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Sura Korean Cuisine
Category: Restaurants Korean Korean [Edit]
1518 Robson StVancouver, BC V6G 1C2
Neighbourhood: West End
(604) 687-7872
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 10:30 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 2 am
Sun 11 am - 12:30 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
30 reviews for Sura Korean Cuisine
Review Highlights
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"The Galbi jjim was beyond delicious." In 6 reviews -
"The side dishes - served in small portions and presented in..." In 7 reviews -
"Sura is a sexy, sleek, and modern Korean restaurant." In 7 reviews
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30 reviews in English
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Review from Taylor K.
This is a pretty good Korean restaurant. The decor is simple,chic and clean.
The service is very good. The servers are attentive and courteous.
This was my second time there and I had the noodle soup with dumplings. It was very good especially on a cold day like today.
My sister and I split the seafood pancake and that was very good as well. The batter had good crisp to it and had plenty of seafood in it.
There are so many Korean restaurants on Denman end of Robson and this place is definitely a place to visit if you are looking to get some good Korean food. -
Review from Jay C.
Vancouver, BC
3/31/2012
Blend taste...
Either too salty or too sweet lack of depth flavors...
Another high class of Jangmojib yet Overpriced... Overrated foods...
Unsanitary of using same banchan that has been served to the other customers just like Jangmojib
Atmosphere ok... -
Review from Bill T.
BC
10/3/2011
Have I ever been here? Yes (read below)
Intro: About 6 months ago, I was in the mood for some Bim Bab, so I went over to E-Hwa, the place where I was introduced to this dish, to find that it had CLOSED DOWN!! I was mighty depressed about this! So, then, I went to a close by place, a place that had just opened up called Sura, so I go there. Tonight, for this review, I went back :)
Outside approach: Nice clean entrance. Big windows, you can see through people eating. Sort of inviting. I like it,
Intro: I enter in, and the waiter comes up quite quickly and seats me. Not too early or late (5:30ish) so it's not incredibly busy. I'm on a long wooden bench with a pillow. It's very comfy and very Korean. I guess NOW is a good time to mention it, they've got music playing, and it's totally Japanese girl singing Beatles Songs as Lounge Standards. It's SO good, I even ask my waiter what it is (Shazam doesnt recognize it) and he said it's a cd of various tunes, put together by a Japanese DJ. Doesnt really help, oh well. Maybe i'll look for it online...
Décor: I do like the décor. It's slick, black tables with long wall hangings from the roof. It does look very Asian, and it's quite comfortable.
Clientele: I would say about 90% Asian.
Service: The waiter (I'm pretty sure it's the same waiter from last time actually) is very attentive and nice.
THE MEAL:
Free Stuff:
When I sit, the waiter asks me if I want water or hot tea, I opt for water. Nice to have that option.
APPETIZER! NONE! Yes, I broke my own rule. Nothing really looked interesting.
Main Course!
For the main course, I get the Bim Bab. Now i'm curious, this one is pretty good, the hot bowl is great, and it's sizzling and all that. Meat and rice are great, the sauce just ok. There are a LOT of Korean restaurants along Robson, I wonder which one's the best? This one is pretty good as I said, but not as good as E-Hwa's was. I finish it though, but not the funny looking food I get on three plates along with it. I know it's tradition I guess for Korean dishes to throw in these dishes, but I aint eating it if you havent told me what it is!
Soda: It's a coke again, and it's great with the meal.
After:Waiter brings the bill quickly, and it's resolved quickly. Very nice.
TOTAL OF BILL: $15.84
Was it worth it? Yes, food, service and décor match what you pay for, and all were very good.
Rating: 7/10
Would I go here again? MMMMMaybe. If I don't find another Korean place that serves better Bim Bab then I'll come back. But there's lots of Korean places around.,..
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Review from Joshua R.
1/2/2012
I went last summer and was absolutely blown away by the food -- the LA galbi was a revelation, and the ginseng chicken equally amazing. Other dishes were excellent, esp. the dolsot bibimbap, the dukbokki, the jap-chae -- everything was the best example of that dish in Vancouver.
