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It's in an unassuming building in an old neighborhood, but it's some of the best KBBQ I've had and can see why they were ranked one of the Top 50 in Philly. Don't hold back ordering the meat, everything was cooked extremely well and quickly.
Terrific meal at Kim's Restaurant. We snagged a table for 4 with a center grill ~5:45PM on a Saturday night and then enjoyed wonderful banchan, hot barley (no caffeine!) tea, mandu, a variety of grilled meats (which we wrapped in large lettuce leaves with delicious sauces), rice (order as needed), and sake bombs. Though a little pricier than other Korean BBQ spots, the meat was high quality and service was lovely (staff helped grill, cut, and divide the meat amongst the diners).
Went here a lot of times when I was younger and finally came back and it's still one of the best Korean bbq spots in the area. It's been a long time since I've been back here. The food was amazing. Ordered the combo and two more meat dishes and also a soup dish. Everything came out delicious. Service was great. They cook the meat for you in front of you on the grill. They were very attentive. Place has always been tiny and always clean. So I recommend calling in for reservations. Highly recommend!!
Everyone told me it's the best kbbq in Philly and I think I agree. A very homey vibe. Meats were all delicious and they gave us so many sides/banchan that were also tasty. The employees helpfully made sure we didn't burn the food and came over to cook some of it for us. It's a small restaurant so I can see it getting filled on busier days like weekends. Seating was tight and touchy, my only complaint.
Came on a Friday night for dinner and was seated immediately. There's a lot of seating and it's very comforting and cozy inside. The staff was very friendly and made sure to cook everything for us and make sure we liked how everything tasted! We got the special combo for two of us and there was enough food. It comes with 4 different meats and a stew and steamed egg. I would recommend this place to anyone who loves kbbq.
Kims is an authentic a la cart kbbq spot which specializes in having a charcoal grill. We were really excited to give Kims a try for the grill and we had heard amazing reviews of this place from friends. The service here is amazing but can be improved. They cook all the meats for you. You can either order ala cart or from the set menu. We opted for the biggest package on the set menu to try a variety. They can get busy since its a go to spot for a lot of koreans. This is where the service can be improved as because it seems like if you are not korean and it is busy they will rush their service by throwing the entire platters onto the grill, letting it cook just enough while constantly flipping the meats so they can cook the next platter. We did request to have ours charred a little more which didnt make a difference due to the constant flipping of the meats. Flavor wise, it was decent not really the best that Ive tried before. This place is definitely worth trying but you have to find the right time to come when its not too busy or not too dead. When its dead we noticed that the meat wasnt as fresh
I could not believe that I was able to find a korean bbq restaurant that cooks their meat with charcoal! It is toally worth the experience. They do have a secret menu so be sure to ask. We of course had the Kaldi and Skirt Steak (secret menu). They provide you with unlimited side dishes. They have various alcoholic beverages for you to choose from. I cannot wait to return!
As soon as we got out from the parking lot, we could smell the barbecue. What makes this place special is that they use charcoal instead of gas. The waiter cooks the meat for you. The cooked meat was put on the side so that it wasn't overcooked. I picked beef tongue. Very short cook time because they were thinly sliced. I dipped them in the sauce that came with the order. Rich in umami flavor. The marinated beef and pork was well seasoned and not overly saturated salty soy sauce. They provide several side dishes but the portion was very small. The lettuce was fresh and big, perfect to wrap the meat. I ordered hot Korean tea. Unfortunately, they served the piping hot tea in a plastic jar. High risk of chemical leeching. It's not a BYOB , you can buy beer there
10/10 RECOMMEND RECOMMEND!!!! In my opinion the food was amazing this place exceeded my expectations. The kimchi pancakes were good with a nice touch of spice. The skirt steak was so tender and well seasoned, we also had beef tips but the skirt steak stole the show. Service was very good, staff were nice and patient we didn't feel like we were being rushed or anything. I have nothing bad to say, I can't wait to go back. Ambiance was nice and traditional, I felt like I was in another country and I absolutely loved it! Thank you guys for having us. If ever in the area I recommend trying this spot out, you won't regret it! Just a heads up it's a bit pricey but I believe it's worth it.. If ever in the area, you should def give it a try.
