Naisa Law
Google
So I've been hesitant to go back to Mr. Kim's because there was just a lot of things that were problematic for me (service, cleanliness, price, etc) but that being said, this review is based on the new ownership and changes that have been implemented since then.
First and foremost, the menu has changed. And definitely for the better, if I might add. We ordered option A were completely satisfied with the variety of meats it came with. Definitely more than before. In addition to AYCE meats.. Appetizers are included now too! That was a bold but wonderful move on the new owners. I know this is common at many other AYCE KBBQ places so it's nice that it's now an option here too. A few new items are here as well such as the pork jowl and butter garlic shrimp, both which are delicious. I'm a little surprised that just plain shrimp isn't on the menu as well.
One other thing worth noting and it's truly the main reason that I docked off a star is how they are choosing to handle child's pricing. Currently, kids 4-8 (up to 4'6" tall) are charged half price the adult menu. I've got a 4 year old kid, who does not eat anywhere near $16+ worth of food for a single meal. And sometimes that's IF he even eats. During this visit, he ate half a bowl of rice, a quarter of the steamed egg, and the some of the mac salad. I was lucky to get away with sneaking some pork belly in his rice. So though I've accepted that the prices of AYCE KBBQ are going up, I question the price they have set for kids.
As far as food goes.. Again, my family selected option A and we were very satisfied with the selection in that specific option. The meats and appetizers were very tasty. And we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Their banchan game was also elevated by adding more options such as mac salad, potato salad, thinly sliced radish, vegetable pancake, etc. I liked all of them, but my hubby didn't care for some of them. From their appetizers, we did try their spicy rice cakes. They use homemade rice cake y'all. It's such a game changer when it's used. It was delicious and we would definitely order that again.
The overall atmosphere is the same as before. They did paint the walls which make it look cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing. They took away the call bells which is not a huge miss since they rarely answered it when it was there. It was pretty clean for the most part and they were quick to clean the tables. It looks like some, if not all, of the servers stayed with the new owners.. I've got issues with one of them because customer service is not something they do well. However, this time was a little better. They were not our immediate server, but we did observe.. I hope it continues to get better. Still not too keen on being served by them though.
Final notes: For those like us, who have been hesitant on returning, now is the time to give them another shot. With the new changes, I would now recommend this place for AYCE KBBQ.
That being said:
Food: 10/10
Service: 7/10
Ambiance: 9/10
Cleanliness: 8/10
Price: 8/10
