Cheryl T.

Had an enjoyable family meal here! The service was excellent. In addition they gave generous portions of the AYCE meat, so you didn't have to keep making extra orders. Everything was very flavorful. What I enjoyed the most was the spicy bulgogi pork, the cold noodles, and the fish option. In addition, we had the tiramisu cheesecake for dessert and it was delicious. The ramen bar is also pretty fun as we tried a brand of ramen that we didn't have previously, also nice tough to have the additional extras on the side. would recommend going to the ramen bar right away as your appetizer. It was a little bit loud but you could still have a conversation. Also of course eating so much while staring at perfect KPop stars performing on the walls behind you might make you second guess that you should be eating so much... but when the food is that tasty, it really can't be helped!

Arletta C.

Went to KOW in Des Plaines and had a really fun night. It's Korean BBQ where you cook everything yourself at the table, which made it feel more interactive than a typical dinner. The beef bulgogi was probably our favorite, and the cheese corn was really good too. They also have a DIY ramen station with a bunch of different ramen packs and toppings you can add, I didn't get to try it this time, but it looked fun. They have these little robot carts that bring food to your table, which was kind of fun and unexpected. The place itself was clean, and I liked the K-pop videos playing on the walls, it added to the vibe. Only minor thing, the metal chopsticks were a little hard to use for some of us, but they'll give you forks if you ask. Our server was great and checked in on us throughout. Overall, really solid spot if you're looking for something a little different and more hands-on.

Jon B.

What an experience this place is !! The food is amazing ,not what you expect on a limited menu ,but still hits the bar. Speaking of bar , they ran out of the special from the bar menu when we got there so womp womp. The service is great they try to give you a full dining experience, helping you grill or even cut up the food once it's cooked. The electric griddle is something I haven't seen at any other place. It was unique in a sense but got the job done. The ambiance was one of the biggest factors for me . Modern music , lights , and overall a great spot to hang and enjoy the meal. Overall it gets a 4/5 for me simply because their beef patty wasn't so pleasant and we weren't offered mochi as described in their instagram advertising. Best eating yall !!!!

Nick P.

I think it's weird that people give 1 star just because the music was loud. To be clear, the music was a bit loud but not impossible to hear everyone in your party. I've been to clubs, bars, and lounges where you can't even hear the person in front of you. This place, you can absolutely have a conversation with someone. Aside from that, we came for dinner on a Saturday night and it was about $35 each for ayce. The meat selection and sides aren't as extensive as other kbbq places. I'm hoping they will expand on that in the future. The meats that are worth ordering (from what we ordered) are t-major, flat iron steak, bulgogi, pork bulgogi, pork jowl, and garlic butter shrimp. The garlic butter and kow butter sauces are great for enhancing the meat flavors. The katsu and brisket are also good sauces to pair the meats with. I also used the garlic and jalapeños to give meats with no flavor, some flavor. The service was great. He didn't hover over us but checked back on us periodically. There is a ramen bar but it's the same as making ramen at home. People act like this is gourmet ramen or something. You can add toppings and eggs that are provided up there to customize your packaged ramen. The ramen is included in your ayce. Overall, it's about a 4 out of 5 for me.

Alyssa G.

I have been to KOW twice now, once as a celebration for my daughter being student of the month at a very populous school and once just for kicks and giggles because I wanted delicious protein and I have no idea where to start on making bulgolgi. The first time, the music was very loud and the service over the top. The second time, the music volume was much more palatable, but the service was much slower. It looked like a large ratio of customers to staff. I do like that they let us eat until we were satisfied unlike other restaurants in the area where go by time. The first time, we were enamored by the ramen bar. The second time, we were skipped it and focused on meat, rice, and vegetables. The value of the meat (steak, anyone?) for the price is good. I also like ordering on a kiosk because I was able to order multiple steaks and helpings of bulgogi. The little robot staff warm my heart and I wave at every single one as they roll past, haha. The butters and sauces KOW provides are noice additions, but not necessary which is exactly how it should be. One exemplary experience, one okay experience, but I'm willing to try it again!

