Came in for a Sunday brunch with my family and were the only group. I wanted to try a korean place around here since I had really good korean food in NYC a restaurant called Miss Korea. Side note- In my review you'll see that I compare to Miss Korea since their service and food was amazing. So any New Yorkers? - you'll know what I mean (: ! We were brought to the other side of the room where I saw a tv with a karaoke stand. The furniture seemed a little out of place to me with sofas and faux leather seats with glass tables. Besides the setting, service was ok like the usual. Â
Ordered a  "Tuck Bo Kee" (the first appetizer on the menu) and it tasted alright- It's rice cakes with fish tofu, fish cakes, and a boiled egg in spicy red sauce. Compared to the "Tuck Bo Kee" I had at Miss Korea, Miss Korea's is much better and tastes more fresh. (Miss Korea's "Tuck Bo Kee" comes with octopus and clams).
For Entrees, tried the Bibambap (305), Bull Go Gi (301) sweet marinated beef, and Spicy Bull Go Gi (302 - #2 best selling entree) spicy marinated beef.
The Bibambap looked amazing and very pretty! But tasted okay compared to the one I had at Miss Korea. I throughly enjoyed eating it out from the clay pot.
The Spicy Bull Go Gi to me tasted good and was more on the salty side than spicy. Was really oily and looked fatty.
The "regular" Bull Go Gi (Sweet marinated) was like eating sugar. Ridiculously sweet! So if you are a sweet tooth or like EXTREMELY sweet seasoned beef, this might be fore you. Or else don't order this! After one bite of the beef I knew something was off- Â I told the problem to the waiter and he was nice enough to take it off the bill.
Both of these orders come in Bento Boxes with three banchans. Kimchi, noodles, and soybeans.
Oh yes, that was another disappointment that I had. Their banchans. SO LITTLE!
Again, I've experienced meals that come with 8-10 banchans so I was really disappointed.
In the end we were served with complimentary bowls of cinnamon ginger tea/soup. I took a sip and was something I could NOT drink. Extremely sweet!!!! Â Felt like it was a mixture that could be mixed with dough to make cinnamon sugar cookies.
Waited for a long while to get the check processed. People started to come in 40 minutes later and there were only 2 waiters, so I understood why things were going a little on the slower side. The other waiter ended up processing our check since our waiter was busy, but I was glad that they provided us trident gum in the end.
Staff was friendly and eager and seated us quickly. The decor is a bit odd. Glass tables, faux leather chairs and some tables with couches or a sectional as seating. Can't imagine that's comfy while eating. Plus I'd be worried about spilling. How long can a couch last in a restaurant?
We ordered several dishes. I was disappointed when the banchan did not come before the meal but rather, with, as sides, in a bento box. Broccoli side was tasty and crisp but the sprouts were bland. The japchae was good but seemed a bit peppery. Beef bulgogi and spicy chicken were delicious but the portions seemed small. The bibim-bop had my son scraping the bowl for every last bit.
I would go back if I were in the neighborhood but I've found better Korean out my way at Golden Pig in Cecil and Dasonii in Robinson.
Went here with a large group (16) for a celebratory dinner. Â The staff seemed to manage us ok relative to taking orders and bringing the food out, but thereafter, they seemed absent.
Food was decent. Â I got the traditional Korean BBQ short ribs, which in typical fashion, proved to be the traditionally greasy, fatty, and flavorful dish I expected.
BYOB and Karaoke help distinguish Green Pepper over other offerings in the Squirrel Hill area, but don't over stay your welcome... Â at closing time the staff abruptly shut down the karaoke gig and ushered us out.
There were ups and downs on my week night visit.
Good - the food. I had soon dubu jjigae, and it was fiery, creamy, and delicious. The BF had bulgogi and said it was fine - really high praise for Korean from him. Both though it was good enough to go back. (The only thing I can complain about is my egg. I thought it was missing until I found it at the bottom, cooked through, solid, and half burnt to the side of my crock.)
Bad - banchan. Actually, lack of them. Instead of serving an assortment of side dishes, each order came with three little ones. Each of us got tofu and kimchi, I got steamed broccoli and he had cold noodles. Banchan are a big part of why I love Korean food, so this disappointed me.
Good - Korean pop music and videos.
Bad - Service. Our guy tried, but he didn't know the menu, was a little too hands off, and the dining room was a mess. One table left shortly after we ordered, and none of their dishes were cleared away when we left. Â
Good - Shoju. Hello, it makes everything better!
Bad - pricing. I'll be back for lunch, its more reasonable. If they weren't stingy with the banchan I would happily pay their prices, but the experience doesn't quite live up to the expectation I had.
