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Kimchi Korean BBQ

4.2 (596 reviews)
PriceyKorean, Barbeque
Closed 12:00 pm - 3:30 PM, 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Updated 2 months ago

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KIMCHI KOREAN BBQ ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Loud
Good for kids
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Kimchi Korean BBQ

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Interior
Celine P.

We came here at 2pm after two hikes and were famished. We watched all the servers go on break expect for one. There were at least 5 tables of customers. That poor guy. It was hard to be patient when we are hungry. We got platinum all you can eat because we really wanted the beef tongue. There were a few long moments when we finished all the side dishes and the meats and was simply waiting to put in our next order. The server was trying to tend to all the tables and had a positive demeanor but long wait. There is two single stall bathrooms. We were disappointed in the bulgogi nachos as the ratio of chips to meat was super off. We were also disappointed in the Korean soybean paste stew. Too salty. We tried to put some steam egg inside to make it less salty but the eggs didn't taste good anymore. We love the brisket sauce, the pickled radish wraps, daikon kimchi, pickled onions, and beef tongue the most. We ordered five plates over the course of our time mostly off the platinum menu. We were there for 2.5 hours and didn't feel satiated in the end. I would come back to try again.

A satisfied customer!
Bryan L.

The service here is fantastic! Servers were constantly aware of the guests needed something or wanted to order more. The detail for me is their ability to know what we needed something as simple as needing more napkins were provided before even asking them. The food was great! The choice in meats and other items was a good spread. I would definitely come back next time that I'm in town!

Christina T.

The food was decent and the service was good! Although there is no AC, but it was still good.

Quality is great, service is excellent. Definitely recommend oncoming here! One of my favorite all you can eat KBBQ in Santa Barbara!
Fuck T.

Quality of food is great, service is excellent. One of my favorite all you can eat KBBQ out in Santa Barbara. Definetly coming back here!

Dear D.

The service is the best for any kbbq I've ever had! Everyone so nice and our orders came out relatively fast. Their beef belly was so good! Thank you!!

The aftermath
Tatianna Z.

Tried Kimchi KBBQ in Santa Barbara on a Friday night around 7 PM and surprisingly there was no wait at all. The place is pretty small, probably only around 10 tables that seat about 4-6 people each, so it feels more cozy than a big KBBQ spot. One thing I really liked was that they have a link where you can order food directly from your phone, which made everything super easy and helped avoid waiting around for servers to come by. The service was honestly great. Everyone was very nice, attentive, and the food came out really quickly every time we ordered. That was definitely the highlight of the experience. As for the food itself, the meat quality just wasn't really up to par compared to other KBBQ places I've been to, especially for the price. They charge $36.99 and only offer 5 different meat options, which felt a little limited. I honestly think they benefit from being one of the only KBBQ spots in the wider Santa Barbara area, because in bigger cities with more competition I don't think the pricing and meat quality would stand out as much.

PORK BELLY

Best quality and options for AYCE I've ever been to! Many great sides and meats and fast service.

SOY GARLIC CHICKEN
Azul S.

Great service there's parking in the back of the alley and the staff are very attentive!! Cannot recommend enough!! The food is delicious and the prices are so affordable in comparison to other SB restaurants!

Main dining room
Shelly R.

Food is great but servings are small, you are given 99 minutes too eat which is more than enough as long as you order fast. The service was fast and food never took longer than 5 min too come out after ordering.

Super delicious, so much to choose from and staff is so nice. I would definitely recommend this to everyone! I was so surprised by how easy it was to cook, staff was very caring and helped us out, as this was our first time here, and we were nervous. Overall, amazing setting and vibes!!

SPICY PORK BELLYbelly
Alyssa R.

Came here today with my friends! We had a great time! Food is great here, the service was good! I love the music they place here makes the ambiance so fun!!! We def will come back.

