The best place for Korean food in Bloomington, hands down. Easily the most authentic Korean restaurant in town -- everything tastes home-cooked and true to flavor. The bossam is excellent, and the seafood pancake is one of the best I've had in this region of the U.S. The side dishes (banchan) are fresh and plentiful, and the overall atmosphere is quiet and peaceful -- perfect for a relaxed meal. Service is friendly and attentive without being overbearing. My only complaint is that the prices feel a bit high compared to other Korean spots I've eaten at, which is the only reason for the one-star deduction. Still, for authentic Korean comfort food in Bloomington, this is the place to go, even if it's a little ways from campus. read more

Mama's Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

The bulgogi arrived with no marinade whatsoever. So it was pretty flavorless. This is NOT how it used to be. I may not ever come back or if I do I will certainly want assurance that this will not be what is served again. Also we were there on Saturday night of Little 5 weekend and we were the only o e there at 6:30 PM so I wonder if we are just the last to find out that the new ownership has made such a change. Very disappointed. read more

If you are looking for authentic Korean food then Mama's is the place to go. We were traveling through on our way home and I'm glad we stopped here. Not only do they have a great banchan that comes with every meal, but the food itself is to die for. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu if you love Korean food. They also have the grill side, which we will definitely have to try next time we go though.. read more

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I usually have a great time ordering from here and typically love the food, but unfortunately the last time I placed an order I received food that had hair in it and the donuts I ordered were so burned that they were completely inedible. Really disappointed and unfortunately will probably not be ordering from here again. read more

We are out of town and had a good experience several years ago. This time it's a disaster. Ordered stir fried octopus and we literally had to go fishing for octopus among bunch of onions and carrots. Forget the side dishes, not good. Japchae has hardly any meat, supposedly some beef in it. Traditionally Japchae is a dish that we eat with a bowl of rice and side dishes. It's not like a bowl of udon. I had to ask for it. The service was okay, nothing special. Ambience is none. Maybe some Korean music or something might help. We will never come back. read more

Let me start off by saying my review would be 5 stars had it not been for the poor effort of our server who was working. We've been to Mama's before but yesterday was our first time bringing friends. We've raved about Mama's for their exceptional food and the authenticity of it all to them, which in turn got our friends excited to check it out. The environment is cozy with tables where you can grill your own items. Even before entering, one of the male servers happened to be outside taking a break. They greeted us and even held the door open - which they definitely did not have to as they were on a break! We were seated pretty quickly and after a few minutes, our server (female) came to the table and got our orders and we ordered the BBQ combination (2x) as that was the option my partner and I, along with our friends decided on to get for themselves and for ourselves. The wait was not long and we got the meat platters to our table pretty quickly. There was an abundance of sides that comes with ordering BBQ but our server only brought one of each side. We inquired as to whether we would receive the other sides that comes with our order as both orders come with it. Our server said she was not sure about that and would double-check. It took about 15 minutes for us to get the sides that should have come with the order. My main issue (and reason for only giving 3 stars) is that our server was not attentive which had a big impact on our experience. My fiancé and my friend's boyfriend both finished their drinks and did not get a refill until 20 minutes later. Our server rarely checked up on us and from where I was sitting, I could clearly see her busy talking to other staff hanging out by the order window majority of our dinner. By the time she did come back around, I had finished my drink as well and requested 2 Pepsi's since that was what we got and 1 lemonade. When she came back, she only had the refills for my fiancé and my friend's boyfriend. 10 minutes later, she was walking to give the check to another table and I had to ask her assistance for the drink I requested as I did not think she would come back to the table until way later. We finished dinner and sat there for almost 30 minutes so at this point it was already 8:30pm-8:35pm and the place closes at 9pm. My fiancé had to get up and ask the male server who happened to be passing by the front if we could get the check. Our server was nowhere to be found that whole time even when we left the restaurant. It was upsetting that the 18% gratuity is automatically applied because that level of service was not provided to us. It did ruin our dinner quite a bit since our previous experience at Mama's was exceptional from the food, the ambiance, to the service. This time? It was subpar customer service but the food was still amazing. I wish gratuity was not automatically included because our server did not put in the smallest amount of effort to make us feel welcomed or valued. It makes it difficult to hold servers accountable of providing even just the most basic level of customer service and attentiveness when gratuity is guaranteed. While we will still come back to Mama's, it will be something we will think about if she is still there and request to have a different server. I am absolutely happy with tipping, but I rather that tip is going to someone who doesn't treat us as though we're a nuisance for eating there. read more

