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Seoul Restaurant
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
13 reviews for Seoul Restaurant
13 reviews in English
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Review from Philip Y.
3/16/2012
I've been here twice for BBQ grill and I would say that their marination bout does it right as compared to the other BBQ grill korean restaurant in downtown. Furthermore, its authentic Korean that manages the kitchen and restaurant.
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Review from Ben B.
11/29/2011 2 Check-ins Here
It can't be easy to be a basement-dwelling restaurant on a street just far enough away from the pedestrian hustle and bustle but somehow Seoul manages to make it work. Sitting on the lower end of Duke Street across from the Granville Courtyard (NSCAD, The Split Crow), you'd never know it was there unless you were looking for it.
Seoul is a small space but surprisingly bright and cheery given its location. Tables are nicely spread out, there are different nooks and crannies, and it certainly doesn't feel as dive-y as you might expect from the outside. Staff are friendly, food's ready quick, and it's a good value for what you get. The menu, however, is a complete gongshow. Get your reading glasses out...there's a paragraph written about every meal. Seriously.
I'm admittedly no pro at Korean food having only eaten it a total of three or four times and I tend to always order the same thing, the vegetarian bibimbap, so I can't give a well-rounded take on the food. Still, I find it satisfying when you're in the mood for something that'll warm you up and fill you up without greasy after-effects.
The bibimbap -rice, veggies, egg on top - comes in a hot stone bowl that you stir up and watch cook together in front of you which I always enjoy. It doesn't have a whole lot of flavour but with a little hot sauce mixed in, you're good to go. It's not exactly something I'll crave on the regular but like I said, it's perfect when you're in the mood for that sort of thing. -
Review from Kimberley M.
Halifax, NS
10/7/2011
So I had a coupon for this place burning a hole in my pocket for months... It seemed that I was never downtown or in the mood to stop in. And, for most people walking down Duke street, you'd probably overlook this location - I know I've done it. But, I had time to stop in last night for a little dinner on my own prior to spending the evening at NSCAD, and I was pleasantly surprised with both the service and the quality of the food.
I'm fairly comfortable with Korean food as I've spent a minimal amount of time in Korea, but it has been a while since I've looked through a Korean menu. I stuck with the dolsot beebimbap in the stone bowl and started off with some dumplings (Mulmandu). The dumplings were accompanied by miso soup, the traditional side of kimchi, and something that I was unfamiliar with but immediately fell in love with - a potato chutney of sorts. If there's a proper name, I'm at a loss for it, but I absolutely loved it!
Service was good, although for a short while I was the only patron in the restaurant, which made it seem eerily quiet, save for the Korean Pop on the speakers. Shortly after my arrival though several other small groups arrived and were seated.
Overall, I'm very happy with my experience and I think that I will return in the future for lunch while working downtown! -
Review from Breighan H.
Halifax, NS
5/30/2011
I've been pretty excited to try Seoul since it opened, and I can't believe I waited as long as I did. Two gal pals and I went there yesterday before a bellydance show at the Casino and had a mixed experience (me probably moreso than them). We ordered fried dumplings, kimbap (Korean sushi), chapchae (sweet potato noodles) and kimchi tofu, all which was supposed to be vegetarian. Now I realize that most kimchi does contain fish sauce or actual fish, but all our chosen menu items had a V beside them, so it seemed safe.
The chapchae arrived with obvious hunks of beef in it. I decided to be a sport and pick around it. My other friends weren't vegetarian, so it wasn't such a big deal for them (and may have possibly been a bonus). The kimchi tofu was rank with fish, and I mean rank. It was as if they used all the anchovies in all the seas and stuffed them in napa cabbage leaves and fermented it for 20 years underground. I've had fishy kimchi before, but this was the worst. Anyway, when the waiter came to ask if everything was okay, we asked if we could have the other tofu with with sauce. It was really delicious. The dumplings were awesome. The chapchae was good, not great (difficult to like it while dodging chunks of beef). The kimbap was meh. They made it special without meat for us. It did have egg, however.
I liked the graffiti on the wall as you enter and the crayon drawings of boys and girls on the bathroom doors. The waitstaff were nice enough and fairly helpful. I had a mixed experience at Seoul, but I love Korean good, so I'll give it a second chance and make sure they know I'm actually vegetarian next time, so they don't chuck several animals into my meal willy-nilly. -
Review from Anita H.
Hammonds Plains, NS
5/5/2011
First time eating Korean...didn't know what to expect. The menu seemed limited to me, but all dishes were well explained. I had the Capchae and it was very good. I would have liked more vegetables. Another ate some kind of stew thing...ok...not fabulous, but it arrived still LITERALLY boiling in the bowl which is impressive. Third person ordered Bulgogi which was also just ok...big portion of meat, no veggies.
We wished we had ordered to share between us instead as we would have had a more balanced meal (one was all pasta, one all meat).
Miso soup was very tasty.
Staff were attentive and friendly. Service was quick. Will probably try it again. -
Review from Erin P.
6/16/2011
I wils start by saying I only rated Seoul a 3-star as this was my first visit. If subsequent visits go as the first I'd be inclined to give it 4 or 5 stars. However, I can say I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I had no idea this place existed - I guess its one of Halifax's lesser knowns.
The food was delicious. Came quickly and was steaming hot, and very flavorful. The Bulgogi was really quite good, as was the Capchae. We also ordered a spicey seafood soup which was good but a touch too hot for my liking.
