Guhng The Palace — Restaurant in Melbourne

Saw this spot ranked #1 on TimeOut and decided to give it a go, even though I already have a few favourite KBBQ joints in Melbourne.

I can definitely see why the reviews are so high — the dining experience caters more toward a Western audience, with the meat cooked by staff at your table rather than by yourself. The atmosphere was lively, with lots of groups enjoying drinks, so the vibe is definitely there.

That said, the experience does have its trade-offs. As other reviews mentioned, there’s a bit of an issue when one person is managing the grill and the side refills — it led to a few pieces of overcooked or even burnt meat at our table. Our server was friendly and attentive overall, though there were a few hiccups with missed orders. They made up for it with complimentary rice, which we appreciated.

In terms of the food — I’d call it average overall. We tried nearly every meat option, and nothing really stood out. The pork belly was probably the best of the bunch — and also the cheapest cut. The Korean fried chicken was juicy but the batter lacked strong flavour and felt a bit underwhelming.

The sides were a mixed bag: • Japchae was a highlight – a bit sweet but cooked beautifully. • Kimchi pancake was my personal favourite. • Corn cheese was basic but decent. • Kimchi stew was described as mediocre by one of our group. • Sides were fine overall, though I didn’t love the lettuce wraps or the gochujang — the sauce lacked that thick, rich flavour I’m used to.

I can understand why it’s a hit with certain crowds, especially with the service-focused dining style and Western appeal. However, I didn’t see many locals dining in, which might say something about how it compares to more traditional KBBQ joints.

One big plus: the floor manager (or owner) was incredibly polite and made us feel welcome. You can tell he genuinely care about hospitality.

Overall, it was a good experience — but for me, the food didn’t quite live up...

A lovely hidden KBBQ spot in the city offering premium meats & an unforgettable experience. Not only was the food amazing in quantity and quality, but the service was top notch. They have quite a lot of seating, and menu options offering sets for both small and large groups. Every member of staff were so friendly, considerate and made the experience so lovely. The food was definitely top on our list in terms of KBBQ and you MUST try their Wagyu Cube Roll and Marinated Beef Ribs and Pancakes!

🥩 Wagyu cube roll ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 One of their recommended meats and for good reason. So tender and soft, cooked to perfection. Definitely recommend trying it first with salt to really taste the quality.

🥩 Marinated Beef Ribs ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Beef had absorbed all the delicious flavours of the marinade. So soft and tender. Slight smoky flavour from the charcoal. Honestly one of my favourites.

🥩 Ox tongue ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 So thin, some were crispy, some were soft and melt-in-your-mouth. I don’t usually see ox tongue offered on other KBBQ places so was glad to see this one does!

🥦 Veggie BQQ platter ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 A fresh variety of vegetables, this is the best vege platter i’ve seen offered at KBBQ. ualitt snd quality was worth it for the price. Did not skimp like other places would 👍🏻

🍜 Cold noodles ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Nice and refreshing. noodles were chewy, toppings were fresh. Not too little toppings too.

🥞 Buchu (chive) pancake ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 oh my gosh. Soooo crispy. Words cannot describe the crunch when I bit into a piece. Definitely one of our favourite non-meat dishes here.

🍲 Seafood tofu stew ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 topped with an egg, filled with tofu and seafood. Not as spicy as other places but overall a lovely finish to our meal. It also comes with rice...

Went back for the first time in 3,4 years. I couldn’t remember exactly why it took me so long to return at this one of the nicest looking decor and architecture Korean restaurant in Melbourne that I know. But as the first dish came out I immediately realised I will not be coming back to Guhng for another 3,4 years or ever if I’m being completely honest. We have ordered - Vegetarian Japche, mushroom bibimbap, cold noodle soup, vegetarian soy bean soup. Knowing how Korean food is well known vegetarian/ vegan friendly we were all pretty excited to try out the cuisine but it didn’t take 2,3 but at the first dish to realize why this restaurant is not going to be on my recommend list. Vegetarian Japche was dry and had no flavour. Rather blend. Mushroom biblbap chilli sauce was overpoweringly spicy although we had only used half the amount so I couldn’t imagine any non Koreans who aren’t customs to the level of spiciness would appreciate the flavour. Cold noodle wasn’t terrible but it was definitely below average compared to millions of Korean restaurants that exist in Melbourne. And the highlight was the soy bean soup where all of us had to pour in water because it was pretty much drinking salt water.

I suppose the only thing that saved me from giving out one star for my experience was the customer service. They were very friendly and every floor staff were accommodating. Plus price was at cheap...