It's pretty good for all you can eat fatty, buttery short ribs but their sides really suck. Since it's BYOB, I'd have to get wasted to appreciate the barely mediocre side items on their buffet line. It's kind of inconsistent on weekends, as I've been in on a saturday and sunday and on sunday- the upkeep and selection of sides are lacking even more so. They didn't have chap chae this time and when they did have it another night, when they're out, they are just out even though it's pretty steady in the restaurant. They had a meat dumpling that was okay too.
The End. Did you like my review??
For an all you can eat Korean BBQ buffet, this place is pretty good. Â I moved to the neighborhood a few months ago and I've been trying to discover the restaurants near me. Â I've now been here twice since the meat and sides here are a great value. Â I've been to San Soo Gab San and while that restaurant is good for BBQ, this is different. Â If you want no frills just good food with 1/2 the sides that you can typically get at other Korean restaurants, than this is the place. Â Just a warning, while it's small in here it does get quite cold once you're done cooking so bring your jacket or sweatshirt to warm up while eating in the winter months. Â I will definitely be eating here again. Â I do want to try the other items on the menu but haven't done so yet.
Review Source:My friends and I have a yearly tradition -- playing in a basketball tournament in the city and then refueling on Korean bbq. For the past three years, it's been at Song Do.
Song Do is one of the better all-you-can-eat Korean bbq places. I see many places serve cheap and oldish looking meats if they have a buffet option. Song Do knows better. They offer a good selection of meats, the meats are relatively fresh, and the meats aren't bad quality.
For $25, you can have a party in your tummy. I also like how Song Do offers a large selections of sides as well. This place never seems too busy and the service is great. If you're in the area, stop by and refuel. It costs half a tank of gas.
People say it looks dingy. Â If you've ever been to a Korean bbq, you'd know that it's hard to keep white walls looking clean in a place where fires are always burning (you cook your meat on coals on each table - typical Korean bbq style)! Â I do agree that a darker color of paint would help...the place doesn't look fancy, but the food is exactly what I hoped for. Â Only $20 for all you can eat bulgogi, chicken, whatever else you'd expect?! Â They didn't have as many Korean cold side dishes as some other places, but their food was good. Â It's the only Korean fresh buffet I've found in Chicago. Â My husband and I will make this a favorite.
Review Source:All-you-can-eat meat that you grill yourself tableside in charcoal-fired grill. The meat side of the buffet was adequately stocked, but the salad and appetizers side was slim pickens. This place is kind of dumpy inside, it doesn't look like it has been scrubbed down in many years, and it has all the ambience of a bus station.
Review Source:The moral of this review is: Â Do Not judge a storefront by it's cover.
After many years of walking, riding, driving or drunken stumbling past Song Do on my way home always left me wondering what this place was about. With it's unexciting and uninviting façade and it's marquee boasting "Live BBQ" I never knew what to expect from a Korean joint of this caliber. But in the past I would always see Song Do and it left me always saying to myself "more like Song Don't."
On one summer day I decided to give Song Do a "one-eyed opened" shot with a group of friends. So we already know how I feel about the façade here, but the interior was not much of a relief either. But the place was full and the smoky hot grills had delicious marinated meats cooking on them producing a wonderful smell as we were seated.
Song Do is a B.Y.O.B. and after we had a few drinks the servers placed hot coals in the two tabletop grills that were in the center of our table. The server then placed two big plates of marinated beef, short ribs and pork (Bulgogi) on our table for us to grill. The place is a "Do It Yourself" Korean BBQ joint, hence the "Live BBQ." At Song Do you can grill as much meat as you can handle. There is also a salad bar where you can get various salads, kimchi, more marinated meats, condiments, steamed rice and hot spicy miso soup too.
After a few more drinks, some miso soup, two pounds of Bulgogi I was really forgetting the inexcusable façade and interior. I was really having a great time and realized that this place is really great. The servers were very attentive and the owner came out and gave us a tip or two on grilling too. When our meat was low they filled up our grill and when our fire was low they threw on more coals. Great overall service.
