K-Peppers

Madison, 601 Junction Rd Suite 2, Madison, WI 53717, United States | ★ 4.5 (520 Review)

📞 +1 608-833-3189

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Korean restaurant Restaurant

Description

A family owned Korean restaurant in west Madison. Spicy, fresh, organic, vegetarian, vegan, best Bibimbap, and Korean BBQ dishes...

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Reviews

Rebekah Polski

★ 5

Gorgeous space, incredible food, wonderful service. If you haven’t checked this place out, you should!

Source: Google

Mehmet Tarhan

★ 1

We entered the restaurant with 5 months old baby and the owner said I cannot let you in because you have a stroller. He said it’s small dining area. I went inside and he only had one person eating at the restaurant. Only one. It’s terrible customer service and experience.

Source: Google

Fatimazahra Lotfi

★ 1

Terrible customer service.

Source: Google

Alexandria Chrumka

★ 5

Phenomenal food and experience. Ask for recommendations from the staff and they will guide you wonderfully. One of the best places I’ve been.

Source: Google

Steve Prieve

★ 5

K-peppers is an absolute gem! The food is consistently delicious, fresh, and full of flavor. You can tell the care that goes into every dish. The service is just as impressive; friendly, attentive, and always speedy. From the moment you walk in, you feel welcomed and well taken care of. A perfect spot for when you want a great meal with warm hospitality. Highly recommend!

Source: Google

Yifei Guo

★ 1

Don't bother going into this restaurant unless you'd like to waste your money. The food isn't worth it nor was the waiter's attitude. Me and my friend went there and paid separately but tipped together on her end. No questions asked from the guy who served us. Like how was the food or anything. He did not do anything else other than taking orders, serving the food and checking us out, which in my opinion even if you barely worked in a restaurant you should know to check on your customer for at least once but he didn't even bother. Doing the minimum work and expecting a lot of tips? And yelling at your customer that don't bother to come or just do take out if you don't have the money to tip? Since when did tipping become mandatory? And why would I tip you since you can't do your job well? Go live in your own dream and find a sugar daddy or mommy to take care of you if you don't want to work hard for money. You're doing customer service and even a child knows better than you. I don't care how others think about your food or your atmosphere, but ain't no customer is going to pay for your trash serving attitude that ruins everything.

Source: Google

Bethany Scheiber

★ 5

Amazing service and amazing food little dinning room

Source: Google

Haleigh Mills

★ 5

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Erin

★ 5

Super kind staff and the food is super tasty! Their mandu is so good 😩

Source: Google

T K

★ 5

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Jackson Wozniczka

★ 5

Fantastic food with lots of great options. Perfect level of spice, but if you're not a fan of spice you can get most meals without. Make sure to try the kimchi!

Source: Google

Zane Boyd

★ 5

K Peppers is easily one of my favorite restaurants in the greater Madison area! The food offered is amazing, especially if you want to try a new cuisine. I highly recommend the bibimbap with the hot stone upgrade. The owners are wonderful and always great to chat with. I would go there every day if I could!

Source: Google

Meredith Ibey Milliron

★ 5

Love this place. Makes me feel like I'm in Korea.

Source: Google

Farzaneh Tondkar

★ 1

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Jose Manuel Lopez-Paredes

★ 5

The food here is amazing, the bulgogi bibimbap is delicious and my favorite, my wife loves ordering the toppoki. I’ve been coming here for a few years now and never been disappointed, the spiciness is just right (I used to get the 4 but now have gone down to 2) sometimes I even order to go so I can have lunch the next day. the service is always friendly and the ambiance is just right. Eric always makes sure you feel welcomed

Source: Google

Dave Martens

★ 5

We've been coming here for years. The Kim's are always excellent hosts and the food is outstanding!

Source: Google

Ava John

★ 5

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Minnickel Familia

★ 5

Took my in-laws as they never had Korean food. We all loved it! They want to come try the food every time they visit Madison now. Food was so flavorful, we love the bibimbap and soondubu. Our kids love the food as well. Service is always wonderful and the drinks as well.

Source: Google

Alinne Ramirez

★ 5

This is my absolute favorite Korean restaurant. The food is 10/10, if you are a spicy food fan you’ll be very happy. The flavors are rich and delicious. The service is amazing! I have eaten pretty much every single dish that they have. My absolute favorites are the bulgogi, bibimbap, and Shrimp Soondubu. This is a definite must if you are a foodie.

Source: Google

Darlene Walker

★ 4

The server was friendly. The food was okay but not exceptional.

Source: Google

Caleb Dillingham

★ 5

K-Peppers is so good! The food is fantastic and the owners are very friendly and like to joke around with you. I believe it's run solely by a wife and husband and they serve until they run out of food so you know what you're getting is fresh! Best Korean food I've had in Madison!

Source: Google

Simon Albrecht

★ 4

I really like K-Peppers. The staff was really great and so was the place, as it felt nice and cozy. My only complaint was that the food had a little to much greens. It has potential for greatness though. Overall nice place. Would still recommend.

Source: Google

Young Guen Lim

★ 3

All the dishes stayed true to the basics, but I couldn’t find anything particularly special about them. If they want people to enjoy hot stone bibimbap in the summer, they should really lower the indoor temperature — I was sweating throughout the whole meal. If you live nearby, it might be worth a visit, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to come here.

Source: Google

Yichao Shi

★ 3

The food is good but the service is very slow. In a weekday lunch, we waited more than 40min to get some bulgogi and fried chicken.

Source: Google

Keion Kauppinen

★ 5

The food was delicious and the service was excellent! Would recommend and definitely trying again

Source: Google

Jason Jones

★ 5

Absolutely terrific food! Wonderful family run business. They can dial in the spice level perfect for everyone.

Source: Google

Julie Gao

★ 5

Love this place! Got Japchae last time I went with friends and throughly enjoyed it. It’s nice lil space to hang out and eat warm Korea food.

