First thing's first: I'm not a fan of Korean BBQ per se. I don't see the logic of going to a restaurant to pay for the privilege of cooking. However, sometimes you gotta get out. Kanpai is in a prime place along Rockville Pike, but depending on when you go you may find easy parking. (If you're not bothered about where to park, ignore what I just said.) Out front there's something that looks like a tuk-tuk or rickshaw. Tbh, don't know if it's theirs or the business next door. The restaurant itself is clean and elegant. Also, not as loud as some Korean BBQs (thinking of KPOT off of Randolph Rd), which is important if you don't like being overwhelmed by everyone else's noise. That is one big '+' in Kanpai's favor. The waiter was cool and very helpful. Because of him I now know what the thin meat slices are meant for (which is for the soup), before then I had no clue. The food itself is good. Like, why wouldn't it be? I actually prefer the shabu-shabu (soup), makes me wish I knew how to do that myself so I wouldn't have to go out as much. Yes, the grill meats were great, as was the kimchi. These places are not cheap, but it was enjoyable while I was there. If you're not in a rush you can go a few doors down afterward to an import store selling everything from K-chips to puzzle-kits. So I would say...take your time. But don't warm your seats for more than 90 minutes, as Korean BBQs tend to kick people out (nicely, nicely) if one overstays. P.S. I'm sure they have some great drinks there, but even if I wanted to I couldn't loiter. That's what Bethesda is for. (Or at least how it used to be.) read more

This is a place you need to come to hungry! I had a great time here with friends a few weeks ago. We were able to get some drinks from the happy hour menu right before it ended. Our server, Kelley, was great. She explained how everything works here. The buffet is pretty extensive and you can get full from that alone. They have an option to just do the buffet (during lunch hours). There is a good selection of meats. there's a robot here that brings stuff to the table - pretty cool. We were stuffed! It's a bit pricey but was worth it. I would visit again. read more

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Most recently, they were number 3 in Yelp's top places to eat in the MD Burbs according to us, the Yelp Elites. Somehow, I only just got around to trying them. I made a reservation weeks in advance on here, and my friends beat me there. They were at the bar when I arrived, and were told that the host was waiting for everyone to arrive before being seated, since it is timed. If I recall, each seating is 100 minutes for all you can eat. There's a robust buffet, KBBQ, and hot pot all in one. I also caught the last tail of happy hour and got an amazing old fashioned. First stop was the buffet, and I was expecting fried chicken, but was shocked me was crabs , curry, and... TAKOYAKI! Those three things alone make the entire experience worth it. Otherwise, throughout our stay, we had a lot of brisket, lamb, and veggies. Depending on when you show up, you can just do the buffet, which, as I said, is totally worth it. Quality is up there too, so all the prices are honestly worth it. Their recognition is well deserved! read more

I love this place. Today was the first time I tried Kanpai and it did not disappoint. I have been looking for another Korean Hot Pot and BBQ restaurant and one of my friends recommended Kanpai. The food was delicious. I ordered the salmon, garlic seasoned brisket and chicken with rice. All of the meat were well seasoned and cooked to my perfection. The rice was cooked a little hard. But overall, it was great. The service was impeccable. The hostess was very friendly and sat me as soon as I walked in. The waitress was very nice, knowledgeable and attentive. She made sure that all my needs were met. The restaurant is very aesthetically pleasing. You can tell they take pride in presentation. Unlike some other Korean BBQ restaurants..the restaurant was very clean. It was a great experience! If you are looking for great Korean BBQ and Hot Pot I recommend checking this place out. I will be back soon. Cheers! read more

Kanpai - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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I was pleasantly surprised by this bbq hotpot spot. Usually if a place has both bbq and hotpot I find that the quality of both are kind of low but the bbq options here were pretty good and I liked the soup options and toppings for the hotpot. It was very flavorful. The buffet also had some good dishes. They also had a variety of drinks. I liked the Thai green tea and the bar made a great old fashioned. The servers were friendly and helpful. The restaurant had a nice ambiance for a buffet style place. read more

