Rolly Kimbab — Restaurant in New York

Stop sleeping on Mail Garden. People hype up Mapo Galbi which is on the opposite corner from MG but this is by far my favorite KBBQ spot in NY. I've been to Mapo, Jong-ro, Kang Ho Dong Baekjong, Sansoogapsan, Biwon, Galbi Maeul, etc etc. They're all reasonably good, but Mail Garden is by far my favorite. Any Picnic Garden fans, just stop reading here. May God have mercy on your soul.

They have a parking lot. Let me reiterate-THEY HAVE A PARKING LOT and it is quite large as well. If you've never been to this area then you have no idea. This restaurant is located in the heart of Mukja golmok, which is a dense cluster of Korean restaurants near the Murray Hill LIRR station. Parking during dinner rush is a nightmare. Parking during the lunch rush is a nightmare. Parking between those times is somewhere between headache and nightmare levels. And no I'm not going to trust the valets at other restaurants that will gun the engine down the narrow Flushing streets and then street park it somewhere.

I'm not giving 5 stars for the parking, obviously. The meat here is amazing and the quantity doesn't disappoint, either. I usually get the $100 sirloin combo which comes with an assortment of meats. That will comfortably feed 3 people although that might be 2-4 depending on your party members. You'll get a complimentary jjigae which is quite good. The banchan side dishes aren't out of this world but just solid. The highlight is the warm soybean paste used for dipping peppers/cucumbers/carrots along with your meat. Most places will serve it cold. I'm not big on naengmyun but both my daughter and mother-in-law are very picky and this is one of the few places they will get naengmyun from (the other being the dedicated naengmyun spot down the block).

Real wood charcoal. Most other spots use gas, and there's a huge difference. If you come here you better be planning to go home afterwards because you WILL stink. But then again that goes for all Korean restaurants anyway. So don't half-ass it, cook your meat over a real fire...

Can't believe I haven't tried this place before. I wanted Korean for eats and happened to be walking by Rolly Kimbab and decided to give it a shot. Take-out location only, with a bench and a couple of chairs to sit and wait as your food is prepared. They also have pre-packaged Korean food in refrigerated sections for you to choose from.

Their menu is expansive, and lists prices if you pay cash and card; there is an additional fee for purchases made with a card. For my first visit, I went with spicy tuna kimbap and a spicy bulgogi rice ball. It came to just over $15 paying by card.

The customer service could be better. I wasn't initially attended to and noticed Asian folks who came in after me were being greeted immediately. After several minutes, they acknowledged my presence. After I ordered, I was told about a 5 minute wait. Almost 20 minutes later, people who ordered after me got their food right away, and I was still waiting. I asked about my order, and it was sitting at the counter the entire time. Hence why I could not give 5 stars.

The food though, definitely deserves these 4 stars. The kimbap was fresh, delicious and right amount of spice. It was my first time trying a bulgogi rice ball. Just the right size and packed with flavor and spice. So good!

Am I going to return? Of course, I am looking forward to trying more food options and hoping for better...

Recently gave Rolly Kimbap a try during lunch and my initial experience involved trying their featured menu item: the Rolly Kimbap ($5.74). At first glance, it seemed like a reasonable option in terms of value and it tasted decent for the price. Intrigued by the potential, I decided to return later to grab some dinner.

When I made my second visit, I ordered 3 different types of kimbap: the Variety, BBQ Chicken and Spicy Tuna, but none of them left a lasting impression. These were all $7.50 each. If you order kimbap, you can request miso soup as well.

In addition to the kimbap, I also ordered a single set that came with udon soup and several side dishes for $15. The side dishes were nice and the pork cutlet in the single set was the highlight of the meal. However, everything else in the single set was lackluster. The same can be said for the Seafood Soft Tofu Stew ($13.50).

Both times when I visited, the staff was extremely pleasant.

It's interesting to note that they also sell separate side dishes in boxes for purchase in the front too. Additionally, this place is not a sit-down and eat restaurant and more geared towards takeout. As most establishments in this area, there is a 3% credit card charge.

With all that has been said, I was left quite unimpressed by the food here and it's unlikely I...