With respects of choosing restaurant, I am a very picky Asian who likes Korean cuisine. Since I came to live in Cincinnati three years ago, i've visited every Korean Restaurant (5 or 6), not those restaurant that mixed Koreans dishes with Chinese food or Japanese food, but the ones that solely sells Korean food at least twice. Not a single one has impressed me. When I started loosing my expectation for Korean food I accidentally found this one, Kim's. The moment I pushed open the door, the decorations on the wall and arrangement of table and chairs give me a sense of Harmony and joy. After inspected in and out, including the restroom, I know that the hygienic condition is an A+ ( I worked as a health inspector in CDC for a while). The place is run by a Korean couple that are extremely polite and nice ( I talked to the husband after diner). Me and two of my friends ordered seafood pancake, beef bulgogi, and sea food soup. He served me with free traditional Korean cold dishes before bringing my food to the table. The food is so authentic and delicious that I regret not finding this one earlier in my life. The price is less than Koreans Res in Cincinnati while the portion is larger, let along the beautiful taste of the food. The starter cold dishes are the best I have ever tasted, later I know the wife makes the kimichi herself. You can ask for refill of any starter free of charge. We ate to our throat and It cost three of us ( all in our 20's) a total of $44. We all agreed this was the best experience of dining out. I didn't rate it 6 stars only because we live in Cincinnati and the place is 20-25 minutes drive away ( I am picky customer). But Definitely I will come back with more of my friends and families. read more

By far the best Korean restaurant in not only Cincinnati but better than a lot of the places you will find in Koreatown in NYC or another big city. I lived in South Korea for 13 months and the food here is as authentic as you can get. It is family owned and run and an all around great restaurant. I've tried almost everything on the menu and it tastes the same if not better than when I ate them in Korea. The side dishes (banchan) served with the meal are always fresh and she has some of the best kimchi I've had in the States. Always delicious! read more

I had a really bad experience here that I can't help but write about it. The waitress here was super nice and helpful. But, we somehow had a miscommunication on the order and she brought out a different dish than what we wanted. She asked if we want to change and I said yes if it was OK with them. She took the dish back and brought out the right one later. Everything was good until the check came out, charging us both dishes. I asked her if she forgot to take the charge off and she said she can't do it, that I have to speak to the chef. I went to the front counter to talk to the chef's daughter and she gave me a whole lecture about how the waitress did repeat the order(so it's not their fault), that their food are not premade here and how her mom is the only chef. Okay...first of all, that's not my problem. Second, who on earth will charge somebody for something they didn't eat, something that was brought back to the kitchen. Third, the waitress told us it was OK to switch. Even the waitress got frustrated and mumbled that the chef told her so. The chef got upset and came out and told me what her daughter already did. They were willing to take it off this time, they said, but "please know what you order next time and get it right", they said it happened a lot here and blah blah blah...I'm sorry... Again, that's not my problem. If it happened a lot then maybe you guys must done something wrong! and in my head I thought " there would be no next time for us!". I kept my composer with them and didn't really speak my mind. I understand that they are all nice people and just got upset over the miscommunication, but they just pissed me off really bad and ruined my dining experience there. Anyway, before all that, I enjoyed the side dishes a lot, their seafood pancake was lacking seafood and not as crispy as I wanted. The food did not wow us since we had better Korean food in KY. Yeah, pretty much they ruined my out of town experience, too! read more

Tried it one time and it was not good........it was pricey, the food was cold, and the staff was not very friendly.....not a good experience. read more

Based on previous reviews, we decided to give this place a try. We went at 5pm on a weeknight and were the only one's in the restaurant. However, I don't know why as the experience was GREAT! First time trying Korean and the food was delicious. The owner explained everything on the menu and offered suggestions. I thought the menu was expensive, until I found that it included 8 appetizers and a dessert drink (I didn't understand that this was typical with Korean Restaurants). It was well worth the money and I'll definitely be going back. The restaurant is very clean and comfortable. read more

Fantastic customer service! Restaurant is very clean and the food was phenomenal. Owner makes you feel welcomed and always check to make sure you are enjoying the food. read more

This is my favorite restaurant in the whole world. I took a Korean friend there and he said that the food is the real deal. The Korean food is wonderful. You get at least nine side dishes with an entree. The variety of tastes is vast. The owners and employees are very nice and the service is great. There is only one caveat. This is a Korean restaurant. If you don't like Korean food this is not the place to go. The food is made there and is very nutritious. She can make it to what ever level of spice (heat) you desire. If I lived closer I would eat there every day. Not only is the food tasty it is very healthy. This is the best restaurant. Period. read more

Great both times I've been. Service is fantastic and I would highly recommend. Not a place you would expect to be so good.

My first time with Korean food and it was wonderful. We had the beef and black rice. It was delicious. I had been worried because I had heard all the side dishes were pickled. They were, but they didn't taste like that overly sour taste you think of when you think of pickled. The service is fantastic. We were served repeated rounds of barley tea and drinks, and our server was always on top of the refills. Completely wonderful experience! read more

Enjoyed the stone bowl lunch special with beef and vegetables for my first authentic Korean food experience. It was perfect for a cold icy day. The owner and his wife are nice folks who helped us pick foods we enjoyed. $20 for two people and we left nice and full. Would definitely go back even though kimchi and the other sides aren't my thing. read more

After eating here multiple times, I have to say, this is definitely one of the best Korean restaurants in the area. It tastes very homemade Korean in a good and authentic way. I love this restaurant, and I love that the vegetarian/vegan dishes are very satisfying and good. Jap Chae is awesome. I get it every time. I can't wait to try the naengmyun. Love her ban chan- reminds me of eating in small shops in Korea. read more

The kimchi was wonderful. Our dinner came with ten appetizers/side dishes that were delicious. The staff were very nice as well.