The next time I went it was still good, but slightly off. The LA galbi weren't quite as savoury and the meat wasn't as perfectly cooked. Likewise with most of the other dishes, but I figured it must be a one-time screw up.
My third visit was much like the second, only with more screw-ups -- my galbi-tang soup was awful, and the old-standby dishes were average (but with the same premium prices).
My last visit was approximately 6 months after the first few (which were all within a 2 month period) and I can now say I'll never return to Sura. The LA galbi are off the menu (as are about 10 dishes which they've simply crossed off the menu using a pen) and the place basically sucks. The ginseng chicken had a grainy texture, the regular galbi tasted boiled (i suspect they cooked too much in a single pan), etc., etc., and even the bibimbap lacked flavour. Even our Asahi beer (which is alleged to be imported from Japan and not the brewed in Guelph Ontario variety) tasted awful -- either the lines are dirty or this isn't actually the Japanese version.
The place is still premium priced but the food sucks and the service is fairly ho-hum. I do not recommend this place at all. -
Review from Annie W.
9/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Sura is a sexy, sleek, and modern Korean restaurant. The interior is nicely decorated, with an interesting central seating area that adds a certain lounge like vibe to the place. It's a refreshing change from the usual dive like interiors most of Vancouver's Korean restaurants sport.
Food is better at the dives, but sometimes one is willing to sacrifice a little in the flavor department for ambiance. That being said the food here is not bad by any means...their tofu soonduboo is perfectly palatable, but it's definitely not the best to be had in the city.
It's a nice place for a business lunch, dinner with the girls, or even a first date. I've found it a good place to introduce some of my less adventurous friends to Korean food as they're more comfortable with the decor and western style plating of some dishes. -
Review from Shoppa H.
Vancouver, BC
3/24/2012
The food was quite delicious. I'm a fan of the ribs. However, the portions were smaller than I had hope for. Not good for sharing with a big group as the tiny portions only allow a sample portion for each person. If only they served bigger portions.
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Review from Leah C.
12/27/2010
I was visiting Vancouver from California and I was craving some Korean food, so I was told there were several restaurants down this street. This was probably the nicest Korean restaurant I've been to ambience wise. Most of the Korean places I go to are little hole in the walls. This probably should have been a warning to me that the food wouldn't be fantastic.
I ordered:
1. Short Ribs which were not that great, they weren't too flavorful and the meat wasn't as tender and moist as I usually get for Korean food.
2. Chap Chae which was good, but usually this comes free with the little appetizers that the Korean restaurants serve. The fact that we had to order it separately didn't impress me at all.
The service was okay, nothing spectacular, nothing terrible.
The most impressive part of this restaurant was the bathroom. It had a modern asian theme. -
Review from Eva G.
9/26/2010 2 photos
I get that they're trying to be hip with the dark rosy ambiance, loungey music, and dressed-up waitresses, but getting 3 ban chan (kimchi, seaweed, and another green veg) per 4 people, arriving at the same time as the entrees, is really winging it.
The naengmyeon is OK but the broth could use some more sourness. And the soondubu could use more tofu (it was more like a spicy egg soup).
This neighborhood is better known for Japanese food if only you walk up the block to Denman st. -
Review from Mike S.
2/22/2011
This place is absolutely TERRIBLE!
From the tasteless galbi that is the lowest quality meat I've ever had in a Korean restaurant, to the most bland yukgaejung ever, to the pathetic 3 ban chan (side dishes), and add to that the pretty nonexistent customer service, this place is one of the worst Korean restaurants I've been to.
And I am Korean who has spent a lot of time in NYC, DC, SF, and Seattle.
Ths inside decor is nice and looks upscale, but that is the only good thing and is a trap to lure you in from the outside.
That middle table is a pain to get in and out of, unless you like to give you knees a lot of work.
I have no idea what Ali Y. and Sanghoon C are talking about, but since they have like 2 reviews between them, I think they must be friends with someone who works there. Because this food was horrible. Try bookkyung down the street, that food was much better and not as expensive. -
Review from Leon N.