I never would have expected Song Do to be so great, but it really was. So Do not judge a storefront by it's cover and get over there already. Ignore the façade, bring some cold beer and eat as much Bulgogi as you can possibly fit into your belly.  Song Don't...NO, more like Song DO!
Oh my, oh my, oh my Gawd. I don't know which aprt I love more here, the fact that I was able to have a meat buffet or the fact that I was able to have a meat buffet. Or maybe, it was the MEAT BUFFET!
Regardless if either of those are things you love, this is a must try restaurant. An unfortunately masked location, as I think if more knew, this place would be packed regularly.
Allow me to describe the buffet options:
On one side, you've got the previously mentioned buffet of meat. This includes:
- pork
- beef short ribs
- liver
- bulgogi
- chicken
- pork knuckle
- drool
- drool
- drool
The other side of the buffet contains all the trimmings to be enjoyed with the MEAT BUFFET (did I say that already) Options include:
- maki roll tempura
- veggie tempura
- tofu of various types
- kimchi
- pot stickers
- rice
- Korean pancakes
- pork stuffed jalapeno
- soups
- peanut sauce
- just go here already!
As far as the service, the waitstaff is extremely attentive, regardless of the party size (we were quite large, but there were definitely small parties there getting the same amount of attention). The buffet food were regularly refilled as soon as they began to run low. The fire ores were refilled as was the grill grate once they saw a need. I was truly impressed with the level of service.
The place is BYOB, which is extremely convenient for whatever your meat-eating pairings are (and there's a liquor store strategically located across the street). Plus the price is around $20 per person, which honestly is quite impressive. The decor is slightly lacking, but it's made up for with the quality of food and attentiveness of waitstaff.
As one of the others in my party said, "The best part about Korean BBQ is that you get to take the scent with you an remember the evening once you leave." Personally, I prefer the beef short ribs.
On our car-less trip to Chicago, we found this is the only Korean BBQ buffet reachable by the El. Â The restaurant is not much to look at from the outside or inside. Â But this Korean BBQ buffet is a great introduction for anyone who has not had the experience. Â I was able to "introduce" (aka: coerce) my reluctant family into trying this cuisine that is totally unknown to them. Â Endless quality meat on grill plus side dishes for about $20, what's not to like?? Â And just like I thought, my family loved the food and experience. Â
The grill set up is basic. Â The server will come once a while to change out the grill grate for you. Â The meat, especially the galbi (short ribs) and bulgugi are delicious! Â My family could not get enough! Â The hubby loved grilling meat on the table. Â The Thursday night we were there, the meats offered were pork steaks, short ribs, bulgugi, chicken skewers, and...intestines, which we did not try. Â The meats were tender and perfectly marinated. Â I do wish the red sauce could be a bit more spicy, though. Â To round out the meal, you can get side dishes, soup, fried rice and plain rice on the buffet, also. Â
We loved the experience and will definitely be back.
I love mom and pop Places and trying new ethnic foods. This place was clean but run down. The food was tasty, but I had no idea what I was eating, as there were no labels on the buffet line. The staff while attentive was not knowledgable. Over priced for the experience and cooking the food myself.
I love the concept, and think this could be a new trend in eating if they made it non-native friendly. Would not recommend.
I'm shallow, I admit it. I have a difficult time looking past the dingy carpet, broken exhaust fans, cheap wood paneling, and an all-around sensation of depression.
However, for the (rather high for my budget) price, I had some scrumptious Korean BBQ! It was my very first time experiencing such a place, so for all I know, the selection, oppressive heat, tender spare ribs, and way they cut the meat for you at your table is totally normal. Someone else could tell you differently. All I know is that the food tasted great despite every single part of my surroundings telling me this place wasn't worth the money.
Interesting fact: The toilet flushes the slowest of any toilet I have ever seen in my entire life. You might be hypnotized if you stare at it too long. You'll also be late to your next appointment. Beware.
