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Dae Bak Bon Ga Korean Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Korean Korean [Edit]
1323 Robson StSte 201
Vancouver, BC V6E 2B1
Neighbourhood: West End
(604) 683-9298
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
17 reviews for Dae Bak Bon Ga Korean Restaurant
17 reviews in English
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Review from Vanessa D.
Vancouver, BC
5/31/2010 1 Check-in Here
My stomach is so full of food my back hurts. The 'inside' scoop from Korean friends is that this one of the beyyrt Korean bbq in the downtown area, but that MUCh better (food, service and price wise) can be found in the suburbs. I was well pleased. So much food, all of it pretty good. If you have never been, and don't know what to do/expect and have no guidance, it could easily be overwhelming though.
The seafood pancake was oddly thick and I felt that it wasn't all the way cooked, could be a personal preference though. We had to hassle the servers to bring more sides, there was never enough kimchi. And they never did bring us lettuce to wrap everything either. The service was weird and kind of off putting. Thus 3 stars instead of 4. -
Review from Paola C.
Vancouver, BC
5/26/2011
Ugh, where to begin really? Now, if you've seen my reviews I'm not the type to just rate something one star, even if I didn't really like it but this I would rate zero stars if I had the chance.
We went here to celebrate a friend's birthday on a Sunday night with a farely LARGE group of people. The restaurant was not that busy, maybe only 2 or 3 tables other than us. First off, we had to sit split up because some of us wanted the "all you can eat" and others wanted individual orders, now this is understandable but considering the amount of business that we are bringing on a non-busy night, you would think that they would reconsider. Not to mention they had effing cameras anyway. WTF???!!! Anyways we ended up taking 3 tables.
Now, I did mention this place was NOT busy but we got very little service and very little water. I had the "buffet" option which apparently comes with very little water. Us 5 were expected to share a little, not even pitcher-ish, type of jug the whole night with no offer of more, until we had to ask for more. After that, I was dying of thirst and didn't even bother.
Another thing, umm one order of meat for a group of 5 eating "buffet" doesn't seem to make sense does it? I mean, that IS why we ordered BUFFET. So don't get pissed off if we order more meat mmkay :)
The food was so mediocre, I mean, I've never had Korean BBQ before (maybe once as a child, I don't remember) but this did not live up to my expectations at all... We had beef, chicken and pork. Like I said, MEH. Something, I could've done at home. Definitely not worth my $20
Anyways, here we are chowing away and waiting to be served more, when they decide to try rush us and serve us our bill instead which we did NOT ask for yet. Not to mention, there is that lovely TIP already added on there for our convenience. Oh, look at that, no wonder the service was shit. (pardon my french) I hate places that add on the tip for you just in case you forget or something? They did not deserve one single penny from me. Just being honest.
All you can eat? meh. I highly recommend going to Mongolian BBQ on Davie instead. Now THAT place is awesome. But that's another story :) -
Review from Alice A.
2/25/2011
The last time I had Korean food was in Seoul so I admit that my expectations are high. But this restaurant failed in so many ways.
We ordered their BBQ combo for 3 and didn't leave satiated. Meats were good but minimal. The side dishes were sub par, I probably liked the sweet-marinated potatoes the most which really doesn't say very much. Two of the side dishes were lettuce and cabbage with dressing, is that a Vancouver variation or is it just this place?
A small metal bowl of rice costs $2 and a plastic cup of fountain coke $2.45.
Overall, less than satisfied. At the beginning, the server was a little impatient with our indecision to try the place out or not. At the end, he literally spat out that tips are not included in the bill. Really? Isn't the concept of tipping meant to reward great service and food?!
Meh. -
Review from Stephanie M.
Vancouver, BC
12/5/2010 1 Check-in Here
This was my first official Korean BBQ experience, and I write this review with the caveat that while I love chicken, I'm not much of a meat eater. So I'm the wrong person to rave about BBQ - in fact at restaurants that do both sushi and Korean BBQ, I avoid the BBQ to save room for more sushi.
Whew! OK now that my disclaimer is out of the way, here's the rundown of my experience. The negatives for me were the service, the limited drink menu (which made it difficult for a non-beer drinker to enjoy some beverages) and the fact that "all you can eat" includes meat but NOT kimchee, which is by far my favourite part of Korean cuisine. Big disappointment!
The chicken and spicy pork BBQ were definitely tasty but, as I said, don't really excite me at all. What I really enjoy are the veggies/ condiments that come with the meal (the bean sprouts, kimchee, potatoes, etc.), and especially the red bean sauce that you could mix with your food, which was delicious.
In sum, I just simply prefer the more varied rice/noodle dishes that make up Korean cuisine, so the excitement brought on by an overdose of meat is lost on me. For what it's worth, the staff are patient with a slightly noisy group playing Titanic with soju (don't ask!) -
Review from Vincci L.
8/10/2010 3 photos
Is it sad to say that I enjoyed the $30 pitcher of lemon soju the most on a recent meal here?