West Vancouver, BC
10/30/2011
The food is great. A little over priced. The decor is beautiful.
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Review from austen m.
Vancouver, BC
5/8/2011
The food was ok. The starter plates were tiny. The service was adequate. The food was ok, but I don't think any of us ordered the traditional Korean BBQ meat to test their true quality.
As we walked in at 9:30 on a Saturday night, we couldn't help but notice that the place was empty, with two tables taken in this large establishment and that included OUR GROUP (at least 15 tables not including the large island table in the middle).
When we got the bill, we understood why Sura was empty. They charged us about 50% more for the rice wine, Yogurt Soju Drink and Beer Pitchers compared to the half dozen other Korean restaurants in the area. It seems 99% of people who know the area even the slightest will go to any other Korean restaurant before this one even if they have to wait 5 minutes to be seated at a smaller busier place. -
Review from Judy H.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 9/21/2009 2 photos
Man, this place is up and down, up and down. This was my third visit. I went to Sura last Thursday night with 2 friends, and we ordered the kalbi tang (beef soup, again), yukkyejang (spicy beef soup), and some sort of cheyuk bokkm (spicy pork with veggies and bean sprouts). And we split a bottle of soju.
Sure, the place suddenly became very crowded right after we sat down, but the service was inexcusable. A guy sitting next to us waited 30 minutes for his dinner only to find out his order was misplaced. We waited good 10, 15 minutes to flag down the waitress -- were there only 2 to staff the whole place?!?
I have to say, the food was ick. Seriously. The pork dish probably only had 4 small pieces of pork in it, and it looked cooked from frozen. The veggies were sad, the sauce was ridiculously overpowering, and the dish was a total disaster.
But the worst part for me was that in spite of ordering a drink (soju) and 3 entrees, we had to order an extra bowl of rice for $2.50 because only the soup came with rice. Seriously -- this should be a crime in Korean restaurants. It's like paying for each refill of water.
Eh. I think I'm giving up on Sura. Again.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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8/24/2009
What do you know... it's improved since the last time I ate here. Back in October 2008, I found the… Read more »
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Review from Tae K.
Vancouver, BC
6/29/2009
As a Korean-Canadian living in Vancouver, I've always found myself pretty critical of Korean restaurants in the area. I've got to say, though, when it came to Sura, I was not disappointed.
The atmosphere/decor of this fairly new joint is great. The simplicity of the black and brown wooden furniture, in combination with the clean white walls decorated with abstract paintings, is striking. Our meal was accompanied with a funky, jazz-electro soundtrack, which was noticeable enough to set the mood yet not loud enough to overpower a conversation.
The menu has a large authentic variety yet also has plenty of dishes to satisfy those who may not be used to the hot spices inherent in Korean cuisine. The side dishes - served in small portions and presented in a style that reminds you of the restaurant's "modern" twist - might not be as widespread as other Korean restaurants, but still delicious (and remember, you can always ask for more).
Our main dishes, which consisted of the gal-bi (BBQ meat), kimchee-jun (a sort of kimchee pancake), and the dol-sot bi-bim-bap (rice mixed with various vegetables and hot-sauce) were very tasty.
Moreover, my meal at Sura answered two of my usual concerns when eating at a Korean restaurant. First, the portions were well-sized as opposed to the heaping mounds of food I was usually served at other Korean places. Second, the food's odors didn't embed themselves into my clothes as at other Korean restaurants. This is partly because Sura is not a traditional Korean BBQ where you cook your own meat in front of you... and although that experience can be fun for first-timers, I always found it annoying to smell of smoky-Korean-BBQ when I had somewhere else to go after the meal (but I guess that's a matter of personal preference).
Other pluses? When compared to other Korean places, I thought Sura was reasonably-priced. Also, the servers are very attentive and friendly.
"Sura", while a little difficult to translate (other Koreans please feel free to correct me on this), means a table on which a meal, or the meal itself, is served to royalty. While you might not exactly feel like a king or queen at this restaurant, you will leave your table very much satisfied. -
Review from William Z.