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My daughter took me here today for Mother's day! I feel so spoiled! The place is huge beautifully decorated and plenty of space. Kevin was our server he was very good, accommodating and always asking us how we are. And how's everything? Kelly was also very helpful, she was able to assist us as well. She has a very pleasing personality. We felt very welcomed. Now for the food. It was good but i wished it had more collection when it comes to types of meats. But i get that they have a buffet going on as well so there are many many choices. I loved the soft shell crab and snow crab legs. Desserts were plentiful as well. read more

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I recently had dinner with some friends at Kanpai and enjoyed my experience! The restaurant is beautifully decorated and gives an upscale vibe. However, the prices are still very affordable! I am not big on buffets for hygienic reasons. However, I did try a few items once they were newly put out. One thing I did not like was how long it took for them to replace certain items. I waited close to 30 mins for fresh pineapple fried rice, which tasted okay. Surprisingly the pad thai was delicious and super moist! I enjoyed the bbq because most kbbq places have limited pescatarian friendly options. The salmon cooked in butter was delicious once I added some garlic a few little spices to jazz it up. The shrimp also tasted super fresh. I would definitely return read more

Kanpai - Shrimp, veggies, and pineapple fried rice - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

It's one of the best buffet restaurants I have ever been to because of the choices they offered. There were cooked dishes just like any other buffet restaurants, but in addition there were choices of barbecue and hot pot. For an affordable price, you can have it all. Or favorites are soft shell crabs, steamed fish, all barbecue meats and Thai desserts. The service was excellent, very attentive and efficient. It is a huge place but the noise level is unnoticeable. It's a super deal in town! read more

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Starve yourself before coming here! LOL This was my first time visiting this restaurant. We were searching for newer BBQ spots in the Rockville area that had good rating and it def living up to expectations. We were able to make a quick reservation and our party wasnt seated until everyone arrived. I believe you have a 90 min seating time. Once our servicer Kelly told us how everything worked, we were off to enjoy the buffet portion. There were so many dishes to chose from. I honestly cant even name them all, but there was seafood, and beef and chicken. Also a nice salad bar and dessert section. We kept the robot that brings your food busy when it came to ordering the bbq. We tried lamb, chicken, beef and salmon. Everything was delicious. I will say, if you have a shellfish allergy, beware because there is cross contamination. Even though it was a little price, i would still recommend this to friends. Honeslty, I find it more rewarding when its more than 2 people eating. You will get to try more items because you can get full really quick. read more

Kanpai - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

An updated review on Kanpai since I've gone recently. Reservations are crucial if you want to be seated here in a timely manner. Celebrated my twin cousins birthday here and we had a nice booth with individual hot pots to choose from. The buffet was really demolished so I wish they could have restocked it for dinner. Otherwise, very good options to choose from. Beverages are good, food came out quickly and our servers celebrated with singing to my cousins on their birthday. Let it be known, the whole restaurant knew haha. read more

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I had been looking forward to try this place during lunchfor a long time and finally got a a chance to come on a Monday. The taste of the food at the hot bar ranged from good to awesome. The pad Thai and Thai curry were really good. However, the utensils by the hot bar were not restocked fast enough. As others have noted, the layout for the big tables only allows 1 hotpot spot and 1 bbq grill. The hotpot took forever to heat up and while you need to make sure the bbq grill is set on max for efficient cooking (the server set it on medium by default). The bbq and hotpot food wasn't bad but type of meat offer r isn't as premium as other dedicated Asian bbq places. The fruit punch was almost tasteless but the Thai tea and Thai green teas were really flavorful. The downside is you can't place drink orders through the tablet as you forced to place it with a server. But the service ranged from the good, bad, and ugly. The items ordered from the tablet got delivered as expected. But the server rarely came to collect used plates. I had to bus the plates from my own table pretty much the entire time. On single time the server came to ask if there were plates to be collected, there was none because I already taken the plates away. The server never came to ask if we wanted additional drinks. We had to flag down servers each time we wanted to refill our drink. When I complained to the manager that the service didn't warrant the automatic 20% gratuity, the manager didn't initially comply until I insisted. Then the service became ugly as the server completely ignored our table until we asked for our check. We still gave 15% although the it should have been 13% or less from the way my party was treated. Despite the horrible service I would still return to give it another chance because the hot bar food was indeed delicious. read more

