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Kosmo
Categories: Restaurants Diners Restaurants Korean Diners, Korean [Edit]
407 N Fifth Ave1st Floor
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Neighborhood: Kerrytown Ann Arbor
(734) 668-4070
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 10 am - 7 pm
Sat 7 am - 4 pm
Sun 10 am - 4 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
37 reviews for Kosmo
Review Highlights
"Offers fresh and inventive variations of bi bim bop."
(in 17 reviews)
"Kosmo is a great little place in the Kerrytown markets."
(in 14 reviews)
"You must try the hot dog wrapped in bacon and deep fried..."
(in 3 reviews)
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37 reviews in English
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Review from Emma K.
Ann Arbor, MI
Yum is the word. I've been frequenting Kosmo for 16 years. Amazing food. Casual atmosphere. Perfect for quick breakfast or a delicious lunch. Staff is always super nice and the wait is never long. Parking close by and plenty to look at and do in k-town before or after you munch your lunch!
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Review from Jeffrey C.
Detroit, MI
5/28/2011
I wanted so badly to find a great Korean restaurant in the Ann Arbor area and this just wasn't it. I was able to try both the bi bim bop, the bulgogi and the egg roll and while they were all ok there was nothing memorable about any of it. The bulgogi wasn't really all that flavorful and somewhat dry and the egg roll well like eating a stick of pepper and ginger. If I were to go again I felt the bop was fairly decent, and its nice to be able to choose which vegetables yourself.
Undoubtedly the best part of eating here was the atmosphere and location. Being right in the Kerrytown shops is so convenient and it's fun to be able to watch people passing in and out of Sparrow market. -
Review from David M.
Ann Arbor, MI
5/10/2011
This is a great place to stop if you're walking around Kerrytown and get bit by the hunger bug, but left your Zingerman's wallet at home. There are a ton of things I'd still like to try from here, but I got the Bogie (Bulgogi Hoagie, obviously) and my partner in crime got the famous bi-bim-bop.
The cheesesteak (which is what the Bogie really is, here) was very good. The bulgogi has just enough flavor and seasoning to it, and is not overpowered by the cheese or green peppers. It was served with a fork, which confused me for about five seconds before I realized that most of the filling was not going to stay in the bread, but that was fine, and I enjoyed it a lot.
I tried the BBB as well, and thought it was very good. I'm no expert, but it was a lot like that at Rod's Diner, which I also have a place in my heart for. Here it was interesting because you actually pick the four ingredients you'd like in your BBB. I personally could do without the choice and would just want everything thrown in, but I guess for some it could be better this way.
We also got an order of the tempura'd vegetables to start, but were not blown away by them. They were good enough, and the sweet and sour type sauce served with them was good as well, but nothing you need to try if you go there.
Next up are the burgers and hot dogs wrapped in bacon for me, but I still need to try Monahan's too. And it might be tough not to get pulled into the gravitational pull that is Zings. Oh Kerrytown, how I love thee. -
Review from n t.
Ann Arbor Charter Township, MI
11/9/2011
If only there was an option for zero stars. I used to like this place but the service has gone down hill - on days when the employees aren't rude to me for wanting to pay for my food with a credit card, they are instead playing with their piercings septum rings, zero size plugs in their ears and rubbing their facial hair while handling my food- yum! and if you are indifferent to bad service maybe you should look at their inspection history... http://www.swordsoluti... type in kosmo and youll find ..
citations for cockroaches multiple times and other disgusting things. NEVER going here again.Comment from Don K. of Kosmo 11/10/2011
Sorry n t. I will have a talk with my whole staff on the… More » -
Review from Jason C.
1/17/2011
I heard this place was very popular and finally had chance to swing by to grab some food and check the place out for myself. It's located inside the main Kerrytown building. Grab one of the tables or seat yourself at the counter...
I reviewed the menu and decided for Bibimbap... and the cashier said, I could get an egg-roll for extra dollar, so why not. Two of my buddies went with Fried rice... one went with Evan's Fried Rice, Egg-roll and the kimchi dog, second friend went with twigim and fried rice with bulgogi.
We got our food and when mine came, it was Bulgogi bowl... although I thought I said bibimbap with beef when I ordered, it seems I some how ordered Bulgogi bowl... so I went up just to confirm and the staff said I ordered Bulgogi Bowl... the lady looked at me as if I was crazy :) hahaha... disappointed, I went up and decided to order a separate Bibimbap... because I was there for my Bibimbap and I wasn't going to leave until I had my bibimbap!!!
