This was such an unbelievable experience, from the minute my friend and I walked in, till the minute we left. We both ordered the tasting menu and added the uni bowl. Every single dish was mouthwatering and I couldn't stop saying "oh my god." The different texture and flavor combinations were perfectly curated. Our waiter Sean was amazing - friendly, personable, explained every dish thoroughly, was perfectly attentive. I really couldn't have asked for a better experience. read more

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Food was way too salty......... I would not go back. Nice ambiance and wine list was good though.

Enjoyed amazing cocktails and food at their restaurant week tasting menu! Particularly enjoyed the kampachi & abalone, wagyu short ribs and the yuzu spice cocktail read more

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Went here for my celebratory dinner. The tasting menu was an adventure, the wine pairs is the bomb! The restaurant does good justice for elevating Korean cuisine using French techniques! Service was sincere and pacing between dishes was spot on. read more

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Went with some friends to Soogil for Restaurant Week and it was definitely a good deal and the food was beautiful and yummy! I've attached photos of what we had and everyone loved everything they had. Some of the portions for some dishes were small (like the scallops) compared to the other dishes. The presentation of the food was unique and appealing! I saw the hints of French cuisine added to the classic Korean dishes. The vegetarian dishes were really good and looks like they have a lot of veggie options on their regular menu. I think the favorites were the vegetarian and meat glass noodles, beef tartare and short ribs. read more

My friend and I came here for the tasting menu and we're impressed with the food and service. It was packed indoor so we set on the outdoor patio, which was nicely decorated and equipped with heater. Our waiters were highly attentive even though we were outside and the food was amazing. Only got 3 photos of the 7 course meal since I forgot to take them but everything was greatly presented and delicious. Would recommend read more

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If I had an official top 10 list in nyc, Soogil is now on it. Tonight was my first time here, courtesy and generosity of my parents, and it was absolutely wonderful. Normally with tasting menus, it's easy to have a clear favorite for me. But here, every dish was SO good it was truly hard to pick a favorite. My parents liked it here so much they decided to come again and bring us, even though the menu hadn't yet changed (so the dishes were a repeat for them) but I 100% see why they were willing to eat the same exact dishes because I would too after eating here tonight. The sunchoke soup and mascarpone with bacon was perfect for a cool spring day - I also thought the tray that held the soup was genius so we didn't have to bend our heads all the way down to the table as one usually has to with soup. The Scallops melted in my mouth and I looooved the Korean pepper paste it was topped with - really nice frisée salad with it too. And then the Foie Gras. Wow. Truly incredible. Especially because they had the brilliant idea to top it on crispy Korean rice - why has no one ever thought of this before? It was SO good. After this you'd think things couldn't get better but then came the Uni which was not only precious to taste but beautiful to behold. Most uni dishes I've eaten are not anything spectacular to look at, but this one was so colorful like an edible garden on a plate. I loved how all the flavors blended together, and was really appreciative that the portion wasn't skimpy either. The savory part of the meal ended with the beef which seemed like a modern take on traditional Korean bbq- this was also lovely and I liked the sweet potato purée on the side. Lastly the Jenga dessert was perfect to end the evening as it wasn't overly sweet and the Jenga pieces almost reminded me of a twist on funnel cake - but less greasy. Altogether a wonderful evening I'm so grateful for and I definitely will be back. Great decor too by the way! read more

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This is a lovely restaurant with elegant Fixtures, doors that open to the street and attention to detail in food and decor. The wine list is lovely, service attentive and I absolutely love Korean food. I wish I could rate it higher but can't. Why? The portions are sooo small. We did ask our server about the amount to order and were guided in our selections but it really isn't enough. What we had... Started with the Mungbean pancake served on sizzling plate with delicious, spicy and cold kimchi. It was a great play on textures, Thick, crunchy and salty. Perfect texture and flavor experience. Next up was an Umami bomb: white asparagus salad which had the perfect combo of snap and unctuous textures For the "Large plates". Short ribs were presented beautifully but the jus was a bit sweet and the meat wasn't falling off the bone. I loved the foie gras but the portion was so small, not even a good appetizer portion. We skipped dessert because was still hungry and needed to get something else. Everything was Delicious and tasty but we didn't see size difference between small and large plates. This is a one and done spot. Although if someone really wanted to come I would come again. read more

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The food was delicate and menu sequence was perfect. I really enjoyed dinner at Soogil.