There were not many other people in the dining, and we were there right at prime lunch time rush - but there was no rush. I suspect not many people know Seoul exists.
My only complaint was the service itself was slow. Yes, the food came quickly but our server was slow to come back to see if we needed anything else, then when we finished our meal we sat there for quite sometime before dishes were cleared, then we had to flag her down ourselves to get the cheque. She was pleasant enough, but for it being as quiet as it was I don't see the reason for the slowness.
All in all we had a great meal. I will definitely go back.
UPDATE: I've been back twice since my original review. The food has been delicious every single time. The service, however, remains lackluster. I've had to get up to find someone to ask for whatever it was we needed. For this reason I've left my review at 3-stars. Will definitely go back but only for the food, definitely not for the service. -
Review from Pouri B.
6/10/2011
I wasn't expecting to be impressed by the food after the awesome Korean home-made dishes that I had tried but to be honest the food was impressive. Service was excellent as well.
I tried "daeji bulgogi" or the spicy pork dish and it was awesome. Looking through the menu I kinda got the impression that the vegetarian dishes are a disaster but hey, I couldn't care less...If you're a vegetarian, you know...I don't think it is where you want to be!
I'm definitely going back to try a couple of more dishes! -
Review from David H.
Halifax, NS
9/9/2011
Seoul is a Korean restaurant on Duke Street, between Granville Street and Hollis Street. From the outside it looks very small and is almost difficult to notice but once you have entered the basement dining room(s) it is actually surprisingly large. The interior is very modern and sparse, with a "graffiti wall" for visitors who would like to become immortalized. There many, many entries on the wall, in Korean, Chinese, and English. K-pop was coming from the speakers. They advertise the fact that they offer free wi-fi.
I went there on a weekday around noon for their $8.99 bulgogi lunch special that was advertised with a sign on the street and was very pleased with the food. I was the only patron in the restaurant. The bolgogi came in a bento box with steamed rice, salad, etc. The lunch special also included a miso soup.
The lunch special wasn't the best Korean food I've ever had, but it was certainly very good. Service was prompt and friendly. I would like to come back some time for dinner. (Dinner entrées range from $8 to $15 - kimchi bokkeumbap is $9.99, kimchi jigae is $8.99, and bulgogi is $13.50.)
Try this restaurant - they have very good food and, from what I could see during my first visit, they could probably need more customers. -
Review from nate b.
Halifax, NS
5/4/2011
I really enjoyed my experience at Seoul. The staff were very friendly and seemed genuinely interested in making sure I had a good experience. I ordered Bulgogi and my date ordered Bibimbap. The Bulgogi was excellent and authentic, and I plan on going back for it again. My date really enjoyed her Bibimbap as well, and has mentioned going back for it.
We were both very satisfied and were happy to have found this small corner of Korea in Halifax. I recommend giving it a try! -
Review from Lyn M.
Elderbank, NS
Updated - 5/4/2011
I have been here a few times and this time we went with my son and his girlfriend. It was their first time trying Korean. We had the fried dumplings and tempura shrimp for appetizers just because we felt like it - ;) Two ordered the same (spicy pork) and my son had the seafood dish (mostly squid) and I had the beef spareribs which I've had before. All dishes were excellent. Really very good. They come with a dish of rice that was perfectly cooked as it always is - so the person who had mushy rice had a one-off in my opinion. The side dishes were ample for us all. The miso soup is very good and better than the Rich Korean in that regard. The meat is very tender and we were all very happy with our meals.
The service was excellent and helpful as always.
The decor is good and the location great for parking and walking around.
I do feel that the portions could be a bit larger for the main meal but just compared to some other locations.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/7/2011
Although this location has seen a few restaurants come and go I hope Seoul stays. I have been for… Read more »
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Review from Laura P.
5/8/2010 2 photos
Seoul is an authentic Korean restaurant situated on Duke Street, opposite of NSCAD's main entrance. I recently ventured inside its confines to take a look at the menu and get a grasp of the general feel.
The place appeared quiet, but comfortable and welcoming. I was immediately greeted by a smiling hostess, who was diligent in responding to my restaurant curiosity. The menu appears extensive, as they offer much more than just sushi rolls. Dishes are labeled under Korean titles, and I wasn't familiar with most of them. Despite this, the descriptions alluded to plenty of fish, chicken, rice and specialty dishes.
While this was just an investigation of sorts, I will be curious to try Seoul's menu. Its quietly decorated interiors and friendly staff upped the appeal, in addition to its well-sounding menu. -
Review from R N.
Halifax, NS
10/5/2011
Seoul is the very best type of home-style restaurant. Simple, delicious food that always pleases! Our favorites are the bibimbop, japchae, and the kimchijeon (kim chi pancake), and nokdujeon (mung bean pancake).
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Review from Nik C.
Halifax, NS
7/1/2010
I had the Bibimbap, which was ok, but not great. The rice was overcooked and a bit mushy, and I would have liked to have seen more and varied vegetables, and a bit more beef as well. The 3 of us asked for extra kimchi, and we were a bit surprised when a very small, golf-ball sized portion of kimchi arrived. Most Korean restaurants I've been to in places like Toronto and Ottawa are fairly generous with kimchi, often just bringing a good sized bowl per person.
