Ayush K.
Yelp
Let me start this review by saying that I LOVE FOOD. BUT.... 2+ hrs. of wait time to try AYCE Korean bbq is definitely not worth it. It was very frustrating. The inaccurate wait time estimates significantly extended our wait, which could have been avoided with better communication. This review factors in the wait time, along with the quality of the food and the service.
Hae Jang Chon definitely lives up to the hype when it comes to the food itself. They offer an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ experience for both lunch and dinner, with a wide variety of meats to choose from - beef, pork, chicken, and even some seafood options.
The side dishes were plentiful too, going beyond the standard banchan with items like corn cheese, kimchi pancake, and steamed egg. Everything we tried, from the meat options (including the beef brisket, short ribs, bulgogi, and pork belly) to the kimchi pancake and corn cheese, was delicious. They even have four different sauces to complement the flavors.
The staff was fantastic - super attentive and efficient. They cooked the meat for us right at our table, kept our waters refilled, and made sure everything ran smoothly.
Here's the thing, though - the wait was BRUTAL. We got there at 8 pm on a Friday night (party of three), and didn't get seated until close to 10:30 pm. In this day and age, it felt archaic that they didn't take reservations or even phone numbers for the waitlist. You just had to be there physically. To make it worse, they kept giving us inaccurate wait time estimates that kept getting pushed back further. It was frustrating, especially considering the place was packed all night with long lines.
So, the food? It's definitely a 4-star experience. The wait? Not so much. Would I go back? Maybe, but only if I knew I could get seated quickly or they implemented a more user-friendly waitlist system.