Beque Holic

Really fun find for Father’s Day. We’ve been meaning to try this place for a while and did not disappoint. Price is what I’d expect for an ‘event’ type restaurant like a Yamato’s (accept here you’re the cook). Diners are given there choice of raw meats to cook on small grill embedded into the table. The only negative was too many choices. The AYCE $ 24 is a good deal, but everyone at table needs to get the same, which wasn’t a problem for us, but might be for some. In addition to the DIY meat, a bunch of side dishes come with the meal (and keep coming). All in all, a great place for an event meal with family or friends. We’ll be back.

I absolutely love eating at Beque Holic. Both the food and customer service are ASTOUNDING. The manager is always sure to greet us and check on our table. Usually, my boyfriend and I come in on a Friday afternoon if we’re celebrating the end of an exam or something. The great thing about coming in on a Friday afternoon is that they not only have happy hour after 9 p.m. everyday, but they also offer that deal during Friday lunch. The servers are always willing to explain to you the side dishes and how to cook your meat if you’re new to it. I’ve come here way too many times and know exactly what I want. The waiter even memorized my drink order!
I always get Option A because I really love brisket and belly. With it, I ask for some soy bean paste which makes everything all the more delicious. Their side dishes are great! I personally love the bean sprouts, kimchi, and daikon. I wish that their daikon wraps weren’t wasabi flavor, though. They used to have red/​pink ones so I’m a bit disappointed but it doesn’t take away that much from the meal. I honestly just love eating hear. It’s a bit pricy, but I think it’s worth it – both the food and service. I always feel welcomed and that alone makes me want to come back.

Make sure to come really really hungry so you can really enjoy the food. Everything was exceptional. I loved bulgogi and all the sides. There are different options on all you can eat. We got the one for $ 28. It was worth the money. Highly recommend it.

I went there for 2^nd time yesterday with my boyfriend’s family. I am glad that we have a quality Korean bbq restaurant like this place in Gainesville. The food is quality and the side dishes are refillable.
The servers are also friendly and helpful.
Love this place !:)

The only AYCE kbbq place in town, so there not much options to choose from. I’ve been to kbbq in LA, Atlanta, and Orlando. Price wise, this place overcharges way too much, but since they’re the only store there’s nothing you can do if you want kbbq. The food is as you expect it’s good, sauces are great, staff is friendly and very accommodating. I definitely have to say the manager there is really cool, I came in for a birthday once and we were okay with being split up bc of how large our group was and he gave us the reserved room for free so we could all be together. That was great customer service. I make my own yogurt soju and for around $ 20 and its around 1liters, for $ 10 in their soju with around 8 shots worth, I think is a little much. I ordered 3 once and my check rang me around $ 60 – 70.

Very good Korean BBQ. We had bulgogi and the spicy squid. Fun, delicious, VERY generous portions. service was on point too. Awesome addition to the Gainesville food scene.

First, I’m surprised that there’s a kbbq here in Gainesville! The food here is great.
We didn’t do the all you can eat, we ordered off the menu. We had the kalbi (pork ribs) spicy chicken and 2 orders of bulgolgi (thinly sliced beef) for 4 people. This order comes with many sides and miso soup and rice per order.
The miso soup was disappointing and it was the first thing I tried so I was very hesitant on the food. The rest of the food was great. the flavoring and portions on the meat was amazing. I didn’t care for the side of turnip because of the wasabi flavoring (just not a fan of wasabi).
I’m glad we didn’t do the all you can eat because what we ordered was plenty for 4 people and still had a lot of food left for the next day. It was a cheaper alternative to the 28 dollar per person for the ayce option 2.
Our server wasn’t very attentive. He barely came over to check on us and our waters was always left empty even if he was staring at it unless you specifically asked him for a refill (it’s almost finals week so I’ll give him a pass).
I still gave this place a 5 star because I don’t want his «bad day» to take away from what this place has to offer. Great food and great vibe. Must go try!

First time here and won’t be my last! By far the best food, service and hospitality I’ve had in a long time! The hostess did an amazing job describing the menu in detail and answered all our questions. The gentleman who cooked our food described all the appetizers and suggested how to use with our meats. He made sure we were always well stocked with appetizers! The Manager came by and spoke to us and we let him know how great everything was! I wish I could give this place 10 stars!

