Gogi-En K BBQ had their grand opening on December 29, 2023 and where it became the second Korean Barbecue-style restaurant to open in Solon. The restaurant provides a good time for families and friends.

I went to Gogi-En K BBQ, located in uptown Solon at 6025 Kruse Dr. Ste 120, with my family. A Korean barbecue-style restaurant lets the customer cook their meat themselves at their own table– Like Hotpot or Hibachi. The customer requests their choice of meat/seafood, vegetables and appetizers and is able to cook the meat/seafood at thier own pace.

The building itself was quite modern, with sleek, geometric designs, neutral colors and black and white Artcast on the TVs set to look like art pieces. Soft Korean jazz and ballads played in the background, creating a nice ambiance but still letting conversations flow without any problem between people at the same table.

The menu was small and fairly simple to understand, but there were always staff available to answer questions if needed. Gogi-En K BBQ offers various Korean-style dishes, including Gimbap, soups, stews, Bibimbap and various appetizers to enjoy with a group of people. Although the menu seemed to be meat focused, upon asking the waiters they were able to provide many vegan and vegetarian options that included all the same flavor as the original dish.

Scallion Korean pancake and sides

The scallion seafood pancake was the perfect appetizer to share between three people. I was a bit shocked when it came out because it was much bigger than I expected, but it was so good that we ended up eating all of it. The outside was perfectly crispy while the inside was warm, flavorful and spicy. The scallion pancake is a great vegetarian dish.

They gave us four sides to go along with the meal: Fish cakes, Kimchi, pickled cucumbers, a bowl of rice for each person and seaweed salad. All the sides were a good pairing with the meat and rice, however, I wish that the Fish cakes were warm instead of served chilled like the rest of the sides.

Short rib, thin sliced pork belly and brisket BBQ combo

The BBQ combo we ordered included three types of meat: short rib, thin sliced pork belly and brisket, a steamed egg dish with scallions, a platter of pork gyoza (pan fried dumplings) and a bowl of Chadol Dwenjang Jjigae (soybean paste stew with brisket). The egg was extremely fluffy and light, while the gyoza was crispy and sweet yet savory. The stew had a mellow flavor that warmed you up from the inside out. I usually don’t like tofu, but it was the perfect chewy addition to the stew.

Since it was my family’s first time at a Korean Barbecue restaurant, one of the chefs came out and showed us how to start the griddle. She taught us how to grill our meat and advised that we come back a second time to get the full self-serve experience. One of my favorite things about Korean barbecue is that you can cook the meat to your own liking. The meal also included a delicious ginger, soy sauce and chili sauce perfect for dipping the meat into.

Hot Stone Tofu Bibimbap

The Tofu Bibimbap was a bowl full of rice, assorted vegetables, a sesame sauce and, of course, tofu. This dish provided a really amazing vegan dish, full of flavor and colorful vegetables. The tofu was soft and the rice was perfectly cooked.

Drinks

Gogi-En K BBQ offers a full bar experience and a variety of soft drinks. As a special treat for my birthday, the manager, Mark Chun, gave us free Yakult (a japanese yogurt drink) mixed with sprite and grenadine. The drink was extremely refreshing and tasted like a creamy Shirley Temple.

Overall

The entire experience was so much fun. Although it might not be suitable for single-person dining, it would be a great outing for a larger group of people (around 3-6). Our charismatic waiter, Anton, conversed with my family the entire time, cracking jokes and overall making the new experience a comfortable one.

“I’ve never worked at this type of restaurant before, but they’ve really taken me in as a family,” Anton said. “Be prepared to be welcomed with open arms and to leave fulfilled. Both literally and metaphorically”

The one sentiment I kept receiving from both the wait staff and Chun, is “We are truly a family here.” Which included both the customers and the staff.

I can’t wait to go back and try even more delicious food.