I liked it, I'll go back, but it's more because its the closest spot for a K fix, not because they amazed me. I love all the different jjigaes, so when I'm off I know what I'm getting for lunch!
The ambiance of the place is modern and the food comes on large platters with other stuff like soup/rice/kimchi so it looks impressive. Now I would love to go there more often but the food is not something to rave about and the price seems quite high for Pittsburgh. Bottom line: go there only if you're really bored of anything else Sq Hill has to offer. The bibimbap is decent, the seafood soup is disappointing.
Review Source:Giving another Korean joint in the 'Burgh a try.
As you may have noticed the better half and I seek out the Korean places. Â She is Korean and I spent time there. Â We often hunger for someone else to cook us some dishes of her native soil. Â We heard good things about Green Pepper in Squirrel Hill and figured we owed it a shot. Â The place has a weird layout. Â Very straight forward and bordering on cafeteria. Â The giant flat screen plays Korean music videos which is neat I guess. Â The service was pretty bad....some college aged kids that just gossip with each other and need beckoned to the tables for anything. Â I resorted to going up and paying and the kid said, "I will come to your table." Â "Well, you weren't, so I came to you." Â The rules on the menu are ridiculous which leads me to believe the place is run by an insane person. Â 10% gratuity is included on your bill, so don't tip 15%, tip 5-10.
Now, the food.
We got miso soup (meh) and Bossam. Â The bossam was really good and may get us to go back. Â It could have used more sides, especially considering lettuce, peppers, and carrots are so cheap. Â The meat was cooked perfectly and they left the skin on which is just delicious. Â I enjoyed their kimchi and so did the wife. Â I'd like to try other things, but the place is pricey. Â
My advice to Green Pepper -- work on your servers, rules, and ambiance, then raise your prices.
I love Korean food & music. Their Kimchi jjigae was good but I wasn't feeling their chicken dubogi. I love that they play Korean music though.
Btw while you are eating the waiter come by and spray disinfectant stuff at the table near by and the smell is horrible.. & whole you're eating too ugh. But anyways.. It's an okay place.
I came here with my boyfriend on a Sunday night and it was empty except for one other couple.
I decided on the dolsot bibimbap. I was pleasantly surprised to find some unique toppings such as egg resembling tamago and the gelatin cubes that are given as banchan among the typical spinach, fried egg and beef. Their homemade bibimbap sauce was great. The meal came with a bowl of miso soup, kimchee and bean sprouts.
My boyfriend decided on the spicy bulgogi which he really enjoyed. His meal came with the soup and sides that mines did plus a small portion of cold japchae.
Each meal was about $16, which I thought was fair for the amount and quality of food that we got.
I had raw fish on the veggie with rice. It was above average but it is definitely over price. With $17 per portion, there was not a lot of raw fish in there. The waiter and waitress are very slow and complained about their tips. It took them about 10 to 15 mins to get us our check. I didn't feel like giving them a good tip either.
I always want to try the place but we went into there on one of the Sats when they had lunch sign out. After we went in, they said that they don't have the lunch special.
I feel like being cheating. Will not be back.
Good, interesting food.
I go here pretty regularly and mostly have the same dish or variations on it, so I'm not really going to be able to comment on the overall menu (sorry). I can't say much about how Green Pepper compares to other Korean restaurants, especially those that may be located in Pittsburgh because this is the only Korean restaurant I've ever patronized.
I find the wait staff to be very friendly, especially once you go a few times and they recognize you as a regular. They are very amendable to special requests.
The dish I usually order is the "Spicy Chicken Meal Set" which never disappoints me. It comes in a rectangular serving tray with compartments. It's very cool looking.
They serve these delicous, clear noodles called, I think, (and spelled phonetically) "Chock-chay." These are wonderful. I would just order these, if I could.
I can't say that I've ever had a bad meal. The kimchee is always very flavorful and the vegetables are always fresh. Sometimes they serve a tasty kind of pancake and other times, it's tofu. The chicken is sometimes more spicy than others, but I have always enjoyed it.
There may be other, "better" Korean restaurants but for Pittsburgh, I think this place is
worth a visit and I'm glad I found it.
Good korean food has been and is still hard to come by in Pittsburgh. Â Green Pepper has decent, but not amazing, food. Â It's decent for Pittsburgh, but quite lackluster compared to the best restaurants in NY, SF, and the greater DC area.