That's when the lady took pity on me... she asked if I wanted bibimbap instead of bulgogi bowl and I said yeah... she asked for the bowl back and said it'll be few minutes to make it and she'll figure out the price differential... few minutes later she came back told me the extra cost, I paid and waited for the bibimbap.
The bibimbap had bean sprouts, broccoli, cucumber, raw carrots with bulgogi topped with egg. I tasted each topping individually... the bean sprouts was not seasoned, same with broccoli, cucumber was seasoned with vinegar and salt. Bulgogi was okay, not the greatest I had before. The key ingredient in Bibimbap is the sauce... many, if not all Korean restaurants water down the hot red bean sauce... overall, I'll rate Kosmo's bibimbap better than Teriyaki time.
I was not a fan of the egg roll... too much ginger, lot of cabbage and bean sprouts... blend as well... the sauce did make it little better, but only after I let the egg-roll sit in the sauce for while.
Overall, I had to give it two stars on my bibimbap experience.... I'll take the blame for the mishap on the order and I'm not taking any star away because of that... The egg-roll was disappointing and the I had better Bibimbaps' around Ann Arbor. If you have never been, go and judge the food for yourself. -
Review from Andrew S.
Ann Arbor, MI
1/12/2011
If I'm in the Kerrytown area and feeling like fried rice, this is the place that always hits the spot.
Kosmo has a very unique steampunk, post-industrial style to it that not only charms, but really feels warm... in a post-apocalyptic, nuclear holocaust sort of way.
The food itself, albeit derived from relatively basic cooking technique, is extremely satisfying. While the Bi Bim Bop might be most appealing (it is a Korean grill anyways!), I highly recommend the vegetable fried rice, which has an otherworldly fried quality to it, actually imparting a highly desirable crunchy texture to the rice.
Either way, no dish at Kosmo is complete without compliments of the house version of the traditional Gojujang-derived Korean hot sauce which is most typically served with Bi Bim Bop (I use it on all dishes at Kosmo). Their version is something I dream about at night, I have spent hours thinking about ways to replicate this highly endearing hot sauce which has a very noticeable sweet side to it, but is just the right hotness.
Don't forget to add an amazing egg roll to your meal, they're super unique - filled with kim chi!
All in all, I have never been disappointed with an experience at Kosmo. The staff is always very helpful and kind (as long as you are!). -
Review from a c.
Ann Arbor, MI
7/24/2011
this is sooooo yummy! love the special sauce. and the bop. and the twigim. and their grilled cheese may possibly be the best i've ever had. and it's $1.75. that means you could buy 3 for under six bucks. i don't know why you would want to do that, but you could.
and now harlan works there, and he's awesome.Listed in: cheap places to eat in ann…
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Review from Anya P.
5/14/2010 ROTD 8/8/2010
There's nothing missing from here. It's all wonderful.
Even at it's busiest, the staff was great, the food was delicious and you can't beat the price with a stick. Bim-bop is so good it makes my liver quiver. And even if you can eat the whole bowl, you feel good about yourself for doing so. It's not processed or flavored or MSGed. And the sesame chili sauce on the tables brings my future children's children to tears of joy.
Did I mention the sweet robot face? Well, then, you're just going to have to go check it out for yourself.
Oh and try the pickled daikon. It's brilliant. -
Review from Janelle W.
Detroit, MI
11/7/2008
I didn't think diner food could ever fuse, successfully, with Korean cuisine.
Tout au contraire... to my fellow skeptics, I present to you Kosmo.
This is a very cool spot with that modern, urban, stainless steel look. The kitchen is small, there's a cartoony handwritten menu, and just a few counter seats and booths. But the restaurant opens up into the Kerrytown Market, which coincidentally makes the space feel like the restaurant corner in the famous Japanese and Korean department stores.
Katie Z. and I met up for dinner here, and we both ordered the bi bim bop and shared an order of twigum. Both great choices! The twigum is a great appetizer to start with--a bit like tempura veggies, but with a heavier and more flavorful batter.
