My wife and me visited this cozy little restaurant and really enjoyed it. I had the Hot Stone Dish Bebeembop and it came with 11 cold salads on the side. My wife had Chicken Teriyaki and it looked very good. I would go to this place for special occasions due to the prices but I thought the food quality and service was outstanding! Both of the ladies that waited on us were friendly and attractive. read more

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

I use to love this place but now I am sooo disappointed with everything and this is the last straw it doesn't even count as a one star. I went on a Tuesday night a couple weeks ago with a friend and was waiting to be seated. Usually if a place is packed, just as a courtesy you'd think someone would give you an ETA of a wait time or just greet us. We waited more than 40 minutes and nothing. The servers (there was a middle aged lady and a student) passed by us the whole time and we were COMPLETELY ignored! And there was several parties behind us too. The only reason why it deserves a one star is because there was a girl that always served us at Mama's that was waiting with us too and she chatted with us and tried to basically make our night better. But we ended up leaving later because no one came to us til the end. The food isn't even good anymore. I used to love coming here and getting the pork belly kimchi saute but it's sooo salty and the portion shrank 1/3 of it's original size but it's still VERY overpriced. The soups aren't as good as it was before and it's really inconsistent. And the food comes out sooo slow nowadays and alot of the times there's a long wait time inbetween different entrees. Service now isn`t very good as well. When the place is slow, service is so overbearing that it's really uncomfortable. They literally come every 5 minutes and it's really annoying. Or when it's super packed we are completely ignored for majority of the our time. It really sucks because I loved coming here and the food and service was decent up to a couple months ago but after the ownership changed it's been really going downhill. Such a disappointment! read more

Had a great evening at Mama's with several friends, fairly early on a Saturday evening, and were happy to find a grill table open (they don't take reservations for the grill tables). The wait staff were helpful and responsive; they didn't rush us and answered all of our questions, and brought our food quickly. Because we had a fairly large group (including several serious carnivores) among us, we ordered two BBQ specials which ended up being eight meat dishes + 12 Korean vegetable side dishes (called banchan, ) + soup + several sauces. This was more than enough food for everyone and gave us each the ability to try small portions of every meat dish on the menu. The marinated spicy pork and the beef were my favorite, but my friend preferred the shrimp and squid. The banchan dishes were my favorite part. For those not familiar with this kind of restaurant, they brought us twelve refillable small bowls including several types of spicy kimchi and pickled vegetables for tasting, and other dishes that are more mild/creaming/cooling as accompaniments. The atmosphere is pretty low-key; the restaurant is clearly not overly concerned with ambience and decor. But it was clean, the food was quick, fairly priced, and delicious, and the staff were efficient and friendly. Recommend for large groups (though it appeared that smaller groups also were having a good time). read more

When we walked in, there were only two people in the restaurant on a Saturday afternoon at 12 o'clock. There was a table full of silverware and kitchen ware on display and two people waiting for to-go orders. There was one young man seating us who was not dressed professionally at all and one person in the kitchen that we could see in the back who was doing all the cooking. We were seated and the chairs were wobbly and all the cushions were tore up. The walls were pretty but your tables and chairs have been destroyed. When we looked at the menus, the spines have been taped together to mend them and the new and extremely expensive prices were hand written with ballpoint pen. With an environment like this, there is no way I would spend $28 for my meal. That was just for one person. If I had actually gotten the Korean barbecue that you make yourself at the table it was gonna be more like $50. How can you expect people to want to pay prices like that if you can't even upkeep your restaurant or have any staff available to serve them? My husband and I were so disappointed with this first impression that we got up and left and never had a bite. You may already know all of these things but if not I hope you can make some changes in the future. read more

I went to that place with a group of friends just to try Korean BBQ but the service is really bad it's one of the worst. The worse part is they still make you pay 15% tip. The foods was very delicious but I rather go somewhere else with better service. They didn't even once come by to refill drinks. I will not recommend this place for anyone. read more

