Izziban Sushi & BBQ — Restaurant in Conway

I want to start this out by saying that up until this visit, Izziban has been flawless in both service and quality of food. The staff is friendly and efficient and I have always recommended them as the best Korean food in the east colonial area. Unfortunately, this last visit has made it a bit less appealing to grab a quick lunch there while I am at work or in a hurry. I made a usual order through door dash for a bibimbap bowl and didn't see an option to add fish cakes, so I called the store. A server helped me add it with a small additional charge for when I arrived at the store. I get there, the food finishes quickly and I pay for my fish cakes and am almost on my way out when a manager approaches the wait staff regarding my add on. They inform her that she is not allowed to do that and then proceeds to tell me that they will honor it this time, but cannot do it in the future. I ask them if there is any way whatsoever to order fish cakes with takeout because they go really well with the bulgogi bibimbap bowl and most places provide it without having to ask and he informs me that there is absolutely no way to add a side of fish cakes on takeout orders and that they are for dine in customers only. I am trying to think about it from a managerial or food ordering perspective, but if anything, they made out in their end of the deal as fish cakes aren't as expensive as meat or something similar and I paid roughly 1/6 the price of a full all you can eat meal where the fish cakes along with expensive (and delicious) meats would have been accessible and endless. The bowl is absolutely amazing by the way, but bittersweet knowing that it will be my last complete one from Izziban the way I like it (picture attached with the blood diamonds... I mean, fish cakes included). I should have also ordered pickled daikon because they don't add that either. In fact, the cucumbers in it aren't pickled, there's no white onions, and their bok choy and green onions are a bit soggy, but I am enjoying it regardless. I'm just disappointed that I will have to go a little further down the street to Korea House, Chi Kin, or Bulgogi House for my lunch from now on because the cakes really do make the difference and those places don't give me a hard time to get a meal the way I'd like it and most just add them automatically to their bowls. I made sure to tip the wait staff extra because I felt so bad that she was caught in the middle of this whole thing and did something she wasn't supposed to when she was just trying to be helpful and help me have a good experience.

To management: I hope you find a way to make this minor adjustment moving forward for those customers who aren't able to enjoy the full dine in experience, as much as I wish I could. Your menu is great and I understand that the take out menu is different than dine in, but if you have the product, I have the money, and it doesn't complicate the order, why miss out on sales? I must be missing something here.

To the wait staff: thank you so much again for your help and great, efficient service. I will choose to remember Izziban with you and all of the other great servers in mind instead of the management who gave you a hard time for providing and exceeding excellent customer service.

In response: I circled back and tipped her. You weren't there anymore. I believe I asked a few times if there was any way to get them on take out and you repeated several times, "for dine in only." Your dining room was empty and those exact fish cakes were dying on the buffet line. Bad decision if your goal is to increase business during dead times. Agreed, customers can be absurd with requests, but this was the addition of a side, not a complicated manipulation of a menu item. Pickle your carrots and cucumbers please, the dish needs a...

I came here for Valentine's Day, for lunch. There were no specials, but we wanted to go somewhere new and special, so we came for lunch to avoid the crowds. On top of it being Valentine's Day, I'm also on a conquest to see The Best of Orlando 2020, and Izziban won the best Korean restaurant in Orlando, according to the readers of Orlando Weekly.

We got the All-You-Can-Eat Korean BBQ, which is a flat $37. You get access to their salad bar, along with 13 different meats you can cook, various sides, nigiri, and sushi rolls. All unlimited amounts of everything. They do warn you, though, that you will pay extra for what you don't eat. That's fair. Just make sure your eyes aren't bigger than your stomach.

The AYCE was amazing. A five star experience, no doubt. A recommendation I have would be not to shy away from the sides. I tried to go full meat at first, to "get my money's worth," and I found myself bored. What's a nice slice of brisket for if not to have with a bite of fried rice? What's the point of cooking a head-on shrimp if I can't put the results of it on a crunchy baguette?

I soon mended my ways and embraced the sides. So good. Everything here is good. I recommend every meat they offer, but I will say, skip the rib-eye. The steak is too big, and it's not good enough to sacrifice that stomach space. Skip the rib-eye in favor of other meats.

Speaking of stomach space, a tip is that you can order full portions of the meats, or you can ask for a half order. Another way to save space for a larger variety.

I had two sushi rolls, the Crunch Shrimp and the Yummi Yummi. Both were excellent. Not top tier sushi by any means, but delicious and good relief from all the heavy meat and fried sides. Don't forget to start with the miso soup.

Overall, this was a really great experience. Cooking your own meat on your personal grill was like an upgraded Melting Pot experience. I will absolutely come back and...

We’ve been wanting to try Izziban Sushi & BBQ for a while, every time we drive by, the lot is packed! We finally went on a Saturday night around 8:30 pm, and to our surprise, there was plenty of parking and the lot was well lit. The restaurant sits right on Lake Barton, which makes for a beautiful setting.

The hostess greeted us right away and explained the menu options. Our server, Asa, was a delight, he also walked us through the two all-you-can-eat pricing choices (both include sushi and BBQ, but one has more meat selections). The restaurant itself is very spacious, with a large main dining room, a big bar, an atrium-style seating area, and another room that looks perfect for private events. Everything was clean and lively, with K-Pop playing on the big screen.

We started with sushi: the Yummi Yummi, Coco Krab, and Spicy Krab rolls. All were excellent, served in four-piece portions, and full of flavor. We also tried the spring rolls and dumplings, fresh and crunchy, the spring rolls were my favorite.

From the hibachi grill, we ordered Marinated Sirloin, Beef Brisket, Gochujang Pork Belly, and Garlic Butter Shrimp. They serve generous portions, and while everything was tasty, the sirloin stood out as our favorite.

To finish, Asa recommended the fried ice cream—absolutely delicious, don’t skip it! After dinner, we wandered into Snow Bean, the coffee shop attached to the restaurant. It’s small and cozy with limited indoor seating, but head to the back and you’ll find a charming patio boardwalk overlooking Lake Barton. With string lights and hundreds of heart locks on the bridge, it’s a must-see spot on its own.

Hibachi style isn’t usually my thing, but I wanted to give it another try here, and I’m glad I did. The sushi alone is worth the visit, and paired with excellent service, this was a great experience all around. Highly...