Source: Google

Tom Wenham

★ 5

Fantastic Korean food! Everything on the menu is delicious. The pork bulgogi is my personal favorite. The owners are incredibly friendly and always welcoming. I highly recommend!

Source: Google

Nadia Banks

★ 5

My family has been going to K-Peppers for years and we absolutely love it! Eric and Rachel are warm, welcoming people and their food is incredible. My personal favorites are the chicken bibimbap, japchae, and soondubu. I highly recommend K-Peppers to anyone looking for delicious Korean food :)

Source: Google

Katie Spelsberg

★ 5

Our family LOVES K Peppers - the food is incredible and so authentic, everything made from scratch. Even our pickiest kids love the beef bulgogi and the steamed dumplings.

Source: Google

madog1991

★ 5

Lunch was awesome. Good level of spice.

Source: Google

Jason Holt

★ 5

Always great food and extremely welcoming staff. Been coming here for several years now and they never disappoint! Highly recommend the pork bulgolgi!!

Source: Google

Emily Sherman

★ 5

Been coming to K-Peppers ever since they started in their teeny tiny old location. The food is consistently good (I also love that they switch up the banchan so it's usually a different combo every time I go) service is fast, staff is friendly, and I always really enjoy it!

Source: Google

Ryan Schmanko

★ 5

I've been a patron since 2012. Over the years I've introduced friends, coworkers, and family. "When can we go to K Peppers, next?" Soon, friends, soon.

Source: Google

Michael Banks

★ 5

I've had Korean food all over the country. This is some of the best I've had and has become one of our staples. Everything is made from scratch, and the flavors are both authentic and unique. Highly recommended.

Source: Google

Sam Blahnik

★ 5

Very clean space, well organized and welcoming design. Recommend starting with the hot plum tea! Wait staff was very responsive and engaging for our lunch meeting. We had the "Can't Decide" Bulgogi Bibimbap as well as Pork Bulgogi Japchae. Food was flavorful with perfect level of spice. Lunch portions were great as we had leftovers to take along after!

Source: Google

Nick C

★ 5

I've been From LA to DC and Kpeppers is still hands down my favorite restaurant of all time.

This is not the traditional style bulgogi you will find at most Korean BBQ places. Served here is a fusion cuisine from the owners personal recipe.

Time and time again I'll visit big cities and try to find the best Korean restaurants in town and not a single one comes even close to the style and flavor of Kpeppers. This is one of Madison's greatest hidden treasures.

Source: Google

Kelly Jones

★ 5

Delicious food & incredibly friendly & caring staff. The dumpling’s & bulgogi are family favorites.

Source: Google

Yoshito Kosai

★ 5

I really love getting their pork bulgogi with egg on top. It is my favorite spicy dish in Madison. I would highly recommend their food.

Source: Google

jason kenney

★ 5

K-peppers is my favorite restaurant in all of Madison. I try to get there as often as I can. Best spicy food in town.

Source: Google

Becca Cooper

★ 5

Myself and my partner have eaten here many times and the food is always delicious. There are both spicy and non spicy options - though beware the soondubu, it is highly delicious but spicier as a rule than other dishes. They're usually fairly quick to get the food out for a sit down restaurant but of course busy times can be slower - reasonable for its size. It has a cozy and relaxed atmosphere. We love it there.

Source: Google

Conor M

★ 5

To provide context, me and my partner have been coming here for some time as regulars. When this place first cropped up, we thought it could be a good option to come by every once in a while when we wanted to dine out.

With that said, after one or two meals there, I was well and truly hooked. The service here is polite and friendly, always making sure the meals came out well, and that we're happy with what we have. On first time ordering, we were even given a rough overview of the spice levels they offer, so that the meals could match our spice tolerance.

As far as the food itself is concerned, I can say confidently that I've yet to find something I dislike. The mandoo soondubu is one of my favorite dishes, and the kimchi they offer is excellent.

Source: Google

Sali Diallo

★ 5

10/10 would recommend.

Source: Google

Blue Blue

★ 5

Best food ever. Eric the owner is amazing, attentive, and hilarious! They’re a small restaurant so if you want a spot reserve ahead of time, otherwise seating can take a while during peak times.

Source: Google

HeyImJill

★ 5

K-Peppers is absolutely incredible! My best friend and I have been multiple times and the food is always incredible. Service is always quick and friendly and very personable and the food is PHENOMENAL. I will always recommend this place for anyone looking to try something new! :)

Source: Google

Tina Pham

★ 1

Waiter was very rude about tipping, when I only did a 10% tip, please don’t come here

Source: Google

Jesse Richards

★ 5

First visit after hearing good things from coworkers. The food was delicious and the service was top-notch.

Source: Google

Tristan Jensen

★ 4

Food was great. However, it's a little expensive. Bulgogi was great as well as the chicken wings.

Edit for Junction Road Location: they have weird hours now. They close from 1:30-5? Why? And they moved into a place with less space so always call for a reservation. Found out the hard way. Food is so good, though.

Source: Google

Malathi Raghavan

★ 2

We ordered 2 dishes — the sweet potato noodles with shrimp and beef bulgogi ramyon. The sweet potato noodles themselves were good — the taste and texture phenomenal. But the shrimp was just thrown on top. Not flavorful.

The ramyon tasted like a ramen noodle packet soup- noodle dish I make at home. No homemade broth flavor. No fresh noodle taste or texture. The beef was tough.

Even the sides/salads that come with a Korean meal experience did not taste fresh.

The server, while we were being seated, asked if it was our first time there. Yes. But we should have said we are familiar with good Korean food. I don’t know if it would have mattered, whether they would have put in some effort into their cooking — but first time there is not the same as our first time to Korean food. But why even ask that question? Are there two levels of chef’s efforts?

Very disappointed with my high-priced Ramen noodles.

To summarize, the service was good, the place was charming, but the food itself was underwhelming. Less than mediocre. No effort. No fresh flavors. Especially the beef bulgogi ramyon — I would not complain if my dish cost $8, but at $18 I want it to taste better.

