Unfortunately we did not have a good dining experience. We ordered the stone pot mixed rice and spicy beef soup. The food tasted good but we found the married owners very stingy with their mini appetizer dishes. They avoided our table since they were irritated with providing more of the small side dishes but we asked anyways. We were going to order more as the portions were small but were turned off by this and how the servers were treated. The servers had to ask the female owner if they were allowed to refill the side dishes, this is very rare to see at a Korean restaurant. read more

Kimchi Time - Spicy beef soup and stone pot mixed rice. - Korean Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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You asked if I wanted rice with my soup. I said no. You asked if I was sure. I said yes. You tried telling me it's really good with rice. I told you, I was fine. And I meant it. No mystery or suspense about it whatsoever. So then what do you decide to you? You take a bowl of rice and you brazenly dump it into my soup for me. You seriously just did your own thing with my food after I said I don't want any. Can you even wrap your head around how obnoxious and assholish that is? I don't know if that's customary in your culture (and I don't need somebody who's been there to look for an opportunity to travel brag and chime in, because I don't care), but it's really, really rude. Your portions are also ridiculously tiny for an exorbitant amount of money. Fuck this place. read more

I don't know what other people were smoking when this place was rated 2 or 3. But I digress, I may have a slight bias towards a restaurant that's obviously run by a family. Mom was busy setting up trays of banchan, careful to be precise with their portions for each table, Dad was making sure each table's orders were taken and that everyone felt welcome, Son was busting his chops sweating beads off his forehead trying to make sure every order went out and drinks were filled. Daughter...too young to help out, did her best to keep out of the way. By 6:45pm, this place was already going on a waiting list. Seems like we made it in there to get seated just in time. We ordered: 1. Mandu (dumplings) for appetizer -- 3.0 (average, could get this quality store-bought, but it was nice and crispy...little dry though) 2. Hubby got Kimchi-chigae (soup) -- 4.0 (nice and spicy, got good sour flavor from well fermented kimchi, but we wished it had a bit more tofu or meat for sustenance) 3. I got the Dolsot Bibim-bap (hot-stone pot rice bowl) -- 5.0 (oh my gooooooodness, so delish) I can write an epic story about our experience here, but that can take away from my current happy food coma I'm having from tonight's meal. Hubby felt like he needed a bit more food and got froyo elsewhere, but I left completely satisfied and happy. They used purple rice (it's actually mixed black rice, but I call it this due to the hue of the rice) for the Bibim-bap! I was soooooo excited. And when my rice came off the red-hot stone bowl with a nice layer of crispy rice, I could not be happier. But anyhow, if you're cruising through the Southwest and are crazy for some Korean food, I recommend this place. Hubby spent the last 3 years in South Korea, I come from a Korean-infiltrated well-to-do-suburbs in the Greater Los Angeles. We give this place, two-thumbs up. read more

An adorable small family owned restaurant with amazing korean food made by the owner every day from scratch. I love the self serve side dish bar where you can serve yourself your favorite sides complimentary by the house. The bulgogi and galbi is my absolute favorite! Probably the best korean restaurant in Tucson, AZ. read more

I loved my dolsot bi bim bap! One of the best I've ever had. The meat was perfectly flavored and in just the right amount. The veggies were fresh and balanced the meat well. I like their mix of black and white rice, which was somehow more substantial and had a deeper flavor than regular rice. The ban chan was also good, though most of the choices were a bit too spicy for my palette. S. really liked his spicy pork, another good cut of meat, which you don't always get--not stringy or fatty at all. The service was excellent: friendly, fast, and neither obtrusive nor neglectful. I will definitely be eating there on our next trip to Tucson. read more

Kimchi Time - Korean Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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I am new to Korean food, and thankful to my friend, Anthony, who is a long time customer of Kimchi Time! I don't know if I would have found this great restaurant without his recommendation. (Anthony has been to many Korean restaurants throughout Tucson, and he says Kimchi time cannot be beat!) If you are new to Korean food, it can seem a little intimidating with all of the sides (that you aren't sure of what they are), the menu, and the Korean beer. While I am still learning about it, I know everything I tasted was delicious. The sides that are served with your meals are shared for the table and are a combination of delicious bean sprouts, fish cake, kimchi, and two others that have escaped my mind. You just eat the sides with whatever entrée you choose. It compliments it all perfectly. THE FLAVORS. I am obsessed with the beef bulgogi. I just went on Friday and I can't wait to go back! The service is fast and friendly as well. read more

