This is a small little joint where food is fantastic, price is reasonable and service is good. A little gem for those staying around Melbourne South East area. Limited seats available so be prepared to wait for 10 to 15 mins during peak weekends. Weekdays are usually good.
Service is always fast and lady boss is very friendly. All of the items we tried are yummy, they are chicken teriyaki, beef bulgogi and the veggie pancake.
If you can’t find parking in front of restaurant, there’s another bigger car park located at the back of the Restaurant.
Kimchi Friends has been a favourite for a number of years now. The quality of the food hasn't changed and the staff are still as friendly as ever. Will continue to eat here for as long as I can!
I've been to Kimchi Friends so many times now as the food was cheap and very authentic. It's a small shop with customers generally entering in and out and some takeaway as well.
Highlights: I love the side dishes they offer like the agegashi tofu and kimchi! so good and not many korean places offer that as their side dish. The kimchi stew, fried rice, bulgogi is always my go to as well as the curry katsudon!
Lowlights; I noticed after a while the portion got a little smaller but price increased. This was a little upsetting but the food was already cheap so it was okay.
Overall a really good Korean place that I would highly recommend.
3.5*
Quite basic however authentic korean food. Came here as a restaurant we intended to go to was closed. Not amazing but was decent, overall a nice place if you want a quick korean fix.
I remember coming here over 10 years ago with my family all the time, the food taste the same from back then and the menu haven’t changed much at all! I was very impressed, pricing very affordable, filing and taste so good.
Owners very friendly, looking forward to come back :)
The restaurant looks like running by a family. Food is very taste...not like other commercial korean restaurants taste the same. Friendly service. Will be back.
If you want the best beef bulgogi the South Eastern suburb, you should give this place a try! Hands down my favourite Korean restaurant to go. The owner is really kind too. N.B. they take card but it has to be $20 or more.
This restaurant has maintained its reputation as one of the most popular korean restaurants in Chadstone for many years, even when the number of Korean restaurants in Melbourne was half of what we see today. Our favourite menu to order is the beef bulgogy set and the chicken cheese set. In our last visit, we tried a big bowl of ginseng chicken soup (5*, $19), japcae and the spicy chicken set. The latter comes with a bowl of rice and kimchi set. The restaurant provides an urn for rice tea and water for self serve.
No fuss, no frills- I just come here for the good food. The prices are cheap and the food comes out fast, it’s quite perfect for those grabbing a quick bite to eat during their lunch break.
For an entree, we shared the Hae Mul Pa Jun- the Korean style seafood pancake. This is one of my favourite entrees to get at a Korean restaurant, and Kimchi Friends’ seafood pancake did not disappoint, was delicious.
The Beef Bulgolgi set came with soup, kimchi, sliced fish cake, bean sprouts and a bowl of rice- definitely worth the $13.50 that I paid for. Probably my favourite beef bulgolgi that I’ve had so far, the beef was thinly sliced and marinated well. Couldn’t have been more satisfied with our meal here.
GANGSTER food at Kimchi Friends. A popular homely restaurant with friendly and efficient staff. Food was tasty, came out quick and prices quite reasonable. Recommend the spicy calamari and beef bulgogi bento set. Will def be back.
After a disappointing soondubu jigae in Caulfield a couple weeks back I got it again at this random establishment. Tofu was really soft and silky, soup was spicy and firey. Loved it. The egg got lost in there somewhere and came with slices of pork and a small amount of seafood. Nevertheless it had all the core components down pat, even the banchan wasn't bad.
Cheese buldak looks super tempting. Suprised that this restaurant along the strip was one of the more quiet ones.
Came here for lunch today whilst in the area. I ordered the beef bulgolgi. It was tender and full of flavour. Really great value for money at $13.50. I’m generally not the biggest fan of Kimchi but I really enjoyed it along with the beef. The lady working there was very friendly. Will definitely be back for lunch again soon.
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Small place, offering tasty affordable Korean. Skip the fancy, go here! Shopping in Chadstone and going to the same overpriced food stores, decided to get out of the centre and get some Korean.
Ordered the Cheese Buldak which was more than enough to share between the two of us.
Service: The resturant was empty when we walked in, so there was only three staff members. Got the usual service, nothing extraordinary. What I would expect from a resturant- waitress was nice.
Ambience: The resturant itself is nothing fancy, building itself it old. No decor insight, just some menu posters and the TV. Cleaniness was fine, noyhing effected the dinung experience.
