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    Seoul Restaurant

    3.6 (165 reviews)
    ModerateKorean
    Closed 11:00 am - 7:00 pm

    Seoul Restaurant Photos

    SEOUL RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Seoul Restaurant

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    If you are looking for authentic Korean food in the Birmingham area, Seoul Restaurant is an absolute hidden gem. It is truly a hole in the wall in the best way, the kind of place you might miss if you were not looking for it, but once you find it, you will keep coming back. The restaurant is owned and run by a wonderful husband and wife team who make you feel welcome the moment you walk in. There is something really special about a place where you can tell the owners genuinely care about both the food and the experience. The portions are incredibly generous, and the quality does not take a back seat. Everything we tried was packed with flavor and tasted homemade in the best way. My father had been wanting to try kimchi and tteokbokki for the first time, and both exceeded expectations. The kimchi was perfectly balanced, and the tteokbokki had just the right level of spice and richness. This is the kind of place you leave already planning your next visit. Highly recommend.

    Pa Jeon - the best I've ever had!
    Kimberly A.

    Wow where do I start? Imagine going to an auntie's house and enjoying a full force Korean feast. The PA JEON was stuffed full of veggies and had an amazing sauce to go with it. It was so fluffy and flavorful. Best Korean pancake I've had in my life hands down. The KIMCHEE JIGAE was so piping hot and flavorful. Loved it with heaping spoonfuls of the Korean white rice. I would probably ask this to be spicier! The JAPCHAE is perfectly cooked - bouncy sweet potato noodles - huge slices of beef - thin strips of perfectly stir fried veggies. This is the version I wish I could cook at home. Noodles were hand cut with kitchen shears and served by the owner. Kids were so spoiled. It was like we were at auntie's house. And finally the star of lunch was the HOTPOT BIBIMBAP. What a beautiful work of art on a stone platter. The crispiest caramelized ricey bottom was to die for. Mixed all together table side by the owner! It was perfection. BEST BIBIMBAP IN AMERICA. I'm broadcasting this all over YELP!!!

    King man doo, jap chae, side dishes

    Amazing food, and the sweetest couple! I got the king man doo and the jap chae and we loved both. Our meal came with servings of the traditional Korean side dishes which were also awesome.

    Jjj L.

    FYI: Ordering Togo food from this restaurant which also charge you 10% for service fee that made me feel speechless unbelievable

    Jap chae

    I tried to go here in the past but I didn't know they were closed on Mondays. Today I came on a Thursday to discover they are now closed on Mondays AND Tuesdays... This place is amazing. The owners are so sweet and soft spoken. It only took 15 minutes for them to give me the best jap chae and banchan I've had since I moved to Alabama. Authentic and delicious, I couldn't wait to write this review. 100% recommend

    Banchan
    Virginia H.

    So I am going to call it like it is. I wouldn't recommend this place for a romantic atmosphere, it's very homey. I wouldn't come here for the best service, it's an older couple that takes your order and gets you your food...no fuss, no muss. HOWEVER.....if you are looking for fresh, authentic Korean food with no frills? Well, you found it. They have a small section of lunch menus. We ordered a beef bulgogi from it. We also ordered a hot stone Bibimbap. A plate of banchan with 6 small dishes of restaurant's choice comes with the meal, no free refills. The food? On point. I will say the beef bulgogi is a little thicker than I think it should be, thin slices would be better. The taste is good though. The hot stone Bibimbap is very, very good. After it arrives at your table, let it sit for a bit on the hot stone to give the rice time to turn crunchy. If you don't do this, you are missing out a bit. Add the red sauce as it adds a lot of flavor and is not too spicy at all! Circling back to the service as I see some complaints on this. There isn't anything wrong with it. It's just basic. They sit you, give you your menu, take your order, give you bottled water with cups of ice (49 cents per bottle, btw), give you your food, respond if you need something, give you box and check when you ask for them. That's it. No attitude, no issues. However, they are not all smiles, chit chat, and multiple check-backs (which you don't really need since the place is like a small rectangle so you can easily tell them what you need anytime....). I am not looking to make a new friend when I go out to restaurants, so I am good with this, ha. Oh and if you don't know what something is on the menu and they aren't helpful as their English isn't the best? Try Googling...... I will comment on the price a bit. So pre-COVID, I never came here as I thought the menu prices seemed high. However, post-COVID? Well, to get a decent meal out, ALL the prices are high. So it is what it is. I will say yesterday my SO and I went to another restaurant for lunch and got a pasta dish and fish tacos and paid the same amount as this lunch. Both meals were tasty in their own ways but this one was infinitely healthier!

