Ilsong Garden

Service was great but the cuisine was underwhelming.
We came during their lunch hours and ordered several dishes. My friends at the table enjoyed their food except me, everything I tasted had some form of a heavily sweetened marinade. The beef bulgogi lunch plate included white rice and salad with a small amount of dressing and I didn’t feel it matched it’s $ 8.95 price tag, simple stuff. The chicken bulgogi was sweet too and was drizzled with hot sauce, hard to swallow. The small plates were edible and my favorite was their broccoli because it was on the savory side. The bi bim bap lacked flavor. I sampled the chop chae bap and that was crazy sweet, I couldn’t escape this marinade they use with every dish.
I’d return to sample other dishes but I’m in no rush.

Wow it was my first time trying Korean and I can’t wait to have it again! I went in clueless af the wait staff was friendly and their recommendation was sooooooooo yummy! I had the lunch special beef bulgogi and the meat was so succulent and full of flavor whatever they marinate this in is bomb! And it comes with all these unique little
Korean sides and I loved each one of them especially these little sweet pickle things! Will be returning here next time I’m in San Antonio!

Nice service, but food was just OK. I tried the steamed mandu (dumplings) and the pork bulgolgi (my fave) since I was seriously craving some Korean food… I have tried the pork bulgolgi dish in many different restaurants, and never have I seen it in thin cutlet style (it just looked like a few thinly slice pork chops) opposed to more bite sized pieces. Either way, the sauce was spicy, but was not overly memorable. The mandu was also just OK. while my meal did ultimately «hit the spot,» I wouldn’t say it left me salivating for more.

As someone who is an avid lover of Korean food thanks to my Korean boyfriend, this place was kind of disappointing. My friend and I went for lunch, and I ended up ordering the kimchi pancake and the soondubu jigae. I wasn’t too impressed with the side dishes that came with the dishes. The kimchi pancake was good at first, but after awhile there was a greasy, slimy feeling left in my mouth. At first I was shocked by the $ 13 price, but when the dish came out it was apparent why it was so expensive. The pancake was HUGE. We only ate ¼ of the pancake and had to-​go the rest. The Spicy tofu soup was alright. I’ve definitely had better. It did have a lot of seafood which was a plus. Overall, I guess it’s adequate Korean food for San Antonio, but I’m not sure if I would go back.

I came here after hearing such great reviews from friends but will never be coming back. The restaurant itself is very beautiful and the owner seems really nice, however, our waitress was really rude. She was talking about us to another waitress in Korean, little did she know that we could understand what she was saying. Didn’t really feel comfortable after that.
The food was decent. I’ve tried other Korean restaurants in San Antonio, Los Angeles, and Dallas and found this recent sub-​par in terms of authenticity. The bulgogi was just a piece of steak. The japchae was bland and was made up mostly of carrots. The aesthetic was on point but the actual taste was really below average. I’ve had better experiences with the other Korean restaurants in San Antonio.

Went with a group of co-​workers, the food was tasty, spicy and great! The waitress apparently didn’t quite understand we needed separate checks for alcohol and food and was upset to have to do it… (in a funny way). She thought we were being annoying when it was for work-​related reasons… other than that, the ribs are awesome, kimchi is spicy, the chicken teriyaki was tasty, shrimp tempura and shrimp stir fry, fried dumplings. everything quite good! Reasonable prices, good to share various plates… :)

Came here during lunch while visiting family in San Antonio. Dad recommended the place, and glad he did.
I had the beef bulgogi, and he had the pork bulgogi.
Plenty of «sides» and their kimchi is one of the best I’ve had with the perfect amount (for me) of spice.
The service is very friendly. Be sure to ask them about the history of the restaurant and you’ll get some great stories about the owner (retired Vet) and his wife.

Nice place, good service and decent food. The banchan (side dishes) was pretty bad though.

The food was amazing. The service was really goo
They came and checked in on us often. They even prepared the to go order quickly. Would definitely recommend and come here again

The service was amazing and attentive. The food was very tasty and fresh.
We ordered the Jasmine Tea, Kim Chi Pancakes, Beef Bulgogi and Chicken Katsu. Everything was prepared nicely. The Katsu wasn’t over cooked which usually burns very quickly and I’m so grateful that it was served with a modified ‘ketchup’. The pancake wasn’t super greasy and was just a great balance of flavors.
The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful. They had an area for private groups and although the lunch atmosphere was working professionals, my friend and I dined, dressed fairly causal. If I was going with my beau, the décor and atmosphere would dictate a business casual/​cocktail attire.

My husband took me here to try Korean food for the first time when I was pregnant & I loved it! It was so good & I felt good eating it because it wasn’t greasy at all & they gave you a good amount for a good price!

Best korean food ive had in SA! Bibimbap and sample apps are authentic. Take me back to living there

Having lived in Korea, I’m very familiar with authentic Korean food and I must say the Bi Bin Bap hit the mark! My only complaint was that they offer an option to be served in a hot stone pot (extra charge) or bowl. The waiter asked, «would you like it in a stone pot?» I said, is there any other way? The stone pot is the authentic way, there should be no other option!
All in all it’s a decent place.