We had visited this place 2x, once during lunch and once during dinner. Of course dinner is pretty busy than lunch. But the service never changed. Always welcomed with a smile and the staff were really helpful. And also with mr robot server. The place is quite huge they can cater small to big groups. Unfortunately you have to be at least 5 pax to reserve but so far the wait they have is at least 30mins the longest, the one we experienced. It's probably depends on what time you will visit. They have parking shared with other strips which is in the front and at the back and a shared garage too. About the food, they offered buffet from appetizers, main course, fruits, sauce, to desserts. In my opinion you really get what you paid for. Now lunch and dinner have different pricing, lunch is much affordable but the menu is quite limited. Now by default you will get bbq and hotpot in one price so it is really good deal. The meat is so good and quality. Also one thing here is after the eating your clothes doesn't smell like smoke. Overall this is one of the top bbq and hotpot place. read more

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This place is honestly one of my favourite hotpot places in the DMV area! I've only had it for hotpot and have yet to try the Korean BBQ here, but I don't mind missing out on that part. Waitlist can get somewhat long but doesn't hurt checking out the other spots around this strip while waiting. I've been here for lunch and dinner and the all you can eat options for hotpot have been great with their meats, noodles, and veggies. I also love their buffet in the back with their selections of items, especially their seafood options like crab, shrimp... I feel like I end up eating half hotpot and half buffet here. Love their refills of green thai iced tea during the meal too. The staff have always been nice, although it's been hard to get their attention at times, so I'd sit around waiting until they came over for refills or the check. The vibe is fun, especially with people's birthdays and the music here. Definitely recommend this place for a fun and tasty hotpot experience! read more

Kanpai - Hot pot - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

TLDR: A fun and impressive all you can eat experience combining hotpot, Korean BBQ, and a strong Chinese buffet. Fresh ingredients, fast service, great variety, and a surprisingly smooth system for such a packed restaurant. Kanpai is an all you can eat powerhouse offering endless hotpot, Korean BBQ, and a Chinese buffet all rolled into one experience and I am fully on board with it. My group of four arrived on a Friday night around seven to a packed dining room, yet we only waited a few minutes for a table. That alone speaks to how efficient and well organized their front of house operation is. The restaurant is nicely decorated and clearly a new build or renovation with a polished feel that shows someone invested heavily into the space. Once seated, the system is simple. You pay a flat rate and get full access to both the hotpot and Korean BBQ stations at your table along with free range at the Chinese buffet in the back. For hotpot, each table selects two broths which arrive in a split basin set on a built in table burner. From there you order as many meats, seafood, and vegetables as you want. The Korean BBQ operates the same way with a selection of meats and seafood ready to be grilled by you at your own pace. Servers will sometimes help with grilling but during busy times it is easier to handle it yourself. The hotpot is entirely self managed. The buffet is a fantastic addition that more all you can eat places should embrace. It features a nice range of appetizers like potstickers and spring rolls along with more interesting items such as spare ribs, fried soft shell crab, and pineapple fried rice. The sauce bar nearby is loaded with every topping and condiment you could possibly want. As for the proteins, everything we tried for both hotpot and KBBQ was fresh and portioned generously. A small tip for newcomers. Table space becomes very limited when juggling both hotpot and KBBQ, so pace your ordering. Everything is done through a tablet at the table and once you submit your items a robot runs your meats straight to you which was a fun touch. Our highlights included the laksa broth paired with various seafood for hotpot and on the KBBQ side the thin sliced beef and pork belly which were simple but excellent because of how good the meat quality was. Overall, Kanpai delivers a great all you can eat experience and is absolutely worth a visit if you want variety, freshness, and a lively crowd. read more

