Soban.... It was used to be a temple of Korean cuisine, seems lost the vide however they are getting that all back!!! Always beautiful banchan and set up. The seafood pancake is always full flavored, also the braised short ribs are the signature here. The tenderness and savory umami with radish carrots, and I didn't have mushrooms usually always did. As a master chef, I'm recommending lil more of mushrooms inside the ribs, could make this brilliant dish more flavorful! They got back the colorful in banchan and way more vibes than a month ago. Me and my love, especially my love is massively super pickier than me, she killed everything!!!!! Thank you Boss lady her daughter and the chef- boss man!! We will be back very shortly. read more

Soban - All the banchan setup and see food pancakes. - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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i saw youtube video about that place..12 side dishes !!..so i did try.. when arrived i saw very small place, just 5-6 tables..seems like owner, she looks like over 70s.. seems like not for money just come out to kill time.. i ordered bibimbop..took photo..looks like ok but actual looks, little old side dishes..even not 12 !! i paid 21$, but other place 16$..much better than that place.. who made videos !! dumb ass youtuber !! i will not never back again to there..!! read more

Soban - not 12 side dishes just old 6 dishes..even looks not fresh.. 2022 1221 - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We were so delighted to attend The Korean Mama meet and greet. We found ourselves met by the owners with such warmth and of course all of their delicious food. They grow their own jujubees! What an intimate and delightful spot. read more

Outstanding authentic Korean cuisine. Friendly, prompt service. Highly recommend! The spicy braised short ribs were my favorite.

We went to dinner on the early side since we didn't have reservations and got seated right away and ordered quickly. The food was delicious, can't say it's better than many of the other great Korean restaurants, it was solid. I would eat here again if I'm in the area, but for me it's not worthy of a long drive. read more

Soban - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Amazing food. Best Al jigsaw and soy raw crab dish. Actually everything is so tasty. Ban Chan are fresh and great. The owner lady loves further away where her story is endearing. She farms a lot of the ingredients. Her youngest daughter is slowly taking over. I'm not sure why their hand 3.5 stars. Looks like people complain about their prices but honestly so many restaurants have comparable or higher prices. Everything is positive here. Would absolutely recommend this place IF you want good authentic Kfood!! read more

officially my new favorite korean restaurant! love that the food is true to traditional korean flavors and tastes super clean. things to order: - seafood tofu pancake - spicy squid stir fry - spicy steamed black cod - soybean paste soup read more

Good Korean food, especially you like seafood. Black cod is signature dish. Fish is so delicate and fresh, one order good for two people. I love my soy crab dish as well, one crab $61.00 ( one crab) bit pricy. Over all if you like some real Korean food, go and enjoying. read more

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I went to Soban years ago but thought of going again since the Parasite team went for their after party. I'm glad I went at 11am because by noon the restaurant was getting packed. I went one week post the Parasite team visit, so the restaurant didn't have a lot of their normal dishes. I'm sure they've been busy since then. I really wanted the crab dish but ended up ordering the the fish stew (spicy) and it hit the spot. We also ordered the hot stone pork dish as well and that was delicious with kimchi with it. There's parking but it only holds maybe 10 cars max but I think there are plenty of street parking. I highly recommend this place as it is a great korean traditional restaurant. Good for family? yes! Parking? yes but street parking may be easier when you go during peak hours. Also try to go not during lunch or dinner time but like in between time is the best. Good for first date? I think a maybe on this. But definitely second date! read more

Most of the 1star reviews here are right. Soban's menu prices are exaggeratedly expensive ( the most $$$$$ in k town , $61 soy marinated 2 small crabs) for that soso food quality, and utterly poor service. We were wondering how they survive among other fine restaurants in k town; maybe thanks to some celebrities picture frames and a michelin guide posted on the dining room 's wall. But what did they do to deserve a michelin guide?? If you want to burn your wallet we dare you go try. read more

