Daniel B.

Short version: Kang's Kitchen BBQ Duluth (강식당) is yet another great Korean barbecue restaurant in Gwinnett County. For us, the quality of both the beef and banchan was outstanding and service was good. My only gripe is the portions could've been bigger for the combo we got. That said, they do offer all you can eat (AYCE), though you'll miss out on some of their best meats like the marinated galbi (my favorite) and prime rib. If you value good-quality beef, I recommend this place. Long version: Kang's Kitchen opened on April 22, 2023. Wall art in the back says the business was established in 1997. I asked an employee about this and he said this is a brand from South Korea. As far as I can tell, this is the only "Kang's Kitchen" in the US. There's also sister restaurant, Kang's Table (강스테이블), on Peachtree Industrial Blvd. Kang's Kitchen is located in Pleasant Hill Square, a shopping center that has changed a lot over the years. Gone are big-box stores like Staples, JCPenney, Old Navy, Toys"R"Us, and Barnes & Noble. In are Asian restaurants like Canton House, Kang's Kitchen, Chung Ki Wa Korean BBQ, and Gohan AYCE Buffet. As locals know, the Pleasant Hill Rd area is filled with all kinds of Korean restaurants, from barbecue to bossam (boiled pork). What sets Kang's Kitchen apart? I can think of a few nuances: 1. Meat quality. We had the Beef Combination for 4 ($179.99) and the quality was top notch. In terms of meat quality, I put Kang's Kitchen in the upper tier of Korean barbecue restaurants in metro Atlanta. 2. Banchan quality. The banchan (side dishes) was consistently superb, all around. The selection was on par with some of the best Korean restaurants around town. That said, Kang's Kitchen has one of the better banchan selections. For example, we got mul kimchi (water kimchi), which I don't recall seeing anywhere else. 3. Charcoal downdraft grills. Our server told us that there's only one other place in the area that has charcoal downdraft grills. Other places either have gas downdraft grills or grills with height-adjustable exhaust hoods. In recent years, newer Korean barbecue restaurants in metro Atlanta have done a better job at managing ventilation. Therefore, leaving a restaurant smelling like smoke isn't as much of an issue these days. As far as charcoal vs gas, charcoal is better. Korean barbecue cooked on charcoal grills tastes better because the flavor is smokier. The smoke permeates the meat. Also, there's an extra bit of crispiness and char on the outside of the meat thanks to the hotter-burning charcoal. 4. Space. The dining room is big, airy, and still relatively new and nice (furniture, etc. still in good condition). I think this is one of the bigger Korean barbecue restaurants in metro Atlanta in terms of number of grills (I guesstimate 50+) and seats. This place should handle multiple large groups easily. You can call and make reservations, but I don't think it's necessary unless you have a really large party. There were plenty of open tables for the duration of our visit, which was around 5-7pm this past Sunday. They brought out a highchair for the toddler and set up the banchan before calling us to our table. Here's the banchan we got: * Kimchi * Pickled red onion * Ssam mu - pickled radish wraps, beet variety (pink color) * Garden salad with romaine lettuce, carrots, red cabbage, and tomato * Gamja salad - Korean-style potato salad * Pa muchim - scallion salad with sauce made from gochugaru (Korean chili pepper) * Mul kimchi - with ingredients like daikon * Jangajji - soy sauce pickles (jalapeno, white onion, daikon) * Japchae - glass noodles * Gyeran-jjim - steamed eggs * Doenjang-jjigae - soybean paste stew * Corn cheese x4 ($5.99 each, extra) - we ordered these Here's what our combo came with, in order, all cooked at the table by our staff: * Brisket * Ribeye - Grill swapped from pan to mesh * Rib fingers (marinated and unmarinated) * Prime rib * Marinated galbi (short ribs) * Marinated cube steak To finish: * Chapagetti instant noodles (jajangmyeon) To drink: * Makgeolli ($14.99 per bottle) - Korean rice wine, Kook Soon Dang Draft Everything was fantastic. The kimchi was particularly delicious. We asked for seconds on the kimchi and other items and they restocked us with generous portions. The corn cheese had to be ordered separately, but was worth it. The gyeran-jjim, doenjang-jjigae, and corn cheese came out hot and fresh and were among the best I've had. As far as the beef, it was all terrific. I highly recommend both the marinated galbi and prime rib. The marbling, flavor, and texture were perfect. The other meats were excellent too and, generally, beat most of the same types of meats at other Korean barbecue restaurants around town. I especially enjoyed the rib fingers and cube steak. Condiments included galbi sauce with wasabi, ssamjang (spicy fermented soybean paste), and salt and pepper mix. We had to request sesame oil, which came in a squeeze bottle.

