Address: | 111 Seaboard Ave #118, Raleigh, NC 27604, USA |
Phone: | +1 919-900-8053 |
Site: | kimbap-cafe.com |
Rating: | 4.4 |
Working: | Closed 11AM–4PM 11AM–4PM 11AM–4PM 11AM–4PM 11AM–4PM Closed |
KA
Kat J Hall
The vibe here is great. Its a small happy staff that consistently provides excellent service & food. Recently I had the fish special, and the sauce it came with could be eaten like a soup! I believe it was made with puréed seasonal vegetables. Thats the thing here: seasonal and fresh. The vegetable dumplings change with the seasons. While dining outside at sunset I overheard a couple reading the menu. "Its limited" one of them said, the partner shrugged and they walked away. What a mistake. Give this locally owned restaurant a try. Reading the menu isnt going to give you any idea of how good the food is. Eating it determines that. Theres more. I am local, and this is one of my Go To restaurants for solo dining. The benefit with KimBap is that I can get a delicious meal in between the common lunch & dinner hours of most restaurants. Also, since this is not a large place, you feel like you are indeed a central part of the experience. Speaking of which, sitting at the bar affords you the privilege of watching the magicians cook up their magic, as the cooking station is right there before your eyes. Please enjoy this pleasant little restaurant with a heartwarming story. The owner, adopted by American parents, was so loved that they cooked her homeland food for her to the best of their ability, and with the ingredients available. Keep that in mind as you chew on this truly remarkable labor of love.
MI
Misty Bernot
I cannot say enough good things about this place!!!! I suggest sitting at the bar so you can watch the chefs do their thing and maybe learn a thing or two. All of their ingredients are fresh/local so the menu is forever changing. It is a good thing because it allows you to try new items but sometimes certain dishes are better during certain seasons depending on what is in season. The bibimbap never fails. It is the only thing my fiance orders, even though other items on the menu are great as well. The only thing I wish is that they would serve it in the hot stone bowl with the raw egg so that you "cook" it yourself. I love playing with my food. They have food, beer and wine specials throughout the week so make sure to look them up to see what is on special that night. Their hours are a little strange as well so if you are looking for a late Sunday brunch think again. I have been disappointed on missing out on eating there because they were closed. The restaurant has a cool vibe but it is very small. I fortunately have never had to wait more than 5 minutes to get a table though and i do go quite a bit. It is in a very cool location too with Logans in the same shopping center (Seaboard Station) you can make a trip of it and if you go on a Saturday you may be lucky enough to go across the street to NC Chapter of the AIA and check out Activate 7, but I will save talking about that for another review. Keep Calm and Nom Nom!
DA
Dani Lynn
It was date night, so I decided to go to Kimbap based on the reviews. My boyfriend and I both got the Bulgogi and split a portion of pork dumplings. The meal was beautifully presented and the kimchee was absolutely fantastic. The restaurant itself was a nice, intimate setting. However, it wasnt the best experience. First, it was difficult finding the place, and I had passed it the first time because the sign indicating the restaurant did not have a backlight on, making the name fade into the building. Also, the bulgogi was not very tender, Ive only had it a few times, but each time the meat was well marinated and extremely tender. When our dumplings came out, I noticed that the piece my boyfriend was eating looked a bit pink, I pointed it out to him, but we just shrugged it off, which was a terrible move we regretted later in the night. Lastly, the portions were not as plentiful as I was expecting, we only got 5 dumplings, and the amount of bulgogi was just not what I had expected based on my previous experiences.
BE
becky levine
My friend suggested Kimbap for lunch, so we tried it. The food was fine -- what little there was to eat. I ordered the dumplings and a small side of greens. It was an appetizer portion for $10, which seemed excessive for the type of restaurant it is. The amount of food was so small that I was hungry when I got home, and I am petite at 115 lbs. My male friend, who is also not large, ordered the daily special of of beef tortillas, and the portion was similarly sparse and inadequate. I would not recommend this place unless you are a very light eater and dont mind spending $10 at lunch for an appetizer portion. The menu is also very limited, so there arent a lot of choices. Fortunately, Im not picky, but I wasnt impressed by their offerings.
MI
Michael Dodson
After reading reviews went for lunch. Small place with slow no-smile help. After seeing the 3 entree lunch menu almost left but decided to see if it was worth the price. We tried two of the three which were good but not great not to mention small. We are not big eaters, but even after a desert we still left a bit hungry. I noticed the servers practiced avoiding eye contact every time they walked past the table. Only time we received any attention was when we went to the counter asking for a bit more hot water for the tea bags. So overall this place seems to want to be a fru-fru upscale bistro, but fails. The food was ok, but that is all. We wont be back or recommend to friends.
KR
Krysta Jones
My boyfriend and I were very excited to try Kimbap. As soon as we are asked about dining, I explain we would like to sit at the bar. My boyfriend explains a table is okay, we would prefer seats at the bar, but whatever is available first will be great. The hostess told us nothing was available and theres a twenty minute wait. Okay, cool. We decide to wait. A couple walks in directly after us and the hostess says, "Are seats at the bar okay?" and leads them to the bar! It was really unprofessional and we were extremely disappointed. We left and got food somewhere else.
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devan voight
I was looking g forward to going to eat here with two friends, but was disappointed when. I walked in and we waited 10 minutes without anyone addressing us or informing us of a wait time. The only verbal interaction we received was a hostess asking us to move out of her way while we stood in the waiting area. I will say that the kitchen and restaurant itself looked very clean and presentable, but the initial experience influenced us to leave and find another restaurant. I hope next time we come is better.
NO
nono namen
Good, "casual posh", dining. Only about 30 seats and they do not take reservations. Allow 45-55 minutes (no dessert). Cost: $30 per person, wine included, no dessert, excluding gratuity. Opened about a month now, but running smoothly. Not your mamas Korean with slight twists on most dishes (they call it "Korean inspired"). Side greens were way too salty (sitting in a puddle of soy sauce). Shrimp rolls are very large and very nice. No chicken dishes? No tofu dishes? Paper napkins.