So so close to a perfect rating. Being a sucker for ban chan, I was excited to try out Soban's iconic dishes - their sides and the galbi jim. They were easily over 10 different sides, but my favorites were the eggplant, mushrooms, dressed celery and mung bean sprouts. They were all light and a great supplement to the main attraction. The galbi jim. For $40, I expected the portion to be slightly bigger. I'm not a pro at braised dishes so maybe the value was in the skill and labor. And you do get the generous ban chan variety. That aside, the flavor was amazing. Not too sweet, less oily and packed with jujubes, gingko nuts and a sprinkling of rice cakes. The daikon and carrots soaked up the meaty sweetness, like little flavor bombs. With some purple rice (shout out to fiber), it was a well-rounded meal. Staff was super nice and friendly. She checked on us often even though we came so close to closing. Very much appreciated. FYI, parking lot is valet only ($2.50). Good luck finding parking! It's worth it. read more

Soban - Ban chan paradise - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

If you know me, you KNOW that Eun Dae Gu Jorim (Spicy Braised Black Cod) is one of my favorite foods in the entire world. They cooked it perfectly so that it falls off the bone, but not overcooked where it falls apart in the sauce (this is so common at many other places). I like that they added hobak (squash) in addition to the usual radish & tofu. Now let's talk about the side dishes - there were 12 side dishes total. Usually at Korean restaurants, the side dishes get ignored except for the occasional kimchi, or its just something you pick at while you're waiting for your meal. But THIS place really changed my mind- every single one was SO GOOD, I think I literally ate 2 servings of each of the sides. Their food is not salty, so it's possible to eat alot without getting sick of it. My favorite was the Kkwarigochu Myulchi Bokkum (Stir Fried Chili Pepper Anchovy). It's a small family-run hole in the wall restaurant, the first thing I notice when I walk in is the Michelin Star Review on the wall, & a picture of the Parasite cast who had eaten there. Seats are limited, so I recommend calling & making reservations beforehand. Next time I come, I definitely want to try the Ganjang Gejang (Soy-Marinated Crab). read more

Soban - Side dishes & Spicy Pork Bulgogi - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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About a 2-2.5: Soban offers various Korean dishes, such as ddukboki bulgogi, jeyook bokeum, galchi jorim, etc. I had heard that this place was known for their galbi jjim, so the hubs and I came here for a later dinner. Unfortunately, I was just not a fan of it. The sweet soy sauce was just way too sweet, and the short ribs, while fork tender, didn't seem to have been braised long enough for a deeper flavor. Just note that rice does not come with and are an additional charge per bowl; it's kind of strange that a bowl of rice isn't included with the jjim. There were only two ahjummas working there, and both seemed to really hate their jobs; banchans were never refilled, and it was pretty painful in trying to get their attention to get refills on the tea and getting the check. It's not a large restaurant, but even being 3/4 empty, we still had to wait quite a bit for a table. Limited street parking around the area. +avoid the galbi jjim +lack of customer service +limited street parking available read more

The food is almost too much of a good thing. Very large portions with the specialties having 20 or more aromatics. The best banchan in Ktown in my opinion. It is not a cheap restaurant but the dishes here are unique. Nowhere else will you find the raw crab dish and you will not find the braised fish anywhere as good. read more

Just like everyone else has been recommending, get the cod! The fish is cooked perfectly and melt-in-the-mouth goodness, but only after picking out all the bones manually, so you're warned if that's a deal breaker! Personally while I do believe this dish is worth coming here and trying, I probably won't come back for it because it's way too sweet for my taste. Otherwise food here is very home-y and I would definitely recommend making reservations since the restaurant is small. read more

This intimate restaurant is serving up the tastiest Korean dishes. A friend took me here and I left with a full happy belly! read more

Soban - Banchan, Tofu Soybean Paste Stew, Braised Beef Short Ribs - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The food is soooooooo overpriced. The menu is limited, which is fine but bruh shirt rib soup should never cost that much anywhere. The raw crab is egregiously so (61.00). Also, everything tastes like it's made with the same sweet marinade. I eat a fair amount of Korean food, have Korean friends and I've even gone to South Korea, the food is not worth the price. The waitresses working are very nice and pleasant and the place is clean and well kept but again not worth it at all. I think they raised the price because Bong Joon Ho had a party there during the Oscars where Parasite one (My friend was invited but couldn't make it). I love that he enjoyed this place as evidenced by the huge picture on the wall but overall not my jam. There are better mom and pop places with great quality meat, great service and delicious food. Skip this place unless you want to waste your money. read more