One word– wow! This place was so fun and out of the box. At first, all the different options and sides are a little overwhelming but they soon become exciting and fun to play around with.
We got the combo meal for two and it was a lot of food! Our favorites were the brisket and bulgolgi. Between all the sauces and sides there are so many different options making each bite unique. The meat is all very tender and flavorful and of course it’s really fun getting to cook it yourself!
Besides the amazing food, the service was also excellent. Some of the best service I’ve had in Gainesville, everyone was so friendly and accommodating.
I can’t wait to go back and try more things, if you’ve never been this is a really great place to come with friends or just for an interesting date night!

I often crave this restaurant when I want a big meal and want to catch up with friends.
It is certainly not the best KBBQ out there but for Gainesville it’s pretty good. I usually order the AYCE A which comes with 4 meats, my go to are the brisket and pork belly. I’ve tried their spicy chicken and squid but it’s not anything special. What I really like about this restaurant is that they give a lot of side dishes such as kimchi, rice, soup, salad, etc. Also, I noticed that when you ask for a second or third serving of meat, they give you less portions each time. I think this is so customers will finish all of their food. I personally like that since there have been many times where I gave up because there was just too much meat on the table.
The restaurant is very nice with lots of seating, modern décor, and many TVs. They also have a private dining room if you want to eat in big groups. I have noticed that the servers are coming to check on tables frequently so you won’t have to worry about not getting your food. The manager is very nice and he likes to come to each table to personally check up on customers.
The one thing I don’t like is their confusing specials. They have Happy Hour so you can get the AYCE for $ 19.99 and their birthday special. My word of advice is to call ahead because most of their specials or discounts only apply if you bring 4 or more people except for Happy Hour. There have been numerous times where I had a coupon but couldn’t use it because there were only 2 people in my party. I wish they would be more specific.

We ordered Combo A. Substituted Teriyaki Chicken for the squid. All of the sides were excellent. Added unique flavors to the meal. The 5 different meats were excellent. Cooking the food with your date also adds intrinsic value to the meal. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed this experience.

It was the first time that I went to this place. The service was bad but I have this place 3 stars because of the food and the fact I got all you can eat for $ 15 instead of the usually $ 30. If it was for a friend of mine I’m sure I would not know how to cook the food lol. I would recommend the teriyaki glazed chicken and pork belly. It was fun getting to cook some of the meat. The ice cream Michu was delicious too.

This place is such a cool and fun experience to enjoy with friends and family. The food quality and unique selection of meats and side dishes are absolutely amazing.
We ordered the Combo meal for four people. Absolutely worth the price. It brings way more than enough meat for four people. The menu states that it comes with 7 meat options, but it actually brings an extra that is not on the menu for a total of 8 different meats! The unlimited side dishes help fill you right up if (for some reason) you are not satisfied with the amount of meat provided to you. All of the flavors were so so so tasty! Also, the service was excellent and atmosphere was pleasant.
I’ll be going back for the birthday special very soon.

For KBBQ fans out there in Gainesville, this is the place to go to. While not the best KBBQ you will ever have in your life, I find myself craving this place quite often as of recent, so that means it must be good, right? Currently, there is a deal going on where it is $ 19.99 for unlimited KBBQ after 10pm, and that is a pretty good deal in comparison to the other few Korean options here in Gville.
The quality of meat here is not bad at all. My favorite to order is the spicy pork and beef brisket. However, there are 3 different categories to select when choosing unlimited KBBQ, and option A does not include the pork, therefore you have to upgrade. My disappointment with this place is the way they have categorized the meats. The cheapest meat option of course has fewer meats but offers squid and chicken as well. However, option B provides more meat options (like my favorite pork). Then option C of course is the most expensive with the most options. I like their food regardless, it just all adds up when you’re trying to enjoy your dinner.
In terms of service, the people here have always been very friendly and attentive. They regularly check on me and make sure I have enough meat and that the grill is clean. I do feel that there are times where they can check on me more frequently, however, those are on days where they are very busy and may be understaffed. I wish that they explained to those who are not knowledgeable on KBBQ a little bit on their cuisine. While I know what I am doing whenever I get KBBQ, I feel that they left me to fend on my own quite abruptly and assumed that I knew what I was doing without even asking. Regardless, I have not had a bad experience here yet that has caused me to not want to return. They have been polite and respectful to me, and somewhat conversational.
The restaurant has a modern sleek design. Mostly black with booths and tables for seating. It is spacious and I never feel that it is overcrowded when I am there. Overall, this is the best KBBQ that you’ll find in Gville and I highly recommend.

