Just one crab with soy sauce crab sauce $68 It doesn't taste that good...I got rip off...
Food: 1
Service: 3
Howard Kim
Bad service
Susan Parker
Over priced food with unkind server. She has absolutely no desire to service customers. The side dishes in tiny little plates do not reflect Korean hospitality. The mis- information on the wall. Terrible dinning experience. The main fish dish was way too sweet. We ordered $50 dish and it only comes with one bowl of rice and they charged $2 for the other rice bowl. I paid for the food right after I ordered them and the server dare to ask me to add tips! Fire the server. We dined on Saturday afternoon.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Mikyung Jung (Ashley Ji)
When Soban was created about ten years ago, the taste of soybean paste was different. The soybean paste was especially delicious and the side dishes were clean and elegant. The stew didn't feel too sweet or coarse at all, but I think the owner or chef changed during the pandemic. As I remember, when I visited LA about 5 years ago, it maintained the same taste, but when I stopped by today for a long time, I was very disappointed with the food. Soy sauce crab sauce is fishy, Spicy galbijjim is deeply spicy, Kimchi stew contained anchovies and tteokbokki, There were a lot of side dishes, but even the kimchi wasn't tasty. In general, it seems like they've made a lot of improvements to the visuals, but I thought this was food that was roughly imitated by a foreigner who has tried Korean food before. Or maybe the chef has changed to someone of Korean descent. I don't mean to disparage it, but it had many similarities with the Korean food I ate during my trip to China. Why were Mark Wynn and Michelin highly rated? The remaining question remains.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
Elvira Correa
Everything was absolutely delicious! The side dishes completed the whole meal. We ordered several plates and everything was very well seasoned and cooked to perfection. The service was quick and friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Black Cod, Spicy Stir-Fried Octopus, Seafood Tofu Pancake
Jae-In Hwang
I went to eat braised black cod. They were friendly and the black cod was delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
P C
Was there earlier than our reservation but they wouldn’t seat us because rest of our party wasn’t there together but because we were hungry, we wanted to start ordering some appetizers…so after they had a reason to seat us, then they sat us down to start with our appetizers. I get it that you want to maximize the tables to earn you profit…but if I’m gonna spend some good money on your mediocre food, you should let people sit down and not watch people who came after us get seated…because that just makes people like me mad. WAIT!!! I’m not done…their specialties consist of 3 dishes (black cod $50, beef stew $50 & the crab $60) are waaaaay over priced for their portions. Fine! If they taste good, then I’ll pay the price but they weren’t any better than what my Korean wife cooks at home following Chef Paik’s YouTube vids. The soy sauce marinated / cured raw crab wasn’t anything special either. I actually prefer the spicy seasoned raw crab dish over this with mediocre taste. I bet you can find a better packaged one at H-Mart ban-chan section. I guess movie Director Bong Joonho and famous actors visited and had rented the whole place few years back to celebrate their film fame moment for the movie Parasite because they had their pictures plastered all over their wall. Maybe these guys cooked some better food for that occasion? For my visit, I didn’t think the food or service was anything better than some other Korean restaurants near LA Koreatown. I can’t recommend this place for your $250 plus dinner out… 아…넵…사장님… 요식업 힘드신거 잘알죠… 하지만 음식 품질은 좀 신경 써주심 감사하겠습니다. 또 요즘 재료값이다 또 인건비다 힘드신거 잘알죠…하지만 $50-$60 불 짜리 요리에 은대구 세-네 조각, 갈비 세-네 조각, 간장계장 통 한미리 에 $60불은 저같은 월급쟁이 서민은 근접하긴 어렵겠네요…쩝…. 한번방문으로 땡!!! ㅋㅋ. 대박나세요…!!!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Joe Edmonds
You know that "I've eaten too much salty food" feeling you get after Korean Barbecue? Well you don't get that at Soban. Probably helps that there's no beer served here. The dolsot bibimbap is not as crusty as I expected, but it was delicious with the black cod stew. And, again, we left feeling *pleasantly* full.
The owner is young and hip. Even though it was busy, the food came fast.
Kid-friendliness: No alcohol served here, which helps. They treated our kids great.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Black Cod, Banchan Loads of Side Dishes, Seafood Tofu Pancake
LEE시마
Only the side dish bowls are noisy. Stir-fried octopus, seasoned separately, octopus taro, conclusion: no success Black cod forest is okay. It wasn't a good restaurant. The service is even worse I was told to leave the side dishes as they were set and eat them. Customer convenience information Forcing their own plating method.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
L S
Disappointing service overshadowed what could have been an enjoyable dining experience, with poor attitude and lack of attentiveness from the server.
I decided to dine in with a friend after having a wonderful takeout experience a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, my second visit will also be my last. As mentioned in other one-star reviews, there seem to be a few unqualified servers at this establishment. After we ordering two items totaling $54 before tax, server JY Y rolled her eyes. Later, when we politely requested refills for our Banchan (there were four dishes empty), she responded with clear frustration, randomly taking away three without asking our preferences; only later did we learn that while three refills are complimentary, they charge for the fourth and later ones, which I would have been fine with—if not for her poor attitude.
