AMBIANCE tables hightop bar SERVICE Friendly, attentive, knowledgeable staff FOOD 4.5/5 heml pajeon - seafood & green onion pancake, shrimp, squid, mussels 5/5 BANCHAN Burdock root: savory, nice texture (fibrous) Seaweed muchim: briny Stewed potato's: flavorfully savory, soft Spinach: perfectly cooked read more

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Super cute place. Even though we arrived Saturday night at 8:30 with no reservation and it was very busy, they were very accommodating and willing to be creative about where we could sit. We had an option of a high top table or the bar, and went with the table with end. The ban chan was a standout. We had the spinach (?), burdoock, and kimchi. You could definitely tell that everything was fresh, nothing store bought that had been sitting around for a couple days or was simply heated up--which is my experience elsewhere for appetizers in china town area. The mackerel was very substantive, and well cooked. I was less of a fan of the jap chae, a little too oily for me. The service was above average and smart, you felt like you were in a place that people really loved working at. Would definitely come back again. read more

Saturday dinner. Loved this place! The pork bulgogi and stir-fried squid dishes alone made the meal spectacular. The steamed beef/scallion dumplings were a little plain for me, but my partner loved them. I will definitely be coming back. read more

Very good service, and the food was quite good. Impressive small plates they serve at the beginning. I loved my Japchae but my friend who got the beef said it was just ok. read more

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TLDR: Delectable Asian food Interior is casual and would not recommend the spot for big (6+) groups. However food was quite good and the service also very good. Our highlights included the Galbi, Mackerel, and Jigae. We've been long time Temple Bar patrons and were happy to finally try out Somaek! read more

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I thought the location was great and service was amazing, but food fell a little flat for me. I really enjoyed the cocktail selection and banchan, but not sure I'd return for apps and entrees. The jajjangmyun leaned more heavily into the chinese version rather than the korean one, which I didn't expect. The braised fish was very good and hearty, but not much different than what you can find at another more casual Korean restaurant. For the price and how much I'd heard about the head chef, I expected a bit more. read more

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Easily the best meal of my long weekend in Boston with top reviews on not just food, but service as well. It's a small place with options for bar or table and could be a little cramped for some. I wish I caught the name of our server who was outstanding, patient in explaining the various dishes and helped our pronunciation! Not pictured in our photos were the sashimi and stir-fried squid with veggies plus kimchi jjigae and panjeon. We enjoyed every dish and wish we tried more of the banchan outside of the complimentary. Leftovers were a must and just as enjoyable the next day. Great place that I'd love to visit again! read more

Somaek - Kimchi jjigae and panjeon - Korean Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I'm Korean and had the most wonderful time here on my birthday with friends. Love the story behind the restaurant. Service was wonderful. Food was delicious! It is served family style. Some of our group was newer to Korean food and they all loved it. I felt like I was in Korea and eating Halmoni's food. read more

Somaek - Korean Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

While the service was nice, the food definitely fell short of expectations. Nothing tasted that authentic and their dishes were so expensive for such small portions. $19 for 5 pieces of Bossam is insane. The doenjangjigae had a really off-putting fishy taste & smell to it. The only redeeming dish was their beef mandu that was rather tasty. But everything else was genuinely so disappointing. read more

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Somaek is such a cute spot and the location in Boston is super convenient. I went on a Thursday night with a reservation, and it was still completely packed -- we ended up being seated at the bar, which honestly added to the lively vibe. The menu has a great range of classic Korean dishes. We ordered the seafood pancake, vegetable dumplings, kimchi soup, bossam, and the stir-fried squid. The seafood pancake was a bit soft for my liking, and the dumplings were solid and well-balanced. The kimchi soup was decent bossam was good but standard. The stir-fried squid dish unfortunately had more veggies than squid but still tasty. Overall, everything was good and well-executed, just not necessarily "wow" for me -- but that's more personal preference than a knock on the kitchen. read more

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Beautiful little gem right off the Common. Wonderful tasty Korean food. I'm thrilled we have this restaurant here. The free starters banchan are lovely as well as the variety of mains. Service is lovely- patient and helpful as many of us arent necessarily familiar with this style of food. read more

