Was showing some friends around the area on a Saturday evening and we got hungry, so I brought them to Collage at South Coast Plaza. We decided on this spot, so I ordered the Veggie Korean Bibimbap. It was good, not bad, but it is expensive and I would prefer the bibimbap in a hot stone bowl instead. That presentation would be worth evening paying a little more for it. This was just fast food style dining. Not bad, but wasn't anything special. Service - there was only one guy doing everything so it was a little slow. We had to be patient. This place may be cheaping out on paying their employees and short-staffed. It was a Saturday evening, so not exactly the time to be short-staffed. Also, my friend wanted a water with his meal and paid for a bottle of water. I saw there was a water dispenser and cups behind the counter, and I simply asked for a cup of water and the one guy working there got it for me. Especially with it being so short staffed - they should've left the water next to the self ordering kiosk for customers to get their water after they order when they wait for their meal and not have to ask. Would I recommend this place? Eh, its not bad if you're starving. Would I come back? No, not when there's plenty of much better high quality options that would actually be worth it not far from here. read more

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I was excited to finally try this place after stumbling across The Collage at South Coast Plaza and thinking it looked really fun. My family all grabbed food from different restaurants, and I decided to eat here. I ordered the two skewers with fried rice and a side of popcorn chicken. While eating, I noticed what looked like rubber bands underneath my popcorn chicken. At that point, I felt pretty grossed out and brought it back to the counter. I requested a refund, but I do not think the employee fully understood what I was asking for. Instead, he immediately made me another meal, which was not what I wanted. By that point, I was already put off and no longer wanted replacement food. When I again requested a refund, he began processing it and called over to a woman working at the mochi donut stand across the way, seemingly for help or approval. When she walked over, she immediately demanded to see the food. The employee went back to get it and brought it over to her. As she looked at it, she repeatedly said, "Where is it? I do not see it," while the employee gestured for her to move the food around to see underneath. At that point, she seemed frustrated that I had even brought it up. She explained that the rubber bands appeared to come from the utensil bundle with a fork and napkin tied together. However, I never used the fork. I used chopsticks, so I still did not feel good about how they ended up underneath my food. What bothered me most was the interaction that followed. She seemed frustrated with the employee and began discussing the situation with him. From what I could understand, it almost sounded like she expected the food to somehow still be used, while he was trying to explain that the rubber bands were at the bottom of the food and he had not seen them or did not want to touch the food afterward. The exchange left me with a bad feeling because it gave me the impression that the food may have been expected to be reused or fixed rather than discarded and remade, which honestly grossed me out. She then grabbed the meal, tossed it across the counter into the trash in frustration, and stormed off. There were a lot of customers around, and I truly was not trying to make a scene or hurt their business. I even considered that it could have simply been an honest mistake. I quietly brought it back because something did not feel right and I simply wanted the situation handled professionally. Unfortunately, the way it was handled made the experience much worse. The entire interaction left a bad impression. The woman came across as rude and dismissive, and the way the situation was handled did not leave me feeling confident about the cleanliness or professionalism of the business. I felt bad for the employee because he genuinely seemed to be trying to help, but unfortunately, after this experience, I will not be returning. I also do not feel good about trying the donut shop knowing it appears to be managed the same way. read more

So glad this place is inside the Collage Experience "food court" near Bloomingdale's! Go kdownstairs below Paradise Dynasty and you'll see K Soul Food along with the other offerings like Churrino, PhoHolic, and Le Shrimp Noodle. Service is prompt unless there's a big crowd and it's super convenient to order from the kiosk. My recurring favorites are: Spicy Carbonara Tteokbokki: the exact balance of creaminess, savoriness, and a hint of spicy that I crave. I tried this once and have never looked back. The size and texture of the Tteokbokki is also perfect - the cylindrical shape is shorter and rounder than what you'd typically see, and I don't know if that's why the taste and texture beats other versions I've had, but this dish has me in a chokehold (in the most delicious way possible). Spicy Cold Noodles: the chubby Tteokbokki noodles are plump and chewy, but skinny noodles also have a satisfying bounce to them. This is the perfect dish for a warm day, served cold, swimming in an icy and slightly spicy broth. My favorite version of spicy cold noodles! Galbi: super flavorful and has that distinctive chewy texture that Galbi tends to have. Ambiance is casual. I'm looking forward to branching out, but it's hard to avoid ordering these favorites whenever I visit. Thank you so much for having the best recipes for satisfying my Korean food cravings! read more

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If you're looking for this place, just enter Bloomingdale on the first floor and go all the way back; you won't miss it. We ordered the soduk-soduk, crispy seaweed rolls, and popcorn chicken. We ordered via the screen. The soduk-soduk was pretty good; it was served on skewers, topped with sauces, and made for a really good snack. The crispy seaweed rolls were also served as skewers, topped with sauces: These were served really hot! Crispy and delicious. The popcorn chicken was coated in a sweet sauce, and it was a bit dry, so some of the larger pieces were tough to chew. They had bar-type seating, and the food came out rather quickly. read more