Toward the end of our meal, the restaurant owner arrived with some friends, and it was only then that server JY Y seemed to remember her responsibilities. She finally cleared the plastic packaging from my straw, which had been sitting on the table throughout our meal. This action felt more like an attempt to impress the owner rather than providing genuine service to the customers. Her behavior throughout the meal left me feeling like customer satisfaction was far from her priority.
Came here for the soy marinated crab and was not disappointed. Service was very quick and efficient. The banchan spread was impressive and the flavors of the marinated crab were amazing. If it’s your first time having it, squeeze the crab meat onto your rice and mix it with the seaweed + sesame oil! I would absolutely come back in a heartbeat.
Bonus points because JYP ate here and the director of Parayste and its crew celebrated here after their Oscar win, hahaha.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ed Nomura
The raw soy crab is one of my favorite dishes in Ktown and the banchan here are really good
Janice Kwok
My husband and I visited Soban for lunch on a Sunday. We found free street parking nearby, which was convenient. The server was very friendly and provided great service.
We ordered the Bibimbap and Soy Sauce Marinated Crab. The server explained clearly how to eat the marinated crab, which I had been eager to try. It didn’t disappoint—savory, umami, slightly spicy, and sweet. Paired with white rice, dried seaweed, and sesame oil, it was a fantastic combination.
Although the prices are a bit high, the quality of the food made it worth it. Would definitely recommend ?
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Banchan, Raw Marinated Crab
Kimberly Wong
Every time I’m in LA I need to go here. Jonathan Gold recommended, Parasite cast went after their Oscar win, and bib Gourmand. Family owned and helmed by daughter and mother! Their banchan is to die for- and the cod must be ordered along with the raw marinated crab.
Parking: There’s a small parking lot behind the restaurant!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Banchan, Black Cod, Galbi Jjim 갈비찜, Raw Marinated Crab
hua wu
I made a reservation and came to this store at noon on weekdays. There is a free parking lot at the back of the store, but the space is very limited and crowded. After entering the store, you can see the kitchen and waiter's desk in the middle. The store is a small store with not many tables. When I entered the store after 11 o'clock, there were only two tables dining. After entering the store, the waiter quickly led him to sit down. There are three main dishes on the menu. The main dishes are the main dishes, and the rest are almost the same as the usual Korean choices. We ordered braised black cod, seafood tofu pancake, and beef bulgogi. After ordering, the side dishes were served one after another. The side dishes were very different from those usually eaten in Korean restaurants. They were unique and delicious. The main dishes were large in portion and the fish was very delicious. You can clearly taste the deliciousness in your mouth. Other dishes are also delicious.
Just one crab with soy sauce crab sauce $68
It doesn't taste that good...I got rip off...
Food: 1
Service: 3
Bad service
Over priced food with unkind server. She has absolutely no desire to service customers. The side dishes in tiny little plates do not reflect Korean hospitality. The mis- information on the wall. Terrible dinning experience. The main fish dish was way too sweet. We ordered $50 dish and it only comes with one bowl of rice and they charged $2 for the other rice bowl. I paid for the food right after I ordered them and the server dare to ask me to add tips! Fire the server. We dined on Saturday afternoon.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
When Soban was created about ten years ago, the taste of soybean paste was different. The soybean paste was especially delicious and the side dishes were clean and elegant. The stew didn't feel too sweet or coarse at all, but I think the owner or chef changed during the pandemic. As I remember, when I visited LA about 5 years ago, it maintained the same taste, but when I stopped by today for a long time, I was very disappointed with the food.
Soy sauce crab sauce is fishy,
Spicy galbijjim is deeply spicy,
Kimchi stew contained anchovies and tteokbokki,
There were a lot of side dishes, but even the kimchi wasn't tasty.
In general, it seems like they've made a lot of improvements to the visuals, but I thought this was food that was roughly imitated by a foreigner who has tried Korean food before. Or maybe the chef has changed to someone of Korean descent. I don't mean to disparage it, but it had many similarities with the Korean food I ate during my trip to China. Why were Mark Wynn and Michelin highly rated? The remaining question remains.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
Everything was absolutely delicious! The side dishes completed the whole meal. We ordered several plates and everything was very well seasoned and cooked to perfection. The service was quick and friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Black Cod, Spicy Stir-Fried Octopus, Seafood Tofu Pancake
I went to eat braised black cod. They were friendly and the black cod was delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Was there earlier than our reservation but they wouldn’t seat us because rest of our party wasn’t there together but because we were hungry, we wanted to start ordering some appetizers…so after they had a reason to seat us, then they sat us down to start with our appetizers. I get it that you want to maximize the tables to earn you profit…but if I’m gonna spend some good money on your mediocre food, you should let people sit down and not watch people who came after us get seated…because that just makes people like me mad.
WAIT!!! I’m not done…their specialties consist of 3 dishes (black cod $50, beef stew $50 & the crab $60) are waaaaay over priced for their portions. Fine! If they taste good, then I’ll pay the price but they weren’t any better than what my Korean wife cooks at home following Chef Paik’s YouTube vids. The soy sauce marinated / cured raw crab wasn’t anything special either. I actually prefer the spicy seasoned raw crab dish over this with mediocre taste. I bet you can find a better packaged one at H-Mart ban-chan section.
