Kangnam Korean BBQ

🔥 Kangnam Korean BBQ – 4 Stars 🔥 Had a great dining experience overall! The meats were flavorful, the sides were fresh, and the service was friendly and attentive. 👏 The only downside for me was the kimchi — it was a bit too saucy and lacked that traditional crispness and tang that makes Korean BBQ complete. In a Korean restaurant, having solid kimchi is essential, so that took away one star. Still, a good spot to satisfy that K-BBQ craving! 🥩🔥 #KoreanBBQ #FoodReview #KangnamBBQ #GoodEats

Disappointing Experience – Will Not Return Today’s visit was frustrating from start to finish. We waited far too long to be seated despite having checked in, and once we sat down, it took another 10 minutes before anyone even acknowledged us. We told our server up front that we were on a tight schedule and would appreciate faster service. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Each round of meat took 15+ minutes to arrive, and this continued throughout the meal. It felt like the kitchen was intentionally slowing down the pace to limit how much guests could eat, which is disappointing for an all-you-can-eat spot. Our server was even switched midway through—likely due to how backed up everything was—but the delays continued. We spent more time eating rice and corn than anything else, which defeats the purpose of coming to Korean BBQ. I brought my family from out of town expecting a good experience, and I regret it. We’ll be taking our business elsewhere from now on.

On the search for the best korean barbecue around and this place is definitely on the top of my list! Love the variety of meats and also sides. The meat was really flavorful and the sides were amazing. Only flaw I had with the place was their lack of good sauces. Place is very clean and was ran smoothly. Would definitely see myself coming back soon!

Very high quality meats and marinades for a fair price. The top blade steak and galbi are a must try. There is also a lot of sides to choose from, the Kimchi is nice and spicy, very flavorful. Service was also great, our server was fast and very frequent with the grill changes. Restaurant is a good size and has a very hip comforting atmosphere. It is kind of a hidden gem, I love it.

I know a lot of people love this place and I'm probably going to sound harsh but I think this place is ok. The cucumber salad was gross, I wasn't a fan of the tofu soup, some the marinated meat flavor was not for me. The other meat that was not marinated was good. The service was also just ehh. Some of ladies just throw the plates and no one looks happy. We also waited for one hour before being seated. For me this place is not worth the price but if you love meat and all you can eat then it's perfect for you.

The food was great. The atmosphere and service not so much. It gets a little to a lot smokey in there, and the floors weren't cleaned properly. You know when you just stand there and your feet start slipping because of the oil on the floor, like that. It got so smokey they had the side door open, and I stepped outside for air. If you're into the robots driving around, bring you stuff it's cool, but I don't personally like it. It seems impersonal, and we didn't have a set waitor, so whoever walks by, then they bring you some stuff. Other things come on the robot. We ended up with two orders of some stuff, and other things were missed. The food was good and the price was good, but I feel they fell a little short in other areas.

My family decided to try the weekday lunch special pricing of this KBBQ restaurant so we made the 30 minute trip on a Thursday. We arrived around 1pm, and they seemed to be understaffed as there were open tables but we weren’t seated until 20 minutes passed. The bad: kimchi was oddly sweet as another reviewer noted. Kimchi fried rice was soggy overcooked rice. Japjae had no sesame oil flavor. The good: corn cheese and French fries were good although a little bit oily. The meat was quality was okay and nothing to really write about. Service was friendly but a little slow. I think this restaurant is related to Olleh in Kearny Mesa since the workers wear Olleh branded clothing… but I don’t think the quality is the same as the KM location.

This place is amazing, and I went there multiple times. My love for Korean Barbecue may have influenced my opinion, but the quality of the food and service was truly exceptional. Plus, their special lunch menu offered great value for the price!

Banger. Great service from Summer & Joshua! Will be back when back in town. Large variety of meats and sides.

Food was delicious, great service and fast there was no wait , definitely will be coming back with the family ,

Amazing food and service! They were busy but cam by often to check on my big group of 19.