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Decided to order the crab ramen thinking it would have pieces of crab in the noodles. I was very surprised to find an entire crab with crab meat. Noodles were perfectly cooked. I've had better broth elsewhere for similar prices. This is a great place to pick up food in a pinch when out for lunch but I don't think I'd order this again over regular ramen or udon noodles. read more

K Soul Food - Crab Ramen - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Cute little hidden spot. Great service, a lot of seating. Delicious pork rice bowl, big serving. A lot of food options. Will definitely be coming back. Highly recommend trying. read more

K Soul Food - Pork belly rice bowl big - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Located at the very end of the Bloomingdale's store and tucked away between some other food stores. There was a nice variety on the menu but I was excited to eat some cup bap once again. Service was fast and my food came out pretty quickly. The food was nice and hot and there was a decent rice to protein ratio. He quickly made my drink when I reminded him that I ordered one. Plenty of seating on each side of the counter. read more

K Soul Food - Pork bulgulgi cup bap - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Do not eat here. Food poisoning. Racist extremely incompetent workers. They will and deserve to go bankrupt. Ordered food, waited 15 minutes, literally no one coming by our table so we just left. Get some real Korean restaurant with real service get this piece of shit out of here. As a Korean American raised in ktown in Los Angeles, this reaturant represents why Korean restaurantss go bankrupt and out of business. Workers act like assholes. There's zero management. Sitting for 15 minutes and all we get is water. So embarrassing to be Korean and to be in this plaza. Seriously so fucking embarrassing, get some real Korean business people here because these assholes are making everyone look bad. Trying to support our Korean people and they prove why people hate Korean restaurants -- because you idiots don't know how to run a restaurant. Unreal. read more

Great place for late-night cravings, highly recommended! I ordered cold noodles and soju, and they kindly gave me a big bowl of mussel soup to go with the soju. The cold noodles were great. In addition to good food and great service, they also had this orange colored tent outside, which reminded me the ones I saw in K dramas. read more

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I came and ordered some popcorn chicken here for my kids and I to munch on and to my horror the display case in the window had food with white and green fuzzy mold all over it.. We didn't get a chance to tell the lady because we were in a hurry and she was alone and busy. We ate a bite or two and left it behind as after seeing that we had no appetite to eat it or anything else they serve here. It was sickening. Just left me thinking if this is what they're displaying in the front of house, what is going on in the back? Please be aware of this mold in your facility and address this as it is a huge health concern to customers/consumers read more

Bestie and I walked around the area to find something quick to snack on and decided to give this place a try. We ordered the Rose Dukpokki, which had some fish cake in it- very tasty. The rice cake had a nice chew to it and pairs really nicely with the sides they gave. Nothing special about the egg n spam kimbap, it really is what it is, but still tasty too. I would definitely come here again to try different food items, ive heard theyre very known for their korean food- especially from their location in buena park read more

K Soul Food - Rose teokbokki & spam n egg kimbap - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The food was really good and the worker ahjumma was really nice as well! I ordered the kimchi fried rice because I was craving a fried rice that someone else made xD and so I was astonished when I took the first bite because it tasted exactly like how my mom makes it! It's not full of butter here and no overload of gochujang too. As for the jjajangmyeon, the noodles were a little hard for me personally but it was still good! It's in the food court of south coast plaza so seating is limited and is very busy in there. read more

K Soul Food - Jjajangmyeon - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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This was one of the cheapest option in the collage culinary experience which is attached to the south coast mall in Costa Mesa which the entrance is by Bloomingdale's. The staff took about 15 mins for them to make the food. Theres counter seating. I got the 24. Popcorn, chicken tteokbokki. It was $9.99. It wasn't spicy at all. The miso soup tasted more salty and soy sauce. read more

K Soul Food - 24. Popcorn, chicken tteokbokki - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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This is one of the only cheap options in the rich person mall that is south coast plaza, but it's still more expensive than it needs to be. What you're paying for are the cute little sides they give, but I think many Korean restaurants can give you the same general meal for 2/3 the price (this place averages around $20 for a filling meal) That being said, the food is still plenty good and tasty. The sides are nice and the mini soup is a great addition. The servers are nice, but the food is kind of slow to come out even when I'm the only one waiting for my food. I guess it's cooked to order which you can consider a pro or a con. The atmosphere is good, what you'd expect of a rich people mall. read more

K Soul Food - Korean BBQ plate Jiajiangmian - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

