Arirang Korean - Tampa

My wife and I stopped in for dinner. We enjoyed the friendly service, and home-style feel that other reviewers have mentioned. The owner and servers created a welcoming atmosphere. I removed one star for the following reason, the pricing is much higher than I would expect for a restaurant like this. For two people, only drinking water and dinner (after tip, 20% exceeded $75. However, the food was very tasty and felt worth it. Still, I can't help but feel its a little too pricey.

Don't let the sign fool you! The exterior may not be in the best shape, but the food and friendly service are absolutely fantastic! My wife had the bibimbap served in a stone bowl topped with bulgogi, and it was simply delicious. My galbi were tender and rich, complemented by a delightful variety of pickles and kimchi. I was pleasantly surprised by the smoky flavor from the charcoal grilling, something I hadn't noticed before. Since my kids are getting into spicier dishes, a touch of gochujang adds the perfect kick! Overall, this place is a gem. Korean cuisine is among the best in the world, and you can definitely enjoy it here!

The Korean food here is excellent. This restaurant offers authentic Korean cuisine rather than Asian fusion. They have a great variety of soups and noodle dishes to choose from.

We were warmly welcomed and quickly seated by the owners. Misook, the owner, was delightful and made us feel very at home. Our order was taken, and the food arrived promptly. It was all homemade and authentic—exactly what my father was hoping for. Misook even took the time to stop and chat with us for a little while. After we settled the bill, she gave us all hugs and expressed her gratitude, to which we, of course, thanked her in return. This is a fantastic restaurant for so many reasons, and we will definitely be returning soon! Thank you so much, Misook, for your hospitality, kindness, and delicious food!

Wow, wow, wow, wow! That is most of what I have to say about this place! Misook makes you feel like family and she is so sweet! Everyone who works there is so kind and attentive. The food is absolutely delicious and more flavorful than I expected it would be. My bf and I ate all around Korea last year and this food was reminiscent of all the delicious flavors. But seriously, if you are not a soup fan, this place will change your mind! I’m not the biggest fan of soup but I also really wanted to try the tteok mandu soup, and the broth was phenomenal and perfectly seasoned! The banchan were good and included a little potato salad which was unexpected but tasty! My bf and I also shared the big plate of yangmunung sorry I forgot how it was spelled! chicken and that was amazing as well! The chicken was crispy but tender and the spicy sweet sauce was perfect! The prices are high, but honestly the portions are shareable and we ended up taking a lot of our food home! We also got the mandu steamed and the meat also seasoned deliciously with a perfect balance of spices and green onion. Misook really knows her seasonings! As far as the decor goes, it’s nice and homey and reminded us of a lot the little family restaurants we frequented in Korea during our time there. UPDATE 1/31: My boyfriend and I returned a few months later when it was not busy and our food was a complete let down. I ended up getting the same soup, but it tasted reheated and stale. My bf ordered the jjamppong and it was okay at best. The banchan however, were awful and we did not end up eating them after tasting them. The potato salad was way too sweet like someone had dumped sugar in it accidentally. The kimchi was also too sweet and just didn’t have the spice that kimchi normally has, and the other dishes were just awful. : We were disappointed by this experience but might try it one more time in hopes that it was just an off night. We did have amazing cinnamon tea that night though.