This place was right next to our massage place so my husband wanted to eat here. You'd think we eat enough of korean bbq, we'd get tired, but we just eat korean bbq 3-4 times a week. It's nice inside and pretty ventilated. The tables along the walls are very close to each other so you can definitely hear other people's conversations. They leave the grill running so when you sit down, its already hot. We didn't know so we sort of burnt our 1 out of 2 galbi. Lol we chose the premium not prime. Its 38$ for dinner but it has everything my husband and I like to eat. You get 2 of the galbi and 2 of the boneless galbi. You get all the sides which is awesome. I think for price wise and the galbi you get, 38$ is not bad. My only problem with this place is that a lot of the flavored meats and seafood is VERY sweet. I could not eat a lot of it. However the beef belly was excellent. I loved the meat quality and how fatty the beef belly was. The sides were also pretty good. The fish cakes were excellent and the onion salad was delicious. I didn't like the house salad much and the corn cheese was OK. The tofu soup was very flavorful and the ssamjang was a really good sauce. They added sweetness to their paste. I loved the squid texture, but its VERY sweet. That would have been my favorite had it not been seasoned so sweet. The shrimp was also sooooooo sweet, but it was peeled. That was nice. Its funny bc there will be something really excellent about the meat or seafood, but it gets taken down a notch in score bc its just too sweet. The galbi is too sweet and most things that were flavored, but I thoroughly enjoy it still bc the mewt quality was just so good this day. The servers were on top of it. They came by a lot to help us and refill whatever we needed. Some items took a while to come but we had other items to eat. So far, in San diego, this would be my favorite korean bbq place even if some stuff was way to sweet. I'll come again for sure! This could be my regular!

A solid go-to for all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ with fresh meats and generous portions. The meat quality is great--favorites include the spicy pork bulgogi, teriyaki brisket, and pork belly. The banchan selection is solid, and the corn cheese and steamed egg are tasty extras that round out the meal. Service can be a bit inconsistent. Sometimes the staff is super attentive with quick grill swaps, other times you might need to flag someone down. It really depends on how busy they are. The price is fair for the amount and variety of food you get, especially during weekday lunch. The restaurant has plenty of space for groups, though it can get smoky if the vents aren't doing their job. Parking can be a little tight depending on the time of day. Not quite five stars because of occasional slow service or slightly overcooked meats, but overall it's a great spot for satisfying Korean BBQ in a casual, lively setting. Would definitely come back.

KANGNAM KOREAN BBQ Hands down one of my favorite all you can korean BBQ and it's a pretty good deal! Just $27.99 for lunch (not on weekends) and $36.99 on normal days for dinner, this place is pretty good! I really enjoyed the meat selection they have, and the atmosphere is really bright, clean, and so fast. Service is always on point, and there is always someone asking how you're doing and if you need anything else. Definitely get the corn cheese and any of the steaks! The only thing that lost a star for me was that some of the meats, specifically the thin pork slice was EXTREMELY fatty, had no meat it was mostly the skin, which made me feel sick half way. Overall, price was affordable, food was pretty good, and parking was free up front the complex! Highly recommend stopping by!

Thanks Ava for the excellent service. Dining area was clean and comfy. Food was again on point and the place wasn't crowded. The robots were friendly and efficient. Still a wonderful value in San Diego considering inflation. My kids enjoyed their meals.

