Rating: 8.5/10
Bibibop is a chain restaurant that was first opened in 2013 by Charley Shin. Shin immigrated to the United States nine years before founding his first restaurant, Charleys Philly Steaks, in Columbus, Ohio.
Shin has since expanded his brand and created Bibibop, which has more than 10 locations nationwide, with one recently opening in Champaign at 2506 N. Prospect Ave.
Although the new Bibibop location is a bit of a drive from campus, it’s worth the trek to experience its flavorful meals, variety of foods and wonderful customer service.
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Bibibop has a similar assembly-line setup as Chipotle or Qdoba, where you can choose your base, toppings and protein in real time while they perfect your order to your liking.
There are some options such as “the fan favorite,” “steak and noodle,” “sweet and spicy chicken” and “teriyaki and tofu greens.” However, meals are entirely customizable if the pre-set menu options are not to your liking, with bowls typically costing around $10 depending on the chosen toppings.
Customers have a wide variety of bases to choose from, including different kinds of rice, noodles, kale or a combination of any of the options. In terms of protein, there’s steak, chicken, spicy chicken or tofu. The menu also features a limited-time Korean barbecue, which makes the trip to Bibibop worthwhile to give it a try.
There are many different toppings to choose from that add numerous flavors and textures, with a wide selection of fresh vegetables, including cucumbers, carrots, mushrooms, corn, pickled radish and kimchi. To enhance the taste, you can drizzle on one of several sauces, like spicy gochujang, sesame soy or a tangy ginger sesame dressing.
For additional flavor and texture, extras like creamy avocado, a soft-boiled egg, crunchy wonton strips and sesame seeds can be added, making each bowl fully customizable to suit your tastes.
In my customized bowl, I chose white rice and sweet potato noodles as well as roasted broccoli, potatoes, kimchi, corn, carrots, cucumbers, Korean barbecue, sriracha and their signature Yum Yum sauce. In my opinion, this was the perfect Friday pick-me-up to end a challenging academic week.
While the food within itself makes the trip well worth it, the additional cookies, teas and complimentary miso soup put the restaurant over the top.
I recommend the Mixed Berry Omija Tea to any tea lovers for a sweet treat to enhance your meal without being overwhelmed with added sugars or artificial flavors. It was the perfect drink to wash down an already delicious meal.
Going into Bibibop as a first-time customer was a little overwhelming, with so many options to choose from. But the kindness, aid and patience of the staff made the experience one of the most pleasant customer experiences I’ve had in recent memory.
Bibibop’s menu features an assortment of traditional Asian cuisine with an American twist and bits of its own signature style that set it apart from other restaurants in the area.
If you can get to the off-campus location, Bibibop is the perfect meal, with something that caters to everyone.
