Han Il Kwan

I really enjoyed my meal here. The meat had great flavor and their were a huge number of sides (though less of the only a couple sides but huge portions). Either way i really enjoyed my meal. The ventilation is a problem though. My eyes were watering during serval parts to our meeting and the room was definitely foggy.
I smelled like the restaurant through the next day. Hopefully next time I visit their will be fewer diners so that there is not so much smoke.

Some friends and I decided to venture to Buford Hwy for some late night Korean food. As you can imagine on a late Sunday night there are hardly any restaurants open to begin with let alone Korean ones. We saw that this restaurant was open till 1 AM and decided to give it a try.
Upon entering Han II Kwan we were seated at a table and handed menus. There were 3 tables sat in the whole restaurant and it still took over 5 minutes for our server to bring set ups and waters. Another 10 minutes to receive the banchan dishes… by this time there was only our table and another table of two in the restaurant. Two of my friends ordered the bulgogi plate which was $ 22 each! Way to pricy for the kind of dish it is. Not to mention the onion portions were so small and the bulgogi meat itself looked like it had been chewed up and spit out on a stone plate. The banchan selection was so small, definitely not fresh whatsoever! A girlfriend of mine and I both got the sul lang tang oxtail soup which was fairly good, there was salt and green onions presented, and it was a reasonable price of $ 10. Kudos for that dish. Unfortunately that is the only compliment that I can give to this establishment.
When asking for another bowl of rice the server informed us that they had no more rice… may I remind you that this was around 10:30. The place was open for another 2 ½ hours and they don’t have any rice? Sure. Never once did she refill any of our waters. When we asked for additional banchan dishes (which is very common in Korean culture) she informed us that there was no more? Oh come on! When were clearly done with our meal she walked by the table without even asking if we were ready for the bill.
When we finally got the bill we paid at the front with our server. A friend of mine paid in cash and she actually had the audacity to tell her «where is my tip»? Atrocious. On a $ 36 my friend tipped 15%. Which was definitely way more than this woman even deserved. As for me I tipped 15% as well out of pure generosity even though our experience was very underwhelming. As for the server she made it very obvious that she was disgusted that we did not leave a higher tip. (Like she honestly felt like she deserved better) I bid her good night and she literally scoffed at me and turned her back to us! So rude! Will not be returning ever again. If serving is your livelihood and occupation OF CHOICE I do not understand how anyone could treat guests so rudely and be as unaccommodating as this woman was.

For $ 20 bucks u can seriously pig out on some fire food. Get the bulgogi and a beer, comes with potato salad and kimchi, and some rotating sides. Last time i had shiitake and pickled spicy cucumber and these little seafood things. Awesome

This is one of my go to Korean restaurants for lunch. For the most part, lunch here hits the spot. I usually go for the galbi box and occasionally the bulgogi. The galbi box can be up to $ 15 after tax and tip. Nothing spectacular, but worth a visit if you are craving a decent size Korean lunch. Never had any issues with the service.

This is where non-​Koreans go thinking it’s a great Korean food experience when there are far better places at better prices all over the area.

This place is real shame, I want to say sorry to people who already went this place as a Korean. Please don’t go this one there are many restaurants much better food and service with cheaper price around Duluth area!

Very authentic feel this unique place gives to a curious mind of those who appreciate some high quality ethnic oriental cuisine. Took the usual soon du boo soup with seafood in it and a dolsot (hot stone) bibimbap. The banchan (side dishes) are delicious and you can order more if you’d like. This is probably the only place in Doraville on Bufort highway where one can taste a real korean food that is prepared to some higher standard vs all the rest of competition in the area

Nicest waiter staff and owners the waitresses are always there when you need them for refills or food and are very kind

I have been eating here for a few years now, and I have yet to have a bad experience. The food is good, and the service is wonderful.

Bad food that is overpriced.

