Arirang Korea Restaurant Reviews
Submitted by Andrew Sean on 01/30/2021
Andrew Sean 5 stars rating.
Arirang is one of THE BEST restaurants I have found so far in the Twin Cities, a hidden gem along West 7th in East Saint Paul.
We were greeted warmly upon arrival and seated in a cozy corner spot by the window. The service was polite and speedy, our orders taken accurately and the food arriving soon after.
The presentation was superb, artistically arranged and inviting to the pallette.
From the first bite to the last, each dish did not disappoint. The taste and texture were perfect, filled with flavor.
I would HIGHLY recommend Arirang to anyone looking for an authentic Korean experience here in Saint Paul.
Vincent King 5 stars rating.
If you can get past the less than appealing decor and the generally tired appearance, you'll find yourself with some really good tasty food. Even the banchan demonstrated attention to detail, each side dish presented itself with unique flavors. The kimchi served here isn't the typical blazingly spicy hot version served in most Korean-American restaurants, but rather it was a careful balance of that funky fermented taste, sourness, and spiciness. I ordered the chajiangmyun. The dark sauce wasn't at all overly salty, but had layers of umami from the fermented bean paste, a hint of sweetness, and the acidity of dark Asian vinegar, all mixed with diced pork and cooked potatoes to present a well balanced combination of flavors and textures. The noodle had a bounce to it, not just al dente, but a chew that started somewhat elastic, followed by an al dente resistance. It is so very Korean. My wife ordered the dolsot bibimbap, rice in a hot stoneware bowl topped with vegetable and meat. Gochujang sauce served on the side. Unlike most Korean restaurants where a scoop of rice is simply dropped into the heated bowl, here at Arirang the rice is spread out evenly to maximize direct contact with the blisteringly hot bowl forming a plentiful layer of tasty browning and crackling. It is the very reason why one would order the dolsot bibimbap over the regular meat and veggies on a bowl of rice. Payment in cash only. In spite of the somewhat unappealing decor, the proprietors do practice good sanitary procedures. Water is served in disposable cups, chopsticks are sealed and paper towel plentiful. We'll definitely stop by Arirang Korean Restaurant again.
Submitted by Vincent King on 07/20/2022
Lindsey Eggers 5 stars rating.
The sit down space isn’t a five star restaurant but the food definitely was. Small quant place with complex bold flavors. Good pricing and friendly staff.
Submitted by Lindsey Eggers on 04/12/2022
Rwoof Reshi 3 stars rating.
Poor customer service. We ordered chicken fried rice and half hour later we were told they don’t have it. We asked for something else to replace it and we’re not ready with the replacement order when the owner of the restaurant started grunting and rolling eyes in disgust! Not going back. Food was good.
Submitted by Rwoof Reshi on 04/03/2022
Shrimp Kitty 5 stars rating.
Nice little restaurant to enjoy good korean dishes. Their kimbap and japchae was delicious! Also ordered a curry dish which was bomb!
Submitted by Shrimp Kitty on 03/17/2022
Kay V. 4 stars rating.
I came here with my son and husband on a Thursday at 6:30 PM to eat in. It was really small and there were a lot of people standing around.
ORDERING PROCESS:
I was confused as to what the process for ordering and eating in was as the workers said nothing. I asked one of the customers what the process was and they informed me that, first, you place your order at the register. Second, once your order is placed, you will get a receipt with a number. Third, find a place to sit (if you're eating in) and wait for your number to be called.
RESTAURANT DESIGN AND OPERATIONS:
Parking was pretty bad. With all the snow, street parking was inconvenient and limited. We had to park in a neighborhood further away. The restaurant was small and all the tables were occupied. It is an open-kitchen concept, so you can see the workers cooking your food right there. The trash, dirty plates, silverware, trays, and extra stash of drinks to be sold are all within reach of the customers. There were piles of dirty dishes and trays laying in the open. It was very messy-looking and didn't feel sanitary. They also don't recycle and throw every plastic water bottle and pop can into the trash. Because it is an open-kitchen concept, the smell of the food encompasses the whole space. For this reason, they open the back door and sometimes the front door, so cold air sweeps through the restaurant. My toes were frozen by the time I left. When I left the restaurant, all my clothes smelled like fried food. The smell sticks on, too, as it is now one day after and my jacket still smells.
We stood around and waited with the others who were getting their food to go as there were no chairs. We waited for about 10 minutes for a table to open up, but it took 45 minutes for our food to be ready. It was busy, but that’s just too long to wait - especially for a deli-type eatery. The restaurant needs to prep vegetables and meat in advance, and they need more workers with a bigger kitchen. Forty-five minutes is unbearable - especially for people who are getting food to go, because there is no where to sit and parking is limited.
CUSTOMER SERVICE:
I don't think the workers really focus on giving their customers a spectacular experience, which is fine with me. No one greets you or thanks you. You just pay for your food and then go up to grab it. They're kind enough to do what you ask, but won’t go out of their way to appease you. The service is mediocre.
FOOD:
We ordered the spicy chicken breast with vegetables, beef bulgogi, mackerel, and hot seafood with rice bowl. I think the chicken dish was the best out of all the dishes we had. The sauce was yummy and the spice level was perfect - the meat was tender, too. I also really liked the sauce. The mackerel was rubbery; the beef bulgogi and seafood rice bowl were mediocre. The chicken dish was huge. It is enough to feed two people! Each dish is quite sizable - good value! With each dish, you get a bowl of rice and two small bowls of sides. One bowl has potato with bean sprouts, while the other bowl has kimchi. I really wish there were more sides.
I was excited to see them offer Korean drinks. Though pricey (half a can is $2), I bought all the three flavors they had that day, which was peach, rice punch, and Asian pear. All the drinks were yummy, but if I could only pick one, I would do the rice punch.
SHOULD YOU GO?
If you don't mind the messiness, lack of space, uncleanliness, and mediocre service, the food does taste homey and warm. My husband and son loved it, so I think we will be coming here again in the future.
Submitted by Kay V. on 01/08/2022
Cindy Thao 5 stars rating.
Excellent food! Great customer service! Easy parking! Comfortable environment! I recommend this place for everyone who crave Korean food. ☺️♥️ I've went here a few times, and wanted to share this awesome place for everyone. Don't hesitate! Try something new, and guarantee it's going to worth it.
Submitted by Cindy Thao on 02/01/2021
Vang Xiong 4 stars rating.
This is one of those places where you first order at the counter before sitting down. The kitchen is right next to the seating area so be prepare to take in the occasional aromatic smell. The food was good with slightly larger portions served in metal bowls. The old grandpa bringing out the food was very friendly.
Submitted by Vang Xiong on 08/23/2019
Mercey Vang 4 stars rating.
I love food and I can say, this is an authentic, worth the value and flavor, Korean joint.
It's not someplace fancy and upscale, so expect attentiveness. The environment is like your traditional walking, order, grab and eat, set your tray of dishes on the rack and go.
The reason for your visit here would be for the flavor and enjoyment of the food.
Submitted by Mercey Vang on 08/07/2019
M Thao 3 stars rating.
The food was okay. The aesthetics of this restaurant was not very pleasing. The tables were sticky, we arrived right at opening time and they still had old trays of food from the previous day sitting out, there were cases of drinks all over the floor in the front, there were huge cardboard boxes sitting out on some of the dining tables. This place just felt dirty like they don't do much cleaning. It was about $10-$15 per entree. Overall, I would not come back to this restaurant. I'll stick with my usual place I go to in Maplewood.
Submitted by M Thao on 03/16/2019