Waterloo, ON
10/10/2009
The environment is excellent compared with other Korean restaurants in the area. The food is exceptionally good. I especially like the BBQ chicken. Though they need to train the waiters better, I didn't think it was that bad like other reviewers had mentioned.
PS: Check out the awesome Korean hand drying technology in their washroom! -
Review from Ferdinand H.
5/22/2009
Espresso tables and Buble greeted my friend and I as we entered Sura. Very modern, and colour-dramatic, the environment was clean and efficient, spare on design accents, and relying on the materials to welcome the patron.
The food was decent; I had Mackerel Jorim and Yukhwe Bibimbap. I liked the Yukhwe better at Gyoza King... but I haven't had much Jorim before, so it was a pleasant experience. However, when I compare the food to experiences I've had in LA or DC, and to some extent NYC, I can't say that I was really that pleased. Decent, but not amazing...
Worth trying, but not worth dragging myself from Cleveland to eat here!
Price point seemed a tad high for the quality... -
Review from Stephanie H.
Vancouver, BC
7/2/2010
Upon entering the restaurant, you see they've been voted #1 for Best Korean Restaurant. This I have to see. So after a 30 minute line-up at a very clean and spacious restaurant, we finally got seated and ordered 4 different dishes -- galbi (shortribs), cold noodles, seafood pancake, and the beef yukke (half spicy).
The seafood pancake was pretty good - thick, enough seafood and not overly doughy. Cold noodles were good but lacked ingredients. The beef yukke was too much on the chilly side, but still edible and tasty. i was a bit dissapointed with the shortribs though. Instead of coming out in larger bone-in chunks, they looked more like bite-sized pieces. Nonetheless, the taste was still there. Overall, a B-grade restaurant, but i'd rather go to Apguchong on Robson for better korean shortribs. Oh, and be prepared to compensate all that sodium intake with lots of H20 after! -
Review from Tracy P.
Vancouver, BC
5/10/2009
The food there is great, very accessible to those unfamiliar to Korean food (largely due to their descriptive menus). We ordered 2 dishes we were unfamiliar with, and a bibimbap.
The Galbi jjim was beyond delicious. Braised pork ribs in a very sweet-soy sauce. The meat was so tender. Very "comfort food"-y. SO good. We also ordered gamja tang which was a pork bone/oxtail stew/soup. It was very rich in soybean flavour, a bit spicy and very hearty. The verdict's still out on that one, we liked the flavour, but the cumbersome meat bones got a little annoying.
The only problem I have with Sura, is that their banchan (side dishes) is a little lacking, with only 3 offered. Other than the kimchi, they were pretty forgettable. Other than that, I love it for a very comfy, trendy place to eat Korean food.
I've found myself taking as many people as I can there, and we frequent it as much as my boyfriend will allow.Listed in: My Neighborhood, Top Restaurants
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Review from Rachel K.
8/28/2010
Sura is decent, but not anything special.
It's nicely decorated with interesting seating in the middle of the restaurant, which makes it feel very low-key and at-home. After waiting 20 minutes, we were finally seated. Unfortunately, it took forever to get attention of our waitress to place our orders... and it continued to get more and more impossible to locate her whereabouts, and even when I spotted her, it was a challenge to get her attention. Our waters were not filled timely enough, and by the end of our meal, I pretty much had to call out across the restaurant for her to give us a check because we'd been sitting and waiting for so long.
The food we ordered was galbi (marinated ribs) and yukgaejang (spicy beef soup). The pieces of galbi were so small that it genuinely surprised me! Despite the portion, the meat itself was tasty. The yukgaejang was quite disappointing. We unanimously agreed that it was not spicy at all, quite boring, not really flavorful. I've yet to find a restaurant with the perfect yukgaejang, so I'm sad to discover that it wasn't here as well. Nothing beats my mom's cooking!
Another underwhelming factor was the side dishes - there were only 3. I personally hate it when Korean restaurants are stingy this way; having multiple side dishes to keep a variety of taste pallet is a must for me as a customer! On top of that, the poor service is really not a good combination.
So, I can't really see myself coming back here... sorry! -
Review from Monica S.