Sandy P.

This is my first time going to a KBBQ spot and I don't have to worry if my clothes or hair will smell like KBBQ for the rest of the day! Inside is super cute, the banchan is really good. The meat quality here is great! We ordered a combo meat plate (beef and pork enough for 4ppl?) and it was so good! The server would come help us cook the food which was great. Afterwards, they offer a dish at the end and we chose noodles. If you are wearing white, you can ask for an apron!

Michelle H.

Kang's Kitchen is a high quality KBBQ restaurant. The interior is pretty modern and there is a smoke-free ventilation system to reduce the smell of grilled meat on you at KBBQ. It is located in a plaza so there is definitely parking available at all times. In terms of service, the food came out quickly and my server was very attentive. Honestly, I thought they were almost too attentive at times because they grill the food for you so sometimes, they were just standing near the table, waiting for an opportunity to complete their job. But I get why they did it. We ordered the Combination for 2 (Beef & Pork) and Corn Cheese. The beef and pork combination came out on a beautiful platter! I got full quickly so I really only ate the beef brisket and pork belly as they were cooked first, but they were yummy. Especially the pork belly! It was the right kind of tender, meatiness, and fattiness. The Combination for 2 also came with a steamed egg which was delicious! It tasted like it had cheese in it, which made it more savory. I thought that the corn cheese was just alright, it seemed like there was mayonnaise in it? Or the cheese was very runny at the bottom of the dish, so it kind of turned me off. I did not have a chance to eat much of the sides because again I got full from the meat, but I had the kimchi which was nice. Overall, I left Kang's Kitchen feeling full and content!

Sheau L.

Nice Korean BBQ restaurant! The food was good. The meat quality is on par with other high end kbbq joints in the area. They served a decent number of different side dishes. The wait staff was helpful. They made sure our side dishes were refilled and helped cook the meat. They even include ice cream and slushies with the meal. The only negatives is the restaurant was very cold when we went. Also, depending on what you like, not being able to cook your own food at Korean bbq can be a turn off for some.

Oh wow. I hate to write this. This is one of my favorite Korean bbq in ATL. They have the best kimchi and are not stingy about refilling banchan. The staff is amazing. And the ssamjang sauce is on point. So this review is just last visit. Last night was horrible. I don't know what was going on but pieces of some meat were not cooked (had to put back on grill because raw), and then strips of beef were completely burnt/charred on one side. The first time- he replaced the meat, the second time, he just cut off the charred parts. The egg was ok. The rest of the dinner was fine as usual. The service is friendly and nice. The banchans were good and kimchi was great. They also bring plenty of radish wraps and fresh lettuce. But really...the cooking of the food was the issue last night. Dinner for three so ordered beef combo for 4. Plenty of food. Hoping yesterday was just an off night. But usually, this place is good. I usually recommend for Korean bbq. Meat quality is good, kimchi is great and I like their ssamjang sauce.

Jimmy N.

Pretty good. My favorite is still 770 kbbq but this is definitely better than Iron Age and chubby cattle in my opinion. All you can eat ranges from 50-80 dollars or you can do a la cart which is what I did.

Rose E.

I stopped in for a super-late lunch...and luckily, they were still serving lunch special at around 2 pm. First of all, I was very impressed with the decor and ambiance. The place had a very elegant, yet cozy vibe...and I even liked the Korean elevator music (that is, piano lounge music). Anyway, I chose their Marinated Short Rib lunch special, which came with Tofu plus Beef or Seafood Stew. As expected from all Korean restaurants, on came a slew of complimentary sides...and I especially loved how Japchae was included here! The only side that I couldn't eat was their regular Kimchi (not fully seasoned...thus very sour tasting)...however, they had these tasty squared Kimchi, so not a problem. The lunch plate had a lot of stuff on it. It even included a bread roll (??), which I found very random. I liked all the other sides that came with it...but here's the thing that just wasn't right. The main attraction of the dish, the Short Rib, was smothered down with veggies (why so much Onions??)...so I could barely see it! Huh?? I thought the presentation was a bit ruined...since the main staple was nearly hidden. I guess I would have wanted more short rib...versus all the random veggies on this plate. As for the short rib itself, it wasn't too tender...nor as marinated as I had anticipated. The lunch plate was good, but just not as great as I wanted it to be. Too much veggies and sides...not enough quality meat...and again, the presentation was just odd (see picture!) However, the Tofu-Seafood Stew was really good...and so was all the complimentary sides (minus the sour Kimchi). Service was really good. Since I came during the off hours, I didn't see any waiters...just the server and the host/manager/owner (??). Still, my foods were delivered super-quickly, and I was well attended to throughout my meal. Overall, I enjoyed checking out this relatively shiny, new restaurant...and I wouldn't mind returning to try their KBBQ. Not sure if I'd ever choose their veggie-heavy lunch platters though.