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

We went to our other "Mama" today for the first time! Lets start at the very beginning! The location is on bus route 6. We were met at the door and seated within a few moments. They ask if you want a regular table or the grill table. Our server was very friendly and pleasant. She asked if we would want a fork since the table has METAL chopsticks and large spoon. Forego the fork and enjoy the culture! =D We started off with mushroom tempura which came with 8 pieces. The batter was light and crisp, no greasy mouth-feel, each bite covers your mouth in a mushroom juice. The taste was fresh. Before we could finish our appetizer, we received our entrees. They were grilled mackerel (which we forgot to take a picture), bebeembop (tofu), and Boolgogee Saute. Each was delicious, well spiced, and reasonably priced. All 3 of us received a fresh hot bowl of rice and 8 sides to share. These by the way are unlimited!! Also I enjoyed the fact that the server explained each dish and left us to enjoy our meal without hovering. The music playing is KPop while the tv was soccer. LOL The restroom was CLEAN and the toilet flushes from the top! So cool! We will be back! read more

See all

I did the Korean BBQ and it was not a good experience. The fire wasn't strong enough so it took a very long time to cook the meat. The food tasted ok, nothing great. It was very overpriced. The service was absolutely dreadful too. Would not recommend this place. read more

I always enjoy Mama's and it tastes authentic compared to meals I enjoyed in Seoul. To eat BBQ you must plan to order 2 meat dishes (which is a lot for 2 people) so go with friends. We tried Shrimp, beef and spicy pork. I think the meats were much more flavorful than the shrimp. The traditional side dishes are delicious! Service is efficient but not friendly. Our grill was changed 3 times during the course of our meal. The BBQ isn't cheap, but we left stuffed. I think next time I will order off the menu and save myself some calories and some money. read more

Mama's Restaurant - BBQ with banchan - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

We had an enjoyable evening, the meats were so good, the marinade was very good, fun barbecuing. Never did figure out what all of the accompanyments were. We were afraid some might be to strong but they were not, flavors blended so well with the meat. Plenty of everything. read more

Mama's Restaurant - Two of the Ribeye, Pork and Chicken for two combos with accompanying dishes. - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

This place is really disappointing. I have to preface this by saying I came back from living in Seoul for two years and I'm used to eating a lot of authentic Korean BBQ. In fact, I looove Korean BBQ and ate a ton! Unfortunately, this wasn't it. Like most Korean BBQ's, there is a minimum of two orders to sit at the grilling tables. Service here is the worst - they seem understaffed. There are a large variety of side dishes but it is hard to get them refilled. I felt like they didn't want to refill them to save money or something. Staff is so hard to get to come over, and when we needed the grill pan changed they didn't seem concerned even when it was getting pretty smoky. It was so stressful. Soybean paste soup wasn't included which was a bummer. The meat quality was not good at all - it was chewy, heavily marinated and the meat looked old. I seriously think they over marinated to mask the low quality meat. It was such a disappointment. BBQ is all about the meat, so this was really unacceptable. On top of it all, there was a mandatory 15% gratuity which was ridiculous because the service was so bad and they weren't attentive or gracious at all when serving. Korean places tend to have that homey feel, there is a lot of great customer service. Sadly I guess because there are few Korean restaurants in town they set their standard really low. To someone who hasn't had real Korean BBq before, they might like it. But it's far from the real deal! read more

Very nice Korean restaurant. Excellent food quality and service. Pleasant ambience. They start you off with a lovely large variety of Banchan, the small side dishes that come with a meal. We ordered short ribs (Galbi) and glass noodles (Jap Chae), both of which were excellent. They have a liquor license, which I appreciated, and a hot sake was a nice complement to the meal. The white rice was particularly excellent, which true aficionados of Korean food will insist upon. Fragrant, sticky, and the perfect complement to the rich ribs and the pungent kimchi and other pickles. The prices are slightly high, but nothing to complain about since the portions are generous. I will definitely go back next time I'm in the area and order extra rice next time! read more

I'm going to give Mama's five stars. Maybe 4.5 would be better, or even just 4 would do just fine. However you slice it, this is the best Korean food in town. The servers and owner are incredibly kind and hospitable, the panchang keep coming, the tea is free, and the grill tables are a lot of fun. I lived in Chicago for a while and had the good luck of going to several great Korean joints there, but Mama's tops even those. It's great for parties, but it suits small groups as well. GO! NOW! read more

The price is higher than usual Korean restaurant, but the service is good and food is tasty.

