Zippy’s Korean Barbeque

Bibim bab was good. Health food at a gas station in Redding. Who woulda thought.

I came to try this spot without high expectations for authenticity… I left full of Soondubu (Tofu soup) in my belly and a huge smile on my face!
For background info– I hail from LA where Korean food abounds. I come to Redding ever so often to visit the bf, and there are several places in Redding I always hit up for any kind of asian food I am craving… this spot is definitely gonna be my Korean go to for soup! I ordered the above (just tofu, veggies, and egg), it came served bubbling in a hotpot bowl, a little side bowl of rice, a side of bean sprouts, a side of kimchi, and a glass of water.
If you you’ve never had this soup before I highly recommend you try it– its what most people would say is comfort Korean food :). I’m not Korean myself so I can’t say how authentic it is, but the soup was delicious and it absolutely hit the spot– on par with some of the best places I’ve tried in LA. Next time I’ll try their bibimbap!
Service — soup came out in about 10 – 15 mins. The man was nice, the woman looked very tired and I felt a bit bad for her. I hope she has a better day.
My only complaint– they put the egg in the soup for me before the soup came out (which isn’t really a big deal). I personally love cracking the egg myself and watching it cook in the soup — next time I’ll ask for it on the side and do it myself: P

Huband/​wife team refused to service us because of the service dog. I would have reminded him that this is illegal but he took one look at the clearly identified dog, muttered something in Korean, and walked away refusing to take our order. We won’t be back — terrible service, horrible atmosphere with a mini-​mart right there through the open doorway. No thank you.

Your sign says open but you say you’re closed :(
The food is decent but pricy and the wait is long. Especially considering that its located in a gas station convenience store. I think people are giving this place such high reviews because there are few options for Korean food in Redding for comparison.

I love this restaurant. The family who runs the place is very kind and the food is delicious. Definitely a hidden gem in redding.

I ordered the spicy pork which I use as a basic benchmark dish of Korean restaurants. It wasn’t bad but not among the best I’ve eaten.
I try to grade on a curve and I don’t believe in grade inflation where every student is above average :)
My basis of comparison are the Korean restaurants in Koreatown in Manhattan. I’ve been to Manhattan several times in recent years and each time hit Koreatown for a meal since there are some fabulously good restaurants there. One of the best meals I’ve ever had in my life was in one of the restaurants in Koreatown.
I realize Redding isn’t Manhattan but there can still be great restaurants anywhere you go, so restaurants should be judged objectively without regard to location.

I wish I discovered this place earlier. They offer authentic Korean cuisine. I got to try 2 different kinds of BBq and some spicy seafood soup with noodles are everything tasted great! I went there twice the same day. The staff are very nice, too.

The food is wonderful! The Dolsot Bibimbap (in a hot stone pot) is magnificent on a rainy day, as are the Mandoo (fried dumplings). You pretty much can’t go wrong here — I’ve had the acorn noodles (spicy or not), the BBQ beef and the seafood soup and nothing has been a disappointment!
Zippy’s in connected to a gas station minimart, so there is no atmosphere at all. There is seating for about 28 people and it is separate from the minimart. They do have food to go, so call them up and order or just stop by! Yum!

I love coming to this little Korean restaurant! The food here is made to order. Nothing is sitting on the counter waiting to be ordered. Therefore, it could take a while for the food to be ready sometimes. However, fresh ingredients make the food very tasty. I usually call ahead and pick up the order to go. I love the spicy seafood and tofu soup. A nice treat on a cold rainy day!

I love this place and it’s been a year since I been here. I had the bibimbap and it was awesome. The veggie pancake were good. Springs roll were good as will and went fast. Big group.

Korean food caught our eyes as my son recently completed a homestay in Korea. We let him order for us: bulgogi, mandoo and kimbap. My son pronounced it all authentic and it was delicious. The interior décor went beyond the usual kitschy Asian motif. We will be back!

So it’s in a gas station, but that shouldn’t deter you. The food is excellent and the cook has a sweet cap, which screams legit.

Look past the fact that this gem is in a chevron gas station, their food is very good! It is a small restaurant that is family owned and operated! They are very friendly and they aim to please!
Try the bbq chicken for sure!!! It is very good, tender and juicy!

I’ve had the Dolsot Bibimbap, regular Bibimbap, Seafood Pancake, and Dokboki (not sure if that’s how you spell it, but it’s ricecakes in a spicy sauce).
I’ve had Korean food in a few other places and it has become one of my new favorites, so I wanted to find one here in Redding, since I’m going to school here. It is pricey, but all Korean food is always a bit on the pricey side, so I’m not very surprised. The service is pretty slow since it’s a mom and pop type of restaurant and they don’t have any other workers besides the owner and his wife. The place is tiny and doesn’t give much of an ambiance, but food is still good.
My favorite is their Dolsot and regular Bibimbap. Their seafood pancake is sufficient, but I wouldn’t pay that much for what it is. I’ve had a lot better. Their seafood pancake doesn’t have much seafood and is too pricey since it isn’t great. I didn’t really like the Dokboki either. I would just come back for the Bibimbap!