The food and service were amazing! The servers and manager (Dennis) were informative, helpful and kind. Theo helped us with the menu and picked out a great beer & soju for us! A couple other servers helped bring food out to the tables and kept up with picking up plates as they were cleared. Each being very nice. Yes the tables are small and a tight space which can be a concern BUT they know how to work the space and can still have an enjoyable meal. We had a total of 4 banchans, 2 apps and 2 entrees along with sauces, rice and our drinks on the table. A lot, and it still worked. The food was amazing. I could probably drink their sauces. The sashimi was fresh. Everything was great. I'm not a Korean food connoisseur so not sure about lower ratings on here but from my understanding it is inspired by family style meals. That being said I think the smaller portions + multiple plates meant for sharing are perfect and makes for a fun meal that leaves you at a satisfied full. As for comments on authenticity while I cant comment much on that I feel this always varies as families across regions of any country have their own influences and versions of meals. The food is good, the service is great, and with that you can have a great meal solo or with company! read more

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Small space with maybe 10 tables. Service was good, but food was very poor to mediocre. Not authentic whatsoever. The dumplings tasted frozen. The doenjjangjigae was altered way too much and didn't even taste like the actual soup anymore. Pretty expensive for the portion as well. read more

Somaek - Korean Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Conveniently located in downtown, the restaurant is cozy and very beautiful decorated. They have a long bar tables for individuals or in case you didn't manage to snag one of those tables. The staff are so friendly and knowledgeable. Food wise-bosses (steam pork belly wrap, seafood pancake, pork bulgogi, grilled salted mackerel) was all so scrumptious and I'm about to die for the mackerel ! The cocktails are very creative and cater to using Korean influences in the drink-I got the Seoul 75 and it was deliciously dangerous! Hehe. Can't wait to come back again! read more

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Great cocktails, and our server was very knowledgeable about the food, offering helpful suggestions for us first timers. All servers were very alert and did a good job keeping our small table clear for the various dishes, sauces, and banchan. The space was cozy, but not overcrowded. The food was classic with a modern twist. Not the most inventive, but bold on flavor. Some dishes relied more heavily on the sides and sauces for their flavor. Overall, and enjoyable experience read more

Honestly, everything was just okay. Can't say I would go back. In terms of the food, I don't think Somaek can beat any of the Korean restaurants in Allston. The prices weren't bad, but the portions were disappointing. Paying for banchan is also against everything I stand for. However, they were kind enough to provide free banchan since it was our first time there. The interior was clean, but bland and boring. I thought the service was great. The staff was kind and friendly and was ready to provide recommendations. I'm glad I gave it a try. read more

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Great spot! I've actually been to Somaek twice and really enjoyed it both times. It's a pretty nice spot, but it's not especially fancy in terms of ambiance/decor. I'd recommend sitting at the bar if you want to have more of a relaxed dining experience. Great service overall. In terms of food, Somaek is sort of a Korean tapas style place, especially if you're fairly hungry. I really enjoyed all the dishes I tried, the kimchi stew. The second time I went they actually provided some free banchan, which I really appreciated. Very solid drinks as well. I'd be happy to come back! read more

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I've been meaning to try this place since it opened and finally got the chance to on a Thursday night. Definitely make a reservation if you can because it was quite busy and it's a smaller restaurant. They have a smaller menu so we ordered a few to share. We got the bossam, pajeon, jjajangmyeon, jjigae, and galbi. Overall the dishes were good but I definitely had better Korean food in Boston. The dishes were smaller in size than I expected for the prices. My favorite out of all the dishes was the jjigae (soybean soup). They do have a small cocktail menu and I got the gam cocktail which was surprisingly good. I would recommend the drinks more than the food. read more

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Fantastic! Especially for a white dude in charge! They gave us free banchan for our first visit, which was a great start. Ordered the tteokbokki, pork bulgogi, and grilled salted mackerel. Fave was pork bulgogi (very tender and flavorful) but enjoyed everything. They forgot the fish cakes in the tteokbokki but gave us another order with fish cakes for free (dub). Would def come back to try more. read more