Source: Google

McAllister Castelaz

★ 5

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

K-Peppers is an absolute gem! From the moment you walk in, you're greeted with warm hospitality that makes you feel like family. The owners are incredibly personable; it's clear they pour their heart into everything they do.

The food? Absolutely outstanding. Every dish tastes homemade with love; bold, comforting, and packed with authentic flavor. Whether you're trying their perfectly seasoned bulgogi or crisp and savory kimchi, you can taste the care in every bite.

The service is just as memorable; attentive, friendly, and genuine. It’s rare to find a place where the atmosphere, people, and food all shine this brightly. Do yourself a favor and visit K-Peppers, it’s not just a meal, it’s an experience.

Source: Google

Tina D.

★ 5

Our first time trying K Peppers yesterday and it was such a nice surprise. Everything tasted fresh, not overly sauced or salty. IMO it’s rare to go out and find homemade food these days. The restaurant is comfortable and very clean. The bathrooms are super cute and clean! We’ll be back next time we’re in town.

Source: Google

Ethan Lu

★ 5

great food and staff and bibimbap :-) highly recommend

Source: Google

Caitlyn Atkins

★ 5

Amazing Korean food and top notch customer service. Will definitely be coming back here regularly!

Source: Google

Bootsie Evilsuspender

★ 4

Get your bibimbap on! Loved this place!

Source: Google

Daniel B

★ 4

Everything was pretty good. The Tteokbokki was nicely soft, at medium spicy it was just right for us. The bibimbap was just what we expected, nice of them to have the sauce on the side. The japchae clumped together why the time we got to that but flavor was still good. The soondubu was the only 2 star dish we got and it was almost too spicy for us. The housemade kimchis were all very tasty! Overall good but definitely on the pricier end of the scale.

Source: Google

abby catt

★ 2

Just left from K-Peppers on Junction Rd. I will start by saying that the food was good, the restaurant was very clean as well. The gentleman that waited on us was initially told that this was our first time dinning with them. There were three other tables of guest. He asked them how there food was, he also engaged in conversation with all of them the whole time. Not once did he ask us any questions about our food, nor did he speak to us outside of having to. Not to take anything away from this place but that did not make my family feel welcomed.

Source: Google

Vincent Basile

★ 5

Delicious! My favorite is the Pork Japchae. Level-3 spicy is delicious and makes my eyes water. Treat yourself by getting a roasted barley tea (or a cocktail)

Source: Google

shu sun

★ 1

The food was just mediocre. The portions were large, but the taste was really disappointing. I asked for extra sauce because it wasn’t salty or spicy enough, and they even charged for it. About 15 minutes before closing, they turned off the lights in the dining area to rush us out. The service when ordering was also terrible—cold and inattentive. This was by far the worst dining experience I’ve had in Madison. I’ll never come back again.

Source: Google

Tila Aydın

★ 1

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Ryzen

★ 1

Terrible experience

Source: Google

Scott Thompson

★ 5

If you like Korean food, there is none better IMO. Ran by a husband/wife team, the atmosphere is flawless, the food is authentic, and the service is on point.

Don't skip this one y'all.

Source: Google

Lauren Grabau

★ 5

I just tried K-Peppers for the first time while looking to get some vegetarian Soondubu. Not only was the food fantastic, they also had a surprisingly wide menu of both vegetarian and vegan options. Plus, the staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful in selecting a dish. I would highly recommend to Madisonians looking for a local Korean fix.

Source: Google

Julie H

★ 5

K Peppers is always amazing. Eric and Rachel are great! Love everything there

Source: Google

Alton Smith

★ 5

This place is a must if you’re traveling through Madison. We were in town for the weekend and went off of a google search and it was the best meal we had on our trip. The food was absolutely incredible! You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. We met the owners and they are really great folks too. We had some great convos with our server (one of the owners) and he was very helpful with the menu. Really nice guy. Can’t wait to go back next time we are in town.

Source: Google

Joe Maldonado

★ 5

The food was phenomenal. Have been twice and get something different each time. The owner and his wife run the place by themselves and work incredibly hard. He is funny, charming, and humble. The food is extra spicy, even for my high tolerance, so start with one star of spice and adjust over time (yes, you will come back over time)

Source: Google

Jeremy Starr Lam

★ 2

No table for six people even though the restaurant was mostly empty :(

Source: Google

Juan I Del Camino

★ 5

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Felicia Chang

★ 5

Tasty dolsot bibimbap with a very large portion size. The restaurant is clean and nicely decorated. The staff is very nice and attentive. Food comes quickly and it’s overall a lovely dining experience.

Source: Google

Neon

★ 5

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Jasper

★ 5

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Yongju Kim

★ 5

Best Korean restaurant in town!

매디슨 최고 한식당이에요👍 넘 맛있고 사장님도 친절하세요! 제 원픽은 순두부찌개인데 잡채도 볶음면도 맛있어요

Source: Google

Wissam Kontar

★ 5

Absolutely grate! Must visit place. Definitely best Korean restaurant in town. We had Soondubu and beef Bokummyon, both were really good. This is a family owned business. They are very kind and generous👍👍

Source: Google

Martha LaMar

★ 5

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Ka Yang

★ 3

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Cynthia-marie Marie

★ 5

Every time I go here I have a great time! A lot of korean places don't give out banchan anymore, and I always get a great selection including multiple types of kimchi. I love their kimchi, which I will probably buy a pint of and bring home because it's better than store bought and my apartment is way too small to be making my own kimchi.

The owner is really friendly and my food comes out really quickly if I'm there at a time when it's not super busy. The younger waiter is nice too!

The bulgogi bimbimbap is miles better than the other korean restaurant on the west side. The Japchae is fantastic. I also really like their coffee! I think I want to try one of their soups next.

Their spice levels are adjusted for Midwestern sensibilities, I can handle at least a 3 spice, and I typically struggle with spicy food :)

Source: Google

Gary Statz

★ 5

The food here is fantastic. Amazing flavors. Much better parking at their new location. Also if you like spicy food this is the place for you.

