Wowwww! Talk about authentic Korean food, hands down, the best food in Austin! Service was top notch! John treated us to a soju experience, which brought us back to our amazing experience while stationed in Korea when we served!
Marisa P.
Figured it was about time I try this place and see what all the hype was about. And man, were they right!We arrived a few minutes before they opened and were seated immediately, without a reservation. They brought so much food to our table I couldn't believe it all fit LOL! Ordered the military hot pot (not pictured) along with the chicken nuggets and cheese. Everything was nice and hot, sizzling from the mini burners. And it was DELICIOUS. Hot pot had a good spice to it, but not overwhelming, with every meat and protein imaginable. We also had their huge watermelon alcoholic beverage, which I ordered by mistake instead of getting their smaller homemade soju LOL. Just another reason to come back! Service was incredible, our waiter was super friendly. And just an overall great vibe. Expectations were exceeded! It's all five stars from me!!!
Jimmy N.
I don't even know where to begin... This review is for Friday June 23rd.We we're celebrating for my two cousins. It was their bachelor party. Been communicating with the restaurant via Instagram. Who ever I was speaking to was very helpful. We had a reservation for 7pm. We arrived at 6:50pm. Walked in and it was completely dead. Dead because the restaurant doesn't open til 7pm! Haha. As we entered the restaurant, we were greeted by John. John is the owner of the restaurant. I was looking forward to meeting him because from the reviews, everyone loved him. He lived up to the hype. Great man, great customer service, great attitude. He promised to give us a great time with great service, him and his team nailed it!He escorted us to our room. We reserved the karaoke dining room. Once we got seated, John immediately treated us all (party of 16) to a round of shots for free. Love it!John explained to all of us how the karaoke system works, how to order when scanning the QR code, pretty much everything to make our lives easier. Every other 15-30 minutes, John would come in to check up on us. He kept feeding my two cousins with beers and free shots. Amazing individual!!We put our order in. We tried pretty much everything on the menu. I'm so sad I didn't take any pictures. But that also means my group had a great time so there was no time for taking pictures! When our food came, we were in total shock. The waiter opened our room door and we saw the whole restaurant PACKED. Every table was taken and mind you, it was 7:10pm!FOOD : their fried chicken definitely was good. Crispy and juicy. Their kimchi fried rice was good. The chicken nuggets with the cheese fondue is a must get. We had the army stew, also. Overall, the food isn't out of this world but it's good for a big group and to just have while drinking and singing. ATMOSPHERE: honestly, this place is pretty much a hole in wall, a Gem. It's not your fancy Korean restaurant with A1 type quality food. It's a place to hang out and just have fun! It was a vibe. Overall, I definitely recommend coming here on a Friday or Saturday night. Again, thank you to the staff and John for taking care of us. I'm glad I choose this spot to go to on our first night in Austin. Kudos to you guys!
Prothit H.
There are a ton of Korean fried chicken places that have opened up around north Austin, but Seoulju in my opinion doesn't live up. The establishment is very nice with Korean music videos and a good selection of housemade soju (which was very good.) We ordered the fried gyoza and the Korean fried chicken. The fried gyoza weren't cooked well as it was still kind of raw towards the edges. Also The soy garlic wasn't very garlicky and didn't really taste as good as other Korean fried chickens I've had. It is nice that this place is open late, and seems to be a fun place to come to with bigger groups!
David Y.
Came here on a Friday night on my trip to Austin. My friend suggested this spot and I was definitely interested in trying Korean food down in Texas. I could be bias since I'm Korean :) The place has a chill vibe, not too loud and TVs playing K-pop music videos through out. Kept it classy with soju and terra beers to make so-mak (soju and beer mix) to start. We ordered the beef bulgogi ($18) which was solid, fried chicken nuggets with cheese fondue ($26) which was so good, bulgogi kimchi fries ($13) which was flavorful n unique and fried dumplings (vegetarian- $10) which was good. Overall it was a good experience with great food. If your in the mood for Korean food, I highly recommend this spot. * good service * 20% gratuity included on check * karaoke room
Pratiksha M.