I guess movie Director Bong Joonho and famous actors visited and had rented the whole place few years back to celebrate their film fame moment for the movie Parasite because they had their pictures plastered all over their wall. Maybe these guys cooked some better food for that occasion? For my visit, I didn’t think the food or service was anything better than some other Korean restaurants near LA Koreatown. I can’t recommend this place for your $250 plus dinner out…
아…넵…사장님… 요식업 힘드신거 잘알죠… 하지만 음식 품질은 좀 신경 써주심 감사하겠습니다. 또 요즘 재료값이다 또 인건비다 힘드신거 잘알죠…하지만 $50-$60 불 짜리 요리에 은대구 세-네 조각, 갈비 세-네 조각, 간장계장 통 한미리 에 $60불은 저같은 월급쟁이 서민은 근접하긴 어렵겠네요…쩝…. 한번방문으로 땡!!! ㅋㅋ. 대박나세요…!!!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
You know that "I've eaten too much salty food" feeling you get after Korean Barbecue? Well you don't get that at Soban. Probably helps that there's no beer served here. The dolsot bibimbap is not as crusty as I expected, but it was delicious with the black cod stew. And, again, we left feeling *pleasantly* full.
The owner is young and hip. Even though it was busy, the food came fast.
Kid-friendliness: No alcohol served here, which helps. They treated our kids great.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Black Cod, Banchan Loads of Side Dishes, Seafood Tofu Pancake
Only the side dish bowls are noisy. Stir-fried octopus, seasoned separately, octopus taro, conclusion: no success
Black cod forest is okay.
It wasn't a good restaurant.
The service is even worse
I was told to leave the side dishes as they were set and eat them.
Customer convenience information
Forcing their own plating method.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Disappointing service overshadowed what could have been an enjoyable dining experience, with poor attitude and lack of attentiveness from the server.
I decided to dine in with a friend after having a wonderful takeout experience a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, my second visit will also be my last. As mentioned in other one-star reviews, there seem to be a few unqualified servers at this establishment. After we ordering two items totaling $54 before tax, server JY Y rolled her eyes. Later, when we politely requested refills for our Banchan (there were four dishes empty), she responded with clear frustration, randomly taking away three without asking our preferences; only later did we learn that while three refills are complimentary, they charge for the fourth and later ones, which I would have been fine with—if not for her poor attitude.
Toward the end of our meal, the restaurant owner arrived with some friends, and it was only then that server JY Y seemed to remember her responsibilities. She finally cleared the plastic packaging from my straw, which had been sitting on the table throughout our meal. This action felt more like an attempt to impress the owner rather than providing genuine service to the customers. Her behavior throughout the meal left me feeling like customer satisfaction was far from her priority.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Black Cod
Restaurantji Recommends
Came here for the soy marinated crab and was not disappointed. Service was very quick and efficient. The banchan spread was impressive and the flavors of the marinated crab were amazing. If it’s your first time having it, squeeze the crab meat onto your rice and mix it with the seaweed + sesame oil! I would absolutely come back in a heartbeat.
Bonus points because JYP ate here and the director of Parayste and its crew celebrated here after their Oscar win, hahaha.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The raw soy crab is one of my favorite dishes in Ktown and the banchan here are really good
My husband and I visited Soban for lunch on a Sunday. We found free street parking nearby, which was convenient. The server was very friendly and provided great service.
We ordered the Bibimbap and Soy Sauce Marinated Crab. The server explained clearly how to eat the marinated crab, which I had been eager to try. It didn’t disappoint—savory, umami, slightly spicy, and sweet. Paired with white rice, dried seaweed, and sesame oil, it was a fantastic combination.
Although the prices are a bit high, the quality of the food made it worth it. Would definitely recommend ?
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Banchan, Raw Marinated Crab
Every time I’m in LA I need to go here. Jonathan Gold recommended, Parasite cast went after their Oscar win, and bib Gourmand. Family owned and helmed by daughter and mother! Their banchan is to die for- and the cod must be ordered along with the raw marinated crab.
Parking: There’s a small parking lot behind the restaurant!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Banchan, Black Cod, Galbi Jjim 갈비찜, Raw Marinated Crab
I made a reservation and came to this store at noon on weekdays. There is a free parking lot at the back of the store, but the space is very limited and crowded. After entering the store, you can see the kitchen and waiter's desk in the middle. The store is a small store with not many tables. When I entered the store after 11 o'clock, there were only two tables dining. After entering the store, the waiter quickly led him to sit down. There are three main dishes on the menu. The main dishes are the main dishes, and the rest are almost the same as the usual Korean choices. We ordered braised black cod, seafood tofu pancake, and beef bulgogi. After ordering, the side dishes were served one after another. The side dishes were very different from those usually eaten in Korean restaurants. They were unique and delicious. The main dishes were large in portion and the fish was very delicious. You can clearly taste the deliciousness in your mouth. Other dishes are also delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Black Cod, Pancake
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