I've enjoyed the Bibimbap bowl and Spicy Bulgogi here. Â Generally the food is on the salty side. Â Their prices are not cheap, but the entrees are quite large because they come with a variety of sides that include kimchi, cold noodles, etc. Â I remember being impressed with their food during my first few visits but becoming progressively less enthusiastic with repeated visits. Â Not sure if this means the food quality is declining, or if they're inconsistent. Â Could also be a personal thing.
I did have a really bad lunch experience here once -- I ordered a spicy chicken dish, and the quality of the chicken was pretty bad (I think there were even bits of tendon/bone in the supposedly boneless strips of meat) and the dish super salty and with an off-flavor.
The environment is versatile. Â It's upscale enough for a nice night out but doesn't prohibit wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Â It's very friendly towards big groups, as they have several large tables and couch-based seating areas. Â They have open karaoke on Friday and Saturday nights and offer pre-arranged private karaoke parties, which I have not yet experienced, but it's the only place I know of in Pittsburgh where you can experience a sliver of classic asian-style karaoke.
This review may be more biased than average, given that I am not a Pittsburgh native, and this visit to Green Pepper was my first and only experience of Korean food in Pittsburgh, as well as my first and thus far only experience of Pittsburgh itself; and I am a Korean who lives in the DC metro area.
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My mom and I ordered the seafood kalguksoo (knife cut noodles) and kimchi stew for lunch on a weekday. The restaurant was completely empty except for us. We were given our meals in a reasonable time after ordering. We were each given ONE BANCHAN side dish of salty kimchi. In my experience, this doesn't even occur when one eats a Korean meal at home; it is UNHEARD OF in a restaurant.
It made sense to serve kimchi with my noodles, all else aside, but it was ridiculous for a KIMCHI stew entree to be served with EVEN MORE KIMCHI. All of the above wasn't really outrageous..just really ridiculous & BAFFLING--these are the types of things I'd expect and have seen as "punishment food" for the losing team on Korean variety/comedy shows.
I distinctly heard Korean in the kitchen, too, so I was even more confused. There really can't be a reasonable explanation for the food we were given, is the best way I can sum everything up.
The kimchi stew itself was meh~ (bad, to those who know what Korean food typically tastes like). The noodles I ordered were EXTREMELY SALTY, like the broth was made from sea-water that came with the seafood. It lacked flavor otherwise. I can't remember if the kimchi stew was saltier than avg, but I think it was tolerable. Prices were a bit higher than what I would consider fair in the DC area, and certainly ridiculous, given the lack of banchan, for example.
The waiter was nice and friendly and the atmosphere seemed nice.
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TLDR: Nice service, but the food is literally a joke.
I just moved to Pittsburgh and was really excited to see that there was a new Korean restaurant. I really love Korean food and have had it in many cities in the US. I was really disappointed in this place, though. The service was pretty poor, waiters had no knowledge of Korean food. I had the bibimbap which was sub-standard.
Overall I was disappointed, I wish that they could step it up.
I really really wish there was a good Korean restaurant in Pittsburgh but this just isn't it.
Here, the service totally outshone the food. Â Lots of attention from the 2 servers working the dining room but the food was good - not great. Â
I went in on a Sunday where they serve lunch and there is no lunch menu on Sunday. Â You are on dinner prices on Sunday afternoon - which totally made sense since there were only 2 tables occupied in the dining room and I was one of them!
I opted for the Spicy Chicken. Â Again, good but not great. Â It was one of the more reasonable items pricewise on the menu. Â I really had my heart set on Galbi but not for $25. Â That's like a small steak at Morton's.
Everything here is "extra" which is pointed out in painful detail on the menu here. Â I pasted the Customer Policy here for you to enjoy. Â This is serious stuff.
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Customer Policy Â
* Â We accept cash and 2 ( or fewer ) credit cards from each table, because other parties want to check out in a timely manner too. No separate checks are provided within-table. Â If payment-separation-upfront is a main need, we can help finding places that specialize in it.
* Â If not satisfied with our server(s), let us know while you are being served here so that you can be satisfied. Otherwise, 10% gratuity of total check may apply on the credit card(s) presented to us. Â Many places auto-enforce 18% gratuity nowadays.
* Â Unless arranged in advance, it is agreed that 2 hours are sufficient for your party. Â We may take reservations that arrive soon after yours.
* Â We can add an ingredient if you request, such as lettuces, noodles, etc., Â only $4.67 per each Addition accommodation may apply.
* Â We can substitute an ingredient for your special preference, only $2.80 per each Substitute accommodation may apply. Â
* Â B.Y.O.Cake ( Bring Your Own Cake, dessert, or foods ) is accommodated, only $0.28 per person B.Y.O.Cake charge may apply.
