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Kangnam - San Diego
Photo from Kangnam
Kangnam at a glance
San Diego Rancho Bernardo
- 🥢 Korean Restaurant
$$
Price per Person $41–$50
mentioned by 85 of the guests
#536 out of 755 places to eat in San Diego
#6 Korean Restaurant out of 11 in San Diego
Good
6.6 out of 10
Food
Service
Ambience
Value
527
Reviews
61.3%
Satisfaction
Often praised
- Fresh food
- Meat variety
- Lunch value
Frequently criticized
- Slow service
- Poor ventilation
- High cost
The restaurant Kangnam Korean BBQ is a vibrant Korean restaurant nestled in the heart of San Diego’s Rancho Bernardo neighborhood. You’ll find a lively atmosphere perfect for enjoying delicious food while catching up on your favorite sports.
This spot offers a fantastic dining experience, whether you’re looking for a casual meal or a trendy night out. Prepare for an authentic taste of Korea in a welcoming setting.
Overview: Introducting Kangnam
Kangnam presents a dining experience where the quality of its grilled items often stands out, with many appreciating the fresh selections and variety. However, some guests have noted inconsistencies in the overall dining experience, particularly regarding the attentiveness of the service.
The restaurant generally offers a pleasant atmosphere and convenient parking, contributing to a comfortable visit. While the all-you-can-eat options often provide good value, a few patrons have expressed reservations about certain pricing aspects.
Good
6.6
out of 10
527
Reviews
61.3%
Satisfaction
161
negative
43
neutral
323
positive
Kangnam holds an overall Restaurant Score of 6.6, placing it in the average range. This is supported by a Customer Satisfaction of 61.3%, indicating a mixed reception from diners.
Out of 527 customer observations, 323 were positive and 161 were negative, suggesting a noticeable number of areas for improvement despite the positive feedback. Digging deeper, the Food (7.5) clearly leads as a strong point, frequently praised for its quality.
However, Service (5.9), Ambience (5.9), and Value (5.9) all land in the average category. This suggests that while the culinary offerings are generally well-received, other aspects of the dining experience could benefit from more consistent execution.
What people like
- Fresh, delicious food
- Wide meat selection
- Good lunch value
What people don't like
- Inconsistent service
- Ventilation issues
- Perceived high cost
With a Recommendation Score of 6.8, Kangnam offers a generally acceptable experience, particularly for those prioritizing quality grilled items. If you’re seeking a solid meal and don’t mind potential inconsistencies in service, it could be a worthwhile visit.
However, be prepared for possible service delays and consider the overall cost, especially for larger groups or specific menu choices. It’s a place that delivers on its core culinary promise, but other aspects might require a bit of patience.
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Verdict: Our expert take on Kangnam
Food (7.5 out of 10)
mentioned by 95% of the guests
Diving into the food here, its clear theres a lot to love! With a solid score of 7.5 and customer satisfaction at 74.5%, the culinary experience is generally good. Many of the 178 positive remarks praise the quality meat, variety of meats, flavorful meat, and amazing sides, making it a popular spot for a delicious meal.
However, not every bite is perfect, as noted in 45 comments. Some diners pointed out a lack of good sauces and occasional food temperature issues. Concerns about meat quality, including instances of frozen meat, also surfaced, suggesting there's room for improvement in consistency.
Food
239
Reviews
74%
Satisfaction
45
negative
16
neutral
178
positive
Rating distribution
What people like
- Quality meat
- Variety of meats
- Amazing sides
What people don't like
- Lack of sauces
- Frozen meat
- Food temperature
Often praised
- foodthe food was fresh and delicious
- sidesThe top blade steak and galbi were absolute must-tries. They also provide a lot of sides to choose from, and the Kimchi was delightfully nice and spicy, very flavorful. The service was also great; our server was fast and very frequent with the grill changes.
- meatwide variety of meat on 2 menus
- AYCE Korean BBQMy experience at this restaurant was fantastic! It's probably the best AYCE Korean BBQ joint in San Diego. The meat was fresh and the side dishes were excellent.
- KBBQMy experience at this restaurant was fantastic! It's the best KBBQ I've had in San Diego. While they can get overwhelmed on some days, they always manage to take care of us.
- side dishesfinished eating all the free side dishes first
- Corn CheeseI highly recommend the Corn Cheese
- galbiThe galbi is what makes it worth it here
- French friescorn cheese and French fries were good
- Korean BBQfirst experience with Korean BBQ
Frequently criticized
- sidesThe service was kind of slow, and there was no buzzer to call for meats. The parking is small, and they didn't have many sides to choose from, like the bean sprouts or potatoes found at other places. Additionally, there were no fans on for ventilation.
