HQ Korean BBQ & Hot Pot- Pensacola

Experience and serve was amazing. All you cook and eat and they bring you plenty. I was very pleased with my visit and looking forward to returning soon.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

HQ Korean BBQ & Hot Pot redefines family dining with a luxurious twist! The $37.99 combo delivers endless premium meats, seafood, and veggies, cooked at your table in a chic setting. The hot pot broths (miso and spicy stand out) are crafted with care, and the sushi add-ons feel like a high-end treat. Staff is attentive and warm, making it a sophisticated yet fun outing. No other AYCE in Pensacola compares!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Don't come here if you have young kids that are not going eat. You WILL be charged. We were a party of 8 all ready to enjoy the experience. My 7 yr old who is a picky eater was already fed before we got there because we know he doesn't like this type of food. Come to find out from the rude guy at the counter that everyone sitting at the table will be charged regardless if you're eating or not. This is a first for my AYCE experience. Every other place allows for noneaters to be a part of the group especially a young child. Guess this place doesn't trust their clientele. Needless to say we will never take our business here. What a bad customer policy for family with young kids.

Service: 1

I recently dined here with a group of 13 for a birthday event, and I can honestly say it was one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. From the very beginning, the host was incredibly rude and dismissive, making us feel unwelcome and uncomfortable.

While our server was alright, they struggled to handle the situation effectively when some of our food never arrived. When we asked about it, we were told that since our two-hour time limit had passed, we couldn’t get our food. This was infuriating, especially since we had ordered before the time was up!

When I asked to speak with the manager, Shawn, it went from bad to worse. Not only was he dismissive, but he was outright rude and condescending. His complete lack of concern for our experience was shocking. We spent a lot of money expecting a decent meal and service, yet he didn’t apologize or even attempt to resolve the issue, showing a blatant disregard for customer satisfaction. To top it off, they denied our request for a military discount unless you were active military, which is appalling given the sacrifices made by service members. It’s hard to understand how someone with such poor interpersonal skills is in a managerial position. Shawn clearly lacks the basic understanding of customer service that one would expect from a leader in a restaurant.

We have eaten at many times in the past, but after this experience, we will never ever come back because of Shawn. I will not be recommending anyone to dine here either. This place is a disaster. There are far better options out there that actually care about their customers and understand the basics of hospitality.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 2

Service: 1

Came here for a special night, my partners birthday. Manager Shawn was completely awful, and had the worst customer service I’ve ever experienced. Refused military discount saying it’s only for active military? . When we had an issue with our order he was rude and ignorant, did not help or do anything to make the situation better or get us our food. Honestly all the staff we dealt with had a bad attitude, but truly blown away at how a manager would allow such a terrible experience for a large party who’s dropping a lot of money. I will defer anyone instead of recommending this place.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 2

Service: 1

Be hungry for real. Dont over collect items. Its a charge for waste

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Awful service. Our server took a full plate of sushi away from my daughter and threw it in the trash. Our server was super unfriendly. We told her it was our first time and she did not explain how the BBQ worked to my family. My daughter was super excited to go but now we will not be back.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 3

Service: 1

Bring your eating stretchy pants and a large wallet.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I 10/10 recommend. It's a great experience every time I visit

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I found their selection of spices to be very lacking which lead to a very bland meal. The idea of bbq your food at your table seemed like a very cool idea, until you find such a limited choice of oil and seasonings available. The sushi was quite good however, and my server Alyssa was quite charming and sweet, very professional.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 2

Service: 5

The Experience & Atmosphere:
The atmosphere is modern, lively, and often described as a great spot for both friends and family. The core of the experience is the tabletop grilling for Korean BBQ and the personal hot pots. Diners love the fun and interactive element of grilling high-quality meats, like sliced ribeye beef and lamb, right at their table and customizing their meal to perfection. Everything is easily ordered via a convenient touchscreen at your table, ensuring your food is brought out quickly and efficiently.
The Food and Variety:
The all-you-can-eat model is praised for its excellent quality meats and impressive variety.
Korean BBQ: The grill experience is a highlight, with plenty of flavorful meat options and fresh vegetables to cook.
Hot Pot: There is a large selection of soups for the hot pot, including the Korean Kimchi soup base, which one reviewer absolutely adored. The shabu shabu (Japanese hot pot) options are also highly recommended.
Beyond BBQ: They also offer sushi, with many enjoying specialty rolls like the HQ Roll and the Rainbow Roll.
Sauce Bar: A self-serving sauce and condiment bar allows you to create the perfect flavor profile for your meal, with options ranging from Korean to Japanese and Chinese styles.
Exceptional Service:
The service at HQ is consistently noted as being top-notch. Servers like Kristine, Amanda, and Raylynn are frequently mentioned by name for being friendly, knowledgeable, and incredibly attentive. They make sure water and hot pot broths are refilled and are helpful with guiding first-time visitors through the process, which greatly enhances the overall dining experience.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 5

Service: 5

Manager cut us off after only 2 bottles of sake and refused to serve us any more alcohol guess she don't like money 😒

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Been here a few times and let me start off with saying I have never had a bad experience with the staff. The wait staff is wonderful and very attentive. Honestly, the best deal is getting both the hot pot and BBQ. I typically get just the hot pot and find that it has plenty of ingredients to choose from. I also LOVE the AYCE sushi, the sushi is great and has a wide variety. The BBQ only option could have more vegetable options and I find that its menu could have more variety overall.

The bubble tea option is something to consider, but you HAVE TO be willing to accept a loss if your boba tea isn't good. I didn't order my tea with tapioca, but they brought it out with tapioca and the quality of it was awful. It had no flavor, was not mushy or hard, but this weird... plastic like consistency? Almost like a firm jelly, but not chewy. I mentioned this to the waitress and she informed me that they (and I'm capitalizing this for people skimming reviews) CANNOT REFUND, REMAKE, OR REPLACE the bubble tea but offered a soft drink as an option. I just asked for a cup because the tea was fine but BOY that tapioca was BAD.

Anyway, I'll be back regardless. It's a good spot to get your hot pot fix despite the steep prices.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 5

Small portions but good food. Unique sushi rolls and good ambience

This is a cook your own meal. They give you options and bring everything you need to cook your food. My wife lovex it, but I would rather be served prepared food. It depends on your preference.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5