Source: Google

Sydney Sipos

★ 5

Adore this restaurant! I like the bibimbap with tofu and a fried egg, and my boyfriend likes the bulgogi. We went in for the first time this summer and came back a few months later, and the owner (Eric) remembered us. :) He provides excellent service and is generally so kind, warm, and welcoming. The second time around, we ordered the steamed mandoo (dumplings) as an appetizer, which were delicious, and I ordered a cup of Korean plum tea. I've never tasted a more delicious tea, I'm SO glad I tried it. Eric's wife is the chef, and she does an excellent job with every dish. Totally recommend trying out K Peppers if you're trying Korean food for the first time, as the owner will do a great job helping you select what works best for your palate!

Source: Google

kamille west

★ 5

We walked in and were welcomed immediately, we got our food and drinks quickly and enjoyed every bite. Not only was the food amazing but the service was impeccable as well. There was not a minute of my time here that I was unsatisfied. I recommend this restaurant to anyone and everyone. This was my first time eating Korean food and I am so pleased it was at this restaurant. I would rate higher stars if I could. I will be back!

Source: Google

Matt Webb

★ 5

My go-to spot for Korean food. The food is delicious and the service is great. The complimentary side dishes served ahead of the meal are my favorite. I could eat a huge bowl of sun-dried radishes by themselves.

Source: Google

Jack Gadzala

★ 4

Our bulgogi was better than the bibimbap; which used to not be the case at the former location. The bulgogi was flavorful and delicious. The ingredients have changed, which seems to be the reason they are not as awesome as before.. Tasty little appetizers set out while you are awaiting your order. Very pleasant service, often by the owner. Recommend.

Source: Google

Dongjin Suh

★ 1

Worst place ever. Manager is so rude. Expensive food. Don't go with kid.

Source: Google

Hannie Sconnie

★ 5

The owner is very dedicated to his trade. High quality meal at a fair price. K-Peppers is an asset to the community.

Source: Google

Jovana Aguilar

★ 5

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Nives Kovacevic

★ 5

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Daniel Trout

★ 5

My family and I celebrated my wife’s birthday last evening at this charming restaurant. We have moved around the country multiple times and had been sad about some of the local restaurants’ hesitance to add spice and complex flavors. K Peppers was a delightful discovery that proved the Madison area indeed has fantastic options.

Owner Eric Kim was an excellent host that made my family feel welcome. It is so hard to find that level of customer care in the post Covid hospitality world. Mr. Kim was very helpful in allowing the parents to enjoy spicy dishes while the kids could enjoy milder options.

My wife felt like it was the highlight of her birthday. As she continues to learn the Korean language and culture, we are positive that K Peppers will be a place that our family can dine at for those special occasions.

Source: Google

Brian Forth

★ 5

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Shu Li

★ 1

God! The food is BAD! The worst bibimbap I have eaten so far! It is not authentic, there is some green veg there which tastes so weird. I ate only three spoons!

Source: Google

T Dhashi

★ 1

Went to this place twice and both the time around 5pm when the owner said he has too many orders and it will be a while for us to get our food. They were around 4 tables full. When we asked how long- he said 45 mins and that we should have some patience to eat! It was absolutely uncalled for. Not going there again!

Source: Google

Dave Steinmetz

★ 5

Fantastic fresh food. Can't go wrong with the Bulgogi Bibimbap. Wings are a great appetizer

Source: Google

Jay G

★ 1

TERRIBLE customer service. Rude person up front (Eric). Don't recommend to anyone. Plenty of better options in the area!

Source: Google

Zil Gnay

★ 1

Terrible resturant!!!

Where do I even begin? I've had some terrible customer service and boy does this place just take the cake and I didn't even get to eat there. Congratulations on being the worst restaurant in Madison! You should be so proud for driving out would-be customers.

It started out with a phone call. Before my family and I were going to eat there, I called to ask how long they opened and the owner said that it depends. If they are busy then later or if they are slow then they would close earlier. He literally said that they were slow at the moment and that they were going to close up soon. Mind you, they just opened at 5 PM and I called at 6 PM. He then asked me if I was coming later, I said no, and that we were heading out there now. He then proceeded to ask how many people were coming. I said 6 adults and 3 kids. He was taken aback and said that was a lot of people and since we are coming as a group, he would not be able to seat us together. I said it's fine and that we're okay with that. He then said they can't move tables around because all the tables and chairs are in a certain layout and cannot be moved. I didn't ask for anything to be moved for us. We hung up but after the phone call, I had a feeling that we might not have a good experience there but I wanted to try it out since I’ve been meaning to eat there and my Sister in law and her fiance was excited to eat Korean food. Little did we know of what was to come.

My Sister in laws and brother in law got there first and were standing at the counter. I thought they would be seated already. When I arrived, the owner said that he couldn’t seat us because of reserved tables. He continued to say that if he seated us, we’d be sitting far from each other, like opposite ends. He also told us that a group as large as ours should eat somewhere bigger. Basically, he gave every excuse in the book about why we couldn’t eat there. He had never said he couldn’t accommodate us over the phone, because if he had, my family and I wouldn’t have wasted our time going there. He also didn’t mentioned anything about reserved tables and there’s no reserve link on their site.

The owner was rude, unwelcoming, and acted like we were a problem to his business. Who treats potential customers like that? It was such a waste of time going there. I have never ever encountered such a terrible business like this.

Thankfully Pho Nam Noodle House was across the street and so we headed over there and had the best customer service. Their food was delicious and they were so welcoming. Their service made up for the terrible encounter we had at K-Peppers. If you want authentic Korean food AND good service, I would encourage you to head over to New Seoul Restaurant. DO NOT waste your time coming here. You can thank me later.

Source: Google

Preston Smith

★ 5

The food is absolutely delicious. I haven’t been to many restaurants which serve such high quality dishes.