3/27/2011
Super yummy Korean food and Yummy barley tea. Great environment, relaxing, comfortable and Clean. We had pork galbi and bibimbap. The galbi was flavorful and tender. The service was really friendly the tea kept coming. This was my boyfriends first time eating bibimbop, the waiter totally was cool and helped him with mixing it and seasoning it without making us feel like the only white people in there (which we were). The meals came with three different kinds of kimchi, which were all very good and flavorful. I will return if I ever make it up to Vancouver again.
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Review from Gladys M.
9/13/2008 4 photos
A 3.5 star restaurant.
We were attracted to try the restaurant by the modern, minimalistic decor so clearly seen from the street. The restaurant is less than a year old and serves Korean food in a fancier table setting and generally smaller portion than regular Korean restaurants. The price is high compare to the quantity of food you are getting but fair for the overall presentation and ambiance. The taste of the food is authentic and good but nothing special that would wow you. For the same price, I would rather be more adventurous and try some other places. -
Review from Mark D.
10/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was very disappointed with Sura Korean Cuisine restaurant. Don't let the restaurant curb appeal or layout persuade you. The service wasn't very good. Robson Street provides you with so many options for good Asian food. I would try other restaurants before coming back to Sura Korean Cuisine. Sura Korean Cuisine did have a cool dinning seating area in the middle of the restaurant. Unfortunately we got the table next to the kitchen. Also Sura Korean Cuisine is not recommending for kids with fussy eating habits. The restaurant doesn't have a kid's meal. We ordered a soup but it was huge and he didn't like it. Then again I didn't like it either. We did enjoy the short bbq ribs. You can see the chefs bbqing through the window in the restaurant. The food did smell very good. However didn't like the spicy pork dish. Very spicy!! With all the good restaurants in Vancouver I think Sura Korean Cuisine was a bad choice.
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Review from Dontcallmeafoodblogger D.
West Vancouver, BC
11/30/2011
How do you tell if a restaurant suits your tastes? You order dishes you are familiar with and compare it to your standard for that dish...So we always order the yookaejang, bimbimbap, and pancake on a first visit to any Korean restaurant (assuming they serve these dishes, of course). First came the kimchi pancake - it was soggy. Then came the yookaejang - the beef in the soup was chewy like leather. Finally came the bulgogi bibimbap - beef was charred, ingredients didn't go well together, and the dish was generally lacking in the typical bibimbap aroma...The decor is slightly nicer than your typical Korean restaurant and I have no complaints about the service, but the food will probably prevent me from re-visiting this restaurant.
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Review from Sarah O.
4/20/2009
this is a modern korean joint. the food is smaller portioned, the side dishes are minimal but overall, the food taste pretty good. i ordered the hot stone bibimbop and i wasn't so impressed. but the tofu soup and side dishes were tasty. you wont have a taste bud orgy in your mouth here but i could see how this place could be a cool place to grab late dinner with friends. classy and the prices are the same as other more casual korean spots.
i am jack's complete lack of surprise.Listed in: Delicious Korean Food
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Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
11/7/2009 2 photos
Upscale western korean dining ... picture this.. you walk into a restaurant that is classy, clean, and greeted with a cheerful waitress... she seats you and the first thing you hear is... Jazz music... HUH?
it was WEIRD..... in a not so good way... I've been to this place by Thurlow and Davie - DaSungSa... and man it is korean at its best.... but I wanted to try something new today... it's been a while since I'd had dinner with my roomie... and I especially missed the stone bowl.
.. okay back to Sura --the restaurant was semi filled, and decorated with wood fixtures and furnishings.
We ordered the seafood pancake and the Bulgogi bibmibap.. which was the "original dolsot" with bulgogi.
