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Kimchi Korean BBQ

4.1 (495 reviews)
PriceyKorean, Barbeque
Closed 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM
Updated a few days ago

Waitlist - Kimchi Korean BBQ

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Order Kimchi Korean BBQ Takeout or Delivery

Kimchi Korean BBQ Photos

KIMCHI KOREAN BBQ ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Loud
Casual
Good for kids
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Kimchi Korean BBQ

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Tatianna Z.

Tried Kimchi KBBQ in Santa Barbara on a Friday night around 7 PM and surprisingly there was no wait at all. The place is pretty small, probably only around 10 tables that seat about 4-6 people each, so it feels more cozy than a big KBBQ spot. One thing I really liked was that they have a link where you can order food directly from your phone, which made everything super easy and helped avoid waiting around for servers to come by. The service was honestly great. Everyone was very nice, attentive, and the food came out really quickly every time we ordered. That was definitely the highlight of the experience. As for the food itself, the meat quality just wasn't really up to par compared to other KBBQ places I've been to, especially for the price. They charge $36.99 and only offer 5 different meat options, which felt a little limited. I honestly think they benefit from being one of the only KBBQ spots in the wider Santa Barbara area, because in bigger cities with more competition I don't think the pricing and meat quality would stand out as much.

SOY GARLIC CHICKEN
Azul S.

Great service there's parking in the back of the alley and the staff are very attentive!! Cannot recommend enough!! The food is delicious and the prices are so affordable in comparison to other SB restaurants!

Dessert option too!
Sabrina W.

Food was very tasty and the service was great. Highly recommend the premium option as there were so many options to try from.

Soju
Richard B.

Honesty best Korean BBQ in my LIFE. The food was such good quality, super fresh, and the service from Carlos was hands down 5 STARS!!! Was super attentive and extremely friendly. I will 100% be returning here again and again. Seriously, must go to spot, I wish I could rate it 10 stars

Spicey Korean chicken
Melanie C.

Fernando was a great server today while celebrating my brothers birthday! The service was fantastic!! 10/10 day

Wallace J.

The food was amazing and really fresh. The waiters are good at service. I hope you come here and eat some food!!!

Giant short rib after we ate, It was super tender.
Elizabeth O.

Just ate here!! So happy we got a kkbq in SB!! You can order off a QR code instead of waiting for a waiter. All the staff was nice and Fernando was on top of everything. All the selections were good and reasonable. Parking in the back is available. i just found that out when i was seated already.

Great service, we ordered using the QR code provided and everything such as the meats and sides came out super quickly

Amanda L.

What a great place to enjoy AYCE Korean BBQ. We got there a little late after our reservation because we couldn't find parking. The staff at the front was nice enough to tell us to park in the back. Luckily we eventually found a spot in the front. They didn't bump us out of line. We got the Platinum option. The meat was very tasty. The large beef rib bone was amazing and the meat was so soft. All the staff was really nice. One of the staff asked if we have dogs and offer to wrap our beef rib bone to take home. Kids price is age plus $4. This is the best deal of any Korean AYCE places we've been to.

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28 days ago

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1 month ago

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23 days ago

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3 months ago

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6 hours ago

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6 hours ago

Amazing service. A lot of options to choose from. Would recommend to everyone. They have really good deserts.

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4 months ago

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1 month ago

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11 days ago

Great service and food but missed a couple of orders of things like rice paper and salad. Would eat again

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14 days ago

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13 days ago

Very good, great place to visit for kbbq. Try it if your a local the pace it definitely worth the visit

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3 days ago

Food was really good ! Had flavor and portions were reasonable! Service and ambience were a plus ! Would come back !

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21 days ago

Really enjoyed the experience and the food was top notch! I'll definitely be back again soon.

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4 days ago

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26 days ago

Great food, great service! Food was so bussin everybody gotta try it at some point. Definitely a hidden gem! Will definitely be coming back!

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11 months ago

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4 days ago

Great service and atmosphere! All food came super quickly and tasted great. Staff was super helpful and attentive with the cooking process.

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1 month ago

The best experience for a big group. We were sat right on time and accommodated right away. Great customer service. Will be coming back!!

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8 days ago

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10 days ago

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10 days ago

Small but cozy Kbbq spot! Very easy and convenient QR code to order. The service is fairly quick!! Very friendly staff! Will come again

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11 days ago

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Kimchi Korean BBQ Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Kimchi Korean BBQ

Do you charge for kids?

Kids price is age plus $3 between 4-11years old. Ex) 4 year old +$3= $7 charge. 5year old… Read more

Is there kimchi?

Yes!