1. The wings were delicious and fried well! The drink was also refreshing! 2. The spot has fun casual vibes as it just located in a food hall inside Bloomingdale's! 3. The staff was friendly and timely with my order! The wings took about 15-20 mins! 4. Parking is plenty! Note: There are only counter seatings! Photo: Korean Chicken Wings - Soy and Mango Ade read more

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Our order was simple and we thoroughly enjoyed it. You walk up to the register to place your order and then find a seat at the counter which surrounds the restaurant/kitchen. Customer service was great. Looking forward to going back to try other items. Bimbimbab with beef: excellent, nice size portion Jjajang myeon: delicious, tasted just like my mom's Sausage and rice cake skewer: tasty You also get complimentary soup & banchan (kim chee, cream corn, pickled turnip) This is located on the lower level in Bloomindales in the South Coast Plaza. It's a mini food hall with a variety of asian offerings. read more

K Soul Food - Complimentary soup & banchan; Sausage & rice skewer. - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Decided to check out the new spot at the Collage food hall at South Coast and it was delicious. K Soul Food recently opened and serves all types of Korean street food from skewers to rice dishes and noodle dishes! I went for their spicy noodles and got their soduk-soduk skewer! Everything came out in about 10 minutes as they make everything fresh to order here. Service was quick and friendly and the cashier was helpful with any questions I had. The ambience was casual and there's only countertop seating here and no tables! I will say prices are on the high side for the amount of food you get but everything I ate was quite tasty especially the skewer and the cold noodles had a good kick while having that great chew! I just feel that paying $5.50 for one skewer is a bit on the pricey side and it should be like $1-$1.50 cheaper! Overall, I had a good experience and the food was good! I still recommend checking out this spot if you want something different from the other restaurants and tenants at Collage even if it is on the pricer side! read more

K Soul Food - Soduk-Soduk Skewer (Sausage & Ricecake) - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Graving for Korean food when shopping in South Coast Plaza? I found a spot, follow me. Highlights of the menu: 1. Soy carabonara teokkbokki 2. Seafood stir fried udon 3. Soup & banchan (kimchi, corn, fish cake) 4. Jjajang myeon 5. Mango ade Quick service and casual ambiance. Cannot find a more convenient spot than this! read more

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K Soul Good is a pretty decent spot to visit if you're craving some Korean street food! They've got ddukbokki, rice bowls (in cups), jjangmyun, bbibimbap, and more. These foods are all bites that would taste great with some drinks and/or beer! Service was nice and friendly, and the downstairs food court area of South Coast Plaza that's located in is cozy and trendy. We ordered the carbonara ddukboki, the spam cup bap, and the spicy seafood udon. All of the food was pretty good, but I will say that I feel the prices are a little high for the amount of food you get. But, I guess that's how it is since this is inside South Coast Plaza. All in all, it was a positive experience, though! read more

K Soul Food - Carbonara ddukbokki - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The bibimbap was good and fresh, but it needed something else. I'm usually not a meat eater, but it needed bulgolgi. Next time I'll try that, but I won't order this plain version again. The service was fine. I took it to go, but I think eating at the bar would be fine. read more

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I like the food but today the fish cake was too dry very old not fresh and the soup was super salty. I asked the server if they can add a little hot water to it. She said they do not have hot water at all. read more

K Soul Food - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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The spicy pork bulgolgi here is absolutely one of the best I've ever had. They always hook it up with amazing sides and the workers are very attentive. The round table is also super nice and I can always find a spot. read more

The food was not very good. We ordered the beef and the pork. Each dish was not as good as the local fast food beef bowl place which would have been 1/2 the price. For the money the food was average. The beef wasn't spicey and didn't make me want more. The pork was a little better but not great. I would not go back and pay $19 per dish to eat here. Neither me nor my fiance liked the food. read more

So I had lunch at Paradise Dynasty not too long ago, and was surprised that there were other eateries downstairs. How did I not know this? I've been to this mall countless times and didn't even know that there was a whole party going on on this side of the mall! This Korean street food joint is located on level 1 on Bloomingdale's side. The best way to get here is to park in the Bloomingdale's lot across from the 405fwy and use the entrance on that side. Once inside, go down the escalator and turn right (Bloomingdale's entrance is right in front). Besides K Soul Food, there's also Le Shrimp Noodle Bar, PhoHolic, Churriño, Mochinut, Cha Redefine, and Mah Jong's by Chef Mike (Paradise Dynasty, AnQi Bistro, Bruxie, and Blossoms and Brass are upstairs). I came here with my kiddo on a Friday for lunch, around 12:45p. The area was bustling, but not overly crowded. We ordered the beef bulgogi cup bap and chicken bulgogi cup bap ($11.99ea), dduk-kkochi skewer ($5.49), and tornado potato skewer ($5.49). We also got the peach ice tea ($5.50) and mango ade ($5.50) to drink. It was a lot of food, but we were hungry and also figured that we'd take home the leftovers. There's a counter table that surrounds the entire employee workspace with about 20 or so seats, a few lowered for handicap seating on one side, which I thought was nice. The cup bap came with soup and banchan (kimchi, fish cake, and corn), and boy, the beef bulgogi was yummy. I liked the kimchi and fish cake too, but the corn and soup, not so much. The corn was mixed with some mayo sauce or dressing, which my kid liked, but I would've preferred it plain. The dduk-kkochi was good! Nice mochi texture with a sweet spicy sauce and mayo(?). The tornado potato was nothing out of the ordinary. My kid wanted it and she liked it. The drinks were tasty but schweeeeet. Overall, loved the food and would definitely come back to try other menu items. However, this lunch trip alone cost us 50 bucks with tax, so will need to be wary of that next time... read more