- foodthe food and service were either only OK or sub-standard
- kimchithe kimchi — it was a bit too saucy and lacked that traditional crispness and tang
- meatsI was very disappointed with the low quality of the meats. I have no desire to dine in again.
- AYCE experienceleft an AYCE experience still hungry
- BBQ optionsonly have 2 options for the bbq
- Korean BBQdefeats the purpose of coming to Korean BBQ
- Korean pancakesand Korean pancakes to accompany the bbq
- Meat was still frozenMeat was still frozen
- all-you-can-eatdisappointing for an all-you-can-eat spot
If you're craving a KBBQ fix with a great selection of quality, flavorful meats and excellent sides, this place is definitely worth a try. Just be prepared for the possibility of a few minor hiccups like sauce variety or occasional temperature issues, but overall, it promises a satisfying meal.
Service (5.9 out of 10)
mentioned by 86% of the guests
When it comes to service, this spot has a bit of a mixed bag, with a 50.6% customer satisfaction rate and an average score of 5.9. Many guests, based on 90 positive remarks out of 178 total, rave about the friendly staff, excellent service, and the fun robot servers that help deliver orders. Attentive servers like Angelica and Bryce often get special shout-outs for making the experience smooth and enjoyable.
However, 75 negative comments point to some significant hiccups. Slow service and long wait times are common complaints, with some feeling the staff can be understaffed or even ignoring customers. Issues like delayed grill changes or forgotten orders also pop up, suggesting that consistency can be a challenge, especially during busy periods.
Service
178
Reviews
50%
Satisfaction
75
negative
13
neutral
90
positive
Rating distribution
What people like
- Friendly, attentive staff
- Robot delivery
- Excellent customer service
What people don't like
- Slow, inattentive service
- Long wait times
- Understaffed
Often praised
- serviceThe atmosphere is nice and the place is spacious. Although there wasn't a bell, the service was fast, so it wasn't a big issue. The kimchi fried rice and tteokbokki were also better than expected!
- staffI enjoyed the wide selection of neat and seafood, and I especially recommend the spicy squid. The staff is amazing, and the overall food and service were rated a 5 out of 5. The atmosphere also received a 5-star rating.
- serverShe is so extremely sweet, genuine, attentive, knowledgeable, professional
- serversServers were attentive to us and constantly asked if we needed anything.
- friendly stafffriendly staff.
- AngelicaAngelica needs a raise and a bonus!!!
- Miss AngelicaMiss Angelica (our server) was AMAZING
- another gentlemanget the attention of another gentleman that was working there
- customer serviceexpert in customer service and hospitality
- empty platesmaking sure that the table was clear of empty plates promptly
Frequently criticized
- serviceWhile the food was okay, and the galbi is what makes it worth it here, the service was a major deterrer. The service today was slow, and we only received water refills about three times. The floors were very slippery, which made me concerned about cleanliness, as my friend almost slipped.
- serverour server said they would check
- service was slowservice that night for my party and the other groups around us were relatively slow
- waitWe also waited for one hour before being seated
- waiterwe didn't see much of our waiter.
- waitingwaiting over 15 minutes just for corn and fries
- waiting timewe weren’t seated until 20 minutes passed
- acknowledgementtook another 10 minutes before anyone even acknowledged us
- attentionshe just kept looking the other way ignoring us
- avoiding assisting customersactively avoiding assisting customers at their tables
If you catch them on a good day, you'll likely enjoy friendly, efficient service, possibly even with a fun robot delivery. But be prepared for potential delays and less attentive staff, especially during peak hours, which might impact your overall experience.
Ambience (5.9 out of 10)
mentioned by 50% of the guests
Many guests appreciate the vibe here, with 40 positive remarks highlighting a generally nice experience. Folks often mention the clean and spacious feel, plus the fun surprise of robots delivering food! Its also great to hear about the good music and plenty of parking options, contributing to a pleasant atmosphere.
However, the ambience isnt without its challenges, with 31 negative remarks. The biggest concerns revolve around poor ventilation, making the restaurant feel hot and smoky for some. There are also mentions of torn chairs and slippery floors, which detract from the overall comfort.
With an average 5.9 score and mixed 50% customer satisfaction, it seems there's room for improvement.
Ambience
80
Reviews
50%
Satisfaction
31
negative
9
neutral
40
positive
Rating distribution
What people like
- Clean, spacious place
- Robots deliver food
- Plenty of parking
What people don't like
- Poor ventilation system
- Restaurant feels hot
- Seating is torn
Often praised
- atmosphereThe service was also great; our server was fast and very frequent with the grill changes. The restaurant itself is a good size and boasts a very hip comforting atmosphere. It truly feels like a hidden gem, and I absolutely love it.