Nolan F.

We ordered: Meats: Beef belly & brisket, pork belly & jowl, haddock loin, flat iron & T major steaks, garlic shrimp, ETC Ramen bar: Chapaguri - mix Chapagetti and Neoguri ramyun. Our favorites were the beef belly and pork jowl. Steaks are always a mixed bag. We ordered a lot of garlic shrimp and haddock loin; very solid quality for ayce. I love the ramen bar concept; very enjoyable with kbbq. Service was excellent. Unfortunately forgot his name but he really took care of us. From bringing our favorite dishes w/o our ordering via the tablet to changing the grill.

Edward M.

Fight a slow tiny usable space grill that turns down randomly and eat brisket then garlic beef. The garlic butter is like Papa John's. The grill is electric and is not very strong, it also kept resetting to 50% randomly. The grill is small and has maybe 70% of it can be used for cooking, the rest is barely heated and used for keeping things warm. Due to this limit, 1-2 ppl max should be in your table. If it's more than that, you will spend a LOT of time filling up because you aren't eating and being frustrated with the lack of food. We had 3 ppl and I was hangry to the max waiting for things to cook. I guess that's why there is a ramen bar, to fill up your space with cheap carbs. We went for lunch, it has a limited menu compared to dinner. It's another of those blast music type places. It can be a bit hard to hear. It was almost 20 bucks, before tax and tip, for lunch on 10/15/25. They also charge a 3% credit card fee. Ask them to change it if you wanna pay cash. The brisket was pretty good, I suggest start with that. There seemed to be 2 types, one was fattier than the other and the fatty one is much better. We were also given some meat that had turned grey/brown already, that was very off putting. After you are half way full, switch to garlic pork belly, it will take a while to cook it as it's thicker and again the grill is weak. So make sure you have some brisket stocked up or it's time to make some ramen. The garlic pork belly is nice and fatty and if you leave it on long enough, it creates a nice carmelization/browning of the meat. The chicken is also pretty decent, but it's super thick and not recommended as it will take forever to cook. Same with the burger, oh man it took like at least 15 minutes plus just to get to mid rare, if you want it well done it is probably 20+ minutes. Service was nice, fast, waitress was sympathetic about the situation with the grill etc but did not allow us to use another grill at the 99% empty restaurant. Also they randomly come by with cotton and wipe the grill down, they do not swap the grill out. I dunno that I liked it, i was kinda worried it would leave random threads on it, but it seemed ok. Take heed of the warnings above, I complained about a bunch of the things above and received no compensation or discount.

Deborah G.

This was our first time dining here. There were a few other patrons dining, but the restaurant was not full. The soccer matches were being televised rather loudly, making it slightly difficult to hold a conversation. It is an all you can eat Korean BBQ menu with a good selection of food items. Our food items were brought by a robot which was fun to see. It was a little confusing, because when we sat down, the server started to cook the food at our table, then left. There were no further instructions provided on how to proceed cooking the other food items. At one point the table area got very smoky and another employee had to adjust the cooking temperature and change the grill pan. We also had to ask for clean plates between some of the dishes to avoid mixing flavors. (For example, we had to use the same plates that had our salad on them to eat the rice, cooked vegetables and protein selections). It would also have been helpful to have a separate plate to place the cooked items for sharing, so they didn't get overcooked or burnt. The food items were fresh, seasoned well and enjoyable once we figured out the cooking process.

Gretchen M.

Great new addition to the Des plains line up of fantastic restaurants. The theme is all you can eat Korean bbq with kpop playing on large screens all over the walls! Great place to celebrate with friends & drink some cold soju and delectable array of bbq meats!! The side dishes of Kim chi & pickled radish help to cut the fattiness of the beef. The ramen bar was a really interesting addition the the bbq. I definitely would luv that during the cold snowy days in Chicago!!! We had a really personable server, Victoria that made our first time at the establishment very enjoyable. Gave us really great recommendations for what to order! Definitely come check KOW out!!