One of the best kept secrets in Bloomington! Literally you have to go down into a basement area of a strip mall to get there, but aside from the lack of atmosphere, it is all about the food. Meals cost about $10-12 for dinner and include an assortment of appetizer-y dishes to accompany your meal. My favorite dinner is the hot stone kettle bibimbap. It comes with an egg on top and everything keeps cooking on the kettle as you eat. The flavors are so delicious and the thinly sliced beef is amazing. This is the type of place where the portion is so huge that you should have leftovers, but it tastes so good that you can't stop eating! The food is very authentic- this is where Korean people go to eat Korean food, which is a good sign. :-) It is also worth noting that they have always been gracious and accommodating of children, and it is somewhere that I feel comfortable bringing our daughter. I'm sure we'll be back for more soon! read more

Food is okay. Very expensive!!! I had the BBQ- totally not worth what I paid. The side fish soup was not tasty. Small portions. Meat was poor quality. Try Sobon!! Better prices and quantities. read more

If you do the BBQ, you will smell afterwards. I showered after my meal! Started with the fried beef dumplings - yum. Then we got the short ribs and pork belly. Short ribs marinade was spectacular. Pork belly good but not to die for. Sides are typical but about half were... Not preferred but that may just be that my friend and I have not acquired a taste for them. Few things - it's a bit pricey. They don't tell you how long to cook the meat. They didn't offer to switch out our grill top until the end when it was thoroughly covered. We needed more rice! read more

Ugh. First had to wait for 40 minutes to be seated at one of their BBQ tables, which would not really have bothered the two of us if it weren't for the disappointing experience to follow. After finally being seated the waitress rudely snapped we must order at least two expensive meats or a full combo platter to be seated at the BBQ tables - I eat Korean food a lot and have never heard this requirement before and it was nowhere written on the menu. It ended up being way too much meat for the two of us (in large part because the meat quality was kind of sketch), and in general the entire staff seemed pleased to share their employment misery with us the whole evening. The two kinds of meat we ordered - spicy pork and ribeye - were brought out before the kimchi platters or the coals; how appetizing to stare at raw meat! The quality was low and the marinade was very strange - in both our opinions the flavor was overly sweet and bitter. The metal grill was burned to a crisp after just one round and we ended up having to request for the grill to be changed out 5 times. The atmosphere overall was a little depressing with no music, a smokey odor and slightly overall "yellow" hue due to lack of proper ventilation. After our long wait we were the last table and had the chance to enjoy several waitresses watching us a few tables over as we grilled meat in rapid succession. Equal parts frustration, low quality and expensive. Won't be returning. read more

The food is amazing and their side dishes are great. I love Korean food and it helps that I'm also Korean.

I still love Mama's, and I'm sure I'll be back, but it will probably be a while. They've disappointed me on my last few visits. (NB: We always get barbecue, so I can't comment on the regular lunch/dinner menu or dining experience.) The spicy pork, which is supposed to be thin-sliced, comes in much thicker slices these days. It takes longer to cook and is less appealing to eat, and I believe, but can't be positive, that there is less of it in an order than there used to be. Also, the bulgogi marinade on the ribeye tasted much different than usual the last time we had it. It just wasn't as good. The chicken is still great, though. The sides are as delicious as ever, but it's hard to get more of the ones we like. This is because the servers are inattentive to the point of actively avoiding eye contact, and it can take quite a while to get them to return to our table. It doesn't make much difference whether the restaurant is busy or not. The service has always been a little slow, but never this bad. Having said all that, again, I still love this restaurant, and that's why I'm still giving it three stars. I'm sure nostalgia plays some part in that (after all, we've been eating there for over ten years), but I have some hope that the next time we go back, things will be better. We'll just give it a couple of months before we try again. read more

