Valerie Y.

This restaurant is amazing. I haven't been to a Cambodian restaurant before so I really had no idea what to expect; it's completely different than any other SE cuisine, the dishes here are modern yet pay homage to cultural roots, and the food is just delicious. I highly recommend Sophon and I would definitely come back to try more. The ambiance is great. My friends sat outside in the back and our waitress came by frequently to check on us. It wasn't too dark or too cold back there either. I think the prices are pretty fair for the quality of food you are getting. As for the food... - kroeung khmeraage (fried blue oyster mushrooms): 5/5, I appreciated the texture. - pleauh trei crudo (tuna crudo): 5/5, I liked the taste of this a lot. - k'tiss dip with crudites: 5/5, this was great, the dip was a little spicy but super flavorful. pretty fish forward. - kha sach chrouk: 4/5, the first bite was awesome. super fatty pork belly and the flavors are soaked into it. - khmer coffee: 5/5, the jasmine condensed milk really ups this drink. I could live off this forever!

Kristen L.

Sophon is worth all the hype! The dishes are very flavorful. We enjoyed all the dinner dishes that we ordered--kroeung khmeraage (think karaage chicken, but not as crispy), bok la hon salat, kha sach chrouk, and sach ko and & frites (steak and frites). The dessert was skippable. The first time we came we thought the steak was cooked perfectly, but missed the "wow" factor of the other dishes. But we tried it again recently, and it was more well seasoned. We were really impressed with it!

Sandy N.

A more elevated and modernized approach to Cambodian cuisine that still keeps true to its roots. We had to make a reservation well in advance because apparently they get packed quickly! We actually booked a reservation at 2am the day of and there happened to be a spot open for 8:15 PM after trying to get it at 7:45 PM. We are so lucky we even managed to get a group reservation for the three of us! Getting to Sophon was quite easy but parking was a bit difficult, something to know if you want to be on time. Luckily we managed to get there like 15 minutes before our reservation and got seated right away. Sophon is quite vibey and homey! I went with my partner who is Chinese and my friend who is Taiwanese here. I'm part Khmer so I ordered the dishes. We got the Lort Cha, Chicken Kreoung Khmeragge, and Sach Ko Ang & Frites. Our server told us it would be family style, which we had no problem with. A nice little touch Sophon has is having a little pamphlet which introduces you to Khmer phrases. A great idea to get people also familiar with the culture! When our food came, oh my goodness we were feasting! Everything had complex flavors but didn't lack any. My favorite dish was the lort cha. Our server was great too! She was helpful in informing us about the dishes and overall being attentive to our company. Kudos to her! We only got one small plate this time, but I'm hoping when we go back we can try the other dishes.

Caitlyn M.

This Cambodian restaurant has a cute interior and great food! There aren't many Cambodian restaurants so going to one is always a treat. The inside of the restaurant is beautiful decorated with a blend of modern and South East Asian decor. For party of 3, we ordered: - Kroeung khmeraage (fried chicken): the fried chicken was similar to Japanese fried kaarage, with a light coating of batter. Very crispy and came with a delicious aioli. - Pleauh trei (albacore crudo): the crudo was fresh and came with a delicious sweet/savory/sour sauce - P'set ang (mushrooms with tomato relish): this was a very healthy and light dish. The tomato relish had so much flavor. - Lort cha (pin noodles with eggplant): the pin noodles absorbed so much flavor from the sauce. We added the runny egg which made it even better. - Kha sach chrouk (braised pork belly): this dish was definitely the star of the show. The pork belly was delicious and so tender. It came with an onion and herb salad that helped cut through the richness. I also enjoyed the marinated egg and bamboo shoots. We enjoyed everything and were so full at the end of the meal! We had a great time trying new dishes and enjoying the vibes.

Michael S.

Overall this place was decent and worth trying. I'd come back but it's kind of annoying to park here so... maybe if someone else drove us. We got a same-day Friday reservation for 2 at 530pm - we actually showed up around 510pm and were immediately seated. This is during happy hour (5-6pm) - beer, glasses of wine, and small plates are $2 off each. I ordered a cider and the missus ordered sparkling wine. Between the two of us, we ordered two small plates and two large plates, and ended up taking part of one of the large dishes home, despite both of us being very hungry. Small plates: - k'tiss dip with crudités $18 - prahok - pure country ground pork, kroeung, prahok, coconut milk (gf) - they gave us more meat than things to put the meat on, but no worries - the meats a bit spicy. - kroeung khmeraage $15 - marrow stone blue oyster mushrooms fried & served with kroeung aioli (v. gf) - I really liked this one the most. Large plates: - lort cha $22 - pin noodles, chinese eggplants, soy curls (v) - +$3 runny egg (we added this) - this was really good but we ended up packing most of it as we were so full from the other dishes. - kha sach chrouk $32 - braised pure country pork belly. marinated egg, bamboo (gf) - this is easily shareable between 4 people - and was incredibly filling. I also ordered a bowl of rice ($3.50) to go with the pork belly. Parking is a bit messy. We parked a couple of blocks away in the residential area but there's not much "close-by" street parking so I'd recommend either not driving here or trying to find something in a back street.