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3 days ago

Amazing service will be back asapgreat service great people. Nice cuts of meat and amazing servicr

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3 months ago

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5 months ago

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16 days ago

Amazing service and great quality meats! Great music and nice decor! Definitely a must if you're in the area!

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1 day ago

So good quick fast and rapid service with great food. Great ambience really enjoyed the environment! Will be coming back!!!

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17 days ago

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1 day ago

It was really really amazing:) the service was good they were really nice and hospitality

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2 months ago

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18 days ago

Food is great, choices of meat options were good. Recommend dinner service! Lil warm inside, but good music and lighting!

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4 days ago

Free ice cream thank you it was so good i loved the customer service extremely friendly

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6 months ago

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5 days ago

Over all Great service! delicious food! I would definitely be coming back! Lots of different meats

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Kimchi Korean BBQ Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Kimchi Korean BBQ

Do you charge for kids?

Kids price is age plus $3 between 4-11years old. Ex) 4 year old +$3= $7 charge. 5year old… 

Is there kimchi?

Yes!

Do they play KPOP there? Not a dealbreaker, just a big fan.

They do play kpop but also they play a variety of songs that are more modern

Do they have outdoor seating or a place to sit with pets?

No, we don’t have outdoor seating. Sorry..

Do they take reservations?

No. You have to put your name on the list in person

Is it ok if there is only me in the table?

I don't see why not! It's a place to eat food, and I'm sure if you go during a lesser congested time, you'll easily get a small table to yourself.

A bit confused by the pricing for kids. Is it based on age or height? I have a 4 & 6 year old both over 50" and there's no way I'm paying an adult price for them.

Depends on age.. if you call us then we can explain more details... Thank you.

Do they serve bimibap?

Sorry,we don't have bibimbob

View All 12 Questions

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Solid spot with great asian fusion food. The baos are really quite tasty, but not as tasty as some…read moreof the even more unique dishes. The Scallops on a half shell are probably the best dish, the dumplings are fantastic, the fried rice is very good, and the crab hand rolls are absolutely amazing! Service was kind and efficient, drinks were good, but would love some more options, and the vibes were on point for this spot. Glad it's there, and hope to see it continue to thrive.

Food: 4.5 We got…read more Kung pao cauliflower: 4 Flavor was really good and love the crunch of the peanuts but just a bit too salty. Chili crunch dumplings: 5 I love my dumplings and this is up there!! This was probably our favorite item. Would've gotten 2 orders looking back. Curry noodles w/ crab: 5 Amazing flavor. Loved the noodle texture. More soupy. Crab was a nice addition, a decent portion. Not shredded or small chunks but also not the most supple crab pieces either. But was happy that we added! Service: 10/5!!! Kathleen was amazing. So so nice. We originally had a different order but we kept going back and forth on items. Kathleen was not only helpful in helping us decide but came back to our table right before they started cooking and asked if we wanted to change our order only because the curry might give more contrast to our other items. I thought that was just so incredibly kind and really showed how she was invested in our experience. This is why I really wanted to write this review! Ambiance 5/5: Open kitchen is really nice and like that they had outdoor area. Garage parking next door too that wasn't too pricy. Overalls cute decor and clean space.

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The bar
The bar
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Empty Bowl Gourmet Noodle Bar

Empty Bowl Gourmet Noodle Bar

4.3
(954 reviews)
1.9 mi
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Situated in the Santa Barbara Farmers Market complex, Empty Bowl is an inviting space where you can…read moresit right at the bar and watch the wok action. Service is friendly and the food well prepared. Menu options are limited, but everything is delicious. Recommend going at happy hour. There's usually a special offer.