Thank the heavens this Korean bbq buffet  was in the area as me & some pals were totally wasted and needed some serious food! We stumbled in after destroying many beers @ Mayfest. The staff was pretty welcoming and probably noticed how hammered we were.
Luckily I was with a group of knowledgeable asians as they picked all of the grub to cook ourselves @ the table. All of the beef was very delicious/packed with flavor. The chicken was okay but had nothing on the beef...lol. Definitely did the trick as I said earlier, we were in need of food
Good place to stop in if you live nearby, but I would probably not make a trip for it. By the way, its BYOB!
small restaurant for a all you can eat place.. but the few times i went, it was never packed.. nothing fancy inside.. service is OK i guess.. the waitress which i think might be the owner also is not really attentive... but she is nice tho.. there is a few times that i have to get out of my seat to go up to the counter to ask her for more drinks and the check.
i like this place because we get to get our food our self in the front.. they have 5 different kinds of meat to choose from if i recall.. on the other side there is fried rice, pot sticker, veggie tempura, Korean pancakes, etc.... they have cold appetizer also like kimchi and stuff (didnt really take a good look at it).. Â
to me the hot food like the fried rice and pancakes are pretty bland in taste... but the meats seems to be marinated well.. it was a little challenging trying to BBQ because me and my friends never cooked before in a Korean BBQ place,we usually go with more experienced Korean bbqers.. but we got the hang of it pretty quick..
oh the place needs better ventilation! the vent that suppose to suck up the smoke above the grill is pretty weak...
this is not the best all you can eat Korean BBQ restaurant since everything is just OK.. but its not so busy and loud so its pretty enjoyable with a few friends.. i will be back... its also BYOB!
I think that if you're not a Korean BBQ newbie, you'll really enjoy this deal of a meat fest. People new to Korean BBQ would definitely enjoy the food, but might just lack a little bit of the grilling experience, and knowledge of how to set up your own lettuce wraps and such. I don't remember seeing any signs, and the staff are fairly laissez faire about what goes on, so this might not be the best place to learn the ropes.
Those disclaimers aside, as advertised, you're not coming here for the ambiance, you're coming here for the meats! My girlfriend and I really enjoyed the kalbi and bulgogi. Our server was very attentive, and came over with scissors the minute she saw that we were getting ready to fire up another round of kalbi. Add to the fact that this is a BYOB joint - you can't go wrong giving this place a shot when you're in the mood for Korean BBQ!
I think I could have given this place a full 5 stars if they offered fresh garlic for the grill and a little wider assortment of panchan - but at $19.95 a person ( on a Tuesday) I'm not going to complain! I'll definitely be back.
This is one of my favorite places to eat ever. All you can eat korean bbq! The owner and staff are very sweet and accommodated a huge group we had. We got there early and they set up the tables for us. It's a great deal for $24 bucks.
Also, I went here with a group after I competed in a brazilian jiu jitsu competition, I weighed 159 lbs in the morning, fought and came here to eat....I went here to eat and I weighed 170 lbs at night!...yeah love Song Do.
Moving on up!
Bumping my Song Do review up another star after an enjoyable evening yesterday. Â They politely accommodated our group of 10 and we had a grand time. Â As usual, Song Do had the authentic charcoal grills and PLENTY of Korean food. Â Place and plates were clean. Â The marinated meat was TASTY! Â Overall, we were pleasantly surprised. Â And like always, it's a GOOD deal.
Parking is easy too, with street parking often available.
Helpful tips: On cold days be sure to ask for some tea, which they'll bring out for you. Â And wear a non-fashionable sweater (both for the Korean BBQ perfume you'll acquire while there, but also because it can get a bit drafty with the grill vents going). Â And be sure to cook your meat right and thoroughly!
Oh yeah, BYOB!!
