Kogi Korean Cuisine — Restaurant in England

Ruined birthday, shocking service, total lack of control

We came here for my girlfriend’s birthday with a few friends. Unfortunately, the entire evening was a disaster.

First of all, the place was completely empty — always a bad sign. Still, we gave it a chance. After sitting down, we waited far too long to be served. The staff were cold and distant — not rude, but not welcoming either.

We ordered the Korean BBQ. No explanation was given on how to use the grill — they just left it on, and it quickly began smoking heavily, filling the room with smoke and leaving the whole place foggy. No staff came to check in or help, and it felt like we were left to figure everything out on our own.

The food took forever, and when it finally came, it was tiny portions for the price. Raw meat was dropped in front of us on shared plates, touching our cutlery and the eating area, which is completely unhygienic. It was a mess — badly handled and not thought through at all.

Then came the worst part. A drunk, aggressive man walked in to pick up a takeaway, and decided to sit at a table near ours and start shouting abuse at us, insulting us one by one. He even spat at one point. The staff made no serious effort to remove him. I watched them talk to him quietly while he was screaming at them — completely ineffective. He stayed there for nearly two hours, harassing everyone and ruining the entire evening.

In the end, we had to step in to get him out, because the management was absolutely useless. It was dangerous, and it should have never been allowed to go that far.

To top it all off, after this disaster of a night, they gave us the bill — no apology, no discount, nothing — and then had the audacity to ask us to select a tip of 10%, 15%, 20%, or 30%.

This place is a joke. Disorganised, unhygienic, and completely incapable of handling customers or basic safety. A ruined birthday and an infuriating experience. Avoid...

Worst restaurant ever. How can you give a portion for one person to two people? My order was ignored, and now I realized this is because they wanted to split the dish for one person for two since my friend ordered the same dish. They should respect customers decisions because of allergies and health issues. I wouldn't come here if you are looking for a restaurant to be considerate of your health needs and dietary requirements. Discrimination against non-Asians is obvious. More attention is given to them as well as larger portions. My experiences with my non-Asian friends was awful, yet when I went with my Korean friends the service was a lot better. This is just unacceptable. The workers don't even speak basic English properly either so it is difficult to communicate. Sometimes I wonder if this is England or Korea. Train your employees, lower your prices a little bit more for all the food and drinks since I paid £8 for 8 pieces of 떡 for the 떡볶이, which is what the restaurant sneakily halved between me and a friend - not reasonable at all. And increase your portions. Waiting 40 minutes - 1 hour for food is ridiculous too. Shorten the waiting time please. The food is delicious, but don't cheat your customers for that extra £££. I have been to this restaurant 4 times, each time hoping for a difference. Always let down. Hopefully this review is read and...

terrible experience. Me and my partner spent a lot of money, but we got an experience that was truly dreadful from start to finish.

The prices were ridiculously high, especially considering the quality of food and the overall ambiance. The most concerning issue was the food itself, the vegetables in our both rice were clearly spoiled and had a foul, unpleasant smell. It was incredibly off-putting and made the whole meal unbearable.

To make matters worse, the owner was incredibly rude and pushy. Before we had even properly finished, he practically presented the bill (and started clearing plates), making it abundantly clear he wanted us gone. We felt totally rushed and unwelcome, which utterly ruined what was supposed to be a nice family outing.

Honestly, if you're after a decent Asian meal in Brighton, you'd be far better off checking out one of the nearby Japanese restaurants instead. They offer much better value for money and a far more enjoyable vibe.

This was, without a shadow of a doubt, the worst dining experience me and my family had in a long time here in Brighton. Save your money and your good mood, and...