    Nicole E.

    Small place, quite cozy and weathered interior as well. Do beware and make sure your copy of your charge card receipt matches your statement and amount once it's been fully processed through. The owner took the liberty to add an additional $8.12 for his tip. The owner did nothing to deserve this 20% tip at all. Unreal. The man seated us, asked us what we wanted to drink. We asked for barley tea. He wasn't super warm or friendly or welcoming at all. Started off with barley teas, ordered budae jjigae (two person minimum here) and tteokbokki as well. The budae jjigae is $55, that's a hefty cost. Tteokbokki was $22. $81.26 is the total bill. It's quite expensive for what you get here. I think the meal was worth maybe $50 at most. They do charge for the bottle waters here as well. What's up with this place? Our meal tonight is the same price for this meat as what we paid for Brazilian all you can eat meat last night. Korean TV playing in the background. The guy watched TV in his lounge chair in the middle of the dining area. The man working here needs to take his TV and chair in the back are where no customers can see him at all. The women do all of the work here, sad. The barley tea is a tea bag. The banchans are all yummy. The pickled radish, shredded radish, kimchi, fish cake, bean sprouts and cucumbers. The kimchi and fish cake were my favorites. The rice is good, although a small portion. Their stock photo pics on the walls look quite appetizing. Not sure what all is in the army stew, think it's hotdog meat, spam, fish cake, bean sprouts, rice cake, mushroom rooms, tofu, beef bites that have disintegrated to soft meat paste from cooking too long, lstraw mushrooms, greens, ramen and so much more stuff I can't quite place or identify. It's big enough for two for sure. The broth is so-so, not super flavorful. The tteokbokki comes with Ramen, fish cake and fish balls, fish cake, beef bites, green pepper, carrots, onions . This big tteokbokki only comes with one half hard boiled egg, why only one? I would have rather had the other half of the egg than the random beef chunks. The tteokbokki sauce is super sweet and not so spicy. I would have preferred it to be spicier and less sweet, not for me. The tteokbokki is fairly big, enough to share with two or more, makes sense since it was $22.

    Pa Jun | Korean Veggie & Seafood Pancake
    Debbie L.

    Delicious and authentic Korean Food! It feels like a very mom and pop small business that you want to support and keep bringing others to try out! The Korean shows playing on the TV and posters as well as decorations throughout the restaurant make it a unique and traditional Korean spot that you'll want to come back to and enjoy again with your friends, family, or co-workers!

    Pork Bulgogi
    Matthew M.

    So, I've been here twice since I moved to Alabama. The first time was a dinner early in my time here, a couple of years ago. The second was this afternoon for lunch. I was uncertain as to how to review this place after my first visit, but this time I think I've got it: this is a wonderfully authentic Korean restaurant, incredibly homey and unpretentious, in all the best and most complicated ways one could interpret that. I came in for lunch today and was the only one in the restaurant for lunch. For the entirety of the time, the owners were watching Korean television in the main dining area (except for when they were cooking my meal). The whole experience felt very much like being invited to eat at the grandparents house but the grandparents aren't yours. I imagine this vibe wouldn't work for everyone, but it really worked for me. The main reason it worked is the food is quite good. The ban chan was served on a cafeteria-style styrofoam tray, which is a little hilarious, but the kimchi, cucumber kimchi, and fried tofu in sesame oil were awesome. The pork bulgogi was also excellent, complete with delicious mushrooms, peppers, and onions in the gochujang and oil on the hotplate. Pile up each perfect slice of pork on the steamed rice you're served, along with some ban chan, and life is really, really good. Again, I'm not sure this place is for everyone. The prices are high (although I agree with other recent reviewers that EVERYTHING is expensive now so why not get something good?) and there isn't much in the way of modifying or changing pieces of your order. You get the ban chan they have prepared. You get the rice and the dish as is. Water is served in water bottles with a glass of ice. I wasn't checked on once during the meal and you know what? I was perfectly happy eating on my own and enjoying every bite. If you're looking for an intimate, homey, your-grandmother's-kitchen feel to a Korean lunch or dinner experience, I would definitely recommend giving this place a try.

    Army Stew
    Kymberli L.

