Kingpot Korean BBQ & hotpot — Restaurant in Pocatello

I was in town visiting family. We decided to go here for lunch. I have been to a lot of hot pot and Korean barbecue restaurants and I always enjoy them. The selection of meat, sauces, sides, etc. looked fantastic. We decided to do the full hot pot and barbecue. My family had never eaten at a place like this. We put the meat on the grill and noticed right away. It just wasn’t cooking very fast at all. We kept moving the meat around and hoping for a sear, but it just wasn’t happening. I called our waiter over and asked if she could turn it up. She said it only goes up one notch higher. She turned it up. We were able to mostly cook our food, but it took forever and we weren’t getting any really decent. The thin steak slices of course cooked well, but even the shrimp was taking a long time. Then it seemed like it was getting colder and colder. We put some chicken on And after more than 10 minutes, it was still mostly raw. I put my hand right over the grill and it was barely hot at all. I called our server over. She apologized and said it was probably because of residue on the grill and that we should get a new grill plate. I pointed out that it was definitely not that. There was barely any residue at all. She agreed and said she would tell her manager. Then nothing. Then we sat and watched as the chicken still was just not cooking. We all really wanted to try the chicken. I expected the manager to come by, but she never did. We were finishing up everything else. After more than 20 minutes, the chicken was still half raw and we decided to give up. I finally asked our waiter if I could speak with the manager. I promise I am not. They speak with the manager type, but this was a pretty big malfunction. The manager came over and suggested the same thing about the grill having residue from previously cooked meat on it. I literally put my hand on the actual grill. There was a definite problem with the table. She seemed shocked that I had my hand right on the grill when it was turned all the way up. Finally, she offered to go back in the kitchen and cook some chicken for us. By then, we were just sort of over it and done. She then just said she was sorry and walked away. Our server then came by and brought us the check. For three people we paid $90 for lunch. I’m never one to ask for a discount, but I’m shocked that nothing was offered when they could tell everything had kind of fallen apart. Our server was actually very nice and the food is really fantastic. The soup in the hot pot was delicious and very hot. if the actual barbecue had been working, no question it would’ve been five stars. Unfortunately, if you want to charge $30 for lunch at a Korean barbecue, the actual barbecue itself is pretty important. This is especially true when I point out three separate times that it’s barely cooking the meat. They need to have a trained staff and manager who know how to deal with something...

My boyfriend and I decided to check out Kingpot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot after searching for KBBQ spots in Greeley. Back where we used to live, KBBQ was a regular go-to for us, so we were excited to try a place that not only offered KBBQ but also hot pot—a rare and exciting combo!

From the moment we walked in, we were greeted by the friendliest host and to our surprise, there was zero wait time. The restaurant had a welcoming and lively atmosphere, which immediately set the tone for a great dining experience. Since my boyfriend had never tried hot pot before, we opted for that. The menu offers a wide variety of options, with prices ranging from the $20s to the high $30s per person, which is incredibly reasonable given the selection of meats and ingredients available. Since it was our first time, we decided to go all in and ordered the premium option—totally worth it!

The service here is exceptional. The staff was incredibly attentive, checking in on us every few minutes to ensure we had everything we needed—something I really appreciated because it showed they truly care about their guests. We ordered our broth and ingredients and despite ordering nearly double of everything, we were served within 15 minutes—super impressive!

One of the highlights was the self-serve food bar, where you can add ingredients to your broth at your own pace. I loved the variety and it made the experience even more interactive. There’s also a full bar at the restaurant, which is a great addition, and the ambiance is perfect for a date night or a fun outing with friends. The seating towards the back, near the beautiful water fountain, offers a particularly nice view. A kind and thoughtful server even took multiple photos of us to make sure we got the perfect shot, such a nice touch!

The reason why I am giving 4 starts instead of 5 is because even though we had a fantastic experience and will absolutely be returning, there are a couple of minor areas for improvement. The food bar had no labels, which made it a little difficult to differentiate some of the ingredients. While this isn’t a huge deal, it would definitely be helpful for guests unfamiliar with certain items. Limited drink options—I tried ordering a margarita from the menu, but unfortunately, their machine was either broken or out of mixer. It also seemed like they were running low on several drink options, with only a few tap beers available.

Neither of these things were dealbreakers and honestly, the amazing service, food quality, and overall experience more than made up for them. We had such a great time for date night, and we definitely will be returning! If you’re in Greeley and craving hot pot or KBBQ, this is the...

Yet another win for Pocatello!

Service: Fantastic. The hostess told us there was a considerable wait time when we went, but considering we went during their soft-opening, and it was fairly packed, not a big deal. It's to be expected. Our server, Travis, despite being new to the service industry, was attentive and well-mannered. Helping as we needed, and was serious about ensuring customer satisfaction.

Food: The quality was fantastic. Everything was fresh, vegetables were clean, the meat was great quality, and everything was vibrant and full of color. There was a wide variety in the cold-bar to select from, seafood, veggies, even some fruit! The sauce bar was also fantastic. It was especially nice seeing "Bing's sauce" available as well! It's been awhile since I had it and it was as yummy as I remembered. :)

Cleanliness: The restaurant was extremely clean, even the cold-bar which is self serve. The staff do an excellent job there, but please remember to respect public places like you would your own home. Help keep it clean for everyone else!

Price: $25 for all you can eat hotpot or BBQ, or $30 for both (still AYCE). This includes unlimited meat, rice, vegetables, seafood, and ice cream. It's honestly a fantastic price point for what's available to you.

A few important things to note for everyone with their panties in twists:

1: You're not paying to "cook your own meal." You're paying for A) the experience of sharing a table with friends/family while tailoring the dining experience towards your personal wants/needs. B) The preparation that's being done prior. Consider: How long would it take you to buy all the ingredients, prepare them, arrange them, cook them, and then, finally eat them once it was all said and done? Easily upwards of 6 hours, not to mention if you were to prepare something such as bulgogi or a marinated meat, adding to the preparation time. C) The people who greet you, seat you, bring you your items, the food itself. None of its free. That's incorporated in the cost.

2: If you're upset about having to wait for a table when there's "empty ones available," there are several factors to consider. One, they may not have a server waiting those tables, I'm sure if you'd like to sit there for several hours until the server for that section comes, they'd allow you to, but don't expect to eat right away. Also, could it be dirty? Not set yet? If sharing germs and old food bacteria from the last table is your thing, a host could probably help you out, but otherwise, maybe try patience on for size? It may...