King's Mongolian Bar-B-Q — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Been eyeing this place for a while as I love mongolian BBQ and finally got a coupon through dining advantage for $8 off with the purchase of another entree. With coupons, I always call ahead to make sure they still honor it and the lady who answered the phone assured me that. We arrived around 830pm on Sunday and the place was not busy with about 3 tables filled. We were seated promptly and given our menus. Right off the bat the prices seemed high - $13 for single bowl of mongolian BBQ, 2 puffed bread, one soup, one egg roll, one wonton and a bowl of rice. When the server came to ask our selection, I informed her that I have coupon and she said there was a change in ownership and no longer accept coupons. I was not happy about that because I called and was informed the coupon would be honored. She then went to get the owner who apparently answered my call, she tried to talk us out of using that coupon and offered us $4 off instead. Again, I wasn't happy with this maneuver, I told her that I called ahead of time and was assured the coupon would be honored. I was ready to leave but she decided to honor the coupon, it was late and we were hungry so we stayed. Don't get me wrong, the entire time we were calm and the owner appeared to be soft spoken and very sweet. She then briefly explained to us the process and we went to grab a bowl and pile on the steak, pork, chicken, veggies, noodles and sauces. It was a messy process but was fun because it challenges you to stack as many items as you can into the bowl given and for the meal we opted, we have to include the noodles in the same bowl. After you're satisfied with your stack, you bring the bowl to the window where the chef cooks it for you. Upon returning to our table, we noticed they've brought the other items that come with the BBQ but we realized the soup was not there. I wondered about this and asked the owner who came to check on us, she told us most people don't want soup during summer, I told her it'd be nice to try it and she brought it out for us. There seems to be a lot of food for $13 but most are fillers to me, the noodles came out good as I piled on heaps of garlic and chili oil, the soup was just simple egg drop on the bland side, the egg roll was ok but fried wonton was good. Don't think we'll come back though, I prefer no frills mongolian BBQ at the mall where you'll get one bowl for all the protein and veggies you can fit and the server will take care of the noodles for you in a separate bowl, and you don't need to tip the server. The AYCE might be a better deal her for extra $3-4 but we didn't want to fill...

The food was okay. Perhaps I've been spoiled by other Mongolian Grills, but the options here were limited. The noodles are already cooked and hydrated so they don't absorb the sauce; the noodles are merely thrown on the grill at the end to warm them up. The bowl of meat they bring has a lot of meat which is great, but when you go to the bar to add to add veggies you quickly find out your meal is going to be mostly meat and noodles unless you forgo the noodles and precariously balance more veggies.This could easily be resolved with disposable papers for handling and compressing the meat, but they don't have that. Their veggie selection is decent because that's what most of the bar is, but the sauces are very lacking. They have a small formula sign that tells you what to add for mild, medium or spicy, but that's it. You can't identify what the two base sauces are because they are lettered as A and B. All I know is that I added ginger and chili oil to a mysterious concoction only to have a bland meal. This lack of option in flavoring disappointed me. There is only one grill visible through the window. I'm sure a couple of chefs working it can turn out food relatively quickly, but it would be awkward if there were a rush and a line formed around the small space. The rice was good. The veggie roll was good, but it was clearly just warmed up, not made fresh - probably something frozen they ship in, which is why every table has a large squeeze bottle of sweet and sour. And the fried wonton was devoid of any filling - it was essentially just a cracker. Given the quality, I'm barely okay with the pricing for lunch. Overall it feels like a restaurant trying to save on its expenses and just trying to cash in on the novelty offered by the Mongolian Grill format, and the result is apparent in the food. There is potential here because I've been to good Mongolian Grills that are always packed with far steeper pricing. This is a restaurant that is screaming for some renovation and reimagining. Overall it feels like a cheap, hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant that's thinking it's a Mongolian Grill, awkwardly stuck half way between a full-service format and a self-serve format. I hope the owners do some self-reflection on whether or not this is their passion, and if they find that it is, are not afraid to make big changes. I wish them the best and if I ever see a "Grand Re-opening" sign, ill definitely stop in to...

KING'S MONGOLIAN BAR-B-Q is a delicious joy my family loves. The eatery is uniquely able to match our family's complex dietary requirements, which include: gluten free, very mild, off-the-chart hot, and vegan. And the wonderful flavors of the very large portions are a bonus.

We enter the intimate restaurant and are warmly greeted and seated. The menu is short, but the options are almost unlimited. Our server explained the choices.

First, choose the protein: beef, pork, chicken, or tofu. Your choice is brought to the table in a good sized bowl. Proteins may be mixed.

Then, step to the veggie bar. Hand sanitizer, thin plastic gloves, and a cough guard are provided.

Now, top off the protein with vegetables, noodles and spices, of your choice. (Fill the bowl as high as you can. Place the larger cut veggies on the bottom and build up with the smaller ones. Laying noodles across the top holds everything together.) Remember, you can take home the extras.

As the protein and vegetables cook, they soften, moisture is lost, and the food shrinks. (That's why it's good practice to top-off your bowl.) Using the oil and sauces, in the measure suggested on their chart, produces the best results. The spicy sauce is quite warm

The " Mongolian barbecue" is a large, round, fry-table. While you're watching, the chefs, using long turners, continuously move the food, clockwise, around the table, until cooked. A splash of water maybe added, if needed. The process takes just a few minutes.

When your meal is piping hot, it's presented in a fresh bowl on to which you may sprinkle red pepper flakes and/or sesame seeds. (Sesame seeds and pepper flakes are added after cooking because they tend to stick to the fry-table.)

At your dining table, depending on how you order, you'll find egg drop soup, egg roll, pocket biscuits, and white rice. Brown rice is not available.

Lunch prices are less. (Only one trip to the vegetable bar.)

Parking is free, but depending on the time of day, can be difficult. Everything is wheelchair accessible. A gender-neutral bathroom...