3.7. The charcoal smoke flavor is very nice. The Special combo is a good deal to get a variety of tastes. Side dishes were all good and the pork was my favorite, as it was tasty and tender, the mushrooms were also very good. The sliced beef was not as tender or flavorful as I would have liked. They also offer galbi (short ribs) which I was told is excellent. Staff (wo)man's the grill for you. Not too much interaction Ambiance =bbq place with area for beer sale. It was kind of difficult to converse with the entire table when the grill was going-due to the vent being pulled down in the middle of the table. All in all a good choice for that unique smoked flavored grilled meat taste
Best in Philly hands down. Quality food and customer service. Save yourself the trouble, just get the combo.
Kim's Restaurant is a Philly favorite for hearty, comforting Korean eats. Their bibimbap is exactly what you crave--steaming rice topped with crisp veggies, tender beef, and a perfectly runny egg, all tied together with spicy gochujang. The kimchi is fresh and punchy, and the friendly staff make you feel right at home. Great place for a filling lunch or casual dinner without breaking the bank.
3rd time eating here. 1st time on a Friday/weekend dinner. This review mainly reflects that. I don't recommend coming here when it's busy. They have limited seating with a long wait list: the result? You'd wait a while (30 mins) and the meat is only cooked enough; not charred (which is the essence of BBQ). Thus the charcoal-charred flavor that we love at Kim's didn't have enough time to develop during this visit. We'd also wish we were given the option to cook for our selves if this was the case. We also weren't given the option to choose which meats to eat first, for those who'd like to know. So yes, it's nice they cook for you... but even better when it's not busy. If the busy times are the only times that work for you, I'd highly recommend reserving. As for service: we had to ask for everything while our server mainly focused / prioritized cooking our food... and not being proactive about service... we asked for extra lettuce to water to more banchan. Other than that, this is the place to go for high quality KBBQ. I believe it's because they: 1) their meats aren't frozen (at least when it comes out?) 2) they use charcoal 3) they have a huge variety of ban chan (like 7-9?), which are refillable free of charge. We averaged about $42/ person. They don't automatically charge for a party of 6. No Apple Pay. But accepts credit cards. They have a parking lot included for customers.
27 days ago
Korean food scene in Philly is just so sad. I remember that this place is highly praised for their kbbq but we didn't really like it. Price is on the expensive side, but that is just Korean food pricing everywhere ig. We ordered a combo that they constantly told us that it wouldn't be enough for 3 but we barely finished it. The beef in the combo is good but the pork is not, especially pork belly; it is too dry. The server would grill the meat all at once so the meat would go cold and not taste very good. I guess people like this place because they grill directly on charcoal. Rice cake is standard, kinda spicy. They offer a variety of banchan, which is nice. read more
2 months ago
I really enjoyed Kim's resturant! The food was authetic. The entire experience was amazing. The customer service was excellent. The pork belly and marinaded galbi were great. The banchon was well versed and worth it. The ambiance was fun. Highly recommend coming here for the charcoal and Korean authentic experience! read more
3 months ago
It's in an unassuming building in an old neighborhood, but it's some of the best KBBQ I've had and can see why they were ranked one of the Top 50 in Philly. Don't hold back ordering the meat, everything was cooked extremely well and quickly. read more
Terrific meal at Kim's Restaurant. We snagged a table for 4 with a center grill ~5:45PM on a Saturday night and then enjoyed wonderful banchan, hot barley (no caffeine!) tea, mandu, a variety of grilled meats (which we wrapped in large lettuce leaves with delicious sauces), rice (order as needed), and sake bombs. Though a little pricier than other Korean BBQ spots, the meat was high quality and service was lovely (staff helped grill, cut, and divide the meat amongst the diners). read more
Went here a lot of times when I was younger and finally came back and it's still one of the best Korean bbq spots in the area. It's been a long time since I've been back here. The food was amazing. Ordered the combo and two more meat dishes and also a soup dish. Everything came out delicious. Service was great. They cook the meat for you in front of you on the grill. They were very attentive. Place has always been tiny and always clean. So I recommend calling in for reservations. Highly recommend!! read more
Everyone told me it's the best kbbq in Philly and I think I agree. A very homey vibe. Meats were all delicious and they gave us so many sides/banchan that were also tasty. The employees helpfully made sure we didn't burn the food and came over to cook some of it for us. It's a small restaurant so I can see it getting filled on busier days like weekends. Seating was tight and touchy, my only complaint. read more