I’ve been coming for years while this restaurant was in competition with Seoul Garden on BuHi. (Seoul Garden no longer exists as it moved to Duluth.)
Lots have rated this place 3 stars. I think it’s 3.5−4 star. For the most generic Korean food and variety, this is where I’m coming with the parents or family. For the most decent place to take my non-​Asian co-​workers in town, this is the place!
I’ve introduced this restaurant to many of my non-​Asian work colleagues and management. Its easy for me to strike some conversations at work cause I’m Korean! But when I heard that some senior leaders in the company who visit this restaurant, I am impressed to know that executives come to eat here as well…
What you need to know?
When you enter the restaurant, the host will ask you if you want BBQ or a table. If you plan on ordering the BBQ to be grilled at the table, you need to notify the employee you’d like a BBQ table. Otherwise, you will be seated in the restaurant (without a BBQ table). NOTE to SELF: if you have the meat grilled at your table (I.e. If you sit in the BBQ area), you, your hair, your clothes may smell like the BBQ when you leave the restaurant. They have fans in taking the smoke but … You usually still smell.) also, note that you can sit in the restaurant and still order the same food but it’s cooked in the kitchen and brought out to you. It’s not as glorious (and doesn’t taste as delicious) as cooking the food in front of you. Also, if you have a group of 8 or more, they may be able to accommodate a private room, if one is available.
On FOOD…
what to order!
— Kalbi (marinated short ribs): when I bring non-​Koreans and am trying to introduce Korean food, I will order this. It’s expensive. And typically, you can only order for a minimum of two people. One order of Kalbi is two servings. You can’t ask to order for three people if you have three. I think you would typically order for two people (ie. One order) or four people (two orders of Kalbi). The actual meat is delicious and flavor is nice cause it’s cooked over charcoal; every time I’ve ordered the meat has always been tender. Kalbi is an excellent choice for all people (Koreans, non-​Koreans, children, adults, and any meat lover). Last comment? It’s good but it ain’t cheap!!!
— bulgogi (marinated beef): did you read my last comment preceding this?! If so, and your wallet is near empty, your next best choice is gonna be bulgogi! This is not short rib but it is sliced beef _​_​_​_​_​meat in a similar sauce as Kalbi.
— spicy pork bulgogi — this dish comes out bright red! And while it looks spicy, it’s not always very spicy. This is a sweet and slightly spicy (if at all) dish. The few times k was introducing people to Korean food… Depending on how brave I felt… I ordered this dish. To my surprise, some of the directors and the Corporate controller
Actually loved this dish. I was surprised as they had never had Korean food before or probably even authentic Asian food.
— seafood pancake: this is an (expensive) appetizer but always seems to be a hit with both Koreans and non-​Koreans. It is served with a dipping sauce (soy sauce based). This is usually a staple whether I’m coming with family or whether I’m introducing Korean food.
— tofu kimchee: I’m not sure if this is on the menu or not anymore… You can look at this as an appetizer or main meal to be shared by many. This is kimchee which has been stir-​fried with some meat dressings and is served with slices of steamed tofu. Do not order this if you don’t like kimchee or have not ever had kimchee! If you have had kimchee and think it’s alright, I recommend it. How does one eat this? Take a tofu and some of the kimchee onto your plate. Cut the tofu into a smaller size; place kimchee stir fry onto your tofu and eat together. It’s pretty delicious… I haven’t ordered in awhile but it’s Soo good!!!
— Woo-​Guh-​Ji Gal-​bi-​tang (short ribs broth with cabbage): my description isn’t very exciting. And the cabbage part doesn’t sound very exciting at all… But this dish is pretty good. I think this dish has been a hit or miss (few times). If it’s winter, you’re not Korean and want to have a Korean soup, this would be one to try. It’s a simple beef broth with short-​ribs, clear chewy noodles, and cabbage.
— Jap-​chae — this is a Korean appetizer. Most Koreans will not typically order this at the restaurant but I definitely order when I’m introducing Korean food. It’s a noodle-​based dish with carrots, spinach, shiitake mushrooms et al. It’s got some basic seasoning including soy sauce and sesame oil. Most have enjoyed this dish!
— dolsot bibimbap (hot stone bowl) — this is a Koreans version of fried (it’s not really fried or stir-​fried though) rice! They cook the rice on a hot stone bowl so it gets crispy on the bottom. It’s usually topped with lots of vegetables (carrots, spinach, mushroom and whatever else), bulgogi, and sunny side egg.
Give it a try!

Really good food. 4 stars because they skimp a bit with side dishes.
This shouldn’t be a HUGE concern, just a bit annoying.
We usually get the seafood Bibimbap.
Fantastic.
Definitely a lunch destination as lunch prices are significantly less.

PROS: Meat was tasty.
CONS: Two orders of Korean BBQ are not enough. My bf and I were literally eating the remnants of the banchan, which is obviously few and far in between. If you are looking to get full here, this is not the place for you. Also, there was an East Asian family that ate near us, and they got rice. We did not receive any rice with our orders. Also, we had to ask for more banchan. We didn’t even come hungry to this restaurant, nor do we have huge appetites and the amount of food did not suffice. Also, it is pricey in comparison to places like Dongneh Bangneh (impeccable — please try them. Also known as Kimchi House). One last thing, we did not receive soups/​egg like we have at every Korean BBQ place we have been to… and we are pretty avid KBBQers. Do not come here.