The best Korean I've had in Pittsburgh so far. Â I had the bi bim bap which was great. Â My friends had the kim chi stew and the octopus bul go gi, which I also tasted and both were delicious. Â I especially liked the octopus bul go gi which had tender spicy pieces of octopus and flavorful seaweed topping, and that is not a common dish I see in other Korean restaurants. Â Overall I was impressed with the menu which had a diversity of options, some of which I was unfamiliar with. I was a little disappointed in the Korean side dishes, which we each got 3 side dishes of the same thing, and they were not very interesting ones and all vegetables (I think it was kim chi, bean sprouts and broccoli). Â If we are going to get 9 in total why not bring out 9 distinct ones to share? Â We also tried to check out the karaoke since it was a Friday night but unfortunately we were informed a group had already reserved the entire karaoke area for the whole evening. Â The atmosphere was nice and relaxing and the servers were very friendly. Â And they had a few interesting beers on draft. I'll definitely go back here.
Review Source:Overall the food was OK, but each dish was slightly off in one way or another from what I would consider good Korean food. For example, the spicy pork seemed extremely sweet (a weird quality to exaggerate IMO) and lacked any noticeable spiciness (but I'm less susceptible to heat and others at my table could taste the spice).
The price was extremely high given the quantity/quality of food.
The service was mostly acceptable but we did have several issues toward the end of our dinner. It took a LONG time to get our check (we had to actually go to the front and ask) and they wouldn't let us split the bill with more than two credit cards (I guess it says this on the menu, but I think this policy is incredibly silly).
I have been to the week-end buffet a couple of times. Â I am not sure if they're still doing it but, it was absolutely mind-blowingly good. Â Expensive - $20 which is more like NYC prices. Â But, good home-cooked traditional Korean dishes that to me are like Asian soul-food . Â Recommended if for just once in awhile due to the high cost . (the buffet is ONLY on Sundays.)
Review Source:Best Korean I've had in Pittsburgh. I don't generally trust yelp reviews on Korean food , since Korean food can be intimidating if you don't know what you're doing. This is the first place I've been in a long time that serves Mul Nang Myun (I think they call it fresh and light noodles), and it was excellent....like summer in my mouth. BF had bul-go-gi which was also good. The seafood pancakes were also perfectly done and not the least bit rubbery.
Yes Korean food can be expensive but its also far more labor intensive than some other Asian foods....if orange chicken is your go-to Korean may not be for you.
If you're apprehensive go for lunch.
Even though I really enjoyed my food, I'm more or less giving this the three stars only due to the fact that the prices seem REALLY high for da burgh.
We walked blocks around Squirrel Hill after a movie matinee on a weekday, trying to find something that looked appealing or different from the usual fare of Squirrel Hill which seems to be downgrading by the week, and adding an apparent tsunami of Asian offerings. Â We decided to give Ayala a try, but found a 'we're closed today' sign on their front door once in front of it, so we walked on and found Green Pepper. We arrived between 4:30 and 5, and their kitchen wasn't open yet, but they decided it was close enough, and seated us.
I've seen a lot of 'service' complaints here, but perhaps because there were only six people the entire time were were there, service for us was great.
We scanned the menu, and ordered drinks. Since they carry only Pepsi products, even iced tea, I opted for a pot of hot green tea and a glass of ice. Perfect.
My friend ordered the Spicy Pork Do-Shi-Rock, and I ordered the Cold Spicy Noodles. Both of these were in the $14 zone, as opposed to the other much higher zones. Â We checked out the appetizers, but decided to skip them when we discovered that the prices for the appetizers were as expensive, sometimes more so, than the entrees. Â They looked good, but not for the price of an entree.
They brought our liquids, which were fine, and then they brought our meals.
They all came with the variety of Korean side dishes in the bento box, and to be very honest, the food was yummy. My cold noodles did come with a handful of ice cubes in the bowl, which I scooped out so as to not have a melted puddle of weak spice water in the bowl. I wasn't very impressed with the two beef slices in the dish - maybe it was the lighting, but they didn't have a very appealing color. And the flavor was just kind of a dry deli roast beef. But the noodles, the egg, the spice, the ginger, and all of the side dishes were very tasty and filling. Â I can't call mine especially 'spicy', but it was good.
My friend's dish was actually a little TOO spicy for her on this day, but that's a highly unusual occurrence for her (and even more unlikely for me), but she did enjoy the flavors and filled up.
The waitress was attentive and kind, without attitude, and the assistant manager, a bespectacled and lightly bearded dark haired lad, was dating material...I wanted HIM in a take-out box!