Food: First thing I thought that it was very cheap for Korean, typically I wouldn't find a $10 bibimbap in the city for any central food hubs. Menu was vast in a variety of Korean favorites - also being able to have cheese dishes and add cheese is an added bonus.
Ordered the Cheese Buldak and loved it. Came with miso soup, one rice, side dishes and sizzling plate. $19 fed the both of us, definitely value for money. This buldak had more veges ( bean shoots,onion) than what I've had before which I liked and the flavour.
Would come back here!
I feel I been hitting up the KIM chi friends for years, maybe 10 or so. I bring my friends, I bring your friends, I even make friends at the KIM chi friends.
Rachel, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler, Ross, and Monica are some of my favourite KIM Chi friends! Trust me, if you got to know them as well as I do, you'd def hit this place up on the regular.
Ok in all seriousness the foods legit Korean, and not only that it's lasted a lot of seasons... get it? Like the show friends? You know since I opened this review stating that I been going to this place since like 2007? Haha I'm funny.
Peace.
This is the place that sparked my love for Korean food at a young age! Lovely food, really authentic side dishes- kimchi guys! Once you've finished, the lady will come around asking if you would like more, such a sweet group of owners. Their dishes are wonderful and warm, as well as having a variety of dishes to choose from. Considerably cheap and original, run by true Korean cooks. Can't wait to continue dining here in the future.
A close friend recommend Kimchi Friends and I'm glad we went with their choice. Kimchi Friends is very close to Holmesglen TAFE and the Chadstone Fashion Capital Shopping Centre. There is also a fair amount of parking behind the restaurant. Kimchi Friends update their menu from time to time and often introduces special dishes. The cheesy and spicy buldak was delicious! There was a generous amount of cheese and chicken. The tteokbokki is also another great dish to get. The rice cakes are cooked soft and the spiciness of the sauce is just right. The portions are pretty decent and price is reasonable. Glad we found another good Korean eatery.
Very good. Was in need of a quick meal, exceeded expectations. Very happy with the food. Friendly staff and quick. Recommend to all in the area
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Kimchi Friends and I have been great friends for a long time. Loyal friends. I keep coming back, and they keep serving up excellent fare, at very affordable prices. The food has never disappointed and I'm always full after spending $15 or usually less. If you visit the shopping strip across from Holmesglen TAFE and are wondering which of the Korean restaurants along there is your best bet for a good feed, definitely choose Kimchi Friends.
I went recently after too long an absence to find that they've expanded the menu. It's no longer just your set meals, but now includes favourite Korean dishes such as samgyetang, cheese buldak and naengmyun. However, I got one of my old favourites, the spicy pork set. As expected, it's still served with plenty of rice, side dishes and soup. The pork was as flavoursome and generous as ever. My partner had the stone pot bib bim bap, which tasted good and was generous, however the rice was slightly on the mushy side and either the pot wasn't hot enough or they hadn't left the rice in there long enough before reducing the heat. It may have been a case of heating the pot first then putting all ingredients in, instead of heating the pot with the ingredients. We also ordered the kimchi pancake, which was great--plenty crispy, but not so much towards the centre. I also highly recommend some other old favourites like the beef bulgogi and the baby octopus.
I come here whenever I'm in holmesglen. This place is great!
The kimchi stew and pancake is delicious here, i usually go for their bibimbap as well. The flavours of the food is great, and really hits the spot for me. The price is also very reasonable.
Grear place to go to when you wanna avoid long.queues in Chady, Good variety of menu selections, great value for money compare to other Korean restaurants.
The Girl With Blue Hair
+4
Been craving for some authentic Korean food for a while. Came here based on the reviews on Zomato and it didn't let me down! This looks like a family owned and run Korean restaurant. We had the Seafood and Vegetables Pancake, Takoyaki, Chicken Wings with Soy Sauce and Chicken Ginseng Stew. Loved the Pancake! It's very crispy and flavoursome, just like how they make it in Korea. The Chicken Ginseng Stew is good but I was hoping for stronger Ginseng flavour. Will definitely come back again!
I had been here for a few times. Every visit makes one feels like having a homemade Korean meal. Menu prices are absolutely reasonable with the quality delivered. I like it because it serves really hot kitchen food especially the sizzling dishes or hotpot. It's just an economic heart warming meal in this cold Melbourne weather.