Source: Google

Alanna Johnson

★ 5

I just went here for the first time with my friend, and it did not disappoint!! Everything was so yummy, fresh and flavorful; you get a very generous portion, and everything looks very appetizing. The restaurant had a very pleasant interior, the staff was friendly, and the service was exceptional! Would definitely return

Source: Google

Danielle Queiser (Danni)

★ 5

I always have the most amazing experience here! The food is always so good no matter what you get, and the service is exceptional. The staff is very kind and friendly. They also had a great variety of vegetarian and vegan options as well!

I would 100% recommend trying kpepper!

Source: Google

Sadie Innis

★ 5

Had a great experience! We showed up right at 5p on a Saturday and we were sat right away. Food was delicious and service was good.

Source: Google

Cashton Jones

★ 5

Amazing family owned authentic Korean! Best food and service in Madison.

Source: Google

Jamie Lawver

★ 2

Ordered via the restaurant's square site. Was given a pickup time upon ordering. 10 minutes prior to the time stated I received a text stating my pickup time was changed to 20 minutes prior to the text being sent, and had been sitting ready for 20 minutes at that point. I picked up the food, lunch chicken japchae. Per the photo and description there was just the japchae. What actually was given to me was half japchae and half white rice. Rice was not listed as an ingredient at all in any photos or descriptions. The food has no sauce so unclear what I was to do with a large amount of rice. I assume this is to cut cost and is deceptive given I was under the impression I was paying for the food listed and not half of a very cheap filler product that does not mix with the dish at all. The quality of the japchae was not great, was congealed together in a mass mostly that I could not separate with the plastic fork so had to eat off of the mass. This could be because it sat so long prior to my picking up though. I did not eat the rice as there was nothing to eat with or on it. Will not visit again.

Source: Google

Kristina L

★ 3

This was my first time going to K Peppers. It was a little lackluster, to say the least. I ordered the "Can't Decide" stone pot bibimbap, which was $21. It had both pork and beef, both of which didn't carry much flavor and were pretty dry. It was served with an untraditional group of vegetables, like cabbage, spinach, and brussels sprouts, and a fried egg on top. It didn't crisp up well in the pot, which was a little disappointing. I'm used to more authentic bibimbap, which has mushrooms, carrots, Korean spinach, bean sprouts, and has an automatic, sesame oil flavor. Though it was decent, the bibimbap lacked flavor and crispiness that authentic dolsot bibimbap usually provides.

I do enjoy they had a selection for someone like me, who literally can never decide on a single item, so having the variety of two choices of meat was a nice touch. The banchan was pretty good too.

For Madison, it’s not bad by any means, though I definitely prefer Sol’s on the Square.

Source: Google

Avery Torrance

★ 5

I got the Oyster Ramyeon with a spicy level of 5+ (I want more than pain). It was delicious. The noodles had a nice texture and the broth was flavorful. I was impressed with the spice level as well, not something I say lightly. I do recommend a lower spice level if you do not handle it well. The banchan was good too.

I also want to call out to good service. I drink a lot of water, even when my food isn't spicy and the server was always filling my cup. They also noticed that I was looking over the soju and answered my question regarding the differences. I highly recommend this place and I will be coming back.

Source: Google

Jai Thomas

★ 3

Very expensive and charge for sharing the food!

Source: Google

Moumita Acharya

★ 4

The food tasted good! The sauce that came with the wings tasted amazing
- spicy yet balanced. We went for Can't Decide Which Bulgogi Bokummyon and added eggs on top with extra shrimp. This entree was also great in flavor with balanced spices. Our only qualms with this place is that it took quite a long time (more than 35 minutes) to get anything served other than water.
Service was good though as they apologized for the delay claiming it was quite backlogged at that point.
If you really feel like dining at this place, getting a table reservation ahead of time is recommended as it apparently gets busy every day. Also there’s a 8$ split charge and 20% gratuity for 4+ party

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Natasha Watkins

★ 5

The food was amazing. We had the everything bibimbop and the kimchi bibimbop. Korean food has been my happy place for a while and this definitely made me happy.

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Cameron Wehunt

★ 5

First time and it was amazing.

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Leslie

★ 5

Absolutely love, love, love K Peppers! Recently first time visiting them not on Cayuga. Family run and felt. Excellent variety, spicy!!!🌶️ if you are looking for excellent Korean, best in the area!!

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Nick Fetzner

★ 5

Great food and service. We’ll be going back soon.

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Lisa Andrewski

★ 5

Have eaten here several times- always delicious and fresh- love Eric & Rachel!

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Mark Hayward

★ 5

What a delight! Really delicious, and the vegetarian/vegan options were plentiful. Highly recommended! Secret tip: the sweet plum tea was astonishingly good

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Lori B

★ 5

Amazing food and service. The pork japchae was delicious, Ordered a spice level 2 and it was the perfect amount of spice for me. Will be back!

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Justin

★ 5

A new experience for me. It’s very good. The guy working is friendly and helpful.

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Youyou Wang

★ 5

Best Korean restaurant in Madison. Kinda pricey though

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Jason Long

★ 5

Great food and service! I highly recommend them.

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George

★ 1

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Arlena Paulus

★ 5

First time trying Korean food and I'm hooked! This place is very elegant and the food is phenomenal. We got fried spicy pork mandoo, toppokki, everything japchae & everything bokummyon. AMAZING!

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John Plou

★ 5

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Cheesetrader1

★ 4

Solid

The kimchi bibimbap was quite good - had 3 star spicy - not "too hot" at all. Enjoyable meal, nice place, friendly staff - and the tip was the end of the meal - not sure why so many say it has to be prepaid?

