K-Bowl

Hands down my favorite Korean restaurant in town. I go here with friends from time to time. It’s a shame it’s a little off campus so I don’t go very often. I normally get their bi bim bap here. Something about it beats the other Korean restaurant’s bi bim bap. Their curry tonkatsu is amazing too. I’ve also had a lot of their soup base meals and they’re always amazing to have on a cold day! Highly recommend to other people. It is a small so there might not be enough seating however.

I was feeling nostalgic for fish cutlet so I dropped by and ordered some from K-​Bowl. Their fish cutlet isn’t bad, but it didn’t remind me much of what I would usually get in South Korea. I did like all of the sides that came with the fish cutlet and I’m glad the kimchi was good. Overall, I would say the food is pretty average, but sadly I am not able to make my cravings for quality Korean food go away when I eat here.

LOVE the bibimbop here. Ingredients are fresh and delicious. Small but cozy.

I’ve been going here on and off for the past two years and have tried several other things off the menu. I highly recommend the budae chigae and the tofu stew with kimchi and pork. My only gripe is the bulgogi (Korean beef) is not that good. Everything else tastes delicious though!

I was very pleased with my visit to K-​Bowl. The Boo Dae Chigae was excellent and I especially enjoyed the udon noodles in the mix. The location does have limited seating, but it didn’t take away from my experience. Mike was a friendly face who served my meal and chatted with me while I ate. I’ll definitely look to visit again next time I’m craving some Korean food!

Their soondubu is the best in town! Although restaurant is a little too small, food is great here !

Most authentic korean food you will ever get in CU. It felt like my taste buds took a first class flight to Korea! They have the best bi bim bap (). At first I didn’t except much since the place is so small, but oh boy was I wrong. Their hot stone bi bim bap is so nicely arranged, and their Sul Lung Tang was so good! I believe they also have unlimited side dishes~ my friends and I got three refills of side dishes and was not charged extra :-).
My friends and I offically made this our go to spot after studies, midterms, and finals!

Yummy~ this is an itty bitty store. My bf and I were visiting from Chicago, and we just wanted something to fill our stomachs. He ordered the combo fried rice and I had the bulgogi. The bulgogi was delish. The meals came with soup and kimchi. Definitely hit the spot. Portions aren’t huge, but they’re enough to fill you. If we ever come back to Champaign, I’d def order from here again.

very small place and the waiter doesn’t pay attention to the customers.
food was not that good.

Restaurant review
So far since I have come down to Champaign, this is the best it has to offer in terms of price along with flavors. Maybe it was the dish I ordered, but the Boo Dae Chigae is a very traditional korean dish which is a stew of vegetables, ham, and noodles. The portion is not gigantic where it can be shared, but the unique blend of flavors and spiciness makes it quite a dish on a cold winter day. It is definitely spicy, but that is balanced with the saltiness of the ham/​spam. You do get some noodles in the dish, but the stew goes well with the rice also. Plenty of self serve water will put out the fire in your mouth. I can’t speak for the other dishes, but this was quite a nice find. Prices have gone up so I was a little surprised this dish set me back 12+ dollars.
Pros: tradition korean food, spicy, flavorful, free parking lot, no need to tip, self serve water
Cons: expensive for asian food with okay portion
Hidden deals:
The included yellow radish ban chai is delicious, too bad there is only a small dish given with your meal and some complimentary kim chi

I ordered the spicy pork bulgogi () and it tastes nothing like the other ones I’ve had before. They put so many peppers that the spiciness became bitter. I’ve been to Korea before so I know what the authentic one tastes like

Wasn’t too bad. Don’t expect the DIY Korean BBQ; it’s very basic service with somewhat authentic dishes to satisfy your taste buds. I ordered the Bibimbap and it was fresh, however, the amount of beef was less than desirable (about two tablespoonfuls; seriously) so at $ 9.50, it was overpriced, especially for a hole in the wall. Also had boneless Kalbi and all I can say is weird, weird, weird. It was like Korean salisbury steak; two ground up beef rib meat, which is fatty and a strange gravy to top it off. Also way too over priced at $ 13.95. I can get something similar but real ribs at Aloha Grill in Chicago for $ 7. Im sure everything else here is ok, just stay away if its more than $ 10, esp the Kalbi. Yecchh.

Authentic, delicious, fresh and well priced Korean food; finally found somewhere worth coming to regularly.