Judy Z.

With so many kbbq options in Duluth, this place is just as good as other places. It's not quite as popular as the OG spots, but service is more attentive here. I love the ventilation system here! I usually smell like kbbq afterwards, but the smell did not stick to my clothes or hair. They have good side dishes, but the steamed egg does have cheese.. just a heads up. Really clean interior with a wide range of options whether you want AYCE or Combination.

Thuy L.

Stopped on a Friday for lunch! I love this Korean bbq spot that offers lunch as well. The entire staff here is amazing and friendly. I ordered the brisket soy bean paste soup and pasta! The food came out pretty quick as well if you only have 1 hour for lunch! The pasta is sooo creamy and delicious! Stop by and support ! Ask for Andrew for top tier service The manager is amazing as well!

Eric T.

Newer kbbq spot that has built-in ventilation for the smoke inside the table itself instead of it being above it. The meat quality is on par with the other kbbq spots nearby and the selection is about the same. Good number of side dishes as well. Price wise is about the same I would say too especially for the combos. They do offer a somewhat affordable steak and lobster comba which I didn't get the chance to try out as I went for the all beef combo for 2 instead was was pretty good in my opinion. Good service as well and the griller does a great job of attending to you and also changing out the grills for specific types of meat. Definitely worth checking out for all you kbbq lovers out there.

Jae S.

Excellent Korean barbecue restaurant in Duluth. With a lot of kbbq restaurants currently raising prices all over for mediocre meat, Kangs barbecue sets the bar for quality meat for the price you pay. There is no unlimited option at this restaurant instead, you have portioned sets for a party of two or four. The menu also includes different cuts of meat that you can order from as well. We got the beef/pork set for two which came with a side of Korean soybean soup, steamed egg, side dishes and your choice of kimchi fried rice, ramyun or chappagetti (korean instant black bean noodles). For $99 the quality is very good and the food is very delicious. Service was excellent and the restaurant itself is extremely spacious. Makes you feel like you're dining at a high end restaurant. Definitely will be back and try the other set menus.

Nicole B.

It seems I have the unpopular opinion of Kang's Kitchen, but I wasn't very impressed on my visit here. My brother was in town visiting so I told him about this high quality KBBQ place I had been hearing about, so we went to try it before I had to go to work one night. Upon arrival, I had great first impressions. Very clean, spacious restaurant, and not crowded at all. It doesn't smell smoky in here nor does it make you smell smoky. The tables are small so our group was split into 2 side by side tables for 7 people. The meat quality does look good, but after eating, I can't say I notice that it tastes much different than another KBBQ place in Duluth. The menu had various options, but I didn't get to try many of the meats. I actually only got to try 4 different kinds which brings me to my biggest complaint of Kang's. They do all the cooking for you, and it's actually quite slow. They don't allow you to order your meats ahead of time. I knew I only had an hour to eat because I needed to leave early for work, so my family tried to prioritize giving me more meat first when we realized they wouldn't let us order our next meats until the current one on the grill FINISHED cooking. They change our the grill in between every meat, which is nice because then you're not eating burnt meat BUT it's a flaw because it slows everything down as you're waiting for the grill change and for the new plate to warm up to cook the next meat. They strategically don't even bring you your next plate of meat after you order either but place it on a different table so you can't just add the meat to the grill yourself when you're ready for more. That being said, it takes a decent amount of time in between orders with waiting for the meat to be prepped, changing out the grill plate, letting it warm up, THEN actually cooking the meat. If you have time to kill and want to socialize, sure why not? But you'll also get full fast with all that wait time and not get to eat much. I found myself having to eat sides like egg, 2 bowls of rice, and a soup to fill myself up because I just didn't get enough meat to eat before I had to go. The portions they give you at once also isn't a lot so it's disappointing having to keep waiting for more. But wait time aside, it was a good meal. I just don't think I can justify it for the price that they charge. I can't remember exactly but I believe it was over $50 per person. I'll stick to one of my other usual places instead, but I'm glad I at least gave Kang's a shot.