The food here was above the average compared to other Korean restaurants in town, but the service was bad. Due to the fact that they have only 2-3 servers, you need to wait a long time to order the food and pay for the check. read more

Mama's Restaurant - spicy pork with small dishes - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

I went to this restaurant a couple of days ago and I cannot stop raving about it to my friends!! 10 out of 10 would recommend to anyone who likes REAL authentic korean food. I tried their beef tongue soup, and my friend had the pork and kimchi saute. We had such a great experience. Our food came out fast, the waitress came to refill our side dishes (there was about 10!!) This was the right move to fulfill our hunger~ read more

the taste is okay, you can enjoy Korean BBQ here. However, the restaurant is a little expensive and their payment system is not reasonable. they mandatory charged 8% on the bill as a tip even if there were three people. I also recommend to try Sobon that someone already reviewed. read more

A very authentic Korean restaurant. I think almost everyone in the restaurant was Korean. I had a heavy lunch so I stuck with the spicy tofu soup, and it had just the right amount of spice. I wish there had been more meat in my soup. Service was quick, the place is clean, and I'd go again. read more

i didn't expect much of the ethnic food in bloomington, but surprisingly this is a very decent korean restaurant, i think it's even better than some of the popular ones in chicago! the yuk gae jang and dolsot bimbimbap were not salty, seasoned just about right. The kalbi came in the LA cut which i love coz it's a lot easier to manage than those come in with a whole log of bone attached. the spicy pork belly were wonderfully seasoned, and not as fatty as i was expecting! The service was really good too! The first time i had korean bbq food and didn't leave with a full stomach of grease. :) read more

Finally got a chance to try the "cooking table" here. Usual selection of bulgogi, kalbi, pork belly with the salty oily dip, and some spicy chicken. Have to say, nothing beats meats on the grill. yum. The banchan here are pretty good too. The tuna & macaroni salad is one of my faves. Heard a rumor that IU is going to knock this strip mall down to install more parking spots. read more

Four stars to Mama's!! After reading reviews on Yelp, I decided to visit this gem. I found the menu a little overwhelming since I do not know much about Korean food. The waiter immediately greeted us but told us that he did not have any BBQ tables available. He directed us to sit on the non BBQ side and wait. Another customer came in and was greeted by a waitress. The waitress was scrambling to find that party a BBQ table. Finally the waiter communicated to the waitress that we had been waiting longer. The waiter was friendly and the service was fine but not exceptional. The waiter had a hard time answering our questions or giving us suggestions. Decor is plain and simple. If you are wanting fancy decor than this is not you restaurant. Seating for the BBQ tables are limited and if you have a large party, I would recommend calling ahead. I wish they had more BBQ tables and the smells are wonderful!! We ordered the BBQ for two (ribeye and squid). Our BBQ came with 8 sides and ind. bowls of rice. All were good but I was confused with having macaroni salad as a side. After my first bit of the BBQ, I was hooked. I would not recommend this dish, if you do not like spicy food. Overall, I rate Mama's 4 stars. The only reason it was not 5 stars was the seating confusion and the waiter having difficulty communicating. We will be returning to Mama's again!!! read more

See all

Mama's food is authentic and just as I remember when I was in Daegu South Korea. I am so happy they are here in Bloomington!! They have a great selection of the entree's I use to get and also a BBQ option. Price is to be expected and atmosphere is a mom and pop stop. I do wish they would/could offer a seasonal menu but that is in no way a reason to not visit and see what you think!! read more

I brought a big group here for my birthday and it was one chow fest. The service was very friendly and helpful, and some of us did the BBQ which was outstanding. One person who had lived in Chicago for many years said the food at Mama's was better than all the Korean places in there. I had a wonderful soup--tofu and beef--but everyone was happy with their dishes. This is the best Korean I have had in town, and really it's on top of the heap of restaurants I've been to in town, period. Highly recommend. read more

Big fan of Mama's! Soybean soup is sooooo good! Traditional Korean full dinner is my favorite! You can both enjoy a delicious soup and a lot of grilled beef! read more

