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Korean Village Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Korean Korean [Edit]
628 Bloor St WToronto, ON M6G 1K7
Neighbourhoods: Koreatown, Palmerston, Seaton Village
(416) 536-0290
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
24 reviews for Korean Village Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"The owner's son is a phenomenal server." In 5 reviews -
"The Ban Chan was very good, especially their kim chee (I..." In 4 reviews -
"...instead of egg in a stone bowl (get the stone bowl, it's so..." In 2 reviews
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24 reviews in English
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Review from Steph F.
Toronto, ON
4/18/2012
As others have said, the owner's son is AMAZING! I had family in from out of town with their four (!!!) small kids and the service couldn't have been more patient and sweet. We let our server choose our menu and we weren't disappointed. The tempura was the freshest I've ever had.
I'm five months pregnant and sometimes think I'll never feel full but I was so satiated at the end of this meal. I love this place! -
Review from Lynn C.
5/1/2012
Meh is right.
Maybe it's because I didn't get a glimpse of this owner's son, maybe it's because I didn't order the right food, or maybe it's because I came on the wrong day at the wrong time (7pm on a Tuesday night) but I was thoroughly disappointed with this place.
Yelp review had led me to want to check out this place for a while now, and I had almost set foot in here when my friend said he didn't like this place so we went elsewhere. Today, I finally convinced my mom to come with me--I was really craving for Korean BBQ.
We sat down and took a look at the menu for table cooking BBQ. Each serving was approximately $20+ and you had to order at least two portions. Fine, so we ordered Kalbi (boneless) for $24 and Pork Belly for $18.
First came the miso soup (average) and ban chan - only five of them and the selections were abysmal and the taste was bland. One cucumber dish marinated in Korean hot sauce that was hot, one zucchini dish marinated in garlic, one really salty turnip dish, one yellow bean sprout, and one not very tasty kimchi.
The portions for the bbqs were pretty good, but for its price, there really wasn't anything too special about it. The kalbi was on the too sweet side while the marinated pork was just covered in light korean hot sauce paste.
Our server was a nice old korean lady who didnt speak much English. The woman who took our bill didn't even smile.
For $60 after tax and tip, I could be eating a king's feast anywhere on the Bloor strip that taste far better than this. Biggest Yelp-led disappointment yet :( -
Review from Joie T.
3/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Awesome Yelp reviews led me here! Having had THE best Korean food in the DC area, I was hesitant to try any here in Toronto. But the rave reviews led 6 of us here, excited to dig in! All, (but one), were first timers here!
Apparently, the "Pork Bone Soup" is all the rave in Toronto. I didn't know that! So I just HAD to try it for myself!
While we were waiting, the food bloggers at the table were taking photos of the menus. We joked that when the food came out, what was on the menu won't match the actual dish! ... We spoke too soon! ...
The menu showed the Pork Bone Soup with green veggies & all sorts of other veggies. But then my soup arrived, and it looked boring as bread.
The soup base was bland, so not very flavourful. It was filled with bean sprouts and onions, and 2 large chunks of pork bones, which were pretty tender and juicy. The soup came with rice, which normally I love having with soup, but the broth was so, unflavourful, I was afraid the rice would soak up what was left of the flavour. Decent size bowl for $9.99. It was filling, but not satisfying. One friend asked me what I thought of the soup. My response? "It's an acquired taste"; the more I ate it, the more I liked it.
The pork dumplings had a crispy, firm bite, with an iiiitty biiiitty piece of pork filling in each. $10 for 8 pieces. Good, but I have had better.
Service is random. The host ad waitress are very friendly and efficient in getting you seated. However, placing the order took forever and a day! We were in one of the private rooms. Having never been here, we waited, and waited. No service. Not even a peep! Until someone at our table spotted a service bell on the wall! DUH! They should really explain that to everyone who comes here!
But once we ordered, the food all came rather swiftly! We probably only waited 10 minutes and everyone had their entres! We were impressed! Everyone who got the Bololgi or Galbi dinner polished theirs off. Damn them! The portions are great! You won't leave hungry here! I know I'll be back. I won't get the soup again, but I will be back for Bolgolgi or Galbi!
