Crazy Kims — Restaurant in Berlin

We came to Crazy Kims for dinner, lured by the positive reviews, but ended up leaving the restaurant very disheartened.

Although the flavors of the food do taste like actual korean cuisine (something difficult to find in Berlin), 30€ for a closed menu with few banchan (korean pickled entrées, usually free… 🙄) and a small main dish and cold soup is not the kind of experience we were looking for.

We waited 25 minutes for someone to take note of our order. Our food came 40min after, so in total we waited for an hour to eat pickled entrees, cold soup and a very small portion of bibimbap (don’t be fooled by the gigantic bowl it’s served in. Also, for a 15€ bibimbap… is not even served on a hot stone bowl, or has any signs of nurungji. And again, the food was cold, so it had probably been sitting on the counter for a long while).

This is a bit disappointing. And makes no sense considering most of these dishes are prepared beforehand.

Also, people that had arrived later, had their food served before us. When we were 40 minutes into waiting, we looked at the owner concerned, she quickly went into the kitchen, laughed, and brought us our cold food. Not one single apology was given.

If you are korean yourself, or enjoy korean food culture, all of this will probably make no sense to you.

The flavors were good, but overall, this is not an acceptable experience for the price paid. The place seems to be popular amongst wealthy hipsters, so obviously this formula is working for them.

As a summary: expensive banchan, small portions, absurd waiting time, VERY expensive drinks, noisy environment and at least, tasty flavours.

Unfortunately, I can’t recommend this place… 😓

EDIT: Wow… I am afraid you are mistaking us for other costumers… as we didn’t change seats at all, first off. We simply don’t feel like waiting 1h for cold soup, bibimbap and cold pork, and paying a 70€ bill for this experience, so obviously we won’t come back.

Furthermore, we didn’t even complain to you at the restaurant or bother you, we just stood there, trying to make eye contact with the staff, being polite and hoping to finally get our food after the hour… (I guess that’s being picky here.)

The prices fit perfectly within our range, don’t worry, it’s the value for money we’re not happy with. I apologize if saying charging for banchan is not authentic “korean restaurant culture” offended you, it wasn’t my intention. Nevertheless, this response to a valid review from an actual client who’s raising some very valid concerns about their experiences at your business, seems very unprofessional. As unprofessional as giggling around with some costumers, while others wait for an hour for their food.

I wish that instead of this super weird answer, you would have just, barely apologized that day after having us wait for an hour for food that had been sitting on the counter for a while… but alas, that didn’t happen. You too have a good...

I visited this place with my girlfriend, hoping for an enjoyable dining experience. Unfortunately, our visit was marred by mediocre food, high prices, and abysmal service. The overall atmosphere was further dampened by the perceived racism and rude behavior we encountered.

Firstly, let's address the quality of the food. To put it simply, it was underwhelming. The dishes lacked the authentic flavors we were expecting from a Korean restaurant. The taste was bland, and the presentation was unremarkable. Considering the reputation of Korean cuisine, we had higher expectations and were disappointed by the lackluster offerings.

Additionally, the prices were significantly higher than what we would have expected for the quality of food we received. The menu prices did not align with the taste or portion sizes. It felt like we were paying a premium for a subpar dining experience, which left us feeling dissatisfied and ripped off.

The service we encountered during our visit was nothing short of appalling. From the moment we entered, we sensed an unwelcoming atmosphere. The staff, particularly a woman who served us, displayed rude behavior and an apparent lack of respect towards us. Not only did she interrupt my girlfriend while she was ordering, but her comments were often snide and dismissive. This continuous interruption and condescension ruined our dining experience and made us feel uncomfortable.

Furthermore, we couldn't ignore the potential racial bias we felt during our visit. The comment asking if we were sure about sitting there and looking at the menu and prices beforehand, coupled with the woman's rude behavior, gave us the impression that we were being treated differently due to my ethnicity. Such treatment is unacceptable, and it tainted the entire experience.

In conclusion, our visit to this Korean restaurant was a disappointment on multiple fronts. The mediocre food, inflated prices, and exceptionally poor service overshadowed any positive aspects that the establishment might have had. The perceived racism and consistent rudeness we encountered further exacerbated our dissatisfaction. Sadly, we cannot recommend this restaurant to others, as there are undoubtedly better options available that offer superior food, fair pricing, and...

To cut it short - we had an amazing experience with Crazy Kims! Apart of the excellent food, the service at the restaurant was remarkably thought of.

When we arrived without a booking, it seemed that all of the tables outside were reserved, however, the team has let us sit there as we needed only an hour, which was enough before the next guests were supposed to arrive - in most of other Berlin places they would never let anyone do it.

We were served quickly, and had a great opportunity to try nearly every banchan the restaurant makes. Within two menus for the fixed price of 30€, apart from the rice and the soup, 10 various banchans were provided, everything tasting homemade and hearty. (Also, it is a great possibly to be inspired if you are keen on trying to cook similar stuff at home.)

When we have finished our dinner, the time was about when restaurant's team was having theirs. Surprisingly, we were lucky to try it as well - they had given us a small plate of their tteokbokki casserole they were sharing with each other, and this particular moment had melted my heart. It is very pleasant to feel like you are treated as a super valuable guest, when the staff is really concerned how much Korean food you would try at their place, and how much of their food culture you would absorb after the visit.

Thank...