Will definitely go back

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Aivlys Chen

★ 1

The boss is very discriminatory against Asian but gentle to Americans

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Menglin Ding

★ 1

Yesterday night, I and my boyfriend drove about 30 minutes to the restaurant and wanted to have a perfect dinner. We arrived there at 7:15, and we had already paid and tipped at about 7:30. We waited about 30 minutes without any food service. My boyfriend asked the waiter whether we can get the food quickly because the restaurant would be closed at 9. The older waiter was very grumpy and said, "We can give you a refund, you can go! We can't serve you." Even shouted at us "Get out!" Even though we said we wanted to have dinner here multiple times. We felt disrespected and even though they apologized to us in the end, it still made us feel bad.

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Catelyn Reilly

★ 5

Truly the best Korean food of Madison. Fresh in season ingredients, great bonchon and pepper sauce, and flavorful dishes. This is our favorite place to eat!

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Hector

★ 5

The host was wonderful. Very kind, very welcoming atmosphere. The lunch specials were reasonably priced for Madison - and the portions were generous!

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Karla Hernandez

★ 5

Never disappoints amazing food and atmosphere! The owner is amazing as well! 10 out of 10

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Michael Saito

★ 5

The food is delicious, but what stands out even more is the amazingly kind and personal service that the family members give while dining.

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Kara Kearney

★ 5

The owner is so friendly and welcoming! There are plenty of vegan options, too!

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Joanna Honore

★ 5

Excellent food and great service!

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James McGee

★ 5

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Evan Kurkowski

★ 5

My girlfriend and I tried this for the first time last night. I work right across the parking lot from this place and cant believe this is the first time I've gone here. Safe to say, I will be a regular. The food was AMAZING and the service was even better. It's family owned and operated and they truly made you feel like part of the family. Our server was so nice and explained all the dishes and the best ways to eat them to get the max amount of flavor. 10/10 and will be going again... most likely for lunch today! Obsessed!

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Athena ahr

★ 5

amazing food! definitely need to pick up some kimchi when you stop here, owner is very nice and overall great experience

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Voodoo majik

★ 5

Really good Korean food. Staff was very friendly and checked on us multiple time. Kinda has a family atmosphere. Portions were large. Next time I'll try the dish with an egg on top. Looks delicious.

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Stephanie F

★ 5

Loved it, left only empty plates.
All of their inhouse made kimchi was delicious!

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Nathan

★ 5

Excellent food and customer service. Very friendly owners.

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malferds

★ 1

Playing stupid hip hop. Almost impossible to read the menu and they expect you to know how to use QR codes. I've been there in the past and I loved it this new building it's completely different and now they're trying to charge $8 if you want to share your plate. I just got up and left mostly because of the music and because they don't have the old Korean pancakes

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Brenna McDonnell

★ 5

My favorite local spot for Korean food! Been multiple times, and have never had something I disliked. A lot of variety with banchan as well, all amazing.

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Neal Silbert

★ 3

OK Korean restaurant on Madison's west side. Food was sweet as if extra sugar were added - didn't have the taste or flavor other Korean restaurants have. I have a feeling some will love this restaurant if they like their food on the sweeter side - but not for me or my family.
We ordered the Japchae Bulgogi Beef - it was OK if you're hungry, but just too much sugar.
Parking is available in the outdoor parking lot in front of the restaurant.
Parties of more than 4 are subject to automatic tips.
Owners seemed like very nice people.
Overall restaurant looked clean.
I tried the medium-spicy and it wasn't particularly spicy to me. If you're not used to spice - maybe it'll feel different.

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Holly Anderson

★ 5

Nice small place, family owned and run, EXCELLENT food, including some tasty gluten free offerings. Don’t miss it!

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Shruti A

★ 5

This is a great spot for casual dining. I went here for lunch. The service was very quick and the food was yummy. They were even able to customize my order per my request. I also really enjoyed the sides that came with my chicken bibimbap

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Angela Rivera Rautmann

★ 4

Food was amazing but the services is very particular so if younlike to alter your meals this is not the place for you.

Example - I wanted an omelet or scrambled egg on my bibimap and they would not do it.

We also got theb Korean wings which were delicious and crunchy with a good sauce. I also loved the veggie egg rolls which were cooked to perfection.

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WildMarjoram Dieselpunk

★ 5

Great! Everything was tasty and super fresh. We got the dumplings and got to try all the homemade kimchis as an app. I got calamari noodles and my mate got bibimbap. The service was outstanding and everything was clean. We got a table quickly too, even at the normal dinner hour.

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rlc1717

★ 5

So flavorful and soooo nice and spicy. Can't wait to go back.

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Travis Messmer

★ 5

Probably our favorite restaurant in town! The hot stone bibimbap is better than any we had while living in Singapore. The owner is actively involved and very friendly.

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Sam

★ 5

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Jeffery Anderson

★ 5

It’s been Best of Madison gold two years in a row for a reason! This isn’t just my favorite Korean restaurant in Madison, it’s my favorite restaurant in town.

Every friend I’ve ever sent here gave it a great review as well. If you haven’t checked it out, you should stop in!

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Nate Green

★ 5

This is easily the best Korean restaurant I've ever been to. I've had most of the food on the menu and I can comfortably say everything is amazing. The owner and his wife, Eric and Rachel, are the nicest people and stop to talk whenever they get a chance. Every sauce/spice is made in the kitchen by them (nothing is store bought in that kitchen). If you've never had Korean cuisine and you live in the Madison area, this place is definitely the place to go.

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Kalina Rossler

★ 5

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RaeAnn Studee

★ 5

This is one of our favorite places in Madison. We try to go a couple times a month, the food is so good!

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Peixuan Li

★ 2

I love Korean food, but I was not impressed with their Bibimbap. I had the beef and pork bibimbap and it tasted mushy and blend, even with the spicy sauce mixed in. Not worth the price of over 20 dollars. The spicy wings are good, but still expensive (5 wings for $14). The service is good. Food needs to improve.

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Riley Leonard

★ 5

Very tasty authentic Korean food. Bibimbap lunch special was delicious. Sides come complimentary and are fantastic. The host was incredible and took time to explain everything to us. Highly recommend.

