bb.q Chicken Richardson — Restaurant in Richardson

My husband’s friend J and I planned for his 40th birthday at this location.

J booked a karaoke room for up to 15 people from 8-10 Saturday night 9/20.

I called to reserve tables for a party of 20 at 6:30 if they were able (as I wasn’t even sure if this was something they did). I spoke to a friendly woman on the phone and told her the specifics - there are 20 people that want to have dinner at 6:30 before the reservation starts for karaoke at 8 (several people weren’t planning on staying for karaoke). She confirmed that we had a reservation for Karaoke at 8pm and the woman at first seemed confused by my additional request, but by the end of the call we seemed to have a good grasp. She told me a manager would call me back.

Manager calls me. She said “you called about 20 people Saturday?” I said… “yes.” She said “so what’s your question?” - with a strangely condescending tone. I simply responded … “Can you accommodate that?” She responded with, “yea, no problem.” I simply said alright -admittedly taken aback, and she ended the phone call.

(This is where I guess my job as the customer is to make sure that the first person passed on all of our information from the first call. sarcasm) but I digress..

First person in our party shows up - there is no reservation for dinner - only for karaoke at 8. 🤦‍♀️ but they have the room and aren’t busy so they say they can put tables together for 7. (As a server with a decade of experience I know this is already not good and hope they have the staff prepared to accommodate. I am extremely understanding however and have been here as well as other bb.q chickens and had a good experience - so I’m hopeful).

Everyone shows up, sitting down by 7 (maybe it will all work out) - No, unfortunately. The poor server takes our orders. People aren’t getting drinks they ordered. They go to the bar to request them. The manager isn’t even sweating and that pisses me off a little bit. Her server is struggling and doesn’t seem to have any support.

We muddle through drinks and dinner … At least 5 people never receive their food - even after telling the people behind the bar (as this seems to be the hiding place for the entire staff). Can’t blame them, again, they don’t seem to be supported. Several people didn’t get elements they ordered with their food and had to re-request them at the bar and 50% maybe received what was requested (drinks, sauces) while their food was still hot.

At 8:30 I went to find the manager, who was either just sitting at the bar or working as the hostess for the evening the majority of our stay. It was 8:30 and I asked if someone was going to tell us which karaoke room was ours. She said it wasn’t ready yet… At this point I’m pretty livid but I can see my displeasure or complaints will be met with nothing but apathy. She seemed absolutely uninterested in providing a good experience and had zero care registering with me in any way shape or form. I asked if they had a room for 20 available just in case people were planning to stay, that originally had told me they couldn’t and she said no - which was completely valid. By the time the room was ready at 9pm additional people were leaving angry anyway - some of them hungry so… we would be under the max.

I was just in complete shock that the manager never spoke to J or myself to apologize or make it right with the people who were still hungry. I was mostly shocked to see that they did not help their server or bartender who was clearly struggling. I couldn’t believe the audacity when they asked if we wanted to pay another $35 to stay an extra hour in the karaoke room. Ummm… no - we’re gonna go.

I would understand if the service was slow, or if some items were forgotten but then remedied to the best of their ability. I would understand if they forgot to put in an order and had to remedy that. But the absolute neglect of our party was absolutely astounding.

Just the amount of money we were willing and wanting to spend in THIS economy and this is the guest treatment? I’m appalled - if I were the owner I would...