Interestingly, when we got the bill, it was in KOREAN! Another first! -
Review from Kat S.
3/10/2012
Expennnnnnnsive. IMO. I got the galbi dinner which I finished easily and it was $23. Smaller portion than what I get at Oja for lunch by work (and lasts me 2 days), but more tender. Huge bones to take home to the dog- so that's a plus.
Service was funny and gave us the bill in Korean. Thank God we had a translator with us ;)
Again- better Korean Food in Toronto than Annandale around DC. It just keeps getting better.
Remember- in a korean restaurant the server is there to serve you, not hear your life story. Hit the button order, demand, pay, then GTFO. -
Review from Shiona R.
2/29/2012
Officially one of my favourite restaurants in Toronto. Went there at the weekend for a friend's birthday. One of my friend's has eaten here a few times and had commented that the owner's son knows all his regular customers by name...and he does!
The service was amazing, we were given dumplings, kimchi, cucumber, bean sprouts and fish cake side dishes which were amazing. Because I said I love kimchi they just kept bringing out more, we even tried the experimental kimchi that the owner had been making.
I ordered the pork bone soup...I am struggling to see past this dish. I have had it here once before and it is simply delicious. Some like it hot, I like it hotter so I had to add chilli sauce! However a number of our group also had the soup and said it was hot enough for them. Next time I go, and there will most definitely be a next time, I am going to have something different.
I cannot praise this restaurant enough! Great food, reasonable priced and fantastic service has always been my experience. -
Review from EatingoutT O.
Toronto, ON
4/24/2012
Korean Village Resto's kalbi-zzim was a diabetes inducing turn-off. Pricey yet we left peckish. We're going to bibimbap everything, though.
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Review from Tina N.
Toronto, ON
3/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
When you walk into Korean Village you will be quickly greeted by their friendly staff. The restaurant is roomy with a nice atmosphere and has large comfy booth seatings - my fave! The menu is extensive with many options from platters to BBQs and the usual Korean dishes (pork bone soup, bibimbap etc.).
My partner and I ended up sharing the assorted Grilling BBQ Platter (pork, beef, chicken, seafood). The selection of meat was not bad but just a bit over-marinated in sauce which made eating it quite salty. Prices in comparison to their serving portions are not very filling but other than that, the service is excellent as the waitress was helpful in coming back and forth to check on our cooking meats.
Overall, fun experience with attentive staff that really want you to enjoy your time there.
Note: take notice of the many pictures of celebrities and newspaper articles on their wall that have eaten here. -
Review from Albert L.
3/30/2012
We visited Toronto and my in-laws from Korea wanted Korean food. So we came to Korean Village seeking authentic Korean dining with Yelp's help. The Korean name for the place is "Han Kuk Kwan" which means "Korean Pavillion." The sense behind the title is an exhibition of Korean culture at an international fair, set apart for cultural distinctiveness. To our disappointment, we arrived to find a place that was decidedly less Korean and more Japanese in decor. There was a sushi bar and the walls had a very Japanese feel. Even the chopstick covers had "irrashaimase" (welcome) printed in Japanese. The meat dishes were served with a side of miso shiru (Japanese white soybean soup) rather than dwenjang jjigae (Korean fermented soybean paste stew). For a place with a name that would seem to proudly display Korean culture, the Japanese elements were almost offensive to my in-laws. I wouldn't have noted these things if the restaurant had titled itself as a Korean-Japanese fusion place.
All that being said, the food is OK, but not spectacular as far as Korean food goes. The al-jjigae (fish egg stew) either did not use pollack eggs or they used ones of low quality which came in unsatisfyingly small sacks. The LA Galbi was tasty but a bit on the rubbery side. Evidently the meat was pan-fried like yaki-niku and not char-grilled over an open flame as true Korean BBQ would require. The ox tail soup (kko li gom tang) was decent, but the waitress was surprised when my father-in-law asked for black pepper. Usually, Korean broths are seasoned with salt and pepper, which are usually provided so the customer can season to taste. It would be like serving fries without ketchup. Overall, the food was just OK, not 4.5 star quality in my view. The side dishes were fresh, but merely par for the course. The service quality was good.
