KINGKONG Korean BBQ

We’ve been to several other K-BBQ establishments and generally know what to expect, we thought we’d try KingKong because we’ve been to K-Town and like it but wanted to see if there was better in our area. I should have listened to the other reviews. Not only is the food not as good, they close at 9 but had a handwritten sign saying they wouldn’t seat anyone after 7:45 and last call from the kitchen was 8:15. Even though we got there at 7:15 I felt rushed the entire time and definitely not very welcome. Then, for our party of 5, they charged a $35 gratuity when nothing was posted about us being a "large" group. For what turned into one of the most expensive dinners we’ve ever paid for, the food and service was absolutely NOT worth it. We’ll NEVER be going back and, it was a really upsetting experience to try and celebrate a birthday. Go to K-Town if you want to grill at your table, it’s cheaper and better with much better service.

Ordered the Coconut Chicken Curry.... was expecting chicken in a curry sauce. It was a dry chicken that tasted like salt. Asked the server about the curry sauce and she said the chicken was marinated in the curry and there was no curry sauce. Asked the person who took the order about the dish compared to what the menu said. He said the curry was a dry rub, so not even a marinade like the server said. They were nice enough not to charge for the food.

On the surface, Kingkong Korean BBQ is pretty much like every other "grill-it-yourself" establishment, which is generally a good thing. It's immediate flaws are the same as its brethren: why does it seem like no one knows how to operate the grill at the table properly? It's always too slow to warm up, not hot enough, and requires manual intervention. Once that issue is taken care of, though, you're pretty much left to your own devices, and your satisfaction is solely based on what you order, and how well you cook it. Well, almost. In this case, for the most part, the cuts of meat were as good as any other Korean BBQ, but there were some that were decidedly not. Winners: bulgogi, miso pork belly, la galbi short ribs, steamed egg, all the side dishes and sauces. Losers: just about everything else, including the service; the employees were well-meaning and nice enough, but they were obviously very green, awkward, and forgetful. Despite being on the "premium" menu, avoid the King Kong Steak and the King Kong Marinated Beef, both of which are thick, tough slabs of meat that are took difficult to grill properly, especially when there are any of the aforementioned grill heating problems, and even then, they're just too thick, and not particularly appetizing. We also had some uninspired "cajun" shrimp, which is just regular shrimp with a dusting of seasoning on top. In fact, if it weren't for the LA Galbi short ribs, I'd say you can safely ignore the "premium" menu altogether, and just stick with the basics. That way, you can have an enjoyable meal, without paying extra for things you aren't likely to enjoy. There are better Korean BBQ places out there, but I wouldn't be opposed to giving King Kong another shot in the future. I just wouldn't pay anything more than standard price.

They are short staffed and a waitress was frustrated to the point I went out to grab my son’s stroller from the car and the waitress went in her car and scream at the top of her lungs! She was really being over worked since it was just her tending to our family and four more groups! My complaints is not with the staff because they done the best they could my complaints is to the owner and whoever else is running the business! I felt like an inconvenience to ask for another round so my family and I just had one round and left! Not worth the 150 we spent for one round of food and pressured staff! My props to the gentlemen for not folding under pressure but they need to change they’re staffing management!

We've been regulars here for a while now, and every time that I've had Caitlyn as a server, it's been the best experience of the week. The food is always delicious, the staff is great, and I look forward to every trip here.

MUST READ PRIOR TO VISITING. This review may come off as funny but I'm truly about to call a health inspector. All of what I have stated in this review is completely true and have added photo evidence for proof. I don't normally leave reviews, but after what happened at King Kong Korean BBQ, I feel morally obligated to warn others. It all started with the side dishes, which looked--and tasted--like they'd been pulled out of a sink drain. Soggy, room-temp, and wildly depressing. The kimchi had all the flavor of damp paper, the bean sprouts were limp and lifeless, and the rest looked like it had given up on life halfway through being made. Then the meat arrived. And dear god. Every cut was gray, chewy, and completely unseasoned. The steak? A true monstrosity. I took one bite, started chewing, and then realized it wasn't going anywhere. I was choking. Not in a dramatic way--I mean literal hands-in-my-mouth, pulling a slimy wad of meat out of my throat like I was performing amateur surgery at the table. I made eye contact with God for a second and even he looked disappointed. We were so baffled by how awful everything tasted that we genuinely thought we were the problem. Maybe we were cooking it wrong? Maybe there was some magical Korean BBQ technique we were missing? So we asked our server for help--and he completely dismissed us. Didn't explain anything, didn't offer tips, didn't even pretend to care. He just muttered, "Just put the meat on, I'll let you know when it looks okay to eat," and walked away like he had better things to do than prevent food poisoning. Spoiler alert: "looks okay to eat" is apparently code for raw and chewy enough to double as resistance training for your jaw. While I was still recovering from my near-death experience, the staff came over three different times to tell us to "come to the front and check out." Mind you, we still had full plates of untouched food (because it was all vile), and there were only two other tables in the entire restaurant. What was the rush? Were they trying to free up the space for the next health code violation? And just when we thought the worst was over--my boyfriend was struck with a sudden, violent wave of diarrhea. Three bites too many and my man had to sprint to the bathroom like his life depended on it (because frankly, it did). And guess what? No toilet paper. Not a single square. He had to text me from the stall begging for supplies. I'm not kidding--we have photo proof of this humiliating toilet paper crisis. I can't make this up. As I sit here writing this review, I feel genuinely nauseous. My stomach is cramping, I'm sweating, and I'm 90% sure this place gave me PTSD and possibly a parasite. King Kong didn't just ruin dinner--it declared war on my digestive system. And for the cherry on top of this gastrointestinal nightmare, they charged us $80 for the privilege of choking, gagging, and watching my boyfriend sprint to a toilet with no paper. Honestly, the only surprise was that they didn't hit us with their advertised $10-per-unfinished-plate surcharge--which, considering how inedible everything was, would've been a bold move. I guess they showed a sliver of mercy by not charging extra for the piles of untouched disappointment we left behind. Small blessings, I suppose. King Kong? More like King Wrong. Do not come here unless you have a stomach of steel and someone in your party who's highly trained in the Heimlich maneuver.

The food was amazing , the spicy pork belly, the beef bulgogi , and teriyaki chicken are great starters. The cheese corn order two each to start, make sure you put your vegetables on first and just relax.