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Had dinner here with a friend recently. I didn't know what to expect because I had heard mixed reviews, especially because there used to be a charge for any banchan. They offer 3 banchan for free with your meal now! We got a couple dishes and everything was pretty good! The galbi was the star of the show though. I can't remember the name of the squid stir fry that we had but it was just okay I think. The bo ssam was also a highlight. The food came out quickly and the staff was helpful. The space is pretty small so definitely make a reservation. I'd go back but I guess not rush back? Worth a try though. read more

Wasn't bad but wasn't great. Service was on par and the best servers/hosts, but the food imo didn't quite match what I hoped it to be. I liked the aspect on taking on a fine dining lens on korean cuisine but the two noodle dishes that we got wasn't anything special. The dried fish however was STELLARRRRRRRR. Would come back to eat that again. Banchan was yummy too but nothing crazy. read more

Somaek - Everything platter - Korean Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Had such an amazing experience at Somaek. First, the service was excellent. Juody was so welcoming and gave us a run down of how many dishes we should order and what they recommended. We ordered the melon Yakult cocktail, which was refreshing and fizzy. For an app, we had the Seafood Pajeon, which was nice and crispy. The seafood was generous and it was well balanced by the sauce pairing. Next, the Japache which was flavorful and full of veggies. For our mains, we had the squid stir fry and the mackerel. The squid stir fry was solid and decently sized. Only critique was wish it had more of a spicy kick. Finally, we had the mackerel. I tend to not like mackerel but this one was nicely grilled and not too fishy. I ate it with the banchan and all the flavors worked well together. Loved the burdock root, kimchi, and soy sauce sweet potato. Everything was so solid. My only critique was that our table was a bit small, but we managed. Can't wait to go back! read more

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The worst Korean food I've ever eaten. My wife and I finished a long day of walking around Boston and we decided we would check out this Korean restaurant that I've heard very good things about. I saw the positive buzz on Maps and Boston Eater, and I was excited that there was a Korean place near the Commons. Just off of the Park Street T-Stop, it's a very quick and convenient walk. Inside, it was a typical small, cramped restaurant, but they still managed to fit a lot of seats. My wife and I got a seat at a table after only a couple of minutes despite seeing how packed it was. Very dimly lit, as expected. When we saw the menu, I was surprised. I wasn't expecting it to be a tapas restaurant. I was optimistic since my previous experiences at tapas restaurants always results in amazing food. Yeah... no, not here. - - - - - - Right off the bat, the bonchan is not free. It was either $16 for 3, or $25 for 5. Seriously? Bonchan is free in... ALL(???) Korean restaurants. Whatever, surely that means it's going to be incredible, flavor bombs right? I asked my waiter what the top 5 selections were and I received the following: - Steamed Icheon Rice - $4 per small bowl. No complaints on the quality, but again, it feels like robbery to be paying for a traditionally free item. - Mu Radish Kimchi - GROSS. I have never in my life had this dish taste salty, sour, and immediately bitter. Thankfully the waiter was nice and took it back and offered a substitution. - Stir-Fried Baby Anchovy - I enjoyed this. borderline too salty, but that's expected. I was given a 2nd dish. I commonly eat fried baby anchovies + rice in Vietnamese cuisine, so this was nice. - Jang Jorim Soy Beef - absolutely not. this is a SALT BOMB. could not detect any other nuanced flavors. I could not finish this tiny dish. inedible. - Sesame Spinach - no complaints. extremely straight forward and simple. I would not pay to eat this dish in a regular situation. - Stewed Potato - it's served cold. fairly unremarkable flavor, but I guess that's a good thing so far. - - - - - - For the entrees I decided to play extremely safe and order the two most-reliable, most delicious dishes that any Korean place should do well. - Dwaeji Bulgogi - the menu explicitly says it's pork bulgogi, so that's fine. the issue though... it just tastes fine. BULGOGI SHOULD NOT TASTE FINE. it's lightly sweet, lightly sesame flavored. If I didn't see the name, I would not assume it's suppose to be a bulgogi flavor. incredibly disappointed. This is something I can get at a food court at a fraction of the price. - Galbi Gui - holy sh** what a rip-off. About 8 small things of short rib. Overly-charred. Very bitter-forward taste as a consequence. Very tough meat. No flavor. It tasted like un-seasoned beef. Their chef should quit. - - - - - With regards to ONLY the food - this place is a joke. I should've known it was going to be a terrible experience when we got to our seats and my wife and I did not see any Asian people eating. $82 down the drain. Positives? The wait staff were very friendly and accommodating. read more