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2nd time visiting. Daughter felt like having kbbq and hotpot, and Kanpai offers both and much more. I love the food, good service and a clean and comfortable (we had a big table with grill and hot pot). I ate enough for all three of us. Lol. Highly recommend. read more

Kanpai - Give the soft shell crabs some love - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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Came by for dinner with some friends and I highly recommend this place. On a sidenote, I will mention that if you're not familiar with this area parking at the shopping center can be quite hectic so if you can't find something in front, I highly recommend just going straight to the back lot and finding a parking space there it will save you a lot of time and stress. Upon walking in kanpai it's a mix of modern and elegant while encompassing a very fun vibe. We saw many birthdays, taking place and they come out with these huge signs and glow sticks and really make it into a spectacle which I love and a special shout out to Camille, the hostess, who bared with us through all of the photo opportunities she was amazing. Food wise for the price you pay it's beyond amazing at the hot bar. You have option such as pad Thai with chicken and shrimp glass noodles with various seafood dumplings, softshell crabs, and so much more the options are almost endless. Then you have various fruits salad available as well as a great variety of desserts for at the end of the meal. At the table, you also then have the option of both hot pot and Korean barbecue and the meat options are also very amazing considering the price . Ordering is made super easy as each table gets a tablet so you can put in your orders without having to wait for a waiter or waitress. Additionally, the food comes out in one of those robotic trays so again wait time is very limited as as soon as it comes out someone or something will deliver it for you. The only thing that was inconvenient was the way that the tables are set up for smaller parties as they have a side-by-side set up of the Korean barbecue and the hot pot so it's not easily accessible for everyone sitting there so there is some assistance that will be needed throughout your dinner. Other than that, I highly recommend as they have great food great service and all-around great vibes! read more

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The ambience was relaxed until the birthday song rang out accompanied by a large crowd, flashing lights, and 80s style boom box eliciting immediate PTSD followed by memories of an overpriced pizza establishment of days of old. I half expected the conjuring of a 6-foot out of work and struggling stuffed rodent donned in a bright colored costume and crooked smile to appear. It nearly caused me to rush for the exit. The saving grace was the ever helpful, Joanna, she not only came to my rescue but made my experience complete, packed with smiles and great tasting food. Spectacular service! Food: Ample selection and various options offered and available once the ordering system is established. If you are looking for a spot to try something new I highly recommend the Kanpai. read more

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The place does reservations so get your reservations in or be prepared to wait a bit. The restaurant is nicely decorated and can be a fun date place or good family gathering. So if I'm honest, the bbq aspect of the restaurant is pretty bad. 2/5 Most of the meats are TOUGH and not the greatest quality. The brisket, the steak, the kalbi, pork belly was tough. Such a disappointment. The only meat of saving grace was the marinated soy garlic brisket which had good flavor and was more tender than the other cuts. Overall disappointing The hot pot aspect. The broth was generally a bit too salty and bland, not horrible but not great. The meats and most cuts were good! Mostly tender and decent cuts. Overall, 3/5. There's other hot pot places much better than this. The hot bar definitely has a lot of options, wings to shrimp tempura to Pad Thai, and all decent food....but you're not going for the hot bar you're going for the bbq and hot pot. Overall, for the price, it's okay, prob not worth going back to and I've been here twice. Service is good and generally attentive but doesn't make up for the food. However, they do good birthday fun/celebrations if you want to embarrass people! read more