While it was towards the expensive side, no complaints anywhere else! Staff changed our grill multiple times for us. Toppings were plentiful and refilled. Meat was very fresh. Highly recommended. read more

Ordered via grub hub. Food came fast and hot. Bulgogi fried rice was my favorite. Definitely recommend. read more

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This place was good. It was after our hike nearby and we all had a craving for korean food and yes it did hit the spot Being Korean I have pretty high standards for Korean food. It is authentic and has a great taste. For one of my friends it was her first time trying Korean food and she really enjoyed it along with a green grape juice with chunks in them that was definitely part of my childhood We got the bibimbap, seafood soft tofu soup & stir fry squid (which I love). All of the dishes were good which is why I'm not surprised they have 2 locations! I might not come back to this location unless I'm camping out here again as I live over an hour away but I will probably go back to their other location which is closer to home read more

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Have been going to Mama's for years. Two years ago new owners came on board. Like most restaurants with new owners come changes. Prices have changed a bit and the menu had been updated. The food and the service continues to be excellent! Tonight my wife had hot stone bimbimbap and I had grilled mackerel. Everything was above average. If you like Korean food you can't go wrong read more

Mama's Restaurant - Sides - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Not sure what happened but the food (at least the lunch I tried) got so much better than before. Enjoyed the food very much and will return. read more

Mama's Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Oh. My. Goodness! Place is fantastic. Came to town as my nephew is at college here. Family went to dinner at Mama's as it was recommended to us. Food was amazing, service amazing. 10/10 would drive through just to stop here again. 1. Restaurant has two sections - BBQ and just restaurant. BBQ tables have a pit in the middle for hot coals. 2. Menu had a lot of options to choose from. We decided on a combo that included bulgolgi, spicy chicken, and spicy pork. They give you lettuce wraps and ssamjang along with banchan. 3. After ordering, they bring out your hot coals for your BBQ to heat up, then bring out the raw meat and tongs for you to cook your food. . Service - our servers were super nice and incredible - keeping drinks topped off, explaining the menu, etc. The food was incredible and I was stuffed! Portion sizes are great - we even had enough to take home. read more

Mama's Restaurant - Banchan and our meats on the grill. - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Loved the Korean food! We are all vegetarians and there were plenty of delicious items to choose from. We will return and highly recommend it! FYI we ate so quickly I forgot to snap a picture! read more

Yesterday, my wife and I had takeout from mamas. We got their shrimp tempura and their Ginsing whole chicken soup. Both items were very good and mamas threw an acute little appetizer plate of four different items, including kimchi. We both felt the food was excellent, the order was ready for takeout on time, and we go back there again. I originally tried to order online, but got the message that the restaurant was either not taking online orders or was closed. I just called the restaurant up and placed my order over the phone, no problem. read more

Great Korean restaurant. The best at Bloomington. Must try their chicken! Wonderful side dishes read more

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My son plays for Indiana University basketball we decided to go after the game. Server was amazing from the beginning to the end my mom is Korean and I asked if they could make a special soup that she used to make which was the seaweed soup since my mom passed away I have not had a seaweed soup. Even though it wasn't on the menu, Server said that the kitchen and came back with the seaweed soup, which was amazing second to my mom. That meant so much to me my son ordered Bulgogi & Kalbi and we cooked it on that grill it was perfection . Kimchis to the table we're all tasty and authentic.! It's such a great time that we didn't notice that we were the only ones in the restaurant they did not rush us out. it was so special to spend that time with my son One on One and such a sweet and authentic Korean restaurant ! Restaurant truly is Mommas restaurant taste like home! read more

Very pricey if you choose BBQ. We chose the 4 meat combo and a side order of Galbi. The galbi, which is priced at $29,99 is very small. It was a complete rip off. They also were very stingy on the side dishes by telling us they ran out, while they served new customers with the full side dishes. The college kids that work there were very polite and nice, however, they were very short staffed, which led to less than desirable service or minimal service. The meats were marinated correctly and flavorful. But, the banchans (side dishes) were very small portioned and very disappointing. If I just wanted to eat meat, I would have went to a steak house, order the biggest porterhouse steak and saved a lot of money! Oh, they add on automatic 20% gratuity. If you do want to get ripped off by opting for the BBQ option, do not get ripped off on the gratuity by giving more gratuity. I hate restaurants that do this and unfortunately, we will probably not go back there again! The whole meal cost us almost $150, and we didn't even order drinks! read more

