My wife is Korean, so when she suddenly got a strong craving for Korean food during our family visit to Edwardsville, IL, we honestly had pretty low expectations. I also have to admit, seeing a name like that in 2026 gave us a bit of a pause... But any doubts we had vanished once the plates hit the table. The food here is legit good, and that's coming from a tough crowd. My wife was genuinely impressed with the quality and flavors. The kimchi fried rice, japchae, and bulgogi were all absolutely great and totally hit the spot. It's worth noting that their menu leans heavily into fun Korean street food options rather than the traditional sprawling menus of hearty soups and stews you might expect. I do have one solid recommendation for the kitchen.... they should really consider adding some classic Korean-Chinese fusion dishes like Jajangmyeon and Jjamppong. I think a lot of restaurants miss out on an easy win there, as it's a perfect way to cater to all kinds of flavor profiles and round out a street-food-heavy menu. As for the space itself, the restaurant is quite small but accommodating, and the staff was extremely pleasant throughout our meal. I even tried to impress them by speaking the little bit of Korean i know, but they just stared at me like I was a total alien :-\...so I'll probably just stick to English next time. All that said, this place was a fantastic surprise in Edwardsville, and we will definitely be going back the next time we're in the area. read more

I love the Spicy Strawberry Chicken! An amazing well put together dish! If you like spicy, give this a go! I actually took a picture of this dish when the waitress brought it to me. Amazing! read more

Oriental Spoon - Spicy Strawberry Chicken - Korean Near Me - Edwardsville, Illinois

First let me preface by saying I am a super picky eater!! - but this food was so good!!! Really went out of my comfort zone to try different things and everything was a hit! I'm not even a fan of spicy food and the spicy dumplings were so delicious. Everything was so flavorful it was truly a great experience all around. I knew by how busy they were when I walked in that the food would be good and they did not disappoint. read more

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Stopped in to grab something for lunch since I was in the area, and I love Korean food so coming here was a good choice to me. I decided to just grab a dessert since I couldn't decide what I wanted to order so I went with a dessert instead. I ordered the Hoi Hoi pancakes since I love pancakes and sweets! But I was disappointed with my order. The hoi hoi pancakes were really doughy and dense and I hardly tasted any flavor from the filling, the most flavorful thing from my order was the strawberry preserves. The inside of the location was nice and they offered a spacious parking lot. read more

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This place is FANTASTIC! Stopped by for the first time today and we were taken great care of by our server Megan. She was quick to answer any questions, offered great suggestions, and just had a very great attitude. The atmosphere was nice, offering inside & outside seating. The best part though, THE FOOD! We couldn't decide what to try so we started with a delish strawberry soju. Perfect. For appetizers we ordered the spicy crab Rangoons, tofu + kimchi, & tteok fries. The spicy crab Rangoons were the BEST Rangoons I have ever had, and I have had an embarrassing amount - ( I truly debated getting more of those instead of an entree LOL). The tofu fries + kimchi offered such a flavorful combination that we had to stop ourselves from eating it all so we could enjoy some at home, too. Lastly, the tteok fries had such a delicious spicy strawberry sauce and unexpectedly blew me away. That sauce would be so good on anything I think! Next up, even though we could've totally called it a day at the apps, we ordered entrees because of how great everything had been so far. My partner got the spicy ramyun with added chicken and thought it had a really good flavor. Served steaming hot, it was great. For myself I ordered the spicy pork bulgogi and could not say enough good things about it- the meat was perfectly tender, the rice warm and delicious, and the sauce..... incredible. We packed so much of it up to take with us and I cannot wait to dig in again. Worth noting - the prices are wonderful. Very fairly priced, an overall 10/10 restaurant. Could easily become a go to. read more

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A friend recommended this and it came to mind when we were out and about and it was so worth it! We went for lunch and all the tables were full but we said we were ok sitting at the bar (which was kind of fun for us as we could see the kitchen and all the food coming out!). They did offer to move us when a table opened up but there were others waiting too so we stayed at the bar. Service was good, especially given how busy they were with two servers. Spicy crab Rangoon (looked like an egg roll) was delicious! My husband claimed it didn't need the sweet chili sauce but I enjoyed it! I got the Spicy Strawberry Mushroom plate - crispy shittake mushrooms with slightly sweet sauce and peanuts served with white rice. So good!!!! The strawberry made it slightly sweet but not overly sweet! Spice was like a general Tso - nice little heat but won't burn your face off. Hubby got the spicy pork bulgogi and it was so good! He was able to hold back (he at some of mine for the record) and had enough to take home for a small dinner. Cute little place, was a little chilly due to how often the door opened for door dash and people coming and going, but as busy as it was, the service and food were great! Will be back to try other things as well! read more

