Volcano Korean BBQ & Hot Pot — Restaurant in Hiram

Bad waitress experience. My church family and I decided to go out to this restaurant after a long service. My husband and I have a 1 year old little girl, and she was ready to eat so the minute we sat down and got acquainted with our waitress, and she took our drink order, I walked over to the buffet area to get my daughter something to eat. She’s one with only a few teeth so the rice and fish were perfect for her. Loved that! I figured once the drink orders had been taken she’d be back within 5-10min to bring my daughter her small water, along with everyone’s drink orders. It took a little longer than we expected so for the safety of our daughter my husband went and asked Andrea (the waitress) for a little water since she was eating, the drink station was only a few feet away. She visibly didn’t seem busy and she was right in front of the water/fountain laughing and carrying on . Which wasn’t an issue for us a person can laugh, but we figured she could pour a few inches of water in a cup since our kiddo was eating, and eating fast. My husband asked Andrea again, if she could bring a little water for our daughter since she was eating and Andrea said she was bringing the drinks, but never did. Everyone sitting at our table, immediately around us started to get a little worried, for my little one so my husband asked for a little water again since Andrea was still talking, laughing and right in front of the drink station, then another person from our party went and asked, for water for my 1 year old and still no water. It almost became like a tug of war for a few sips of water.

So I got up and was going to ask someone else that could better understand. I see Andrea with the water she walks pass me to the empty table next ours, and started fixing up the table next to us that no one was sitting at, and no one came to sit at going around our table with the cup of water. She had the water in hand, but prolonged it and it started to seem spiteful. I think Andrea felt rushed and that wasn’t our intention at all we were not asking for all of our drinks just a few sips of water for our little one. We came towards the end of there rush, people were living so it wasn’t busy. I thought to myself let me ask someone else, and I did just that. I asked a guy (a worker) standing at a drink fountain for a cup of water and he got it, filled it up four inches for my daughter in two seconds, and then I see our waitress come up from behind me and say “ I brought the cup of water already!” My reply was “it’s fine.” She repeated herself with an attitude. I really do believe that Andrea felt like we were rushing her and more than likely felt annoyed and took her time, but in retrospect it was a little bit of water for a baby not to choke. It was a little concerning that she didn’t understand that concept.

What our waitress didn’t know is that we had already been to another place and couldn’t get seated, the wait was an hour at the other place, before we came to Volcano. My one year old had already waited a couple of hours and was hungry. I am mother first, and I immediately fed her when the opportunity presented itself. We asked for a sip of water so she could safely eat, and it almost seemed like the more we asked the longer it took because she felt rushed. The standing and laughing with her co workers, the walking around our table with the water made us feel that way. We watched the bus boys clean the very tables she was at moving chairs in and out, plus no one came after to sit and and we were there for almost two hours.

The goal was just to make sure our daughter was able to safely eat, meaning if she had a hard time getting any food down she would have water to help. It was very upsetting. Dropping off a few sips of water for a baby to safely eat wasn’t an end all. I really hated that. t There is something wrong with a person if they can’t understand or process a parent asking for a little water for a 12 month old so, so she doesn’t choke. Andrea’s actions were directly affecting the safety of a human...

As an explanation to my star rating, I go to a restaurant for the food mainly, not service or atmosphere. Here's what I liked: The waitress we had was very sweet and friendly, actually began to cook some of the hot pot food for us while we got our food bar items. The variety of foods is great, something for everybody to munch on. The atmosphere and interior style is pretty cool and different to anything I've seen. The robot food/drink deliverer is pretty cool, a first for me. The chili garlic sauce is AMAZING.

The OK: Quality of food was pretty good, but nothing above and beyond. The hotplate is cool BUT, the gaps on the side of the removable plate allowed food to fall into the burner put. Not ideal at all. The experience: very different, explanations were definitely needed on how things worked (ordering, additional costs, etc.)

The Bad: Legroom is extremely cramped. I am 5'10 (not tall by any means) and another guest in my group is even shorter. Our legs had to be spread pretty wide in the booth to not me compressing our body between the seat and the table. The kimchi was definitely nothing to write home about which was disappointing coming from a Korean hot pot. Most of the sauces are either overpowering OR mediocre in flavor. The hot pot food portions are TINY. We got garlic shrimp, filet, and mixed veggies. For 35/person x 3 to have such a measley portion that couldn't even fill up more than half the plate was a huge surprise and disappointment. I know that there is the food bar, but we were there for the hot pot. The main attraction, not spring rolls, kimchi, lo mein, and chicken, etc. As a collateral of the food portions being too tiny, the price was way too high especially including the quality of food.

It was an experience, I will give them that - but at $120 for 3 with drinks (I got a water mind you) the cost was definitely not justifiable.

I will likely not be returning to the hot pot as it has become more of a "once in a lifetime" experience for me rather than a regular...

So I posted a post. And I guess it was taken down. I came in there today for lunch for my best girlfriend’s birthday. We had never been to a Korean barbecue or Cook yourself atmosphere. We were very excited. We got there right when it opened and we had a server that tried to explain to us the menu. It was extremely confusing. But the worst part came when the bill was due. It was $43 and some odd cents with 47 and some odd sense with taxes. I always tip on the non-tax part. I gave him a 60 and told him I would like change. He got very upset and asked me three times was I sure. He came back to the table with two dollars and some odd cents and I said where is my $10? He got very upset again and went and got the $10 and decided that he was going to tip himself. I had to go Break the $10 from the hostess at the bar. I ended up giving him over 20% in tip. I called the assistant manager and told her and she was very nice but did not give us a discount or anything for next time. I was embarrassed and mortified that the server would take it upon himself to take his own tip out of the money I gave. Be careful going there

On the other part that the manager wrote, she came to the table when we first sat down and asked if everything was going well? we told her at the moment yes and then we were figuring out the menu. As far as everything else that this manager said is not true or accurate. We told the server many , many times to please give us change back. He was very upset and made us feel very uncomfortable when I left to go to the bathroom….. he stared at my friend made her feel very uncomfortable. Was very hesitant in giving my ten back and no there was no misunderstanding at all three times telling him I needed change!!!! Sorry but truth…. This is un professional...