This is one of best ayce-buffet style restaurants I've ever eaten at. Kanpai delivers ayce hot pot and kbbq AND a buffet (broken down into a hot bar, cold bar, sauce bar, and dessert bar)! Unlike other places with this type of package, their point of elevation draws on Southeast Asian flavors, so their selection is curated where some offerings can stand as an entire restaurant dish in themselves. Options range from soft shell crab, papaya salad, and a house "kanpai sauce," tell me that there is a lot of thought into making sure that this restaurant has a distinct food identity despite being ayce. That being said, a lot of popular food items still lean towards Japan, Korea, and China, so I do wish that there was more SEA regional specificity in their dishes as they evolve their menu. For me, I would love to see a SEA restaurant thrive, so it feels a bit misleading to name it "Kanpai," when they have the food and experience to really nail that SEA identity and ownership in their name and brand. The renovation of this restaurant is new and clean, so the experience is just amazing and very streamlined. We even met the robot that gives you your hot pot ingredients! It can be very overwhelming to have all of these factors in your eating experience, but you can just embrace the abundance and variety this restaurant offers. Our wait staff were quick, efficient, and very attentive to our needs. Because there is so much being offered, we saw a lot of customers come in for celebrations and holidays, even the staff even join in to hype them up. You can engage at most levels of proficiency and improve on all fronts when it comes to table side self-cooking. read more

Kanpai - Short Rib (on Grill) - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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We came here with a reservation for a party of 5 on a saturday afternoon. The service was great! Our server was very attentive and friendly. Drinks were brought out quickly and he explained the ordering process well. We were checked on often. The price was a bit expensive. Since it was a saturday, it was dinner price all day ($45 per person) with a mandatory 20% gratuity for parties of 5 or more. The buffet selection was nothing to write home about but the bbq and hotpot were really good! Meats were fresh and flavorful. Hotpot broths were delicious in combination with rice, bass filet and veggies. Parking can be snug. The lot is usually full as its a busy area. The thai green tea was unique and delicious! Better than the thai tea (very sweet). Overall, a good experience. We had a great time. Just wish the price was better. read more

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Their buffet foods are all tasty! The service is proactive and quick! Interior design is pleasing. High chair and koala kare seen. Restroom is clean and smells good. Their bbq meats are good quality. Hotpot broths are oh soooo goood!! Lunch and dinner pricing are different. Parking is quite challenging due to other tenants in the area but they have more at the back. See images for reference. read more

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Super great place to meet with friends for a good time. Good vibes and yummy foods. Love the sauce bar. Great hot buffet options as well. Solid desserts - mango sticky rice, fruits, cakes, ice creams, coconut sago, and a pumpkin soup dessert as well. You can do both hot pot and bbq which is so stimulating and so much food. Lowk struggling to have a good convo cuz we're too into cooking our food on the grill and our pots while keeping the time limit. Love how niche and unique the bbq options are. Never tried a lot of the meat flavors like satay beef or lemongrass pork. So super cool to try so many new things with friends, meat was so tender and tasty! As you order the food comes out almost immediately. Buffet also included unlimited basic drinks and thai teas (dream come true for me). Tip automatically included for group of five or more. read more

Kanpai - Meats - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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Someone invited us here a month ago so that we could have a holiday meal with my mom. There was a line forming well before the place opened, so it must be good right? We paid the price that covers everything - the buffet, the BBQ and the hotpot. The buffet was definitely not worth it. The only thing I ate from the buffet was the fish at the end (non fried), otherwise it was a bunch of fried and basic stuff. One of the biggest problems with the place is that the tables typically have one hotpot and one BBQ. We had six people in our party, so I was unable to access the hotpot. The BBQ was alright - the cuts of meat were extremely fatty and a lot of the vegetables did not fare so well being BBQed. I wouldn't return with a large party due to the logistics of only one hotpot for a group of 6. On the plus side, they had sticky rice and mango as part of the desserts and it was excellent. However, they couldn't put it out fast enough and a line was forming for it. Rest of the dessert buffet was not worth the calories. read more

This review is a long time coming. Have been here a few times now and it's my husband and I's favorite restaurant. Definitely crowded especially on the weekends, reservations are a must for large groups. This place is a huge standout from the typical korean/japanese shabu shabu restaurants and I love southeast asian food. Papaya salad, snow crab legs, pineapple rice, mango sticky rice are just a few of my favorites from the buffet selection. Laksa is my go to broth for the shabu shabu. I always suggest this place to my friends for lunch and dinner dates! read more

