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We stopped at Soju for dinner recently. Located right in the heart of Garfield, it is easy to find and there is usually parking nearby. I started off with the Waikiki Spam Jam cocktail which has spam washed mezcal and rum with falernum, passion fruit , lime, and bitters. It was served in a Spam can which I thought was a fun and playful touch! For food, we ordered the Korean poutine which was a fun play on the traditional Canadian poutine. It had Korean curry gravy, tofu crumbles and green onions over French fries. The flavors were insane (in a great way!) for entrees, my boyfriend ordered the kalbi which is short ribs and I ordered the pineapple salmon. The entrees are generous and again the flavors were great! The space itself is cozy and the staff are friendly and helpful. I am looking forward to checking out Soju again in the future!
We walked in right after they opened at 5pm yesterday and were able to snag the big table for the six adults and one toddler in our group. The inside is small with a small bar with seats and several tables. It filled up really quickly after we got there so I recommend going early if you can. They also take reservations for parties of 8+ online. Our server was super nice and checked in on us as appropriate intervals. We ordered basically half the menu to family style. Everything was pretty good and my favorites were the poutine, Tteokbokki, and kalbi. The cocktails were fun and inventive and also very reasonably priced! Our bill was $342.58 for the six adults and we were absolutely stuffed. It was a very reasonably priced dinner and great value for what we got. I would absolutely come back!!
Such a great dinner spot in Garfield/Bloomfield! The Nori Fries were amazing! Fries were crispy and seasoned perfectly. The hard blood orange soda was delicious too! As an entree, I had the tofu katsu and it was amazing as well!! The staff were so friendly here and we didn't wait long for our food, despite how busy it was. This is a great spot for your weekend dinner plans!
We went to a cooking class hosted by the owner at Phipps, and ever since we have been huge fans. The food is inspired by his grandma. They do collaborations/pop ups with other restaurants often, and also have fun little events you can tune into if you follow their instagram. It's homey and cozy in there. Food and drinks are delicious and creative.
It has been nearly 2 months since I visited this spot for the first time, and it has lived rent free in my mind ever since. This meal was seriously incredible. We split two appetizers, and they were so filling that we didn't even get an entrée! We got the Kimchi-Chi Nachos with beef - the first bite alone was heavenly!! these were the best nachos I've ever had. They were so unique and flavorful. It was a huge bowl and we ate the whole thing. We also got the Spicy Tuna Gimbap - my first time having gimbap! these were huge pieces and so delish! I love tuna so I knew I'd love this dish. This was my bf's first time having raw tuna and he loved it! Soju punch - refreshing and paired perfectly with our meal! Also served in huge glasses! I think they were $10 each which is a steal. FYI this space is small, fills up fast, and they don't take reservations. I suggest getting there when they open at 5. We got there around 5:20 pm and only bar seats and one big table were left. We love sitting at bars so that's what we did! I loved the intimate feel of the space. Such good vibes. The perfect date night spot!
Saw this place listed on multiple top restaurants of Pittsburgh lists so had to finally check it out. They're walk-in only so depending on the time you go, be prepared for a bit of a wait. We came by on a Friday night and our wait was a little over an hour, but luckily there are shops along the street to check out and even a brewery nearby so you can get a drink beforehand. The restaurant itself is pretty small and intimate hence the long wait, they have a small bar as well. The host was the same guy who was our waiter and he was great, a genuinely friendly guy. Wonderful service overall and the food came out pretty quickly. Interestingly, the food came out all together - appetizers and mains. I thought it was a little weird they didn't space it out more. They don't have just soju cocktails on their menu, like I expected. They have beers, wines, and cocktails with different liquors. I ordered the Makgeolli's First Date as my cocktail. It was nicely spiced from the nutmeg. It was good but I'd probably get something else next time. We started with the killer tofu. Big portion, great for a group. It was too much for just 2 people so we took home leftovers. We also got the Korean "poutine" with chicken katsu. This came as a big bowl of fries in gravy and topped with a piece of chicken katsu. Dairy-free! I enjoyed this, it's also a good dish for sharing. A bit heavy though. The chicken was tasty and crispy. There's a huge portion of fries, also enough to take home leftovers. Next, we got the Korean BBQ combination. We liked being able to try three of their different meats - kalbi, bulgogi and pork but we wished there was more meat on the plate. Compared to the other two dishes, we felt the portion was small, especially for the amount of rice in the center. About two slices of eat meat on the plate. The kalbi was the best of the bunch. The meal also came with a couple side dishes of cucumbers and some kimchi. Good meal overall, I'd definitely come back again!