The place is run by Koreans, but it appeared to me that the primary clientelle are not Koreans, but other nationalities who would not mind the non-Korean elements in the decor and food. The name "Han Kuk Kwan" oversells the Koreanness of the place. Rather, it is a mish mash of Asian dining with a heavy emphasis in Korean and Japanese. This Korean-American expected more faithful representation in the multiethnic melting pot that is Toronto. -
Review from Jason K.
10/16/2011
- my thoughts are, if jackie chan and sandra oh dine in a restaurant... you should too.
- the wall near the entrance is full of photos with the mgt/owner team, and you catch a glimpse of random celebrities.
- the food is pretty solid. did the assortment bbq platter. and it didnt disappoint!! a little more expensive than most places, but the ambiance fun, loud, and fast paced.
- this place now ranks #2 in ktown. -
Review from Kyle K.
7/5/2011 2 photos
If you ever travel to Toronto (or already live there), please eat at Korean Village Restaurant. Having lived in Korea for a year, I'm quite particular when it comes to Korean food. I don't claim to be an expert, I didn't grow up eating Korean food all the time, but what I can do is distinguish between quality Korean food and cheap, over-salted, crappy Korean food. The food at Korean Village Restaurant is quite simply, to die for. I had three different meat dishes (samgyeopsal, kalbi and bulgogi) and the Kalbi in particular was the best I've ever had.
What set this place apart, was not only the delicious food, but the amazing service. From the minute I entered Korean Village Restaurant, the owner's son treated my brother and I like members of the family. We were given multiple dishes on the house and I never had to wait more than a second before someone was ready to assist. It honestly felt like I had been graciously invited into someone's home. The son's mother, and holder of the delicious secret recipes, even came to say hello. My brother, who had never eaten Korean food in his life, claimed that this was one of the most enjoyable dining experiences he has ever had. Rest assured, when I move to Toronto, I will be frequenting this place often! Do yourself a favor, eat at Korean Village Restaurant, you won't regret it for a second. -
Review from Zoe R.
5/22/2011
A.k.a. "Korean Han Kuk Kwan"...
~~~
Reading reviews for this place, many ppl gave it 4 or 5 stars (on both yelp and restaurantica), mainly for the food - and also because of service.
My debonair companion and I were immediately greeted with a large and friendly smile as we entered. We were there tonight, Sunday evening, and seated right away.
TIMING: Items from the initial glass of water to even the actual meal items... all arrived at a reasonable if not good time. You know how you'd definitely notice if a meal wasn't coming? I noticed, while there, that the timing was good.
FOOD: I ordered the Vegetarian BiBimBap in a stone bowl $12.99, came with miso soup. I tasted the soup, and it was particularly good (as the owner's son shared with us), but it was fish-based. Mr. Suave, the person I was with, ordered the House Special Pork dish.
The food was good, tasty. I've been to Korea, so I can't say this is the best Korean food that I've ever had. It was, however, good!
Portions are good. We both filled up, after ordering just one main dish.
YAY: Food came with 5 complimentary dishes. The owner's son, Jason, took note of how much we enjoyed their bean sprout dish and their pickled brownish radish dish, and brought over a bonus serving. Jason must have also thought we were sharing my one miso soup and so brought out a complimentary bowl just for my partner alone to enjoy, too.
(RACISM?): I read another review elsewhere, from a woman who came here 6 months ago for her birthday, with her fellow asian boyfriend. She said they went on a Wednesday night, but were badly served... They left without ordering anything.
Having some asian blood in me, I was actually not sure of the kind of service I'd get. But that quick and genuinely welcoming smile from the owner, coupled with all the attentiveness that we received, left us feeling like royalty or at the least, like celebrities.
There were other asians there as we entered, so although I feel bad for the woman who typed that review, I wish she'd give the place another chance. I had a very positive experience, and the other asians there seemed to be having a good time, too.