ME AND MY HUSBAND CAME FOR THE FIRST TIME TO EAT AT THIS BBQ KOREAN RESTAURANT AND OUR SERVER ANDREW ATTENDED US. I TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS OUR FIRST TIME COMING TO A KOREAN RESTAURANT AND HE SMILED LIKE HE WAS EXCITED TO ATTEND US. THE SERVICE WAS NOT REALLY ALL THAT GREAT. I WAS EXPECTING ANDREW TO COME AND CHECK ON ME AND MY HUSBAND TO ASK US HOW WERE THE CHEESESTICKS, BUT HE NEVER CAME. CHEESESTICKS WERE GOOD BUT AT THE SAME TIME THE DOUGH SURROUNDING IT WAS NOT CRISPY . I LITERALLY TASTED THE DOUGH THROUGH THE INSIDE OF THE CHEESESTICKS. TEMPERATURE WISE NOT HOT,BUT LUKEWARM. MARINARA SAUCE DID NOT TASTE LIKE MARINARA SAUCE AND IT WAS COLD. MARINARA SAUCE IS SUPPOSED TO BE HOT AS WELL AS THE CHEESESTICKS. SOJU SEOUL CRUSHER ALCOHOL BEVERAGE WAS GOOD. COMPLIMENTS TO THE BARTENDER. AFTER WE FINISHED CHEESESTICKS, WE RECEIVED OUR GALBI FLAVORED WINGS. I DECIDED TO CHOOSE THESE WINGS BECAUSE MY HUSBAND SAID THAT HE WANTED FOR US TO TASTE AN ORIGINAL KOREAN CLASSIC NON-SPICY FLAVOR. I TASTED MY WING AND IT TASTED SWEET AND THE SAME TIME TANGY. TEMPERATURE WISE, NOT HOT, NOT COLD, BUT LUKEWARM. WHAT I DID LOVE ABOUT THE FOOD WAS THE FACT THAT CHICKEN WINGS CAME WITH A SIDE OF RADISH. I WAS ABOUT TO ORDER A SIDE OF RADISH UNTIL ANDREW TOLD ME THAT WINGS ALREADY COME ACCOMPANIED WITH RADISH. THANK YOU FOR TELLING ME THAT SPECIFIC DETAIL. I DID ORDER A SIDE OF COLESLAW WHICH MY HUSBAND LOVED SO MUCH AND DEVOURED MOSTLY EVERYTHING. HE SAID THAT IT WAS DELICIOUS, FLAVORFUL, AND VERY CREAMY. DURING THE WHOLE TIME THAT WE WERE EATING OUR FOOD AGAIN I WAS EXPECTING ANDREW TO COME AND CHECK ON US ,BUT HE NEVER DID. I WAS HOPING THAT I WOULD OF HAD AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE SINCE IT WAS MINE AND MY HUSBAND'S FIRST TIME EATING AT A KOREAN RESTAURANT, BUT I GUESS IT WASN'T A SUPER GOOD EXPERIENCE. I WILL CONTINUE GOING TO BBQ KOREAN RESTAURANT, BUT AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. I'M HOPING I WONT HAVE BAD EXPERIENCES AT THE OTHER LOCATIONS BECAUSE I WILL FEEL BAD TO GIVE A SUPER BAD REVIEW WORST THAN THIS ONE. ALL IN ALL CATEGORIES I GIVE MY EXPERIENCE 4 STARS. AT THE END OF US FINISHING EATING OUR FOOD AND STILL NO SIGN OF ANDREW. ME AND MY HUSBAND WENT TO GO PAY OUR FOOD AT THE CASHIER'S AREA. I ASKED ANDREW THAT ME AND MY HUSBAND DIDN'T KNOW IF TO PAY AT THE TABLE OR AT THE CASHIER'S AREA. HE SAID THAT WE COULD HAVE PAID AT THE TABLE. I WAS LIKE " HMMM" HE NEVER WENT TO CHECK ON US TO CHECK IF WE HAD ALREADY FINISHED EATING. WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT. THAT'S WHY ME AND HUSBAND GOT UP LEFT A $5 TIP ON THE TABLE AND WE LEFT TO GO PAY AT THE CASHIER'S AREA.AT THE END I TOLD THE CASHIER THAT I AM A FOOD CRITIC AND LEFT. THANK YOU FOR THE EXPERIENCE BBQ. HOPEFULLY , THE OTHER LOCATIONS WON'T...

The food is great! Service is consistently mediocre, but the food is why I kept coming back. I’ve been here 4 times. BUT this last visit (1/7/22), took the cake. I typically sit at the bar, do a little work, and then order to go. When I walked in, there were so many customers waiting for to go orders. I chose to sit at the bar and place my to go order immediately. I was the only person at the bar and there was one couple sitting at a table. It took a couple minutes to be greeted and get a menu, but that was understandable due to the volume of to go orders. I sat, ready to order, for several more minutes. After he took my order, the waiter let me know that food “was taking a while” and he asked if that was OK. Their food is always fresh so I didn’t mind the extra wait time. During my visit, “shift change” took place. So the waiter who took my order had a seat at the bar, I assume his shift was over. There were 4 or 5 staff members behind the bar. The inside of the restaurant was empty so the staff was talking, joking, and one waiter was braiding hair. One staff member was training another on table numbers. I didn’t have a problem with any of that. Again, the restaurant was practically empty. The issue is I was the only customer at the bar, multiple staff were standing at the bar and my drink sat empty for the latter part of my visit. I did not know who my new server was because no one came and checked on me. I think waving waiters down is rude and they do not wear name tags, so I sat there and waited on them to acknowledge me. Nothing. I made eye contact with each of them. Still nothing. I looked to see if I could identify a manager out of the group but there didn’t seem to be one present. Someone brought my order out but they did not present the check. Again, I had to wait on them. I stood up, and I still had to wait. I was finally able to get the attention of a waiter after they took care of another to go order. This is not the first time service was slow, but this was the worst experience. On top of that, my order was incorrect. This place could be really amazing, I hope they turn it around.

Also, please wash your hands after touching yours or someone...