One simple sentence to sum it up: Â wife got food poisoning and was throwing up throughout the night. Â
Other noticeable critiques:
-Unmotivated non-Korean workers. Â My friend asked if they had some Korean sauce (but pronounced it in Korean)? Â She said, "I don't know what that is." and walked away instead of asking the Korean manager.
-unclean plates. Â
-luke warm buffet aisle.
-shady meats with bad marinades
The only plus was the manager/owner was a nice and sweet lady, but not worth going back.
I like Korean bbq a lot. Â It's in my blood. Â And I"m also a stickler for a good deal and for a belly full of food. Â I'd been looking for a place for all you can eat Korean bbq and my friend recommended this place. Â So awaaaaaaaaay we went.
First off, if you want a really lovely all you can eat Korean bbq experience you gotta go to the Korean town in the burbs (namely: Niles):
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/jang-choong-dong-niles">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/woori-village-niles">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>
Now if you dont' feel like driving all the way out there. Â Then you start to get into the discussion of Cho Sun Oak, San Soo Gap San, Tozi, Gyu Kaku and etc. Â Song Do is the only one with all you can eat that I am aware of. Â And if there are any others please do tell. Â With that being said
Ambiance: Divey
Service: Sub par
Variety of food: Limited
Quality of meat: not bad
Value: muy bueno
To nitpick:
I like to wrap my meat in lettuce with a Korean green onion salad. Â At Song do, they make the salad but with romaine leaves. Â I don't like to wrap lettuce in lettuce. Â #firstworldproblems - and their green onions that they have are mixed in with raw white onions that with kick your breath up a notch.
Granted, you'll smell smoky and feel kinda oily as you always would after a KBBQ, but I'd like to still entertain the idea of a fighting chance to creep afterwards at Vision.
the bean paste sauce (dwaenjang) - is of a milder variety that I'm not used to. Â it's also kinda watery while also being a bit too salty, grrrrrr
also, unmarinated meats I like to dip in sesame oil + s&p, they did not have this :(
Pleasant surprises:
pig intestines, byob, charcoal grill, korean egg custard thingamajig (egg jjeem)
At the end of the day what do you expect for 20 bucks? Â The meat wasn't awful, and tasted perfectly delicious to me. Â There was a decent selection of protein. Â At least like 7 of them.
Bottom line: if you are hungry, and don't want to spend alot, and you want byob - I don't see how you can go wrong with this place
I forgot that I have been to this place a long, long time ago with family. I came here recently with my S.O. and his family friends, and we weren't expecting a Korean BBQ buffet! But I think it worked out for us.
Pros:
-You can pick your own side dishes.
-You can pick your own meats.
-$19.99 per person means you can eat a lot of food.
-BYOB
Cons
-Really weird interior design. This place looks pretty old. The booths are a little creepy.
-$19.99 seems a bit much for the quality of meat.
-Not a ton of variety when it comes to meats.
-Kimchi is just okay.
-Flavors didn't really stick out.
Also, I didn't see any garlic! What's a K-BBQ without garlic? And where's the gochu? And my bean curd paste? UGH.
But +1 for the jokbal and chapchae.
Pretty average all around. I also don't really like much of the marinated meats, but am a fan of the non-marinated cuts. Most of the stuff here is marinated, minus the chicken skewers (which are not seasoned at all?) and some thinly sliced beef.
I have had my doubts with the Hungry Hound over the past year, as he's recommended Little Quiapo, a Filipino joint serving over poweringly greasy dishes; Cheo Ga Jip, a Korean pizza and wing spot that was over the top overrated; and said he wasn't a fan of Cemitas Puebla, with their out of this world Mexican street food sandwich.
But I follow him, and hey, he is the Food Correspondent for ABC 7 and has been guest judge on Iron Chef Amercia, so those do have a lot of credibility! When he spoke about an AYCE k-bbq, I needed to do some heavy research on Song Do, weighing all the reviews and seeing the reliability of my Yelp buddies (thanks Janet E). Â Mixed reviews (Jacob J)....darn!