Somaek - $25 for 5 banchan dishes - Korean Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This is definitely not your typical Korean restaurant! Nestled away in an unassuming side street in Downtown, Somaek is an upscale restaurant offering some tasty classics with a bit of a twist. The service here was considerate and helpful, and I'd recommend making a reservation if you're visiting on a weekend. My biggest complaint really is just the price... although the quality of the ingredients was good and everything came out very fresh, it still feels like a bit of a crime to pay as much as we did. Still, if you don't mind the price, the food is tasty. We tried a bunch here, ranging from the jjajangmyeon, jiggae, banchan, and galbi gui. The banchan didn't blow me away, but I appreciated it came with rice. The jiggae was really tasty and rich, with a crazy combination of flavors. The jjangmyeon was tasty and unique, with also a surprising amount of ingredients that didn't clash which each other. My favorite and star of the show was definitely the galbi gui. I'd come back here just for this honestly. The char and flavor on the short rib was amazing and blew me away. We were absolutely stuffed by the end of the night to say the least! read more

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Been wanting to try Somaek for a while as I like Jamie Bisonnette's restaurants. It did not disappoint! We sat at the bar and ordered the namesake, a somaek. We asked the bartender for recommendations and ordered everything he recommended, and it was a great choice. Definitely try the seafood pancake and some banchan! read more

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I had my eye on this place since they opened and learned about the chef,Jamie Bissonnette,who already had ties to the Boston food scene. Just looking at the restaurants he has been involved in and it's clear this is not his first rodeo. The inside of Somaek is very alluring with its dark lighting and chill playlist that I barely heard over everything..The young and hip staff were all very nice and elegantly shifted between serving the tables.. The kitchen was right near me so I could see all the food pass on by. My waiter was pleasant and went over the drinking tips for a Somaek also the name for the restaurant- which I already knew but smiled listening to her hacks. Let me just say thing..Banchan should never cost a thing, it goes against everything it stands by. So, paying $16 for 3 really hurt. They were all not bad though, the burdock root was really interesting flavor wise. I kept going back for it. The LA Galbi was savory and the smokey taste was perfect..The doenjang jjigae was SUPER rich aka salty in flavor but I still enjoyed it. I took that home as leftovers and watered it down and it tasted way more balanced but everything inside- meat, tofu, mussels and potato was delicious. Now the biggest let down was the jjajang noodles. These are my favorite instant noodles to have at home and my gosh the presentation was beautiful, however it literally tasted like nothing. Despite being an Asian tapas concept the sizing for dishes wasn't too bad. I recommend getting 3 dishes if you get some banchan and 4-5 if not that should be good for 2 people. I was a bit worried but I enjoyed the food, nothing life changing but overall just a pricey overall alright time that unfortunately did not live up to the hype. $$$ Service 7 Food 7 Atmosphere 9 What we got Braised Burdock Napa cabbage kimchi Pickled perilla leaves Somaek-terra beer & jinro soju Jjanjangmyeon LA cut kalbi Doenjang jjigae read more

