Wabi-Q AYCE KBBQ & HOT POT — Restaurant in Bolingbrook

Have come here plenty of times in the past and everything has been great but this most recent time last Wednesday the 22nd, killed it for me. Went for lunch with a few coworkers of mine and discussed the menu circled where we wanted and then ordered drinks. All but one of us ordered Boba drinks, but we’re told by our server (really young guy with longer hair) that the tapioca itself was not ready since they just opened and would be about an hour. We said we don’t mind waiting just give us water in a meantime and one of us ordered a sprite. I’ve graduated from JJC with an associates degree in culinary arts and since graduating I’ve been working in the restaurant industry so I made a few simple common sense observations. They opened at noon why would you not have everything ready by noon? It’s called prep work. What you should do is have a physical notice that’s non verbal in your menu if that’s the case. From any customers point of view if they order anything and there’s no sign or anything in the menu that says they don’t have part of what they ordered they’re expecting what they ordered. So we wait a full hour goes by and still nothing. We’ve already had our first round of food by this point so we circle round two and then it gets delivered to our table and still no drinks. One of my coworkers didn’t get his sprite he ordered which he had to speak up multiple times just to get, and it wasn’t even delivered until the first boba drink which was an hour and 45 minutes later and that one he forgot the boba so we had to wait for another one our server said “he forgot” but brought us a correctly made one. The remaining Boba drinks didn’t come till 20 minutes after that so the majority of us waited two hours for drinks. The food was good as always, but the service this time was just horrible. Our server definitely was not present mentally that is for sure. If I’m back it will be a long time...

I made a reservation to celebrate my partners b-day there. To say I was disappointed is to say nothing. I was embarrassed. We called people in for celebration, they came in all dressed up and the table was served with the cheap small plastic forks and red party plastic cups. What a shame. The menus and table were all greasy when we arrived, served never pickup any napkins or dirty plates from our big table. We had to do it by ourselves leaving them on a tray next to the table. I guess our server couldn’t carry less since her tip was already included in a bill since we had a big party. She only stopped by 2 times to ask if we want to order more. Not caring about the cleanliness off the table, or ever offered any water refill. I had to apologize to our guest for choosing this place because it was awful. Food was plain, very greasy, and did not taste fresh, also we were never offered to change the grill for the whole 3 hrs. Only after we asked her- wasn’t the grill supposed to be cleaned (in the end of our meal) she said- oh yes, and brought us some olive oil?!!?!?! So if your meat sticks to the grill you just add more oil to it, instead of getting a clean grill. Since my partner was celebrating his b-day we asked for a b-day cake, server said they don’t do it, instead she asked him to present him his ID so she could check the date for him to receive some kind of discount. We didn’t ask for discount, we asked for the piece of cake! That was very awkward, that he had to prove that he was not lying and still not getting a b-day cake. We’re grown adults, not some group of teenagers trying to get into a bar so she had to check out ID in front of everybody. Shocked this place is getting 5 stars, probably fake reviews or people who doesn’t know how good service or tasty...

I have been here a couple times before they had the overhaul with a switch in management, and here are the things that stuck out to me as a result from that. Out of all the Korean BBQ's I have been to this place would be my #1 due to pricing and quality, as well as personal convenience in location. (It was a 20 min drive which isn't bad at all!)

Meats are higher quality than one would expect from the $30.00 price point if you got the Barbeque option, with a drastic improvement in the marinade leading to better tasting food.

They have drastically improved their Sauce Bar, with a few more options such as being able to bring your own kimchi or Jangajji to help cleanse your palate and grease from the food.

They have a new deal where if you come on a weekday during lunchtime / before 2:30, the price goes from $30.00 to $18.99 but Dinner menu items are not available. I highly recommend trying out this deal for first timers, as there are only 3 Dinner Only options, so you won't be missing out on much.

The increase in staff helps in cleaning the amount of used plates covering your table, as well as not having to wait as long in order to give your order, as well as receive the food that you want.

While I have had the hotpot multiple times, I have yet to try every menu item or broths to recommend them yet (besides the spicy broth that one was really nice), but many options from the BBQ are very enjoyable. The Spicy Pork Belly as well as the Marinated beefs were my personal favorites.

If you are someone that has never been to a Korean BBQ, this is a very authentic experience and better than some of the ones I have had when I lived in Asia, and staff will be more than happy to give you the rundown if It is your first time as well as give out...