Whether you want to or not, the waitstaff will cook your food for you at the table.
This ruins the whole Korean BBQ grill experience.
Not only that, they’ll do it real fast so whether you’re ready to the next dish, it’s cooked. They won’t even ask you how you want your steak cooked. They won’t wait for you to collect the meat from from the grill, and whether or not your guests care for steak, they’ll place the steak on everyone’s plate. The waitress placed the ALL the shrimp on the grill then walked away. Shrimp is not to be left too long on the grill or else, they’ll be tough. We weren’t even finished with our steak.
The staff’s attitude tells me that they don’t like their job. VERY off-​putting.
Even if the food is good, which it is, I wouldn’t come back. I’ll make the trek out to Honey Pigs.

Went here with 7 friends for a birthday celebration. We had a mixture of BBQ and prepared dishes. We got here early and there were very few people around. It became much busier later in the evening. We had a few beers and Soju to accompany the meal. We ordered 7 dishes for the group to have it family style. The waitress was annoyed that we only ordered 7 dishes despite it totally $ 200+ The food was tasty but the service was nothing short of terrible. There are quite a few good Korean BBQ places in the area and there is no need to settle for poor service.

Average food, slightly overpriced. You can find better Korean restaurants in the area.

I was hesitant b/​c of the negative rating but I was very pleased with the food. We got the yook gae jang ($ 9.99). It was typical with the noodles at the bottom. No complaints there. The seafood pancake ($ 15 for the large) was good. It came on a hot stone plate so it stayed warm throughout our meal. The mul nang myun ($ 9.99) was good as well. They put in more cucumbers and radish than other places. The side dishes were on the better side compared to other Korean restaurants. The variety and taste was good. They happily refilled it upon request.
The place itself is pretty well maintained. It has signs of age but it’s in good condition. There is a general seating area and then some sectioned off areas. The service was friendly as well. We were greeted upon entry and departure. They have the service bell buttons on the table to call for help.
I would recommend this place.

The good thing about this place is that it’s open late. There’s plenty of seating esp. for large groups of 6+. The other Korean dishes are what you would expect. Nothing different or special about it that would separate this place from others. The BBQ here is delicious but pretty expensive. I do come here from time to time but for the most part we venture over to Duluth. Though it’s further out from inside the perimeter, I think it’s worth the drive given the number of options.
The service here is good. Haven’t had any problems. Plenty of parking. Just your typical Korean restaurant.

Another one of Buhi’s collections of restaurants, Han Il Kwan offers a variety of traditional Korean dishes that may surprise you with how good it is — I know I was a little surprised after reading all of the other reviews on Unilocal.Some of my favorite items were Hae Mul Pa Jun (Korean Pancake), Dook Bae Gi Bulgogi, and Soondubu Jjigae. Servers were really sweet and friendly. I’ve been twice already and it’s been good both times. Not sure if they were having off days when other people visited this place, but I think it’s worth a try. It’s a pretty decent Korean restaurant that I know I’ll be back to try in the future if they keep dishing out good meals like the ones I’ve had.
LOCATION/​PARKING:
Located on Buford Highway right off the I-​285 exit. The sign is really big so you can’t really miss it. Parking lot is a decent size and I haven’t had trouble finding a spot the last two times I’ve been.
ATMOSPHERE/​DESIGN:
We went for dinner and it’s really bright and lit up inside. Nothing sticks out too much in their design, but they’ve separated the restaurants into two areas — kbbq or entrée menus. They also have service buttons on the table to call for a server if you need something, which I find is always convenient.
FOOD:
I was a little iffy about the place after reading some of the Unilocal reviews, but food was surprisingly really good. Here is the list of items I’ve tried from my last two visits:
Hae Mul Pa Jun
Ahhh, this appetizer was soo good! It’s a Korean style seafood pancake. It’s made with batter eggs, wheat flour, and rice flour and comes with green onions and different seafood items such as calamari and mussels. I think our included just those with some bell peppers at the top.
Dook Bae Gi Bulgogi
This dish was also really good! It’s a soup that comes with bulgogi, which is grilled marinated beef, and enoki mushrooms. The bulgogi really helps flavor the soup because it’s been marinated, and it goes really nicely with the added enoki mushrooms. Not spicy at all if you’re looking to try something different.
Kimchi Jjigae
Another traditional soup dish with kimchi, pork, and tofu in a spicy stew. This one was really good too. Really flavorful.
Soondubu Jjigae
Ahhh! Soondubu! I looooveee this dish. It’s basically tofu soup with your choice of meat. In this case, we chose to get it with beef. Since this place isn’t just your regular tofu house, I wasn’t expecting too much, but it was actually good! The flavors were amazing and it has just enough beef and tofu. Super delish!
Dolsot Bibimbop
This entrée is huggeeee. I wasn’t expecting it to be so big. Be careful though because it comes out really hot. They basically bring you the whole skillet that they cooked everything on. It comes with mixed mushroom, mung bean, carrot, radish, driftweed, watercress, zucchini, ground beef, and egg over a bed of rice with your hot sauce on the side. There are a lot of items to this dish and I love it! The only complaint I have is that they didn’t give enough beef. Most of it was just the other items, which I wasn’t too upset with, but it turned to be more of a vegetarian dish and I would have liked to have had more meat in there.
Bulgogi
We also got a entrée of just bulgogi, which is thinly sliced beef that’s been marinated in their house sauce with onions. It’s a classic Korean dish and it was done really well here. Meat was marinated really well.
Hae Mul Bok Um
Last but not least, the stir-​fry goodness. This dish came with mixed seafood such as shrimp, octopus, and mussels in their spicy sauce. I liked this dish but it was just a little too saucy for me.
SERVICE:
Service was pretty good. I think it was better the first time around. It seemed like the second time around they were a little understaffed so it took a little longer to get our order in, but nothing too terrible. The servers were really sweet and friendly.
OVERALL:
I’ve been really satisfied both times I’ve been to this place. I really like the food and I can’t wait to try other items on the menu.