Oriental Spoon - Spicy Pork Bulgogi - Korean Near Me - Edwardsville, Illinois

The food was perfectly marinated and seasoned! I tried both dishes and they were excellent. 10/10 seriously! The waitress we had was so kind and thoughtful. We came in super late, right before closing, but she still sat us and gave us excellent service. We ended up getting take out because we had realized there weren't enough gluten free options for one of the people of our party. The waitress talked with us for a while about the gluten free options at the restaurant, gave us the gluten free menu, and walked us through why certain things should be avoided since it was a gluten allergy. She was so nice and knowledgeable. The place was clean. Very cute but lowkey! I would go back at a better time and eat there for sure! read more

Oriental Spoon - Back: Veggie Bibimbap Front: Tofu Noodle - Korean Near Me - Edwardsville, Illinois

Popped in for a late dinner. Excellent service & the food was delicious! We informed our server we liked spicy & she steered us in the right direction! read more

The broth is top notch! We ALWAYS get extra. We consistently get the ramyn & bibimbap. Most recently we re introduced this to our kid..minus the veggies and she is a BIG fan. This is a must for us when one of us is under the weather! read more

Oriental Spoon - Bimibap for the Win! - Korean Near Me - Edwardsville, Illinois

The ramen was great. I loved it. It was the best Ramen I ever had. Thank you! We love this restaurant.

Really enjoyed this place! The food was super flavorful and they had a lot of vegetarian options, loved the veggie mandus especially. Was very surprised they had a yummy Korean spot in Edwardsville! read more

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The place is small and is always packed but it's bc it's good. Ive enjoyed the multiple meals I've had there. Here are photos of the last one. Definitely recommend this spot. read more

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Cannot say enough good things about this place, great staff, great food, great cooks! never had a bad experience here, get some!

Delicious food which came out quickly and piping hot! Several good vegan options which is what brought us in. I very much enjoyed my mushroom bulgogi. Our server was delightful also and checked on us several times. Not a ton of seating inside, maybe around twelve tables or so, but it also looked as if they were taking to-go orders and Door Dash etc. Will definitely be back. read more

Oriental Spoon - Mushroom Udon Noodles - Korean Near Me - Edwardsville, Illinois

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Oriental Spoon always delivers a great meal. My family and I have been eating here for years and we always leave with a smile on our face. Huge portions, delicious entrees and appetizers. I highly recommend the Kimchi Bap, Ramen, and they have the best ramen in town. Today I tried the Chicken Katsu and it was sooo delicious. If you haven't tried it before, it's a must when eating in Edwardsville. read more

Oriental Spoon - Chicken Katsu - Korean Near Me - Edwardsville, Illinois

Went for dinner tonight excited for ramen. Some time after we ordered , our waitress came back to our table with a question about our order. This was odd, as our order should have been already being made at this time. At least six tables that had been sat after us all received food with some almost finished eating in this time. We had inquired about our food a few times, without a real answer. After being there for about an hour we got up to leave. Only then did someone else try to say to go orders had contributed to the wait. But that doesn't explain how over twenty something people that arrived at different times after us all received their food in this time. We left very frustrated and disappointed! read more

Delicious food and easy going atmosphere. Came for lunch and all 5 choices were excellent. Wish I had found it earlier in my trip. read more

Always amazing service and great food! We love the crab Rangoon & spicy ramen and plum tea!

First restaurant I ate at when I moved out here. I remember the food being good. It was nice and quiet on the day I went . Would go back.

Oriental Spoon is cost-conscious and serves incredible food. Their spicy Rangoon rolls are unbelievable. Don't even get me STARTED on their service. I made a mistake while ordering and had to make a special request to have it fixed. Kellie (our server) and Brady (the cook) were completely understanding and willing to help me correct my mistake. I will be returning to this restaurant. read more

I used to pop over for lunch often when I worked at Borders (RIP), but hadn't been in many years. Recently went again with friends and their menu has grown! All the food is amazing. I've been a shocking number of times in the past few months + even introduced another friend to OS through DoorDash. Staff is friendly, the space is always clean, and the food is incredible. Favorites: spicy bulgogi noodle (tofu or pork), BAPs, veggie mandu read more

Oriental Spoon - Chicken Bulgogi Noodle - Korean Near Me - Edwardsville, Illinois

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The food here is really tasty and the service as well. The staff is always friendly and the owner goes out of his way to create a warm environment. read more

The horses Reanna was so unbelievably kind!!! And made great suggestions like trying the plum tea!!! Yum yum!!