Korean food, yes!
Korean music? Kpop? I’d rather listen to that rather than what they play while I eat my kimchi and rice!

We were in Gainesville for a conference and were pleasantly surprised to find Korean BBQ. We live in Miami but grew up in NJ where there is so much good Korean food. There is minimal Asian food in Miami other than the Americanized fast food takeout, sadly. This was our first stop because I had been craving Korean BBQ for months. We ordered the combo for 2 ($ 50) which left us STUFFED. The banchan was kimchi and an assortment of radishes prepared different ways. We also had seemed eggs, salad, and a side of French fries which I thought was cute! The service was very attentive. If you aren’t familiar with Korean BBQ the servers explained everything as soon as we sat down. We will definitely be back! Probably this week!

Excellent food at a reasonable price. There was a great selection of all you can eat meats and the side accompaniments were delicious. Wonderful and attentive servers and staff. The manager came by multiple times to ask how things were going.
Yes, you cook your own meats but it’s fun and social! Great location for a date night and for those wanting to put down their cell phones and actually have a real conversations.
Atmosphere was appropriately intimate with a trend towards adults and a night on the town. Great place to start your evening before heading across the street for an evening movie. No need for popcorn with as much as you can get! We will definitely be back.

I went here on a date with my husband and we ordered the tier 2 all you can eat BBQ. They give you a LOT of meat at a time, which was very nice– they weren’t trying to skimp. However, you can only order 3 types of meat at a time. When you order more, there is kind of a wait for it– I think on purpose, hoping you get full before you eat any more. The waiter was very nice and attentive– he was helpful in cooking our meats. The drinks were fairly priced, and they have specials often. I give it 4 stars because though the food was good, it wasn’t spectacular. This is a nice place to go for reliable, good quality Korean BBQ.

Part 2 of 2 of Updated Review (refer to old review for info on food)
More improvements recommended for service.
Educational Aspect/​Cooking
If Beque Holic wants to attract more than the Korean Niche and to truly bring KBBQ into Gainesville as a cuisine for everyone, then they need to provide an extraordinary educational experience especially to those who have never done it before. Because the cooking is so interactive and fulfilling because the customer makes his own delicious food, it can be alot of fun! However if the customer has no one to lead them or no idea what to do, the experience can seem daunting especially if they don’t want to pay for not eating food that they may horribly burn.
1) Make sure customers turn on their burners early on.
By the time the first set of meat comes out you want your customers be able to cook so that there’s no awkward wait time. My server didn’t do this and instead I had to tell my friends after I noticed halfway into the side dishes being brought out.
2) Make sure that burners are not too hot
We weren’t told the importance of monitoring the temperature, which I was a little lax about halfway into the meal. For example if you have a new burner and are about to cook bulgogi you’ll want a lower heat than if you were doing pork belly because you don’t want the marinade to burn, which will happen if there is no layer of residue oil from cooking unseasoned meat. As a result our second round of bulgogi was slightly burnt, although still delicious.
Possible Improvements
1) Assign one waiter/​waitress, or one server and cook to each table only.
Part of a great service is being able to talk and learn from your server. Although we had a primary server, we had 3 other servers as well at various parts of the meal. This makes it more difficult to form that connection with the server which makes it more difficult to request refills and new items as you don’t know exactly who to ask. Also it just inhibits clear communication and does not help the educative process. During my first visit I had a wonderful server named Daniel who organized an exotic meat tour while he helped us get started cooking. Additionally this made it easier for him to describe the meat, concept, and work ethic of the restaurant as we regularly saw him during the course of the meal. I understand that they may have multiple people at each table so that they can train them on the job since there isn’t too much business yet. Yet while our male server was good this time, that first time with Daniel was a far better experience because he was our only server.
2) Help your customers cook squid and pork/​red bulgogi or at least make sure they know how to their first time as it is more difficult to tell whether this meat is done based off of visual cues.
3) Make sure to describe what makes their meat high-​quality as it enhances the experience and builds better trust with the business.
4) Make sure to be more consistent with some items: For example my first time I had some nice pumpkin or sweet potato come out with my meat, however I had to request it my second time around after seeing that it was missing. I know that non-​oriental people may not appreciate it as much, however I would like to know that it is there.
5) Have alternatives to the wasabi wraps such as lettuce which conveys a nice fresh crisp while also being relatively inexpensive. While I enjoy the wraps I know that a few of my friends did not like them because of the wasabi background taste.
6) Get more feedback! I know me and some friends would definitely like to see some fish cakes as side dishes.
In conclusion: While the service could use some work, the spirit of the restaurant is great. You can tell that they are making a considerable effort in trying to please their customers, and while I have outlined some things I’d like to see changed; overall they were very congenial and honored our requests even when communication was unclear. I was told that they were supposed to have their grand opening after a week, however they are still in their soft opening and I can see why. They are still working out some of their kinks, however make no question that their food is amazing. The foundation is there they just need to refine it.

