Bibimbox Korean Kitchen & Wings — Restaurant in Columbia

The best aspect of Bibimbox is its fast and friendly service. About two minutes after placing our orders, both entrees were delivered to our table, and throughout the interaction all the staff were pleasant and polite. As for the food, we ordered the classic bibimbap (with beef bulgogi topping) and the 6-piece Korean chicken wings in the sesame garlic flavor. The vegetables in the bibimbap were fresh, and the meat was lean in comparison to some of the overly fatty beef that can be found in other versions at different Korean restaurants. However, it was disappointing that the rice was cold, hardened, leftover rice, not at all the fluffy white Jasmine rice that we are accustomed to eating as Asians. Although we understand that this is a quick-dine Korean eatery where the bibimbap would not be served in the classic dolsot hot pot, we expected that at the very least the rice should have been served fresh and hot.

The chicken wings were crispy but quite a bit sweeter than I expected, and had far less glaze/sauce on them than pictured in the menu in store. The dish is not really 6 wings as advertised, but rather 3 wings and 3 drumettes. Additionally, it does not come with any rice or substantial sides aside from a mini plastic cup of fermented white radish. To make the wings into a full meal, you would have to add the $3.99 white rice side to the $10.99 entree price, totaling about $15--a bit pricey for the amount of food served.

Overall, the food we ordered was fresh and clean-tasting. The interior of the store is also clean and bright; I only gave the ambience four stars because the tables are small and tightly packed together. As a final piece of feedback, we hope that Bibimbox considers adding more items to their standard menu besides the bibimbap and chicken...

I’ve been here five times since their soft opening and decided it’s time to leave a review based on my experience.

What I like: I absolutely love how often they add new items. That’s honestly what keeps me coming back—I enjoy checking out the new stuff. Not sure if it’s because they’re still figuring things out or if this is part of their long-term strategy, but either way, I appreciate the variety. The bowls have been a good deal—at least up until my last visit. The pricing has generally felt fair. The location is great. It’s convenient and brings something new to the area, which I really appreciate.

What I don’t like: The biggest issue for me is sanitation. I’ve seen so many times that the staff do not wear gloves when dealing with the food. One time I literally saw someone touch and toss trash, and go right back to handling food—no hand washing, no gloves. That’s a straight-up C grade for DHEC. Please, train your staff on basic food safety before anything else. Without this concern, I would give this place a 4 star, but this is really a deal breaker for me. The service could use work. One time I came right before closing, felt bad for them, and left a $10 tip for just a bowl and drink. Still, my order was handed to me without a bag, utensils, or even asking if I needed them. Also, some staff don’t seem to know the menu well—like basic questions about ingredients or substitutions. Food consistency is hit or miss depending on who makes it. Sometimes you get a well-portioned bowl, other times it’s mostly rice with barely any meat. The shaved ice takes a long time to come out, and overall, the desserts feel a...

I can't express how excited I was to see that a Korean takeaway moved in nearby! I absolutely love Korean food and will travel an hour for it, and will occasionally make it at home. When living in Hawaii, Korean takeaway was always a go-to option for me. My excitement wore off very quickly, however.

Of course I ordered the OG bibimbap and a side of mandu. The mandu was pretty good; not the best, but slightly better than the bagged stuff I have in the freezer, which is a pass I guess for a takeaway joint.

Then there was the "OG" Bibimbap. The rice was decent, but bland. The bulgogi beef was respectable on its own. The egg was somehow over and underdone with a medium brown bottom and a third of the white still raw on top and the yolk tepid (I would overlook this if the overall dish had been steaming hot, which it wasn't). Then there were the vegetables. I have never had vegetables, let alone Korean vegetables, so devoid of flavor that they made the entire dish bland. The most they had was maybe a dash of sesame oil and that's it. I even added the included sauce (which I've never known Bibimbap to ever rely on a sauce) and the mandu sauce to limited improvement.

I don't know if they just don't know what they are doing or if they cut corners because who would know better in this area, but I am highly unlikely to go again and definitely not going to recommend it.

This restaurant does a disservice to what is otherwise a vibrant culture with...