VEGETARIAN-FRIENDLY: comme ci, comme ca. I read somewhere that this place was veg-friendly. Actually, they seemed to have only one dish that was (their vegetarian bibimbap). They have sushi there, but I wanted to have Korean food since it's a Korean establishment. Mind you, the sushi chef seemed to really be doing a good job. No veg section yet... lots of pork, chicken, beef, fish options... so all you omni/carnivores out there... you'll be happy.
I should have asked Jason if there were any more veg options, but after deciding on my dish, I didn't want to bother asking about what else there was.
SERVICE: was lovely. Waitresses all seemed to be Korean in background. I think everyone working there was Korean, which oftentimes lends to the whole atmosphere of the place. Especially Jason, the owner's son, who came around periodically and was so helpful and gracious throughout our visit - we felt honoured? to get just the right amount of his attention.
OTHER: We asked and learned that to say It was Tasty in Korean, say "Ma-shi-so-yo" and Thank you is "Kamsa Hamnida".
GO AGAIN: Yes, we would! -
Review from Shael K.
Richmond Hill, ON
8/7/2011
Love this place! Have been twice and both times were spectacular. I too lived in Korea for a year and know when I'm eating good quality Korean food. Not only is the food delicious and authentic, the service is amazing! Both the owner and her son are extremely welcoming and make the experience that much more enjoyable.
Unfortunately, I have no recommendations because it is all so good. Order whatever sounds good to you and you won't be disappointed. I will definitely be back. -
Review from Alan W.
Toronto, ON
4/30/2011
This is my favorite restaurant for Korean BBQ.
The staff is so friendly and gracious. My server is the son of the owner and he was really funny and made my meal very enjoyable.
The Ban Chan was very good, especially their kim chee (I had a second helping). There wasn't as many Ban Chan dishes served as other Korean restaurants, but all were very tasty and well made.
We had the large assorted plate for the BBQ and all the meats were nicely marinated and seasoned. The mildly spicy sauce they serve on the side was yummy, and I like how they provided a large plates of lettuce leaves to wrap the meat in.
They had a really nice Soju, which is a Korean sake but more sweet and the one I ordered was infused with ginseng and had a nice golden colour and went really well with the BBQ.
Be sure to order the ice cream filled mochi balls -- it made for a nice ending to the meal.
It makes me hungry writing and thinking about this restaurant! I might go here tonight! -
Review from G J.
Toronto, ON
12/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Extremely friendly family run place with good quality food.
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Review from Michelle F.
Toronto, ON
5/3/2011
This place is awesome. The owner's son, Jason, is amazing and gives some of the best customer service I've had in this city.
The food is great, the service is great, the private rooms are great, the prices are great. What more could you ask for?! -
Review from Susu H.
Toronto, ON
4/5/2011
This place is great.
I have been here several times now and my opinion has never wavered.
I even went here for my birthday, and the staff/family was wonderful: they gave us complementary gyoza, miso soups, rice, tons of various types of kimchee, and an ice cream cake for my birthday.
The food and bbq is delicious, a perfect blend of quality and quantity. I also appreciate how you can cook the bbq at your table yourself.
Wonderful experience every time, I highly recommend this restaurant. -
Review from John O.
Mississauga, ON
10/4/2011
Great service. Lovely food. Explained everything.
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Review from j w.
Toronto, ON
7/13/2010
We entered by accident, but will come back by design.
The food and the service were both excellent. Our server was the owners' son and he clearly had great respect for both his parents, their work and their restaurant. He gave us excellent menu advice, and was able to help me, the near-vegan to navigate ordering and eating without so much as a splash of fish sauce.
The Ban chan (Korean appetizers of assorted pickled vegetables) were great. When our server noticed that we had eaten one more quickly than the others, he brought us another plate.
I had a vegetatrian Be-bim-bop, with tofu instead of beef and extra vegis instead of egg in a stone bowl (get the stone bowl, it's so worth the extra). Things were fresh, tasty and well seasoned.
While I am not usually a fan of restaurants with only one vegetarian option, this one is so good I predict that I will be back again and again. Heck, I'd go back for the ban chan alone. -
Review from Melinda M.