- parkingThere is plenty of parking nearby
- Free parking lotParking options:Free parking lot
- Plenty of parkingParking space:Plenty of parking
- ROBOTthey have a ROBOT! So cool
- ambiancethe ambiance is inviting
- bright lightsBright lights, and the clean cleansed atmosphere
- clean cleansed atmospherethe clean cleansed atmosphere, if you see than you'll see
- clean placePlace is very clean
- funThe people were good and the food was amazing! The place is clean and fun. I want to thank Aiden, Eve, and Josh for providing excellent service.
Frequently criticized
- atmosphereThe atmosphere and service not so much
- ventilationThe parking is small, and they didn't have many sides to choose from, like the bean sprouts or potatoes found at other places. Additionally, there were no fans on for ventilation.
- floorsthe floors weren't cleaned properly
- parkingthe parking is a hassle
- ACIt didn't feel like the AC was on or I'm not sure if there's even AC
- AtmosphereThe 2 stars is for Atmosphere, when we first sat down there was a fan or something blowing cold air
- a/cthe a/c was down or wasn't working
- ambiancecool ambiance on Convoy
- chairs were tornChairs torn
- cooking fumes/smokedraw the cooking fumes/smoke, and greasy particles away from the cooking area
If you're looking for a clean, spacious spot with fun robot servers and easy parking, you might enjoy the vibe. However, be prepared for potential issues with ventilation and heat, which could make your dining experience less comfortable.
Value (5.9 out of 10)
mentioned by 27% of the guests
It seems the value here is a bit of a mixed bag, scoring an average 5.9 with mixed 50% customer satisfaction based on 30 opinions. Many diners found the LUNCH AYCE and special lunch menu to be worth it and great value, praising the quality meats offered at a fair price. With 15 positive remarks, it sounds like you can snag a good deal if you pick wisely.
However, 10 negative remarks suggest some diners felt they wasted my money due to charges for extras and generally expensive prices, especially for the prime all you can eat menu and prices for kids. It appears the overall bill can quickly add up, leaving some feeling it wasn't quite worth the investment.
Value
30
Reviews
50%
Satisfaction
10
negative
5
neutral
15
positive
Rating distribution
What people like
- Great lunch value
- Quality for price
- AYCE options
What people don't like
- Hidden charges
- Overall expensive
- High kids' prices
Often praised
- priceIf you are tired of the frozen meat Gen's offers as of late and miss unfrozen meats, I highly suggest coming here. The price is a few dollars more than most KBBQs today, but worth every penny. I highly suggest trying the Marinated Top Blade Steak.
- all you can eatall you can eat option for $34.99
- LUNCH AYCEamazing deal for LUNCH AYCE
- Premium menuPremium is $32.99 with 10+ meat selections of beef, pork, chicken.
- Prime menuPrime menu is $42.99 with more higher end meats.
- great valuespecial lunch menu offered great value for the price
- lunch menuGood value with quality meat and sides
- lunch pricethe lunch price was good
- special lunch menutheir special lunch menu offered great value for the price
- worth itThe food is fantastic, and the ambiance is inviting, though expect a bit of smokiness from the grill. Be prepared for a wait of around 30 minutes, but trust me, it's worth it!
Frequently criticized
- billOver 200.00 bill for bad service
- chargesThe vents don't work; they are only for display. Additionally, they charge for everything else. They also don't know what 'somek' is.
- expensivealbeit expensive
- priceFor me this place is not worth the price
- pricesslightly higher prices from Olleh
- prices for kidsthe prices for kids is out of control
- prime all you can eat menu$49.99 for the prime all you can eat menu
- time and moneyWasted my time and money
- tippingTipping isn't mandatory especially when the service was barely deserving of a tip
- wasted my moneyI feel as though I wasted my money coming to eat here
If you're looking for a solid lunch deal or appreciate quality AYCE options, this spot could be a good fit. Just be mindful of potential extra charges and higher prices for premium menus or kids, as these can quickly make the experience feel less valuable.
How are the prices at Kangnam?
You’re looking at roughly 48 per person – reported by 85 diners. That puts it in the $41–$50 category. For a Korean Restaurant, it’s comfortably mid-range: not a steal, but not bank-breaking either.
While most guests spend around this average, there are definitely some premium options if you’re looking to splurge a bit more.
Here’s a quick look at what guests spend per person, based on the latest 85 reviews.
Comparing value for money at this restaurant against similar spots in San Diego.
Overall, we think the pricing feels quite fair for a Korean Restaurant in this range. It offers a good balance, allowing for a classic mid-range experience while also catering to those who might want to indulge in something a little more special.
Customer Reviews: what people think about Kangnam
Price per Person
- $41–$50
Visit Type
- Regular Visit
Group Type
- Friends
Group Size
- Small Group
Service Type
- Dine-in
Meal Type
- Dinner
3
Disappointing Service Overshadows Food
My recent experience at this restaurant was a significant step down from previous visits. While the food was okay, and the galbi is what makes it worth it here, the service was a major deterrer. The service today was slow, and we only received water refills about three times.