After we'd finished out meals, they brought us the persimmon tea 'soup' which was a treat for our tongues, if not a bit astringent after the meal, the check, and lots of smiles.
If it weren't for the prices, I would become a regular. My tongue LOVES new flavors and different ethnic dishes. I guess, as others have pointed out, it's up to you to decide if you think the prices are worth it.
The atmosphere was a little odd, but pleasant. A little stark, but I agree with what someone else said about the placement of the tables and plenty of space. Â It is really nice to not have the next table in your lap while dining out.
I would very much like to go back and try their Sunday Buffet. $20 for all you can eat of this treat would be soooo worth the price.
Lower the prices, keep that cute as hell assistant manager...and the star rating might jump up a notch.
Maybe two stars is a little harsh considering only the quality of food, but the price brings down my rating significantly.
I went on a Friday night around 7 (usually when the main chef is on duty at most places) and tried a few of the dishes. My server was new and unfamiliar both Korean food in general as well as the menu, proving to be pretty unhelpful. Being new is not someone's fault, but he was simply insufficiently trained; when we asked for a side of pickled shredded radish (a Korean banchan staple), he brought out sliced cucumber with a chili dressing. Anyway, the spicy porkj and kimchi dumplings (fried) tasted alright with the soy sauce, if a bit flat. They were excellently crisp but the stuffing was oddly homogeneous and mushy like the pork was overly minced (a small complaint that did not lessen the taste).
I got the "Garlbi" (not galbi?) for an entree and was satisfied for the most part. The flavor was solid, if a bit sweet for my taste, and it came presented on a massive platter with 3 sides (seasoned tofu, kimchi, and bean sprouts), a small bowl of soup (which looked like miso but I suspect was doenjang) and a side of rice. The ribs themselves came sizzling on a cast iron pan that left a nice char on the veggies. They had nice grill marks and flavor but the texture was oddly tender. I know asian pears tenderize meat, but I would have preferred if they had a better chew. This was a similar problem with the spicy beef bulgogi which, again had a nice taste, if not very nuanced. The texture however is best described as a mound of mush. The beef had been shredded and tenderized to the point that the rice had more chew and texture. The flavor is enough that you can get over it but it could have been significantly better. My friend tried the bibim-bop and, while I didn't try much of it, she found it mediocre.
We all concluded that the problem was not in a lack of authenticity; they didn't do anything dumb like make everything an American-Chinese stir fry. In fact, a lot of the menu items are obscure even for people with a good knowledge of the cuisine. Everything just feel short of tasting like good Korean. It looked right and the flavors were on the right track, but literally every dish was a few nuances short of worth it.
Meh - somewhere between 2 and 3 stars.
The two rooms are very nice: lot of space between tables, nice distribution of the tables in the rooms, pleasant, warm colors.
The food is, sadly, quite bland, way too bland for the price. The spicy squids (~$14) were not very tasty, but they were very chewy: Good work out for your jaws. The sauce was fairly generic, not very spicy (2 stars). The bibim bap (~16) is perfectly eatable (that's the 3 stars), but that dish is more comfort food than anything else. Surely not worth the price.
Question: why is it that Squirrel Hill does not have any high-end restaurant, but tons of mediocre (although not always horrible) places?
Sometimes you need a little karaoke...and sometimes you need a lot. It was that kind of Saturday.
A couple of weeks ago I decided to put together a little karaoke event dubbed "Whitney-oke." Â I think you get it, you smart Yelper, you. Â All Whitney Houston - all the time. Â Usually, my crew heads to Duke's Station in Bethel Park (far, but ribs that make you wanna smack somebody, they're that good), but we decided to keep it local and head to Stinky's on Hatfield in L'ville for their weekly Saturday karaoke. Â What this genius (me) didn't count on, was that when the Pens play, the karaoke machine doesn't. Â Sad. Â So, we headed to Nico's Recovery Room in Bloomfield - not my/our favorite place AT ALL - but desperate times. Â Unfortunately, as is usually the case with Nico's, there was nowhere to sit and the cloud of smoke was intoxicating. So, I turned to Yelp. Â The first place to pop up in my search was Green Pepper, a little Korean joint in Squirrel Hill. Â Having never been, I called to check on the karaoke details. Â Darren (came to know his name later) answered the phone and explained that karaoke is free until 10pm, but after that would cost $1.25/minute. Â So, um - that took me a solid 5 minutes to understand. I think I asked him at least 4 times. Poor guy. Â I'd blame booze, but I was stone sober at this point. I just didn't get it. Â We decided it was worth it, especially given that there were 10+ people in our party.
