Baekjeong Irvine — Restaurant in Irvine

No wait to get in on a Sunday afternoon for a party of 6, so it was pretty slow Ordered the family meal along with a side of 2 soups and bibimbap Received the meat dishes pretty quickly and then it went all downhill from there Bibimbap came out. Server said it was too hot to put in front of my Aunt, so he set it aside on a tray with a jackstand next to our table for us to self serve. Problem was, the booth was closed off on one side and the server decided to put the bibimbap tray on the closed off side. So it was almost impossible to get to it unless everybody got up and moved around. And, I've never had to get up to scoop a single portion of bibimbap and sit back down to eat it. 1 soup came out without seafood. My Uncle politely mentioned it to the server. The server apologized, saying he ordered the incorrect one and that another one would be out shortly. 2nd soup still hasn't come out for my Father who is undergoing chemotherapy and battling Stage 4 Cancer. All he wants is soup. 40 minutes and after several times of asking our server where our soup was, he replied that the kitchen was backed up. Seafood soup finally came out, but my Father's soup still nowhere to be found. I ask the server to take it off the bill and he says he can't. Can't take a $8.99 soup off the bill- a soup that took more than 40 minutes and finally came out when we were almost finished with our meat and meal. A $8.99 soup that finally came out cold and my Father barely touched. All he wanted was soup because he hasn't had an appetite. I work in the industry and have been for more than 15 years. I understand how a restaurant works and cut a lot of servers and restaurants a lot of slack because I know how hectic it can get and how ridiculously demanding guests can be.

But- the service and treatment we received that day was absolutely unacceptable. This restaurant is run by a bunch of kids who lack leadership and experience. I looked around, and for it being quite slow, the staff was running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Nobody knew a clue as to what was going on and not one person taking responsibility. A special family gathering after 10 years for my sick Father completely ruined by a few simple issues that a manager or the right server could have attended to with the right attitude.

Never coming back. NOTHING like the LA location. Save yourself the agony and...

Other than one hiccup, everything was amazing!! Not a biggie but the host was a bit on the rude side. Important note : This place is NOT all you can eat* Now moving on to the review ... Man oh man is this place awesome. The meat quality is amazing, service was even more amazing, and the prices were actually a lot more affordable than I had expected. Initially the prices seem high but when you get the food you realize that you are getting a lot more than you paid for!! Korean bbq can be expensive and for good quality meat the prices can sky rocket. Their marinated beef ribs were $37 for a serving size of 1.5 servings. So between four people we got 3 of those, a beef tartar, fried rice and a small pork combo. We could have stopped at the beef ribs and tartar!! We were so full!! The pork combo was a must though so we ordered it anyways. Beef ribs were amazing, tartar was amazing, pork combo was also amazing and fried rice I would skip next time. Beef ribs were cooked to perfection by our server. She even cooked the meat on the bones, deboned the meat and cut them up into small pieces. The tartar is a Korean style recipe that is mixed with sliced of Asian pear, garlic, and is a little on the sweet side. It's definitely worth a try. The meat was SUPER fresh!! The small pork combo but more than enough to get a thorough taste of what they offer on the pork side of things. It came with pork jowl, extra thick pork belly, and your choice of one marinated type of pork meat - pick between a spicy and nonspicy. ALL of the meat was amazing and the servers cooked everything to perfection. I am a very picky meat person so it says a lot coming from me. I never let anyone else cook my meat at Korean bbq!! This place is really one of the best and I can't believe I haven't tried them before. I'm already looking forward to coming back!! Do yourself a favor and skip the fried rice. Get all the meats you want, though. I'm pretty sure it's all going to be amazing! The wait was about 30 minutes on a weekday evening around 7:30pm. There was plenty of parking and when you check in they put you down on the list and text you when they have an opening. This is a great system when you have your parents or older folks with you. We all went to the car and chit chatted until I got a text message. The entire experience was outstanding and I can't...

This Korean barbecue spot is a great place to enjoy an authentic dining experience. The menu offers a wide variety of dishes, from various cuts of beef, pork, and offal to delicious rice dishes, stews, and noodles. I especially appreciate the fun combo meals they offer, where you can enjoy different meats paired with kimchi or soybean soup. They also have appetizers like dumplings and seafood pancakes, which are perfect starters before diving into the main barbecue.

The atmosphere is enhanced by the awesome K-pop music that plays in the background, often featuring the latest hits, which really adds to the lively and modern vibe.

One of the best things about dining here is that they grill the food for you at the table, which adds to the experience. The grills they use are particularly cool because they have special compartments—one for a tasty omelet and another for cheese with corn, which melts as you enjoy your meal.

That being said, I do wish there were more combo options and greater variety in general, as the choices can feel a bit limited if you’re a frequent diner. I also wasn’t a fan of the meat grilled over an open gas flame—it left an odd aftertaste that I didn’t quite enjoy.

Another thing I found underwhelming was the beef tartare. While I usually love the pure, unaltered flavor of tartare, here it was mixed with raw egg and possibly some sauce, which gave it a slightly sour, oily taste that wasn’t to my liking. I prefer tartare with a more clean, straightforward flavor.

As for the dumplings, the fried version I tried wasn’t quite what I expected. I think I would’ve enjoyed them more if they were boiled instead. I’ll be sure to request that next time.

Finally, the combo meals come with an option of soybean or kimchi soup, which are traditional, but I’d appreciate a miso soup option for those who aren’t as into strong, fermented flavors. A simple bowl of rice could also be offered as an alternative to pair with the meat.

All in all, it’s a great spot for Korean barbecue with a fun atmosphere, but a few adjustments could make the experience even better.

In any case, this is the best Korean barbecue in the...