Soju is 5/5, it can never do wrong. Never will take Soju slander. Amazing chicken, amazing HH, go to soju. GO. Don't walk. RUN
Amazing Korean food in Pittsburgh!! We went here on Saturday night around 5:30 and there was an hour wait. I'd recommend going right when they open at 5, but it was definitely worth waiting for! We started with the chicken katsu and nori fries. The chicken was so flavorful on its own and equally as amazing when paired with the barbeque sauce. The nori fries were so addicting! I got the pineapple salmon which was cooked to perfection and full of vibrant flavors. I tried my friend's bulgogi and kimchi fried rice and both were absolutely phenomenal! The staff were lovely and the service was quick once we were sat. This is certainly one of our new favorite Asian restaurants in the city, highly recommend. You will not be disappointed with anything you order!
Soju is a Korean-American restaurant and full-bar. They serve dinner in a no-reservation dining room as well as through takeout and delivery. Their menu lists foods such as nori French fries, tofu, beef gimbap, tuna gimbap, chicken katsu, Korean fried chicken, kimchi fried rice, poke, and pineapple salmon. Prices are reasonable. Through the Insider Eats website, I ordered four of Soju's entrees for delivery. The cooks promptly prepared my foods. I am definitely no expert on Korean foods, so my ratings are based solely on my personal tastebuds. I thought that the "Kimchijeon" (pancake with kimchi and mung beans) and the "3 Cheese Tteokbokki" (a stir-fried rice-cake dish with hard-boiled eggs) tasted OK. I greatly enjoyed the flavors of the "Korean BBQ Combo Platter" (Bulgogi beef fillet, Kalbi beef ribs, and Dwaejibulgogi pork with rice) and the "BiBimBap" (rice with spinach, bean sprouts, mushrooms, spicy cucumber, and an egg).
Hands down the best chicken katsu in the city (and maybe anywhere) I ALWAYS get the bulgogi & finally got to try the kimchi fried rice with chicken and it was FANTASTIC. I have been here about 6-7 times now and I never plan on stopping. Service and atmosphere are amazing, small, and quaint! So be sure to get there early to grab a seat! Fills up fast and they do not take reservations.
I cannot say enough good things about this place! Soju is normally packed, and they don't take reservations. We happened upon the restaurant on a not so busy night (the Steelers were playing), do we got a seat right away and pretty much had the restaurant to ourselves. The restaurant is small but filled with lots of interesting artwork that creates a hipster, inner city vibe despite being on the outskirts on downtown in the Garfield neighborhood. Penn Avenue has a lot of restaurants but none like this one! First of all, our waiter was outstanding! He was friendly and helpful, and he really made us comfortable with our menu choices. Neither my husband nor myself were familiar with Korean BBQ. I'm not as adventurous as my husband, so I wanted to make sure I'd pick something that I'd like. The waiter gave suggestions and made a point to tell us that Korean BBQ is really approachable in the sense that it's ethnic but familiar comfort foods that most Americans love. I tried 20 new restaurants in 2023, and this was the last one we tried that year, and it IMMEDIATELY went in my top 20 if not top 3. The food was flavorful and tasted like home! I've never tried anything like it before, and I cannot wait to try something new on the menu! Here's what we tried: [Korean BBQ Chicken]: This is the cripsiest fried chicken I've ever tasted, and it came with a spicy sauce that was like an award winning buffalo sauce! [BBQ Combination]: My husband had this meal with 3 different meats: Bulgogi, Kalbi, & Dwaejibulgogi. He loved it, and he thought all was very flavorful! [Katsu Curry]: This meal was the star of the show! As simple as the dish was (crispy chicken, potatoes, and veggies in a curry gravy), this meal packed a punch of flavor! I can't tell you how many times I said out loud, "This is so good!" It was by far one of the best meals I've ever had! Make sure you check out Soju, and keep your mind open to the menu choices because you won't be disappointed! I cannot wait to go back!
