Dragon King's Daughter — Restaurant in Louisville

Monday night....not really busy. I REALLY wanted to LOVE the place but it was a bit of a downer. Had a group of six from out of town who were excited to try Japanese/American fusion but the experience was lackluster.

Firstly the host explained an expected wait time of approximately 40 minutes even though my 10 year old son walked about and took pics of empty booths that could easily seat us all. After 25 minutes we approached the host for an update and she casually mentioned that they will just join some tables if we'd like.

There are NO menu's - only QR codes so be prepared to stare at your phones which is 'cool' for some BUT those of us with guests from international countries don't necessarily have DATA and the server explained that there was no WiFi and no paper menu's so it took longer to work out what everyone wanted.

I found it difficult to find the alcohol menu on my phone so simply went for a wander up to the bar to see what the offerings were. Awesome ambiance and amazing bar but several empty booths where we could have eaten however it felt more like an exclusive Hipster nightclub for under 25's than a restaurant. It was annoying that we made to wait for no reason and I didn't bother buying a drink at all as no-one even approached me so I just had a water with my meal.

Regardless, the food was fresh, reasonably tasty and original. Certainly not groundbreaking or anything to rave about. Prices are good for the portion sizes. The BIG salad was tasty, the Seafood curry was mild and original with a dollop of Mozzarella cheese on top - the rest of the dishes were basic and fresh.

Several of our items that we ordered were not delivered so we had that corrected off the check when it was time to leave. The staff seemed indifferent and unconcerned...more focused on the 'trendier' clientele who ordered water and a sushi to share.

In the end, it was disappointing. Prices were reasonable, food was alright, love the look of the place but we won't be back. Just go to Sapporo, Oishi Sushi or River City drafthouse for great food and service.

Finally, I know that some restaurants do this now for many reasons but adding a minimum tip to the check without customer input is lame.

Japanese-style toilets were the best part of the...

The SUSHI IS FANTASTIC. This is also a great place to come for pregnant women who love sushi and feel like they cant eat it because they have such a wide variety of cooked sushi. This means for those who want to love sushi but dont like the idea of raw fish also great for you.

I want to a friends birthday 3 nights ago and discovered this place and have loved it so much and craved sushi so much (because I am pregnant) I have been back the last 3 evenings.

The first 2 evenings we had wonderful service.

THIS EVENING however I was served by a really unhelpful waitress. I ordered a salmon sushi dish from the cooked section of the menu. When my dishes arrived I observed that the salmon dish was less cooked and more charred on the top layer. I notified my waitress who proceed to try and tell me that I ordered the dish from the uncooked section of the menu. I asked for the menu which she reluctantly handed to me and I pointed out that all the dishes I had ordered were from the cooked section. She then walks away with her back turned away from me and says "fine then" I'll take it off your order and shrugs her shoulders as she walks away.

I was left with such a bitter taste in my mouth especially because I work in customer service for a living and I know what it means to provide a good service for a customer. On one had the food was divine and my prior 2 encounters were delightful. BUT my experience with this waitress so soured my disposition I considered not tipping (I tipped her 10%) and NEVER COMING BACK or if I do come back to never work with her again.

I an not ordinarily one to complain but this really bothered me especially because I explained to her the reason I was returning the dish was not because I was unhappy with the dish but because I COULD NOT eat it because I was pregnant and she tried to insist that because I had ordered the dish I was stuck with the dish. THAT IS BOTH DANGEROUS AND UNACCEPTABLE.

Take is from someone who is a sales manger.

1 STAR FOR HER SERVICE BUT THE FOOD IS REALLY...

We were excited to try The Dragon King’s Daughter—mainly because they serve Dolsot Bibimbap, a traditional Korean dish in a sizzling stone bowl, which is rare to find locally. The restaurant itself is visually stunning, with a great downtown Louisville vibe—stained glass, cool lighting, and a welcoming aesthetic.

We started with appetizers: • Stuffed wontons (jalapeño & cream cheese): fresh and flavorful. • Sweet & spicy wings: crispy, solid flavor. • Pork bao buns: probably the best thing we ate—tender, well-balanced, delicious. • Nigiri tuna: decent quality, nothing remarkable. • Kimchi: honestly, disappointing. It wasn’t fermented, lacked fish sauce, and was sweet. Not traditional kimchi at all, and as a family who lived in South Korea for 7 years, we noticed.

We ordered two Bibimbap dishes: • The Al Pastor Bibimbap was a creative idea but missed the mark completely. The dish was strong with nothing but cumin and lacked the aromatic spices required to execute a true Al Pastor flavor. On top of that, it was missing gochujang, which is essential to any bibimbap. A bold fusion attempt, but the execution fell flat. • The BBQ Bibimbap had similar issues—bland, unbalanced, and missing that signature Korean heat and depth.

Surprisingly, our son’s Katsu Chicken Quesadilla was excellent. The wasabi pesto was unique and actually worked well.

A small but appreciated detail: the water was crisp and clean (tasted like reverse-osmosis filtered), and the restrooms were immaculate, with heated seats and bidets—very reminiscent of Korea.

In short: ✅ Beautiful location and ambiance ✅ Great small plates and fusion attempts ❌ Korean dishes lacked authenticity and flavor

We might return for the bao buns or appetizers, but if you’re craving authentic Korean flavors, you’ll likely be...