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Connie Brink

★ 5

Love love love

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Mitch Dohm

★ 5

My most favorite place in Madison.

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gandhamrevanth srinivas

★ 1

I was recommended to this restaurant by my friend in Middleton, I had Ramen and Bibimbap. Trust me, the food was excellent including the side dishes. I can go there again and again just for the food.

But the owner’s behaviour was rude. I have never had such an experience in any restaurant before.

I didn’t pay him tip either time I went there, there’s a polite way to ask for tip. If he could have asked politely, I could have paid him good amount of tip the next time I go there. But, he literally shouted and asked me to get out of his restaurant. Honestly, I didn’t feel bad, but I am writing this review, coz he should understand how to behave with his customers.

If someone is coming for the second time, that means they genuinely liked the food and they would want to recommend it to others. But, if the owners behaves in such bad way, that’s not a good sign. Hope he understands this and talks to his customers in nicer manner.

I will definitely tip him well next time👍🏻, if he behaves with his customers in a good way.

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Michelle C

★ 5

Very good experience, it was my first time having bibimbap and it was great. Super fresh and hot. The owner was super friendly and explained to us in detail about how the spice levels work. It was really busy and the food took a little longer than usual to come out, but they let us know ahead of time so no big deal. I look forward to coming again and trying some of the other dishes!

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W L

★ 5

K-Peppers is one of my absolute favorite Madison-area restaurants. They have wonderful vegan options, their food is consistently delicious, and the owner Eric is always so friendly and welcoming!

I especially love the dubu japchae (glass noodles with tofu) and dubu bokummyon (udon noodles with tofu)—both have great textures, so much flavor, and the perfect amount of veggies. Highly recommend!

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Tyler Nussbaum

★ 5

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Noah Goll

★ 5

Eric, Rachel and their Son were all extremely friendly and made great conversation. This was my first time at Kpeppers and my first time trying Korean food. I highly recommend the Bibimbap, it was amazing. I will definitely be coming back! 5/5 stars in every way!

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amelia green

★ 5

This is hands down one of my favorite restaurants in the Madison area, and now also one of the favorite options for when we do lunch in the office. Eric is very kind and personable, and is always accommodating to any dietary restrictions we may have. Personal favorites are the japchae and bibimbap options, pretty much all delicious no matter which protein you might prefer. Thank you K-Peppers for the consistently and phenomenally delicious food!

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Julie Wong

★ 5

Thanks again for taking good care of your customers, Eric! It is our first visit here. Everything was great excepting the bibibam tasted a bit funky… maybe it was due to the self-made bibibam sauce or other things, I’m not sure… We immediately talked with the owner. He was so nice and professional, explaining that everything is guaranteed to be fresh everyday; if the taste does not work for us, he is happy to replace with a totally different dish. We were completely fine since that moment, but Eric insisted that we should order something we like. We got a bulgogi udon which tasted great. 😋
Thumb-up for K-pepper and Eric! Proud for badger-owned restaurant!

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Thomas Culp

★ 5

New location is beautiful! Great food and service. The bibimbap is awesome. Start with lower heat and ask for hotter next time.

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Taylor Huizenga (Fourttrax)

★ 5

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Jason Reichhoff

★ 5

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Sophie Gresens

★ 5

Absolutely love this amazing place! Go here every chance I get! And their potato soup is the best appetizer! Has a pleasant little kick to it! Anyone know what kind of soup that is?

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Frannie Bray

★ 5

This is all around the best experience. The service is fast, and the owner is so friendly. This was my first time having Korean and he explained all the dishes, and was generally very nice to talk to and you can tell her cares about every guest in a personal way. The food was excellent -- I got excited and broke my egg before the photo in my bibimbap. So much flavor in everything. The dumplings were huge and so fresh. I'm sad that I don't live closer!

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Cafe Latte

★ 2

Too expensive for the quality

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Weifan Xing

★ 1

I recently had a rather unpleasant experience at the restaurant, and I feel it is important to share my honest evaluation. However, it is disheartening to note that my genuine feedback was met with an attack from the restaurant staff. I would like to express my disappointment and shed light on the incident.
Firstly, I was compelled to pay a gratuity even before receiving any service. It was unexpected and left me perplexed. As a customer, I believe that gratuities should be given based on the quality of service received. It was unfair to pressure me into tipping without even knowing what kind of service I would be provided. This experience has made me question whether tipping is warranted at all in such circumstances.
Furthermore, it is disconcerting that my review was met with hostility from the restaurant. Instead of addressing the issues I raised, they chose to attack me for not leaving a sufficient tip. It is crucial to remember that tipping should be a voluntary gesture, based on the quality of service. It should not be used as a means to coerce customers into giving more money.
In addition to the unsatisfactory service, I also experienced a significant loss of time. The restaurant's slow service not only impacted the overall dining experience but also caused me inconvenience and wasted my valuable time.
I would recommend everyone to avoid visiting this restaurant for the sake of their own well-being and enjoyment.
Additionally, the owner complained about the limited number of dishes ordered. To be honest, we had low expectations of the food quality and didn't want to order more. However, even for such simple dishes, they took an unnecessarily long time to prepare. If they are willing to refund the gratuity, I have no objections. It would be even better if they could compensate for the time lost.

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张明明

★ 2

Short of staff. Very slow. Starved for ~50 min to get our food. No menu, have to use the QR code, tip first before any service. Bad experience. Not recommended.

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XxI see youxX

★ 4

Dumpling were good, does need a bit more flavors. Wish they offer cold noodles in the summer

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Z Ren (Ren)

★ 5

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Eliza Hardy

★ 5

super good service and amazing food !

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Carrie T

★ 5

This place is so excellent! The potato soup to start off the meal was so delicious. We had the stone pot bibimbap and tteokbokki. Also amazing. The owner was also incredible friendly! Will for sure be going again.

