Kim's — Restaurant in Harrison Township

Kim's, located in Harrison off of I-74, is tucked away in an unassuming strip mall. My first visit here was in 2017, a stop for dinner with work colleagues. I had always wanted to come back since this is on the way when I go to visit my parents in Cincinnati. Unfortunately, I usually have my dog with me so we don't stop.

However, this week I made the trip a couple of times without my dog, and I made up for the times I wished I had stopped.

Inside you can tell this used to be something else, it's a mix of Korean decor and standard benches and tables. The woman who waits on you is very kind, polite, attentive, knows her regulars, and takes time to explain the menu and provide quick recommendations.

The food is the star, as it should be. This week I went for a number of different dishes - mandu, seafood pancake, pork w/ kimchi, pork w/ kimchi soup, and a pollack seafood soup. Everything was fantastic! I especially enjoyed the seafood pancake - not greasy, cooked just right, and if you were able to add rice + panchan it would be a meal.

The pork and kimchi provided just the right amount of heat with a little sweetness from the pork and some depth of flavor from the kimchi. The pollack soup provided a good variety of fish, green mussel, shrimp, and vegetables with a rich seafood flavor - I opted for the spicy version.

The rice is quality - rice holds its shape with chopsticks, is not mushy, and you can separate the grains. The panchan provides a good variety - if your dish only has meat and rice you will always have some delicious vegetables to go with it and mix things up for your palate.

Portions sizes are generous and prices are reasonable. I implore you to stop by this little gem for an experience you'll rarely find...

With respects of choosing restaurant, I am a very picky Asian who likes Korean cuisine. Since I came to live in Cincinnati three years ago, i've visited every Korean Restaurant (5 or 6), not those restaurant that mixed Koreans dishes with Chinese food or Japanese food, but the ones that solely sells Korean food at least twice. Not a single one has impressed me. When I started loosing my expectation for Korean food I accidentally found this one, Kim's.

The moment I pushed open the door, the decorations on the wall and arrangement of table and chairs give me a sense of Harmony and joy. After inspected in and out, including the restroom, I know that the hygienic condition is an A+ ( I worked as a health inspector in CDC for a while). The place is run by a Korean couple that are extremely polite and nice ( I talked to the husband after diner).

Me and two of my friends ordered seafood pancake, beef bulgogi, and sea food soup. He served me with free traditional Korean cold dishes before bringing my food to the table. The food is so authentic and delicious that I regret not finding this one earlier in my life. The price is less than Koreans Res in Cincinnati while the portion is larger, let along the beautiful taste of the food. The starter cold dishes are the best I have ever tasted, later I know the wife makes the kimichi herself. You can ask for refill of any starter free of charge.

We ate to our throat and It cost three of us ( all in our 20's) a total of $44. We all agreed this was the best experience of dining out. I didn't rate it 6 stars only because we live in Cincinnati and the place is 20-25 minutes drive away ( I am picky customer). But Definitely I will come back with more of my friends...

I drove about 30 minutes to try this restaurant on my own (before bringing my friends) and I was not disappointed. the banchan at this restaurant is really good - the eomuk bokkeum (stir fried fish cake) and oi muchim (cucumber salad) are some of the best I've had in the Cincinnati area. it's obvious that they are homemade, and they are served at no additional charge with a dinner meal order, as usual in Korean restaurants. the menu had all the Korean staples you would expect at a restaurant, like bibimbap, and kimchi jigae, soft tofu stew, spicy rice cake, black bean noodles and kimchi fried rice, as well as some 'home cooking' menu items like korean omurice. I got the beef bibimbap and the fried mandu dumplings and I thought both were delicious. bibimbap is served in a hot onggi (clay pot) so the rice gets crispy on the bottom, which I love. and the dumplings were actually korean in style, which was a pleasant surprise! many Korean restaurants will serve Japanese gyoza as mandu, but this restaurant serves Korean mandu with dangmyeon noodles, chives and other vegetables inside, which I love. the service was also very good, and the owners were extremely friendly and sweet. I dined inside the restaurant and I found it very clean, spacious and well decorated. this place deserves more customers, and I can't wait to come back with my friends. I highly recommend this place if you love authentic...