Holy mother of God, this place is GOOD. I took a Kimchi "virgin " here, who was a bit hesitant...........but she LOVED it. I love their food, and the service is stunning. They bring little dishes out to try, and they are ALL exquisitely prepared. ECXCELLENT!!! read more

Where has this place been all my life??!? Small, CLEAN, friendly, delicious, affordable, go-again-able. Don't you love it when you are personally helped by the owner? I do. I appreciate the attention to details in helping the customer with their first experience! We were led down the RIGHT path on the menus and enjoyed everything. PS- Love the many side dishes! SUPER AFFORDABLE! New favorite of Tucson :) read more

Wow, terrible food. This is by far the worst Korean food I've ever had in my life. I noticed a lot of people complaining about the service...service wasn't bad and it was decently busy when I was there. Food took a while to get and when it finally came out, they served one at a time. It took the last person in out party 20 minutes to get his food from the time the first person in our party got theirs. The banchan or side dishes were not good. First of all, 5 of the 6 side dishes were kimchee...3 radish kimchees, 1 cucumber kimchee, 2 kimchee, and potatoe salad. Most Korean restaurants you go to will give you a mix of things such as seaweed, fishcake, anchovies, etc. The food was horrible and none of our 4 dishes tasted like Korean food...and I'm Korean and and have been to Korea and have had lots of Korean food and this is food here was horrible. The Seafood Tofu soup had 4 pieces of seafood, the Kimchee soup tasted like water with some red coloring. I could go on but won't. Saying that this place serves Korean food is like saying Taco Bell serves authentic Mexican food. read more

Been here twice for a yummy bibimbap, love their matcha ice cream for desert too.

Believe the hype, people: Kimchi Time is seriously good! As an Israeli, there is a special place in my heart devoted to the institution of setting out little plates of pickled things and salads as a prelude to a meal. Many of you with ties outside the U.S. will know exactly what I mean, and for those of you who have never had the pleasure of a free pre-dinner tasting feast: you are in for a serious treat. Kimchi Time delivered on my nostalgic small-plates dreams in spades, with delicious bowls of fish cake, pickled cucumbers, bean sprout salad, zucchini salad, and of course kimchi. Each dish was delicious, fresh, and light, and the spread made for a perfect appetizer on a hot summer day. With such a generous start to the meal, it was a thrill to see that the entrees were not shortchanged in order to recoup the expense: my girlfriend and I were confronted by heaping portions of noodles and spicy pork which left us both feeling stuffed in spite of a long morning of moving her into a new apartment. And the large quantity of food did not come with a diminution in quality either: both dishes were truly wonderful. When it finally came time to ask for the check, a final pleasant surprise came in the form of a pair of complementary watermelon slices to finish off the meal. Since I have only had one meal at Kimchi Time, I'm holding back on a fifth star until I have a few more experiences under my belt. But if it is as consistently delicious as it was this time (and for just around $10 per meal!), that rating will certainly be deserved. My only real reservation: I know that Korean food has the potential to be some of the hottest around, but our pork bulgogi didn't quite live up to its "spicy" billing. Obviously not everyone loves their food blazing hot, including many Korean chefs, and so I'm not faulting the establishment's choice to tone down the intensity. However, for those looking to get a kick out of their eating experience, I would probably recommend specifying that you want your food to be very spicy in order to avoid being disappointed. read more

When I walked into this small, unpretentious storefront restaurant, I knew it would be good. I was the only person in the place that was neither Korean, nor in uniform. In other words, every one that was eating there knew their Korean cuisine. I knew it would be pretty good, and I was not at all disappointed. Kimchi Time has the best Korean food in Tucson, and perhaps in Southeast Arizona. It is VERY good. I have eaten here almost 10 times now, and I have compared it to bigger and fancier restaurants in town. It continues to stand out from its competition. The Bi bim bap is excellent, as is everything else I have tried. They have a good selection of both sake and gin-ro, as well as makkoli. The prices are moderate, and provide excellent value. And the service is friendly, as one hopes to find in a family run restaurant. I keep coming back here - and bringing friends - because it continues to meet or exceed every expectation I have. The only reason I have not given it five stars is because of its lack of ambience, but don't let that stop you. read more

MANDU IS FROZEN GYOZA. The waiter was extremely rude when I told him that they did not serve me real mandu. He responded 'Mandu means dumpling in Korean' in a threatening voice. I would have told them to take it back if my lady friend wasn't there. The food is downright overpriced and they don't know how to prepare grilled mackerel. I don't need to taste all the bitter guts, Kimchi Time you need to clean that alright? The best thing about the place is the owner's wife who is a sweet lady, but that isn't enough for me to spend my money on! Don't get ripped off here. read more