Came for the reviews, stayed for the experience. The owner and waitstaff was not only attentive but ENGAGING. We learned the story of Seoulju's heart, which starts with the owners mom, and we loved being able to support a local and passionate business.Now for the food - incredible and authentic. We got a few dishes, obviously had to try the fried chicken. The kimchi fried rice was AWESOME. You think you tried fried chicken, you think you tried fried rice, until you've tried it here.NOTE: the place looks closed from the outside. Seriously we almost drove away. But it's well, lively and thriving. Much love Seoulju!
Yuna K.
Ok i went in person and tried some more dishes including the rice cake hotpot, kimchi pancake, and the chicken wings. The one thing that shocked me though was the 20% gratuity thats automatically charged and beware because they try to charge additional tip. For tables that are drinking a lot and staying a long time/ has a large party i understand but for people just coming to grab a bite or eat dinner- the 20% seems unwarranted. Sanitation here is not super great either. The food is decent. The kimchi pancake was soggy but the hotpot was good. The chicken was crispy as well. -------------------------------------This is strictly based on takeout order. We ordered through phone & picked it up- my favorite had to be their dumpling soup. I was feeling kind of sick and it was so hearty and still piping hot. And for the price they give you a lot of dumplings! The chicken was also crispy but the kimchi fried rice- unfortunately i would definitely not get it again. It had a weird ketchup flavor and was a bit mushy. I didn't eat it at all because of it.
Ashley O.
Great place for a night out with friends. They also have karaoke too! Tasty korean snack food. portions are huge! I felt like they gave us a whole chicken with how big the pieces were. Service was super friendly
Thu T.
I came back for their Korean Fried Chicken with Cheesy Corn.(+) I would consider Seoulju one of the top places for Korean Fried Chicken in Austin. Chicken is flavorful and crunchy, which goes really well with the cheese. I love that they bring out a mini gas stove to melt the cheese and keep the food hot. Tteokbokki hotpot was also good with fish cakes, mandu (fried dumplings), kimari (fried seaweed rolls), and cheese sticks. Great portion for the hot pot, best to share among 3-4 people.You can order with a QR code on your phone, and they have bells if you need service.(-) The main cons I would say are chicken portion and price. I'm a big eater lol so I do expect a bigger portion of the chicken given the higher price. But because of the location and the overall vibe, I can't really complain.I had no issues with the wait time like others have mentioned. If you plan on coming right at opening time with a bigger party (7pm), I recommend reserve in advance. (There's a $60 fee to reserve your spot, they will refund it when you're there, just fyi). The kimchi pancake was alright, and I would not necessary recommend.
Pryscilla T.
Stopped by with a few girlfriends to check out this restaurant/bar.Pros:- Their house made sojus are delicious! We really liked the Peachsicle and Mango soju.- It's really easy to order through the app. - Seated quickly when placing ourselves through the Yelp waiting list before arriving.- You can take the drinks home to continue enjoying!- Servers were clear, accommodating, and kindCons:- Food was decent- Automatic 20% gratuity charge regardless of party size- There's a karaoke bar but I didn't see anyone singing on stage. There is a separate room that you can book thoughWe loved the drinks here and came twice during our four day stay. Wish there was a place similar to this in CA. Highly recommend checking it out.
Vegetarian options: They have a wide variety of tasty dishes.
JMK-Pittsburgh
We stopped here around 7:30 on a Saturday night and were lucky to get a table upon arrival. We left an hour or so later and there 20-25 people waiting to get in. The food was generally excellent. The seafood pancake was the best I’ve eaten. Chicken wings were also good, although the bulgogi was underwhelming. Service was horrible. You have to chase them down for everything. It took 3 requests to get water. We sat there for 15 minutes before we grabbed someone so we could order. You have to be very aggressive and pro-active if you want to eat here. They’ll ignore you for a long time otherwise. I gave them a 5 for food and a 1 for service, resulting in an overall 3.
Roving633111
The Soju-rita is delicious and so was the spicy ramen. We didn’t feel like they had true vegetarian options for us. The restaurant was clean and everyone was friendly.
Visiting Austin from Dallas. Highly recommend. Excellent restaurant and service. Introduced several folks to Korean food who left fans. Owner is amazing and actively involved with the experience. Excellent! A must try
We went to celebrate our birthdays last night and seoulju never disappoints! They go above and beyond to make sure you have a great time and that we did. Food, drinks, and staff are amazing!