Do they play KPOP there? Not a dealbreaker, just a big fan.

They do play kpop but also they play a variety of songs that are more modern

Do they have outdoor seating or a place to sit with pets?

No, we don’t have outdoor seating. Sorry..

Do they take reservations?

No. You have to put your name on the list in person

Is it ok if there is only me in the table?

I don't see why not! It's a place to eat food, and I'm sure if you go during a lesser congested time, you'll easily get a small table to yourself.

A bit confused by the pricing for kids. Is it based on age or height? I have a 4 & 6 year old both over 50" and there's no way I'm paying an adult price for them.

Depends on age.. if you call us then we can explain more details... Thank you.

Do they serve bimibap?

Sorry,we don't have bibimbob

View All 12 Questions

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4.5(274 reviews)
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One of my favorite spots when I'm craving a beef bulgogi bowl! I've always been so happy to have…read moresuch incredible and flavorful food near where I live. The staff are incredibly nice and they were very attentive to us when we arrived. We were able to enjoy an outdoor table and the food blew us away! I had their beef bulgogi bowl and I was floored by the flavor of the beef and the how fluffy the rice was. I want to try everything on the menu so I'll be visiting again very soon.

Found this spot on Yelp and was craving authentic Korean food. It is a small Korean food shop with…read morean area sectioned off to dine in and a few tables outside as well. Service was good. I ordered the Jajangmyeon noodle dish at the register and took a seat. It came with a dish of yellow radish. The Jajangmyeon had julienned cucumber on top. The sauce for this dish is supposed to be thick. Unfortunately, I was served a version that was very thin and oily. The sauce had tiny pieces of diced overcooked pork and a just a small pieces of zucchini. Other than that the rest was slices of blackened onions. The cost was also expensive at $15.95 before tax. This was the most I have ever paid for this dish and the quality was inferior and there wasn't enough veggies in the sauce. Between the pork and zucchini, I estimate it was less than a 1/4 cup. So essentially the dish was mainly noodles in with a sauce filled with onions.

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What can I say other than culinary perfection? It's where street food meets casual dining but with…read moremasterfully crafted menu items that will make your taste buds pop! The KFC Bao was exceptional. Crunchy, tangy, sweet, fresh and savory. A delightful dish that had me wanting a second one. The Dolsot Bokkeumbap was also delicious, savory and a bit in the heavy side, it could use something fresh, acidic or sweet to brighten up the dish. The staff was very friendly and recommended the Bao, so they know what is good on the menu. I was sat outside where they have a beautiful little patio with heaters and comfortable seating. Overall this place is a must try!

Overall the food was very delicious. I would recommend the Bao (both the KFC and pork belly were…read morevery good). The sweet potato dumplings are fried and had a very unique twist for Asian fusion and would recommend. The kalbi was very mediocre, but it was fun for sharing. Day cake was delicious. I would highly recommend since it came out and was very warm. The bingsu was mostly frozen and was not finally shaved in terms of milk ice and the Nutella pairing with it did not go very well. We had a fantastic server (Cathy) who took our orders and was very friendly. The front staff was quite rude when we followed up what the wait time was (might have been because it was busy, but hope that it's a 1x thing and not a pattern). Otherwise, vibes we're very good and I can see why this is a popular spot.

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Uniboil - Stewed beef noodle

Uniboil

3.9(307 reviews)
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Outdoor seating
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Food was good and staff was kind. Would come back and get the angus beef boil again…read more Characters

We were passing the area when we decided we needed some lunch. I found this place on yelp and…read moredecided to give it a try. It was an open layout that had plenty of seating inside the restaurant. The decor was moder, but not overdone. We were greeting and pointed to a table but that was it. We realized there was a QR code on the table and we could order our food on there. It took a little while to get our food even though no one else was there. I found it really odd to not even be told to use the QR code to order or be informed of anything. Stewed beef noodles with Ramen- 9/10 My husband ordered this and I tried some. The broth was delicious. Rich and flavorful but not overbearing. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the meat was tender. The bok choy was a needed touch. My husband ate the whole bowl and wanted a second because was so good. Certified Angus Beef hot pot- 8/10 I ordered this with the tom yum broth. I didn't know it was a creamy version of the broth until it was served. I'm not mad about it but it wasn't in the description in case others are dairy sensitive. The broth was flavorful and really delicious. I will say that the beef was tough and it a typical cut that overcooked very quickly in the broth. I'm not positive it was Angus beef grade. I just now realized it was missing the lotus root but gave me zucchini instead. I was also missing my quail eggs. If I didn't read the description to know I was supposed to have them, I would've missed that too. Overall, the food was delicious but the service was 1 star for sure. We were never checked on and the waiter only appeared if we pushed the call button. If you can overlook the lack of customer service, the food is really delicious.