Director of Paradise Bong Joon Ho 's favorite restaurant in Ktown! The Oscar-Winning Parasite cast had their after party here @sobanlosangeles. Soban is listed on 2019 Michelin Guide and Jonathan Gold's 101. . Love the banchan here! So many dishes and so authentic and fresh! . Although the popular dish Galbi Jjim was sold out but everything else still taste so good! The seafood tofu pancake is very flavorful and crispy with the chewy texture. I'll definitely come back to try galbi jjim ( braised short rib) , gangjang gejang (raw soy crab) and eundaegu jorim (braised black cod)! . read more

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What happened? Why was this restaurant's food quality dropped so much? Me and my daughter came here for lunch today and we ordered raw crab and panfried octopus. The 61 dollars raw crab dish was a joke! 2 tiny teeny crab with very fishy smell and sandy! Octopus dish was a ok definitely not worth the 29 dollars. Me and my daughter walked out this place hungry and angry! Please go Master Ha if you want real good raw crab! read more

Visited for the first time over the weekend. Had the braised short ribs, black cod and seafood pancakes. Absolutely amazing! We loved every dish and can't wait to return. The service was fantastic too, we felt like we were visiting a friend's home. Honestly puzzled by any review that says the place is pricey. For what you get, it's a total bargain! This is very high quality food in a friendly family sort of environment for a very reasonable price. It's our new favorite spot in K-Town! read more

I'm so excited to try this place out. Everything looks so good and they were professional when I came to taking my order over the phone. I look forward to trying more of their food in the future . . Thank you for the food and great customer service read more

Soban - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The Service: It is a family style restaurant small but very intimate. There are even seating at the bar, perfect for single or just couple. We were very honored to meet with the owner of the restaurant that day. She is such a sweet lady!! Nice smile on her face welcoming our group. It was Korean Thankgiving week when we went, she was so nice & generous to offer some traditional Thankgiving dishes on the house!! All the staffs are very polite and attentive. No... we don't need to press any button for service (because there is none!) because the staffs are constantly checking on the customers. EXCELLENT customer service!! The Food: Very authentic Korean food. Their side dishes are so delicate. Fresh ingredients are one of the key points for great dish. They definitely achieve that!! Food portion is big, family style perfect to share. I love their seafood dishes, for example, the seafood pancake. The Parking: Street metered parking. If you don't mind to walk a few minutes, side streets are residential area, free parking. read more

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Parking: Valet, very small lot This restaurant is really tiny and I saw a lot of people enjoying fish soup, another dish theyre known for. *they charge for rice Solely based on the raw crab (Ganjang gejang) $36~ Its one crab topped with a bunch of raw onions and green onions.. super underwhelming and not worth it. At first it was super salty and we had to send it back. The waitress was pretty rude about it saying no one else had the same problem but still came back with a better plate. Im assuming the crab had been soaking in the soy sauce base for a longer while which made it had a saltier taste. Sidedishes were ok. Kimchi trashed the best and the mini veggie pancakes. They also offered celery salad, seaweed salad, fried tofu, cucumber, etc. read more

Soban - Underwhelming, overpriced raw crab. - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Since i am a Korean, i kinda expected the kind of service we would get but this is worse than expected. I am sure the host and servers meant well, but not get any menus nor water for 30minutes and not getting all the food we ordered until we pointed out isn't just bad service but no clue on good service. I don't think they had any bad intention. But it doesn't help we were seating on the bar and servers hit my chair every time as she passed by didn't help. As for food, I am not sure why this place got such good reviews but I sure wouldn't recommend coming here just for food. Food is good but not as good as it was advertised. I am pretty sure I can get similar quality food from most other Korean restaurants. The price was really high but dishes doesn't deserve high marks as what they were priced. I guess this is power of marketing and media power. All the powers to the owner! read more

