I visited Kore on a Tuesday evening, and I was pleasantly surprised by how busy it was for a…read moreweeknight! Parking was easy, and even with the crowd, we were seated pretty quickly. The service was a 10/10--truly superior. Our waitress was attentive, knowledgeable, and took the time to explain the menu and how almost everything could be ordered as shareable plates. The ambiance was also really nice and made it a great spot for trying several dishes and enjoying the evening. We ordered the plantains, duck tacos, sticky ribs, truffle mac & cheese, gnocchi, and crispy tuna. The STICKY RIBS were absolutely the star of the night! Crispy on the outside, moist and tender inside, plenty of meat, and packed with flavor. Oh my goodness...these alone are worth going back for! I already can't wait to have them again. The duck tacos were another favorite--well seasoned with a crispy wonton shell that gave them the perfect crunch. The crispy tuna was really tasty as well. The gnocchi had a little more sauce than I personally prefer, but it was still very good. The truffle mac & cheese was okay, but fairly average compared with some of the other dishes. The only dish I didn't enjoy was the plantains. They had a combination of sweet, salty, and a little spice that just didn't work for me. And don't skip the drinks! I had a frozen margarita that was DELICIOUS and the perfect addition to the meal. Overall, Kore was a great experience--from the service and atmosphere to several standout dishes. I'm definitely returning, especially for those sticky ribs! If you haven't tried Kore yet, add it to your Nashville list.

We were staying at an Airbnb in East Nashville recently and read about other's very positive…read moreexperiences at Kore so we decided to give it a try! :) Also because of recommendations, we made a reservation ahead of time! After some fairly lengthy confusion at the hostess stand, despite having had a confirmed reservation - it took quite a while for her to decide which table she wanted to give us out of the many open spots. She left us standing there, without explanation, to go put out the placements that seemed necessary to have set before we could sit, then finally came back to take us over to a spot - this didn't feel like a greatest start to the evening. It was very awkward. You know what they say, first impressions are important! Thankfully we were greeted by a very friendly waitress who was very knowledgeable about the menu, both food and drinks! She took great care of us throughout our meal. We dove in with drinks - A Sapporo, they have it on tap, and it's delicious! As well as an Old Fashioned! Both fantastic! It took us a little while to decide which food items we wanted to choose! This is a small plates restaurant so the options are numerous, they all sound so good!! We tried to pick at least one thing from of each category! We decided on the Kalbi dumplings, the Cauliflower, Kalbi Steak, the Crispy tuna, and Gochujang Mole. Every single dish was absolutely amazing and filled with the most rich, full flavors!! My absolute favorite was the crispy tuna! So delicious!! The mole dish - Chorizo, fingerling potato, red onion, red veined sorrel, crema was also next level exceptional! SO much flavor!! Something that was a little strange about our visit, and the reason for only giving 4 stars is this: We made our reservation off of the times offered by the restaurant. We chose 8:30 due to other things we had going on in our day - they offered as late as 8:45. This is the type of place that it's nice to work slowly through the menu and try a few dishes and then order a few more, etc... Unfortunately, right after we placed our initial order we were informed that we would need to have all of our food AND drink orders or refills in to the kitchen within the next 10 mins as the kitchen would be closing. This was too rushed and disappointing for what we were planning on for our dinner. We wished that the restaurant would have been more clear about this when we made the reservation, or at least when we first began perusing the menu. We did not have enough time for what we would have preferred and did not end up ordering any more food or drinks, as we definitely would have - however, what we did try was worth it! I would just HIGHLY suggest going earlier in the evening, much longer before they close!!

Food was amazing. Tastes the same as the food we got in Seoul and Pyeongtaek…read more Best tofu stew in Nashville!!

I mean...where have I been? This place was phenomenal. I knew it had to be good when it was packed…read moreat 3pm. Flavor. Service. Everything great! The food was amazing! I asked the server to order me what am she would get and it was so good! Every. Single. Bite.

If you are looking for authentic and local korean food, please go here! They have a very sorted…read moremenu and everything tasted so good. The provide refillable side sides which are very tasty and the on table bbq experience is fun! The also have korean local wines and drinks which accompany well with the food. The ambience is basic but the food just compensates for it.

Strip mall location . Has lot parking . We had bbq combo and beef Mandu dumplings. As only two…read morediners we opted for smallest combo . At first I thought it would be too much but we comfortably finished it . Staff was pleasant and attentive . We enjoyed dinner and will be back . A gem of a place

Still our favorite place to come for Korean KBBQ and the ones we bring all our friends and family…read more The food has been consistently good! We can't help ourselves to over ordering but we love it. The service is always courteous and helpful. The vibe is casual but still fancy. If you're around don't skip it.