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Oku - Santa Barbara's premier waterfront restaurant

Oku

4.3(1.1k reviews)
3.1 mi
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Rooftop seating
Gluten-free friendly

Andreina was our server and provided outstanding service from start to finish warm, attentive, and…read moregenuinely hospitable. She made the entire experience feel elevated and personal. The sushi was some of the best we've had in Santa Barbara fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The ocean view from the second floor made it even more special. What really stood out was Andreina offering my girlfriend a blanket to keep her warm such a thoughtful touch that you don't see often these days. We'll definitely be recommending this spot and coming back with friends. Highly recommend! -Ian Lantz

My husband and I dined here for an early dinner with a reservation. I think after checking in it…read moremight've taken 5-10 minutes to be sat. Our server was really kind and on point with everything! Everything came out quickly. We ordered the otoro sushi, ikura sushi, rainbow roll, and two orders of the filet mignon. I have zero complaints about the sushi. It was incredibly delicious! I do think the filet mignon had beautiful plating, but it was very underwhelming, and didn't come out the requested way of cooking. I don't think I'd order that again, but we enjoyed our food overall. We chose to dine outside since it was a nice day and I thought that was pretty nice. We did bring our baby and had enough room with a high chair etc. we'd come back!

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Empty Bowl Gourmet Noodle Bar - (Photo/Video by Ins@foodie.skye)

Empty Bowl Gourmet Noodle Bar

4.3(951 reviews)
1.9 mi
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Situated in the Santa Barbara Farmers Market complex, Empty Bowl is an inviting space where you can…read moresit right at the bar and watch the wok action. Service is friendly and the food well prepared. Menu options are limited, but everything is delicious. Recommend going at happy hour. There's usually a special offer.

With so many dining options inside SB Public Market, we had a hard time deciding what to have for…read moredinner. After walking around the plaza a couple of times, we picked Empty Bowl. A side note: real silverware and plates/bowls are offered only if you dine inside the restaurant's premises. Since we opted to sit in the general area, our orders were prepared as a to-go set. After browsing through their menu, we chose the following dishes: Beef Pho: The broth was quite savory, tangy, and a tad sweet. The thin rice noodles were slightly soft. The filet mignon slices were tender, and the beef balls had good texture. The sauce and bean sprots were given on the side. Bangkok Street Noodle: The broth was flavorful, spicy, and quite tangy. The thin noodles had a balanced firmness. There was a nice blend of sliced BBQ pork, minced meat, meatballs, and fried wontons, then garnished with chili, cilantro and green onion on top. Shrimp Summer Roll: The rice paper wrap had a pleasant chewy texture. The ingredients were super fresh and satisfyingly crunchy. The tanginess of the mango and cucumber went well with slightly sweet hoisin style sauce. The mint provided a quite refreshing taste and aroma to the rolls. A beautiful fusion of colorful visual presentation and exquisite taste. Overall, it was a very enjoyable meal. Highly recommended.

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3.9(732 reviews)
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We came here for a late lunch as we saw it holds Michelin Bib…read more Sweet: great menu options. So many tasty choices. We ordered the Vietnamese chicken wings and braised pork noodles. Both very delicious. The wings were all flats so that was a plus alone. Full of good flavor and very crispy. The noodles were delicious as well. I recommend both. The restaurant is decorated very nice and the server was attentive. Sour: the restaurant was very clean but it bothers me so much when some places have a designated area that flies like to circle around that tends to be near the bar. I wish there could be more control to prevent that. I did really enjoy the meal but the portions were small. If it wasn't so good I would almost say the prices weren't worth it. You can definitely share but I would get at least 3 options for 2 people. My husband and I weren't that hungry so it was a decent amount since it was such a late lunch and we were thinking about getting something else shortly after. Overall I hope we are in town again soon as there are other things I'd like to try.

The chicken wings were absolutely amazing - if you do nothing else, order those!!! The Vietnamese…read morestyle was my favorite. The shaved bok choy and duck salad was SO good as well!!! The duck was excellent, and didn't feel too fatty - it was perfect. The drinks were good as well - had the spritz. Our servers were so polite and friendly, and honestly just felt like we were around friends. I like that this place, like many jn Santa Barbara, pays their staff a living wage and so you end up with a more authentic interaction that doesn't feel forced. The aesthetic was beautiful - perfect for a lunch date or for a dinner before sunset. Open air seating, beautiful decor, overall a lovely experience!

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Kimchi Korean BBQ - korean - Updated May 2026

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