Located inside of Santa Barbara Public Market, Empty Bowl is located towards the center of the…read moremarket. They offer Thai dishes including noodle bowls, small plates, and handmade dumplings. We got the Northern Thailand Curry Noodles "Khao Soi" and the Tom Yum Noodles. The Khao Soi had egg noodles and chicken in a curry base broth with coconut milk, fish sauce, pickled mustard greens, cilantro, green onions, and housemade chili oil. They also give you crispy egg noodles to put on top. I appreciated that they wrapped this separately in foil, so they didn't get soggy right away! The chicken pieces were quite large, but overall the broth was tasty! I enjoyed the Tom Yum Noodles! For these, they use flat wheat noodles with Thai chili paste, bunashimeji mushrooms, white button mushrooms, fish sauce, red jalapeño, galangal herb, makrut lime leaves, lemongrass, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro. I chose chicken for my protein. The tom yum flavor really came through! They also give a pretty big portion! Since they are located in a food hall, you can sit at any of the tables. Empty Bowl will give you a pager, so you know when to return to the counter to pick up your food.

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Setting at noodle bar
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(Photo/Video by Ins@foodie.skye)
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This place was so good, I had to take out my phone to take notes. Each dish blew me away, and I…read morestarted texting my friends about it before all 9 courses were done. Had reservations for 7 pm dinner on Friday. The place wasn't busy during our entire dining experience. Aside from a larger table of ~10 people and 2 smaller tables, the place was empty, which was nice and quiet for date night and anniversary celebration. The 9-course Kaiseki was plate after plate of flavor. Highlights: - Course 4: Somen with sweet broth, grilled beef, and grilled green onion. THIS. The beef was so good, I refused to swallow, so I could savor the flavor. Fatty in flavor. Lean in cut. Somen cooked to perfection. - Course 7: Chilean sea bass simmered in bonito chicken broth with daikon and green beans ~ THE SEA BASS WAS GAS. Marinated in miso before grilling, the tenderness and juiciness of the sea bass is locked in prior to simmering in the broth. Chicken broth with the bonito added depth to the dish. - Course 9: Black sesame pudding with tangerine jelly ~ THIS. This dish embodied the level of black sesame I expect for any dish. Tangerine jelly cuts through as a nice refresher for the next bite. Perfectly not too sweet. All in all, I had the best experience. Each component of a dish adds its own flavor that completes the dish as a whole. Ultimately, one of my favorite culinary experiences that took my taste buds on a journey! Would return!

This was one of my best omakase experiences in the US and I'm glad we found this place! The owner…read morewas extremely nice and makes you feel like you're eating at his house, which is an apt feeling since the restaurant is in a small house. All the dishes we had were flavorful, had perfect texture, and the seafood was all very fresh.

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Yoichi's
Appetizers
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Sun Sushi

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4.3
(501 reviews)
0.5 mi
$$

Three of had a wonderful experience here a few nights ago. We made a reservation and only waited a…read morefew minutes to be seated We ordered a wonderful bottle of sake. We also ordered soft she'll crabs(delicious) a wonderfully prepared plate of sushi, including eel and unagi with quail eggs Many other wonderful dishes. Our was knowledgeable and suggested some excellent items. We left not full but satisfied and very pleased with this establishment.

Sun Sushi is located in a nondescript strip mall on State Street, but their food is mostly really…read morefresh and delicious. The miso soup was pretty "meh", but the salad with its miso dressing was tasty, as was the shrimp and veggie tempura; nothing outstanding, but on point. The pork-filled gyoza were also fresh and delicious. The "Bluefin tuna 6 ways" was outstanding: each presentation highlighted different cuts of the fish and each one was delicious and a bit different, really good. My girl had some green tea mochi she liked; I tasted it and it didn't do much for me, but... Wine pours by the glass are generous and reasonable, and the service was just fine, courteous and attentive. This is a small restaurant and it can get kind of noisy and crowded, but that's also a testament to the fact people know how good this place is. If you're a local you probably know this, but if you're a visitor (like we were) be sure to check this place out if you're in Santa Barbara and craving really good Japanese food. Recommended.

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Kimchi Korean BBQ - korean - Updated July 2026

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