I have never been to Korea, so I am not sure what Korean food is supposed to taste like. However, that being said, I will now judge all Korean food by this restaurant. In my mind now, this is what it should be. I was super impressed with my lunch of pork and rice, with delicious sides of tofu, tilapia, kimchi and pickled pepper leaves. The service here is top notch... It feels as if they are actually excited and eager to serve people food that they will love. I cannot recommend this place enough! read more

Very good service and food. I may not be cool enough to enjoy food this unique, but I loved the experience and my main dish was AWESOME. Loved the vibe, the owners, the service and the unique experience. read more

Bad service, bad food quality. Food tastes like shit compare to other Korean restaurants. Not recommend this restaurant to Asian guys.

The food that I had here was really authentic, not fake Americanized Asian food. I'm from China and tasted a lot of "Chinese food" here in the US and I can tell you it tasted no where near actual Chinese food, but when I ate here you could really tell that it's real Korean food. It had that homemade taste to it, almost heart warming. I highly recommend this place for whoever want to taste of Korea and appreciate good food. read more

Kims Korean...WOW. Worth the 30 minute drive. Starts with 8 delicious small bites (included for free). Bimibap is made w ribeye steak, and served in hot pot. Rice gets the yummy crunchy texture. Excellent friendly service. They serve a home brew of cinnamon ginger tea to finish the meal. Highly recommend this place! read more

What an amazing experience! My first time trying Korean food I couldn't have asked for better service. The young girl that waited on us was very knowledgeable and friendly. She gave great description and recommendations. The food was outstanding! read more

Always my favorite. Price is reasonable. Food is great. Been back several times, trying different dishes. The bibimbap is still my favorite. Will try the kalbi next time. Service is good. This restaurant owner is Korean. It doesn't have the fancy setting like the expensive one maybe that's why the price could be lower. But still authentic. Highly recommended. read more

Amazing food and amazing service! We had the bibimbap and dumpling (mendu) appetizer. Bibimbap was great with the beef perfectly spiced and the dumplings are probably the best I've ever had. We found ourselves at the strip mall during a pit stop on our road trip and happened upon this restaurant! So glad we did and we will try to stop by next time we are in the area. read more

Tried it for the first time last night and it was delicious. Highly recommend Kim's to everyone.

It was my first time trying Korean Food. Our server was wonderful! He described everything to us well and even gave background on the foods we were eating. It came with 8 sides! I liked trying them all for even more of an "experience". read more

My favorite Korean restaurant in the mid-west. Small family restaurant with great food and friendly service.

My 1st time with Korean cuisine. Loved the food! Fresh, tasty and flavorful. A family owned place with the owner (a veteran) personally explaining the dishes and the locally sourced raw materials. Bookmarked for a repeat visit the next time I'm anywhere near Cincinnati. read more

Excellent dining experience. Larry was our server and chef, he spoke very well about the food and was able to suggest the right dishes based on our unique likes and dislikes. Food was excellent and he brought out extra appetizers as well. Dessert drink with cinnamon and brown sugar was also phenomenal. Well-priced, would definitely recommend to anyone in the area! read more

Never judge a book by its cover, this place is great! I looked forward to eating here every time work brought me on this side of Cincinnati. The owner is a friendly and courteous veteran while his wife diligently cooks the delicious food. The price is very reasonable for some truly flavorful food. Try the barley tea and cinnamon drink, both are quite good as well. read more

This was our first time eating Korean food and I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't real spicy and that's good, for my tastes, and the food was very fresh and tasted great. Plan to go back again. read more

You can also eat delicious foods that you can not find in Korea. The amount of food is basic, and the taste is superb. Whenever I visit Ohio, I always visit and eat. read more

This is my absolute favorite Korean restaurant and one of my favorite restaurants overall. The food is so delicious and the service can't be beat. There's only one waiter but he is extremely helpful and patient. And I enjoyed watching the Korean variety shows playing on the TVs, since I understand a little Korean. I've tried some other Korean restaurants in Cincy but this one really stands superior for me. The place itself is so clean and decorated in such a nice way that it's perfect for friends and family. This is definitely the go-to place for me and my friends. As for food I recommend the Bibimbap to everyone since you can pretty much control the level of spice yourself. But I've tried a lot of their other dishes and have yet to be disappointed. The side dishes are always great, and the cinnamon drink is a perfect way to end your meal. All in all this place is a 10/10 for me, and if you like Korean food you probably won't be disappointed. read more

Wow, just wow. My new #1 Korean restaurant. My only issue is that is on the other side of town. Oh well once a month we will be making the trip. So many firsts. Everything was excellent. read more

I love this place. I try to stop by every time I head through the area. I always get Korean dumplings. Also, the customer service is great. I had a young lady waitress that was very nice and sweet to my young son. She even ran out to my car to bring me the food I left! Great place. read more

On a rainy Tuesday, I drove 25 miles to get here for lunch. Only found that they are NOT open because the owner is taking vacation. Should I blame Yelp for this? Yelp said that it was open. read more

Great food and great service! We absolutely loved everything! We tried the wings and dumplings appetizers... Both were awesome! Then we had several dishes and everything was perfect. Highly recommend! read more

Absolutely delicious! Get over the outward appearance because the food and service is worth it! Delicious! So glad I found this hidden gem!