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This is our first time visiting the restaurant, and I can certainly attest to the high-quality services and food, which is Michelin recognized. The side dishes were flavorful with punches of seasoning, surprisingly not watered down despite being run by non-korean owners. I especially adore that kimchi and had asked for multiple refills of it. Not only some of the side side dishes came with an refills. In terms of entrées, we ordered jajangmyeon, Korean ribs, and seafood pancake. Would perhaps skip the seafood pancake because it's very flour heavy, but would definitely order the first two again. I went with a Korean friend, and she also thought the dishes were very authentic and flavorful. To add onto our experience, the waiters are very responsive and always on the lookout for any needed service. This is a birthday celebration dinner for my friend's belated birthday, and although it was two weeks past her birthday, they were still able to accommodate by providing us with complementary cocktails and Korean candies. They also had a handwritten bday card for my friend! Do note that the tables are very small and the restaurant is often very packed, would definitely need a reservation in advance. read more

Somaek - Unlimited side dishes - greens? Potato salad, kimchi - Korean Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Really cute place good vibes inside. The service staff is so sweet and attentive. The space is small and the dishes are shareable but quite tasty slight different and elevated modern Korean food. Really loved certain dishes like the banchan and bossam. Didn't really love the doenjang jigae it was a bit too funky and fermented tasting but I'm not used to it having it with pork in it so could be that. The cocktails were also delicious. read more

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Mostly liked the drinks, service, pork bulgogi, and seafood pancake. But, unfortunately, many dishes are powerfully over-salted while lacking other flavors. That was true of most banchan (especially the marinated beef, which is almost inedible) and the bossam, which is bland boiled pork belly paired with obscenely salty sauce and veggies. Couldn't finish it either at the restaurant or as leftovers at home. I hate to leave a poor review when everyone there was friendly and seemingly trying their best! But unless the chef makes some adjustments I don't see myself returning. read more

Somaek - Bossam and various bonchon - Korean Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Somaek was good, with some caveats. My benchmark for Korean food in Boston is the soondubu place I go to in Allston, and the best I can break it down is - the food at Somaek is about the same taste-wise and more expensive, but the service is much friendlier. I've never seen a Korean restaurant not offer complimentary banchan at the start of the meal, which initially rubbed me the wrong way. But think about it from a food waste perspective - how much of that banchan does a restaurant throw away if you don't finish it? Chances are, if you have to pay something like $5 for some banchan or $4 for a bowl of rice, you're more likely to finish it. (Of course, the counter to this argument is that an economically-minded person would take the leftovers to go.) Still - I prefer free banchan. Finishing the banchan and asking for seconds has never been an issue for me. On the whole, the food was tasty but the portions were small. Think of a Korean menu in tapas form. Of the dishes we ordered, I liked the the stir-fried squid and pork bulgogi the most. The pork had a great chargrilled flavor but it was a very small amount of meat split among four people. Same for the squid, which came on a slightly bigger plate, but was buried in a heap of carrots and green onions. The seafood pancake was also a standout, expertly fried with a good crunch, similar to a thicker Chinese scallion pancake. I'd skip the bossam - the amount of meat was almost comically small and I'm personally not a fan of cold pork belly. Parking: garage and street options in this stretch of DTX only. read more

Somaek - Bossam - Korean Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Bookmarked here for a long time as it's recommended online and recently by Michelin. But I have to say I'm somewhat disappointed. Maybe I just had too high expectations. They do have options that are normally not seen in a Korean restaurant in Boston. So it's good to try. But flavor-wise is a bit lacking. The cocktail Seoul and Chamoe are pretty good. Free banchan is bland. The kimchi itself is good, but the spinach is super bland. It's dry and barely any flavor. 육회 yuk hwe is ok. The flavor is bland as well. The good thing here is the seaweed. 오징어볶음 ojing-eo bokkeum is probably my favorite. The squid is very tender. The flavor is good. I like that they has a bit of rice cake in it. But they put a lot of vegetables underneath. 돼지불고기 dwaeji bulgogi is a bit sweet and spicy. They burnt it a little bit so it's a bit bitter. Each main dish came with a bowl of rice. Service wise is good. They are busy during weekend night, but not too busy. They have a bar area and a few small tables. It's not too noisy and it's good to talk inside. In general, I can come back here to eat again, but I don't feel like coming back deliberately again. read more

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Some of the best Korean food I've ever had! Spectacular. I sat at the bar and was so taken care of, with lots of friendly advice. It's loud but buzzy and very hip. read more

