you days-old low-grade meat!
Only one suggestion: Just make sure you arrive really hungry -- best to skip lunch that day to fully appreciate the "all you can eat"-ness of the place, otherwise you'll fill up after just the first round and be tortured by sweet-smelling meat grilling around you.
My buds introduced me to this place this past weekend and I was quite impressed. I've been to a few AYCE places in Ktown and Gui Rim is definitely one of the good ones.
They have a large meat selection and suprisingly duck is one of the choices. It took a hella long time to cook though. The ribeye was fricken awesome and the ribs were just as good. The bulgogi wasn't as good because it was just too fatty and loaded with tendons.
Unfortunately one of the negatives would be that this Gui Rim gets very...very...very smoky. I usually can just toss my clothes in the hamper when I get home from a Korean BBQ. But here, I had to leave my clothes outside or my house would of stunk. Oh yeah, good luck looking for parking, just valet it.
Gui Rim is officially now one of my favorties! Good company, good food, delicious Soju, and great service made this place very memorable.
Went here last night. For some reason.. everytime we asked for something, they would bring us something else. We asked for lemons, they brought us rice paper. We asked for a coke and they bring us an extra pair of scissors. We ask for short ribs and they bring us duck. Weird. But they weren't pissed off about having to come back and forth bringing us stuff, so we didn't mind either. ALL YOU CAN EAT KOREAN BBQ! DELICIOUS! This place is awesome. Their banchan was ok.. broccoli was gross and old.. potato salad was good. I like my kimchi spicier, but eh. Very accomodating service. For 5 people, the bill was only $144!! That's with the 4 bottles of hite and i think 3 bottles of soju and a couple of sodas. YIPPPEEE!!! can't wait to come back!
I very Westside-ian Korean friend (she never goes east of the 405 unless it's to K-town or if California were to fall into the ocean... and even then, I doubt she'd ever leave) took me there. I was into Manna and other AYCE spots and was skeptical.
Man, was I wrong.
This place is fan-freaking-tastic. I have since become a regular and enjoy the incredibly wide selection of meats (they also offer tripe, intestine, pork neck, and other adventures). There's a review posted that complained of bad service. Hey, I have a great idea for people who demand fantastic service:
DON'T EAT AT AN AUTHENTIC ASIAN RESTAURANT.
Except for Japanese places, I find it somewhat comforting that when I head to Monterey Park, or K-town, or Westminster for a real meal, I usually get treated like dirt. Why? BECAUSE THEY'RE FREAKING ASIAN. I say this as a first generation Asian-American and with a great amount of pride.
This place is definitely worth the trip. It's cheap and once the waiters get to know you, they hook you up with a smile and some love. The meat is plentiful and I have yet to have one bad meal (so, statistically speaking, I'm about 25 for 25 now?).
The quality of the meat is better than most AYCE places, although I'd stay away from the marinated kalbi (a little strong). I stick to the pork belly, rib eye, and tripe for the first round then get creative for each other one.
TRUE STORY: The first time I went there, it was during the presidential campaign and my friends were all involved and basically tried to get our older waitress to vote for their candidate in a manner they thought they were being smarter and more clever than she was. On successive visits, I found that waitress and most of the other staff to be much brighter than they let others believe and really good people. Like I said, I'm a fan of this place.
So, there you have it. It's a good meal and totally worth the $21 (including tip/no drinks) it is. Word to the wise: Parking sucks. But whatever. I can eat until I pass out and they're nice to me.
"Gui Rim" sounded really kinky at first, but I bet in Korean it means "Friggin good meat". Previous reviews were correct about the vast selection of meats. The sliced rib-eye, sliced brisket, boneless rib meat, spicy pork, tongue, and duck were excellent. Be careful when cooking the thinly sliced meats because they get crispy when over-cookied. We went earlier in the evening, and there were only 2 other tables occupied. The service was good and attentive. Skip the bowl of rice since this is just going to fill you up with cheap carbs. I recommend bringing a vegan friend as your designated driver because food coma will happen. Let's put it this way: My 2 friends (hi Cheryll & Petie!) and I woke up full the next morning. Next time I binge eat, I'm coming to Gui Rim!
After making trips monthly to different kbbq places, me and some buddies went to try out Gui Rim. I have to say that I'm probably just getting tired of KBBQ altgoether because things aren't just really tasting all that great now.