    I want SO badly to give a 5 star review...but I just can't. We used to love Seoul, and have been coming for many years. Being the only Korean restaurant makes it hard to not stop every once in a while. Being a partially Korean household, we sometimes just want to eat food we didn't have to make. The food is great, but so overpriced. An extra bowl of rice, or more of a single banchan should NEVER cost you the amount they charge. The last time we went for BBQ there, the guy gave our appetizers to the table next to us instead that ordered 15 minutes after us. When I mentioned this, he said, "your food was coming up and they ordered the same appetizers as you, so I gave it to them and I'll give you theirs!" The worst thing, was our meal was $250 and he did NOTHING to deserve a tip (never once refilled our drinks or cooked, or anything) and because we were a table of 4, he automatically got a very large tip. We went back again after my son got out of the hospital because he was craving Budae Jjigae. He felt so awkward having to ask the owner for anything while he was sitting in his recliner watching his dramas. Luckily, being Korean he isn't very patient and just asked anyway. (I can't imagine what not speaking Korean and having to interrupt him would feel like) When we left, he said, "Mom, can we just never go back again?" Food is wonderful, but be prepared for an expensive meal with horrible service no matter who you are.

    Excellent food and service! The chicken bulgogi was very good! The mixed kimshee tray was delicious! Portions large enough for two!

    Reema G.

    Very authentic Korean restaurant with a great selection of different types of food on the menu. It's owned by an older Korean couple and the service is really quick. We've all loved the Jap Chae, the Korean pancake and Bibimbap. I do think the food is VERY overpriced though. We were a table of 6 and did family style and it came out to be around $34 per person which I thought is kinda steep. They also give the smallest plastic plate to eat your food on which I think actual normal sized plates would be better. Overall, I would still go back because the food is delicious.

    Pork bolgogi

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    11 months ago

    3.5/5 Was good and well priced, however I wish that it felt more welcoming. All the side dishes were homemade and yummy!

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    1 year ago

    Bit of a no frills restaurant but it always serves very good and traditional Korean food. Probably my favorite for the food in town

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    Best Korean Food!!! I've been to Huntsville and Birmingham and this place is it. Lovely mom and pop shop. Very clean and friendly.

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    I went with my mom and it was honestly very good and I loved the vibe when you walk in the door

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    Another favorite to add to the list…read more Loved the space. Loved the concept. Cocktails (specifically Air Tokyo) were outstanding. We went for the "favorites" menu which a $65/person was an absolute steal. You get two starters, dumplings and cured red snapper is what was offered. Two entrees, the bo ssam and banana leaf wrapped redfish, and one dessert, the miso tart. Everything was quite good and more than enough food. The dessert was a real winner. I thought about it days after. Looking forward to going back.

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    Maro

    4.5(34 reviews)
    3.2 mi

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    My first time in Birmingham and this spot in Downtown is a gem. The energy is great, especially if…read moreyou snag a seat at the bar. * Service (The Star): Shoutout to Bianca at the bar. She's an amazing bartender--super friendly, helpful with recommendations and kept the space spotless. She turned a 4-star meal into a 5-star experience. * Fish Quality: The sushi and fish quality were impressively fresh. * The Rolls & Ramen: Both rolls recommended by the Bianca were well above average and the ramen exceeded my expectations. * The Rice (Shari): A bit of a letdown. The rice was too mushy/wet and the portion of rice per piece was way too large. * Pork Bao: Not worth the mention (or a photo). Skip this one. Verdict: 5/5 stars. Mostly thanks to Bianca's top-tier hospitality. Solid Japanese spot in the heart of Downtown.

    My wife and I were able to get away during Christmas time as we were in town for the holidays. She…read moresaw Bamboo on yelp and wanted to stop by and have dinner here. It was pretty pack but was able to grab a couple of seats at the bar and was immediately attended to. I really loved the atmosphere of this place as it's in an old building and i always love the exposed brick in these restaurants. We ordered a couple of sushi rolls with me ordering the cyclone and my wife ordering a salmon roll and they were very delicious. I love to explore new restaurants and this was definitely a winner

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    Bamboo on 2nd - California Roll and Salmon Crunch

    California Roll and Salmon Crunch

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    Yummefy Flavors of India, Nepal & Thailand

    4.1(240 reviews)
    3.3 mi
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    So good! Fabulous for a big group, or for catering a party. Delicious food, wonderful service…read more Great for takeout or dining in. We love it every time!

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Spice Level: Mild, Medium, Hot, Indian Hot

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    Seoul Restaurant - korean - Updated May 2026

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