I love this place! Craved it for 2 straight months but since I can't afford KBBQ 7 days a week, I…read morejust went once a week to satisfy my cravings. Prices aren't comparable to other KBBQ in the area. Service is usually great. Love the Marinated short ribs the best and all those delicious side dishes!! They have the whole Korea vibe going in there and it's a fun little experience!

This place is really good! I love Korean food but, I did not…read moreknow what to expect when visiting Tennessee. I wasn't expecting much. But the food and drinks here really made me so happy because what we ordered was so good. I would come back here if I visit Tennessee again. Service was really good and the server was very nice and quick. It was quiet inside and overall nice vibes.

One of My Favorite Meals in Nashville…read more Whenever I travel for work, I make it a point to seek out authentic, locally loved restaurants instead of the usual chains. I first found Onda about a year ago during a previous trip to Nashville, and it's become one of those places I try to visit every time I'm back in town. Onda's name comes from the Korean word meaning "to come," and that's exactly how it feels. It's an inviting, modern Korean restaurant that celebrates traditional cuisine with thoughtful hospitality. The restaurant itself is beautiful--a bright glass-front corner space in Midtown that's clean, contemporary, and welcoming. Parking couldn't have been easier with a dedicated lot right across the street, and I believe they also offer outdoor seating, although on this rainy visit everyone was happily inside. My go-to is always the L.A. Kalbi, and Onda absolutely nails it. The marinated beef short ribs arrived sizzling over caramelized onions on a cast-iron platter, filling the table with that unmistakable sweet soy aroma. The meat was tender, beautifully caramelized, and pulled effortlessly from the bone. Every bite reminded me why this is one of my favorite Korean dishes. The meal came with a generous assortment of banchan, and honestly, those little side dishes are half the experience for me. The kimchi had just the right balance of tang and spice, the potatoes were comforting and delicious, the crisp pickled vegetables and radish added that refreshing bite that perfectly balanced the richness of the beef, and every little dish complemented the meal beautifully. The rice also deserves a mention. It wasn't plain white rice but a darker grain blend served piping hot in an adorable little copper bowl with its own lid. It's those thoughtful touches that make a meal memorable. I usually judge a Korean restaurant by two things: the quality of the kalbi and the banchan. Onda excels at both. Their menu also offers everything from japchae, bulgogi, seafood pancakes, tteokbokki, soft tofu stew, kalbitang, Korean fried chicken, kimchi fried rice, and traditional Korean barbecue favorites to creative dishes like kimchi arancini, plus cocktails, soju, makgeolli, and even milk bingsoo for dessert. What also stood out was the atmosphere. The dining room was filled with people who clearly knew and appreciated Korean food, which always gives me confidence that a restaurant is doing something right. The service was warm and welcoming, and checkout was quick and easy using a handheld payment app. Perhaps the biggest surprise? The value. Around the country, L.A. Kalbi often costs well over $35. Onda's was just $28, and the portion was generous enough that I couldn't even make room for dessert--even though I was eyeing the milk bingsoo and homemade madeleines. Nashville's food scene continues to impress me, and Onda has earned a permanent place on my list of must-visit restaurants whenever I'm in town. Life is too short not to eat well. If you love Korean food--or you're simply curious to explore it--put Onda on your list. I don't think you'll leave disappointed.

Incredible Asian food for rather affordable prices. The service was excellent with our server being…read moreextremely helpful in explaining what the dishes were as well as getting our food to us on time. The ambiance was phenomenal, making Hawkers a go-to for a night on the town in Nashville.

We aren't from Nashville but knew we had to try Hawker's before we left. The atmosphere was great,…read morethe food was even better, and the service was fantastic. We enjoyed it so much that we went the next day before we left! The food is priced very fairly and the menu has a really fun twist where there isn't the traditional appetizer, main, dessert. Everything is meant to be shared and you're encouraged to try new dishes and choose from anywhere on the menu. I have a peanut allergy and they were very accommodating and automatically made any necessary adjustments to dishes we ordered. We tried a couple different drinks and they were all very good and fairly priced. We went on weekend nights and only had to wait around 20 minutes to be seated indoors, which was to be expected as this place was packed with people and we would have been willing to wait longer if needed. We had two different servers, I unfortunately can't remember our first one's name but she was the one with stretched ears that normally wears her hair up. She was great and very thorough in explaining how the menu worked. The second night we had Lexi and she was super sweet. They were both fantastic and I hope to be seated with either one of them when we eventually go back!

