Best Korean BBQ in Dallas: Ari!
- Catherine Delmonde
- Jul 30, 2023
- 4 min read
Depending on where you live or work in Dallas, different sections of this city will be labeled 'Dallas' to you. For example, some people claim Plano, Texas is 'North Dallas' while others call it 'North of Dallas.' And some folks consider the district of Carrollton to be Dallas as well.
If you happen to live, work or find yourself driving through Carrollton any time soon, there's one Korean BBQ spot that you simply must experience - Ari.
Ari is located on Old Denton Road, in the Super HMart shopping center. You'll find it directly across the street from Raising Canes...and when it comes to the food, ambiance, pricing and customer service, this spot is the very best Korean BBQ in the city.
Before writing this blog post, I visited Ari Korean BBQ three times. The first time I walked into the place, I was actually greeted by the owner, Eugene. I went to Ari with my sister's boyfriend because I heard wonderful things and I found myself in the area while doing some shopping. I had always heard great things about Ari and really wanted to try it so there was no reason to put it off another moment.
The first awesome point was that while you are waiting for your table, they welcome you to wait at their bar (upstairs) or walk around the shopping plaza until your reservation is ready! Within 15 minutes, we were seated. Everyone was happy, friendly and considerate. We both decided to order the beef and pork combo which came with unlimited steamed egg and corn cheese on the side. Let me state that again - unlimited steamed egg and corn cheese. The food was fantastic, the service was remarkable and I didn't spend a fortune. I was beyond satisfied.
About two months later, I found myself returning to Ari on a Thursday evening with my co-workers after work. It was a sizable group, about 10 people. The place was packed and it smelled incredible. The smell of Korean BBQ was absorbed everywhere. We had a party of 9 (plus another person arrived late) and did we decided to order two sets of the "beef and pork combination large for four people" which includes two types of beef and two types of pork. It was plenty of food because it also comes with unlimited steamed egg and cheese corn and additional kimchi jjigae and soybean stew. Talk about an abundance of side dishes! Our order easily covered all the essentials of Korean BBQ such as beef brisket (chadolbaegi) and pork belly (samgyupsal) with more food than we could handle. Regarding the quality of the food itself, their meat is delicious and of good quality which makes Ari so much superior and more popular than other Korean BBQ spots around Dallas (and in Carrollton). Trust me when I tell you that the beef and pork combination (large order) was more than plenty of food for 5 people - we could barely finish it. Without realizing it, we ordered something similar to an all you can eat buffett. It was that much food. The large combination was only $120, making it $30 for four people or $20 for five people. This easily rivals the prices at most all-you-can-eat spots. And...the quality is 5 times better. Five times.
The third and final time I visited Ari, it was a big family night. We went on a Wednesday evening. Once again - surprisingly packed with people, conversation and wonderful smells. My entire family decided to do the beef combo (large, again) and we added an order of their thick cut pork belly. Once again, the meats were all delicious. Superb. My favorite was something called 'finger meat' - it was so tender and the marinate was tasty! While I'm not usually a fan of brisket, I thoroughly enjoyed it with the sesame oil. Thick cut pork belly was a great choice for us too! We asked for it extra crispy and it was delicious with the dipping sauces. After that, I ordered the soy bean soup for the first time in my life and it was really good. There was a nice balance between sweet and salty. It was really flavorful. I was surprised how tasty a 'soy bean soup' could be.
But the best thing on the table had to be their kimchi for me! From the daikon kimchi to the cucumber kimchi, OMG! So so good!! It was actually spicy and it paired well with all the meats. Dare I say, best kimchi I've had. Everything worked well with everything else. Third time was a charm. This place needed a great review.
Five things to know about this spot:
If you can book a reservation, do it. I don't think I've ever been here and didn't have to wait at least 30 minutes before being seated.
I've noticed (like most hot spots) they always get super busy during weekend and nights. If you are coming to Ari on the weekend, try to get an earlier than normal reservation to ensure you beat the dinner rush or you might find yourself waiting longer than you wish.
If you need to wait for your table, wait at the lounge upstairs. Don't leave. Go upstairs, get a drink and chat. Your table will be available sooner (when you aren't thinking about it).
Order conservatively. A menu item such as 'the small beef combo' easily feeds 2 people. For a party of about 5 people, you can order the 3-person Beef Combo and added on pork belly and short rib; maybe an extra plate of meat as well as the steamed egg and cheesy corn. Order small and see how much you get in return. You'll be so happy.
If you enjoy sampling different/great beer, they have the Korean beer named 'Terra'. It's fantastic. Give it a shot.
Visit Ari the next time you're in the area. You will not be disappointed!
2625 Old Denton Rd Apt 800, Carrollton, TX 75007
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