The floors were very slippery, which made me concerned about cleanliness, as my friend almost slipped. I also wasn't a fan of how our sides were served, arriving on a robot for us to grab ourselves. Our table was only cleared when we asked, and otherwise, items were left to pile up, leaving us with zero room to move.
The unprofessionalism of overhearing a server complain about a tip was also a significant issue. While the galbi is good, the poor service makes me hesitant to return.
- food6
- galbi8
- service2
- water refills3
- floors2
Price per Person
- $91–$100
Visit Type
- Food Exploration
Service Type
- Dine-in
Wait Time
- Long (31+ min.)
2
Disappointing Prime AYCE Experience
Despite a long queue, the service was slow. Both the cuts of meat and the sides took a very long time to come out of the kitchen. When the meats finally arrived, they were definitely not worth it, with more fat and tendons than meat.
The meat was still frozen, making it difficult to break apart and get onto the grill. The $49. 99 prime all-you-can-eat menu offered only about 6 more options than the $39.
99 premium menu. The added bonus of better cuts was limited to 1 to 2 orders of each. There are much better options for KBBQ all-you-can-eat in this price range in the area.
- premium menu5
- long queue2
- service was slow2
- cuts of meat1
Price per Person
- $21–$30
Visit Type
- Quick Meal
Service Type
- Dine-in
Meal Type
- Lunch
Noise Level
- Moderate
7
Amazing Service, Limited Lunch Menu
I visited for a lunch special and experienced amazing service. The meal cost $27, but I found the menu to be very limited. I was hoping for beef tongue and pork intestines, which were not available on the lunch menu.
- service10
- Price per person6
- menu3
- lunch menu3
Visit Type
- Quick Meal
Service Type
- Dine-in
Wait Time
- Short (6–15 min.)
9
Fresh, Delicious Food and Excellent Service!
My experience at the restaurant was wonderful. The manager was very kind, and the food was fresh and delicious. I was hungry, and it was great that the food came out quickly.
- manager10
- food10
Price per Person
- $41–$50
Visit Type
- Food Exploration
Group Type
- Couple
Group Size
- Couple
Service Type
- Dine-in
Meal Type
- Dinner
Wait Time
- Short (6–15 min.)
9
Delicious Korean BBQ with Sweet Kimchi
My experience at this restaurant was fantastic! I had the delicious Korean BBQ, and the beef belly was absolutely amazing. I particularly enjoyed that their kimchi has a sweeter side rather than being sour.
Despite the restaurant being very busy, the servers were incredibly attentive, contributing to a great overall experience.
- Korean BBQ9
- beef belly10
- kimchi8
What Kangnam offers
Planning
- Accepts reservations
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
- Wheelchair accessible seating
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
Crowd
- Family-friendly
- Tourists
- Groups
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
Children
- Good for kids
- High chairs
Popular for
- Dinner
- Lunch
Amenities
- Restroom
- Bar onsite
Offerings
- Hard liquor
- All you can eat
- Wine
- Beer
- Small plates
- Cocktails
- Alcohol
Dining options
- Table service
- Dessert
- Dinner
- Seating
- Lunch
Service Options
- Dine-in
- Takeout
Parking
- Free parking lot
- Usually plenty of parking
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Trendy
FAQs
Is Kangnam Korean BBQ accessible for everyone?
Yes, Kangnam Korean BBQ is committed to accessibility. You’ll find a wheelchair accessible entrance, parking lot, seating, and restroom, ensuring a comfortable visit for all guests. The restaurant strives to provide an inclusive dining experience in San Diego’s Rancho Bernardo.
Does Kangnam Korean BBQ offer convenient parking and accept reservations?
Absolutely! Kangnam Korean BBQ provides a free parking lot, and you’ll usually find plenty of parking available, making your visit hassle-free. For your convenience, the restaurant also accepts reservations, allowing you to plan your dining experience ahead of time and secure your table.
What is the overall dining experience like at Kangnam?
Kangnam has an overall Restaurant Score of 6.6, indicating an average experience. While Food (7.5) is a strong point, Service (5.9), Ambience (5.9), and Value (5.9) are generally considered average.
What are the standout food items at Kangnam?
Customers frequently praise the fresh and delicious meat selections, with the top blade steak and galbi often highlighted. The variety of side dishes and items like Corn Cheese also receive positive remarks.
Are there any common issues to be aware of regarding service or atmosphere?
Some patrons have reported slow or inattentive service, leading to longer waits. Additionally, concerns about ventilation and the overall comfort of the ambience, including AC issues, have been noted.