Very rarely do I agree that the hype is worth it but for Noko, the hype is definitely worth it!…read more We came for our book club meeting without a reservation and were luckily able to get a spot within ten minutes! Our server (I believe his name was Mitch) was phenomenal! We started off with the guava girlies, anti-hero, tan lines and good times - our favorites were the guava girlies and the anti- hero. The tan lines didn't have a deep enough flavor profile for us. For food, we got the Caesar salad, the green beans, the tuna crispy rice, the hurricane fries, charred scallion noodles, and burnt end lettuce wraps! Every dish was a hit but our favorites were the green beans (we were obsessed with the sauce) and the burnt end lettuce wraps. We also tried the lipstick marks, second hand smoke (sub mezcal with regular tequila), and guava girlies with tequila - all of these were also delicious! Despite being full, we had to try the dessert and tried the brookie with ube ice cream. We were also surprised with a scoop of pandan ice cream. This may be one of the most unique flavor profiles for a brookie I've ever had and it paired beautifully with the ube and pandan gelato! This was truly a fantastic dining experience and we will definitely be back!

Had a reservation for Sunday night at 7. Arrived early and they were able to seat us by the bar…read more The ambience is nice, upscale but nothing super fancy. By the bar we got to see some of the dishes being made. Great date night spot. Limited parking. This is a tapas spot and our serve did a good job recommending how many dishes to get. The only reason Noko is not getting 5 stars is because the server said that they would time out the dishes for us, so it was best to place our entire order all at once. However, we got 3 dishes and then it took about 30 minutes for other two to come out. Maybe we were eating too fast but felt like we were waiting a while for our food. The food itself was absolutely delicious. There was nothing we ordered that I did not like. Some favorites include the burnt ends lettuce wraps and Korean chicken wings. The Sando, shrimp and tuna crispy rice was also spectacular. The tuna was so flavorful and refreshing on the tuna crispy rice. The sauce of the east side shrimp really makes the dish. I'm not a huge shrimp person but this was really good. This is a must go to spot in Nashville and would definitely want to come back.

My wife and I ate here and it was incredible. The food was so good I can't stop thinking about it,…read morethe service was great, and the vibes are cool.

This place is a trip. It's very unassuming from the outside and I love a strip mall restaurant…read more It's a unique setting on the inside in a good way. You could hear for any sort of occasion and be comfortable. The food. The food. The food. Every single item we tried was very good to excellent. I implore to you get dessert with the homemade salted caramel. It blew me away. One of the best desserts I've had in a long time. I would go back just for that.

I wanted to love So Gong Dong, but I was sadly disappointed. My kimchi jjigae was watery, and the…read moremedium barely had a hint of spice. The 2.5 stars are for the banchan, which were tasty. I especially enjoyed the potato and pickled cucumbers. I didn't have super high hopes for Korean in Nashville, and having lived in the Bay Area, my standards are very high. The bulgogi was a little dry but still decent. However, the dish size was lacking. Try for yourself and let me know what you think.

Despite growing up in the area, I finally stopped by So Gong Dong Tofu House for the first time &…read more wow, it did not disappoint. I'm a sucker for a good kimchi jjigae, and this one absolutely hit the spot. Fair warning: when they say spicy, they mean it. I went with extra spicy thinking I could handle it like at most places... I definitely should've stuck with regular. Still, it was incredibly delicious, comforting, and exactly the kind of dish you crave in the winter months. We also tried the beef bulgogi, which was packed with flavor and came with a generous spread of banchan that made the whole meal even better. The staff was friendly, seated us right away, and brought water without us having to ask. I also loved the cozy layout, lots of intimate seating and an attentive team that makes you feel taken care of. Can't wait for more cozy visits.

Writing this from the counter of Babo because it's just that good. Maybe I'm incredibly biased…read more(Korean food & fried rice are my life) but the food here was amazing. I had the Beef Bulgogi and Kimchi Fried Rice. Chef's kiss. AND the service was good AND the vibe was good. Loved the funky music and the decor. Such a cool little hole in the wall. You'd miss it if you weren't intending to end up here! Bring your friends and grab a bite ASAP

You know who sent me here....Tik Tok. Good ole tik tok seems to be the driver behind my visits…read morelately. This establishment opens at 5pm. Be sure to walk through the blue door, if you plan to dine in. When you walk in you'll find close-set tables, a dimly lit, hidden gem feel with hums of conversation, shared plates, and Soju flowing at the bar. Give the grape soju. So good! The portions are generous and can easily be shared. For apps we ordered the dumplings and banchan & kimchi. Both were great choices and light enough to not fill you up before getting the main courses. We really wanted to try the Hedo Bap(only available Mon-Thur) but they ran out prior to us ordering. I highly suggest getting there between 5-6 to ensure you get to try it. Kimchi Fried Rice w/ added seasoned beef 8/10 (a fried egg on top is always the cherry on top) Korean Fried Chicken with both sauces (the gochujang w/tofu ranch was superior) 10/10 Glass Noodle 7/10; texture was very slippery, but still very good packed with veggies and a great flavor palette. I will def be back to try the Hedo Bap!