I must've called 3 different occasions asking random questions, all being answered with a heavily accented Korean accent. Â
1) Do you have gaeran jim?  (The fluffy eggy Korean seasoned soufflé) - "Yes we do."  This was a great sign, considering I've only found this dish at one kbbq and the experience at Boo-Il Galbi was a H.O.T. mess
2) Do you serve kalbi in your buffet- "Yes we do"
Another great indication of great things to come. You would think that an AYCE kbbq would skimp on their meats, but this place does not
3) Are you open on Mondays? Â "Yes, we are"
A lot of places close their businesses on Mondays, and I must say, I commend the ones that remain open when us regular work week people don't feel like cooking. Â (who am I kidding, Monday thru Saturday, I hate cooking!)
Dinner mate and I came and expected the place to be chock full of people. Â Nope, we were the sole dinners....Okay, I'll chalk it up to the fact that Dancing With the Stars, Monday night football AND Hawaii Five O are all on. Â And yes, I will embrace the wonderfully attentive customer service we received being the only patrons. Â No flagging down wait staff. No waiting to have meat cut. Â No wait at the buffet line.
And the buffet was just the right size. Â Yes it's buffet, but what I really like about this place, is that they know what specialties to put on their buffet, in essence, conserving the food and nothing going to waste. Â There were 5 or 6 different types of meat, including bulgogi, pork, kalbi, some other marinated beef and skewered chicken. Â The pork was tender, and don't fret that it's not marinated. Â You can do it yourself with their array of seasonings and sauce. Â Remember! You can add taste, you can't take away overseasoning! I'd rather add myself then have it something that wasn't edible or tasty. Â Kalbi was melt in your mouth goodness. Chicken was ok, but I probably need to work on my grilling skills. Â Panchan had a nice variety, and I really need to commend their gaeran jim. Â Looking at it sitting in the warmer made me wonder how it would taste. Â It was extraordinary! Â A zillion times better than the made-to-order version at Boo-Il. Â Someone pinch me, we have found a winner!
Bathrooms were clean, parking was easy, and owner was very kind. Â I have no idea how they manage to stay in business with few patrons, and such a stellar deal of $20 for AYCE! Â But I assure you, give this place a try, spread the word to the San Soo Gab San and other kbbq lovers. Â This place is a great alternative, and will not disappoint!
This was my first time having Korean BBQ. Â It was okay, nothing spectacular. Â The meat was plentiful and fresh, and tasty off the grill, but a bit lacking. Â Maybe it needed more marinade, or a bigger selection of condiments/sides?
It was a fun experience but if I tried Korean BBQ again, I'd probably go somewhere new.
$19.99 per person buffet. Â Not a huge selection, but it'll do the job. Â Don't expect good service...not even "average" service. Â If you're hungry and want to eat a lot...then come over. Â Otherwise, just go further north to San Soo Gab San on Western and Foster (not a buffet, but much better food). Â
Place is not so nice inside, but lots of Koreans do come and eat here. Â I agree with Josh...a good sign.
Disappointed.
The bbq was okay, not spectacular. The restaurant was empty when we first went in. The owner was yapping on the phone instead of greeting us properly. Overheard her mentioning something to the nature of, "I'm the only one here right now... yadda, yadda, yadda..." I could care less for other people's conversation, but she was loud and pacing up and down the length of the restaurant.
Anyways, the bbq was okay, wanted to have more flavor from the meat. The "naturalist" would like it because you just eat the meat as-is, right off of the grill. The kimchi was alright, fried mandoo was good. The fish cake duk-bok-ki was bland and watery.
It's a buffet, but should have more desserts available other than semi-dry, nasty-looing orange wedges.
Will try other places before coming back to this buffet.
Anyone in Chicago knows if Kang Nam is still open on Kedzie Avenue?
Came here for all you can eat (AYCE) Korean BBQ. Â Not bad considering this place is in Chicago, but overall, this place is very average. Â They serve a wide selection of meats, from some thinly sliced steak, bulgogi, kalbi, some very fatty sam galp sal, and chicken. Â Surprisingly the chicken was actually really good. Â However, the other meats were not that great, and they don't have chae dol buggi, so that's a fail.