Malia H.

Amazing Khmer (Cambodian) food in a modern yet home-y setting. The ambiance is mid-upscale with traditional Cambodian decor with trendy upbeat music. They put their own spin on traditional Cambodian dishes. The flavor profiles are amazing, while being unique and not losing authenticity. The cocktails are incredible, have not tried one I didn't like. The service is always very good. You can tell they've been trained well. Always polite and explain dishes very well to someone who may not know much about Cambodian cuisine. Always look forward to coming here!

Jen M.

Reservations were not available for a week so chanced swinging by during their happy hour and was happy to find a couple seats at the bar to enjoy some of the best food we've had in a while. Mainly because each dish was so different from each other as well as pretty much from anything else I've had before... the ingredients were fresh and the flavors were super complex and textures paired together so well. The dishes were better when every single component was eaten together vs separately. Everything seemed to be purposeful on the plate and made each thing better..even a drop of lemon or lime juice or slice of bamboo or sprig of vegetable made a difference. Kind of mind blowing. What we ordered: the chicken khmeraage was so moist, great flavor and so addicting - we could have eaten a couple plates of these... the lemon juice made it even better; k'tiss dip with crudites (we got the pork version) which was spicy, packed with flavor and was nicely complemented with some vegetables - never had a meat dip like this before!; the pleauh trel tuna crudo was super refreshing - so much vibrant flavors and acidity which was a perfect compliment to the other small dishes we had. Sizes of the small bites were generous and we were basically full after trying to finish these and then the 2 mains came out...so we were full but kept eating... Pork belly was melt in your mouth delicious - best when eating everything together vs the pork on its own - and it seemed to get better the more I ate it. Similar with the lort cha pin noodles with eggplant - at first I had no framework for the flavors I was tasting so wasn't sure what I thought, but the more I ate it, the more the flavors grew on me and I really enjoyed it. The lime juice made it even better. Definitely recommend a try and look forward to returning again!

Karishma A.

**vegetarian review** I have been meaning to checkout this place for a while and finally got a reservation. The menu has quite a few vegetarian option and since I went in a larger group I was able to try them all!! My favourite was the deep fried mushroom - which we quickly finished and ordered another plate. The rest of the vegetarian options were quite good but not as outstanding as the mushroom. Their desert with coconut jasmine milk was gorgeous. Loved the jasmine infusion. Overall I would recommend the place for drinking with light snacks instead of full dinner- atleast for my taste profile.

Isabella H.

From the moment you walk into Sophon, the space wraps you in warmth. The lighting is soft and intimate, and the whole place feels like a tribute--to Khmer Cambodian voices, to family, to heritage. It's more than ambiance--it's presence. You can feel the care in every detail. Food 5/5 Hennicilin -- The candied ginger garnish was such a nice touch. I love the texture and sweet spiciness that it adds to the drink. It tastes like if Hennessy had a love child with a dreamy creamy honey lemon ginger concoction. Stratn -- The coconut cream clarification makes the mezcal ultra smooth, adding a creamy finish while highlighting its inherent smokiness. We asked the hostess to order food for us and she did not disappoint. We got: Kroeung Khmeraage -- Crispy and golden, the batter is light but packed with flavor. Each bite is rich, crunchy, and deeply satisfying. The texture of the mushroom was perfectly cooked and provided a chewy bite to the crispy exterior. P'set Ang -- Incredibly tender, savory, and refreshing. The toasted coconut really shines in a balanced way. The Crack Sauce adds a spicy umami flavor to the dish. Bok La Hong Salat -- Refreshing and spicy! I love the sour, spicy balance between the papaya, shrimp paste, and Thai chili. I especially love the crunch of the raw green beans Kha Sach Chrouk -- The thick cut of pork belly was melt-in-your-mouth tender, with a perfect balance of meat and fat. The crack sauce cuts through the richness just right. It's the kind of dish you think about long after the plate's cleared. The hint of coconut adds such a complex layer of flavor to the already sweet and savory dish, the bamboo shoots add the perfect crispy crunch. Sach Ko Ang & Frites -- Herby and light, the loc lac butter adds such a salty creaminess to the meat. The frites were perfectly cooked, although honestly, I didn't care for them too much. Cha Quay -- Fried to perfection. Warm, sweet, and a bit floral. Sophon doesn't just serve food. It serves memory, culture, and love with a side of yummyliciousness. If you can't come for dinner, you have to try the happy hour. I'll be back!

Stephanie L.