I don't usually come to Mama's for Korean food (the prices are more expensive than other Korean places) but my friend introduced me to their budaejjigae (Korean army stew) and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it ever since. The layout of the restaurant is very spacious and can seat many people. One side of the restaurant is for sit down dinner while the other side is for KBBQ with grills at the tables. The waiter that served us was friendly and was attentive to what we asked for. Like I said previously, we ordered budaejjigae, which was around $40. BUT don't be scared about the price because you can share the big stew with 4-5 people easily. My friends and I finished with really full bellies. Loved the flavor and even though it's a simple dish, it hit the spot when the weather was cold. Would come back for the stew but not so much for the other dishes (overpriced). read more

Mama's Restaurant - Budaejjigae (Korean army stew) - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

I went here with friends on Thursday night and had the most enjoyable dinner! The beef and chicken was fabulous! It's definitely an experience. The only downside was the service was a bit off (refills on drinks, changing grill station) and some of the sides weren't my favorite but aside from that it was great. I will 100% return! read more

Mama's Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Expensive! Food is ok . Under staff- can't keep up with everyone. Place is not clean. read more

Mama's Restaurant - a ceiling venter with a sign above it - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

The BBQ is delicious and fun! You have your own grill to cook your meats, so it's made the way you want it and brought to you fresh. :) All the meat I tried was tasty, but I especially liked the Bar-B-Q Spicy Pork Belly. It's fattier, but tastier. The sides are also pretty good - nothing that blew me away, but pretty standard stuff. I just really enjoyed cooking my own food, and the portions they give are plenty. The service was very nice as well. The pricing was just a tad expensive. It's a great experience, though, so it's definitely a place worth checking out. read more

Mama's Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

My favorite place to in Bloomington me and my kids are amaze the food it's high recommend

I LOVE Mama's. My boyfriend and I are alumni of IU-Bloomington. We were in Bloomington for my birthday/homecoming and so I asked to go to Mama's. We've both lived in a Korean household (he's half Korean) and so we have a good knowledge base of Korean dishes. Everything we had was spot on! We had galbi (Beef Short Rib), rice cake soup, and of course all the side dishes. There weren't any bbq tables open when we arrived, but they were great hosts and gave us several options that could have allowed us to get to a bbq table quickly if we had wanted to. The waitress was able to describe menu items well, so someone who does not know about Korean food would've been able to gain a semi-decent understanding of the items before ordering. read more

Mama's Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Food is good not great, kinda outdated and dingy inside-especially when there's nicer restaurants walking distance. Service was scarce and will not be going back read more

Fun dinner for daughter and myself. We ordered from the menu and look forward to trying a barbecue table for lunch sometime. Our food was fresh and delicious. We shared a meal and appetizer, which was plenty for 2. read more

Although the menu can be pricey for Bloomington, I have come to regard the main offerings of Mama's to be an excellent value. I typically order one of the meat dishes, and they come with generous portions of meat, rice, and leaves to prepare your Korean style of wrap. The banchan are just delicious here! I live in Bloomington, and this place is one of my regular visits when I want a reliably delicious meal. read more

I am slightly conflicted on my experience. The food was really good. (I was in a party of 12, and half of us did the grill, while the rest of us ordered individuals dishes). We were able to switch among the two tables, and we had PLENTY of food. But it was a little overpriced for my tastes. But on the other note, the customer service was not the best. I am willing to pay a slightly higher price if service/taste/quality all aligns. So fast forward to the checks, EVERY check was messed up, and we doubled checked with the server several times that he had everyone's bill straight. Then, the card machine went down on the last person's $10 payment, and the server demanded cash. (No one had cash), so we were forced to scramble to pull the cash together so that we could leave. And that was just really weird. I wasn't automatically expecting the restaurant to comp the $10 bill, but it wasn't our party's fault that THEIR machine reader wasn't working. So that just kind of turned me off. But to be fair, again, the food was fine... pricey, but fine. Had we not have had the weird experience at the end, I may have considered a return. But I am not sure if I will pop in again. read more