I came here with my grandparents and my cousin for lunch. They were fairly packed at the time we came (1pm) but we didn't have to wait long before being seated. My grandpa is a regular here so he ordered the meats, I have no clue what meats were ordered. But I really enjoyed the one with the bone, which I believe was marinated galbi. The marinated thin one was also good because it wasn't super fatty and when it cooked it was tender while still having that char. And even if left on the grill for too long it didn't turn into thin jerky, unlike some other meats. We tried the Cucumber Salad which tasted more like a pickle pickling to me. It had onions, what seemed to be mustard seeds, and white vinegar, etc. It had an undertone of garlic which I did not like. But I could appreciate the crunch while it still held the soft marination. We also had about 4-6 Steamed Eggs. My grandparents really enjoyed this. I found it to have a bit of a seafood or chemical taste to it? Something I'm not too sure of, all I can say is that it looked promising--but it wasn't. My cousin said if you let it soak in the Korean Ramen broth it is more tolerable. My cousin ordered 2 Korean Ramen and 2 Soft Tofu Stews. These were classified as sides and they were most definitely the size of what sides would be. They were no bigger than the size of my palm. Just something that I noticed was that the Korean ramen, wasn't even a full package -- maybe 1/4 or 1/2 of one. I personally didn't like the taste of the broth for the ramen as it tasted thin and not flavorful. The ramen however had great bounce and chew to it without tasting soft and over cooked. The Soft Tofu Stew had great kimchi flavor to it. A subtle spice and the soft tofu was delicious. If I were to choose, I'd probably order this again over the other sides. In addition, I chose to order the House Salad. I honestly sound like a hater at the moment-- but this was really bland. The dressing had barely any taste -- if there was sesame oil, you could not taste it. There was no spice either, compared to other places. I added the two sauces they gave us from the silver tray and it made it taste better. I love eating the house salads with the meats. At least this salad wasn't limp and old, it had crunch to it and looked fresh! The workers were really kind and attentive. We had about 3 or so grill changes and they came by every so often to ask if we wanted to order more. My grandpa wanted to order lots of meats, but they said 4 order limit (probably to ensure we can finish it)....as our eyes may be bigger than our tummy! I prefer the waiters to the robots, it feels like everyone stares at you when you stand to grab the food. It's just a bit awkward in my opinion, but my grandpa really enjoys seeing it. Anyways, despite some of the iffy tasting foods I still think it's a great place to come to. The meats were great quality, salad was fresh, and the place wasn't overly loud. I had a fun time with family here and probably would come again (I've been here two other times before this review!)

The more I think about this place, I'm torn between 2 and 3 stars.. Parking: no problem. It's huge, plenty of parking shared with other shops. They do offer Yelp waitlist so that's always good to do on the weekends. We were here on Sunday for lunch and it was pretty empty though. We had party of larger group so we were worried, but not a problem. They offer two different menus and we went with the premium one. Which was around $37 for AYCE. We also had the beer and soju (somek) tower, and were able to split between 4 people and everyone got 2 glasses out of that. For side dishes, it was alright. You pretty much had to order one by one, which does eliminate food waste. Kimchi though... it was too fermented. Good for cooking, but not great as a side dish. Meat: quality of it, I do think it wasn't bad for AYCE. However, anything that was marinated, it was super sweet. If that's not your thing, and it shouldn't, order non marinated meat. Service: eh. They were helpful when we were able to get their attention but they had a little attitude that everyone at our table noticed. Also they need the bell for the table would be nice. They also utilized the robot as a server for few things. Overall, it was ok. Not the best, not memorable.

Meat selection and quality were excellent. Banchan was excellent as well. Good value for $30. Service was great and food came out quickly during week day lunch. Our large group had a great time. Highly recommend this latest iteration of KBB at this location.

Awesome food, fantastic atmosphere, service is right there with people and 2 cute robots. Come here as much as possible, def a place to check out!

Thank you Sherry for an amazing experience! Food was really good and fast! Atmosphere is great! Clean and spacious! Will Be back ty!!!

For years now, we've been going to Kangnam BBQ everytime we crave for KBBQ. Its always been a welcoming place. The food is good and their steamed egg is amazing!!! Our two recent visit we have Summer as our server and she's amazing!!! She's very attentive and she give us above and beyond customer service. I love her smile even after asking her for so many stuff My number 1 KBBQ place in SD.

So after my kid ate about 4 rice paper, my wife realized there is mold on the batch they gave us, after we talked to the waitress , they did gave us the new batch and asked kitchen to throw out the old batch, but my kid already ate a few before realizing the issue . They did not check the freshness of their product before serving the customer. This to me is very concerning.