1 month ago
9 months ago
Came on a Friday night for dinner and was seated immediately. There's a lot of seating and it's very comforting and cozy inside. The staff was very friendly and made sure to cook everything for us and make sure we liked how everything tasted! We got the special combo for two of us and there was enough food. It comes with 4 different meats and a stew and steamed egg. I would recommend this place to anyone who loves kbbq. read more
Kims is an authentic a la cart kbbq spot which specializes in having a charcoal grill. We were really excited to give Kims a try for the grill and we had heard amazing reviews of this place from friends. The service here is amazing but can be improved. They cook all the meats for you. You can either order ala cart or from the set menu. We opted for the biggest package on the set menu to try a variety. They can get busy since its a go to spot for a lot of koreans. This is where the service can be improved as because it seems like if you are not korean and it is busy they will rush their service by throwing the entire platters onto the grill, letting it cook just enough while constantly flipping the meats so they can cook the next platter. We did request to have ours charred a little more which didnt make a difference due to the constant flipping of the meats. Flavor wise, it was decent not really the best that Ive tried before. This place is definitely worth trying but you have to find the right time to come when its not too busy or not too dead. When its dead we noticed that the meat wasnt as fresh read more
2 years ago
I could not believe that I was able to find a korean bbq restaurant that cooks their meat with charcoal! It is toally worth the experience. They do have a secret menu so be sure to ask. We of course had the Kaldi and Skirt Steak (secret menu). They provide you with unlimited side dishes. They have various alcoholic beverages for you to choose from. I cannot wait to return! read more
As soon as we got out from the parking lot, we could smell the barbecue. What makes this place special is that they use charcoal instead of gas. The waiter cooks the meat for you. The cooked meat was put on the side so that it wasn't overcooked. I picked beef tongue. Very short cook time because they were thinly sliced. I dipped them in the sauce that came with the order. Rich in umami flavor. The marinated beef and pork was well seasoned and not overly saturated salty soy sauce. They provide several side dishes but the portion was very small. The lettuce was fresh and big, perfect to wrap the meat. I ordered hot Korean tea. Unfortunately, they served the piping hot tea in a plastic jar. High risk of chemical leeching. It's not a BYOB , you can buy beer there read more
10/10 RECOMMEND RECOMMEND!!!! In my opinion the food was amazing this place exceeded my expectations. The kimchi pancakes were good with a nice touch of spice. The skirt steak was so tender and well seasoned, we also had beef tips but the skirt steak stole the show. Service was very good, staff were nice and patient we didn't feel like we were being rushed or anything. I have nothing bad to say, I can't wait to go back. Ambiance was nice and traditional, I felt like I was in another country and I absolutely loved it! Thank you guys for having us. If ever in the area I recommend trying this spot out, you won't regret it! Just a heads up it's a bit pricey but I believe it's worth it.. If ever in the area, you should def give it a try. read more
3.7. The charcoal smoke flavor is very nice. The Special combo is a good deal to get a variety of tastes. Side dishes were all good and the pork was my favorite, as it was tasty and tender, the mushrooms were also very good. The sliced beef was not as tender or flavorful as I would have liked. They also offer galbi (short ribs) which I was told is excellent. Staff (wo)man's the grill for you. Not too much interaction Ambiance =bbq place with area for beer sale. It was kind of difficult to converse with the entire table when the grill was going-due to the vent being pulled down in the middle of the table. All in all a good choice for that unique smoked flavored grilled meat taste read more
1 year ago
Best in Philly hands down. Quality food and customer service. Save yourself the trouble, just get the combo. read more
3 months ago
1 year ago
Kim's Restaurant is a Philly favorite for hearty, comforting Korean eats. Their bibimbap is exactly what you crave--steaming rice topped with crisp veggies, tender beef, and a perfectly runny egg, all tied together with spicy gochujang. The kimchi is fresh and punchy, and the friendly staff make you feel right at home. Great place for a filling lunch or casual dinner without breaking the bank. read more
