Kaffeine Place - Bar & Restaurant

Kaffeine is an absolute gem! The atmosphere is so fun and vibrant, with great decor that adds to the experience. The staff was incredibly nice, making the visit even better. While it did take a bit for the food to come out, it was well worth the wait. The food was absolutely amazing—so flavorful and perfectly cooked. It was provided to me during a meeting a few weeks ago, and it stayed on my mind ever since! Let me tell you, it didn’t disappoint the second time around! If you’re craving incredible Korean food, this is the spot to check out. Highly recommend! Note, parking is located behind the building. Use the back entrance, go up the stairs, and it’s the door to the left. The door wasn’t clearly marked, so I wasn’t sure whether or not I was in the right place.

I visited Kaffeine Cafe twice. Since it’s owned by Koreans, I highly recommend their Korean dishes—they were really good! The coffee and drinks were decent. I love the location, but parking can be a bit tricky to find. Overall, it was a good experience!

Best ramen in the city! I tried the spicy chicken ramen, the heat was perfect and the noodles were well-cooked and flavored. I wasn’t sure about the cheese at first but it blended well with all the other flavors and textures. I also had the vegetable mandu as an appetizer which were also delicious. The service was amazing and it was very comfortable and cozy inside with different seating arrangements. I would definitely recommend this spot to anybody wanting great food, service and dine-in experience.

I stopped here for dinner after going to the bars nearby. The interior is lovely and modern, and I could easily imagine enjoying a nice cup of tea or coffee here. The staff was friendly, and there was a good selection of food and drinks. I had the sundubu-jjigae stew with beef and a Korean lager on the side. It was delicious, and the flavors of the chilies, tofu, and beef blended together in a savory broth. It came with some rice and Korean pickles on the side. I was very happy with everything, but I think I’ll try the extra spicy version next time. Kaffeine Place is well worth a stop if you like Korean food.

POUTINE WEEK! September 13-28 on Michigan St in Grand Rapids. - Kalbi Au Poivre (poutine) - $23.50: This poutine stands tall and charismatic. There are a lot of complex flavors, but they work really well together. The Korean braised beef short rib was cooked perfectly and was very tender, juicy, and fall apart good! This was probably the best part of the experience and worked well with the rest of the components. The fries were a bit in the background, but were melt in your mouth good when there. The creamy mushroom peppercorn sauce was a wonderful touch and the mushrooms were not prominent. I am not a fan of mushrooms, but this was great. The cheese was not mentioned in their explanation in the store or on the Poutine Week website. I assume it is feta cheese. This is another example of an element I don’t much care for, but enjoy in the right context. It is not a traditional poutine cheese, but worked really well with this combination. The chestnuts added an amazing flavor and texture! I am not a fan of chestnuts, but it added so much to this (I am breaking my character saying this), it needed more chestnuts! The pine nuts, carrots, and other elements were also a great stacking of flavors. One of the other competing restaurants actually recommended stopping here to try their poutine and I can see why. Sounds like they won back in 2022 and I’d say they have a strong chance this year! The price is probably the biggest sticky point on this. It is expensive. It was a lot to eat, though. I’m going to explore Korean food more after this. Wow! - Service: You order at the counter and the food is brought to your table. Not much to this, but the server was super sweet, helpful, knowledgeable, and overall positive! - Atmosphere: It is a narrow space, but there is generally enough room. If you need extra room, go to the back. The tables have plenty of room for spreading out there. The place is both cheery and a bit darker (though plenty of light). The decor is delightful and cute. They really focus on coffee and delightful accents. - Conclusion: I like expanding my palate and this is no exception! They have a great thing going and I expect to see them standing strong for years. 8:00-8:30pm Thursday September 19, 2024.

The best ramen in the city no question. The beef and chicken bugolgi are 🔥 and the spicy level isnt too much of a kick. I also love the avocado toast. I love their iced lattes and botanical teas. I lived in South Korea for 3 years and this place embodies the cafes and restaurants there. I was finally able to satisfy my craving because tastes the same as the food over there. The owner is very kind and really cares about what she does. I get sad when they are closed on Mondays 😂

The Bolgogi burrito & Bolgogi toast are delectable. I’m a fan of the expanded hours & small bar they have up front! Cheering for their success - GO Michigan st!

The dog in their logo won me over. 😆 in all seriousness, the food was decent. Flavorful. I got the tofu bulgogi ramen and my boyfriend the korean fried chicken and fries. Also got boba. The tapioca was a little too soft for my taste and not enough flavor. Like that they have options for vegan/vegetarians. Price is a bit high. Paid around $20-30 per person without an appetizer.