Mama's Restaurant - Traditional Korean full dinner! - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

My gosh. Food, presentation, authenticity and atmosphere = Above and beyond any other Korean restaurant in Bloomington. The first time I went with my Korean friend, and they spoke to him in Korean and then they turned to me to ask me my order, "And what would you like?" They spared me the embarassment I suppose. Everytime I go, I get the barbecue. The beef and pork, which you cook yourself at your table, were delicious. It reminded me of my mom's bulgogi and kimchi. Speaking of kimchi, you get unlimited side dishes with the barbecue. read more

You can never, ever, everrr go wrong w Korean barbecue. Go w the bugolgi and squid combo! read more

Dec. 24, 2015, Christmas eve, 12:45pm. I was having lunch there with my wife, a 1-year old baby, and a friend. We were the only guests in the restaurant. Our baby dropped a small empty plastic bowl and a spoon on the floor, as a baby usually does. We left them on the floor and continued eating. Suddenly, a mid-aged Korean man walked in, and, seeing the bowl and spoon on the floor, he immediately walked toward us and YELLed to us (including the baby): "Do not toss food on the floor! This is MY property! Do not do that ever again!" As he turned around and walked away, I explained, "This is an empty bowl..." Before I could finish a sentence, he yelled back, "It doesn't matter!" Then he yelled to the staff in the kitchen in Korean language. We didn't understand his words, but guessed that he was blaming the waitress and other ladies in the kitchen. As our waitress was then approaching us, we explained to her what happened. At that moment, the mid-aged Korean man yelled to us one more time: "If you don't want to eat, you can leave now. I don't need your money. SHIT!" Yes, he said "shit" to his customers, including two ladies and 1-year old baby, the reason being that the baby dropped a bowl on HIS property. At certain moments during his yelling, I felt a sense of threat, and I quickly thought about calling 911. But, it is Christmas eve, and I have a guest, and I am only coming back to B-town to visit. We left---as he suggested, without touching much of the food. The Korean waitress girl seemed equally shocked. I tried to tip her anyway, but she refused to accept it. I have been living in the States for seven years. This is my first experience of being yelled at as a customer in a restaurant. I am not sure whether the mid-aged Korean guy--the owner of this property--has any mental problem, or he has anything particular against a Chinese family (such racism would be deplorable). One thing I am certain about regarding this experience is that, this guy can be a hazard to children. So, if you are taking your babies to this Korean place, think twice, and watch out against this mid-age Korean guy. Just to help you identify him, he had his head shaven, if not originally bald. read more

We went to Mama's Restaurant on October 25 for a birthday celebration. We were a large party of ten people so we needed to put an extra table at the end of one of the grill tables to accommodate everyone at one table. It worked out well because three people were vegetarians so they sat at the end without the grill, but if all of us wanted barbecue we would have needed to break up into two separate tables. Those of us who had barbecue shared the rib eye, short ribs, spicy pork, spicy pork belly, and spicy squid. They were all delicious, but the "spicy" pork, pork belly, and squid were not what I would call "hot." I would have liked for them to have more heat, but they were delicious nonetheless. Everyone was served a bowl of rice and the table had all of the traditional sides; including kimchi, cole slaw, and cucumber salad.. The barbecue was out of this world, so I would love to give five stars, however the service was very slow and the timing of the meal was off. They would bring two or three dishes at a time and not be back for another five to ten minutes with the next two or three. We'd had all of our meat for about twenty minutes before we received our rice. Everyone who ordered entrees from the kitchen received their meals far after we received the meat for the grill, which was unfortunate as well. Bottom line: The food is incredible, the service is mediocre. Don't go in expecting a quick meal. Expect to spend an hour and a half for dinner, at least. It's a nice experience sitting down with friends enjoying the meal. A quick dinner is not on the menu. read more

Loved my experience here I live outside of bloomington and this is definitely my favorite place to eat when me and my husband go out

I love their Kimchi pork sauté, kimchi soft tofu soup and shredded flank beef soup. All of the sides are good. BBQ is just average level. I suggest just have normal meal. read more