This review is based on one dish (Sul Lung Tang) that I got for carry-​out.
Sul Lung Tang is one of my favorite soups and one of the best cures for hangovers (based on second-​hand experiences).
I grew up eating Korean food. I LOVE Korean food. My go-​to Korean restaurant in Champaign is Bi-​Won. I had tried all the other Korean restaurants (even the sushi restaurants owned by Koreans) except K-​Bowl. A year or two ago, K-​Bowl had a very limited menu, so I didn’t give it a try. Seeing that their menu has expanded and reading really great reviews here on Unilocal,I thought I should finally give it a try.
I got Sul Lung Tang (ox bone soup). I knew it would not be the best (which is Han Bat’s in L.A.), but I expected to actually get what I ordered. When I got home, I opened the container, and what did I smell? Man Doo Gook (dumpling soup)! Unmistakeably!
There were measly, grisly, awful pieces of meat. Sweet potato noodles, which were appropriate. And EGG! Egg does not go in Sul Lung Tang. When I called K-​Bowl, I asked the nice gentleman (with excellent English) if he gave me the right order. After I described the food, he talked to the cook, came back and told me, «That’s how we make Sul Lung Tang».
I told him that I have NEVER in my entire life had egg in this soup. (I’ve had this at restaurants in L.A., Korea, Chicago, Dallas, Fairfax, D. C…never.) He said, «Well, we put egg in it».
Doubting my Korean-​American judgment, I asked some Korean friends if egg goes in Sul Lung Tang. They confirmed no, never.
Basically, this restaurant uses the same soup stock for two VERY different dishes. There’s nothing wrong with using the same stock for multiple dishes. But one should never say something is something it absolutely isn’t. It’s a misrepresentation; it pains me to think that people who aren’t familiar with Korean food may think that Sul Lung Tang is what is served at this restaurant.
Don’t get the Sul Lung Tang. I can’t comment on the authenticity of any of the other dishes.

Great spot to grab a hot and fresh meal. You pay when you get your food but don’t need to bus your own table. Seating is limited and I don’t believe they serve alcohol. 5 stars for food, 3 stars for ambiance. I would definitely recommend this place for lunch or take out.
We tried the beef bulgogi and the bibimbap. Both were delicious and were served with soup and pickled veggies.

It’s a small restaurant but the food is super awesome! The waiters here are really police and kind. Quite a clean nice place. You can find a park space easily, but it is not open on Monday. I really enjoy here.

Note — I added the menu pages on the pictures sections, so feel free to reference those!
Not a lot of inside seating nor is it super nice on the inside. Just a small little shack-​type place in a plaza on the edge of campus. So why 5 stars? Because the Korean food here is as authentic and delicious as it gets. This place is for real. It is essentially run by this Korean lady who knows what she’s doing. The stews and soups are excellent here, as is the bibimbap! I love coming here after work. A little taste of Korea right in Urbana.
What would I recommend?
— dolsot bibimbap (in stone bowl) — a Korean classic.
— budejigae — a Korean everything stew
— bulgogi — meat. Yes.
— spicy pork bulgogi — similar to beef bulgogi, but it’s spicy. My personal favorite!
— spicy tofu soup (soon dubu) — really flavorful and can be spicy
— donkatsu — fried pork cutlet. Yes.

Champaign’s best kept secret! Although completely out of the way for someone living in Urbana, I still make it a point to come here when I have the time. The shop is neatly tucked away in a small plaza and doesn’t have a lot of floor and seating space available, but the food more than makes up for it.
You get a full meal — rice, miso, pickled vegetables, the sides complement the main dish well. I usually get the spicy chicken bulgogi. Liberal amounts of gochujang paste are used, which gives the chicken and cabbage a rich but not overwhelming spicy and salty character. The spicy pork bulgogi, which looks to be more popular, is probably even better. The katsu is also fantastic and the bibimbap looks appealing. There’s plenty to try and plenty of food given each time. I always leave satisfied!

I don’t really have strong feelings about this place one way or the other. I tried the bulgogi, beef noodle soup, and spicy pork. The bulgogi was good, the beef noodle soup was bland and the spicy pork was the best out of the three. If you are in the area and in the mood for Korean, then check this place out, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here.

I don’t have much to say about this place. It’s a little hole in the wall on Green St right next to a Jimmy Johns. It’s no frills, basic, cheap, comforting, fast and yummy.