Dpoong Korean BBQ — Restaurant in Temecula

Korean BBQ will no doubt always be expensive. But I left feeling unsatisfied yesterday. It was my first time trying K-BBQ in Temecula and seeing that it was 4.8 stars, I definitely had high expectations.

Food - limited menu. it's not AYCE, which is fine, but definitely just meat all around (plus tofu soup). There's also seafood but mostly just squid and shrimp as options. We got beef bulgogi, brisket, pork shoulder, sweet octopus, and garlic chicken. The food itself is not bad. Seasoned with enough sauce and had good taste. There was quite a bit of fat on the bulgogi though. Definitely don't bring a vegetarian here; there's nothing for them. As far as the little dishes they bring out, it was okay. Not as many as your typical korean spots. My favorite was the veggie tofu soup - THAT actually was delicious and traditional tasting.

Grill - here's where my problem lies. Our grill was very small and the fire was not evenly distributed over the grill area which slowed the cooking process by A LOT. The server probably came over 4x to torch our food to speed up the process. So I half lost patience throughout the grilling process because it took forever.

Price - not cheap and we didn't even order drinks.

Service - no complaints

Overall, I didn't think it was a 4.8. Perhaps for Temecula standards and people that are not used to going to other K BBQ places this was great?? But being an east coast Asian who's been to numerous Korean BBQ, this just...

We were looking for a place to have our anniversary dinner and it was a cold night, we wanted somewhere warm. Hubby read the reviews about this place and we decided to try it. Since it was a Wednesday, we were concerned it would be quiet with "no buzz" about the place. We walked in to about 3 or 4 tables of people around the little grill on your table. You do not need to worry about being cold. :) Hubby had read about ordering Combo 1 as a good option so we did that. They have beer and some other drinks but brought water out right away as well. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful since it was our first time. They asked multiple times if we needed help.. maybe because we had the meats piling up. We were taking our time and enjoying the atmosphere. The dinner came with soup (yum!) and some sides/rice. The sides were small tastes, really just the right size in my opinion - kim chee, some broccoli pieces, some type of mash that was yum, some noodle dish, also yum. I mean everything was so good. The staff (we only got Kiki's name but there were two boys working and an older woman who made the food, I believe) offered to bring more sides and even we were offered the sides to bring home with our leftover meat, which we did. Can't wait to have it for breakfast~ I think our bill with tip was about $100 but I really feel that was worth the price and the service. Try this place - you wont be...

Meat selection is good, sides are tasty, house dipping sauce is on point, but what stands out most is the service. Specifically, the outgoing personality of the owner, "Master Min", makes you feel at home. The other staff seem to enjoy their jobs because of the atmosphere Min has created, which contributes to the overall good vibes this place has going for it.

As for the food, the sides seem traditional and standard for korean BBQ spots. You get a house dipping sauce which I love. There's a wide selection of BBQ meats, I'd recommend doubling up on the beef bulgogi it's the best one in my opinion.

The only downside is how popular it has gotten, which is not the fault of the restaurant of course. Consequently, the wait on a Friday or weekend can be long (1hr+). Be happy a local gem is doing well.

At the end of the day what more can you ask for in a local spot? Dropping in for good food and feeling like when you walk in the door you're greeted by friends, hard to beat. It's places like these that after you share some meals with good friends and family, or more than a couple of laughs with the staff, you'll remember for time to come. You may find yourself saying in the future, "Hey remember that Korean BBQ spot in Temecula? Good times". I encourage you to cherish the...