To keep it simple - food, service and ambiance were all 5/5 at Sophon. The meal: 1. Order the prahok k'tiss dip with crudités. I don't typically opt for pork dishes, but this was my favorite part of our meal. The dip was spicy, savory and tasted like lemongrass to me. 2. Trumpet mushrooms with tomato sauce (p'set ang) were good, but too spicy for myself. 3. For mains, we enjoyed the popular pork belly, kha sach chrouk. This dish was really flavorful and the portions were large - can be shared amongst 3-4 people. Order this with rice to soak up the sauce. 4. Lastly, the nom banh chok was a green curry vermicelli soup noodle with fish. I liked this because it was light and balanced with our meal. Definitely a comforting dish. The drinks: I had a pandan passion fruit cocktail which was bright, tart and refreshing! Dessert: I was less impressed with the fried donut with jasmine condense milk. The dessert was fragrant but the donuts were not the highlight of the meal. Given how full we were, this could have been skipped. All in all, we enjoyed a wonderful meal and experience at Sophon!

Laura E.

The ambiance here was lovely and I really wanted to like this place, but I worry it was over hyped or maybe grew too fast. Service was very good up until the end. We started with drinks and a couple of small plates. Our waitress was very nice and the drinks were delicious! We ordered the fried chicken and some oyster mushrooms to start. The fried chicken was great and the sauce delicious. The mushrooms were also tasty however the portion was small - only 6 pieces. Thankfully we were a small party so we each got multiple pieces. After receiving our apps, it was about an hour (1.5hrs at least after sitting) before we received our mains. We had the steak which at first glance looked good, but it was much redder than expected. The waitress told us is was cooked medium/medium rare but when we bit into it, the steak was cold. The toppings were supposed to be room temperature but I don't think the steak should have been. We were told there was a party of 16 that was backing up the kitchen, which was totally understandable! After we had finished all we could eat of the steak, we were debating if we even wanted the fish we had ordered. After sitting for another few minutes, it finally arrived. The fish itself was tasty however the noodles that came in the broth were surprisingly fishy. Service was fantastic up until the end. By the time we received our mains, our waitress stopped coming to our table and we could see her at the back of a restaurant chatting with someone else for the rest of the meal. We had to ask another server for our check. Overall, I would come back for happy hour but not a full meal.

Hyunji K.

One of my go-to spots when friends visit from out of town. Cozy vibes, super friendly staff, and always delicious food. The fried mushrooms are a must -- even mushroom haters will love them! Tuna crudo was fresh, rockfish wraps were amazing, and the pork dish (a bit salty this time) was still full of flavor. A perfect place in Seattle when you want something special.

Mojdeh S.

How I heard of this place: When Sohpon opened in our neighborhood, it was the talk of the town. Crowds were making their way in, reservations were difficult to come by, and they were often closed when the website said they were open. Finally, we had a chance to sample their Khmer cuisine. Type of cuisine: "Sophon Seattle is a restaurant and bar that celebrates Khmer cuisine and culture. It offers traditional and contemporary dishes inspired by the family's heritage and history, as well as happy hour and patio options." "From the beautifully prepared and exquisitely presented dishes, to the hand crafted local foraged cocktails, it is our goal to bring an homage of gratitude for Khmer cuisine to the Phinney Ridge neighborhood. Every dish is designed thoughtfully, by the owner, Karuna Long for you and your family to share. Our menu and preparations take emphasis on fresh local ingredients that arrive daily and pronounced flavors from all parts of Cambodia. Sophon is a Semi Fine Dining restaurant and bar located in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood of Seattle, WA. We have a Front patio and a Back patio, Happy hour runs from 4-6 Tuesday through Thursday, in the bar and both patios only." Ambiance: Set in a modern vision of Cambodian cultural tapestries, baskets, lighting and artwork, the space is dimly lit and a treat for the eyes. The interior is larger than it seems from the outside and the Greenwood Ave facing windows. Wrapping around the bar, the restaurant seating continues, mostly with tables for diners in pairs, but also offering table settings for four. The dark wood, the matching chairs and beautiful, crystal cups gracing the tables creates a warm feel inside, despite the cold winter weather outside. What I ordered: We started with two small plates for the three of us: kroeung khmeraage ($14) - chicken fried and served with kroeung aoili and "crack sauce" ($3) - a salty, garlicky, green beauty, and p'set ang ($16) - marrowstone trumpet mushrooms, spicy tomato relish, toasted coconut. Our large plates included the kram rmeas santesieng ($20) - braised Chinese eggplants, soy curls, ginger, and kha sach chrouk ($30) - braised pure country pork belly, marinated egg, bamboo, and three sides of rice. What I loved: The table favorite was easily the kroeung khmeraage (fried chicken) and crack sauce. The flavor was robust, the chicken juicy, and the fry perfectly crisp. For me, the p'set ang was fine and the spice level had a good kick, but the flavors didn't quite work as well together (perhaps, as was the opinion of my two dining companions, it was the over-abundance of coconut flakes). The pork belly was lovely, and soft and tender; too sweet for my taste, but paired well with the rice and addition of the salty crack sauce. Least among my favorites was the eggplant dish, which left something to be desired - not enough eggplant, too much soy, and more bland than anticipated, especially given the burst of flavor in each of our other three dishes. Why I loved it: The service is friendly, warm and welcoming. We loved the 90s hip hop playing in the music system overhead, and the food was tasty; certainly the fried chicken is something to return for - each with our own plates. Cost: High