For the bi bim bop, you choose your protein, white rice or brown, and four nontraditional vegetables--I love the sunflower sprouts! I ordered my bi bim bop with chicken, again very nontraditional for this dish, but the Korean BBQ flavor on the meat was perfect and they were very generous with the excellent cuts of chicken! Use a lot of the spicy sauce at the table--it adds so much depth to the dish.
And, holy moly, it's cheap! Yeah, in Ann Arbor.. Kerrytown.. cheap! Unbelievable.
Not just one of the best Korean restaurants in Ann Arbor.. but also one of the best Asian restaurants in general in Ann Arbor. -
Review from Kelli J.
Ann Arbor, MI
7/22/2011
I've tried a few things off of the menu, and the bi bim bap with the red sauce takes the cake. Aesthetically, this diner is right up my alley. The stainless steel bar and stools, chalkboard menu and large metal bowls that hold the bi bim bap put a smile on my face. I only eat here if I see that there are few people occupying the stools, as a crowd means I'll have to wait quite a while for my food and probably won't get fast service. That being said, I've never had a bad experience...some are just more lengthy than others.
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Review from o o.
Ann Arbor, MI
10/25/2008 ROTD 3/14/2009
Kosmo is stellar .... and ..... Such a find!
Went here on Tony C's recommendation with fellow yelper and friend, Janelle. Was not disappointed. This place has a small counter and a couple of booths within Kerrytown's first level.
Kosmo is the perfect americanized spin on Korean food. It is just right. Offers fresh and inventive variations of bi bim bop. Yum... I got mine with Spinach! Great spicy sauce too!
One of the best Korean joints in Ann Arbor. -
Review from jen h.
Pittsburgh, PA
9/23/2007
This place is really good. So far I have gotten the bi-bim-bop and the bulgogi. I can't really seem to ever try anything else, because the above are just so darn tasty. They have a reasonably-priced Chicago-style hot dog on their menu, which I have yet to try. (Those don't seem to be very popular in this part of the midwest, I guess because of all the Coney Islands?)
Have to subtract a star from the original 4. The service can be hit or miss. Usually, if it's the dudes that are working the counter, you will be fine and they are super-friendly...If any of the ditzy hippie chicks are working, they will for instance, ignore you for 5 minutes, whine right over your head to their boyfriend who is standing directly behind you about some party they are going to miss, ignore you some more, whine some more, let you stand there some more while they angrily put away sauce bottles because their boyfriend is going to the party without them, and then eventually tell you, 'oh, we aren't taking orders anymore'....when it's 3pm and the place is open for another 4 hours....i didn't get that.....
. -
Review from Tony C.
New York, NY
12/7/2008
Sort of goofy to review a place when a previous reviewer went on my recommendation, but here it is:
Kosmo is an interesting Americanized spin on Korean food. Such favorites like bul go gi are changed into things like the bogey: bbq beef on a hoagie roll with melted cheese on top. Delicious!
The other killer dish here is the twiggum: tempura-battered veggies. I'm pretty sure anything covered in tempura makes it yummy.
The other items here that I've had (and recommend) are the hot/sour soup, the extremely non-traditional take on bi bim bop, and the kim bop.
Hint: I'm giving away the farm on this one (and because of this I hope they don't start charging for it), but if you order a decent amount of food, you can ask for a side of kim chi and it's free. It's actually fun to ask for it because Kosmo's mother gets it out of the fridge out of this huge vat, picks some out with these huge chopsticks into a little bowl for you.
Caution: This place gets busy, especially during lunchtime and it's particularly bad on the weekends. They can get really backed up and if you want to eat there, good luck finding a space to sit. -
Review from Abby C.
Mountain View, CA
4/18/2009
After learning that my original review (I left this in tact below) caused a lot of ruckus on http://mlive.com, I would like to address a couple of things from my original review and from the http://mlive.com article and related comments. I also want to state that I had no idea that there was an article done about Kosmos and on http://mlive.com until my friends came back from a trip to Kosmos and told me that I had inadvertently created a hoopla. I then looked at the article and its subsequent comments. I did not post any comments on http://mlive.com nor do I know anybody who did. This is all a big surprise to me.
I GENUINELY LIKE THE FOOD AT KOSMOS, and I would recommend the food to anyone. In fact, I've considered nominating Kosmos to be on that Food Network show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. I stand firm on my original review that I liked everything I've ordered and that the prices are reasonable. If you are looking for some tasty food and a low price, this is a good place to go based upon the bang for the buck.