Came here for that raw crab since I've seen Soban listed on a few articles and of course Jonathan Gold. It was good, but man was it expensive; at least $40 for only one. I'm confused at this price since I can find thai version for $15. But I was happy with the flavor. It was delicious and the owner is very sweet. I loved digging into the crab but man, my fingers smelled for days even after soaking it in soap! I think it's great to try once to catch the depth of flavors, but hard to return at that price. read more

I discovered this place as a happy accident. Being in the area, an hour early for an appointment & it was the only place open, so I thought I'd sit down for a late lunch & give it a try. (With zero idea of what I was actually ordering) I tried what looked to be the safest bet on the menu. The BiBimBap. It arrived with a few different toppings & everything was delicious. Definitely something I'd never tried before. I loved how the hot pan made the rice at the bottom toasted & crispy. Super filling as well! Really happy I got to try out this restaurant & I'll most likely invite a friend here for dinner in the future & maybe explore some other dishes. The staff were really friendly and kind also. A great experience! read more

Soban - BiBimbap - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The dishes and banchan were all delicious and tastes clean. The service was very nice as well. On a Monday night, the restaurant was full of customers. It's not surprising. I had the raw marinated crab, seafood pancakes, galbi jjim. I appreciated that none of the dishes were salty at all. It was a wonderful experience dining here for the first time. I will bring my husband with me next time. Thank you! read more

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While attending the Korean festival in town this week we stopped here for lunch. Looking at their website the food looked very good and also looking forward to trying 15 side dishes. We only ordered spicy black cod to share because it looked like a large dish for more than one person. The spicy black cod was delicious, perfectly seasoned. However, we only received 10 side dishes. According to the server lady, you get side dishes by how much you order. That was really weird. I have never been to any korean restaurant that serves the side dishes by how much you spent. Anyway, the side dishes weren't anything special. But if you like spicy black cod this is the place. read more

Soban - 10 side dishes - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Overall. They are trying their best to keep up their business. But qulaity of food went down quite a lot. And was asked to leave during eatting because peoe were outside. Well we wasted our time by waitimg fot them to remake salty foods. I came here to dine with good heart for friend. So left without argumentation. But comeone... or you ahould give customer dining time limit or something. read more

Everything is excellent! We ordered everything... kalbi jim, fish and raw crab and we enjoyed them all! It's not your usual Korean food. Well it has the basics but each dish was an experience! Must go! read more

Love this spot in K-town! I called ahead to make a reservation and ordered the seafood tofu pancake along with the black cod. The tofu in the seafood pancake made for a slightly different texture and the smaller circles allowed for easy sharing. The black cod was definitely the star of the show. It comes with japanese pumpkin, potato, rice cake, and a delicous red sauce that is sweet and a bit spicy. It is a perfect sharing size for two people and fairly priced. The banchan is also a nice touch and very aesthetically pleasing. read more

I've heard good reviews about this place for authentic Korean foods, so I came to try couple of dishes they offer :) Galbi jjim, pork bulgogi, spicy seafood soup with codfish, braised cod fish, and seafood tofu pancakes. Everything was SO good. I think the galbi jjim was the best I've had in ktown so far. Braised cod fish was like butter. All of the meat dishes was really fresh and tender. The waitresses were very attentive and had superb service like fine dining restaurant for us, although we had two year old baby at our table they were very accommodating and asked if we needed anything. Overall, I'd highly suggest to try this place for a clean, authentic Korean food! read more

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We came here recently after not having come for at least a year, but Soban has always been a favorite for my parents and in-laws and we wanted to treat my MIL on this occasion because she loves their comfort food. That being said, man service has gone way downhill. We had our kids (4yo & 1.5yo) and they didn't have high chairs so my youngest had to eat on her knees and in my lap most of the time so that was a little a bit inconvenient. We ordered the tofu chun and the dipping sauce was a little spicy so we asked for regular soy sauce for our kids to dip with, and the owner said the kids shouldn't eat soy sauce with it and that the dish had enough soy sauce in it and wouldn't give us any. Like, if we ask for something, wouldn't you just give it to us? So yea, no soy sauce. They barely refilled our banchan for our party of 5 and I dunno just overall, they just seem pretty stingy and not about the customer service. It wasn't even packed, it was us and like 3 other tables eating. Food is still alright, but probably won't be visiting again. For the price you pay and knowing there are so many other new restaurants in ktown that are stepping up their service and food, we will be taking our business elsewhere. read more

