KOGI GRILL (PINELLAS PARK) — Restaurant in Pinellas Park

First off, I'm all about the BOGO for the new Pinellas Park location until the 16th! But also really appreciate the customer service. I accidentally called the owner's personal cell phone number when I was trying to place a takeout order. I guess the website I was trying to order from had the wrong number listed. Once I realized this mistake, I kind of expected the guy would be a little upset that I just interrupted his personal time and assumed he would redirect me to the correct number to call. But instead, he very calmly and patiently asked what my order was and told me it would be ready in about 15 minutes. I really appreciate that added level of customer service!

My disappointments were 1) there is still signage from a dessert shop that I guess was there before. I had been falsely really excited for some dessert afterwards! Haha. And 2) they didn't have chopsticks. But I get it, they're a new place and don't always have all the materials.

The menu is limited for vegetarians, but I do appreciate that they have a vegetarian option at all. For pescatarians, I was pleased they have salmon and shrimp, though was disappointed that the bowls just literally come with rice, lettuce, protein, and sauce. I must be used to other places where a bowl comes with veggies as well and so kind of had that as my expectation, potentially unfairly. The food itself was pretty tasty though. A bit spicy for my preference but there was definitely good flavor to it. I'd definitely go back and next time I'll add the bibimbap veggies and maybe an egg to try.

Glad to have a new place for good food...

The food here is delicious - chopped meats on different bowls or tacos, plus burritos, etc. The food is always tasty, hot, fresh, and with big portions. The kogi sauce is delicious; it's some kind of spicy mayo with a yummy flavor (idk if it's gochujang, but it might be.)

The problem, though, is the way they give the sauce. I have ordered delivery through them five or six times now, and picked up in person multiple times, too. And this happens every time: if you order extra sauce, that's the only sauce you get.

If I order a bowl or a taco or something straight, without checking any of the boxes for extra sauce, the meal comes to me with sauce already on the taco or bowl, plus one or two of the small containers on the side. If I order the exact same thing and check the option for $2.50 side of sauce, then there's no sauce put on the items and no little sides of it that normally come with it. I get only the $2.50 container. So, frankly, that sucks and means the "extra" sauce that I paid for is not extra at all. This is consistent enough that I assume it must be a store policy, but it's a stingy, stupid one that makes me mad every...

Reviewed on second day of opening - 9/27/2020

I love the fact that this place is doing bingsu (korean shaved ice) as not many places nearby don't even have it. So, to support Snowflake, I want to drop some criticism that can possibly help for the long run. Bingsu with only toppings is bland once all the toppings are gone and all that is left is shaved ice, it is just ice and milk with no sugar for taste.

Consider a base for the bingsu and take note from other types of bingsu flavors from Korea. Say matcha flavored bingsu with your choice of toppings. Chocolate bingsu with brownies and macademia nuts. Or even mango syrup bingsu with an assortment of fruits.

The guy that helped me showed be 3 combos for bingsu that complement each other if one were to get overwhelmed from the customization given. Now if you were to have different base flavors for the bingsu and added the toppings that complement the base bingsu, you could essentially make signature bingsu flavors. It'll take a lot of testing, but definitely worth it.

Long review, but I want to support this place with honest critiques and see it...