We arrived to an absolutely empty restaurant and were VERY pleasantly surprised to discover a plush, leather couch-lined karaoke ROOM; Â with a big tv, a nice, fancy microphone, internet access-based karaoke software and none of those strange kiddos from Nico's to judge our Whitney antics. Â We set the clock and decided to spend one hour singin' our little Whitney hearts out (total $80). Â It might seem like a lot to pay for karaoke, but the service was great and the camaraderie...well, that was priceless. Â Can't wait to go back. Â Britney-oke, anyone?
Because I'm vegetarian Bibimbap was the only item I could order on the menu. If you are vegetarian make sure you do NOT drink the soup that comes with Bibimbap because it contains fish fat/oil. It was a great experience because it was the first time I've seen a dish separated by flavors. For example, if you order pasta you're pretty much taking a bite of the same thing for your entire meal. With Bibimbap everything is separated into different sections and you get four or five side dishes like kimchi. The food was great but its not really filling. My friends say its mediocre compared to other restaurants and food they get back home.
Review Source:I'm a huge fan of Korean food so when I saw this place I knew I had to try it out. I wasn't impressed by their bulgolgi, the beef they use is definitely a cheap cut, Â it was very stringing and I almost choked on it. I will probably go back again and try some of their other dishes. I agree with most people that their dishes are overpriced. Be prepared to pay about $50 for two people.
Review Source:When I come here, I swear I sometimes see a little old Korean grandma in the back, cooking everything. Â That's kind of awesome. Â Also awesome? Â The fact that they have a karaoke bar. Â That you can rent out for your friends. Â Wow - Pittsburgh really HAS come along!
Food here is on the pricey side, but is really good. Â The kalbi definitely satisfies my cravings, but at 20+ is kind of a splurge. Â We normally get the bulgolgi when we're not feeling up to spending that much.
I do miss all the little kimchi dishes - here, they serve everything up in bento boxes. Â So, it's not quite like what you'd expect from Korean places in either New York or San Fran, but given the paucity of Korean places in Pittsburgh, I'm not going to grumble too much. Â Like Dennis L., I'm not
going to say I love this place, but given the circumstances, it's solid.
If you're really craving the Korean BBQ experience, my understanding is that Korean Palace in Oakland is the way to go. Â I haven't been there in years, since I refuse to deal with the parking situation in Oakland, but hey, when you want Korean food, sometimes you just gotta suck it up. Â In the meantime, Green Pepper might be enough to keep you from having to go off the deep end.
Green Pepper offers a nice variety of dishes: each dish comes with 1 ~ 3 side dishes and an after meal sweet soup.  If you enjoy  variety, such as a bento-style meal, Green Pepper offers a break in the monotony.
Portions are OK, id say justified with all the different side dishes you get. Â I do not have much basis in comparing Korean food, but I had a pleasant experience with their Bibimbop, cold noodles and their bulgogi - even though I am usually incapable of digesting spicy foods... (they offer some non-spicy alternatives as well)
Service is fine. Â Cordial, acceptable waiting time, frequent water rounds.
Price is indeed high, even considering all the positive aspects.
I would recommend others to try it out and decide if the price is worth paying... Â The food here seemed more approachable than Korea Garten over at Pitt. Â Maybe its Americanized, but good for me!
I don't know whether or not to give this a 3.5 or a 4 because of how much the food costs. I would say yes, the food is pretty solid Korean food (for the area), but coming from California where there are Korean restaurants on every block, I'd have to say Green Pepper is only slightly above average. But yes, it is still pretty solid food.
My problem is that I feel like it's way overpriced and I would hesitate to go there again. Between my cousin and I, the bill came out to almost $50, which I would have to say is a bit ridiculous. I wish the prices were a bit lower because that would make me more willing to go again. However, I have to save my wallet from depleting quickly and will have to take a rain check on coming here again.
They have improved exponentially.
A more extensive menu, more seating, and more staff. The staff seem to still be struggling to be speedy, but the dishes show a great deal of attention to detail.
The hwe dup bap is AMAZING. I had a large chunk of sashimi in every bite. It is, however, among their more expensive dishes, but if you love raw fish... you can't go wrong.
Best Korean in Pittsburgh - just a tad pricey for the food and service levels. Â (My guess is that they're trying to recover their capital investment with high prices, but they ignored elasticity of demand, so they pushed volume down, and, thus, the place stays relatively empty.)
Our waitress was very attentive but not particularly friendly (not unfriendly, either), and we went in late. Â Despite closing at 10, we didn't leave until 10:15, but I had no impression that they were pushing us out like other places do around closing time. Â (Which I appreciated, but I also felt a little guilty.)