Have loved this little Korean eat out since Uni days. It's economical, tasty and fills you up. Where else can you get the ginseng chicken soup for under $20. Pancake is always crispy and tasty. All their rice dishes comes with miso soup and side dishes so you will definitely feel full after. Complimentary corn tea, can't really ask for more.
I've eaten here many times now and I've never been let down. Excellent value for money, friendly staff, food comes out quickly. This was the first Korean restaurant I tried. I have since been to others but I always find myself coming back here. My favorites are the Kim Chi pancake and the seafood combination, and my partner loves the pork bulgogi.
Came here to have the Jjambbong - spicy seafood noodles. Very authentic - spicy and tangy soup with lots of noodles and seafood. Boneless fried chicken also does not disappoint. Fast service and clean establishment.
MAAAAYNE, this place is decent. Noticed their prices hiked up, though. The seafood combo is classic like... Nas Illmatic good, bih. The salt and pepper wings was fugazi. So bad.
This place is my partner's favourite Korean spot in holmesglen. He has a soft spot for this place and favours it over the slightly more popular neighbour, Let's Bap.
The food here is quite good and tasty but nothing mind-blowing. It's a standard good Korean fare. My favourite is their bulgogi and chicken twikkim. Their soups are also nice and good on a cold night.
We go here often to get or Korean fix as its close by and price is very reasonable.
Came here on a weekday for dinner and there was only one other couple in the restaurant. Ordered their seafood combinations and it came with plenty of baby octopus, and squids and a bit of clams. It was tasty. Waitresses are very polite. Would come again.
food here not bad, i quite like their dobbokki, the spicy rice cake.
the portion of their food is not as big but tasted better than other korean there.
service always good and fast.
Avoid if you're after a fine dining experience. But if you're after a casual yummy Korean food, this is the place to go.
Serving unpretentious hearty delicious authentic Korean food. Friendly service.
We've been coming to this place for at least 4 years (or more!). We travel all the way from the city just to dine at this wonderfully yummy and cheap Korean restaurant. Our favorites are beef bulgogi, spicy octopus, seafood pancake, jabchae, beef ribs, spicy tofu seafood soup and sweet and spicy chicken wings. The staff are friendly and so does the owner. There are a number of Korean restaurants nearby, which we always want to try (to compare) but we can't afford to miss out on this place! :)
Don't let the lack of decor put you off. At present, their Kim Chi Jaege is my most highly rated in Melbourne. Tangy, spicy, and doesn't stint on ingredients. I'd cross town for a Kim chi soup like this.
Don't let the downmarket exterior or the plain interior put you off going into this restaurant. The Korean food is excellent. Service is simple - you order at the counter but the dishes are delivered to your table. When the menu says "very spicy" you had better believe it. We had a couple of Asian spice kings/queens in our party and they were well tested by the most spicy chicken dish - the staff did warn us! We could not finish all the dishes - very generous servings but containers are available for take-away. As well as excellent food, it's good value for money.
Big portion, inexpensive. One of my favorite korean restaurants, not many choices though. I love Galbi(beef ribs), so yummy, prices are not expensive, big portion, home-style cooking.
Good tasty Korean food in a simple homely setting..,Had the pork bulgogi along with the potato noodles and my favorite the kim chi pancake. Great value!
The row of shops across the street from Holmesglen has always been a hot spot for their students during lunch time to dine on various cuisines at great value. There are a few Korean restaurants lining the street and having tried them all, there is one that I always come back to - Kim Chi Friends. The interior is dated, though comfortable, and ordering and payment is done upfront at the counter. Their menu hasn't changed over the decade span which I have been visiting here so whenever we are yearning for some Korean food, we always head here. Mr A's favourite meal is the beef spare ribs. The marinated beef ribs are flavoursome, tender and he seems to find such joy in gnawing through those little ribs. It is wholesome with a bowl of fluffy rice and the usual korean banchan (side dishes). Typical of Korean restaurants, a pair of scissors accompany his bento set to aid with cutting the meat off the bones - Mr A prefers caveman style though. Beef spare ribs set ($) The soondubu jjigae, made
1st time getting Korean...and would have it again!. I looked up UrbSpoon for Korean joints near Chaddy and came across Kim Chi Friends which is located on Warrigal Rd across from Homesglen Tafe. It definitely lived up to the hype of the other reviews on here. I haven't had Korean before so unsure what to order. From seeing the pics on here, I went for the Seafood Combination w Rice. Great choice. Got the mild version, but still had a nice kick to it! Seafood included Baby Octopus, Calamari, little Mussels and baby Prawns. All cooked very well! and for $10.50, there was nothing to complain about. Service is fine (one of those places that's pay-up-front and get your own hot tea - but no matter)
Will be coming back here for sure!