If you are looking to load up on meat, I think this place is a good deal because you also get access to some different types of pan chan, fried rice, dumplings, and chap chae (1 star extra for that). Â However, if you are looking for just as much food and better quality meats, I would go to Cho Sun Ok, where you can probably buy a significant amount of meat for about $20-25 a person, AND you get kim chi fried rice.
Service was good. Â No complaints in that regard. Â Thought the grill was a bit on the small side, but liked the use of charcoal.
We were lucky a table was available when we arrived around 7pm on a Friday night. Â We also snagged a nice table in one of their more private dining areas.
For $20, we had an all you can eat buffet. The food was spicy but not extremely spicy, which I appreciated. Â Sometimes Korean food can be too spicy for me to handle.
The beef was marinated well and not overly saucy. Â The beef slices are long strips rolled around a bone. Â The servers had to come by our table to help us cut the long strip into smaller pieces so that it was easier to cook on the grill, as well as split among the group. Â I found this to be a bit of a hassle because we had to go and find the server with the scissors.
The rest of the food tasted very good. I was a big fan of the lettuce kim chi (I'm usually NOT a fan of kimchi), as well as the chap chae (clear noodles). They had many other options you find at a regular korean restaurant as well.
Overall a good experience. The service was a bit lacking, but since it was self service, we didnt expect too much. Â The one complaint is the grill. Â I prefer a more cast iron grill so that nothing falls through the cracks and everything cooks evenly. Â We also were not able to adjust the fire because the grill was charcoal. Â Most of the meat stuck to the grill which wasn't enjoyable for me. Â Ventilation for the cooking was good though. It was not overly smokey.
Parking can be difficult, but not impossible to find on the street.
I would probaby will not back to this particular Korean BBQ. It wasn't the worst experience - after all Korean BBQ's by standard are so much FUN!
But, the food here wasn't as good as it should be. Everything sits out on a buffet. How long? Who knows. All I can say is the meat wasn't fresh tasting, it felt low-grade and I am picky about my meat! I've been to another Korean BBQ that was much better in comparison. Inside felt like a kitchen cafeteria and BYOB (had no idea) There are better places to go drop $20.
I am reasonably new Korean BBQ, but I have been to Song DO twice now and I really like this place. Â Much more comfortable and friendly to us ignorant non-asian people. Â $20 for all you can eat steak, shrimp pork beef rib (Kalbi is AWESOME). Â Today I went to Song DO, Inc with a group of 22 and took up half of the restaurant, but they were so nice and helped everyone with a smile, even when the rest of the restaurant filled up and there were people waiting for tables. Â
There are 4 sections to the buffet. One for the raw meats that you cook on a bbq pit on your table, salads, kimchi (asian pickled dishes - slightly spicy and yummy) and hot items (fried rice, soups, deep fried veggies - highly recommend the pork stuffed jalapeno peppers ).
Other Korean BBQ are very expensive and there are so many choices, if you don't know what you like you are lost and if you don't speak the language your in trouble.
There is a main room that has two tables that seat about 10 each and 6 smaller tables. Also there are about 7 peaceful nooks off the main room that seat up to 6 people. Â
Good for intimate meal for two or a big group. Â I like this place and would recommend it to anyone who wants to give Korean BBQ a try.
Sabrina's review is dead on in every aspect. Â I'll second not wearing your finest threads to the place because the smell will be ingrained into the fibers of the clothes!
Overall, the food was great. Â The kalbi and bulgogi were delicious, perfect marinade. Â My suggestion is to get a plate of it and hand it to one of the employees to cut up. Â Even the unmarinated beef was tender and fresh. Â The California rolls were solid, they tasted real fresh. Â The potato dumplings were good as well, but not very warm and quite filling. Â There could have been more of a selection of sides, though.