I will retract the statement that I made that the tips do not go to the staff and instead go to the profits of the business. I apologize for leaving misinformation on Yelp.
I will not retract saying that Don harassed my friends even though in the comments that Don posted on http://mlive.com, Don says he did not harass them. The reason I will not retract this statement is that my friends definitely felt harassed and even moreso embarrassed. They sincerely did not know that they were supposed to be tipping. While harassment comes in various forms and degrees, if a customer feels harassed, then the customer feels harassed. As a business owner or just someone providing customer service, you have to accept that and then do your best to rectify the situation. I have 4+ years in management/leadership roles in retail, which is extremely customer service oriented, so I feel informed enough to make such a statement.
I will not lie, I'm still not convinced more than 60% that the service provided at Kosmos warrants a tip, but I also understand that the people working at Kosmos rely on their jobs there and partially on tips to go forth and spend which is important in these economic times. I figure tip 10% which is the minimal amount to tip to be polite and probably only amounts to $1 or $1.50 (if that) to keep the economy rolling.
I will say that the customer service that I personally experienced at Kosmos has never been bad but it also has never been outstanding. I don't necessarily expect outstanding at a diner-style place, but I also think the fact that I am not saying that the customer service has at least been good says something. I also think that all of this hoopla that's resulted in my original review on Yelp proves that every single customer is important because the bad experiences are the ones that get passed on and the only ones that will have a negative effect on business.
My friends that were regular customers (as in averaged eating there once a day, meaning days that they didn't go were made up for by going more than once in other days) do not go to Kosmos like they once used to and it's not for lack of opportunity to eat out.
This part of my review and the original review on Yelp were not written out of anger or frustration. These were written in the spirit of what Yelp is meant to be which is a website for real people (and not restaurant critics) to rate/review restaurants and other businesses.
I will not change my rating from 3 stars because that's what I originally rated it and that's what I believe it still deserves.
***********ORIGINAL REVIEW***********
I like the food at Kosmo's. It's a bit of a fusion place as it's not completely Korean and it's definitely not American food. I haven't had anything on the menu that I didn't like, and the prices are very reasonable.
I will only give this place 3 stars because the guy who runs this place, Don, doesn't seem to fully understand the concept of customer service.
Tipping is apparently mandatory, although unless you sit at counter seats, a server doesn't come to take your order (you put it in at the register and then go find a table). An employee will bring your food out to you, but if you need refills on a drink or anything like that, you need to go up to the counter. I'm not sure all of this warrants a tip, but Don did harass my friends who have been regulars once about not tipping when they were unaware that tipping had suddenly become mandatory because there's not a sign or anything to notify you of that. Also, the tips don't go to the employees; the tips just go towards the profits of the business.
One of my friends also ordered a tucker burger once only to notice that the bun had mold on it. Don didn't want to refund her money that she had paid for an inedible item.
Overall, tasty food, questionable owner/boss. -
Review from Sara G.
1/18/2010
This quintessential Ann Arbor joint is strategically situated between Sparrow and Monahan's in Kerrytown, and I can just picture myself hunkering down in a red booth, one hand clasping a just-purchased Mexican coke, the other a pair of chopsticks. Sigh...carry-out just seems so much easier these days.
Kosmo offers an array of interesting fusion dishes that I don't think ever graced a Steve's Lunch menu (um, hot dog wrapped in bacon topped with kimchi?). This is a diner, so the quality of beef is good but not the great melt in your mouth stuff you'll find at more expensive Korean restaurants. This shouldn't deter you from ordering their tasty bulgogi, however. Plus, the sauce that comes with it is fantastic. Plus plus: cheap cheap!
Actual rating: between 3.5 and 4 stars.
A very unique place indeed. Korean? Diner? I'm there.Listed in: My Asian Fixation
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Review from Jennifer S.
Ann Arbor, MI
9/3/2010
One caveat: I've only tried to eat here once.
Overall reason for such a low rating, esp. given the very positive reviews: 1. Very, very poor service. 2. Not great food.
I went for lunch the other afternoon & it was rather busy. So we waited for about 5-10 minutes to order. Fine, fine, I get it. Busy is busy. Must be because the food is so good?
After we gave our order, the waiter/dude behind the bar never brought out our drinks. And then we asked again. And still he didn't. So we asked another waiter. And he did! Yeah! Drinks!
