I've been coming to Arirang Korean Restaurant for years, but after this visit, I won't be…read morereturning. I went in with my mom, wife, and baby boy, expecting a great meal like we used to have here. Unfortunately, the experience was nothing short of disappointing.
First, after taking our order, the server noticed my son and pinched his cheeks--making him cry. Then, she offered him a lollipop... to an 11-month-old baby. Completely inappropriate.
My mom simply asked for hot water, and we were told they don't have any. How does a restaurant not have a way to heat water?
The real disappointment was in the food. This place used to serve 15 banchan (side dishes), but today we received only six, all in tiny portions. Prices have gone up, portions have shrunk, and the service has taken a nosedive. When I asked for more pickled bean sprouts--my favorite--the server refused, saying I had to finish all the other banchan first. What are we, adolescents? I didn't realize we needed to "clean our plates" before we could get a simple refill. That's never happened here or at any other Korean restaurant I've been to. The worst part? We always finish all the banchan dishes because that's what we look forward to the most when we come here. I lost my appetite after that.
On top of that, the service was terrible. She never once came by to refill our water or ask if everything was okay. When we finished eating, we had to flag her down just to ask for a box, because she was sitting at another table with her back turned, gossiping with two other ladies.
When I went to pay, I left no tip due to the poor service. The server then had the audacity to call me out, saying, "Tip is not included, you leave no tip?" I explained the bad service, specifically how she refused a simple refill, and she proceeded to argue with me--justifying it by saying food costs are high and that people waste banchan. That might be true for some, but we're not those customers. Making that assumption about us was insulting. Plus, you made my son cry. I don't know of many strangers who would touch a baby's face like that.
This place used to be a go-to for us, but they've completely lost our support. I love supporting small businesses, but when you start nickel-and-diming customers over basic hospitality and provide awful service on top of it, you ruin the dining experience.