Kalbi Social Club - Irvine, California

Christian C.

I had Beef Brisket, Ribeye, Korean Cut Kalbi (aka L.A. Galbi), KSC Premium Kalbi with table side marinated, and Ribeye Cap. The quality of the meat was fresh and really good.
Korean Cut Kalbi was tasty, but honestly, the seasoning was too sweet.
And, Beef Brisket would have been better if the meat was a little thinner.
All the meat was grilled by the server right at our table, and all the servers, including the server in charge, grilled the meat really professionally and were also friendly.
Kalbi Bar is going to operate on a reservation system in the future, so I plan to visit again soon and eat at Kalbi Bar.
Btw, honestly, the restaurant’s name, Kalbi Social Club... hmmm... I don’t know what the company was thinking when they named it, but the name doesn’t seem attractive.

aglassofsherry

This is the first Korean BBQ at the Irvine Spectrum, and they’re literally pulling out ALL the stops.

We got to experience the magic of tableside service as our server prepared a beautiful marinated short rib from scratch right at our table.

And there’s more! We actually started out with premium brisket, fluffy jiggly steamed egg, then ribeye. I almost couldn't believe that all of this was included in their K combo feast, along with banchans and soybean paste stew that was arguably the best I’ve ever had!

And for their shareables, I highly recommend the bulgogi japchae and crispy cheese potato pancake.

Thanks for reading! ^-^

Greta J.

Food was decent enough. Service needs some work. The waiter who brought our dessert just literally dropped the spoons on the table and walked away saying, "Have fun!" In my ice cream, there was a broken piece of bowl in it. I told our waitress, who just said, "oh sorry" and blew me off. So when I asked for the manager, he comes over looking miffed and just asked, "do you want compensation?" Way to just put me on the spot there instead of addressing the issue.
Oh and the kimchi is a joke. Fresh cabbage shaken up in a bag with some chili sauce. No Korean would call that authentic. Not planning to come back.

Steven V.

Our first time in a real Korean bbq. Definitely coming back, food was amazing and service as well.

seoho S.

It's a delicious, good atmosphere, and a great place for Korean cocktails that I've never experienced before.

Homer P.

The atmosphere is definitely Irvine Spectrum but we're here for the food, Korean BBQ to be exact.
The meat is definitely of higher quality, especially the rib cap, if all others being equal.
And the price reflects that.
Avg $100 per person.

Nathan N.

Our visit to Kalbi Social Club was deeply disappointing, particularly for a restaurant positioning itself as a premium KBBQ experience. My group of four ordered Combo C with the 48-hour marinated meat, and while the flavors were excellent, nearly every other aspect of the experience fell short.

The meat was well-prepared and flavorful, but the portions were unreasonably small. Despite the combo being advertised as suitable for 3-4 people, it was barely enough for two. Each serving of meat felt more like scraps, leaving us unsatisfied.

The kimchi was another glaring issue. Instead of serving authentic, fermented kimchi, the staff mixed pre-packaged napa cabbage and sauce at the table. This not only lacked authenticity but also undermined the quality expected at a restaurant of this caliber. Additionally, $3 for an extremely small bowl of rice felt excessive, further highlighting poor value for money.

The ambiance was pleasant, with cozy lighting and a quiet atmosphere, likely because we arrived an hour and a half before closing. The service was attentive, and each table appeared to have its own dedicated waiter, which was a redeeming factor.

Hygiene was a significant concern. Several bowls and utensils had visible food residue, and when I raised this issue, staff insisted the items were clean. I had to request replacements, which left me questioning the overall cleanliness of the restaurant.

While Kalbi Social Club aims to provide a high-end alternative to AYCE KBBQ, it fails to justify its prices with portion sizes, authenticity, and cleanliness. Though the ambiance and service were commendable, these aspects could not compensate for the restaurant's shortcomings. I cannot recommend this establishment to anyone seeking a satisfying, fulfilling, and authentic KBBQ experience.

Daniel B.

This is a premium kbbq spot. The atmosphere is nice and has an upscale feel. They offer two different dining options that come with different menus. One is at the bar where you get to pick from 2 different dishes and few different meats that is cooked in front of you. Second is a table where you have a wider selection of meats.
I ate at the bar. Shared one soju with a friend and ended up spending little over $100. Definitely way more than I expected and still left hungry. You only get 2 cuts of meat with your meal at the bar. In addition to a bowl of soup.
Overall a cool spot with great employees but I would rather eat at a traditional kbbq spot for half the price with unlimited food.