Yes it really wasn't that great. We were in a group of 5, on a Sunday night. The place wasn't too busy, but we got no service at all. Is it because we didn't speak Korean?
We ordered their BBQ combo special dinner, which comes with pork, chicken and beef, and also comes with salad, soup, and their side dishes. Also got the Bimbibap: stone pot rice, the Al Bab- stone pot rice with fish roe, as well as the Korean seafood pancake.
Everything took forever to come. I had to ask for ice water 5 times before it came. Our soju took another 20 minutes. Food finally came, starting with the pancake. The pancake actually tasted pretty good, not too oily, and not too much batter.
Then the BBQ meats. Only the meats came, and some side dishes. We had to ask them for the salad and the rice. The meat was lacking flavour, and there was no dipping sauce available.
The stone pot rice bowls were standard fare, nothing too special.
Again, enjoyed the soju a lot.
It was a very long dinner that didn't need to be. We were almost ignored, if we hadn't flagged them down for anything we needed.
Sticking to other places on Robson instead. -
Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
1/14/2009
*****Warning - crying and whining ahead*****
Have you ever noticed how the majority of Korean places on Robson street have piss poor service? This place is the exception to the rule. I went for lunch today and had a constantly attentive pair (1 waiter and 1 waitress) fussing over me (in a nice way). So big positives for service. I just wish the food matched the service!!!!! Boo.
I have been having meat cravings and wanted to get some Korean BBQ. Ordered a large variety including galbi, bulgogi, dweji bulgogi, and dahk galbi. They served a disappointingly small number of banchan (only 3!!!!?!?!?!?! And didn't serve any kimchi at all. WTF?!?!?!?!!). They also didn't serve any lettuce or ssamjang. Boo. Big negatives for the trimmings.
The meat was generally slightly below average quality - I imagine it might be different at dinner based on the other reviews though? The galbi was the best of the bunch (good marinade), but was a bit chewy - not a great cut of meat. Boo. The dweji bulgogi and dahk galbi were decent. The bulgogi was the most disappointing. I think they must not have marinated it long enough. There were patches that were like solid sugar, and other patches that were like solid garlic. It didn't have time to settle in together. Big big boo hoo on this one!
Gas grill: Boo. Why can't I find any Korean BBQs in Vancouver that use charcoal?!?!?!?!?!?! Waaahhh....
The place is a mixed concept as well, as it is a BBQ restaurant as well as a noriban with a singing room in the back. I imagine that must just be popular in the evening.
Overall the food was a 2 star event, combined with 4 star service I sadly give 3 stars. Boo hoo. Waaah....Temper tantrum....I want my nicely marinated tender meat grilled on charcoal with nice service. Too much to ask? I'll take it without the nice service even!Listed in: Vancouver Korean Food
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Review from Sarah B.
1/3/2009 1 photo
Yum! Alright, so I was a Korean BBQ virgin. I had heard how wonderful it could be and was dying to try it. As we ventured out of the hotel, we ended up here and were so happy.
Easy to take the kid, friendly, clean and tons of room. Thankfully, the waitresses took pity on us and helped navigate us through the delicious experience that is Korean Barbecue!
We had beef and mushrooms and the short ribs. I really loved the beef and mushrooms. A great variety of mushrooms and the sauce was heavenly. All the sides were an excellent addition. I was a big fan of the kiwi cabbage and potatoes. The pickled cucumber was good too. And the sauce they served with it was gone so fast.
Overall it was just a delicious experience and I'll seek it out whenever I'm back up there. -
Review from Kevin Y.
9/4/2009
This was my first meal in Vancouver. It was a korean restaurant, apparently run by koreans, and apparently frequented by koreans. I was expecting it to be at least as good as what I'm used to back in California. I don't know if koreans in Vancouver just do it different than in the US, but it was a pretty disappointing experience.
We ordered the "all you can eat" dinner, which you would think is pretty self-explanatory, but there were a lot of rules. You can order as much chicken or beef as you want, but you can only get two orders of short ribs before they cut you off. I guess I can understand that, but don't call it all you can eat. Even with the side dishes, there were a couple of them that we couldn't get unlimited portions of. What gives?
So at least if the food tasted good, I could forgive that technicality. However, the food really wasn't that tasty. The short ribs didn't have a lot of flavor, like they weren't marinated for very long. The beef tasted more like teriyaki meat, and the chicken was kind of mushy. Nothing to write home, email, or even Twitter about. The side dishes were also kind of weak compared to what I'm used to. The service was marginal, which didn't help things.
On the bright side, my girlfriend and I swore this would be the last bad meal we would have in Vancouver, and by gawd, we were right. It only got better from there.
If you want to promote good korean food.......don't go here. -
Review from Tracy P.
Vancouver, BC
8/31/2008
This place is my favourite to get Korean BBQ. Unfortunately, every time we bring a party of more than two people, the service tends to be a bit bad. But if you go for two people, and try to get there either early (6ish) or laste (9 or 10), the service is great.
