High Point Korean BBQ

Located at 2017 Kirkwood Street in High Point, High Point Korean BBQ serves Korean fare for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

With limited Korean options in the area, High Point Korean BBQ filled a definite need when it opened this past spring. Though dining here proved to be an up and down experience, the restaurant is still a welcome addition.

Housed in a nondescript plaza, High Point Korean BBQ is much nicer inside than out. It’s tastefully appointed with a combination of booths and tables as well as semiprivate dining areas off to the side. Soothing music plays unobtrusively in the background.

Despite the restaurant’s name, do not come here expecting tableside grilling: everything is prepared in the kitchen. That aside, you will find a lot of recognizably Korean dishes: bulgogi, bimimbap, jjigae, jap che, galbi, and more. Pricing is all over the place, ranging from wallet-friendly $10 lunch specials all the way to $40/person group meals. There are enough protein options within that range to satisfy most patrons’ diets.

My first visit was a late lunch, and I went with a ttukbaegi bulgogi (beef and a broth-like sauce with glass noodles) lunch special. First and foremost, it proved to be a fantastic value. For a mere $10, I received not only bulgogi, but a small salad, miso, six banchan (side dishes, which included pickled vegetables and kimchi), a side of rice, and a cold cinnamon tea for dessert.

Among the offerings, there were more hits than misses. The miso held its own, the mild broth imparted the bulgogi with flavor, the kimchi was appropriately spicy, and the cinnamon tea was deliciously refreshing. On the other hand, the dressing atop the salad was offputtingly acidic (wherefore art thou, classic ginger?), and the beef in the bulgogi was rather chewy.

Throughout the meal, Matt proved to be a capable, polite, and attentive server. He clarified the differences between the different bulgogi variants, identified each of the banchan dishes, and generally seemed to be on top of things.

Given the ambiance and pricing, High Point Korean BBQ has the potential to be a very good lunch spot for the area. In order for it to take the leap, however, the kitchen needs more consistency.

7.75/10