They had a total of 21 types of meat. We didn't try all of it but some of the stuff was just weird. Two of us got the balls to try the mountain chain and I didn't think it was all that great.
Service was pretty good while the waiter helped us and came promptly after we rang the service bell. Good enough.
There were a plenty amount of side dishes to begin with. Oh and I liked the salad also. I had at least 5-6 servings of it.
This place isn't the best but it's not all that bad. I've had better still.
I've gotten so lazy lately that I was about to copy and paste Howard T's review into my own... it's sad I know. I finally decided against it and write my own review:
Read Howard T's review.
Just kidding... ok, here it is. It's All-You-Can-Eat. My friends brought me here. Oh joy! I love Korean BBQ especially when they have a nice selection of meats and they do here. It's $16.99 (I guess higher than what it used to be - $14.99). It's still not a bad price though for the selection that you get. Brisket, boneless short ribs, bulgogi (Howard is right about it being too fatty and tendon-y), and the delicious rib-eye were our selections of the night. The 1 meat I regret ordering was the BBQ duck. It's not BBQ for one. And it was crappily chewy.
As for the smoke, I really didn't care. Since I used to work in a restaurant in the kitchen, you can't get any worse than that. Plus, my nose doesn't work all that well.
One thing to note, the guy (a friend of mine called him "the Boss") gave us a free soju bottle after we had ordered 4. Very generous!
Went there at 7:45 on Saturday nite, luckily there was no wait, we got seated right away. The place became all packed after 8pm.
$16.99 All You Can Eat and they have 21 kinds of meat for you to choose. You can choose 3 kinds at a time. The Rib eye and duck were impressive, huge and tender. For the duck they gave you a whole piece of leg with thigh. Their "Kobe brisket" was just ok, too much fat and it has nothing to do with Kobe. The chicken was very tender but kinda tasteless.
The Staff was very friendly and attentive, keep refilling water, salad and side dishes.
Generally speaking their meat quality was just OK but for $16.99 with a great variety of meat selection, so many side dishes plus cold noodle, I give this place 4 stars.
I guess I expected too much from this place. I wanted to try out a new korean bbq spot in Ktown so I looked it up online. This place had some overall good reviews so I decided to give it a go.
The service was definitely not up to par. The first round of meat came out within a few minutes but after that it was extremely slow!! It's not like they're cooking the meat back there!! Just bring it out!! One time I asked the lady worker if she forgot our next round cus it had been over 10 min since we asked for a new plate of meat and she threw attitude at me saying that it will be out. They didn't replace any of the side dishes without me having to ask a few times..
The food was pretty good but not good enough for me to want to go there again.. There are definitely much better places than this in Ktown.
You get exactly what you'd expect from a Korean BBQ joint like Gui Rim; smokey clothes, mediocre service, and a lot of meat.
I mean a lot of meat. Gui Rim has an amazing selection of meats, from the tried-and-true Bulgogi to BBQ Duck. We first tried the Kalbi, Bulgogi and Pork Belly. Pork Belly is heart-attack good, but the Bulgogi and Kalbi were not very well flavored. And why did they have to take out the bone in the Kalbi? That's the best part!
Gui Rim redeemed itself with nearly everything else though. Heart was perfect, and the Rib-Eye...huge!
16.99 per person, but we left stuffed. We had to fight over who would drive because we were functionally disabled by the ensuing food coma.
Seriously, it's AYCE Korean BBQ. Expect bad service, but also expect to leave completely satisfied.
And bring your stretchy pants. Seriously.
Just had Gui Rim again this past Tuesday night! Omg everytime I come here it's like heaven in my mouth! The food is so flavorful, the unlimited side dishes are wonderful and there's this one guy with glasses that's very helpful and always suggest awesome things for us to try! Haha if you're reading this guy with glasses, we're sorry we ate that much meat! It was 1 girl and 7 guys! What did you expect?! Haha.
Oh yeah before I forget my favorite thing about this restaurant is that the grill is CHARCOAL not gas lit so the flavor is very intense and its like BAM in your mouth when it hits your tastebuds! Mmmmm nom nom nom nom.
My friends that joined us all loved the BBQ and we'll definitely be back for more. But probably not soon.... I usually come here once every 2 or 3 months.
Ahhh, yet another AYCE Korean BBQ restaurant to review...
Of all the places I've been to, this one's definitely the smallest and most hole-in-the-wall so far. But it's also very very good. They have a great variety of meat here...from the brisket, to the pork belly, to the kalbi, and even bulgogi.