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Couldn't find one single negative thing about this place. I dropped a piece of water melon on the floor by accident, and the waitress cleaned it up within 10 seconds. You know that your clothes and hair often smell after you eat bbq? Not the case here. The whole dining experience was superb. Food: 5 stars though I enjoyed bbq more than hotpot. Service: 5 stars perfect Ambiance: not crowded on a Saturday; easy to talk and no smoke or smell on clothes afterwards! Would definitely go back again. read more

Kanpai - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

I love a good KBBQ or Hot Pot spot, so when I saw this combo place when I was having dinner at Uzu I knew I wanted to try it. The decor is such a vibe. The music was good. The service could be more consistent. I noticed our server tending to the table next to us more for their BBQ than us. Additionally, the cuts of meat could be better too - some were quite fatty while others were fine. The buffet has some delicious dishes and yummy desserts. Great drink selection as well - creative cocktails and a variety of soju. I'd come again and hope to encounter better service. read more

Kanpai - Hot Pot - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

Such a vibrant atmosphere that isn't the typical loud, dark Korean bbq restaurant. Very warm feeling with plenty of space and not squished with other people. The staff is friendly and attentive. Drinks (non alcoholic) are included and their green Thai tea is so freaking good. We each had 3 cups of it. I love how the flavors of this restaurant aren't your typical Korean bbq or Chinese hotpot style. They add some other flavors to their broths and food choices. Lots of Thai related flavors. We were so full and I didn't even get to try some of the cold appetizers!!! So delicious. Definitely want to come back again! read more

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This is a Southeastern Asian food AYCE restaurant. We had a lunch at Kanpai for $28 per person that includes the AYCE hot pot, BBQ, Buffet items and non-alcohol drinks. The AYCE BBQ dishes are all in similar portion, so it is easy to control estimate the order. For BBQ items we love Satay-beef, Satay-chicken, Cumin lamb and Scallops. For hot pot items, I will recommend the snake-head fish fillet. The service here is great! Our waitress helped us cook our BBQ food to perfect. I love this place. Highly recommend! read more

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It was recommended to me so I was looking forward to trying out Southeast Asian BBQ and hot pot! Dinner AYCE for $45 - BBQ -- the flavor did not stand out to me - Hot Pot -- Spicy Green Mala Soup was not spicy at all - Buffet -- it was nice that they offer a variety of seafood, dishes and desserts I tried Kanpai on more than one occasion and the experiences were only mediocre. It took awhile to get my drink order and the meat orders were missing several times on my side of the table. It is also on the pricier side compared to other AYCE BBQ and hot pot places. read more

Kanpai - Spicy Green Mala Soup + BBQ - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

Fine AYCE dining!! We came here on a Saturday night a waited 15 minutes for a table for 3 with no reservation - so not too bad. I love that they have an extensive bar area in the back with fried tempura, dumplings, crab legs, crawfish, curries, pineapple rice, papaya salads, desserts, and ice creams. It's a luxurious and clean space with a ton of options on the iPad. I also appreciate that the AYCE price includes soda drinks and thai teas. Overall worth the price and experience ! read more

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Yummy! What a great selection of hot pot AND KBBQ items. I would say the variety was typical but the quality was good and I thoroughly enjoyed my flavor broth (mala tang I think). read more

Kanpai - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

Kanpai, in my opinion, has a new twist of just regular bbq. It is like Korean bbq but with a twist of Southeast Asian flare. We went on a Sunday so we got the full hotpot AND bbq experience. All of the food (that wasn't from the buffet) came out really fast and really good. The buffet section had stuff like pad thai, soft shell crab, crawfish, snow crab legs, and many more. The ambiance was fun and light. The service could've been better. Our server didn't check on us that often or was attentive enough to clear our empty plates. But when he did come around, full attention for everyone. read more

