Shik Do Rak Restaurant — Restaurant in Irvine

This place was phenomenal! The food and service were beyond any of my expectations, and I definitely plan many more visits here. So let's walk step by step through this one, because it is definitely worthy of being highlighted. To start, this was a recommendation from several people that spoke about it in a way that made me say we have to take a trip here. They would speak about the food as if reliving the experience noting how each item was throughly enjoyed-- a proper foodie tell, so I rounded my kids up during their spring break and we made the 30 minute drive to this specific location even though there is another closer. We were told, Garden Grove location specifically will not disappoint and I tell you, they were right!

So we find the parking lot, which was a touch confusing because we had to circle back around to a side road to access it. Once we found it, the entrance to be honest was a touch concerning because there was graffiti on the wall and it didn't necessarily look safe. Once 11:30 hit, we headed in as their first customers for the day and pleasantly surprised at this recently renovated interior area. It was clean, spacious, well lit, and music lightly playing in the background that made the environment inviting and relaxing. The waitress was exactly what we needed-- patient, helpful, and attentive. I had a lot of questions because this was an extensive menu and could easily be overwhelming. She guided me through all of the options for all you can eat, lunch only options, various meat options, and proper grilling times for each meat.

Once we decided on the order, the table was dressed with all of the sides, two grills because I didn't want the pork and beef to mix since I am not a pork eater, and our beverages. The utensils were very clean and the silver goblets for water kept the water very cold, even without ice. Once the meat started arriving, we began the grilling process and let me say, it was an experience! The smell of the food was making our stomachs growl and we couldn't wait to give this food a shot. They have hefty portions, but none of it went to waste because we made sure not to eat before this feast. Literally everything was good! The rice, soup, marinated beef, beef belly, squid, pork marinated, pork belly, small intestines, pickled cucumbers, kimchi, seaweed, and dipping sauces. Again, I don't eat pork, but my kids couldn't get enough!

The waitress was able to help for most of our visit because we were the only people there for a while since we arrived early. She made us feel so welcomed and was happy to help us have a good experience. I appreciated her demeanor and guidance through the process because it did make all of the difference. At the end of the visit, make sure you don't walk out the door without getting their blueberry ice cream. It was the perfect sized sweet treat to end this feast! I was so full after this meal, I literally could not eat dinner because I was full into the evening hours. I never overeat, but I couldn't help myself at this place because it was truly that good. Every bite I relished and completely understood after leaving why the personal recommendations we received were so high. Not one issue here. The exterior of the restaurant could use some work, but man oh man, this humble restaurant on the side of the road...

-Update-

They have a All You Can Eat menu and it's not limited to special days anymore :). Still delicious and my favorite place in Irvine!

Note: AYCE is only Monday-Thursday and lunch time on Saturday (maybe Sunday). So, you can imagine my sadness when I went there for dinner Saturday Night. I got a parking space right in front, when I know there is usually at least an hour wait =(. I shared a combo 3 with my bro and our "AYCE" session turned out to be around 90 bucks after tip and beer instead of $20 bucks a person.

My first experience of Shik Do Rak was in Ktown in LA. I still will never forget the images of my friends birthday. Go there in a group and bring a cake and the birthday boy or girl will be sprayed with Champagne MTV Cribs or Jayz Big Pimpin' style. So when I saw a Shik Do Rak in Irvine, I flock to it like 21 year old does to Vegas.

Combo 3 comes with Kalbi, thin beef, pork belly, and soju or beer. I substituted the pork belly for more beef and the soju for beer. I was ready to enjoy, but did not go full korean style; therefore, the soju will be next time. Don't worry I did not drive home drunk, but I did go home with a food coma. I recommend getting the Blueberry yogurt for dessert at the end. It taste like blueberry bubble gum to me. It also reminds of Yogurtland, but just eat the free yogurt shot cup and save your money.

I recommend going during AYCE! I truly enjoyed the Korean bbq experience and the fresh side dishes. Usually most Korean bbq, only gives meat, salad (lettuce), wraps and hot sauce, but Shik Do Rak include ALL the standard side dishes you will find at a Korean restaurant. My stomach was full, but my wallet was left empty. For $40 a person, I rather hit up Wynn Buffet or some lobster. AYCE meat in Irvine with beer...

With me being Korean, I chose to go with my friends to introduce them to Korean culture. We wanted the $33 AYCE menu, but the server told us we can’t order that because happy hour was over (understandable), but the way the lady put it was very rude. We took our time and decided we would just go for some basic meals, no bbq. As we were ordering, the server lady then told us that the items on the menu were not for sale, leading us to pick a different item again. Finally when we did order, she came back to our table and asked us multiple times to confirm the order, which at some point became really annoying.

My plate also had a small strand of hair that I noticed only after I was done eating.

The food was definitely not meeting my expectations, especially with my personal experience with the dishes I’ve ordered. I definitely had better food for much less.

When it was time for us to pay the bill, the server lady was once again very rude, clearly looking annoyed when I asked her to split the bill. When my friend was paying for her meal and was done putting in how much ahead would tip, the server lady literally spun the card reader to see how much she tipped before letting her proceed.

Overall the experience was very unpleasant, and if you want KBBQ I recommend going to Honey Pig just...