We had a great belated Valentine's dinner at Soju! We got there around 5:30 for dinner and were thankfully seated right away. A word of caution that there are only a few tables! Servers were kind through and helpful. We ordered the killer tofu, combo bbq plate and the chicken katsu. The killer tofu was amazing! Such krispy coating and delicious glaze. A huge appetizer portion IMO. Our entrees were good. I was a little disappointed in the servings of vegetables and banchan for both of our plates. But overall they were delicious and we will definitely return!
Never had Korean bbq so this was a new experience. The food was good. I expected a bit more flavor, I'm not sure why. The appetizer special of tuna and avocado was very good with wonton chips. I had Bulgogi, the meat was tasty and it came with rice. Also came with sides of kimchi that accented it well and a pickled cucumbers. Another hurt had the chicken katsu and she really likes it. I would try something different next time. read more
Soju were out in Pittsburgh looking for some Korean food? This small bar and restaurant sits on the non-touristy segment of Penn Ave and you'd never know it serves Korean food without looking at the menu. If you're well-versed in Korean food, you can check out their menu online ahead of time and pick your poison before dining in, or just order takeout. The large chalkboard at the entrance provides helpful definitions of terms like "gochujang" for Korean newbies. We were able to get seated right away even with the socially distanced limited seating, but calling ahead is recommended. Ordering as soon as possible is a must, as we waited a good 20 minutes for our food. I was also a little irked that the table of four next to us got their appetizers before we did, despite arriving and ordering after us. Anyways, this gave me some time to ponder the strange collection of local art that was displayed on the walls, a friend of the employees'. Soju rotates through different local artists, none of the works which I could imagine being hung on an ajumma's wall. When we got our first dishes, I was disappointed that there was no accompanying banchan - but at least the utensils are metal. The portions for Gimbap and the Kimchi-chi Nachos were pretty generous, and although I was craving a good, sticky, marinated chicken drumstick, the crispy Korean Fried Chicken we were served was still delicious and came with two different dipping sauces for our own saucing pleasure. The soup of the day was a Chicken Egg Drop soup, which definitely hit the spot with the draft coming through the open store front. The BBQ combo is a good way to try out the great Korean triad of bulgogi, kalbi, and dwaejibulgogi, our favorite of which was the excellent bulgogi. Still no banchan in sight. We considered the possibility of dessert but our friendly waiter informed us that they had already sold out of their dessert, which was handmade by another local and available only in limited quantities. On another day I would have eagerly sampled their soju-infused cocktails, but there being only a single stall bathroom for my overactive bladder and not wanting to wait even longer for a drink, decided to forego this opportunity. Soju is not where I'd go next time I need to satisfy my Korean cravings with a native Korean, but would happily return to snack on some Gimbap and soju with my hipster friends. read more
One of my favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh! I've tried several things on the menu & the bibimbap is definitely my favorite. Their fried chicken is amazing and the bulgogi delicious. Their Tteok-bokki is different than how I've typically had it but still good. It's a small cozy place and service has always been great. Definitely recommend stopping by! read more
2 years ago
AMAZING food, great service, and exceptional cocktails - probably one of the best dishes I've had since moving back to Pittsburgh. I had the pineapple salmon and the dumplings that were the special for the evening. Our server Mike was very attentive and the food came out very fast. I could not recommend soju more! read more
Came for the Korean bbq kimchi nachos...left with the spicy chicken sandwich and the kimchi Caesar salad daily special. Chicken perfectly fried and juicy. The Caesar salad brought some heat with the kimchi. Drafts half off 5-6 made for an extra valuable deal as well. Only minor critique is to update the draft menu more timely on website if you have one online. read more
