Oppa Korean BBQ Kaisaniemi — Restaurant in Helsinki sub-region

One of the worst experiences in the recent few years, unfortunately. The most ridiculous part was that we were asked to leave because of other guests waiting even though we hadn't even been served the dessert. But let's start from the beginning:

We had a reservation for Saturday evening 18:15, arrived on time and had to wait in a queue outside the restaurant. Once we were inside and greeted, a slightly fuzzy member of staff told us our table was not yet ready and it would still take 5-10 minutes, because "people are just not leaving". After spending a few minutes in the aisle, clearly in the way of some waiters, we found space in the designated waiting area, which was also quite crowded. One by one, other groups were guided to their tables.

We oversaw how one of the waiters had two tables to clean and set up, she placed new plates and utensils on one of them (still dirty), cleaned the other table, moved the plates and utensils, and then told us after 25 minutes waiting that our table was ready. One of us asked to have the utensils changed because they had been on the dirty table... The waiter changed them but then quite obviously was distressed and asked a colleague to take care of our table by pointing fingers.

It took several minutes until all the busy staff was able to also bring water, glasses and take our order. We wanted to ask about the different options (sets of ingredients one can choose from ranging from 29-69 EUR per person) just to be informed that the waiter was on his second day and couldn't tell much. Now it's fine to be a bit nervous on one's second day, I have all the understanding for that, but I do not get why the restaurant would not train their staff so that they can explain the menu even on day 1.

Our drinks order was mixed up, and when we finally had two beers and two soju-based drinks served, the latter tasted rather badly mixed. The tables are a bit small for all the stuff they serve in many little bowls so that everyone constantly needs to reach across other people's plates. Luckily one of us had done Korean bbq in Korea so that we knew how this is traditionally supposed to be eaten, since the staff didn't tell us. The food quality for the price as such is fine, we were wondering a bit though that all the foreign experience coming from sauces, spices, kimchi etc. was very limited. The rice amount we had was tiny.

As said in the beginning, the most ridiculous part was that as soon as our table was cleared, a staff member came and asked if we could leave because other people are waiting. We were obviously confused and said we didn't have dessert yet, promptly even two waiters came to bring us dessert!? It's simply bad that we started our dinner almost 30 minutes late because of their non-working system and then they want to see us leave right when their seemingly 2 hours assigned per table are over.

It only underlined our bad experience that a couple was seated next to us to overhear one of them say they clearly requested a window table. When they saw the menu and asked if it was possible to select specific kinds of meats instead of a set selection and the waiter said no, one of them explained they are in fact Korean and this is not how it is originally done. They left.

What we took with us, apart from a disappointing experience, was a strong...

TERRIBLE SERVICE, severely understaffed, I do not recommend. One of the employees accused us of lying about having a dinner reservation. We had to pull up the email confirmation for her to believe us. We came a few minutes before our reservation and all tables were full. They hadn't reserved any table for us. The employee didn't apologize and just glared at us as if she hoped we would leave.

We sat in a waiting area and the waitress gave us no estimate on when a table would be ready. They could have at least offered to take our drink order while we waited. After 10-15 mins, no one came to check on us, so I flagged down a waitress and asked her to take our drink orders, which she did angrily. Beers and ciders didn't arrive for another 20+ mins. It was my friend's birthday and we were hoping to treat her to a nice experience.

After 20 minutes of waiting and asking about the status of our table, we got a table. They squeezed 5 of us into a booth meant for 4. The ventilation in the restaurant isn't good so it's very hot and humid. They took a long time to take our order and bring the ingredients, they also got our drink order wrong. The food itself was alright. The vegan set was very salty.

Dessert is included in the menu, but they forgot to bring it. A bit before closing time the waiter came to tell us they're closing. Then a few minutes later he came and was trying to hurry us up. We asked if we can have the dessert we were paying for, and they hurriedly brought it out and then tried to shoo us out quickly.

Overall, Korean BBQ is fun but the service at this place was very bad and basically ruins the experience. They obviously don't employ enough staff to deal with the demand and as a result are all running around without any regard for reservations or customer service. It seems they are just trying to get people's money. Go somewhere else. I hope the restaurant will see this and take it as...

All Bark and Barely a Bite: A Review of Oppa

Let's get this sizzling disappointment out of the way. Oppa, a place that boasts "endless Korean BBQ" turned out to be more like an endurance test of an empty stomach. We arrived famished, ready to conquer a mountain of meats and banchan. The menu promised a glorious experience, a carnivore's paradise. But what arrived at our table was a meager portion that wouldn't satisfy a hamster, let alone a hungry human. Each serving of meat was a joke - a single, lonely strip of bulgogi here, a few wisps of kalbi there. It felt like they were counting each piece out with a jeweler's eye. The banchan, usually a vibrant and ever-refilling parade of pickled delights, was equally sparse. A dollop of kimchi, a thimbleful of mushrooms- that was it. We resorted to rationing the meager portions like castaways on a deserted island. The worst part? By the time the next plate arrived, our initial excitement had curdled into frustration. Waving down servers became a full-time job, and even then, their response was lackadaisical at best. This place is a false prophet of Korean BBQ, promising a feast and delivering a single, overpriced appetizer. Unless you enjoy staring longingly at an empty grill and feeling your wallet weep, avoid Oppa like day-old kimchi. There are plenty of other Korean BBQ restaurants in town that understand the true meaning of all-you-can-eat, and won't leave you feeling like you just paid for an...