Note - I’m not Korean so I’m not qualified to judge the meal

I poked around to see what it was like. It’s pretty small - seats 60 at the most

When we got there, the wait was 20 minutes.

Staff are helpful enough ... but when we opened the menu I didn’t realize it’s bibimbap only.

13 items on the menu. 4 items were “unavailable” at 6:30 PM on a Wednesday. For a new restaurant (any for that matter), especially with a menu that small, I believe to be unacceptable. You better be running at full steam when you first open.

I got bulgogi bibimbap; my parents the mountain vegetable bibimbap; my wife the beef soelungtang (sp?) - tasted good enough. Just soured by the limited menu experience. Not going back there again.

I went there the other day for lunch.  It is a small place (max capacity 39) and you need to go early (otherwise you sign your name on a whiteboard outside the restaurant and will have to wait).  The furnishings (chairs, tables) were very nice and the build of the menu was impressive too. 

Yup, 4 of the items were unavailable.  I got the #8 (like someone else did in another thread) and it wasn’t bad.  We saw some folks sit down, look at the menu, and then leave.  My guess is that it was due to the lack of variety on the menu.

Make sure you bring a Visa, Mastercard, or cash.  No Amex - it’s too complicated (as I was told)

Amex charges alot of money as well as well as a fee for each and every transaction.  Expensive indeed.
good luck
-bix

Not expensive, just complicated

My wife and I are Korean and we have lived in Ktown (LA) and Fullerton. After we moved to Irvine in September we have been dying for some good homey Korean food (no bbq please!). Being born here in the states, our Korean cooking skillz are not very good.

We went to Chae Bahn last week and were ecstatic to find a decent bowl of Sul Lung Tang in Irvine (Beef Bone Soup). We didn’t even look at the Bibimbap, there’s plenty of that at HMart. We will be back! We killed that Sul Lung Tang!

hyfidel - 05 November 2008 10:46 PM

My wife and I are Korean and we have lived in Ktown (LA) and Fullerton. After we moved to Irvine in September we have been dying for some good homey Korean food (no bbq please!). Being born here in the states, our Korean cooking skillz are not very good.

We went to Chae Bahn last week and were ecstatic to find a decent bowl of Sul Lung Tang in Irvine (Beef Bone Soup). We didn’t even look at the Bibimbap, there’s plenty of that at HMart. We will be back! We killed that Sul Lung Tang!

For a good “generalist” Korean restaurant, try Ye-Dang in La Habra:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ye-dang-korean-restaurant-la-habra

Yelp’s review of Chae Bahn:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/chae-bahn-restaurant-irvine

hyfidel - 05 November 2008 10:46 PM

My wife and I are Korean and we have lived in Ktown (LA) and Fullerton. After we moved to Irvine in September we have been dying for some good homey Korean food (no bbq please!). Being born here in the states, our Korean cooking skillz are not very good.

We went to Chae Bahn last week and were ecstatic to find a decent bowl of Sul Lung Tang in Irvine (Beef Bone Soup). We didn’t even look at the Bibimbap, there’s plenty of that at HMart. We will be back! We killed that Sul Lung Tang!

Kaya Restaurant on Culver and Walnut is my favorite Korean restaurant in Irvine.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/kaya-restaurant-irvine#hrid:3K99-ffFD_-8DpYT-DuRWw/query:kaya