Somaek - Banchan - Korean Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

4.5/5 Seoul 75 Cocktail -- came highly recommended by the bartender and did not disappoint! 5/5 Yookhwe -- if I had to get one thing, I would get this! Very well marinated beef tartare and loved the touch of sweetness with the korean pear and crunchy fried seaweed! 4/5 Stir Fry Squid -- squid was cooked very well, tender and not chewy. Flavor wise is very on par with typical Korean sweet spicy sauces, nothing to write home about flavor wise. Super friendly staff, especially loved chatting with the bartenders as I sat at the bar area. Would return to try more menu items! read more

Somaek - Yukhoe, Stir Fried Squid, Seoul 75 Cocktail - Korean Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Their kalbi was fine as a bar snack but for $25 one would hope that they would cook it to order rather than reheat it. The difference becomes obvious if one goes to a table top grill place like Dae Gee in Chelmsford where one can cook it at the table to one's satisfaction, resulting in a much juicier and more fresh-tasting kalbi. Seafood pancake was gummy and tasted of old oil. read more

Having been twice now, Somaek does many things well. Dishes are well-executed and flavorful and they have an excellent cocktail list. The menu is somewhat limited for repeat visits and particularly for those who don't eat pork or shellfish (like myself). The space is also not the most comfortable with a large portion of the dining room as bar seating. I would still recommend as an excellent option for more elevated Korean food in Boston! read more

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Incredible food, and the best service we've had in a long time. Cannot wait to go back. We had both kinds of dumplings, the bulgogi, and a vegetarian noodle dish. It was all excellent! read more

I ate here on New Year's Eve 2024 and I must say it was one of my favorite meals of the year. Every single thing we ordered was delicious. The cocktails were unique and creative. The service was excellent. I highly recommend Somaek. read more

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Somaek is a relatively new Korean tapas-styled restaurant in the heart of Downtown Crossing. My boyfriend and I made a reservation for Friday night on the week of and there were plenty of reservation spots at the time, although by the end of the week they did not have as many spots open. We sat by the bar and got to watch everyone make drinks and prepare food. For drinks, we got the Seoul 75 and the Maekjulada. They were both good, although the cups were pretty small for their price. For food, we got the Nong-eo Hwe (striped bass sashimi), Haemul pajeon (seafood pancake), and Kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew). All of the food was very fresh and tasty. I was especially surprised by the Kimchi jjigae, which had so much depth and complexity to it (in part because they add mackerel to their stew). The service was excellent! Although she was working the bar, she was super attentive to us and followed up on all of our questions. She even gave us celebratory champagne on the house for our special occasion. Overall, I had a great experience at Somaek! The only reason I am giving it less than 5 stars is because you have to pay a lot just for banchan, which is usually complimentary, and because the portion sizes for the drinks was relatively too small, even for a tapas restaurant. read more

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Flavors: 4.4/5 Textures: 4.5/5 Presentation: 4.5/5 Value for Money: 4/5 First or second time exploring Korean food and I loved it! The staff is so knowledgable and guided me through the menu perfectly, even picking the Banchan for me. Pork Bulgogi - a must! A little oily but perfect pairing with some white rice. Such a strong flavor Scallion Pancake - very interesting texture and tastes a lot like seafood. Not a huge fan of how heavy and oily it was, but I think that's a consequence of any scallion pancake Banchan was so amazing. I loved all the little components, my favorite being the sweet potato and the spicy seaweed, and of course the kimchi. Dumplings! Just get them, so savory and fresh. The cooking is perfect. The tuna tartare was complementary but I wasn't a fan. It tasted fishy and weird. read more

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Warm and friendly staff, great menu variety without seeming overwhelming. This place is simple Korean rustic dishes done to a high standard. In many ways, it feels like food a friend's mom would make for a nice family meal. I don't have any notes - really enjoyed everything. The bar program was wonderful as well. Loved the cocktails! While this place is more expensive than the Allston Korean spots - the food quality is less of a gamble there and the service is demonstrably better here. Am really looking forward to coming back! read more

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