The wait is worth it. This gem is worthy of city dining and is only a few minutes off I-​5! It was a treat in the middle I nowhere on our way back from Mt. Shasta… My mouth is still burning from the noodles in the best possible way.

Jobchae (Korean noodles): Warm, yummy, and very fresh.
Bibimbap (Type of rice bowl dish): Warm/​fresh, very flavorful, and the gochujang sauce is satisfactory :) (Can’t get enough of the red sauce).
Spicy Chicken (Entrée): Yummy, tender, mild, and it’s garnished with lots of carrots.
Spring Rolls (Appetizer): I’d have to say that these are the freshest spring rolls I’ve had in a long time. Not a whole lot of flavor but the texture of the rice wraps were perfect, and the amount of vegetables inside the rolls are outstanding (VERY healthy). The sauce was rather bland, but it was good, and I think it was intended to taste that way. For those of you who are more used to the Vietnamese or Thai dipping sauces, this one is not similar, so do not expect the flavor to be bursting in your mouth right away. Overall, I was satisfied with each item. I will be coming back :)
Staff: Friendly, quiet, and I believe this is a family-​owned business.
Atmosphere: Quiet, small, and clean. It is a nice place to dine with a small group of friends or to grab some take-​out — probably not suitable for a huge party or banquet.
Wait-​time: The wait-​time is a little longer than usual, probably because it is family-​owned and it’s not highly-​staffed. However, it is worth the wait. The food is fresh and if you enjoy Korean food, this is the «go-​to place» in Redding.

This restaurant demonstrates the power of Unilocal. A Korean BBQ restaurant attached to a gas station sounds like the fastest path to food poisoning. This place was fantastic! Yes, it belongs on an episode of DDD with Fieri as it is a dive, but the food and the service are top notch. When you know that your meal is made with passion and that the chef is genuinely concerned with your satisfaction, you are in the right place. Without Unilocal I would have never found this place, but past reviews have got it right.
I had the bibimbap and it was spectacular…
Go to Zippys… soon!

Went here on a tip from Unilocal.The area seemed a bit sketchy and hard to find since it’s just a small doorway next to the family mini-​mart. It’s actually connected but well camouflaged by the cute and creative Korean accents, wall hanging and visual dividers that make you feel you’re walking into a little hole-​in-​the-​wall in the city.
This is a husband wife combo and I had a difficult time conversing with the wife but with the aid of menu pictures, my road trip friend and I were able to arrive at a decision.
I got this chicken spicy dish that rocked the house. It came with pickled bean sprouts and pickled cabbage (passed on the cabbage); also a side of white rice. I asked for extra hot and Mrs. Zippy came through for me. Yum. Mr. Zippy came over from the convenience store side and rang us up and chatted us up too. He had a picture of himself and the Mrs. with 3 kids, who I mistakenly assumed were his children; no, customers children… so, their customers must really love them for bringing the wonderful flavors of Korea to Redding CA. Next time I’m in the area, I’d love to visit Zippy’s again.
If you’re in a hurry, call ahead… everything is freshly prepared-​this is NOT fast food, thank goodness!

A Korean acquaintance back in college used to take me and my friends to some of her favorite Korean restaurants in the Bay Area. Since then, I’ve been on the lookout for places that could offer up opportunities to relive some of the best dining experiences I’ve had with Korean food, and hoping to be reminded of them even just remotely! Just prior to moving back to Redding, I tried the only 2 Korean places in Davis… and they disappointed me greatly. So who would’ve thought the one Korean place in Redding would be so much better? However, it is!
We tried the BBQ beef, spicy pork, and bibimbap — all were flavorful and hit the right spot! Great portions also! Finally, the husband and wife team running this place were friendly and personable. So it’s 5 stars considering this is the only place to go for Korean food in Redding AND it just clobbers other places I’ve been to where the food should’ve been better.

If you give this place anything less than a 5 star, I refuse to be your friend.
This is the funkiest, teeny, tiny, hole in the wall, mom and pop, Korean fast food place you’d ever hope to see. Made me laugh, it was so insignificant from the outside. Walking in, same impression. Hey, it’s connected to Zippy’s mini mart and a Chevron station. Can’t get much more banal than that.
But, this is the real deal. Best Korean food I have ever tasted. We started with the pan fried dumplings with soy-​ginger dipping sauce. Excellent. Then came our two entrees, the spicy pork with vegetable (#6), and the Korean short ribs. The marinades they used were soooooooo gooooood. Sides included brown rice (actually a blend of brown, white, sweet brown, and a pink bean), kim chi, and seasoned bean sprouts. Happy customers told me it was just like Mom used to make (yes, they were Korean).
We are so ready to frequent this everytime we are in the area!