Giant pop, lots of soju, lots of great quality meat (the rib eye roll is our fav!), and VERY delish banchan (side dishes). I am thoroughly obsessed with this sweet, shredded salad they have. and their dobu jangjigae (spicy Soy bean soup) that comes with rice (if you order) is intensely yum, and goes so perfectly with the side dishes and meats.
While a slightly pricey, and not your usual AYCE KBBQ, I find it always leaves you with a more than full stomach, for about $50 for two.Listed in: My Neighborhood, Top Restaurants
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Review from Jennifer Y.
Victoria, BC
5/24/2011
The food here was pretty good. It was reminiscent of Korean food back in LA, comforting and yummy. The ambience reminded me of the days I used to go clubbing in KTown- cheesy music, cliche type soju cocktails, etc. The food- yummy. I got the spicy beef stew (yookejang), one of my favorite Korean dishes. Be prepared, when you leave, you will smell of smoke (from meat cooking on grill smell permeating the air) and your breath will reek of garlic. :)
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Review from Mark H.
2/26/2010
Of all cuisines, be it just my luck but Korean is the most inconsistent and has disappointed me the most.
This was my first shot at Korean BBQ. Upon entering there was a wait to get in, but the manager knew very little English and assumed my Chinese gf was Korean. Anyhow, we finally got seated and started with some kimchi, which is an acquired taste I have not yet acquired. We ordered a wide range of meats, all of which had no marinade or flavour to them. We also tried the Korean veggie pancakes, which were ok, but overall not worth a visit.
If anyone knows of any decent Korean restaurants, please msg me! -
Review from Jon B.
4/23/2011
I had the kalbi and my wife had the spicy beef soup. The bbq short ribs were really soft, sweet, and tasty. It reminds me of the better korean restaurants in LA and Las Vegas. My wife was happy with her soup. I had a taste of the broth and was definitely good. Kept getting more tastes of it after. The staff was friendly and helpful.
Only the side dishes were a little disappointing. They didn't offer us much variety, but the kimchi was pretty good. -
Review from Lora L.
9/5/2011
Since Shabusen had a 2 hour waiting period, we decided to try this place since it was conveniently located across our hotel. Eh...I WISH I had checked the reviews first, because it was a whole lotta of money for a whole lotta nothing. First of all, the price was WAY too high for the "all you can eat" so we decided to go with a combination of meat and seafood. Bleh...the seafood consisted of squid...which I have never had served at a korean bbq along with a few shrimpy shrimps and 4 or 5 mussels. The meat was small with the beef full of fat. The combo said it would feed max of three people...yea right...I've been to places where they serve a whole lot more....it barely covered for both of us. And to top it off they charge for rice??? And no lettuce until you ask for it?? Maybe cuz I didn't speak Korean they thought I wouldn't know. Anyways, the service was ok, but everything else was skimpy. I left annoyed and mad and craving something else to eat...the hot dogs at the vendor stands would've been better...
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Review from Cyrus G.
Vancouver, BC
11/8/2009
I've gone to this place a few times and never regretted it. The all you can eat (cheapest one) is decent value and the meat is excellent. The service is usually excellent.
If you're really hungry and a true carnivore, this place is tough to beat. -
Review from Dean C.
Vancouver, BC
3/4/2010
After bouncing around Korean joints on Robson for a number of years, I have finally settled on this place. The atmosphere is not as good as some, and its mainly a BBQ house, but I come here for the casseroles. The pork and kimchee hot pot casserole is so good that I can not schedule anything after eating here as all I can do is waddle down robson to try and "walk it off". I recommend to try: bite of kimchee, a sweet potato, and then a swill of soju. Flavour country!
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Review from Michael S.
5/23/2009
I can't believe this place had a 4 1/2 star rating!! But I should've known better with only 4 reviews.
Stay away from the All You Can Eat BBQ! Apparently things such as Kimchi, and lettuce cost extra here when you order a $20 per person meal. Go figure right? Wouldn't it make sense for you to give the customer more of the inexpensive veggies, to fill them up quicker so you can eat less of the more expensive meat? The meat was OK, and the grill they used took forever to cook the food! I ordered a large Hite Beer and had to request it from another waiter because ours went MIA.
The combination of mediocre food and bad service was just too much, and I wanted to make sure that no one would experience the same without being forewarned.
To add insult to injury, they tacked on the gratuity automatically when you order the All You Can Eat as if it was a deal of a lifetime!
You ever get that awful feeling when you got ripped off and had every opportunity to prevent it, but you didn't go with your gut instinct? Eat here and you will! -
Review from My C.
2/17/2009 1 photo
yum yum yum!!!! that is all... well, i'll go into little details... the Spicy Beef soup with vegetables (#57), is awesome!!! not super spicy, but all the right flavors... and the Gal-Bi (korean short ribs, #52) is also very very very very good. very.... you walk out smelling like a big bbq stick, but, it just might be worth it... oh.. and the side potato chunks they serve is the BOMB!!! it's like marinated in perfection!