Mama's Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

I'll caveat that my latest visit to Mama's was after the students were already gone for a weekday lunch, so it wasn't very crowded. My mother is Korean and works nearby, so this is our go-to. We took my toddler, and it was a tasty experience. Is it authentic Korean? Yes. Is it as good as Korean food in LA or Atlanta or NYC area or my Korean grandma's kitchen? No. But it's still delicious, our server was kind, and we had a really inexpensive lunch. I see a lot of reviews complaining about pricing, and I think for Bloomington they may have merit. However, I think the lunch menu being $6-7 a meal is insanely good pricing compared to where I live; in Nashville TN, even Korean fusion restaurants charge $12 for a bibimbap *lunch* with 9% sales tax. Just some perspective, because I'd sure eat at Mama's every week if I could! They also refilled the banchan dishes for us, which some of the Nashville places don't offer to do. My son loved his japchae, which is his Korean food go-to. Mama's could definitely work on its ambiance a bit, which almost knocks it down a star. The linoleum sticks to your shoes, and the high chair could use replacing (but it worked, and they were so welcoming to my toddler, I didn't care much). The tables and chairs are dated. It's a Mom & Pop type place in a strip mall. I think they could do a little aesthetic work to make it an overall more appealing place to eat! read more

The regret I have for overlooking this binge-tacular paradise for four years of undergrad will haunt me forever. Mama's truly is a diamond in the pubic rough of Bloomington's east side. If you have never experienced Korean BBQ, you are in danger of dying without having ever lived. I would advise you to gain carnal knowledge of a woman, then get a driver's license, and then try Korean BBQ. Doing these in the wrong order may cause a black hole or some shit, but do them you must! They are the requisites of life. Mama's provides the most excellent service of any Bloomington restaurant. There was a beaming smile on every worker's face. And I got bowed to 32 times. With this I was especially pleased. The girlfriend was skeptical. If you eat at one of the BBQ tables, there is a 2- entrée minimum. Entrées range from $14-20. Each entrée comes with a bowl of miso soup, rice, a plate of marinated meat or fish and unlimited Korean side dishes. You cook the meat on a perforated stainless steel plate over a pot of burning charcoal. If the plate gets too charred from the meat juices, they'll swap it out with a clean one. At Mama's you may be given a pair of chef's scissors to cut the cooked meat. Tongs are used to place the meat on the grill. You control how long the meal will last by how often you put a new piece of meat on the grill. For me, this makes the Korean BBQ experience uniquely relaxing. Before you die, check out my photos and TRY KOREAN BBQ! read more

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I've been meaning to write my review here for weeks ! This is prob my favorite "group date" night spot . We only come in for the Korean bbq part (I've never done the menu side ) but then again why would I? So let's talk bbq . Yum! The Bulgogi is all you need to get ... I've tried the pork, the chicken, the shrimp and I always wish i would have gotten just the Bulgogi beef. So good . And I love the whole "cook your own meal" too. It makes the dinner fun and entertaining ... And I love the little side dishes... Not gonna lie i don't even know what half of them are (fish? Vegetable? Potatoes?... Doesn't matter ) but they are all delish ... The service is great too! They came and changed out the charcoal pans ANYTIME it got even a little smokey . We were very impressed ! Love love love this place read more

Mama's Restaurant - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Excellent Korean BBQ! Best I have ever had in Indiana. Actually, the last time I had Korean BBQ this good was in New York City, so that is saying something. We had a large group, eight people total. We needed two tables and luckily they had two of the grill tables available right next to each other. Mama's does NOT take reservations Friday through Sunday, so you might have to wait for a table unless you get there early. Good variety of choices on the menu. The meats (we ordered chicken, ribeye steak and pork belly) and the seafood (shrimp) were good quality and lean. The banchan (kimchi and other small side dishes) were really delicious. Service was very good. Attentive without being irritating. They actually came and changed out the grill tops after we had been there for awhile, which was very helpful. Seriously, the very best Korean BBQ in the area. Do yourself a favor and check it out. read more

The only place in Bloomington to get Korean barbecue also happens to be the best Korean restaurant in Bloomington! The restaurant is located in a shopping center that is currently being renovated but Mama's is still open. While the decor of the restaurant isn't flashy or fancy, but don't let that fool you because the food is delicious. We ordered kalbi, pork belly and soondobu soup which was more than enough food. We also got 8 side dishes of which my favorite were the kimchi, fish cakes, and scallion pancakes. The kalbi was perfectly marinated and our waiter cut the meat off the bones for us at the table. The pork belly was sliced thin and didn't taste greasy or overly fatty like it does at some kbbq places. What was really different about this place is that they use coals to heat the bbq tables instead or gas or electricity like some places and I think it really added to the flavor of the meat. The soondobu soup came still boiling in a hot stone bowl and was filled with tofu, veggies, egg and some beef which was a great way to counterbalance all the meat from the bbq. Being from Dallas, Texas I have had my fair share of Korean barbecue and I would definitely put this place in my top 3. I don't think it's fair to compare the prices here to the prices in places like Dallas and LA, I mean this is Bloomington. I think the prices are fair and definitely worth the fun experience. Would definitely come back with more people so I can try more things on the menu! read more

