Arirang Korea Restaurant

We saw a post on FB asking for support and we love Korean food so...that was enough to send us to Arirang. We ordered Beef Bulgogi, Pork Bulgogi, Kimchi Pancake, Fried Rice and Egg Rolls. The food was all delicious! The Bulgogis each had that deep rich flavor that you hope for. The pork had a little more spice but not too much. The pancake was flavor packed but wasn't overly spicy or "pickley". The fried rice and egg rolls we also classically delicious. Six egg rolls in an order!The staff is still working on getting processes and systems locked down. The hours on Yelp are not 100% accurate. They are going to get prep, systems and flow dialed in and will soon been as great as their food.

The 3 dishes we had were very good my wife loved the Mackerel, we both enjoyed the Ojingeo Bokeum.The service was personal and very nice

Finally stopped in after considering this place a few times. It doesn't look like much from the outside (or really the inside either) but the food is delicious and the people are wonderful! We had the kim bob, seafood pancake, and beef bulgogi - all so, so good! Then the proprietress brought us out a fresh and delicious egg drop soup just because! She is delightful and earnestly wanted us to enjoy the food. Which we very much did! Leftovers were even better the next day - plus no "surprise" visits to the bathroom, if you know what I mean ;)

The food here is delicious! Beef bulgogi! Short ribs! Kim bop! The kimchi is superb! Brings back memories from lees Korean bbq in Las Vegas! Just wish they had parking.

It's a small homey hole in the wall you don't want to miss. The pork was spicy but I like that. Staff was busy but super nice. I enjoyed my visit and will go back again!

Wow I basically found the St. Paul equivalent of Don Yang (Columbia Heights), our favorite Korean deli. The difference is that at this place the prices are actually reasonable, whereas other Korean places in Minneapolis have lost their minds on pricing. It's located in a non-descript building on 7th in the Dayton Bluffs neighborhood by Metro State U.The food is fantastic and they are just a Korean family with a Latino helper that crank out authentic Korean fare. I ordered the Kim Chi Stew (#17) which comes with Kim Chi, Pork, Rice Cake, Veggies, and Tofu in a spicy broth. The meal comes with white rice, and the usual assorted pickled Korean goodies. Beware this is Korean spicy, so it builds as you eat. You might sweat...a lot, depending on your spice tolerance.For non-spicy diners there are plenty of choices as well. I would recommend getting the Beef Bulgogi (#6) of course, or the Dok Bulgogi (#8) (BBQ Chicken breast.) Service was quick and cordial, you order at the counter, there is zero ambiance in the place, typical of these types of Asian Deli's. I loved it and definitely will be back when I'm in the neighborhood again

I miss this restaurant so much! Never failed to have an incredible meal here. Wonderful restaurant with amazing cooks, staff and menu. Much gratitude to everyone who made this restaurant the gift that it was.

This is a hidden gem in St.Paul for Korean food. If you have been to Korea, the food and service is exactly like in Korea. I go here for Korean comfort food that is not Americanized.The place has 10-12 tables. The decor is beautiful, nothing spectacular, but the place is clean. They have 1 TV usually playing Korean entertainment. The menu is big and for those not familiar with Korea they have pictures of the dishes posted with descriptions of the dish. They have a selection of soda and Korean drinks. They also have a water cooler for free water. Portions are big. One dish is good for a very hungry person or 2 light appetites. They really are a 3 person operation, so during busy times expect to wait to have your order taken. Staff is nice, quiet, and not overly friendly or chatty. I promise the food is worth the wait. Also their credit card machine is slow. I'd bring cash, but not necessary. Kids: No specific kids menu, but Korean food is family style. There are plenty of options for kids on the menu. I only wish they didn't use styrofoam cups and takeout boxes. The utensils are metal which is a big plus.

Overall (1.9 stars composite score):Great food and nice portions. Horrible service and we almost froze to death due to their not wanting to turn on their heater. They also did an awful job with Covid prevention. I'm overriding my 2 star to 1 star because they put their customers in danger by not respecting Covid precautions.Food/Drink (80% 1.5 star total): 1.2 starsCurry pork cutlet. Meat was overcooked. Sauce was decentDogani Tang. Ox bone stew with sliced beef and tendon. SO tasty. Clear noodles and big taste.Teok Kuk. Beef soup with rice cakes and veggies in an egg flower base. Super homestyle and very warming.Service (0% of 1.5 star total): Super unfriendly service. The chef/server spoke very little English and didn't seem to care about us.We wrote an item down wrong and got the wrong item. When we mistakenly said the item was wrong, the lady pushed the notepad back at us with contempt. Not nice .Server came to our table with mask below his nose. DUDE Covid!!! They don't block off tables for social distancing as well. On top of that, the kitchen helper was walking around the room with NO mask on at ALL. No one in the kitchen was masked, making food preparation a concern.Value (70% of 1 star total):Good sized portions for the money. Korean food is usually more expensive than other foods.Atmosphere (0% of 1 star total): It was freezing inside and they refused to turn the heater up. Bad move given it was below zero outside. 40 degrees inside isn't helpful for the ambianceThis place is small and cramped. Bathroom was dirty and the light didn't work.

I'm so happy and excited that there is now a place to get Korean food on the Eastside (besides Gangnam in Maplewood). For those who have been to Korea Restaurant at the U of M for delicious Korean food- this is the same owner and sister restaurant. Since they just opened- it was pretty busy and service was a bit slow when we went for dinner but we were able to get a table, plus overall still the same great flavors and selections as the one by the U. How to order: menu is on the wall, you say your order and pay, you will get your receipt with a number, once your order is ready your number will show up on the number board for you to pick up (you will here a ding like sound), when you pick up your food there is also napkins and utensils on the size. Pros:-Great authentic Korean food-friendly staff-good selection/good size menuCons:-you get less sides than the one by the U-no parking lot, just street parking (located on a weird intersection)-small place, only 8-10 tables