BIBIBOP Asian Grill — Restaurant in Carmel

Not authentic Korean food. Would highly recommend going somewhere else for authentic Korean food unless you are looking for "fast food Korean" done poorly with very small portions and way overcharged.

Positives: clean; fairly efficient operation; nice location (minus the very limited parking, see below), friendly staff (but needs much more training, and more thorough training on the basics of Korean cuisine to answer inquiries accurately).

Negatives: None or very limited parking availability, especially during peak hours; fairly non-authentic Korean food; 25% ~ 35% overpriced for what you get; first time I've ever been charged for kimchi with the exception of a Chinese-owned Korean restaurant (but you know that is the standard for Chinese restaurants); missing condiments and ingredients one would expect (no sesame oil in the chapchae/japchae); first time to ever been served chapchae without sesame seeds; spiciness level is way off (probably considered spicy for American restaurants, but certainly not spicy enough to be called "spicy" at an authentic Korean restaurant); newly hired staff were entirely unfamiliar with Korean cuisine or even the dish names; did not enjoy the cubes of spicy chicken while expecting thin strips instead; the staff overcharged me by incorrectly ringing up my order in two instances -- did not know previous to receiving the receipt that I was being charged for a tiny portion of kimchi and made a billing error that overcharged me for a beverage.

Disappointed with my carryout experience on multiple levels. My two trips here were both a bit slower transactions and more complicated than anticipated because of the new staff, and shocked to be unknowingly charged for kimchi at a Korean restaurant and disappointed in the tiny portion of kimchi offered (about 40% smaller than a typical banchan at authentic Korean restaurants around the world). Those things said, there is enormous room for growth and massive improvement, that could make this restaurant wildly successful with slight presentation changes, more attention to detail, and more thorough...

Placed my order online at 2:00 on Tuesday. The online info said it would be ready in about 10 minutes and to click on a link when you arrived. I pulled into curbside parking spot and clinked on the link to notify them that I was waiting. I waited 10 minutes and nobody came out with my food. I called the restaurant and pushed the number that their answering machine said would reach curbside. When that number rang, it was transferred to voicemail that said the mailbox was full. I waited another 5 minutes and called again. Voicemail again. I finally had to get out of my car. go inside and ask for my order. It seemed that nobody was specifically assigned to look over the curbside orders. I noticed one of the workers in the food prep area had his mask below his nose. A girl asked my name then went somewhere I couldn’t see. She came out pretty promptly and handed me my bag (did not keep social distance while doing so? It was my impression that my bag had been sitting somewhere for awhile.

Food was fine but nothing special. Prices were reasonable. This is basically an Asian version of Core Life (near Keystone Crossing) but not as good.

If they can’t have their act together in curbside at 2:00 in the afternoon, I can only imagine how bad it could be closer to the noon lunch hour. I...

All I can say is thank God the food was good!

I walked in and had to wait at the counter for several minutes. Finally a girl yelled “I’ll be right with you.” When she started take my order, I clearly said that I had never been here before. She was no help.

I asked for the noodles and spicy chicken. Her reply was, “I think I can do that.” I did not know why she was saying that. And then she asked me several questions that I could not understand because she was talking so fast with a mask on. I told her again I have never been here.

We finished the order, and she asked “Is this for here or to go?” I said “For here.” She sighed loudly and said “Just so you know we’re closing soon.” I looked at my phone and it was 8:31. I said “I can eat in less than 30 minutes.” She said “Well, we will be cleaning around you.” There were two tables of couples eating and talking.

At 8:39, while Jessica was cleaning, another customer walked in, and she clearly was disgusted that she had to go back to the counter and leave her cleaning job.

It was almost as if when 9:00 struck the four employees were going to walk out the door.

Hey Jessica, it’s 8:49. I have finished eating, and I have finished writing a post about you for Facebook,...