Wowwww! Talk about authentic Korean food, hands down, the best food in Austin! Service was top notch! John treated us to a soju experience, which brought us back to our amazing experience while stationed in Korea when we served!
Figured it was about time I try this place and see what all the hype was about. And man, were they right!We arrived a few minutes before they opened and were seated immediately, without a reservation. They brought so much food to our table I couldn't believe it all fit LOL! Ordered the military hot pot (not pictured) along with the chicken nuggets and cheese. Everything was nice and hot, sizzling from the mini burners. And it was DELICIOUS. Hot pot had a good spice to it, but not overwhelming, with every meat and protein imaginable. We also had their huge watermelon alcoholic beverage, which I ordered by mistake instead of getting their smaller homemade soju LOL. Just another reason to come back! Service was incredible, our waiter was super friendly. And just an overall great vibe. Expectations were exceeded! It's all five stars from me!!!
I don't even know where to begin... This review is for Friday June 23rd.We we're celebrating for my two cousins. It was their bachelor party. Been communicating with the restaurant via Instagram. Who ever I was speaking to was very helpful. We had a reservation for 7pm. We arrived at 6:50pm. Walked in and it was completely dead. Dead because the restaurant doesn't open til 7pm! Haha. As we entered the restaurant, we were greeted by John. John is the owner of the restaurant. I was looking forward to meeting him because from the reviews, everyone loved him. He lived up to the hype. Great man, great customer service, great attitude. He promised to give us a great time with great service, him and his team nailed it!He escorted us to our room. We reserved the karaoke dining room. Once we got seated, John immediately treated us all (party of 16) to a round of shots for free. Love it!John explained to all of us how the karaoke system works, how to order when scanning the QR code, pretty much everything to make our lives easier. Every other 15-30 minutes, John would come in to check up on us. He kept feeding my two cousins with beers and free shots. Amazing individual!!We put our order in. We tried pretty much everything on the menu. I'm so sad I didn't take any pictures. But that also means my group had a great time so there was no time for taking pictures! When our food came, we were in total shock. The waiter opened our room door and we saw the whole restaurant PACKED. Every table was taken and mind you, it was 7:10pm!FOOD : their fried chicken definitely was good. Crispy and juicy. Their kimchi fried rice was good. The chicken nuggets with the cheese fondue is a must get. We had the army stew, also. Overall, the food isn't out of this world but it's good for a big group and to just have while drinking and singing. ATMOSPHERE: honestly, this place is pretty much a hole in wall, a Gem. It's not your fancy Korean restaurant with A1 type quality food. It's a place to hang out and just have fun! It was a vibe. Overall, I definitely recommend coming here on a Friday or Saturday night. Again, thank you to the staff and John for taking care of us. I'm glad I choose this spot to go to on our first night in Austin. Kudos to you guys!
There are a ton of Korean fried chicken places that have opened up around north Austin, but Seoulju in my opinion doesn't live up. The establishment is very nice with Korean music videos and a good selection of housemade soju (which was very good.) We ordered the fried gyoza and the Korean fried chicken. The fried gyoza weren't cooked well as it was still kind of raw towards the edges. Also The soy garlic wasn't very garlicky and didn't really taste as good as other Korean fried chickens I've had. It is nice that this place is open late, and seems to be a fun place to come to with bigger groups!
Came here on a Friday night on my trip to Austin. My friend suggested this spot and I was definitely interested in trying Korean food down in Texas. I could be bias since I'm Korean :) The place has a chill vibe, not too loud and TVs playing K-pop music videos through out. Kept it classy with soju and terra beers to make so-mak (soju and beer mix) to start. We ordered the beef bulgogi ($18) which was solid, fried chicken nuggets with cheese fondue ($26) which was so good, bulgogi kimchi fries ($13) which was flavorful n unique and fried dumplings (vegetarian- $10) which was good. Overall it was a good experience with great food. If your in the mood for Korean food, I highly recommend this spot. * good service * 20% gratuity included on check * karaoke room
Came for the reviews, stayed for the experience. The owner and waitstaff was not only attentive but ENGAGING. We learned the story of Seoulju's heart, which starts with the owners mom, and we loved being able to support a local and passionate business.Now for the food - incredible and authentic. We got a few dishes, obviously had to try the fried chicken. The kimchi fried rice was AWESOME. You think you tried fried chicken, you think you tried fried rice, until you've tried it here.NOTE: the place looks closed from the outside. Seriously we almost drove away. But it's well, lively and thriving. Much love Seoulju!