The rice came out first.. SIZZLING... seemed promising. The waitress offered to mix in all the sauces for us but I wanted the rice to crisp more. I was excited!!!! Side dishes were brought out consisting of pickled root (my roomie thought so), bean sprouts, and spicy cabbage... their hot sauce definitely had a good kick to it. What was a tad disappointing was that although we let the rice sit to crisp up some more... it really didn't get super crispy ..... and the item on the menu specifically said it was the original bimbpap topped with bulgogi.. but when it came out.. the toppings weren't the same (no carrots, cucumber... and NO EGG - I NEED THE EGG!!!!) instead, there were mushrooms, beansprouts and topped with seaweed. We didn't notice because with the seaweed on top and thought everything was included........... but no :(.. we double checked with the waitress after dinner, but she says this one came without - we told her they should fix their menu.
The seafood pancake, which is usually so large and over the top and greased with oil, was actuallly a good size, still big and good for two people... fluffy, filled with seafood with a dipping sauce. I was impressed.
Overall a good place to take a date if they like korean food.... but I think that if you want homestyle korean... this probably wouldn't be my first choice...I'd still come back, but they're only getting 3.5 stars today. -
Review from Judah D.
9/17/2011
First time I went, it was stellar and quite reasonably priced. I had been walking by and noticed their menu, which looked good and inside there were many Asian patrons, which was a sign I should give it a try...and it was wonderful! So, I went back the same week, while still in town and this go 'round the food was mediocre, at best. I had ordered the seafood pancake based on what I saw other diners eating from my first visit, and found there was no seafood at all in the rather bland pancake. Even though the restaurant was not busy during this lunch service and the waitress seemed pre-occupied. I was offered a smaller lunch sized portion of another entree after the seafood was found missing, but I had lost my appetite by then. Based on my first experience, I would give it another try when in Vancouver. I liked the decor and bench seating; it is an attractive and clean restaurant. Hopefully they can make the food consistently good, with attention to detail (like get the seafood into the seafood pancake!).
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Review from Sweet P.
3/17/2010
disclaimer--i'm not particularly schooled in the culinary world of korean food. despite the fact that i'm asian i'm pretty damn ig'nant. okay, here we go....
we got to vancouver at a decent hour but after spending two hours at stanley park w/o food or water my belly needed something. anything. we parked on robson and walked up and down the damn street. no mc'donalds. there's no one in the japanese place, it must be bad. dammit, just pick something!! considering i wanted ramen noodles of some kind, sura it was.
i got the seafood noodle soup, he got something else. if it were memorable i'm sure i would've had a bite and remembered it. the soju was damn tasty but...yeah. wasn't impressed. to me seafood doesn't constitute a single bay shrimp and one other "thing" (couldn't tell if it was a scallop or a piece of fish). for almost ten bucks i should have at least gotten some cheap crappy imitation crab.
their starter dishes were good--marinated root veggies and kimchee. i LOVE kimchee; theirs was tasty.
wtf was i thinking wearing white pants to korean? i should have known better. i had many a splash spot of red by the end of my meal. the noodles were good but i left hungry, and i wasn't even PMSing.
not sure if i'll go back next time i'm in BC. if i am i'll be sure to write a more precise review--i hate judging a place after having visited only once. stay tuned.... -
Review from Simpson Y.
6/11/2010
The service took forever! I was starving for an early dinner ~4pm but the servers took forever to help us and the food took a while to get made too. The food was good / ok.. Nothing too special.
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Review from Sanghoon L.
Vancouver, BC
1/7/2010
Most Korean restaurants in downtown seem to target mostly at Korean exchange students. As the result, they tend to put more emphasis on quantity and low price rather than quality, atmosphere, and service.
I was at Sura yesterday and found it pleasantly different from the other Korean restaurants in downtown. Nice atmosphere; I did not feel rushed to finish my meal and get out. Great food; the galbi was one of the best galbies I tried in Vancouver metro area, at the level of Hanwoori in Burnaby or go-gung in Coquitlam.
To me, a 35 year old Korean (I left the country 9 years ago), this is easily the best Korean restaurant in downtown. -
Review from Ali Y.
3/31/2009
Great service, clean and contemporary atmosphere. The food portion's a little small compared to other Korean restaurants but their food tastes very good. This is more of a nouveau style Korean restaurant than the traditional home style.
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Review from Melissa K.
4/14/2010
Amazing food. No other explanations needed. If you want a modernly prepared, yet traditional Korean food, this is the place for you.