Skip the chicken skewers, it was basically unseasoned chicken and quite bland. Â The pork bellies were ok, nothing to write home about but a nice change-up from the beef.
The staff is very accommodating and polite. Â It's also a pretty good value, ~$20 a person. Â It seemed a bit cold in the restaurant, which I would assume is because of the vent fans above every table. Â Overall, good food, good price, would definitely go back.
Korean BBQ buffet - yummy. Â I love the style - where you pick your meats and cook them yourselves at your table. (Note: Â be sure not to wear your good clothes or have plans afterwords, cause you will smell like straight up meat).
The meats were delicious. Â The side were pretty good too. Â Not as many side choices and some other Korean Bbq places.
The service was great. Â They checked on us all the time. Â And changed out our grill a couple times. We sat in a little alcove which was nice and private.
The decor was not impressive - wouldnt drive out of my way to go here, or try to impress a date going here. Â But I would still go back :)
P.S. Its also BYOB!!
I went here last night with 3 other people for dinner and it was OK. Â The value is great! Â $17.99 for all you can eat Korean buffet but the quality was definitely lacking. Â And I am so disappointed because I wanted to really like this place for future visits.
We were seated in a small enclosed room which was nice. Â We then proceeded to the buffet. Â They had a lot of items: kimchee, soups, Korean sushi, bean sprouts, chicken, frozen shrimp, bulgogi, kalbi, beef of some kind, and more. Â There was plenty to pick from but when we started digging in, I was not impressed at all. Â The marinade of the bulgogi was tasty but not enough. Â The kalbi wasn't the best, I've had better. Â And after the woman cut the meat away from the bone, she took the bones away! Â My favorite part of kalbi just left the table with her. Â And this happened when I wasn't there and none of my dining companions, including my husband, said anything to her. Â How upsetting.
Regardless of the meal being sub-par, we did enjoy ourselves and were full when we left. Â I was thinking of bringing my sister here next weekend for Korean BBQ but I think I will just stick to San Soo Gab San.
Rating: 2.5 stars
Alright, so this place wasn't quite memorable. Especially considering the fact that we ended up at this joint because the original Korean buffet we planned on going to was closed for business (Garden Buffet).
The place was small. Cheap decor. Small buffet. Large green air ducts over our heads.
1.5 stars: The bbq is noteworthy. They were tasty and delicious. They have them sit in marinate right on the bone. Then you leave them on the side of your table for the server to cut up for you. The sides, just as delicious. Caution: try not to go overboard and get too many sides because the bbq will fill you right up.
1 star: The service was very good. They are very attentive and come by quite often to take care of you. Whether it is to make sure you have enough water at your table or to change out your grill.
I'd say if you are nearby and are in the mood for all-you-can eat bbq, come here.
The price is fair, just about $18 per person. I'm sure there are better places nearby, so I would do the research. But we were fairly desperate that day and went to the nearest place that did a Korean buffet. So, put that to thought before visiting.
Has the quality of food gone down after the other reviews (?), because I came here with 5 other people and none of us thought it was the greatest. Â There were 5 kinds of meat, all of which were not marinated enough. Â I didn't know the name of each side item, but I tried them all. Â I didn't realize they were supposed to be tasteless, as well. Â
The ventilation system was not industrial grade since half the smoke from the grill recirculated inside the private room we were seated in. Â One of our guests inhaled a lot of it and I, myself, got a headache (not good since I'm 6 months pregnant). Â As a buffet that charges eighteen dollars a person I expected a whole lot more.
We had a table of 9 people and made reservations. Â Hence we were seated immediately and I have mediocre feelings about this place.
I loved the fact that it is all you can eat meat and there was a variety of different meats there from kalbi to chicken to even liver. Â They also had fried rice and soup and other panchan options, as well. Â You basically pile up plates full of meat and they come to your table and cut up the meats for you. Â We did feel that the grill was too small for an all-you-can-eat cooking and it was COLD in there! Â Not only were the vents open but the back door was also left open and in the wintertime, that was definitely not ideal. Â Most of our group was wearing their coats while eating.