For an all you can eat KBBQ place, their meat quality was awesome! I'm picky about KBBQ, but this is now my go-to spot after going there this past weekend for a party. Fun tip: if you go on your birthday with a larger group, you can eat AYCE for free! As long as you make a reservation for 8+ people ahead of time. We ordered from the prime menu and got some good-quality sirloin and short rib along with the usual beef brisket and other meats. The portions were pretty standard but I was impressed with the quality. Our vent didn't work well so it was smoky a lot of the time, but that didn't seem to be the case for everyone. Service was great and it wasn't hard to get a server's attention. I appreciated them checking in on us periodically! It was also clean and pretty well-kept instead of smoky or a little grimy like some other KBBQ places. Would definitely recommend if you're looking for a good AYCE KBBQ!

5* for the service 3.5* for food - their kimchi is very tasty, but their bulgogi is way to sweet. Not many banchan choices.

I want to gatekeep this place because it's so great and never too busy (during the weekdays when I go). The sides are AMAZING as well as the meat selections (pro tip- ask for sesame oil and add it to your salt to dip your meats. Thank me later) the staff is always so welcoming and on it too! Summer is so sweet and I look forward to her being my server whenever I come! The music is also always such a vibe. You really can't go wrong here. Lunch special for $28 a person?? Can not go wrong there.

I forgot to take photos of the food, but we went with my family and ordered the brisket, sweet and sour pork belly, and bulgogi. The service was really good, bulgogi was our favorite, the pork belly was neat because it was thinly sliced and cooked just like bacon. The sides we ordered included rice, kimchi rice, pickled cucumbers, steamed egg, pineapple which was a treat, salad, and kimchi. I miss having the banchan at the table and wish they'd have a place on the menu that lists specific banchan dishes to order like the kimchi, potato salad, pickled radish, fish cakes, etc.

Food is great service is fast 10/10 spot! Ava was our server, she's great too! Great spot in RB!!

Food is amazing and service even better. Food portions were much bigger than expected.

Tommy Tough-knuckles and Billy badass approved. Thus just in it's been such an amazing experience dining here with the Kangnam crew!

Great place for Korean BBQ! Great staff, all-you-can eat, great food. Always look forward to eating at this spot.

This place is great! The food portions are amazing and everyone here is so nice and welcoming

The servers are friendly and very attentive, the meat quality is top tier (sooo many banchan options), and the atmosphere is really inviting. Shoutout to servers Eric and Summer for another great meal here; stop by if you're in the area!

My family decided to try the weekday lunch special pricing of this KBBQ restaurant so we made the 30 minute trip on a Thursday. We arrived around 1pm, and they seemed to be understaffed as there were open tables but we weren't seated until 20 minutes passed. The bad: kimchi was oddly sweet as another reviewer noted. Kimchi fried rice was soggy overcooked rice. Japjae had no sesame oil flavor. The good: corn cheese and French fries were good although a little bit oily. The meat was quality was okay and nothing to really write about. Service was friendly but a little slow. I think this restaurant is related to Olleh in Kearny Mesa since the workers wear Olleh branded clothing... but I don't think the quality is the same as the KM location. Parking free and plentiful in parking lot.

Quick service, food came to the table quick and staff was attentive. The beef bolgolgi is really good as well I highly recommend.

Every time we visit our daughter and daughter in law, they take us to a new-to-us K-bbq spot. This has been my favorite! We arrived for an early dinner around 5pm. They have a Yelp check in tablet when you enter. They also have a Yelp waitlist - I definitely recommend using that! We only waited around five minutes for our table. The big booth was plenty roomy for the five of us. Someone came over right away to bring us water, loved that. Our waiter came by shortly after to take initial orders which we always leave up to our daughter. The banchan here was great; I think I ordered half the items on the list. The cheese corn was really good as well as the spicy tofu stew and egg custard. I wish it wasn't so hot, I would have ate more. The cucumber salad and japchae were good not great. They also offered beer by the glass or pitche with three IPA offerings - say less! Service was excellent. We were a little disappointed that the robot didn't bring any of our food. But so grateful Our waiter came over often and was good about changing out our grill and bringing more water and napkins. I am looking forward to coming here again, definitely recommend.