Food was delicious. Little pricey but you get what you pay for. Service is fast and friendly. My friend said the food was really good . I think so too . Try it out . read more

Get ready for salty, soy sauce- stained fingers y'all! I was craving soy crab after watching 'When the Camellia Blooms' on Netflix, so I yelp searched a spot nearby the unc's house. As soon as I walked in, I noticed a big sign against the wall "Michelin guide 2019.' Fancy. The price of the soy crab made me a bit skeptical, but I had to have it anyways. At $40, you get a whole crab. It can be split among three (barely) but I recommend getting one per person hahaha. I'll definitely come back for the crab when I'm preggo!! read more

Soban - Listed on the 2019 Michelin guide. - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I loved the banchan, it was all super good and authentic. The braised cod is AMAZING. read more

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Yup still delicious. Been here before Parasite fame and still good. The marinated crab still the go to. The side dishes are incredible and made with a lot of detail and love. The short ribs also tasty. Everything is good here. Don't come here expecting kbbq. Expand your palate and knowledge of Korean food and if you still give this place anything lower than 4 or 5 stars all right that's cool cuz that means more for me. This place is a gem. Food is everything here. read more

After seeing Soban take over the LA food news cycle for a bit post-Oscars, I knew I had to make it out here to try it out. And it did not disappoint. You walk in and you are greeted by a plethora of huge jars fermenting one thing or another as well as big wall decorations showing Jonathan Gold or Soban's ranking on the LA Times Best Restaurants list. Sometime after your order, they bring out a huge array of banchan ranging from bean sprouts to broccoli to mushrooms and more. We started off with the marinated crab, which was definitely a highlight. The cold crab had a unique texture and flavor, though you definitely have to work a bit to get all the meat. The galbi jim here seems simpler and smaller than what you may find elsewhere, but I really enjoyed the flavor, even if it is on the sweeter side, probably with a lot of soy sauce and brown sugar. A good time! Valet in the lot in the back for $2.50. read more

I heard so much about this place for their raw crab in soy sauce so I had to try it as it's one of my favorite korean dishes. I actually tried it in many restaurants in the States but honestly I've never had any decent ones in the past. Even in Korea, most places are mediocre and good ones are fairly pricey. So I was looking forward to try it in this restaurant but tried not to have too high expectations. And wow, it was surprisingly far exceeded my expectations and it was definitely one of the best raw crab I've ever had! The crab was so fresh and the soy sauce is not salty at all but not bland either, it was just perfect to me! And it wasn't that pricey either, as we paid less than $50 including tax. Only drawback about this place was that they don't carry any alcohol here. I myself don't really drink so it didn't bother me but my company was looking forward to having some soju with a spicy soup so I must say it was a little disappointment... Actually as soon as we found that they don't sell alcohols my friend canceled his order and we had to go another place for 2nd dinner after we finished my order which was the raw crab. Since they don't carry alcohol, I think it's more ideal for lunch and if you don't drink, then it'll be perfect for dinner too! It's very cozy restaurants with only few tables but they have counter seatings so it's good if you dine alone. I only got to try raw crab this time but I definitely want to go back to try some of their other signature dishes such as spicy black cod stew and kalbi stew. read more

Soban - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Maybe it's because I expected so much but this place I was a bit let down. I don't think i need to repeat how reputable this place is. What I did like about this place is that they gave you an assortment of ban chan and their mixed grain rice is good. The downside was the ban chan is more quantity than quality. There were 13 total but not a one ban Chan was strikingly delicious. We got the spicy galbijim ($40) and it wasn't spicy at all. If anything it was bland and uninspired. I would much rather just make it at home. Overall I don't think this place is worth trying. It's over hyped. read more

Soban - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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