KorBQ — Restaurant in District of Canberra Central

This place has gone significantly downhill since my last visit about a year ago and there wasn't a single redeeming factor about my experience last night. It was 7:30PM on a Saturday and the place was about 40% full. Firstly, we were handed paper menus that were absolutely filthy - limp and transparent with grease and covered in food stains. Despite not being particularly busy, having more than enough staff on hand and sitting next to the till, it took 15 minutes to flag a waiter down to order. Since my last visit, ventilation on a lot of the grill tables have been removed and within the 40 minutes it took for food to arrive, the restaurant filled up so thick with smoke that it was hard to breathe, despite only three small tables barbecuing. My partner's bibimbap was 80% rice and came with a mere teaspoon of meat that was mostly gristle, and three paper thin slices of mushroom. Meanwhile, I waited another 20 minutes on my pork bone soup, despite eyeing it languishing on the pass for 10 minutes before it was brought to me. By the time I got it, it was tepid. I shouldn't have bothered waiting because it was awful - it was watery and bland and mostly tasted like perilla seed powder with no hint of the usual aromatics like gochujang, garlic and fish sauce. Lastly, on my way out, I noticed the split level in the front of the restaurant which used to be a beautifully intimate dining area for a large group is now disorganised storage piled high with recycling. If I had paid proper attention to this as I walked in, I probably wouldn't have asked to be seated. I am so deeply disappointed because the food and service here used to be top notch but last night was so pathetic that I felt robbed of my hard earned cash and was embarrassed that I suggested coming here for dinner. If I had been asked a single time about my meal during the evening I would have had no hesitation to express this politely in person but I was left with no choice but to put this in writing here in the genuine hope that you will improve...

Went to the Westfield Belconnen branch of Korbq for lunch on a Sunday afternoon. Came in a group of 3 and we were keen to try it out as it was advertised as Charcoal BBQ, however this was not the case upon arrival. We decided to order 3 cuts of meat and some tiger prawns for bbq along with a seafood and tofu stew and some rice. The stew came out after an unreasonably long wait considering the amount of customers and that korean food is generally pretty quick. The stew was essentially boiled water had almost no flavour or thickness and there was maybe 3 or 4 small pieces of seafood within the soup. My friend spat out the clam as it was very overcooked and rubbery, ditto with the prawn. The rice came out after another five minutes, again strange considering rice should be one of the first and quickest items to prepare. About 30 minutes had passed and we had been heating up the grill since we came but it was painfully slow and was seeming to take an age to heat up. The raw meats finally came out (they just need to be sliced, not sure why it took so long) and we proceeded to chuck them straight onto the grill. However the grill at this point was still not hot enough despite being on the highest setting possible. The meat cooked painfully slowly, without any real heat or any sense of a sear or char. It was akin to microwaving the meat. We inquired as to why the heat was so little and were told it was to protect customers from burning the food, but this was so far in the other extreme as to make it almost useless as a grill. It reached a point where the food was taking so long to cook and the unappealing nature of the meal we left with all of the pork belly still on the grill, uneaten along with most of the stew. It was definitely the worst meal I have had in Canberra I will definitely not be coming back to this store. As we were leaving we noticed multiple other tables which had since departed but left much of their meals...

BE CAREFUL COCKROACHES!!!

I want to give 0 star if there is option.

I came to dine with my two kids at the KorBQ restaurant Civic branch. After dinner, I requested a take-away container, which the waiter brought from the kitchen. However, upon opening the container, we discovered a cockroach inside, moving quickly. My children and I immediately notified the waiter and waitress. However, instead of addressing the issue, they responded rudely, asking what we wanted.

I was shocked and in disbelief at their reaction. The waiter even went as far as to claim that finding a cockroach in a restaurant is normal, citing his experience in five different restaurants where he claimed they all had cockroaches. This lack of concern for hygiene and customer satisfaction was deeply distressing.

The waiter's response, including questioning if I was new to Canberra, left me feeling sick and shocked. It seemed as though encountering pests was a regular occurrence for him, with no regard for its seriousness. When I asked for the names of the five restaurants he worked at, he refused to disclose them, raising doubts about the truth of his claims.

I believe Canberra health authorities should conduct a hygiene check at this restaurant. I will never return and will make sure others are aware of the hygiene...