Overall, my impression of BeQue Holic was favorable, but there are gaps in the concept and menu that I feel need to be addressed before I would consider returning.
We went to BeQue Holic around 11pm after a film at Royal Park. I read the ever adorable Michael «Venustas» C’s review waiting for the film to start, so I knew it would be open late, and I was really looking forward to checking this place out. I was hoping BeQue Holic would be a viable alternative to Ballyhoos for our regular after movie drink, snack, film review spot.
We got off to a bad start. They only have beer and wine. It is a pricey, higher-​end dining experience, and they have no booze. That makes it a place I cannot take my husband, or my family and friends, alcoholics all of them. Ironically, it is called BeQue Holic — if they understand addiction, they should understand that an addictive personality must feed the need, and they have no booze. Also, while I am on the name thing, the name BeQue Holic is a little sophomoric for a restaurant at this level. It may have seemed like a great name late at night when thinking up names for the restaurant, but in the morning when sober, you pick a name that is not trying so hard to be clever, and conveys the Korean, at your table, barbeque experience.
The spirit and enthusiasm of the server was absolutely off the chart. LOVED him! And the manager was very nice and welcoming to us as well. The service was great. It is important to me that you understand that I really want this place to survive and thrive. I do not think it is going to do that, but I REALLY WANT IT. The fact that this place serves up authentic Korean BBQ makes me want it all the more.
But here are the problems; the menu is complex and confusing, and requires a lot of educating if you are not a Korean Barbeque savant, and a late night menu needs to have options for people who are not looking to sit down and eat a giant meal. At 11pm after a movie, two tiny people who had dinner earlier do not want and cannot eat an All You Can Eat feast of meat. The waiter set us up with the only lite bite they had to offer, barbeque wings, that were lovely, but that was the only non-​feast thing available to us from the menu.
There may be a huge pent-​up demand for authentic Korean Barbeque from groups of big eaters who know their way around a Korean Barbeque menu, how it is served, and how it is ordered. God I hope there is. But if that demand is not so great, you still need to fill all those seats, and these things must change of BeQue Holic is going to survive. You MUST get a full liquor license. You must make the menu less intimidating to the uninitiated. And if you are going to be open for the late night munchies crowd, you must have late night munchies to serve them. You should have a GIANT selection of delicious Korean BBQ tasters and appetizers. I do not want to commit to an all you can eat anything at 11 at night. Even at dinner time, I am not a big eater, and I want to try a lot of different stuff to find out what I like. APPETIZERS!
I want to give you 4 stars; actually I want to give you 5 stars, but I have to give you 3 stars because we came in for food and drinks, and after a glass of wine and the only lite bite you had to offer, we went across the parking lot to Ballyhoos for food and drinks.