Jazmin R.

Went to dinner here recently and had a nice time. Pricing/vibes are similar to other Korean BBQ restaurants, along with the music videos playing throughout the restaurant. The restaurant itself is clean and they have an inclusive price of the bbq and offer a DIY ramen bar that has a variety of ramen packs to select from, which is a cool touch. While the food was good, I do feel the menu of meats isn't as extensive as other K-Bbq restaurants I've been to, but I also understand in business you probably only want to buy what the greater clientele will most likely eat. Service was great - we were seated right away and our server, Christina (sorry if spelling incorrectly!) was very interactive. She did a great job of tending to her tables and her interactions with each, including us, was consistent with personality. I'd stop in again since this is very close to my mom's house if craving some k-bbq.

Ken A.

Calling all meat lovers and grill warriors. I have found THE Korean BBQ gem hiding in plain sight, like a ninja with a meat cleaver. KOW Korean BBQ is tucked inside a modest little strip mall in Des Plaines, which means it's got "humble exterior, spicy interior" energy. I walked in for lunch expecting a decent meal and I walked out in a food coma. $17.99 for lunch and $33.99 for dinner. Note: Dinner prices are active all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday. First off, the place is nicely decorated. Not in a "we're trying too hard" way, but more like "we care, but we still want you to relax and eat 12 pounds of pork belly" vibe. And can we talk about the peace and quiet? No LOUD POP playlist slapping you in the face while you try to concentrate on flipping your bulgogi. Just the soft sizzling of meat and the occasional gasp of joy when someone tastes the garlic shrimp. Now onto THE MEAT! No Galbi? No problem. The flat iron steak swooped in like a hero in a Korean drama. Juicy, tender, and with just enough sizzle to make your tastebuds dance. There's a large selection to choose from including garlic pork belly, spicy chicken, bulgogi and intestines for those who are adventurous. Ordering is a breeze with a tablet and your food is delivered to your table robotically :) But wait, there's more! For your carb cravings, there's a ramen bar. Yes. A RAMEN. BAR. Like a DIY noodle adventure complete with a selection that'll make any college ramen game cry in shame. Let's not forget the bahn chan. They were small plates but consistently replenished. Lastly, service? 10/10. The staff was attentive, quick, and friendly without hovering. Shout out to Mark who handled our table of 9 with ease. Special note: one of the owners came out to say hi like we were family. It felt like your Korean brother just opened a BBQ spot and actually wanted you there. I like that. Final verdict: Yep, I'll be back and you should give them a go. Welp onto the next!

So disappointed. The electric grill was extremely weak. It took more than 30 minutes to cook just two orders of beef brisket, which normally takes less than 5 minutes at most AYCE BBQ restaurants. It's no surprise there were barely any guests during Saturday lunch hour. They really need to address the grill issue, otherwise it will be difficult for the business to survive. The side dishes and ramen bar were decent, and the atmosphere and service were both okay, which honestly made the experience even more disappointing because this place has potential. Unfortunately, during our entire 2-hour stay, we could barely eat any meat because everything took so long to cook. They also charged a 3.25% credit card processing fee without informing customers in advance, which made the experience even worse.

Jessica C.

If you're looking for a fun, interactive meal, Kow KBBQ definitely delivers. The table-side grill is the star of the show--fresh cuts of meat cooking right in front of you, with that sizzling aroma that makes you hungry instantly. The meats were well-marinated, tender, and cooked beautifully on the grill, especially when wrapped in crisp lettuce with a bit of rice and sauce. The spread of sides really rounds out the experience: rice, veggies, and small plates that balance out the richness of the meat. I also loved how social the whole setup felt--perfect for groups, sharing, and taking your time while you eat. The vibe is dimly lit and modern, giving it a cool, lively atmosphere without feeling too chaotic. Service was attentive and helpful, especially for keeping the grill going and making sure everything cooked just right. Overall, Kow KBBQ is a solid spot for a group dinner or celebration when you want good food and a hands-on dining experience. Come hungry and ready to grill