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This spot is sososo underrated! Delicious authentic korean food and a cool spot to grab a bite while I shop. Tried the cold noodles today but the galbi is great too! read more

K Soul Food - cold noodles - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Food is very tasty. Price is expensive tho but that is to be expected since it's inside the mall. Small portions but the taste is a 5/5 imo

Came here over the weekend and the food court was packed! We were lucky to have been able to get seats. Food came nice and hot and each with a set of banchan and really fast. I highly recommend the eel rice bowl, egg tofu, and galbi. If you're in the mood for Korean comfort food, k soul food is a solid choice read more

Food and service here is good. It made me feel like I was in Korea again. I was surprised that all the items we ordered came with soup and banchcan! So good and would come here again read more

K Soul Food - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Really wanted to try out this place today. The food looks good but the customer service is disgusting. I approach the counter with reasonable questions about the menu since it's my first time. This man (asian, kinda short, hating life) was super rude and condescending. What a little bundle of joy ;) live laugh love my friend, maybe that way you won't scare off any more customers :) read more

I love this place , good service and good food My favorite food is TAKOYAKI and Tteokbokki orange chicken popcorn read more

K Soul Food - Tteokbokki w Orange popcorn chicken . My favorite one - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Located in the food court of Bloomingdale, I came here because the long line to PhoHolic. I didn't want to wait and this was right next to it. You order the food, and there's some bar seatings around the food stand. I got the Galbi lunch combo for $18 or so. I wasn't expecting much since Galbi anywhere else would cost at least $24 or more. I was pleasantly surprised! The seasoning was just right and they gave plenty of Korean BBQ beef. It came with kimchi, cheesy corn, and soup. I was lucky there were some seats available, but I can imagine how busy it could get. The wait wasn't that long to get our food. I will definitely come back! read more

K Soul Food - Galbi - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Born and raised in South Korea. I approved this one. Why has this place still not blown up? Get a cupbap plus something else, you will be very satisfied. read more

K Soul Food - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Amazing bibimbap and service! Would definitely go again. Large portion and really good side dishes! read more

K Soul Food - Bulgogi bibimbap - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Everything I've tried has been good so far. The staff has all been very helpful and friendly. The bibim naengmyeon is on the spicy side but flavor was good. I like that all the entrees came with banchan but the kimchi was a little salty for me. I liked the corn and my brother loved the fishcake. read more

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I got the fried rice and popcorn chicken it was great and the service was cool I switched my order mid way and they changed it for me no problem. I took the rest with me and ate it later. read more

K Soul Food - Fried rice - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

They have The best Korean food , ever I ate, They have very good customer service. Food ready very fast. If you're looking fore original and pure taste, come here and try, you're love it!!! read more

K Soul Food - Popchicken and teokboki , - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Wow, this is a first. I've never not ordered food because of the service, but today was the day. I asked the gentlemen (Asian, but not Korean) a few brief questions about the dishes and he was soooo irritated and condescending, I was dumbfounded. Trust me, I'm not expecting superior service, just not to be treated like an inconvenience. Gosh, he must hate his job, it's pretty sad. Sorry, I can't even review the food and the thought service reviews were lame, but I just couldn't with this guy.... read more

Pleasantly surprised by this Korean joint! The cup bowls are such a good value and comes with a cup of warm broth and small assortment of ban chan. Not sure if they have the options on rotations but ours were Kim chi, fish cake, and corn -- all delicious! We tried the beef bulgogi and unagi rice and both came with a good amount of protein with the rice. Both options were packed with flavor and had a yummy sauce that coated the rice throughout the meal well. I would definitely recommend this place and eat here again. read more

K Soul Food - Beef bulgogi rice cup - Soul Food Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Definitely hits the spot when you are hungry! I got a roll and the service was quick and fast. I felt bad since I was a bit hangry and rushed but the customer service was soo nice and great food/price ratio for a mall. read more

The food is okay at best. the manger is VERY strict. she was yelling in front of the customers .