Mr.Kimchi Korean Bistro Opens in North OKC With Tabletop Army Stew and Fried Chicken

Mr.Kimchi Korean Bistro is a new Korean restaurant on W Memorial Rd in Oklahoma City serving Army Stew, bibimbap, dumplings, cheese corn, fried chicken, and more.

The Army Stew at Mr.Kimchi Korean Bistro does not just arrive hot. It shows up on its own tabletop burner, still cooking in front of you, which is a pretty good way to make a first impression.

Boneless Korean fried chicken with dipping sauce at Mr. Kimchi Korean Bistro in Oklahoma City. — Boneless fried chicken served with dipping sauce at Mr. Kimchi Korean Bistro.

I stopped in during the soft opening for the new Korean restaurant in north Oklahoma City, near Memorial Road and May Avenue. Mr.Kimchi Korean Bistro is in the 3000 W Memorial Rd shopping area, the same stretch of north OKC where people are already used to pulling in for lunch, takeout, errands, and the occasional “we’re near Quail Springs, what sounds good?” dinner debate.

This one feels a little more polished than a quick strip-center stop. The dining room has a modern look, with stylish walls, clean table settings, and gold-colored silverware and plateware that make the place feel dressed up without getting stiff about it.

Hot stone bibimbap-style bowl with chicken and vegetables at Mr. Kimchi Korean Bistro in Oklahoma City. — A colorful hot stone bowl from Mr. Kimchi Korean Bistro.

For the grand opening, June 26 through June 30, Mr.Kimchi is running a couple of deals: 50% off all drinks at the bar, plus a prize wheel spin for every $50 spent. The wheel includes rewards like $10 off a future meal and other prizes, which is exactly the kind of low-stakes restaurant chaos I respect. Oklahoma will line up for a spin wheel faster than we admit.

We started with edamame, dumplings, and fresh cucumbers topped with kimchi. The cucumbers were the one I kept coming back to between heavier bites. Cool, crunchy, and bright enough to reset the table before the bigger dishes landed.

The Army Stew Soup was the showpiece. It came packed with shrimp, meat, mushrooms, vegetables, and broth that kept building as it simmered. Part of the appeal is the eating, obviously, but part of it is just having the pot working away in the middle of the table while everybody keeps checking on it like a tiny dinner project.

Modern dining room inside Mr. Kimchi Korean Bistro in Oklahoma City. — Inside the modern dining room at Mr. Kimchi Korean Bistro.

We also ordered bibimbap with teriyaki chicken. It is the kind of bowl that can stand on its own as a full meal, with enough texture and rice to make it feel substantial without needing much help.

Then the boneless fried chicken showed up, and that was probably my favorite bite of the night. Crispy outside, easy to share, and dangerous in the way fried chicken gets when you already know you are full but keep reaching for one more piece anyway. I would come back for that with a drink and call it a perfectly reasonable plan.

The cheese corn was another fun side. It is not subtle, but it does what cheese corn is supposed to do: creamy, sweet, salty, and happy to sit next to just about everything else on the table.

Korean barbecue platter with meats, mushrooms, vegetables, and fish cakes at Mr. Kimchi Korean Bistro. — A Korean barbecue-style platter prepared for tabletop cooking.

Service during the soft opening was friendly and attentive. That matters with a new restaurant, especially one serving bubbling stews, shared plates, and a menu that may have first-timers asking questions. The staff checked in, kept things moving, and made the meal feel easy.

Mr.Kimchi Korean Bistro is still new, so I would not pretend there is some long local legend here yet. What I can say is this: north OKC has a new Korean bistro with a good-looking room, a menu built around comfort food, and a few dishes that made the soft opening feel promising. If you go during the grand opening window, the drink special and prize wheel give you a little extra reason to make it sooner rather than later.