3rd time eating here. 1st time on a Friday/weekend dinner. This review mainly reflects that. I don't recommend coming here when it's busy. They have limited seating with a long wait list: the result? You'd wait a while (30 mins) and the meat is only cooked enough; not charred (which is the essence of BBQ). Thus the charcoal-charred flavor that we love at Kim's didn't have enough time to develop during this visit. We'd also wish we were given the option to cook for our selves if this was the case. We also weren't given the option to choose which meats to eat first, for those who'd like to know. So yes, it's nice they cook for you... but even better when it's not busy. If the busy times are the only times that work for you, I'd highly recommend reserving. As for service: we had to ask for everything while our server mainly focused / prioritized cooking our food... and not being proactive about service... we asked for extra lettuce to water to more banchan. Other than that, this is the place to go for high quality KBBQ. I believe it's because they: 1) their meats aren't frozen (at least when it comes out?) 2) they use charcoal 3) they have a huge variety of ban chan (like 7-9?), which are refillable free of charge. We averaged about $42/ person. They don't automatically charge for a party of 6. No Apple Pay. But accepts credit cards. They have a parking lot included for customers. read more
2 years ago
Very attentive female server! As she guided us that you can hold the lamp chops with tissues! And all our needs were met! Came on a Thursday right around them opening and there was no wait. Since it wasn't busy, the servers had time to help you cook grill meats and portion it out straight to your plates. It also isn't as bustling and thus wasn't as loud as they usually gets when busy thus enabling us to have quality group conversation. This Korean place serves the most variety of banchan in Philadelphia: from lots of veggies to vegan options such as tofu! We loved the watercress salad, potato salad, tofu, seafood pancake, and pickled carrot & radish so much we asked for complimentary refills! Now accepts Apple Pay. Gave us Milkis on the house: loved the yogurt original (blue) and strawberry flavor! Always love Kim's as it is the best Korean BBQ spot in Philly because meat is grilled on charcoal! read more
Amazing. This is the best place to visit when trying out Korean food. This place has been in business since 1982 so you know it's pretty legit. The place uses charcoal grill which was really good. The place also sells beer and soju if you want something to drink. The service is pretty quick. Our waiter brought the small dishes first with our meal then also brought out the meats and grilled it quickly. It was pretty cool to be able to eat the meats immediately. read more
3 years ago
Servers - professional and attentive. Service - speedy. Food - delicious. Straightforward, no-frills Korean BBQ. The decor isn't fancy but that doesn't bother me. We came here on a Tuesday night around 7pm. I am not exaggerating when I say our food started coming out to our table in less than 5 minutes from the time we ordered it. The hanger steak was so tender and flavorful. The doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew) had a nice spicy kick without being overwhelming. There was a great variety of banchan. Can't wait to come back here again! read more
Absolutely delicious! If you want to get an authentic kbbq, please come to this place; so worth it. The servers are so polite and they grill the meat for you. Everything was so good, every banchan was flavorful. Will def come back! BYOB? Don't think so since they have drinks in there. read more
CHARCOAL!! I will never ever visit another k-bbq place besides Kim's. That's how good it is. It's a Friday night, party of 7PM. It definitely feels as I was at those local spots in Korea when I walked in. We ordered 2 combos, a secret menu meat, pancake, dumplings, cold noodles and a punch of alcohol. Meat was well seasoned without overpowering. The sauce and meat were harmonized and with the charcoal grill, no words can be explained. Service was great, my favourite bite is definitely the secret meat - skirt steak, tender bite, charred corner, juicy, well seasoned, 80% meat flavour, 20% seasoning. We order the cold noodles after finished up with the combo, just to freshen ourselves up. 10/10, recommended! read more
1 year ago
The kalbi melts in your mouth. Definitely a stop coming home from NY. So, so good. Cold buckwheat noodles was delicious too. The egg soufflé and dangchang jigae were also yummy. This review will be short because it's so good. read more
This might have become my favorite kbbq place I have ever tried! Came here wanting a feast and they certainly delivered. Three of us came and we ended up ordering the combo meal with an extra meat, which was what the server recommended for three people and this was the perfect amount for us as we were able to finish almost everything without feeling too stuffed. The selection of banchan was impressive and every single one was delectable! The meat was good quality and flavorful and the server was amazing and super sweet! Overall, it felt like a well run family restaurant with authentic Asian restaurant vibes. If you're looking for food coma inducing bliss, look no further! read more
Kim's restaurant is definitely all about the vibes. There's huge BBQ tables with grills and the fans above them. It's definitely smokey in there but it's also incredibly homey. We got the combo set and it came with a decent amount of food. It was grilled with charcoal so it's definitely more Smokey and tastes different. There is someone that grills the meat for you and it's pretty quick. I would say the pro is that they're definitely professionals at this and it's nice to not worry about it. Con is that everything was grilled all at once and we weren't able to pace the meal ourselves. The meal also comes with a lot of side dishes. You do have to ask for rice. Personally, they were all on the sweeter side to me but it was a nice variety. Overall, I would just say food is okay but vibes were good. We came for dinner at 7:30PM and it was still packed and we waited about 15 minutes. Service was quick though. read more
