Mama's Restaurant Korean BBQ — Restaurant in Bloomington

I truly enjoyed my time at this place. While the BBQ tables come at a premium, I believe the experience is well worth the cost for several reasons.

Having spent considerable time in Asia for work, I can attest that this restaurant offers an authentic Asian dining experience. The food itself is genuine enough, definitely suitable for the average American palate, but it’s the overall dining experience that really stands out.

In the U.S., most restaurants prioritize a quick turnover, delivering fully prepared meals designed to be consumed quickly. Diners are often nudged to finish up and leave, making way for the next paying guests.

In contrast, many Southeast Asian cultures embrace a slower dining pace, often spending two or more hours at the table. Here, groups gather around a hot pot or Asian-style BBQ - actively cooking their meal together. This involvement keeps everyone engaged and drastically reduces the temptation to check their phones. As a result, meaningful conversations flow naturally.

If you’re looking to connect with co-workers or share a smile with family, I highly recommend this style of dining. It offers a rare opportunity to step away from the fast-paced norm and enjoy a genuine,...

Only giving two stars instead of one since my family was happy. Went to have the barbeque experience with my family and explained that I'm a pescatatrian, they still refused to sub one meat for shrimp because they have a no sub policy. This is not because shrimp is more expensive. They had shrimp in other combos with squid and steak. But who wants squid exactly?

Very disappointed they couldn't make an exception or even offer a compromised upcharge. This is not a corporate chain where exceptions come from the top down.

This is just a man or woman in the back saying no and making no exceptions for dietary restrictions. Lost any future business from me in the near future (I'm sure my family will want to go back sometime) and left me feeling bad with poor hospitality.

I'm generally not into the idea of leaving a local business a bad review, but this was unacceptable, especially as their pricing is already too high to begin with.

Further, this was two days before Christmas as our nice dinner out for the holidays... 👎

In retrospect we should have just got a la carte bbq items instead of the combo. But we went there with that mindset since the combos are enough to feed a...

I ordered the Full Dinner Bulgolgi for $17.99. The "bulgolgi" refers to marinated and grilled ribeye strips (so delicious). The "full dinner" means they also bring soup and the eight small sides (which they offer to refill). The soup is very rich and spicy with beef and tofu and jalapenos in a miso paste broth. The meat and soup are both excellent, but the sides are an adventure all to themselves. The little white dishes hold a range of surprises from some gelatinous thing in a sesame sauce, to tuna macaroni salad I swear just like my grandma made, to some spicy kimchi that will clear your sinuses. There's also these amazing roasted potatoes in a sweet syrup, and a very loose and creamy cabbage/carrot/zucchini slaw. I think my favorite was the sticky noodles with peanuts. The massive variety of tastes and heat and texture at my table right now is simply glorious. I'm not very familiar with Korean cuisine, but I came here tonight hoping for a delicious escape. I am not...