The kalbi was just steak. It was good steak, but it was not kalbi.
The banchan was mostly kimchi, not that diverse or creative.
We waited maybe 40 minutes for the food because they said there was a big group in the back.
On the plus side, it’s cheap.

I use to come here a lot. They had sushi and it was very good. They no longer have sushi but it still advertised on their sign. I am perfectly fine with no sushi, I have somewhere else that suits my needs. They have delicious entrees and you may choose between Korean or Japanese cuisines. I would like to say one thing that irritated me the last few times I’ve come. When you order a Korean dish, you also get a few bowls of vegetables cooked different ways. They are delicious too. My favorite is the spicy calamari,. That is only served with dinner. Tonight they didn’t serve it… Hope you enjoy your lunch or dinner

Seems like people either love or hate this place. I’ve lived in Korea for two years so I think I have a pretty good taste for authentic Korean food. My experience here was excellent. The food was tasty and the dishes were very well prepared. I’ll definitely come back for the vegetable pancake and bop.

I really, really wanted to like this place, but there are so many things that could be fixed. However, service is excellent and did not disappoint.
My expectations for korean restaurants are reeeeaaalllyyyy high. Maybe because I’m spoiled with homemade korean food from my boyfriend’s halmuni, and we always go to the best korean bbq places in Dallas (where in my opinion, has the best korean bbq in Texas). I know that if we were to take my boyfriend’s korean grandmother here, she would be in the kitchen, yelling at everyone. Which has happened before. And is another reason why when we eat at all-​you-​can-​eat korean bbq restaurants, they give her a to-​go box if she demands one lol. (you’re usually not allowed to take the leftovers home).
So in a nut-​shell, I’m rating this as if my boyfriend’s halmuni is rating it lol.
The weird thing about this restaurant is that they have grills, yet you don’t cook the korean bbq yourself. Okay… My boyfriend asked why, and the server told us it’s because people were complaining about the smoke drifting over to their tables. This defeats the whole purpose and experience of korean bbq! Seriously, you haven’t had korean bbq if you don’t come out of a restaurant smelling like kalbi!!!
Overall, the food was good, but I feel like it’s overpriced for the amount of meat you get. It came out on a little cast iron skillet, like you get at Tex-​Mex restaurants when ordering fajitas. The banchan was okay, but pretty weak in the amount, especially for 4 people. I genuinely feel like this restaurant is geared towards people who don’t really know awesome korean food. It’s like an Americanized korean restaurant.
And one last reason I’m giving this restaurant only 3 stars: they don’t have soju! Lol.

I’m originally from SF Bay Area and being of Asian descent (A foodie) know Asian food.
Service is good however food simply «fair.»
I ordered the spicy squid vegetable since had craving for squid and it was overcooked and thus rubbery. Beef Bulgogi lacked flavor. Not the best Kimchi as well.
Note: Jam Pong (Sea food soup) was flavorful and turned out to be the best dish of the evening.
My favorite Korean Restaurant At least in SA is Kiku Garden. (Which was first recommended by my Korean Co-​worked 9 yrs ago)
2 Star: Personally, I would not take the time to go here, unless had craving for their Jam Pong.

Went here for lunch to try Korean bbq for the second time, and decided that this must just not be my thing! I grew up in Japan and have been all over, so I really enjoy most types of oriental food and love trying something new, except for Korean apparently.
As for this restaurant, the service was friendly and attentive, although I found it off that the front man was Caucasian. Normally I avoid different ethnic restaurants that aren’t run by people of that ethnicity, but then again maybe his wife is Korean. I like to go legit!
The beef bulgogi was good, came with white rice and a salad (just lettuce and dressing). The chicken and pork bulgogi had an odd sauce on it and I just didn’t really like any of the sides, aside from maybe the potatoes. They were a little more tolerable than the other Korean place I tried. I prefer fountain soda but here it’s cans.
Big plus for me, wi-​if and plug ins for a laptop. Work and eat!
Rating system:
5 stars = I’ll drive across town specifically for this, and rave to all my friends about it!
4 stars = Would recommend visiting.
3 stars = Average, acceptable, positive.
2 stars = You might be able to drag me here.
1 star = I will not be returning.

I love this place!!! Whenever I crave some good old kalbi or bi bim bop, this is the place that I go to. The staff is always friendly and the food is always perfect.
My husband raves about the chicken katsu and has always claimed that this the best chicken katsu in town.
Another thing reason why I love this place is because of the unlimited ban chan (side dishes) that they give you to eat with your meal. The fish cake and Kim chi are my favorites.
It doesn’t look like they grill the meat in the middle of the table anymore, but that’s ok because they bring the meat out on sizzling fajita iron plates. a decent substitute. However, it’s not the same thing. It’s just the best when you grill it on the grill and eat it when it’s super hot. When ordering kalbi, don’t forget to ask for lettuce (to use as a wrap for the meat and rice) and hot bean paste. So good.
I actually visit this place quite often and will continue to do do.