The vents are just above the tables and sit a little higher than at other places I think, and it doesn't really ventilate well enough to prevent the smell of the bbq permeating into pretty much everything around and on you, but who doesn't like smelling like bbq in their car? =p
Pricewise, it's just about the same as Manna or the other bigger spots. Service is pretty much the same as the other similar spots I've reviewed...friendly, but don't expect them to cater to you.
I like the meat quality here and the service. They can get busy, but they're pretty efficient.
All is good.. Beef brisket, short ribs, marinated and not, bulgogi, the chicken., rib eye, beef tongue, all tasty and great.
all korean bbq joints leave u with that smokey smell that sticks to your clothes and hair. so dont plan on going anywhere else afterwards unless you're with the same group.
This is a very popular and good 'value for your money' korean BBQ place, but i'm going to buck against the trend and say i didn't really like it at all on my first outing.
Yes it has an amazing selection of meats for $17 and yes its low maintenance and unpretentious, but when i first walked in, first thing i noticed was how unbearably smoky it was (poor ventilation for the BBQ tables) and then walking around the restauran, true to its name, how insanely greasy the floors were (gui rim = grease in korean) and I almost slipped and fell at a couple times.
Despite the good selection of meats brought, i thought the kalbi and rib eye were wanting in quality and the gobchang was dissapointing at best. When it comes to AYCE places I'll take Tahoe and Yi Shi Hwa Roh anytime.
First off, parking is typically an issue here if you're looking for street parking. But that can be taken care of by valet parking around the corner.
Gui Rim is simple and bases it's reputation on it's All You Can Eat deal, vast selection of tasty meats and sides. Everything is what you would expect from a KBBQ, they offer plenty of meat choices at which you can pick 3 at a time. I can't say too much else, as other have mentioned nearly everything I would. I enjoyed the options and each that I had were delicious.
I didn't find the place smokey nor potent in any abnormal way. I figure there would be grilling here out in the open, it's a little insensible to think otherwise. The service is hit or miss. Some mentioned the waitresses taking long to get out your next orders of meat. I can understand this, they are trying to run a business not lose out on money. If anyone knows anything about AYCE deals is that, as a restaurant, the factor you have control over is time. I'll be patient, you should too.
It's not always common to positively put the words, AYCE deal and tasteful meal, in the same sentence but it works here.
Came back here last night~
This was my first time going to an all you can eat kbbq with just one other person, but I sure left the restaurant satisfied :)
We ordered short rib, ribeye and pork belly x 2. yes TWO plates! Plus Soju and Beer to wash it all down. I can't believe how much we ate! Panchan wasn't so great this time and since there were only two of us, they didn't give us that much.
And you kno? the service at this place isn't THAT great... They always seem to give us an attitude when we order ask them for too much stuff like... more napkins, more salad, more rice wraps, more pan chan, more beer.... more meat... BUT WE CANT HELP IT IM SORRY! DONT GET MAD T_T. But for some reason thir attitude don't really piss me off because they are so quick!
Anyway, I think the quality of the meat here is still really good for an all you can eat place :) This is still my favorite all you can eat kbbq place!
I think this is my favorite all-you-can-eat kbbq in ktown! $17 all-you-can-eat with bulgogi, kalbi,… Read more »
I usually equate all-you-can-eat anything with nothing-worth-eating...and Korean bbqs tend to be the same to me. BUT, this place isn't so bad, really! I recently grabbed an early dinner, so there was no wait. My only complaint- before my friend even got to the restaurant, the lady started cooking the food...oh impatient Koreans (yes, that includes me)! It was weird that at one point during the dinner, I noticed that in a packed Korean restaurant, it was only me and one other family that was Korean...everyone else were foreigners! (haha, yes, foreigners to Ktown!)
The quality of the meat was pretty good, actually I was surprised..and the selection of ban-chan was standard. The meat choices included everything from beef, short ribs (w/o the ribs), pork, duck, chicken, etc...) The service was quick (a bit hurried in the beginning, but it's in the blood) and kind enough. And it was wayyyy too much food for my friend and I.
All in all, it's a great all-you-can-eat place! Word of advice, the valet parking is around the corner from the restaurant...it's hidden!! If not street park!!
Neighborhood: Koreatown
Category: Korean
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Korean
Neighborhood: Koreatown
Category: Korean
Neighborhood: Koreatown
Category: Korean
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Barbeque
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