I stopped into this little gem for a food delivery, AT 9:45PM, the other night and was genuinely surprised. It's a wholesome little bar with a warm dining area and at 15 minutes to close, the staff was positively delightful and welcoming -- they were still grilling up all of the best authentic Korean dishes, singing, playing, and having a lot of fun! I had a good time with David who kindly showed me the menu, talked about the history of the restaurant, and exchanged small talk. His knowledge of the menu was extensive and I took a guilty pleasure in hearing all of the exotic names of the different dishes in their native tongue. David made me feel right at home and I will be back for drinks, laughs, and Korean ramen! read more

Love it here! Been going for years and the staff are really nice. Their hours have changed but they always update correct times online. Try the kimchi chigae it's really good! read more

Jap chae. Not good. Big pieces of almost raw cabbage. Big pieces of onion. Not much else. Side dishes also mediocre. Extremely disappointing compared with last time. Did the ownership change? Different people than last time here too. I think you need to go up north to Hodori in Mesa if you want good Korean food. read more

I amazed that all of the reviews that led through the door at Kimchi Time were so accurate! I must admit that I had not idea what to expect as far as flavors go since I have had no prior experience with Korean food, so this review is solely based on the fact that I found the food to be very good, flavorful and clean. I agree with Danny S who pointed out the little plates with pickled veggies that are served before the meal. I loved them all! I ordered the beef spring roll wrapped in rice paper, since I wasn't starving. It was the most beautiful spring roll I've ever seen and it was quite large. It was impressive that they could layer so much lettuce and vegetables with the beef and wrap rice paper around it sound perfectly. I devoured it and would easily return to Kimchi time just for that dish. It was light and healthy too! My boyfriend and I each had one. My bf ordered a beef dish that was tasty but it didn't wow me. I plan on coming back with a list of all the dishes that have been Yelped about since those reviewer were far more experience with Korean food. This visit was a spontaneous lunch visit, but I will for sure be back for dinner. read more

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This place is now in my top 3 favorite places to eat!! So yummy!!! I have been to the Korea House which was OK but just OK. Kimchi Time takes it to a whole other level from atmosphere to food! I have never been to Korea but my boyfriend lived there for a year and he says Kimchi Time is the most authentic Korean food he has had outside of Korea...he said it gives him flash backs haha!;) The owner and his wife are incredibly friendly and you can tell from their attentiveness that they genuinely want you to have an amazing experience . And did I already say the food is AMAZING!? We have ordered several dishes and have not been disappointed with any of them. My favorite is the Dol Sot Bi Bim Bap. I have been here twice now and while I always want to try other things I can't not order this dish!! I really hope Kimchi Time is a permanent fixture in Tucson!! read more

Used to be my favorite Korean restaurant in Tucson, but alas no longer. I was a regular (multiple visits per week), but have stopped going there due to the service. The service had always been anywhere from excellent to downright poor, but since the food was pretty good, it was worth the spotty treatment. The final straw was when I was dining with someone I had just met a few hours prior, and asked for separate sets of "side dishes" for each of us - I was flatly denied. I thought he (one of the owners, I think) was kidding due to the abruptness of his reply, but he was quite serious. After tipping this guy very well for over a year, rude, abrupt, and uncooperative treatment was not at all expected - I will not be back. read more

RUDE!!! Solo diner, but wouldn't seat me at a small table, even tho not even half full. Offered a tiny, dark counter in the corner. Walked out. Place was dark and stinky anyway. Avoid!! read more

Mmmm. Everything I get here is amazing. Currently enjoying the dolsot bibim bop, but EVERYTHING is good. What's really cool too is you always get a slew of snacks ahead of time without asking. read more

I love this place. If you want authentic Korean food with a real homestyle feel, go to Kimchi Time. The food is fantastic and the owners are friendly and accomodating. This place is just starting and is a small mom and pop type restaurant, so if it is crowded, I would probably expect service to be slow. The ban chan and all the korean dishes my group had was delicious. Dol sot bibimbap, regular bibimbap, kimchi jeon, hae mul pajeon, kimchi chigae, etc etc. They have it all. Give this place a try if you are in the neighborhood. You won't regret it!! read more

The Good: The food here will satisfy a Korean fix and the owners are gracious. The big screens are nice when trying not to miss a game. The Bad: The portions can be stingy (they obviously run a tight ship) and every dish seems to have the same mix of cabbage, onions, and carrot shreds. Soups and noodle dishes have tiny specks of meat, which is disappointing considering their $10+ price tags. Depending on who's cooking, food can be overly greasy. The Ugly: I've never been to a Korean place that charges $$$ for extra "ban-chan", the small side dishes that come with every meal. Boo. read more