Toronto, ON
2/7/2010
Korean Village is Brian S' go-to restaurant in Korean Town, so I have been a few times. We went back last night after a concert on Bloor Street at 11PM and had another great experience.
The staff is always friendly, and last night we had a fabulous waiter, who told us he is the owner's son. As a result, he knows the menu inside and out and very politely shared whatever information we needed. At the same time, he was unobtrusive and gave us peace. A very good server.
The menu is extensive: I have had the Korean barbecue there, but last night I was feeling a bit peckish, so I ordered some soup - it was described as noodle soup with thin broth, seafood and vegetables. Brian ordered a sashimi dish that he'd never had before.
Seconds after ordered, drinks and kimchi and other small plates arrived. Peckishness gone! Turned out it was a need to eat after 12 hours of nothing but chips. The rest of the food was MASSIVE portions and so good. I loved the soup ($8 by the way!) - chunks of scallop and shellfish in a giant broth with lots of noodles. BrianS has a new favorite dish - we called it the Sashimi salad. It had huge pieces of raw fish on a bed of lettuce and other shredded veggies. It was on the same page as the sushi and chirashi, if you want to check it out.
I can't believe no one has reviewed this restaurant. Great location, super staff, and it's big so even though it's popular, I have never waited to sit.Listed in: FTRs, Asian Cuisine in Toronto
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Review from Chris M.
8/11/2011
My family and I chose this restaurant based on its good Yelp reviews. We were not disapointed. The food was excellent and the service was even better. The owners son took a great deal of pride in his family's dishes and spent quite a bit of time explaining them to us. One of the best dining experiences we have ever had.
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Review from Mary E.
Toronto, ON
11/18/2011
The service here is amazing, the staff are extremely friendly, and the food is absolutely fabulous. I loooooove this place.
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Review from Steph L.
4/19/2010
We were starving. We ended up parking in front of this restaurant.
The conversation went a little bit like "It's here, we're here, they have food."
What a pleasant surprise!
This place is huge. The decor is pleasant...bamboo, chimes, and dark wood. The private booths are really cute. Tons of space and there was no line-up.
I like a lot of free appetizers.
Kim chi (of course), pickles, sweet beans, seaweed, yummy potato bits, bean sprouts.
My friend ordered the pork bone soup with rice. The server (without us asking) brought her a plate of diced extra hot rocket peppers because she said she wanted her food extra spicy.
I had the bi bim bab which was super tasty. I was pleased with the beef to veggie ratio. I hate it when they don't give me enough beef.
One thing that sets this place apart from the others is the service.
The owner's son is a phenomenal server!
He made sure our teacups were always full with rice-green tea
He was knowledgeable about the menu items and made good recommendations (Lol, he pointed out items his mom likes).
Overall, he was super attentive and super nice.
The food here is made with fresh ingredients. Everything tasted great!
The menu is HUGE. I would like to come back and try their Korean pancakes and the BBQ. It's interesting that the menu has Japanese items as well. Not sure if they are good, but I enjoyed the Korean items anyway.
I had a great meal and this restaurant is one of my new favorites in K-town. The items are a bit more expensive than neighboring restaurants, but the ambiance and service are more than worth it!
Oh! And Jackie Chan, Chow Yun Fat, and other celebs apparently go here for Korean grub when in T-Dot. Well, that's what I heard and their pictures are in the entrance. I'll have to ask about the photos next time. :) -
Review from Alon G.
Toronto, ON
10/31/2010
this is by far the best Korean bbq restaurant in the city! for once, a Korean bbq that is authentic and actually owned by a Korean family.
the food is delicious. i was with a group of 8 and we ordered one of the larger platters. the quality of the meat was excellent, the side dishes were all great and the dessert was awesome.
the customer service was great too. it really has the family business type of atmosphere.
high recommended. -
Review from Drew B.
Toronto, ON
8/11/2011
Amazing service, amazing food. And a lot of it. Crazy reasonable prices too. It's a family business and they remember us every time we go back. We've gone with 5 people every time and everyone has thoroughly enjoyed everything they've ordered. Love love love.