My friend and I both had bi bim bap. Â Mine was the best (or close to it) that I've ever had. Â The ban chan (little cold side dishes) were excellent, too, but they were maybe just a little light on them. Â I'm usually sated with 4-5 dishes per diner, but Green Pepper only did 3 per diner. Â (Not a huge deal - they were very good.)
Overall, I'm really divided. Â 4.5 stars, but I'm going to be a bit more critical given the prices. Â (I'll reconsider after a second visit.)
Pretty good for Pittsburgh-- was impressed overall. BUT way overpriced considering the portions! Not to mention, they serve the banchan in boonshikjip style, so it's part of your tray of food... which is smart on their part because you can't really ask for more banchan. A shame though because the banchan was really clean and good. My tofu jaeyook was also pretty good; I'll be ordering that again the next time.
I'd be more inclined to give them a 4-4.5 if they lowered the prices and allotted more banchan! (Yep, I'm a banchan whore.)
We tried Green Pepper last week as our first taste of Korean food, and we were really happy with it. Â We had kind of been putting off trying it for awhile, as it is the restaurant to replace our beloved Sweet Basil, but I'm so glad we finally checked it out!
First of all, they have a small wine list, but you can also BYOB for a $7.50 corking fee. Â I think this is the first Pittsburgh place we've seen that has both a wine list and a BYOB option, so we liked that.
Our waitress was really helpful and informative. Â I had a few questions about the menu, and she was really great with taking the time to answer each one. Â She explained to us that the type of spice used in Korean cooking can sometimes feel spicier than it really is, because even the milder versions sometimes make you feel like your nose will run. Â It was nice to have a heads-up about that (and the menu also lists if items are spicy or not).
We started with an order of the pork and kimchi steamed dumplings, which we really loved. Â These were just perfectly done all around.
We each tried something different for our entrees. Â All of the entrees (except the stews) come with miso soup, which is basically my favorite thing right now, so I really appreciated that. Â Their miso is very basic, no tofu in it or anything, but super yummy. Â The soup was served alongside our meals, which came in a fancy TV-dinner-like plate, with the little dividers for different menu items.
I got the spicy pork, which was sooo good. Â It was quite oniony, but the sauce was not overly heavy. Â With the pork, you also get kimchi (think cold holobchi stuffed cabbage in terms of flavor), cold cellophane noodles, tempura-breaded zucchini, and steamed white rice. Â The portions were sizeable but not huge, so I only had a little bit to take home with me.
My husband got the bibim bap, which can be served vegetarian or with ground beef. Â He got the ground beef version, which comes in a pot with a variety of veggies and egg on top, and is served with kimchi, bean sprouts, and rice on the side. Â Everything was quite hot, although not too spicy, and he was really pleased with the flavor.
Green Pepper doesn't offer any real desserts, but you get a cold cinammon tea with your meal in place of that.
We loved the atmosphere as well, very bright and welcoming. Â After they close, you can apparently rent out their 'karaoke lounge' for parties (and during business hours, large groups can sit there). Â The prices were a little higher than other restaurants in the same area, but they put a big emphasis on the healthy components of their meals, so it's worth it.
I also give them points for their super cool silverware, including metallic reusable chopsticks. Â The presentation of the meals was just lovely!
We went on a Saturday night, and it does appear to get crowded at times. Â Fortunately, we had a short wait, but I would recommend going early if you stop in on the weekend. Â Even if you have to wait a bit, the quality of the food is well worth it!
Green Pepper stands out as the only Korean restaurant in Squirrel Hill, a neighborhood that has multiple pizza places, coffee shops, Chinese eateries, and ice cream/froyo joints.
I enjoyed my bi bim bap, which can either be made vegetarian or with beef (I opted for the former). The rice, egg, and other assorted finely sliced vegetables came out sizzling in a hot stone bowl, with chili paste on the side. The entree also comes with miso soup and several sides (mung bean sprouts, spicy daikon, and spicy cucumber slices the night I visited). I'd agree that the prices are rather high for Pittsburgh, but what I got was plenty of food.
Nevertheless, the service is the reason for my lukewarm rating. The best way I can describe the service is that all the servers seem to have extreme tunnel vision, and only appear to focus on one table at a time. Rather than bringing food to one table and then going over to other tables to check in, the servers march right back to the kitchen. They don't appear to notice that other tables look ready to order or appear to have finished eating and want their check. We spent a long time trying to catch any server's eye for our bill (our original waitress had gone MIA) before we had to be a little obnoxious. Then we waited and waited for someone to come to take our money and make change before my dining companion got up and took our bill and cash to the manager's station.