This should already be on your list as it is the only restaurant that offers Korean BBQ, but push it up even higher because it is delicious! The bulgogi and kalbi were dreamy and marinated to perfection. All the side dishes are scrumptious in variety. We went on a Sunday evening and our servers were on top of it, asking us if we needed anything, but not to the point where they were hovering. As soon as we were done grilling our meat, the heat was taken away to not smoke over. Absolutely recommend Mama's! read more

A worm inside their cod. Found a couple more after this. A waitress first said she's going to ask someone to look at this. Then she came back saying it's a part of the fish (without anyone looking into this problem). Then another waitress came and I told her our problem. Again, she did nothing but bringing back our check. Can't be worse... read more

Mama's Restaurant - A worm inside their cod. Found a couple more after this. The restaurant did nothing but saying it's part of the fish. Worst.. - Korean Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

The only reason why I gave 2 stars instead of one is because they actually have the most decent side dishes compared to other Korean restaurants in Btown.. I love korean soft tofu soup, I could eat them twice a week, if there is a restaurant that make them. Unfortunately, there is none in Bloomington. I was excited to try the korean soft tofu soup from Mama's because it was expensive. for some reason my brain thought that expensive means decent. I was wrong!!! It was by far the worst Korean soft tofu soup I've ever had. I have never eat tofu soup in Korea, but I grew up in california where the Asian food was heavenly. I've tried MANY tofu soup (by many, I mean I almost always order tofu soup when I go to Korean Restaurant).. I've tried okay and below average soup.. and Mama's was the worst one.. I was surprised that beef was the only meat option (I usually go for seafood) when it came, the soup was clear, and does not look spicy or appetizing AT ALL.. I knew when I saw it, it was going to be bad. It was tasteless and not spicy.. and the beef... I only found LITERALLY 4 small pieces of beef in there.. and I paid for 12 for it..!! I was upset and felt robbed.. (In Sobon, the soup was less than 10 dollar and taste much better.. mucchhhhh better..) I didnt finish it because it was very bad.. My BF ordered Kalbi/bbq short rib.. It was.. too sweet for my taste, they they gave you a huge chunk of meat and they give you scissors, basically you have to cut up the meat by yourself.. Their BBQ is overpriced and the portion is very small.. Won't recommend them unless you wanna pay for overpriced tasteless food.. :( read more

Mama's provides an excellent and, as far as I know, authentic Korean dining experience. Despite being located in a strip mall, the inside is slightly more welcoming than that would typically indicate. You can choose between normal and barbecue tables, but because I go to a restaurant specifically for the purpose of having a better cook than I am prepare my food, I've always gone with the regular option. The fare is a solid selection of fiendishly spicy and delicious soups, served with 8 to 12 small side dishes including cabbage and cucumber kimchee, coleslaw, potato salad, bean sprouts, seaweed salad, fish cakes, mushrooms, and other tasty little squishy, squelchy, and squooshy delights. I've frequently been pleased with the bulgogee and short ribs, and I've never been disappointed with the rich meaty stews and soups, but some of the more unusual offerings can be the best. The broiled mackerel is an unbelievably good experience. It's smoky, salty, perfectly oily, and cooked on the bone. Even those moderately skilled with chopsticks will find it challenging to winnow the spine and bones from the flesh, but it is worth it. The cold buckwheat noodles are delicious, but also confounding to anyone with limited chopstick skills; they're served with shears if that tells you anything about how challenging they are to consume. Perhaps my favorite is the Korean home-y favorite, bebimbap: pickled vegetables, meat, and a fried egg top rice with a piquant spicy sauce. The menu offers a standard variant and a version with kimchee, but the best option is the one served in a stone pot that crisps the bottom of the rice into a crunchy, delicious wafer. The staff is friendly and helpful and will always make sure that you understand what you're ordering if you seem unsure. As forewarning, there is a giant television in a corner, but I've never actually witnessed anyone use it for karaoke; it's typically showing world cup game reruns. read more