Jeju Kitchen — Restaurant in Carmel-by-the-Sea

😅😅😅A restaurant run with this level of sarcasm and disrespect isn't worth your time or money.

Reply to the owner’s response on Yelp (See Pic 4)

Reply to the owner’s response on Google Maps (See Pic 3)

The owner did not directly address the 4 concerns I raised in my original review, which only reinforced the unprofessionalism I experienced.

“Long-winded response.” → Dismissing valid feedback as excessive is unprofessional.

“Extra items have an associated cost.” → The issue isn’t about paying for extra items; it’s about transparency. The extra cost for side dish and tofu is NOT stated on the menu. If the charges weren’t clearly communicated, customers have a right to question them.

“Zero negative reviews aside from yours.” → Even if no one else has complained, that doesn’t invalidate a legitimate concern. A single complaint can still highlight a real issue.

“Menu clearly states 18% gratuity for incomplete checks.” → The policy was not clearly visible. It was written in small font, low-contrast color, and placed at the bottom, making it easy to overlook (See Pic 1). A truly clear policy needs to be prominent and readable.

“Refunding a tip over unexpected charges is unreasonable.” → Lack of pricing transparency makes it reasonable.

Original Review————————————— If you’re considering dining at Jeju Kitchen, be aware that unexpected charges and dismissive customer service can make for an unpleasant experience. The lack of transparency about extra fees and the way customer concerns are handled completely ruined the experience.

Key Issues to Be Aware Of:

1️⃣ Automatic 18% Gratuity Charge That Was Not Clearly Communicated

Even though the 18% gratuity charge for an “incomplete” bill is written on the menu, it is placed in a spot that customers can easily overlook. More importantly, the server did not inform me about this policy at any point during my visit, which should be a basic courtesy in any restaurant.

2️⃣ Extra Charges for Kimchi and Tofu Were Not Disclosed Beforehand

During my meal, I requested an extra side of kimchi, but at no point did the server mention that these additions cost extra. I was only made aware of these charges when I received the final bill. Good restaurant service should inform customers about additional charges upfront.

Additionally, as of the time I visited, and as of now, the menu does NOT state anywhere that adding kimchi or tofu will incur an extra charge (See pic 1 and 2). Instead of acknowledging this lack of transparency, the owner criticized me for not having the ‘common sense’ to assume that tofu and kimchi are not free. This approach feels insincere and unprofessional.

3️⃣ Unwillingness to Refund an Involuntary Tip

My request was for a refund of the gratuity that I did not voluntarily pay. I was not disputing the entire bill. Instead of addressing this concern professionally, I was met with defensive, dismissive responses from the owner.

4️⃣ Cold and Unprofessional Customer Service

When I reached out to discuss the unexpected charges, I was met with a dismissive and condescending attitude from the owner, who made it clear she had no interest in addressing my concerns. Instead of engaging in a reasonable discussion with understanding, she responded with: • “Your initial call was about the extra charge which as I explained is the auto gratuity added for the incomplete bill. And now you are trying to justify and redirect the argument to not being happy about your experience here.” • When I pointed out that I wasn’t informed of the extra kimchi and tofu charge, she dismissed it by saying: “Truly from a common sense aspect, there is zero lack of transparency.” • When I mentioned that I waited 15–20 minutes for my food, she responded: “Which is a straight lack of awareness. Your bill is stamped with the time of 2:55pm… so that definitely IS a peak time which I would know because I was here.” • She even compared my concern to someone expecting free guacamole at Chipotle: “Tofu and extra kimchi are not free. Just like adding guacamole at Chipotle...

I hate to be the one to complain but the service in this place has to be by far the worst i’ve ever seen and experienced. I Went with a group of 8 friends in total, after asking for a table and the lady in the front kept being unsure and telling us she couldn’t get us in but then she would switch up and say she could, anyways we waited but somehow we were the second to last table to be seated in the restaurant. it took maybe a little over an hour to even get seated but anyways we were hungry and wanted to try the food. Once we finally got seated we sat there and didn’t get a waiter or anyone to come offer us a drink or menu for at least 20 minutes, which was funny because after we got seated another table of 7 got seated next to us but somehow they got their drinks and orders done before us. I truly hate to play the victim game but i really think the reason we got treated this was was because of our age and the way we were dressed, we are all in our early 18-22 so we are somewhat young compared to the people there and also we had just came from the beach so our attire wasn’t the most professional. anywho service was just pathetic throughout the whole day, once we finally ordered our food and drinks I don’t think our server came to check on us once until he dropped off the food and appetizers for the whole table. food was alright, flavors were lacking and the chicken had no flavor but other than that the food did come out fresh so i will give them that. to go back to the whole waiter situation funny enough when we just sat down we actually heard 2 of the servers fighting for who would get our table which should’ve been our first sign we were gonna get this kind of service. Anyways when it came time to order the bill and they brought it back and said WE HAD TO PAY A MANDATORY 20% TIP, which i was furious about because even after the pathetic service I don’t think we had the need to tip our guy which name is ERNESTINO C, when he confronted me about not wanting to leave a tip i asked to talk to manager and instead of being understanding the manager sided with the poor customer service and basically told us the rules are the rules. you would expect a lot better from a manager no?. anyways i still ended up leaving the tip, which to begin tipping wasn’t the problem the problem was that we truly don’t believe any tip was deserved by the way we got treated and served. overall just a very sad and pathetic experience.

(PS to the waiters and people working there, if someone is gonna eat at the restaurant it’s obviously because they can afford to eat , pay and tip just like everyone else, don’t mistreat anyone just because of the...

We had a reservation for 5:00 PM and drove two hours to dine here, excited to try their most popular dishes. We arrived around 4:15 PM hoping to be seated a bit early. The staff initially told us they weren’t seating for dinner yet but could accommodate us in 15–20 minutes. We were seated at 4:30, which we appreciated, and asked to sit outside. We ordered the Korean Short Ribs and Creamy Miso Cacio E Pepe but shortly after, the waiter returned and informed us that the restaurant’s most popular dish the Creamy Miso—the reason we came—was sold out. That was very frustrating. When I asked why, he said it was due to the noodles. I then asked if it could be substituted, and while the chef agreed, the waiter made a comment like, "You're asking for a lot now," which left me unsure if he was joking or not—but it didn’t sit well. The food itself was good and flavorful but the dishes didn’t necessarily complement each other well. Service-wise, the waiter only checked on us once after our food came. Another frustrating part came after we left: around 6:30 PM, I got a notification that I was charged a late cancellation fee of $50, even though we clearly dined there. I tried calling the restaurant immediately, but couldn’t get through (they close at 8). I called the next day, spoke with staff, and was told the manager would follow up. Eventually, I got a text confirming that the fee would be refunded. Overall, while the food was enjoyable, the experience left much to be desired. There was little empathy from the staff, and no real apology for the issues we encountered. I’d recommend the food but not the...