KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot - Universal Studios — Restaurant in Orlando

This is a review that’s long overdue for K-Pot Korean BBQ. I recently visited with my girlfriend and a close friend, and the entire experience was fantastic from start to finish. From the moment we walked in, we could feel the energy in the restaurant—the atmosphere was lively yet comfortable, with a warm vibe and the inviting aroma of grilled meats in the air. The space was clean, well-organized, and had just the right balance between fun and relaxing, which made it the perfect setting for our dinner.

The real highlight of our evening was our server, Kay. She was absolutely wonderful—friendly, attentive, and genuinely enthusiastic about making sure we had the best time possible. Kay explained the menu options clearly, answered all of our questions with patience, and even gave us recommendations on what to try. With three of us dining, it could have been easy to get overwhelmed with different requests, but Kay handled everything with ease and a big smile. She checked on us often without ever being intrusive, and it honestly felt like she was invested in making our night special. Her kindness and professionalism stood out, and it really felt like she went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and happy throughout the entire meal. Servers like Kay don’t just provide service—they create an experience that makes you want to come back again and again.

We all decided on the All-You-Can-Eat BBQ, and it was absolutely the right choice. The variety of meats, sides, and dipping sauces was impressive. Everything came out fresh and well-prepared, and the quality was top-notch. The marinated beef was tender and flavorful, the pork belly cooked beautifully on the grill, and the seafood options were just as delicious. Every bite was packed with flavor, and we loved being able to cook at the table, experiment with different sauces, and share the whole experience together. The side dishes complemented the main proteins perfectly, especially the kimchi and garlic which really elevated the flavors.

What stood out was how consistent everything was—from the perfectly portioned servings that made it easy to keep ordering more, to the quick turnaround time in getting our food. We never felt rushed, and Kay’s timing in checking on us and refilling items was spot on. She seemed to anticipate what we needed before we even had to ask, which shows just how attentive she truly is. The meal flowed smoothly, and the three of us left feeling full, happy, and already talking about when we could come back.

Overall, our visit to K-Pot was a 10/10 experience. The combination of a fun, welcoming atmosphere, delicious food, and outstanding service made for a memorable night. A huge shoutout again to Kay—you were the heart of our experience, and we’re grateful for how well you took care of us. We’ll definitely be returning, and we’ll be asking for Kay...

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Restaurant: 5535 S Kirkman Rd, Orlando, FL 32819 Bradenton, FL 34207 (407) 704-8977

Main Question: Is the food worth the price? Answer: Mostly Yes

Wait Time: First visit with no wait time.

Food: Pros It's all you can eat for 2 hours. You are able to change out your soup base 2 times. The food was delicious and fresh. The food is ordered and then brought out to you.

I personally didn't care for two of the soup bases I tried. I did like the tomato.

I ordered lots of different steak. Most of the steak does not come pre-marinated so, you must add your own sauce or spices. While I found sauces, I thought those were for a salad bar and didn't understand those were for the steak.

Cons Around $42.00 per person without alcoholic drinks before tip. Almost everything has lots of oil in it. From fried food to even the vegan options are filled with oil.

You cook your own food. If you are not familiar with cooking or don't know flavors will work well together, this may not be the place for you.

You will need training to eat here. As weird as that sounds, the Square plates are not for eating from as they will contain raw meat and can contain harmful bacteria. The round plates are not for raw meat, but for eating. There were no spices for which I could locate for the meat, but the sauces are up at the buffet area. Those sauces apparently are for the steak and I didn't know that until after my meal was over.

Atmosphere: The atmosphere is excellent. They have done a beautiful job of making this a really nice place to eat.

Cleanliness: The plates were clean, but the silverware is not served individually wrapped nor covered away from sneezes and other hands with germs on them. The forks are out in the open where it is exposed to the elements and that is what you are placing in your mouth and body. Use the silverware at your own risk. I did choose to use the silverware and wouldn't you know that I have now woken up with a soar throat. (Not happy, but, I did try and clean it before I used it. Apparently I did not clean it well enough.)

The bathroom was cleanish. Around the faucet's were getting a build-up of noticeable bacteria, but for the most part, it was clean.

Service: The service was fantastic. The manager came over twice and held a conversation with me to ensure everything was great. He listened to feedback. Everyone was extremely nice.

Price: $50.00 each to eat there including tip. $25.00 per hour for all your can eat.

Recommended: If you can spare the funds, this is an interesting place to eat and it is worth spending the money for the ability to...

Absolutely the worst service ever! My first experience was definitely my last. I visited the Kirkland rd location in Orlando after flying in from NY. The plate was burning too hot and causing lots of smoke. The server changed the plate yet it continued to be too smoky. The server adjusted the fan amd it fell on the food and the table causing an entire bowl of sauce and oil to spill all over my clothes, shoes, table and floor. The server was apologetic and it was an accident. She gave me a wet towel to wipe the table and myself as best as possible. We asked her to turn off the grill as we couldn't stay longer because of being covered in oil and sauce. She turned off the grill. A few moments later, a gentleman walked over to our table and said, don't touch the grill because it's smoky amd that controls the fan also. He had a stern tone which took me by surprise. Before we could respond, the server told him she in fact turned off the grill. He again had a stern voice and told her don't do that because it controls the fan. She was embarrassed and I felt bad for her as it seemed she was new. We did not eat our Ramen and asked for a to go bowl. She explained it would be $14 a lb to take home. Danny the manager came over and said, unfortunately you have to pay for it to go. Needless to say, it was thrown away because i wasmt hoing to pay twice. I was completely taken aback. We did not order anything but 1 meat each and the Ramen. We paid and left. I reached out the next day and spoke to Alex, also a manager. I explained to him the situation. He stated, Danny made him aware of the incident and then stated, they reviewed the cameras and saw me touch the fan causing it to fall and turned of the grill causing the excessive smoke! I asked for a regional managers contact info and or the owners info and was denied both. He told me it was my fault and not sure what he wanted me to do. All lies and completely untrue! I sent an email to the customer service contact online and received a call from Will, another general manager. I sent him my receipt and pics of my stained shirt. He told me he would get back to me. Today he called me and told me, the owners will refund me 50% of my bill and if anything happens again, Alex and Danny will be retrainined. I have worked in customer service for years and this would never be acceptable behavior. There is no video of me touching the equipment as I was made aware also! Of course there isn't!!! I will never dine at a Kpot again. First and last time for sure! The picture of my shirt is...