Ari Korean BBQ — Restaurant in Carrollton

I wasn’t going to leave a review since my brother recently left one, but I feel it’s important to share my experience. This was the first time in my dining history that I felt truly uncomfortable due to poor service.

At first, everything was fine. The server greeted us, asked if we had been there before, took our drink orders, and gave us time to decide. He even made a joke about root beer, which I played along with. However, when I politely asked, ‘Is it cool if we cook for ourselves?’ his demeanor subtly changed. He initially responded politely, so we didn’t think much of it, but looking back, it seemed to offend him. While I don’t feel obligated to explain why we wanted to cook for ourselves, management should consider that some customers may feel more comfortable doing so.

After that, service declined significantly. For 20–30 minutes, no one checked on us. At first, I assumed our server was giving us space, but it’s basic service etiquette to check on guests, offer refills, and see if they need anything else. Despite empty water bottles, side dishes, and drinks, no one asked if we wanted refills. We had intended to order more meat but couldn’t because no one came by to take additional orders.

When Alex finally returned, it was only to make a passive-aggressive comment: ‘Hey, I heard you guys broke the grill!’ At the time, my cousin and I thought he was joking, but in hindsight, it seemed pointed. When I asked, ‘Does this happen often?’ he replied, ‘With you, yeah. Us? No.’—which caught us off guard.

Even after that interaction, service did not improve. We placed our empty water bottles at the table’s edge to make it clear that we needed refills, yet no one came. It felt like we were overlooked, and the staff seemed aware but made no effort to improve the experience. When we left, the hosts at the front didn’t acknowledge us or say something along the lines of thank you for coming or have a good night, reinforcing the overall poor service experience.

I’m not sure if Alex assumed that us cooking for ourselves meant we wouldn’t tip or if our age played a role in the lack of service. Ironically, we thought we were helping by taking some of the workload off since it was a busy Saturday night. Regardless of the reason, this level of service is unprofessional. It reflects poorly on both the staff and management—how can you hire someone who doesn’t respect the customers who contribute to their paycheck?

I’m not here to argue that ‘the customer is always right,’ but I do believe every guest deserves basic respect. If cooking for myself is frowned upon, I would have appreciated clear communication instead of passive-aggressive treatment. I still tipped 15% on a $200 tab, but I left disappointed. If you find yourself with Alex as your server, you may want to consider requesting...

've been to this restaurant twice and loved it both times. The first time I came it was with a friend who is very familiar with Korean BBQ so she helped us make great food recommendations, told us what food to eat together and she cooked the meats for us. I loved the salad and soup that we were served - absolutely delicious! We ordered the pork belly which was separate and just okay. I am a big fan of pork belly, but probably wouldn't order it again. They give you unlimited cheese corn, egg and sides for the meal. I don't eat cheese corn, but my friends told me it was very good. I enjoyed the eggs with the sticky rice and meats. They also give you four different kind of sauces to try so you're bound to find something that suits your fancy.

The second time I went it was with another couple, who had never been to a Korean BBQ before, so I let the waiters explain how everything worked. There were three servers who rotated coming back and making sure the meat was cooked perfectly. Lee, Joon and Jenny were both very friendly and provided great recommendations. Because there were 4 of us we decided to do the beef and pork combo and it was amazing! Plenty of food for the 4 of us, especially when you consider the sides and salad. Oh, and because the sides are unlimited, they will let you take any leftovers home, which I think is also a great plus.

So, a few tips - #1 Make a reservation. This place gets SUPER packed and you can wait 30-45 mins for a table during peak times. Open Table told me a table wasn't available during the time I wanted so I emailed them and they responded quickly and reserved our table. #2 (and why they only got 4 stars) The servers won't bring alcoholic beverages to your table. There is a lounge upstairs which is very cozy (I recommend you try it) and it has AMAZING drinks! Yuri and Christian put it down up there, but if you want another drink once you start eating you have to go back up to the lounge to get it. If you're in cute heels, make sure you use the handrail to balance yourself as you walk downstairs with your drink. I really wish I could have given 4.5 stars but, alas, Google hasn't figured...

Ordered spicy pork belly lunch combo with kimchi stew. The dish is marinated pork belly, comes with rice, lots of side dishes. The quality of the side dishes was great! The kimchi stew was amazing and I actually finished it before I finished the meat. They served tea by the container and they keep the container at your table so you can refill your own drinks rather than wait for someone to do it for you. My waiter was attentive and helpful.

Edit July 2025: I revisited for dinner, 7 years later. I removed 2 stars. I did a mixed beef & pork combo. The kimchi stew was literally only broth & kimchi, random pork bits. Seemed skimpy. It was not at all what I remember and was very disappointed. No barley tea this time.

The banchans, specifically the kimchi was RANCID and old. The banchans are sitting out in a tray by your table long before you even get there. It's kinda gross. I understand it's for efficiency but ew. I don't know if it had been sitting there for hours or what and then they were warm!!!

I didn't enjoy the gas grill experience either. The cooked brisket tasted of gas and I didn't like it.

I also don't like the gas grill design, especially when cooking the pork. So many hot fat/oil splatters on my face! I know it's a known KBBQ hazard that the meat fat will drip & cause little fires, and the fat burning can splatter, but the elevated gas grill design is especially dangerous and introduces even more of an issue of a "splash zone." It should be lowered, not elevated. Or give customers a protective layer or temporary shield around the cooking zone so they don't get hit with hot oil.

The waitstaff were mostly fast about refills, except for one thing. They refilled the eggs & corn cheese often, maybe to prevent the pan from burning. A different server would come by to cook the various meats almost every time. It was difficult to keep track but eventually I realized it's just a team effort and you can call on whoever to assist. It was just OK this time around. I left full, but I didn't enjoy some of the food or dining experience much. Don't think...