First time trying Korean food and it did not disappoint. The Korean BBQ platter and kimchi pancakes were delicious and flavorful. The soju punch was very refreshing .The menu includes some Hawaiian inspired dishes and drinks as well. The Waikiki spam jam drink was like no other drink I've ever had. The waiter was attentive and knowledgeable. The atmosphere was laid back and trendy. Arrive at opening would be my recommendation or wait a while for a seat. read more
2 years ago
Me and my husband drive from canton ohio a few times a year JUST to eat here! I've spent time in Korea and my daughter lived there, we really enjoy Korea food. There are 2 authentic Korean run restaurants in Cleveland we frequent, but prefer Soju. Everthing on the menu is absolutely delicious and creatively done. The vibe is fun, prices and service are good, people nice for sure, wall art questionable :) read more
3 years ago
Soju is one of my absolute favorite restaurants in The Burgh. I delight in bringing all my visiting friends and family here and seeing the way they fall in love at first bite. You know the food is good when your parent posts a check-in to Facebook mid-meal. The killer tofu and kimchi fried rice are must tries for my fellow vegetarian pals. If you like cocktails, you'll love the Soju Punch. Bonus: you can dine at the bar if you're looking to get seated faster. The staff are always working hard but they provide great service & a memorable dining experience. One of my friends does not drink and they went the extra mile to whip her up a nice N/A juice for her birthday. There can definitely be a wait at times so plan accordingly! It's a busy establishment but they do well to get you in in a timely manner. Even so, it has always been worth the wait. read more
2 years ago
Soju is a gem in Garfield. The food is always incredible, I have had the chicken katsu curry, rice cakes, bibimbop, and more. It always hits the spot! They have a great happy hour and I always love meeting friends here because the ambiance is perfect. read more
4 years ago
Mmmmmmmm so good The inside has a nice, somewhat eclectic atmosphere. We started with cocktails. I got the lapsang julep, which was really good. My fiancé got the waikiki spam jam: spam washed mezcal and rum with Falernum, passionfruit, lime, bitters. We ordered a few things to split. Spicy chicken sandwich: fried chicken, spicy mayo, roe, house pickles, Hawaiian sweet roll, side of french fries seasoned with nori. The sandwich was awesome. The chicken was sooo crispy, and all the flavors were great. 3 cheese tteokbokki: a spicy stir-fried rice cake dish with hard boiled eggs & cheese. I love the texture of tteokbokki. Kalbi: sliced beef short ribs in a Korean marinade and grilled, served with rice & banchan. This was amazing!!! the short ribs were sliced thinly and seasoned deliciously. The rice in the middle was also wonderful. read more
Got take out from here. Ambiance - seemed lively and cute inside. Good service. Food ready on time. Food - Really loved half the food (chicken katsu being a favorite). Rest was okay but - we finished most of it, but I think would've been better in person. Was disappointed by the gimbap and bibimbap. Overall great potential. Probably wouldn't do take out again but would go back in person to try for 4 stars! Rating system: 5.0- obsessed. Wouldn't change a thing. Wish I lived here 4.0 - a must go place. Has its flaws but guaranteed to be enjoyable. 3.0- would go to again under specific circumstances but not my top choice 2.0 - wouldn't recommend and won't be back. 1.0 - something must have been terribly wrong for me to publicly review a business so harshly. read more
3 years ago
Great food and reasonably priced! My husband and I ordered the Killer Tofu, Pineapple Salmon, and Kimchi Fried Rice. Everything was excellent, and the service was fast and very knowledgeable about the menu. The ambiance was lovely, but the other customers were a bit pretentious. read more
I love good Korean fusion food and I think it's a fantastic way to celebrate my mother culture with a fresh take. I'm not sure if my experience here was too great though. The fried chicken was well seasoned and fried well. Three cheese tteokboki was a bit too simple. It only had rice cakes and an egg with I suppose cheese on top and in the sauce. For reference, tteokboki in Korea often come with fish cakes as well and adding cheese is not uncommon among Korean street vendors. Kimchi fried rice was very standard but a bit bland. I liked the smokey overtone but I think it was lacking some deeper flavor. Perhaps the kimchi they used was poorly seasoned. I think the ambiance is fantastic though and it feels very fresh. The drinks were all great too. We ordered plenty of food and we were still finishing our drinks when the waiter asked us to leave. It was 40-45 minutes after we sat down. The way he asked was a bit rude I thought. There were also definitely others that were lingering far longer than we were. It left us with a poor aftertaste. read more