So happy I found this place! Amazing food. We had the Galbi and the pork & squid bulgogi. SO GOOD! We also each got beers and our total was only $50-ish! Seated quickly, no frills, just quick and simple service. This is definitely added to our go-to places for meals! read more

The food is pretty good. Traditional and good menu. The owner and operators don't know how to work a credit card machine though. If you're set on coming, bring cash. Slow wait for service. Slow wait for food. Honestly left extremely frustrated even though I had a good meal. Don't tell me I can't pay by credit cards with a chip but if it's a debit it will work. You're just trying to get out of paying fees and that's sleazy business. read more

On the way to Sierra Vista, stopping in Tucson for lunch. I ordered Grilled Beef Bulgogi. The meat was very tasty. It was served on a hot sizzling plate. I liked the rice very much. It was moist and cooked to perfection. I didn't care for the side dishes. That's something they can improve upon. read more

Crispy noodle bowls served in blazing hot lava rock bowls. Delicious food, snappy service, very affordable! We will definitely be back. Not super fancy but the food and friendly service more than makes up for it. read more

Family-owned restaurant. How do I know? Mother was ordering her son to attend the tables, rather yelling at him. Son getting mad. Father returns from who knows where and the mother is mad at him. Good thing he came back because he was supposed to lend a hand. So, service can be slow with just the family members attending the customers We ordered a ton of food here: kalbi, some spicy squid dish, the kimchi pancake and ramen. Kalbi was pretty good, but pricey. I did really like the squid dish. Kimchi pancake was undercooked and the ramen was absolutely underwhelming. Tucson... just doesn't get what good Korean food is, IMO. Sorry, I'm biased... having lived in areas with large Korean communities. read more

Though always in a state of bustling half-chaos, Kimchi Time remains worth a visit. Their menu features a mix of hits and near misses that are, if not exciting, never bad. The bibim bap is solidly good, as is the soon du bu chigae, though the latter needed a bit more substance. On the weaker side, the gai bi tang and the duk mandoo guk were both insipid soups that delivered far more sodium than flavor. Perhaps they would make nice soul food if you had a cold on a winter day, but they wouldn't bring you back like the bibim bap. Prices are fair and the servers seem like they are being driven around the small restaurant by biting gnats, which doesn't make them unfriendly so much as harried. Ultimately, Kimchi Time is a comfortably mid-pack restaurant. You can find better Korean food in the world (perhaps not in Tucson), but you can also find massively worse Korean food. Generally, they're fun, the palette of Korean flavors is always nice to re-experience, and when Kimchi Time is good they're more than good enough to keep you exploring the menu. read more

Food was okay service was okay. I been to a lot of Korean restaurant but this restaurant is only one actually charge you for a extra rice. and they don't even give you full bowl of rice. It's only half full. When I ask for more side dish owner didn't seems to be too happy Seems to be very stingy with Food. I will never go back. read more

Poor food quality and small dishes! Ordered hot pot for $30 and it merely serve for 2 ppl! Another Korean restaurant serve much bigger size (more than double) hot pot at the same price! read more

I can't say i am a fan although I came here for the 1st time based on yelp reviews. Maybe I shouldn't base a first time experience and trust others' opinions anymore. We came on a Saturday at lunchtime just as the crowd was disappearing. Our service was particularly slow b/c it looked like there were only 1 person waiting on customers. THis place would be better if they can be more prompt with the customers. The food wasn't that much better. We got the kalbi which had a few choice parts in there but the rest was fat. How can you sell that to customers? Also how can you give complimentary desserts to some customers and not to others? Honestly it doesnt matter to me but show the same courtesy. Would i come back? maybe. I'd have to try other places to see but i can not gauge on saying this is an excellent place to come for korean foood. Maybe I came on a day where the quality of the food dropped. Lucky me. I will say the waitress who seemed to be the owner was kind to our table but was very preoccupied with talking on the phone. So we were unable to get extra banchan or get any other requests we had. read more

thanks to joseph l for putting together a uye: international supper club at kimchi time the other night! kimchi time was able to accommodate a large group of us yelpers. the owner served our entire table and was very gracious! it was my first time there so i was excited to try some delicious korean food! my husband got the bi bim bap in a hot stone bowl and a saporro beer. i opted for the chicken bulgogi. i was glad that you had the option to have no spice, or make it very spicy. everyone's food looked great and mine definitely tasted great. i also loved the little side dishes they bring out to your table. my favorite was the potato salad. so yummy! read more