We went quite early for dinner and the servers were great. The prime menu was solid and I loved the beef tongue. Love the sides they give for AYCE bbq and the vibes are like another typical Korean AYCE bbq place with K-pop, tvs, and grills everywhere. Everything was pretty prompt and the establishment felt clean. They changed the grill whenever we asked. Corn cheese and japchae was a nice addition to sides.

Love that there is a solid KBBQ spot in suburbia! There was a 10 min wait on a Sunday afternoon & the food came out kinda slowly. Some things were forgotten but not the end of the world. Food and menu options were good!

One of the better KBBQ experiences I've had. 5 stars for service I really can't say enough how much I enjoyed our dinner. They were attentive, and quick to take orders and bring food out. It really makes a difference especially since we had a party of...15? I lost count but with a larger party I'm used to servers being slower or overwhelmed. The food was great, good quality and options galore! My favorites were the boneless galbi, sliced brisket, and flank steak. Endless orders of cheese corn! And the kimchi was REALLY GOOD. All of the banchan was delicious. They don't have lettuce wraps but had pickled radish and rice paper wrappers. Will def come again when I'm in town and would recommend this place to friends!

Was in the area for a doctor's appointment and was craving some KBBQ. Found this place and decided to give it a try. The parking spaces are a bit tight, but the restaurant was easy to find and quite spacious. They have a great lunch menu with adult and kid prices. There was a decent variety of choices and sides and the servers were so kind and helpful. They have a few robots that run around delivering so it was fun for the kids to grab the dishes from the robots. Major TIP: If you happen to order a side that comes in a metal container, make sure you put it on the grill to heat up. I ordered the cheese fondue (nacho cheese) and showed my kids how to dip the fries in the cheese. Call me nostalgic, but fries and nacho cheese was a staple in middle school. Hubby laughed but agreed it tasted pretty good. Overall our bellies were full and happy and we enjoyed our lunch.

I really like the service here , but food is kind a salty , if you like Korean bbq and a bit salty then this is the place for you

Great cuts of meat and good service! The co-habby and I were starving and originally thought we were going to Olleh, the place that previously was in this location. It is our favorite AYCE KBBQ but now that Kangnam has taken over, it looks like this will be our new favorite spot for the meat sweats! For reference, it's just down the street from Phil's BBQ in RB. I am a huge brisket fan and it's literally all I eat off the menu as far as meat. I love that it is not frozen and is nice and fresh. We ordered 3 rounds of that, marinated top blade, pork belly: thin and premium and the soy shrimp which we highly recommend. Side dishes we usually get but there are plenty more to choose from besides these: -Japchae -corn cheese -salad -steamed egg -steamed rice -radish slices -ricepaper We really liked how attentive staff was and how accommodating they were. I always ask for a side of salt and seasame oil although they do have fantastic dipping sauces. Parking can be challenging when it gets busy towards the weekend so plan ahead. Definitely our new go-to spot for KBBQ!

Very good ayce Korean bbq, for the price it's very reasonable, wish their galbi wasn't marinated though. Used to always only eat at the hadong beokeuk kbbq in irvine but their prices when split by number of adults almost equates to more than ayce and the quality was not that much noticeable either. Glad this place is nearby, means less need of driving to Oc for my kbbq cravings!

Nice AYCE KBBQ in North County. This place on a Saturday was super packed!! There's not a lot of space inside to sit and wait. But u can wait outside in the freezing cold. There's a big menu also posted outside so u can take a look while waiting. Great selection of meat & sides. Although the rice paper did taste like soapy/bleach with a pungent smell. Possibly the plates were not washed well enough. Somaek tower super good! Meat quality is great. Bathroom did not have paper towels.

Good food and fast service. Have a lot of good and variety of side dishes. They got all kinds of dishes and soups. Would definitely come back!