3 years ago
Was here two weekends in a row it was that good. The service both times was phenomenal and extremely attentive. Everything is delicious. The Korean fried chicken was the crispiest chicken I've ever had and the portion was huge. Don't skip out on the bulgogi beef and short ribs either. The wait for an early Saturday evening wasn't bad (20-30 minutes). In the meantime we popped down the street for a drink at Mixtape. Super fun and easy. Love Soju! I will be back a lot, I am sure. read more
3 years ago
6 years ago
Wife and I were feeling a little snackish tonight after having a late lunch. Called in for a take-out order for Gimbap and were quickly accommodated. FYI, when ordering, order a bit in advance as I called about an hour before their next available pickup time. This was perfect for me since I had some errands to run anyway. While I found the presentation to be nice, the flavor of the marinated beef didn't come through amidst the pickled vegetables and rice and the rice was slightly dried out/crunchy. (This last observation could very well have been a result of the food cooling since I had a 10 minute drive home after pickup and not Soju's fault). While the food was authentic, the experience didn't quite live up to our expectations and came in on the expensive/splurge side. read more
1 year ago
I stopped by here a couple of Saturday nights ago with my wife. We happened to be watching season 9 of The Great Food Truck Race and one of the teams was serving bulgolgi fries which looked good. So of course I consulted Yelp for a place with bulgolgi nearby and found Soju. After looking over the menu we decided that this was the place for us and called in to place an order. What is nice here is that they let you pick whether you want your food to be ready ASAP or at a specific time. We ultimately decided on 6:15 and arrived around that time with our food being ready for us. Soju is located right on Penn Ave in Garfield and was easy to find. The inside of the restaurant was packed with people on this evening and there was not a open seat available in the dining room or at the bar. For dinner on this night my wife and I decided to go big and split a number of different dishes. So we ordered the Kim chi nachos and added beef (fried wontons, pickles, mushrooms, radish, kimchi, bean sprouts, carrots, cheese sauce), nori French fries (Fresh-cut fries seasoned with nori (seaweed) and served with ketchup), killer tofu (Fried crispy and tossed in a pineapple soy glaze), bulgolgi (Thinly sliced beef fillet in a Korean marinade and grilled, served with rice & banchan) and a side of grilled vegetables. Whenever we got home and opened it up, we realized just how much food we had ordered! I first started out with the bulgolgi and I have to admit that the beef had a nice marinade to it and you could really taste the grilled flavor on it. So I enjoyed that and the rice but was a little disappointed in the 3 banchan that came with it. After that I dug into the killer tofu. It was fried nicely and I really enjoyed the sweet and salty flavoring that it had going on. As a matter of a fact, if I had just ordered that I think I would have been happy. However I had a lot more to try and then moved onto the Kim chi nachos. This dish was not messing around as it had a ton going on. Like with the bulgolgi, the beef here was quite good. However it wasn't the star of the dish as I really loved the cheese with the wontons (and this play on chips) and kimchi. Last but certainly not least were the nori fries. They were crispy and had that little hint of the sea which I enjoyed. The bottom line for me is that I would head back here again in future. Both my wife and I enjoyed almost everything that we had here and when all was said and done, we still had about half of our food left over which proved to be a great leftovers meal. read more
No reservations at this great Korean joint in Garfield, so be prepared for a wait -- we waited a long time on a Saturday night, but dinner was worth it. Order some Soju, of course -- I liked the grape, Sam dug the plum, and Andy took to the Strawberry and Lavender -- but be careful, since it goes down perfectly smoothly and can get you toasted swiftly. I liked the Kinchijeon (kimchi pancakes), which were not too spicy, and don't need the dipping sauce. My friends loved the katsu and the Nori Fries (which I found good, but nothing unique). The Pineapple Salmon was perfectly done and tasted nice. The Bulgogi and Dwaejibulgogi were rocking good (though by that point, we were getting stuffed). read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
