Monday, December 2, 2013

U2 AYCE Korean BBQ


A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend a good friend's birthday party. He chose to have the gathering at a newer place, called U2 All You Can Eat (AYCE) Korean BBQ. If you haven't been to Koreatown, let me just say that the food is amazing and there are tons of different restaurants, specializing in Korean cuisine.

The beauty of living in Los Angeles is that there are communities that represent, seemingly every country on the planet. If I were in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I would not get to experience most of the food options available here, so I am thankful. I must say that I've only been to 2 other Korean BBQ joints, so far. Every outing has been a totally different style and experience, so I enjoyed the food, but had no idea what to expect, stylistically, for the evening.

As you walk into U2, you are greeted at the door by the hosting crew. All of the employees that work Front Of House (FOH) are wearing bright orange T-Shirts with a giant "U2" emblazoned on the back. The concept of this restaurant is not named after the popular rock band. U2 signifies "U Cook, U Eat".

Cleanliness : A+
The first thing that I noticed, upon arrival, was that the place was unbelievably clean. I mean, spotless. The staff were swirling around the patrons like buzzards, eager to put meat down on the mini grills at each table. I've only had service on this scale, but a few times in my life. So to say I was satisfied would be an understatement. Not wanting to gorge on just one type of menu item, I decided that I would only eat tiny portions of a variety of things to get a good feel for the place. The salad bar had some very interesting Cranberry Kimchi, Beef Sushi and several other tasty dishes.


(U2 AYCE - Salad Bar)

The ground rules for U2 are this : 
* You can order a maximum of 3 items at a time. 
* $10 All You Can Eat for Children Under 9. 
* $17 for the All You Can Eat "House Special". 
* $26 for the Premium All You Can Eat, which features calimari, octopus and prime sirloin. 

Food Quality : A-
Some of the items I ate were Beef Bulgolgi, Curly Beef Brisket, Pork Belly, Chicken and Spicy Golbi. All of the protein options I ate were solid. My least favorite would have to be the pork belly, due to the fatty content.

Friendliness : A+
The great thing about U2 is that there is plenty of seating, lots of cozy seating arrangements, high ceilings and many people on staff. The staff seemed glad to help us and were eager to get whatever we needed. It's nice to go out on a Saturday night (rare for me) and get the customer service we received.

Atmosphere : Hipster
The aesthetic of this restaurant is a bit upscale from, say a Zankhou-type of place. The lighting is modern and the decor is swanky. The customers at this restaurant, seemed to be getting ready for the evening and dressed the part. I definitely felt like I was going to this place for the event, as opposed to my normal routine of dressing however I feel like dressing and finding a place to try.

Validation : NO
My only complaint with this restaurant had to be in the parking department. $2 for parking is cheap and fine, but there are not enough parking spaces for their "valet" service and trying to leave the restaurant ended up being a 15 minute ordeal with people honking at each other for taking too long.

Affordability : $17 - $26
If you really want premium steak or seafood, you can go for the higher end of the spectrum and get the premium buffett. I opted for the budget AYCE option and thought I had plenty of options. Prices will also fluctuate, depending on what types of beverages you want. They have soda/tea/water and a full service bar, as well.

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