And then, from our vantage point at the counter, we watched as the food just sat and sat and sat beneath the heat lamps. And we saw customers get more and more angry that they weren't getting their food.
And then we get our food. And we ask for chopsticks from the waiter. And the waiter doesn't get them. Just walks aways and keeps wandering around the restaurant. So I get up and walk behind the counter and get chopsticks.
Begin eating my bibimbop.
And it isn't great. It isn't terrible -- I've had worse. But it isn't great. The beef was a little dry and the vegetables a little sparse.
And then I find a hair.
And my patience is gone. We leave and get food down the street.
If you want Korean, I recommend Seoul Garden. Seriously. -
Review from Erin G.
1/19/2009
Kosmo is a great little place in the Kerrytown markets. It's got a lot of character and weird twists on Korean food. Their bi bim bop is yummy, their eggrolls are delicious, their twiggim (kinda like tempura veggies) are great, and their special homemade sauce is great too. Their staff is really relaxed and seem like they enjoy working there, as much as you could enjoy working at a food joint. They have several weird hot-dog options too, which are interesting, but I've never tried.
Edit: tried the hot dog wrapped in bacon and deep fried, then topped with cheese and kim chee. Amazing. I could eat one of those every day if it wouldn't give me a heart attack. Not nearly as greasy or salty as it sounds because the acidity of the kim chee cuts it. A masterpiece. -
Review from lara s.
6/19/2009
I had been wanting to check out Kosmo for a while since I had read a lot of reviews on Yelp and I am a huge fan of bi bim bop. The first time I went was a winter afternoon and apparently they had decided to close early. That was a bummer. I'm not sure why that was the case. Anyhow, I returned there yesterday mid-afternoon. I ordered the bi bim bop with no protein on top (saves you about $2!) and my friend had the Fried Rice with tofu. The bi bim bop was good, not the best, but good. The vegetables on top were raw which was different than other ones I have had. The egg was perfectly cooked. The silver bowl was hard to eat out of because it was narrower than other ones I have eaten from at other restaurants. The fried rice was made with brown short grain rice which gave it a nice bite.
Overall, this is a decent place to get lunch. I like the location in Kerrytown and the buzz around all the shops (it's in the center with Sparrow Market) made for a lively lunch. I wish they also had pastries such as the Lotus Bun or Veggies Buns that are available at Eastern Accents, but I guess this is just a different sort of place.Listed in: Best Lunch in Ann Arbor
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Review from Sarah W.
Brooklyn, NY
4/23/2008
Tasty and cheap! Some of the best fusion Korean food I have ever had. You must try the hot dog wrapped in bacon and deep fried topped off with kim chee. And the burger made with kim chee. I love the "twiggim", which is deep fried vegetables tempura style but not as delicate. Very flavorful and beautiful.
If you just want straight up Korean food they have bi bim bop which is really good because they made their own special sauce which is amazing. You can also choose the types of veggies you want in it. The sushi roll is not so great I wouldn't try it.
And if you just want typical diner food, the breakfast bagel is always good!
It's fast service in a comfortable atmosphere. You can sit at the bar and watch them prepare your food. Or choose one of the booth seats. Either way its great because you don't have waiter service so you don't have to feel like your annoying when your lounging around. Unless it's Saturday, then you better hurry cause the crowds are unbelievable. -
Review from Sarah R.
7/30/2008
Since Steve's Lunch went out of business, I've been looking for a cute diner with good vegetarian Bi Bim Bop, and Kosmo might turn out to be my new favorite place for that. I like that you can order the Bi Bim Bop with your choice of meats or fried tofu. It's a little pricier than some other local Korean places, coming in around $7, but the ingredients are good quality. They also offer a wide variety of American breakfast and brunch foods and deli foods.
Kosmo, short for Kosmopolitan, is a small diner within the Kerrytown shops, sandwiched between a meat market and a seafood market. The people watching is fun, but expect to have to muscle your way in to get a seat if you come around noon on a weekday, as I did. There are a few stools at the counter, or you can get your food at the counter and take it to one of the benches or small tables sprinkled around the Kerrytown market complex as I saw some families doing. -
Review from jenna c.
1/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Loved the rice bowls with brown rice, you pick the 4 veggies you want... very healthy. CUTE location. GREAT service. Totally dug it.
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Review from Lisa W.