Growing up near predominantly Asian cuisine, it was to my surprise to find Soju nestled in the heart of Pittsburgh! I wanted to give this place and try to see if I could find a go-to Korean food option. I have to say the menu is extensive and I'm ready to go back and try more. Food: Beef gimbap was average in terms of flavor but would be worth to share with others, the kimchi nachos were INCREDIBLE and I will be ordering for the table every time (pro-tip: add beef!). I tried some of my friends kimchi friend rice and it was pretty solid (rice had some crispier pieces, and the egg is a standard touch). Parking: Street, paid parking (tougher to find in the busier hours) read more
Finally get the chance to try Soju - heard really good reviews about their Korean/Asian fusion style! It was during the happy hour when we went so ordered the watermelon soju, it's sweet and refreshing, tbh better than I imagined! Appetizers - tuna gimbap, flavorful 'sushi' roll with raw tuna, love it! The specialty that night was the steak tartare with cold buckwheat noodle, highly recommend if you can get it. The soupy noodle is soft and refreshing, cooling for the warm weather. For mains, both the Bulgogi and tuna poke were yummy. The sliced beef fillet was marinated in a Korean special sweet bbq sauce, grilled to best texture! Tuna I chose in the poke was Sweet and Spicy mix (you can order sweet or spicy only). I switched the rice in Tuna poke to grilled veggie, and it was literally 3 slices....... speechless for this lol Overall a good experience! Would like to see more specials and a dessert menu! read more
My first visit to Soju did not disappoint! Visited with some friends and my husband on a Saturday night, and we had about a 30 minute wait, which wasn't surprising (they're popular for a reason). We sat inside at a booth, which was quite comfortable, and had quick service for drink orders and appetizers. I tried the cider that was on tap, which was bright and dry, but their cocktails look very fun and I'd love to try one on my next visit. Between me and my husband, we tried the nori fries, tuna gimbap (similar to sushi, but featuring steamed egg inside), Korean fried chicken, and the BBQ trio (with bulgogi, kalbi, and dwaejibulgogi) that came with rice and banchan. It was all excellent and we enjoyed every bite! The friend chicken in particular was really generously portioned and we did take some home with us. I want to return and try all new things, since their menu is so fun and has a great variety of Korean fare. What a gem! read more
5 years ago
very standard basic korean food! I want to say around 2.5 stars. Not bad, but if you have korean friends they could probably make you the dishes better. Honestly pretty americanized and inauthentic but what more can you really expect from Pittsburgh? The decor and ambience was very cute though read more
Soju is a great Korean-American restaurant that has a Hawaiian influence. They have a nice selection of Beef, Chicken, and Seafood dishes. They also have an excellent bar with a nice selection of unique cocktails, good draft beer, and a huge selection of flavored Soju. I highly recommend making a reservation if you are planning on visiting during the weekend. read more
2 years ago
Came here as soon as they opened with my husband and another couple and were able to secure seats. This place is very busy. Even so we were served our food on time didn't take long to get to us. Do check them out for great Korean food. The pineapple salmon was very delicious. I will definitely be back read more
Good Korean food in a slightly hipster space right along Penn Ave in Bloomfield/Friendship. They do not take reservations and the place was packed when I arrived at around 7pm on a Saturday. We only had to wait 15 minutes or so but the vibe was lively throughout our meal. Younger crowd and kind of wonky decor (pictures of large partially naked people, lots of exposed brick) all add to that feel. Service was casual and friendly. Food is very solid. My girlfriend and I split two appetizers. The kimchi pancake was pretty standard for Korean places, but very crispy (vs. soft). It came with a very zesty dipping sauce. The Korean poutine was basically a large bowl of thick fries in a curry gravy. There were some tofu pieces that were supposed to substitute for cheese curds but didn't add much. Not sure what was Korean about this but it was tasty. We also got the bibimbap bowl which was our favorite! Plentiful mix of veggies, rice, and bulgogi beef with the spicy red sauce. So all in all the food is typical Korean but quite good. read more