Overall, it's a decent deal for $18 per person after tax.
Song Do provided a decent Korean BBQ experience. Â It has all of the essentials...bulgogi, kalbi, kimchee, etc. Â Beyond that, there is not a whole lot to offer. Â The food was good and overall experience was good. Â The interior is fairly well laid out and the meat is well flavored. Â
The service left a lot to be desired. Â Ok, so here was the problem we had. Â The waitresses didn't speak english...but they also did not speak Korean or Chinese either. Â So if was difficult to communicate. Â Luckily the management speaks Korean so the Korean speaker in our party was able to get us whatever we needed.
It's a good place to get a quick fix for your meat craving!
Though I have to say it's true that the quality of meat has gone down a bit compared to several years ago, but for less than $18 you can get unlimited access to meat, Korean bacon, and both hot and cold side dishes, so I am perfectly content to enjoy my meat there.
For side dishes, my friends and I like the friend dumplings, stuffed jalapeno tempura, the seaweed salad, and cold noodle. The cold noodle is included in the price but you actually have to ask for them to be brought out.
The service is prompt and friendly. The past couple of times I visited we were able to be seated right away, it's great because we were in such a hurry to sink our teeth into some meat!
I went here a couple of days ago craving unlimited amounts of korean bbq. Â I came here years ago remembering the food was pretty decent and the price was very cheap for all you can eat korean bbq. Â
Little did I know that I would be disappointed. Â The only thing that wasn't wrong w/ this place was the rice. There's no way you can go wrong with that, right?
Anyways, the meat was very dry. Very chewy. And you can tell the quality of the meat was just piss poor. Â Also, the sang gyup sahl was horrendous. Â It looked good on the outside but once you cook it, It was not cool at all. Â
The sides were pretty bad as well. Â The kkak doo gee tasted like it was very old, and the dduk boo gee was tasteless and cooked too early. Â
All in all, i give it 2 stars and not 1 because, well, its all you can eat meat. I guess you can never go wrong with that. Â Oh yeah, the price went up by like 3 dollars. Â That stinks.
Someone has to step to the plate and give this place its due. Â For someone that lives by Korean bar b que from Seoul to Tokyo to anywhere, USA, this is the place where you should come in Chicago when you are paying for yourself (or your friends or even me, if you really want)!
Doesn't have squid? Â Who cares, grab some more Kalbi. Â
Ambiance is lame? Â Well, sorry, not everyone enjoys a sterilized Bennigan's for dinner. Â Ambiance is perfect for those who would enjoy dining at a side street in an off-the-beaten path neighborhood in Seoul. Â If you are the type that would eat in your Marriott hotel in Seoul, then this isn't for you.
The quality is phenomenal for the price, as the kim chee and side dishes are an excellent addition to the meat. Â It is not high end Seoul style bar-b-que with one beautiful Korean server for every 2 customers, but the real charcoal grills and the owner's attentiveness to your needs makes up for it.
I brought my godsister here for dinner for her 21st birthday. Â Originally, we had 12 people planned, when other guests arrived, it turned into 18. Â The service was great and they were immediately accommodating about the amount of people. Â
The ambiance was not great and almost not even ok to be honest. Â Both the inside and the outside were very run down, and you can tell it's been a while since they've redone the place. Â HOWEVER, the all you can eat Korean BBQ for 16.99 more than made up for the interior. Â
We grabbed all the different meats we wanted, galbi, chicken, seafood, shish kabobs, etc. and the servers helped us cut and grill everything. Â There were unlimited sides that were consistently being refilled and I will tell you, I left that place hardly being able to move. Â
This is really a 3.5 star review, and the only reason I rounded down was because the vents were a little backwards and the 0 degreed weather definitely seeped inside. Â
Overall:
Ambiance - less than to be desired
Service - great
Food quality - mediocre
Value - AWESOME!!!!
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