Good value. There's a few restaurants to choose from on this strip opposite Holmesglen but Kim Chi Friends does well to stand out with it's good value. Bimbimbap was a tasty and a solid size with lots of different topping. Girlfriend had the spicy pork which was a very generous serving. Quick service and friendly staff.
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Stheere. TLDR; fast, cheap, and homely. A good serving size, and healthy too.
For $9 I got bibimbap with 8 very simple toppings (minced beef, sauteed matchstick carrots, dressed cucumber, wilted beansprouts, wilted onions, pickled radish, and something else I didn't recognise) + 1 fried egg, 3 kinds of banchan (fish cakes, a really good homemade kimchi, and the beansprout stuff again), a bowl of miso soup, a bottle of water (which I took with me), unlimited piping hot barley tea, and unlimited gochujang (Korean chilli sauce).
$9. /Definitely/ value for money.
There was way more topping than rice (just how I like it), and just enough food to fill you up properly (especially if you drink the tea, that stuff is surprisingly filling!). Also the kimchi itself was REALLY GOOD and I think you can buy that stuff by itself if you wanna take it home? Service was perfectly polite and friendly, if a little brisk (she smiled and said thanks). Pay before you eat, cash only. If it matters to anyone, kitchen is completely visible, and all staff speak Korean.
Complaints are that the toppings were fridge-cold (but if you mix it with the rice you can't tell), there was Safeway premixed salad leaves hidden under the rice (??? WHY), the egg had a solid yolk (unlike in the photo) and they were stingy with the beef mince. Apparently if you ask they give you more mince, so I'll do that next time, along with asking for runny yolk! Unless I ask for dukbokki, because I hear this place makes a good one...
I am the loyalty customer more than six year, good restaurant best Korean food in mel.
Cozy and cheap. Went along for some Bibimbap for dinner.
Never really been for Korean before had no idea what I was doing.
After sitting for a little while friendly staff approached me to let me know about
pay before eat. Why would anyone eat Mcdonalds when this is the same price!I I found myself running out of beef barely into the meal so approached the counter for some more and offered to pay but they said don't worry about it moments later more beef on my table.
Next time I will ask for more beef and two eggs.
Friendly cheap and pleasant I will be back soon.
Lots of calamari. The seafood is mostly calamari & octopus, with traces of tiny shrimps. Tastewise it is quite spicy & delicious. Side dishes are also quite good.
Small cafe but easy to get in and order what you want. If you've between to Korea and you would know what to order. Not too sure if someone haven't been to Korea would know? But it got pictures so it should be easy. I enjoyed the food and it sort of bring back memory, although it would be good if added more beef like in Korea would lol.
Cheap but delicious Korean food in Melbourne
One of the best Kim Chi meals I have had so far. Very casual and cozy feel to the restaurant. Staff are pleasant and the experience was truly joyous.
Their food is authentic and heart warming. Makes you think about homemade food by loving parents... Came here to order beef bulgogi after a stressful day at work, and my heart and tummy felt happy after eating their meal. The side dishes went well with the bulgogi. Perfect amount of rice, meat and side dishes. And the owners are really nice. Would definitely go back here again.
Small, quaint, family-run hawker style Korean restaurant, a few basic tables inside.
8/10 $15.00 Beef Bulgogi, wholesome, delicious and 6/10 $16.00 Chicken Twikim, thin amd overly deep-fried, all were neatly presented.
Self-service for hot corn tea, water and more napkin.
If you like spicy korean food then Kimchi Friends is your best friend! LA Galbi jim and Cheese Buldak are the usual specials, however if you like seafood then the baby octopus meal is incredibly tasty!
I like stopping here as it's convenient and the food is very tasty. It's not a very big menu but that is what is good here. You are not trying to pick out of 300 dishes. A good little stopover for us.
My favourite family owned Korean restaurant. The flavours been consistent throughout the years. I’m a big fan of their stew/soups. Really recommend soon doobuu or kimchi jjigae. My friend here loves their yukgaejang.
Great customer service, the lady was very friendly and overall an excellent experience. The food was very tasty.
Would come again.
Delicious Korean food in a small shoplot.
Love the spicy pork bulgogi &soondubu tchigae.
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