Went here with a large party last night. The service was very good, but the food was mediocre. We ordered the buffet, which is served family style, meaning they bring the food to your table and you pass it around. It isn't the typical get-up-and-serve-yourself buffet. I wasn't very pleased with the food; I've had better Korean dishes; some of the food was too salty and syrupy for my taste, so I certainly was a bit disappointed. Also, regardless of what some reviewers like to pretend, it IS overpriced. The two-meat meal buffet is about $16.50(+) a person and the three-meat meal buffet is $24+ a person. It really isn't worth the price, to be honest.
Also, the owner came out and was at our table for about 5-7 minutes, talking about upcoming restaurant events. I did not like this at all because we were there as a good-bye dinner for a friend, and he was in the middle of opening his farewell gifts and the owner just walked up, interrupted, and started advertising. It's one thing to come out and ask us how we liked the meal, but it was a completely different thing to stay there for a long time telling us about the restaurant and future events when we were clearly there for our friend. We did find that a bit annoying.
Anyway, the foods served in our buffet dinner are as follows (this is in a three-meat meal):
-First they bring out soup (a choice between egg drop or another spicy soup)
-There was a fried, triangular delicacy that tasted much like an egg roll.
-Vegetarian noodles
-Some sort of fish noodles
-Zucchini pancake slices
-Shaved watermelon
-A sweet chicken curry
-Sweet shaved beef curry
-A BBQ rib-type of meat (which was too grizzly in places)
-Huge bowl of rice
In all fairness, my husband loved this place.
Brought the fam bam here a couple of weeks ago on a Friday night. Â Place is kind of on the small side, but definitely in line with other Korean restaurants I've been to. Â Very cozy. Â The building itself looks like it is in the residential area. Â If you've gone to Korean bbq joints, this is not like those. Â If you've ever eaten Korean food in South Korea, this is not as good. Â If you've ever been to the other Korean restaurant in South Bend, this one is better. Â Bottom line up front: Â go here.
Since it was the first time my in-laws to try Korean food, I ordered the safest bet for them to actually like Korean food...Bulgogi..the most "American" Korean food. Â It's bbq beef, but it's not shredded beef with sauce all over the place (like you'd eat at the fair). Â It's thin strips of beef that have been marinated in a delicious sweet/savory sauce, then bbq'd. Unfortunately, these were not thin strips of beef. Â They were like thick ass beef jerky strips. Â No so good for me, but the in-laws loved it.
My wife had the Kimchi soup. Â Not so "food sharing" friendly, but everyone took a taste before she inhaled it. Â It was super hot and medium spicy. Terrific for the cold night. Â Again, in-laws happy.
I was kind of bummed that they didn't have all of the little appetizer/side dishes that are served before your main meal (they come with the meal for free). Â We got three of the five. Â I ordered a side of kimchi to supplement. Â It was good and spicy and had just a hint of stank. Â If you've every been around really "fresh" kimchi that is ready to be eaten, you know what I'm talking about.
If you are expecting "all you can eat, cook your own meat korean bbq", this is not it (although Honey Pig is heavenly). Â If you are expecting meat on a stick or a slaw dog served on the streets of TDC (I'm talking to you, fellow vets who served at Camp Casey), this ain't it either. Â This is a great little restaurant that actually makes you feel like you are not surrounded by the Bob Evan's Roadhouse Applebee Garden.
Support your smaller restaurants that are different from the chains. Â And be like my in-laws and get out of your comfort zones...the bulgogi will do you right.
Always fantastic. I've yet to find any dish here that is not top of the line. I love the atmosphere and intimacy of Sunny's. One of my favorite spots in South Bend/Mishawaka to eat. I go there at least once a month. We always get the kimchi when we come here, and it's never disappointing.
Review Source:I can't believe why people do not like this place? It is one of the best dining experiences I have had in South Bend since I moved here this year. Many people seems to complain about the place itself, which is weird, because what do you expect when you walk inside a Korean restaurant? You expect AUTHENTIC korean food and that's exactly what you will get at Sunny's Garden.
If you want colourful, American, modern looking place with fatty food then go to Buffalo Wild WIngs, TGIF or Panda Express, why bother going to this place and complain that the restaurant is not usual?
I love that the restaurant have outdoor sitting, which is sad because they were FORCED to cut down the tree in their garden for some electricity project in the neighborhood so now the outdoor sitting area is very sunny. But the inside is quite spacious and have tables for big parties.
THE FOOD: absolutely delicious, very authentic and you can ask the owner about anything comes to mind from "where does my meat comes from", "what is this vegetable and why is it taste like this", "what do people eat in Korea everyday?" or whatever you want to ask and Sunny, the owner, will answer you with enthusiasm. She's very nice and such a good chef.
 I really think Sunny's Garden deserves much more attention than it does. People in this city seems to worship sparkling restaurants with waitresses who put up fake smiles and always rant about their tips other than cozy, authentic oriental restaurant like this one. The restaurant has been in business for 20 years with mostly reputation because it's in such a hidden place, just so you know how many loyal customers they have who don't know that they can go to Yelp to write down some great review about it. Come there and experience it yourself, you won't be disappointed.
I repulse these haters who don't mind paying $15 for a meal at Chili's (or any other of these teen restaurants that you can find on any street corner) but who come here and complain that restaurants like Sunny Garden are overpriced.
If everyone in town prefers to eat fat fast food or to go to one of the regular boring places, the smaller restaurants have to find a way to survive. And can you think of a more reasonable way than to increase the price by a few dollars? I can't.
Despite that, I would say the price of the food at Sunny's garden is quite reasonable when you consider the size of the portions. Also, I personally prefer paying the extra couple of dollars to eat in a quiet and welcoming place than to eat in a restaurant that sounds more like a night club as do most.
Take the time to have a chat with Sunny when you stop by, she is the nicest lady and will do her best to explain anything you want to know about the food or anything else. Where else can you talk to the chef herself and learn about the culture behind the dish and the ingredients? At Buffalo Wild Wings they never explained to me where the chicken came from.
Sunny's food is fresh, never precooked, very tasty (try the beef bulgogi) and as I said before, the best thing there is Sunny herself. I just wish the average person around here would enjoy these small places more, that way they would be able to continue doing business.
This is indeed off the beaten path in the South Bend/Mishawaka area. I know the area pretty well having explored the town while bored after school during college or traveling around for work but if I was asked to come here again, I wouldn't even be able to recall what direction. Mapquest screws with you so that's not an option. The food here is totally average but awesome judging from the rest of the town and when compared to that other korean place by barnes and noble on grape. I thought the panchan was average. It's in a tiny space and feels kinda kitschy. We came during lunch so we were about the only people in the place besides one other diner. Their short ribs was pretty good I'll give them that. All at reasonable prices. I'd maybe go out of my way for this place if I lived here, but I wouldn't if I'm just visiting.
Review Source:Long before Seoul Garden opened up in South Bend, the only Korean restaurant was Sunny's in Mishawaka. Â They have outdoor seating, which is really nice during the warmer days. Â Now, be warned - this is not your typical Korean food. Â If you visited LA, ATL, CHI, NJ, NYC - comparing Korean food these areas to Sunny's... well, its like comparing Apple's to Oranges. Â
Whenever I'm in South Bend visiting my former boss, we always end up here. Â Its not busy and its out of the way from major streets. Â Their chopchae is okay, soontofu is okay as well. Â Some of the dishes they have do not add up to what you would consider a 'Korean Dish', it may look like it, but the taste is different.
The owner is nice, she will come out of the kitchen and greet you and see how the food is. Â I always say, don't judge a book by its cover, so its worth trying at least once.
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