Flint, MI
6/28/2008
Kosmo is a great spot in Kerrytown where you can get some tasty grub on. They have a modified bi bim bop dish where you can choose what kind of meat and vegetables go in your bowl. They make a mean breakfast sandwich that is good enough for prom dinner, and they carry this seven layer bar from a local bakery that has raisins in it. I hate raisins but that bar is out of this world.
Take your bowl to one of the comfy couches and you'll get a great look at Everyday Wines for post bi bim bop jubilation. -
Review from Shingo B.
Marietta, GA
1/6/2011
I've been coming since i was a little kid. the twigim has always been my favorite. since it's expansion not only has the location grown but also the menu. whenever i come back to visit ann arbor i have to eat their bibimbop. so delicious.
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Review from Jay Y.
Ann Arbor, MI
2/17/2011
fast and convenient bi bim bop. solid.
bugolgi is really good
the brown rice has lots of flavor
i didn't really care for the egg roll. -
Review from Mark B.
Ann Arbor, MI
3/16/2011
Bi Bin Bop! Don't miss the twigum. You can get a good burger here too.
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Review from John Y.
Washington, DC
5/8/2009
Did the most marvelous things just happen? Did it really? It indeed did, my friends. Being in Ann Arbor for four years I somehow missed out on Kosmos in Kerrytown. I made a visit back to U of M for graduation and went here and it was fricken ridicin' AMAZING. It's as if the greasy food culture of diner American cuisine had babies with Korean food.
I picked everything on the menu that was Korean infused: bacon wrapped hotdogs with kimchi, kimchi bamburger, and the twikim (deep fried vegetables, korean style). It was all so amazing. I've got to say that they did an fantastic job keeping up the quality for some of the traditional Korean foods like bibombop.
If I could only lift up Kosmos and drop it in DC - they need to have something like this in Washington. -
Review from Andrea Y.
Ann Arbor, MI
2/10/2009
I'm totally a fan of Kosmo. I work across the street, so I go there often. The bibimbap is what I always order - you get to choose what goes into it, which is the best part for me. If you ask for kimchi they'll give you some, and it's some of my favorite kimchi in town.
Now that I've been going there for over a year, multiple times a week, I've gotten to know the employees. It's fun being a regular at Kosmo! -
Review from Colin T.
Brighton, MI
9/29/2009
Went to Kosmo for its Bi-Bop based on a co-worker's recommendation. Really liked how you could select your toppings. I'm new to Korean food other than what I saw week after week this past season on Next Food Network Star.
If you have never tried bi-bim-bop then you don't know what you are missing. Personally, I going to make up for lost time and become a frequent visitor to Kosmo. -
Review from Catherine W.
Fort Wayne, IN
11/1/2010
Stumbled upon this eatery as we walked through the Kerrytown Market & Shops. It was a fun place to grab a quick lunch and we sat at the bar on a bustling Saturday. My husband had the Boagie (Bulgogi on a Hoagie - kind of a like a Korean take on a Philly cheesesteak) and I had a Bi Bim Bop. Also ordered their Twigim (kind of like vegetable/potato tempura?). Food was so cheap as the whole meal was under $20. The place had a lot of character with friendly/cheerful waitstaff behind the bar. Not the best Korean food I've ever had (bibimbap was kind of sparse, and I thought the Boagie was a little too sweet), but certainly it hit the spot. I would come again for a cheap, tasty, and quick eat.
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Review from Spike S.
Ann Arbor, MI
10/31/2009
Reallllly good Bop, especially with their sweet-hot sauce!
If you go to Kosmo MAKE SURE YOU GET TWIGIMS! their twigims are probly my fav thing their.
their burgers are also really good but not filling. -
Review from Brian J.
Ann Arbor, MI
10/30/2010
Bogie and Twigim? Yes, please. Now.
Now!
Everything this place churns out is delicious. I suggest the Bogie and Twigim. Healthy? No. Delicious? Yes. Unique? Most definitely.
I only give it a 4 instead of a 5 because the tables are often dirty and the staff isn't very attentive/on the ball. I'd suggest carry-out for this reason. -
Review from Dharma A.