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Get your spicy on! This restaurant has great Korean food. I love the fact that they give you so many free tastings in the beginning... spicy daikon, mung beans, pickled cucumber, Kimchi, spicy cabbage, spicy fish cake, and potato salad. We ordered the duk bukki (spicy), pork and squid bulgogi (spicy), the sweet potato noodle dish jap chae. All three were delicious, but the two spicy ones definitely hit the spot. Overall good experience. I would definitely go back. read more

I love this place! It's got great flavors, great staff and fair prices. We try to go at least once a month, if it were closer to us, we would be there all the time! read more

I arrived at 7:30pm on a Tuesday night. I was seated quickly, and the waitress took my order right away. They take AMEX...awesome. The room is packed! Nothing but U of A kids sitting down...with no food. That should've been a clue - the wait for the food was appalling. It was obvious that all the patrons, including myself were getting irritated and hungry. 45 minute mark: I believe the owners, possible partners, or even family of the establishment were also present, waiting for their food. As I glance towards their direction, I lock eyes with one of the gentlemen - he's commenting to the other next to him, with a small finger gesture in my direction. It doesn't take a genius to know what they're quipping about. I just stare back. Who cares, I want them to feel my hungry loathing. 55 minute mark: I put my wallet in my pocket, grab my keys, and pause - I don't know why I did. I was ready to go and find another place to get a snack (since my hunger has diminished.) As the waitress saw all my motions, she quickly, no, frantically ran to the back to get my order. Feverishly, she scooped rice into a bowl and walked in my direction. Finally! My soup in front of me and five minutes later, the bulgogi. -_- It took one hour. Quite literally, one hour, to have my food come out. It was a full house, with everyone waited least an hour for their food. Taste was average/good and the price was average for a sit down Korean restaurant. They didn't have the cabbage Kim Chi as a standard side. Pero por que, mijo?! No discount - endless apologizes. They kept asking, "Is everything ok?" with every eye contact we had - they must have not read any Holmes novels to figure their own question out. They could tell by my body language that I was not a happy customer. I admit it. Was I rude? No. I just stayed tight-lipped as I payed. You be the judge on what percent I tipped. Once I am back in Tucson for business, I may give them another try. 3 stars; good food, but THE longest wait for food at a Korean restaurant, "...in the woooorrrllldd." - Jeremy Clarkson read more

After several uninspired meals at Korea House, discovering Kimchi Time induced fits of excitement followed by a phone call inviting my mother to meet me for lunch immediately. The location is classic Tucson, a strip mall encircling a gigantic parking lot. After reading the Yelp reviews, my expectations were unreasonably high, but ultimately befitting the bold and creative dishes. I ordered the kimchee pancake and my mother ordered the sweet potato noodles stir fried with beef and vegetables. Both dishes were reasonably priced under $10, and the portion sizes were large enough for me to pack some home to share with my fiancé (which he never received, sorry James it must have been those damned kimchee elves in our fridge). Our food arrived with 4 small bowls of pickles. My mother and I debated over which we preferred, but they all delivered unique and delicious flavors. The kimchee pancake was the size of my plate, and about a half inch thick. It contained a large quantity of kimchee, no bite lacked in spicy acidity or juicy cabbage. The batter was spongy and a little sweet. I highly recommend this dish. The sweet potato noodles with beef and vegetables were peppery and slightly spicy. I love these gummy sweet noodles, and they balanced well with the sweetly spiced beef. My mother complained about the ratio of beef to noodle, but I appreciated the beef's second fiddle to the noodles. Service at the restaurant was attentive, which we appreciated. If you're eating here for lunch, you will be able to get in and out in an hour. I saw several patrons dining on short ribs and bulgogi, and one serving was enough to share with two. This will be my next indulgence at Kimchi Time, very very soon. read more

Amazing food and the waiter was super awesome, very friendly, and just amazing in general

Great service and delicious food. Their beef bulgogi is on point. You should also get the fried mandu. The restaurant is small and there are not many seats. Getting your check can be a bit of a wait. read more

I ordered vegetarian Jap Chae and my girlfriend ordered the pork bulgogi. We were excited by all the good yelp reviews but once we got our food, a wave of disappointment crashef over us. Both dishes were dry and bland. I can roll with a lot of things in Asian restaurants. Crappy decor, abrupt and impersonal service, I'm cool with all of it. But for the love, dry and bland I can't get with. Even the banchan was sad (and we had to ask for it a few times before we got it). read more