So so want to gatekeep, but definitely my favorite kbbq in town. When I walked through the door, I felt like I walked through a portal and was transported to Korea instantly - the vibe, the people, the soju conversations, the imonim and the ajussi - even down to the water bottles. If you are missing Korea, this place is chef's kiss. It is definitely a no frill restaurant, no over the top services, but very intimate and friendly. Food was good. We missed out on the bulgogi (they were sold out by 7pm!), but all the other cuts of meats were good. Portion was generous - must do the combo set if you are indecisive. Highly recommend! read more
3 years ago
Kim's Restaurant provides a nice representation to what you would find at a traditional Korean barbecue restaurant in the suburban areas of Korea with a slight 포차 (Pocha) atmosphere making anyone want to down some of their food with a bottle of soju on hand. The service was very attentive with staff asking how everything was every now and then, as well as their attentiveness in grilling all four types of meat (both marinated and not marinated) provided in the best ways for consumption. The banchan (side dishes) are plentiful and when asked nicely are replenish-able so you can enjoy more of your favorites if you ever run out, and for the price we paid for the Special Combo (the later half of the $90 range) it was worth every penny. read more
There's a well reviewed Korean restaurant a block from my apartment, but I only go if I'm desperate because it's not very good. Kim's is a 30 minute drive away, but I'll go back again and again. Everything was spot on: meat quality, vibe and the service were exceptional. Philadelphia Magazine got it right when they put Kim's on their Top 50 list. Endorse without hesitation. read more
3 years ago
Came here for a chill and delicious New Year's Eve dinner with friends and it was the perfect way to end the old year and ring in the new. This is a very special meal and experience at a fair price. Unlike other KBBQ spots, this is not all you can eat. You're getting prime cuts of meat and there is a server who will cook your meat to perfection in front of you. We got the special combo and a couple of other additional meats, dumplings, and kimchi pancakes for $53 pp for 5 people and were full and happy. Our server/cook was so sweet, dynamic, and plated our meat for us. All of the small sides and two soups also come with the combo, and we especially loved the dried squid and pickled radish and the egg soup. While we were celebrating an occasion and this restaurant is so special, I would literally go here every day if I could. Can't wait to return! read more
This place serves such hearty meals! I really enjoyed the marinade on the marinated ribs, and the portions were plentiful. I think we ordered Set A and since they provide plenty of side dishes, stew, and steamed egg alongside several cuts of meat, our large table left very full! I love how the meat is grilled on a charcoal grill as this adds to the flavor, and this may be the best authentic-tasting kbbq place in Philly! Definitely far out but still worth the taste and cost! The interior is a bit small and the ambiance is very brightly lit. Service speed was fine and they quickly grill the meat for you. Overall, will return! (There is also parking). read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
The best around by a lot. Parkings a pain, I don't care. It's pricier than other places, I don't care. It's not really around anywhere else I want to be, I don't care. Service is great and the owner is always making sure the place is running on point. Everything you can order is awesome quality. If you get the special combo and share it it's more than enough and to be honest reasonable in price. This place is it. read more
There's a lot to park in right outside! Adequate seating, not very busy on a lunch weekend but I'll take that as a pro on my side. We opted for the special combo that Included four cuts of meats and banchans. Also ordered tteokbokki. I would say it is on the pricier side but we did demolish this for two people-we left rather uncomfortably full (in a good way) so I'd say depending on how hungry this could serve between 2-4 people. One of the guys did the cooking which I didn't mind. He was so pleasant. You can tell this is family owned. People might complain about the price but if we had eaten this amongst 3 people, id say it's rather comparable to other kbbq spots. As far as banchans go, there's a lot of variety including kimchi, pickled daikon, tofu, fish cake, and some more pictured. read more
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More info about Kim's Restaurant
5955 N 5th St
Philadelphia, PA 19120
Olney
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(215) 927-4550
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