I unfortunately forgot to take pictures, but the experience eating here was decent. The service was a little on the slow side - it was hard to get our waiter's attention for a grill change, but when the meat came out and needed to be ordered it was fine. We were charged for an extra soda we never ordered and ended up with an extra plate of meat as well, but since it's all to can eat my friends and I weren't very upset. The meat was delicious and cooked pretty quickly. The side salad and green onion salad were the perfect additions to all we were eating. And my favorite part at the end were the sesame balls! The floor inside was a little slippery (i was seated outside on the patio) not sure if it was from my shoes or if that was a safety hazard but no one fell thankfully. Overall, I'd come here again and give it another try! Ill definitely update when I do (:

Previously known as OLLEH. Food and staff are still awesome. We never have to wait for a grill change as they are offered pretty often. Service and food always amazing.

Came here once with my husband and Mom. We all really enjoyed it. It's the closest KBBQ spot to me and I'm happy with the quality and taste. Everything we tried was good. The service was great, employees were attentive and quick. Ambiance was nice and had a nice higher end feel. I would definitely recommend this spot. My mom has asked to come back here a few times when visiting me.

There's a reason this place had an hour-long wait. The meats are top quality, the service is excellent, and honestly, I don't think I've had a better KBBQ experience anywhere.

Kangnam Korean BBQ always satisfies. We've been coming here for many years. We love the quality of the meats, the variety of bonchan and sides, and the layout of the space. We come here to celebrate special occasions and just to take a break from cooking and clean up at home. The staff provide excellent service, and are able to answer questions and make recommendations from the menu. In addition, for parties with young kids who are picky eaters, the french fries and popcorn chicken (without sauce) are a hit, so adults can enjoy a delicious meal and make sure the whole family is fed. As a person with a physical disability and who uses a mobility aid, I appreciate the spacious pathways, and having a place to keep my mobility aid next to me. I also really appreciate the clean, non-slippery floors that most bbq places have which can be dangerous to navigate. The restrooms are spacious and clean as well. We'll continue to keep Kangnam Kitchen in our rotation of favorite restaurants.

Great food!! Menu is easy to navigate. The staff is is friendly. Did not have a long wait for a table. Family Friendly!

Overall, great classic Korean BBQ in the North County area! AYCE style with lots of options for both meats and side dishes, some of our favorites being the fish cakes, cucumbers, radish paper & corn cheese. Very standard Korean BBQ & I love that they have the little robots that bring out your sides. Service is quick, though sometimes can be a little hard to flag someone down. Great, standard KBBQ and one of the only in this area.

Good spot for da bbq. The service is mid. Robot waiter is cool too. The premium is definitely worth it.

Delicious food and amazing tofu soup. The staff is very attentive and polite. The kimchi has a bit too much sauce would love something with a little more vinegar taste to it.

Sunday 10/23: The food options here are great ($34.99) + I love the environment just bc it's really spacious / airy inside but honestly the service was not good on the day I went. I had to ask for my soda 3+ times and she kept forgetting what we asked for multiple times. Our server seemed so disinterested in serving us & then halfway into our meal she just disappeared so it took 20+ minutes to find a new one to place a new food order. Luckily someone else helped us out for the remaining time and when we saw our server reappear again she didn't even acknowledge us. I believe her name was Carla, but if I'm wrong (she has red hair). She honestly ruined our experience lol Food wise: brisket was very lean but we enjoyed the beef belly/ teriyaki beef belly, soy shrimp & marinated galbi. The cheese corn, green onion salad, soup & sides tasted good too!

The lunch menu was delicious. Great options for $27 a person. Our waitress Summer was the goat. She was very attentive and they had these cute little robots that deliver your side dishes too. Def would recommend coming by!

Food is okay, service is a little slow and okay. I don't think the taste of the food especially the side dishes and the service you get is worth what you're paying. I really wanted to like this place cus I live so close but it was disappointing for me and I rather drive 3x as far unfortunately :( . However if you are looking for an average spot and you're close by then it might not be a bad choice. Parking is easy at least but there was a wait

This is my wife's favorite Korean BBQ and she's Korean! Not only is she Korean, but she thinks most of the other Korean BBQ joints really aren't that great! She loves all the sides, especially the cheese corn. Service was on point. I ate so much I feel like Pooh Bear that wrecked a ton of honey and I'm just rubbing it all over my belly. Yaaaasssss..