Probably the best Korean restaurant ITP. Sure the building is a bit old but the for is consistently good here.
I understand the concerns about service but SK you breed to do is ring the bell on your table and someone will come by.
I recommend the spicy pork as well as the short ribs. They are awesome.

Way back when, a good Korean buddy took us out to Buford Highway. ‘This,’ he said, ‘is authentic Korean food.’ We enjoyed the lunch boxes and I thought it was pretty tasty (I was pretty hungover).
Years later I worked for a company nearby. I managed to build enough clout to trick everyone to come here. «See! I said, raising my fists into the air, «Look at all these delicious meats. You can get a box lunch plan with all the various compartments at a moderate price or the Bibimbop, also good.» Everyone clapped and I got employee of the month.
Later that year I tried to take a date here, but she did not like it. Oh well, I remembered, I was tripping on acid most of 2013 – 14.
Most of the penguins that were there were pretty friendly. One waddled up and asked me how I was doing. At the time I wasn’t sure, but the penguin seemed to have been there a while so I didn’t want to seem rude. I was in Seattle at the time.

For reasons that are probably fairly obvious, I’m extremely critical when it comes to Korean food and Korean restaurants. So often is the case, either the service is good and the food is lacking, the food is good but the service leaves a lot to be desired, or somewhere floating between the two spectrums.
The location brings a lot of nostalgia to me, as it’s basically where the old Tofu 88 restaurant was, which is basically right off of the Buford Highway exit on the north end of I-​285. Needless to say, given the location, getting there might be somewhat of a hassle at the wrong time of day, but otherwise, a location right off the highway is fairly easy to get to.
Upon entering, the interior and décor really isn’t that different from any Korean restaurant that’s been open for more than 10 years. Lots of wood fixtures, stereotypical Asian décor adorn Han Il Kwan, and they have several private rooms, one of which I was in at the time of my visit.
The service was friendly enough, but a little lacking in attention. Not once were waters refilled, a drink order was forgotten and necessitated a reminder, and not that I have any problem with tending to my own table-​top grilling, technically they’re the ones responsible for it, so that those who don’t know what they’re doing turn their meat into charcoal. Needless to say, they’re probably short-​staffed, or the service is a little bit lacking in quality.
As for the food, as is the case with lots of Korean restaurants, ordering «entrees» is kind of ambiguous and at your own risk. That being said, if you’re not careful, costs shoot up, and not necessarily the quantity of food if you’re ordering multiple orders of a particular meat, so anyone who goes to a K-​BBQ joint should always keep this in mind. Otherwise, the cost of table-​top BBQ is about as pricey as most Korean sit-​down restaurants, and one can expect to pay $ 20 – 35 per «entrée» depending on the type of meat ordered.
Ultimately, the barometer that I use when visiting a Korean restaurant is one simple question: would I bring my parents here? As for Han Il Kwan’s sake, I’d have to say no. My parents would cry foul at the cost of entrees, probably be critical of the slow service, name at least two other Korean establishments that have/​had something cheaper/​better, and generally make me regret bringing them here.
Personally, I’m okay with them, but three stars is the best I can give them.