Mama's Restaurant - Glorious - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Mama's never disappoints. Everyone on the phone is patient with special requests on dishes and very polite. Once my picky eater gf forgot to ask them to make the bibimbap without mushrooms, and when I called again they offered to pick them out! We got embarrassed and said no, but they did it anyway! And, of course, the cuisine is just the bees knees. I particularly recommend the beef flank soup (#52). The food always comes piping hot, too: very well packaged for delivery. read more

Super food with really nice service! we had the Cold Bimbimbop with spicy chicken, Pork and Kimchi sauté, and Beef Bulgogi. All were delicious and the sides were great too!! read more

I have been going this place for more than six years. It has not gone unnoticed that they have been hiking prices up while the amount of food a la carte have steadily decreased. Today I was there as a party of five and spent more than 100 dollars-- yet they somehow thought that giving all five of us the same amount/number of side dishes they give to one person would be sufficient. When we asked what was up with THAT, the waiter claimed that the dishes they used for our sides were 'deeper' and thus we were ultimately getting more. Needless to say, we would rather have five sets of side dishes (per person) rather than one set that use so-called bigger bowls. They ended up charging us extra for an extra set of side dishes, as they so conveniently set the side dishes to one side of the table, hence making it near impossible for two people in our party to reach them. Mama's never fails to disappoint. A shame, for their food is pretty good even for the price hike. Have not been going to them much lately tho, and probably won't be returning for a long time if ever. read more

Big fan of Mama's in Indy and had been excited to try to Bloomington location. While still pretty good, it isn't NEAR as good as the Indy location. The restaurant was nearly empty on a Saturday evening, but we were still rushed to order. While perusing the menu, three servers stood and glared at us. FIND SOMETHING TO DO, LADIES! Combination appetizer was good, but the tempura at the other location is lighter. Entrees arrived and food was a little bland (I know, how is that possible?) I think if we had come here and had NOT been to the other location, we would have enjoyed it a lot more. read more

This was my first time ever eating at a Korean BBQ place and I was beyond impressed. The food was so good and the service was amazing. I don't have a whole lot of previous experience with Korean BBQ joints to really know what the average price of food is for a place like this, but either way I had a great time eating here and I wish I could come back. read more

This is my second time at Mama's, but my first time in the BBQ section. I came here with my family today. This was the first time my parents have had Korean food. They are very boring when it comes to food. My dad wants to eat at Texas Roadhouse every Sunday (and I despise Texas Roadhouse). There were still 4 out of the 6 BBQ tables open, so I'm glad that we got there early because by the time we were about to leave, all the tables were full. We ordered a few items: bibimbop on stoneware (they spelled it beebimbop on their menu), spicy pork with kimchi, beef tongue soup (it was amazing), BBQ ribeye, and BBQ pork belly. We had to get a second order of the BBQ ribeye because it was just that good. It was marinated to perfection. My bibimbop was just okay; I've had better. I liked how they changed the grill every one in awhile. Service was okay. I did more water at the end since it everything was somewhat spicy. If you sit on the BBQ side, they do charge you an extra 15% gratuity. Overall, my parents enjoyed their experience and they never enjoy anything. Ha! read more

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Service seemed understaffed and they kept forgetting our requests. However, the BBQs are always super flavorful and taste authentically Korean. The amount of side dishes they provide also make up for their rushed service. I would say the best ones are the kimchi, acorn jelly, caramelized potatoes and fish cakes. You must ask for refills if you want more. They don't change the grills (at least in my experience). The beef (bulgogi) and squid was almost overly marinated, however the pork was yummy with an external sauce. They didn't cut the beef much so there were huge slices. read more

Mama's Restaurant - Some side dishes! - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

The food was still amazing, as always. For most of our visit there was only one server and he was sprinting everywhere to make sure everyone was taken care of and he was soooo cute running around everywhere, I just felt sorry for him being the only one read more