I was on my way South, to St. Louis ... after 7 hours driving I began craving Korean food. I did a Yelp search and successfully initiated a detour to Oriental spoon. The Food I liked the Mushroom Bulgogi very much - wonderfully prepared - especially after having some beef added to the dish. Crab Ragoon - Cold in the center, and shaped like a large egg roll - 3/10 Gim Roll - scalding hot in the middle... I cannot begin to describe to you how unbelievably uncomfortable the first bite was. Someone left it in the deep fryer a long long time. The rest of the experience was far below average. Cold "Chilly" inside the restaurant - It was like someone turning the heater on in your cold garage, and having you sit down in a chair while you waited for the entire cold soaked garage to warm up When I sit down in a restaurant at 5:30 PM, and the radiant cold permeates the wall and other surfaces around me - I wonder why restaurants continue to shut off their heat overnight and nickel and dime their business operation. I would say this restaurant is run with a little bit of a nickel and dime, shoestring budget. One of the first things a person came in asking, I think it's a server, "what are we out of today?" Service: HORRIBLE My server was new, and informed me I was required to show my ID before she could serve me beer. Really? I'm a 60+ year old man... you're kidding right? I'm sure this comes from management, and it just shows a lack of common sense and weak business practice of management/ownership. Let's insult the customer before they begin their meal. So I subordinate myself, reach for my wallet pull out my drivers license why this young inexperienced server tries to find my birthdate. What a joke. I asked for a beverage menu, so I could review the cocktail selection... There is no cocktail menu printed, because they don't offer one. "OK thank you may I have a beer and wine menu please?" Response: "we don't have one" You see, they have to check and determine which beers available because they get so many different beers in all the time. None of the beers are offered in writing they just tell you verbally, same with the wine. The two beers I ordered were not available... But then I was told an "international" Chinese beer was available, So I happily selected this, and requested a cold bottle. When I requested a second bottle during my meal, I was told it was warm, and it's the last one left. I asked about a glass of wine, but there is no wine menu...I asked about what they have for white wine and I was told by the waitress they have only Merlot and one bottle of opened Cabernet. But be aware, this is after multiple trips to chase beer, and get information on wine from someone else. By now I'm annoyed. If I ever came here again, it would only be to pick up a take-out order. Would never select dine in service again... And since both my appetizers were horrible... Would probably just stick to a basic basic dish or two. Thought They don't understand how to run a restaurant. It's not a relaxing, comfortable experience for the guest. Incompetency starts at the top, I'm pretty sure of that. It's not hard to have an inventory of beverages, and print off a menu o the customer can make an informed selection. We shouldn't have to make a game of it.. They simply don't have their act together, and I couldn't endure another blank stare from the waitress - who doesn't have any idea what she's doing. When you don't know what you're doing... Start by cleaning dirty dishes at the table, and refilling the water glass shall we? Take out only... That's the only way I would ever return. I love Korea, and Korean food. This restaurant doesn't represent the country, the wonderful culture of Korea or the cuisine very well. read more

Oriental Spoon - Korean Near Me - Edwardsville, Illinois

Our server, Jillian, was amazing guiding us through the exciting menu choices. We started with the tofu fries and kimchi (a must try) and tteokbokki stick with spicy strawberry sauce (also stellar). Next were the main dishes, chicken bulgogi with rice, beef bulgogi soup and both chicken noodle and vegetable noodle soups. Everything had it complex and delicious flavors making this a must return for legit Korean in Edwardsville. read more

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The food here was so good!! I especially loved the plum tea that was recommended to me! Our server Reanna was so amazing! I'm definitely coming back! read more

This was a cute, intimate space for a date. There is a lot for parking, so no worries on that front. I ended up getting the strawberry chicken, which imho was the best dish of what we ended up getting. The strawberry flavor was light and not too sweet - 10/10 recommend. My date had the coconut shrimp and ramen. He didn't say anything particularly special about either of them. Service was hella quick, and everyone was friendly. read more