We stopped at this place for our first taste of Pittsburg. We also wanted to eat before going to Mixtape down the street. The interior is very bright and casual. We sat at the bar and were greeted right way. The bartender took drink orders and we placed an order for the Kimchi fried rice. All throughout the service was attentive and fast. The kimchi fried rice was absolutely delish! I originally didn't want anything, however in normal girlfriend fashion.. I ate much of my boyfriends meal. I'd like to come back to this place to try some other dishes. The menu looks great! read more
Soju.... I've been wanting to check out this restaurant for sometime. I'm glad I made it on a Friday night. We got here at 7:30pm hoping to find a table. We were a party of 2 and had to wait 25 minutes before we got seated. I ordered purple rain and few appetizers for the table. My friend got the Soju punch sans alcohol. The pancake at first bite didn't seem very appetizing but by the time I got to the third piece I ended up liking it. The kimchi nachos were light and crispy and delicious. We honestly didn't have the appetite to order entree, so ended up ordering a side of fries which were pretty good as well. There was no dessert available as apparently their dessert chef is on a break as he had a new born. Regardless, Soju is a fine spot for dining and would like to come here again. read more
3 years ago
The best way I can describe the food is that it if it didn't need to be "spicy," it's solid. For example, the chicken katsu was PERFECT. Great crisp, tender and juicy chicken, well-seasoned, and the sauce was the right savory and sweet. I've had many katsus and that was better than some LA KTown katsus I've had, no joke. The BBQ plate on the other hand? I ordered it to try the different meats they had and...they all tasted the same. I even asked the waitress if there was a mistake and I was given the Kalbi plate instead of a combination plate. There's no difference in the marinade for the kalbi, bulgogi, and dwaejibulgogi (this one the worst since even the color just. Wasn't there.). They claim that it's spicy (and traditionally, dwaejibulgogi is meant to be spicy), but I couldn't even taste the red chili pepper. In short, anything "spicy" was washed down. Just to give an idea, I came with a friend who's pretty weak to spicy food. We're talking "can handle black pepper at most" level of weak. The fact that he can eat the kimchi and the "spicy" cucumber side dish speak volumes. Not that he had more beyond one bite because they were...bland. In order to be "accessible," they toned down the flavor and along it, tastiness. I'm not even expecting anything highly authentic, but at least some flavor for what deserved to be flavorful? So not only it lacks authenticity, it also lacks taste. TLDR: come for the katsu, but don't have high expectations for anything else read more
Appetizer 5/5 Like everyone else is saying, the gimbap is well worth trying and the highlight of the meal. A roll filled with savory, tender beef, egg, and a variety of vegetables. This was satisfying and a pleasant combo of textures and flavors. Drinks Happy hour is great here, 5-6 and on Saturday as well. Half off pints of pilsner were only $2.50. Tried a shot of soju as well, which I recommend everyone do who comes here. Tried a house-made infused grapefruit shot - chilled, pleasant crisp, with strong grapefruit taste up front and satisfying burn on the back end. Entrée 4.5/5 Tried the chicken sandwich which was their chicken katsu between a Hawaiian role topped with a spicy mayo and pickled veggies and served with a generous portion of their nori fries. This hot chicken sandwich was better tasting and a better value than sandwiches I had at places dedicated to only hot chicken. The chicken was crisp and moist, and the mayo was appropriately spicey. My partner had chicken katsu curry, which she enjoyed. Also thought the chicken was crisp and moist, and the stew was comforting, filling, and had a nice heat. Overall. 4.5/5, will be back again. read more
2 years ago
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More info about Soju
4923 Penn Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Garfield
Directions
(412) 450-8968
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https://simonchough.wixsite.com/sojupgh
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