Ok i went in person and tried some more dishes including the rice cake hotpot, kimchi pancake, and the chicken wings. The one thing that shocked me though was the 20% gratuity thats automatically charged and beware because they try to charge additional tip. For tables that are drinking a lot and staying a long time/ has a large party i understand but for people just coming to grab a bite or eat dinner- the 20% seems unwarranted. Sanitation here is not super great either. The food is decent. The kimchi pancake was soggy but the hotpot was good. The chicken was crispy as well. -------------------------------------This is strictly based on takeout order. We ordered through phone & picked it up- my favorite had to be their dumpling soup. I was feeling kind of sick and it was so hearty and still piping hot. And for the price they give you a lot of dumplings! The chicken was also crispy but the kimchi fried rice- unfortunately i would definitely not get it again. It had a weird ketchup flavor and was a bit mushy. I didn't eat it at all because of it.
Great place for a night out with friends. They also have karaoke too! Tasty korean snack food. portions are huge! I felt like they gave us a whole chicken with how big the pieces were. Service was super friendly
I came back for their Korean Fried Chicken with Cheesy Corn.(+) I would consider Seoulju one of the top places for Korean Fried Chicken in Austin. Chicken is flavorful and crunchy, which goes really well with the cheese. I love that they bring out a mini gas stove to melt the cheese and keep the food hot. Tteokbokki hotpot was also good with fish cakes, mandu (fried dumplings), kimari (fried seaweed rolls), and cheese sticks. Great portion for the hot pot, best to share among 3-4 people.You can order with a QR code on your phone, and they have bells if you need service.(-) The main cons I would say are chicken portion and price. I'm a big eater lol so I do expect a bigger portion of the chicken given the higher price. But because of the location and the overall vibe, I can't really complain.I had no issues with the wait time like others have mentioned. If you plan on coming right at opening time with a bigger party (7pm), I recommend reserve in advance. (There's a $60 fee to reserve your spot, they will refund it when you're there, just fyi). The kimchi pancake was alright, and I would not necessary recommend.
Stopped by with a few girlfriends to check out this restaurant/bar.Pros:- Their house made sojus are delicious! We really liked the Peachsicle and Mango soju.- It's really easy to order through the app. - Seated quickly when placing ourselves through the Yelp waiting list before arriving.- You can take the drinks home to continue enjoying!- Servers were clear, accommodating, and kindCons:- Food was decent- Automatic 20% gratuity charge regardless of party size- There's a karaoke bar but I didn't see anyone singing on stage. There is a separate room that you can book thoughWe loved the drinks here and came twice during our four day stay. Wish there was a place similar to this in CA. Highly recommend checking it out.
Restaurantji Recommends
Vegetarian options: They have a wide variety of tasty dishes.
We stopped here around 7:30 on a Saturday night and were lucky to get a table upon arrival. We left an hour or so later and there 20-25 people waiting to get in. The food was generally excellent. The seafood pancake was the best I’ve eaten. Chicken wings were also good, although the bulgogi was underwhelming. Service was horrible. You have to chase them down for everything. It took 3 requests to get water. We sat there for 15 minutes before we grabbed someone so we could order. You have to be very aggressive and pro-active if you want to eat here. They’ll ignore you for a long time otherwise. I gave them a 5 for food and a 1 for service, resulting in an overall 3.
The Soju-rita is delicious and so was the spicy ramen. We didn’t feel like they had true vegetarian options for us. The restaurant was clean and everyone was friendly.
Visiting Austin from Dallas. Highly recommend. Excellent restaurant and service. Introduced several folks to Korean food who left fans. Owner is amazing and actively involved with the experience. Excellent! A must try
We went to celebrate our birthdays last night and seoulju never disappoints! They go above and beyond to make sure you have a great time and that we did. Food, drinks, and staff are amazing!