Luckily, we weren't in a rush to go anywhere post-meal, but the servers' inability to multitask still tried our patience.
Don't blink as you're going down Murray Ave, or you'll miss Green Pepper if you aren't familiar with the location.
The space is clean, and has a bistro feeling to it. The lime green walls brought back those Linda Blair in The Exorcist, and yummy split pea soup memories.
I looked over the menu, and noticed no Yaki Mandu (fried dumplings). We settled for the steamed beef mandu as an appetizer, which were the savory option. Ground beef, sweet potato noodles, and green onions made up the mandu stuffing.
My daughter loved the presentation of the dishes on lacquer trays, and compartmentalized boxes. I had the Bi Bim Bap, and it did not disappoint. It was full of fresh vegetables, shitake mushrooms, bean sprouts, and one of my favorite parts, the fried egg. The miso soup was bland, but did not go to waste. The kimchi was fresh, not salted or spicy enough for me. The Bulgogi was sweeter than what I'm used too, but the others with me liked it. My daughter liked the pork bulgogi, spicy kick, and not sweet. The portion of jop chae was good, I didn't see an entree of jop chae on the menu, so I wonder if they rotate their menu. The persimmon cinnamon punch was nice, cold, and sweet. A dessert offering, and one of my favorite Korean drinks.
The waiter was friendly, but inexperienced, and slow. He had the K Pop playing, which my daughter appreciated. Will go back when I'm in the area for something different.
Came here hearing that this place was finally a good Korean Restaurant around Pittsburgh!
I ordered the kimchijiggae and it was really a taste of home, not quite, but better than what I can ask for at other places in terms of "koreanness".
I've seen other reviews on this place and I have to agree on one thing. The price of the BBQ is low, and the price of other things are high. For example, Korean BBQ/bulgogi is about $21/$19 respectively. The kimchijiggae and bibimbap are around $13 or $15.
A bit sad when I didn't get a bunch of side dishes (banchan) that you get at "real" Korean restaurants (you get only 3 with your meal) but the food was overall good. Tried my friends bibimbap and it tasted like it should, which is very good in Pittsburgh. No offense.
Green Pepper is a casual Korean restaurant. That being said, the food is pretty simple but yummy, and the service is decent, but not great. The price point is just about right. This place could be compared to Oishii Bento in Oakland, not to Sushi Kim.
Over all, I really liked the place.  My biggest complaint about most Korean restaurants in Pittsburgh is the cheesy and shabby looking  interior. Unlike most other places, this place is very  neat, cute, and looks more like a cafe, not a traditional Korean restaurant.
I had Dolsot Bibimbop (mixed rice in a stone bowl) and it was really great. Highly recommend it.
Green Pepper is the 1st Korean restaurant in Squirrel Hill, and the second Korean business after Young's Oriental Mart. Normally, I like to rant or rave about a business, but I'm very neutral about this place so this is a pros and cons list about this new business:
PROS
-Service was very genteel
-Portion size for  the Kimbap was large.
Meat dishes, like Bulgogi, are much cheaper here than at other Korean restaurants in Pittsburgh, but the casual food is a little overpriced.
The plate ware and interior decor is very streamlined, but there is an awkward emptiness still lingering in the space.
-I peaked into the kitchen and it was very clean. Was a little too empty of the ingredients and inviting cooking smells though...
Like in most korean restaurants, a complimentary dessert or candy is served. Here they had both! Hobakjuk (korean pumpkin porridge) was served in little white bowls after we asked for the check and then our bill came with peach hard candies for the table!
CONS
-Like mentioned earlier, you're overpaying for casual Korean cuisine you could get cheaper at Korea Garden but the Bulgogi is cheaper here.
-Service was nice but the waiters are unexperienced students and everything is very slow.
-Green Pepper doesn't serve as many side dishes as the average Korean restaurant but their complimentary after meals totally compensate for this.
-NO DEFAULT KIMCHI at the table!! This is unforgivable. It may have been bc I was at the table with non-koreans, but it's still ludicrous.
-The Ramen Soup and Kimchi Dumpling Stew could've been made at home for a couple bucks. If you're going to serve it at a restaurant, there should be other things inside. There wasn't even a dropped egg or a couple pieces of green onion in the Ramen. The dumplings looked so lonely in the stew because there was nothing else in the broth. No mushrooms, cabbage, meatballs, onions, nothing!
-Besides our table, there were only Korean patrons there, let's share the culture! The place could use more advertisement and be less introverted.
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