Reviews and Expectation

Just a little disclaimer: This section by no means is meant to slander any of the restaurants that graciously accepted my interviews. I would hate to put any of them in a negative light after how much they helped me. That being said, I think it's important to look into the experiences of not only the restaurants themselves, but the customers that support these establishments.

For this section, I will be looking at two different review boards, Yelp and Google reviews.

It's always interesting to think about the psychology behind who reviews a restaurant. I think there is a general idea that people who review have often had a polarizing experience at the restaurant. Either things were very good or especially bad. Looking through the review pages for these three restaurants, I'd have to say that this belief holds a bit of truth behind it. Three star reviews are a rarity but perhaps you could say these restaurants are just that good that having a completely average experience is just not in the cards. Believe of that what you want. That being said, all three restaurants are on at the high side of 4 stars on Google and around the 4-4.5 mark on Yelp.

The question I wanted to ask in this section was, knowing the kind of expectations these restaurants have set, how well have they met them according to public opinion. For each restaurant, I will be looking at 20 reviews on Yelp and 20 reviews on Google. I'll pick out some of the key words and repeated phrases to try and build a general understanding of the customer experience at these establishments.

The Drunken Bento:

Given the size of the restaurant, it was not surprising to see the restaurant described as small/little or hole-in-the-wall. Those words were usually used in positive reviews. You might infer that the size is a selling point.
There were quite a few returners that insisted that this was their go to sushi spot.
Speaking of sushi, it seems to be what the restaurant is most known for. There were a few people that raved about the Korean food, like the Dolsot Bibimbap, but most people were there for the sushi. One reviewer called it authentic. Most would say that it was a solid sushi restaurant. That being said, there were always those that didn't enjoy the sushi as much as others. It might come down to personal taste and previous experience with sushi.
For the most part, people raved about the prices. Half-price sushi is a staple at Korean-Sushi fusion restaurants. Meaning that there's a good chance that a trip here won't break the bank.
Two people mentioned the campus vibes that the restaurant gave off. Given that Drunken Bento falls right next to University of Cincinnati, I could see how it would give off the vibes of a cozy, college hub.
One reviewer even called the Drunken Bento a "Clifton Classic."
One of the foremost complaints about the restaurant was the parking. I would agree with this one. It's not really the restaurants fault. Maybe we should be pointing the blame at Clifton for still having coin-based meters.
If there was one area for a 'needs improvement' sticker, it would probably go to service. But even that was extremely dependent on the person.

Sake Bomb:

If there were two words I could use to describe the Sake Bomb experience, it would be "good service." Having obviously been there myself, I would 100% have to agree. One reviewer even said that Sake Bomb "loves and values customers. Dining at Sake Bomb is an experience like no other and it seems to be highly revered.
Multiple times the restaurant was described as a well-oiled machine.
Something that Euisuk would probably be proud of was the fact that many reviewers enjoyed the "killer atmosphere" of the restaurant. Like with Drunken Bento, it was considered a hole-in-the-wall kind of establishment (especially because the restaurant is in a non-descript strip mall). It was called cozy and cute as you dine in tight quarters. Combined with the good service, one reviewer stated that "these are the places we like."
People seemed to love the sushi but there was also a good amount of appreciation for the Korean dishes.
One reviewer was an intern from Korea, who said they "couldn't live without Sake Bomb" while in the states.
They got a considerable amount of praise for their takeout system. People found it easy to understand and were happy with how their food arrived.
One of the stand-out moments from looking through the Google reviews, was when someone had a complaint about the taste of the ramen. The owner had actually gone in and commented about the different spice levels that the reviewer might want to try next time. Seemingly, the owner does care about the restaurants image.

Riverside Korean:

Authentic was the word that best described the Riverside experience, something that I'm sure Bruce would be proud of. People seemed to greatly enjoy the food but the stand-out item would have to be the haemul pajeon (해물파전), or seafood pancake. That with the bulgogi was a regularly mentioned favorite food.
Reviewers seemed to love the interior of the restaurant. In particular, there was a lot of love given to the traditional seating areas. One person stated that it gave the restaurant a "unique feel."
There was quite a few returners. With one reviewer coining Riverside as an "iconic restaurant in the Cincinnati area."
The staff were considered to be kind and the overall service was seen as good.
For as much praise as there was for food, there was also a lot of praise for the drink menu. Be it the warm sake, grapefruit soju, or the corn tea, reviewers were enjoying it.
One interesting reviewer drove all the way from Louisville (an almost two hour drive) just to try the restaurant. It's a good thing he enjoyed it for such a drive.
One reviewer went with a friend who had been to Korea prior, they said the food "brought back memories." As someone who has been to Korea, I'd have to agree.
One thing that had mixed reviews was the QR code menu system. Riverside does not have a physical menu, only a QR code that takes you to a downloadable menu on your phone. For some people this system worked fine but others found it to be a bit of a hassle. It might come down to how tech savvy you are.
One agreed upon concept was that Riverside is not a cheap restaurant. However, as one reviewer put it, "you know you're getting good stuff." So, it's all depends on what you're willing to pay.

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