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This was our first visit for a weekday lunch. My husband and I were torn between Kanpai and Mama Chang to treat my parents-in-law, but we ultimately decided to introduce them to Kanpai because of their love for Southeastern cuisine. Upon entering, we were promptly seated at our table. Our server, Jason, quickly took our drink orders and helped us choose a hotpot soup base to get started with. We were initially concerned that the food quality might dip during the weekday and lunch, but we were pleasantly surprised. The food was still outstanding. My in-laws relished every dish from the hot bar, BBQ, and hotpot item. While we enjoyed our meal, we noticed Jason managing a large party at another table as well as smaller ones, yet he still attended to us promptly for refills and to clear our finished plates. His patience and exceptional customer service made us feel great about bringing my parents-in-law here. I usually don't give 5-star ratings for AYCE places, but it was refreshing to see our server engage with senior customers at their level and provide such attentive service. With that experience in mind, my husband and I are going to return soon. We hope others can enjoy this dining experience too. Highly recommended! read more

Kanpai - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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This could be just me not being very objective, but I now believe that two of the planet's top Asian buffets are located on Rockville Pike in Rockville, Maryland! For the other one, find it in my earlier reviews... cough... cough. For this one, let me start by saying WOWOLA! WOWINSKI! I went to get my annual eye exam, and my doctor's office is located on this strip mall in Rockville Pike, which is essentially miles and miles of strip malls. I finished earlier than planned, was hungry, and I strolled down the sidewalk to scan a place to eat. I thus discovered Kanpai, which looked new, a fact that I confirmed when I got to talk to my waiter. Kanpai has been open for a few months, but the grand opening was just a few weeks ago. Kanpai raises the bar for a buffet restaurant. Point in case: most tables have a built-in hot plate and a built-in stove, so that if you order a BBQ, etc., it gets delivered to you by a robotic waiter, and you can cook it right then and there, or a waiter will cook it for you! Fresh!!! Notice that I said "robot," as Kanpai has a small army of robots on wheels delivering food to the tables! Each table comes with an iPad, which can be used to place orders, add to orders, etc., which then the R2D2s of the restaurant world efficiently and talkatively (yes, they talk) deliver to your table. For old-fashioned buffeterians like me, you can also stroll to the buffet area and chow down on an impressive selection of mostly South Asian dishes, fresh fruits, loads of desserts and ice creams. The seafood soup was packed with fish, shrimp, etc., and was delicious! I was there for lunch, and the place was very busy, but I walked right in. The service is really top notch, and my waiter Andy was really good at explaining using the iPad to order. There is also an impressive assortment of drinks included in the buffet price, and I loved my green Thai tea! I also recommend the sticky rice pudding with mango - homerun in Yummy town! I asked and was told that weekends are super busy, with a 30-minute wait or so, but most weekdays, although busy, can easily accommodate walk-ins. Prices were really good, and they also offer a 10% military discount. Oh yeah! Give Andy a bonus for being so attentive and helpful... Kanpai gets my highest recommendation! read more

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This is probably one of the nicer Korean barbecue places I've been to. I really love the interior design of this location making it feel a little more upscale. The menu is pretty standard for KBBQ spot and very delicious. Definitely on the higher end flavor wise from my experience. The service was very attentive with your typical order on an iPad but still access to a server. I will definitely be coming back for another visit soon! read more

I have been to a couple all you can eat KBBQ/ HotPot spots in Rockville and this is by far the best one for both! The ambiance feels as if you're on vacation. It's so nice inside and they place great music. The service was very friendly and helpful. There are also robots that go around the restaurant dropping off food. Really cool! It also feels really clean in the restaurant, which for me is really important. Each table gets an IPad and you order all meats, produce, broths, and drinks through it. The food was all very fresh and flavorful. The buffet was clean and had so many variety such as ribs, pad Thai, fried rice, curry soup and more. There is also a sauce/toppings bar. Once you are all done you can make your way to the dessert area and pick out anything you want such as cheesecake, ice cream, and coconut jello shaped as bunny's . We had a time limit of 1hr and 45minutes. Don't know if this changes depending the size of the party. Also, since it was my friend's birthday they came out and sang her a birthday jingle and gave her a refresher. Will definitely be going back! Loved this experience! read more