11/17/2009
Kosmo has the honor of being my first bi bim bop experience. Since I have nothing to compare it to, I can't say how "authentic" it is, but I can say it was damn tasty. I ate there yesterday for lunch and would gladly go back today and get the same thing! I also really like the set up of the place---it opens out to the rest of Kerrytown Market and has a casual and funky vibe. I've seen this place during the lunch hour and it's bumpin', I think primarily because a lot of Commie High people dine here. I went around 3 and it was pretty quiet. I don't know how it took me so long to go here, but it's definitely moved into my Ann Arbor lunch favorites.
Listed in: Favorite Lunch Places in Ann…
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Review from starli h.
Chicago, IL
3/14/2009
oh man, henry at kosmo played a major role in my upbringing.
on the days in high school {*ahem* only a few moons ago}, when i saved enough change to afford a meal, and something more than the 25 cent bag of bread ends from zingerman's, i went to kosmo!
i usually got fries, twiggum or a grilled cheese. on very fancy days it was bi bim bop.
this is closest thing it can get to comfort food without cooking it yourself. at least for me! -
Review from Ziggy Y.
New York, NY
3/20/2009
Kosmo's was one of two places I ate at multiple times a week during my 3 years in Ann Arbor (the other was Silvio's). What makes a place that you go back to? For me, it's an aesthetic of which food is just a part. Of course, the food has to be good, but for me, the places I go back to are rarely the places with the best food. I mean, I don't have the cash nor the desire to eat at Eve more than once a year. We're talking about affordability, but we're also talking about kinds of food that resemble staples more than extravagances. And a place where people know you--know your likes and dislikes so you're not constantly explaining yourself, people look out for you, appreciate you, and take care of you, but at the same time, it's not work to go get takeout from the place. In other words, it's like home cooking in that you know the food comes from the heart, but it's still a restaurant which demands distance and respect as a customer.
On a separate note, someone below complained about the girls that work at Kosmo's. I kicked it with some near-30-something grad students who were uniformly in love with one of the 17 or 18 year old high school girls that worked there. She was cute, I can't deny it. -
Review from Margot F.
Ann Arbor, MI
5/15/2005
Kosmo is the unofficial cafeteria for the "alternative" high school in yippie-central Kerrytown (so not only do Comm High kids get an education that's hypersensitive to their individual special snowflakeness, but they also eat better than any other high schoolers in the country--and sometimes I worry a little bit for the future of graduates who were never subjected to ice-cream scoops of instant mashed potatoes, frozen fries and vending machine fare). Anyone old enough to vote might want to avoid the 11am-1pm window, because as efficient as the chill kids who work Don's lunchcounter are, the burgers and fried rice and b-bim bop are as *quick* as they are cheap during those rare times when Kosmo isn't overrun by flirty, chatty, awkward pre-punks (although they can be fun to watch). The menu is so limited a couple weeks's worth of visits could canvas it entirely, and the food is simple but satisfying. Vegetable twiggim (classic stir-fry veggies deep fried in the same vat as the baseball-sized egg rolls and fresh-cut french fries) is a hangover cure so potent it can clear your aching head and bowels even if you accidentally hit the cafeteria rush. For the hungrier, the b-bim bop is a perfect one-bowl meal: white or brown steamed rice topped with vegetables, egg, and teriyaki chicken, beef, or tofu. The egg salad is pleasantly dill-heavy, the burgers are high-school-palate-approved, the coffee is lavazza, and "desserts" place you firmly back in high school cafeteria land (a basket of MnM packages in the middle of the counter is about all they've got). But you don't go to Kosmo for options, you go to Kosmo because it feels like being invited to a friend's place for lunch. P.S. Do yourself a favor and try the sweet-hot chili sauce in the plastic squeeze bottles on the counter--everyone goes a little nuts for it
Listed in: Eat A2: Top Five
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Review from Kelly G.
Mid-Cambridge, MA
6/23/2010
My biteful of the Seoul Dog was pretty tasty but I didn't get any of the cheese!! The veggie fritters that the place is known for were pretty unique and came in a huge portion. More carrots and green beans would have been nice though b/c fried potatoes are just fries.
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Review from Dave Y.
8/6/2009
decent korean food/lunch counter place. the bulgogi and bibimbops are pretty decent, but feels like i made it at home. it's slightly pricey but it's a2/kerry town so not too terrible. the hot dogs sound pretty good, so i'm definitely trying those in the future. the kimchi burger also sounds interesting. it's kind of a fun place tho, 'cuz it's in sparrows market and gets pretty crowded sometimes. if you're looking for really really good korean food for similar price, maru is way better
