Last month, KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot, a chain with dozens of locations across the country, opened its first location in Columbus. It’s located in the Bethel Center Mall (right below one of our favorites, New India Restaurant).
For those unfamiliar with Korean hot pot and barbecue, it can be an overwhelming experience at first. Guests cook their own food at the table, either on a sunken grill or in soup pots simmering on individual burners. Order plates of raw meats and vegetables that are brought to the table, then grilled or boiled according to your preference.
At KPOT you can grill or hot pot, or both. But the whole table must choose the same formats.
Your server will then take an initial order of dishes to be cooked and they will slowly make their way to your table. They will help heat the grill and boil the bowls of broth. There are also helpful cards that suggest appropriate cooking times for different ingredients.
The menu does differentiate between which dishes are best for the pot and which are best for the barbecue.
And the menu is huge! You’ll find red meat, poultry, seafood, even delicacies like quail eggs, plus plenty of vegetables, both familiar and new. For hot pots there are also different noodles.
You pay a flat fee for the experience (drinks, tip, etc. are extra). There is also a small cold bar with dips, salads and desserts. You can’t take leftovers home and there is a food waste fee if you over-order and leave the ingredients uneaten.
Monday through Friday, lunch is $18.99 per person and dinner is $28.99 (kids are usually $7 to $11 cheaper, depending on their age). If you want to make a hot pot and barbecue, add $5. On Saturdays and Sundays, dinner is served all day for $28.99 per adult.
KPOT is open Sunday through Thursday from noon to 10:30 p.m., and Friday to Saturday from noon to 11:30 p.m. Last seating is one hour before closing.
KPOT Korean BBQ and Hot Pot
5240 Bethel Center Mall
Columbus, OH 43220
(614) 754-1196
Website: thekpot.com/location/columbus-bethel-center
FB: @KPOTColumbus
IG: @kpotbbqandhotpot