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Ashok A

★ 5

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erik burtz

★ 5

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Christopher Price

★ 5

Excellent food. I’ve been going here since 2015. It is owned by a lovely local couple who make amazing Korean food. Best Korean food in Madison in my opinion. It also always feels like you’re coming home because it is locally owned. The husband manages the front and always remembers people’s names and orders.

If you haven’t been yet, it’s worth a trip.

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Jiho Kim

★ 5

순두부 찌개가 맛있어서 종종 사먹는다. 비빔밥은 한국식 느낌은 아니지만 돌솥을 좋아하는 아내는 비빔밥을 가끔 시켜먹는다. 순두부 Supersize로 해야 가성비가 좋다. 맵기 정도를 골라야 할 때에는 꽤 매워서 미국 맵기정도로 생각하지말고 한국 맵기 정도로 생각을 해서 레벨을 골라야 한다. (나는 2단계가 딱 맞는 것 같다.) 간장 불고기도 맛있다. 페퍼(온라인 쿠폰)를 모으면 음료수를 공짜로 먹을 수 있다. 가게 문이 닫혀있는 요일들과 시간대가 꽤 있으니 체크를 하고 가자.

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Stoney Macaroni

★ 5

K peppers will forever rock the tastebuds

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Xinan Wan

★ 1

This restaurant should put a label of "kids are not welcome" at the door. This is literally the most kids unfriendly restaurant I have ever been. My 2 year old and I had waited for a while before the owner could come take our order. My kid was a bit fussy from hunger so I took her out of the high chair. She was standing right next to the table, not even walking or running. The owner came over and told me the kid needed to be in the high chair at all times if we wanted to stay. I said she wouldn't be able to stay in the seat the whole time, but I would make sure to watch her closely if she wanted to get out for a bit. There were only two other small tables besides us, not busy at all. The owner kept saying there would be hot food served around and it would be dangerous if my kid was not in the high chair at all times. He literally said my kid was unruly and basically asked us to leave. He was very rude and condescending. I would not recommend anyone going there.

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Choua

★ 1

The last 2 times we've been here, we've been denied seating for ridiculous reasons.

The 4 of us arrived an hour before closing and was told they wouldn't seat us because it was too close to closing (even though their site says they'll only stop seating 30mins before close) and then said they had ran out of food anyway so they couldn't serve us.

Then yesterday, we arrived at 6pm for a table of 6 and was told for walk ins, they only seat 2-3 people. They wouldn't seat us because 1) they don't have tables for 6 and 2) our group was too big in general. We said we'd be flexible even if we split up into separate tables and the host said that wasn't acceptable. This wasnt a packed place or anything, there were only a couple customers there.

If all of this is the restaurant's normal standards (no walk ins for more than 3people, no seating an hour before close), then that is fine but they need to put this info on their site so that customers do not waste time driving to there just to be rejected at the door.

We love korean food and there aren't many spots in Madison so we had made the 20-30drive here only to be rejected repeatedly with unreasonable excuses & a lack of customer service unfortunately.

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Chengwei Liang

★ 5

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Madeson Anderson

★ 5

Best Korean restaurant we’ve found in the Madison area hands down! Would completely recommend anyone to try it!

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Serge Karpovs

★ 5

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MarauderCatt

★ 5

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Christopher Hobeika

★ 5

Amazing food and service. Will definitely be back.

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Christine Krueger

★ 5

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Jessica Sher

★ 5

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Hrushikesh Ghatpande

★ 5

Awesome food. Must try the bulgogi rice and kimchi. Hot level 3 is actually pretty hot, so be careful when you order! Nice selection of Bulgogi dishes and lunch menu.

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Joe Owen

★ 5

The restaurant was fantastic. Eric and his wife put a lot of love in their food. Everything we ordered was authentic and flavorful. Anytime we are in town, we are going to drop by here. Thank you so much.

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Corinna Zennig

★ 5

Wonderful experience from start to finish. All the food we had was really tasty. We got the last table on a Saturday evening, still the food came out really fast. Will definitely be back.

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Heidi Erickson

★ 5

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병든물고기

★ 5

Really Very goooood

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Janet Zintel

★ 5

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Kurt Chrisler

★ 5

By far our favorite Korean restaurant in Madison. Food is great!

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Kisha Lockner

★ 5

Love coming here! It's a must stop when my nephew is visiting.

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Randle Toepfer

★ 5

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Ryan Cain

★ 5

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Josef Litchfield

★ 5

Bulgogi noodles coupled with Bimibop are second to none, great food, we'll be back again and again, good job staff!

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Olivia Slack

★ 5

Food is absolutely incredible. My boyfriend and i got the tteokbooki, and he got the ramen and i got the veggie soft tofu stew. Everything was incredible its the best food ive had in a long time. My boyfriend craves it says its the best food hes had in his entire life.

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Hugh Burhans

★ 5

Grar food but must have 5G to order

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Aaron Cox

★ 5

Crazy good flavors!!!

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Steph Lauer

★ 5

I finally got to K-Peppers after hearing good things for years. I tried the bibimbap, and it was great! I love the option of having both types of meats: porks and beef. The kimchi was the best I've had!

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Maggie Lawton

★ 4

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Jared Carlson

★ 5

My wife and I love Korean. And we were surprised to learn there was a Korean restaurant so close. K-peppers has some of if not the best Korean food we've ever had. Their kimchi IS without a doubt the best we've ever had. We can't recommend this place enough. But that being said, if you have a "Midwestern palette" anything above a 2 might be too spicy😂

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Benjamin “rustyspork” Grimm

★ 5

Excellent quality food. Can't go wrong with the bibimbap if you haven't tried Korean food before. Nick's bulgogi is amazing and probably my favorite. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff.

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Jason Chapman

★ 5

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Michael Dewey

★ 5

My 10-year old daughter comes here with her mother, and swears by this place as her favorite restaurant ever. Well, dad got hauled in too, and I was pleasantly surprised! Finally- some spice! This is one of the best meals I’ve had out in forever. Highly recommend!! (Of course, dad also had to buy the kid a t-shirt so she could represent.) 😅

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