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Came here for a group gathering, and it did not disappoint. Fantastic combination of hot pot, Asian barbecue, and buffet. Everything from appetizers, mains, and desserts. Considering the prices of restaurants in the area these days, the AYCA was definitely worth it. Food was fresh. Staff was helpful. We also saw three birthday celebrations where staff sang the most hilarious happy birthday song to help celebrate. So fun, so delicious, we will be back. There is a small plaza for parking which can be quite crowded, but there is a larger a lot in the back. read more

My husband and I decided to come here for lunch during the week day! We've been wanting to try it because it has both hot pot and Korean BBQ. We did the all you can eat for the total menu which included the hot pot, bbq, as well as the buffet, which came out to $28 per person. We had great service and our waitress was kind and patient as she explained to us how the process works from ordering on the iPad to approximately how long to cook everything. Overall, the food was good, but I wonder if coming during dinner would've improved some of our options as some of the premium proteins are only available at dinner. If I'm being completely honest, I've had both better hot pot as well as better bbq at other restaurants, but I haven't been to a restaurant that offers both as well as a buffet. I think for those reasons, this restaurant is worth a try because of how much you have to choose from. The buffet was okay, nothing particularly stuck out to me as a "must try" or was exceptionally delicious, but I love that it had an array of food ranging from soups, salads, seafoods, meats, fried food and desserts. From what I did try in the buffet, which included the pineapple fried rice, fried chicken dumplings, spring rolls, and the seaweed salad, I did enjoy these and felt they were fresh and had great flavor. The bbq choices for meat were good but limited at lunch. We found our favorites to be the sweet garlic pork and brisket as it had a nice sweet flavor. I would definitely order these options again if doing BBQ. As for hot pot, I thought it was good. Had a decent choice of veggies and proteins as well as broths to choose from. I'm definitely not a hot pot expert but I liked this enough that I would order this again. Although I wasn't completely wowed by all the food, I did enjoy it and think it would be a good place to come to if you're trying to have a large selection of options with people who have various interests. I thought the restaurant was clean which I believe is a must, especially when raw food is around. I would come here again but mostly so that it can satisfy everyone's preferences on what they'd like to eat. I also want to come back during dinner time to see if maybe the increased options for proteins to choose from increases my rating. If you haven't tried Kanpai yet, you should give it a try, especially if you enjoy having a large selection of items to choose from like bbq, hot pot and buffet! read more

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Get the LAKSA SOUP BROTH! Such a great addition to the DMV hot pot & BBQ scene! Southeast Asian-focused menu with hot pot, BBQ, and buffet options. The meat quality was excellent, and the buffet had surprises like crab legs, crawfish, and deep-fried soft-shell crab. Fresh roti was a must, and the sauce bar was solid with banchan, kimchi, and papaya salad that paired perfectly with the grilled meats. Drinks are included, but the unlimited Thai iced tea and Thai green tea stole the show. Ended strong with desserts--mango sticky rice and the coconut pudding bunny were . Definitely worth checking out! read more

Kanpai - Ice cream, coconut pudding bunny and sesame ball - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

Such a fun AYCE experience here!! But can be quite overwhelming since there are 3 different components: Southeast Asian buffet, BBQ, and Shabu Shabu. $28 for weekday lunch and $45 for dinner, weekends, and holidays. The dinner does include more premium items like snow crab legs. The AYCE does include drinks like Thai Tea!!! Overall, really loved the buffet portion the most since most things were so flavorful, fresh, and delicious. The snow crab legs were disappointing since they were super watery and not meaty. We did love yellow curry, ribs, pad thai, ceasar salad, papaya salad, mango sticky rice, egg tart, and coconut sago. The BBQ was not as impressive since the marinades were not that flavorful. Also our server kept forgetting about our grill and overcooked many items (it was super busy on a Sunday lunch). There was a sauce bar for the BBQ, but didn't get as much time to it (90 min time limit). The Shabu Shabu was good tho! Not as many options and variety as typical hot pot spots tho. Would definitely come back to focus on 2 components only! read more