Hung T.
Yelp
Exit 5 Korean BBQ is my jam when it comes to KBBQ in the Seattle area, mainly because their cold noodles are the bomb dot com. You can find it right off exit 5 from I-405, hence the clever name. Parking's a breeze, whether you're into street parking or hitting up the free lot. Plus, there's loads to do around the area.
The joint itself is pretty spacious, with enough tables to go around, but if you're not keen on waiting, weekdays are your best bet. We cruised in on a chill Monday night and snagged a table pronto. Inside, it's like stepping into a scene from a K-drama, complete with the tunes and posters.
The staff's friendly, although they might hustle a bit too much. Our server took charge of the grill, which kinda rushed the vibe. I'm more about taking my sweet time flipping those meats. Speaking of which, the portions were a tad small, especially in the mixed combo, and the beef was nothing to write home about.
We also dug into some seafood pancake, steamed egg, and, of course, those legendary cold noodles. Pancake and egg were decent, but those cold noodles were next level, with their refreshing soup base stealing the show. Plus, gotta love the freebies like the house salad and refillable side dishes.
But here's the kicker: the ssam option felt a bit overpriced for what you get. Eight bucks for a smear of paste and a mountain of veggies? Ehh, pass. Even with our crew of four, we left feeling like we could've eaten more, especially noticing the smaller portions compared to our last visit.
All in all, Exit 5 Korean BBQ still brings the flavor, especially with those cold noodles, but if you're all about that meat life, you might wanna scope out some other spots in the same price range.