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I cannot believe it has taken me so long to eat here. I'm always looking for something new or different, and this unassuming little restaurant fit the bill. Wonderful food and excellent service. I am excited to eat there again. My Order: Beef Noodle (pan-fried noodles with beef & veggies) Food/Drinks: This menu is packed with items I want to try: bulgogi, ramyun, katsu, noodles, bap, soups, etc. It felt like a good variety. The beef noodles I ordered were delicious. It's been a while since I've had a noodle bowl I enjoyed this much. My vegan friend ordered the tofu bulgogi, and said she really enjoyed it. Atmosphere: This is the only area where this place is lacking, but honestly the food and service really make up for it. It's a small restaurant. My friend and I arrived at lunchtime on a weekday, and while we were seated right away, about fifteen minutes later the place filled up. The atmosphere isn't particularly inviting (it's also not uninviting), but when the food is this good it doesn't really matter. The only downside to my visit was the temperature. It was a hot day; I'm not sure what happened to their AC, but it was very warm inside the restaurant. It seemed like they had done what they could to address the situation by setting out multiple fans, which was very much appreciated. Logistics: There's a parking lot with plenty of parking right in front of the building. Once inside there was a sign saying wait to be seated; we were greeted promptly. (Also, for those who can't use chopsticks, don't worry, they have forks.) read more

This was my husband and I first visit. We sat in a waitress area who overlooked us and refused to wait on us. Stating she was leaving for the day. However she serviced the other tables around us. Another waitress had to step in to wait on us. We are African American and the waitress was Caucasian. I can't help but to believe this was racially motivated. We never had an interaction with her, for her to refuse us service! This is sad and unfortunate in 2024 this is still happening. We will never return to this restaurant again and will make sure our friends and family never patronize this place. read more

Eat here but don't dine in if it cold! The restaurant is freezing due to people coming in and out for take out orders. They would benefit from something blocking the door or heat lamps, heaters inside. Luckily our food was delicious! The gimroll was a great starter app. My tofu noodles were great and the beef bulgogi was packed with flavor! Everything came out piping hot. read more

Oriental Spoon - Gimroll - Korean Near Me - Edwardsville, Illinois

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The food is delicious ! We've been coming here since the restaurant first opened 13 years ago. I ordered shrimp bulgogi tonight and it seemed even better than the many times I've eaten it before. read more

Delicious, always amazing service as well. Very cute restaurant. Definitely a place I would return often read more

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Good food. A little expensive for what you get, but not unreasonable. Would go back.

Today was my 5th visit to the Oriental Spoon. The food just keeps getting better. Kimchi fried rice was amazing cooked fresh with the perfect amount of spice. Spicy pork dumplings are one of the best appetizers on the menu. I highly recommend eating your way through the entire menu. That's my plan. Service was excellent as usual here. The owner even stopped by our table to ask how everything tasted. If you like Korean cuisine at all this place is a must. They also have a very kid friendly ramen menu. My grandkids love creating their own ramen read more

Oriental Spoon is a hidden gem in Edwardsville, and by far our favorite place for Asian food in the area. The beef bulgogi is my favorite- absolutely delicious and the portion is quite large. The dining area is relaxed and the staff is always friendly. We have eaten here and ordered takeout numerous times and have never once had a negative experience. Absolutely recommend! read more

I love this place! The dining area was great and the staff was very friendly. I got the chicken bulgogi noodles that tasted so good! Fresh and tasty! read more

Oriental Spoon - Chicken Bulgogi Noodles - Korean Near Me - Edwardsville, Illinois

This place is so good! Well worth the money. Some of the best Crab Rangoon and Bolgogi ever! I love this place!

We had the mixed egg rolls. Both my husband and I liked the veggie better... and he's definitely more of a meat lover. The ramen was EXCELLENT. I got the medium level (spicy?) and the broth was spicy, but not so bad that you can't taste the rest of your food. Added chicken and vegetables and both were good. The noddles we're cooked perfect and it was piping hot. We also ordered Bulgolgi beef noodles which were also delicious. The noodles were excellent, the sauce was a little sweet for me but still great. Portions were very filling and it was well worth the cost. read more

Oriental Spoon - Beef Bulgogi Noodle - Korean Near Me - Edwardsville, Illinois

Honestly this place doesn't get enough credit. I've lived in the area for years and never heard of it. The inside seating area is a little small, but the food....wow! The beef bulgogi and beef and mushroom ramyun were exactly what I was needing on a cold day. We split the egg rolls and crab Rangoon as an appetizer and it was the perfect size to hold us over until the main event. The sauces I wish were served in bottles so I could take it home-delicious! The server was friendly and very helpful as I was new to the menu. She made great recommendations and even said the recipes were family hand downs from the owners parents! I was so excited to eat my food I forgot pictures! We will be back very soon though and can update! read more

Excellent food and amazing service! Restaurant is extremely clean and seemed very busy with in house guests as well as take out customers. We will return! read more