Had dinner here with my parents from out of town and was blown away by the food. The dishes were concise and perfectly portioned. Not to me mention, each of the items were flavored very deliciously. Would be an awesome date spot as well read more

Soogil - Uni bowl. - Korean Near Me - New York, New York

Rounding up from 3.5 stars. Service was great - everyone was very friendly. Did the $65 chef's tasting, which was fine. No dish stood out to me as mind-blowing or amazing but the food was solid. The Korean kiss cocktail was good also. I wouldn't come out of my way to eat here because nothing really stood out to me but I also didn't have any real complaints about the food. read more

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My friend took me here for my birthday and we both had a fantastic dining experience. This restaurant far exceeded my expectations! We weren't really sure what to order so we decided to opt for the Chef's Tasting Menu ($68.00) and also asked for an order of pork belly. The Chef Tasting Menu includes the following: Korean Sweet Potato Beignets - the beignet itself was filled with black truffle and brie cheese. This was tiny but delicious! Honeynut Squash Soup - this came with a small piece of duck prosciutto on top of a pumpernickel crouton (kind of like a cracker texture). Overall, the mixture of flavor was great! Hiramasa - raw yellowtail served with wasabi garlic vinaigrette, pickled chanterelle, and finger lime. I didn't expect something raw but definitely didn't mind it. The pieces were quite large. Scallop - came with sunchoke, brown butter vinaigrette, and Korean chili paste crust. This was probably my favorite dish of the night! The scallop was so soft and the sauces that came with it blended perfectly. Foie Gras - on top of a bed of crispy rice and brussels sprouts on a sizzling plate. They pour the mushroom soy sauce over everything and then you mix it together. The foie gras itself was extremely soft and easy to eat. It did not taste gamey at all! Braised Short Rib - I don't eat beef so I gave my friend my portion. He said it was one of the best short ribs he had in a while. Pork Belly - this was probably one of the weaker dishes. The pork belly itself was easy to chew and not too tough but it was a little bland. They did give you some type of salt to pair with it but it was a little too salty for my taste. Passion Fruit Tart - passion fruit curd with basil-infused mango. This was my friend's preferred dessert. The passion fruit was SO GOOD! I would definitely recommend this dessert. Jenga Tower - this was honey chestnut gelato (more like ice cream) on a bed of dough sticks covered in seven-grain powder. This was such a unique dessert! The dough sticks were very chewy and the powder added a nice texture to it - think funnel cake lol! The honey chestnut flavored ice cream blew my mind! It was SOOOOO good. Overall, I really enjoyed my dining experience here. The food was amazing and the price was good. I would definitely recommend! read more

I found this restaurant in 2018, and since then, they never disappoint me. They only have a prefix tasting menu on Sat night, so there is no option, and perhaps because of that, the restaurant isn't crowded- meaning it can be pricey, and you may end up with a dish you may not want to have. But the service was excellent, and the quality of the food was fantastic! read more

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I love everything about Soogil! The tasting menu was affordable and food was amazing. read more

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Delicious French Korean fusion- Some flavors reminded me of Filipino flavors as well. Loved Yuzu spice drink Hiramasa yellowtail Shrimp Monkfish Glass noodles were great and standard. The pancake too was good but a bit over cooked.. Can have spirited night here without having to yell during your conversation but it isn't a place that becomes a big party on a Friday Nice to go on beautiful night too because they can open their windows wide Definitely recommend for a nice night out with a small group of friends or date night read more

WOW I have been waiting for a reason to come here and date night with my girlfriend offered that chance Warning: we did the chef's tasting, so this review is lengthy. Short and sweet version for those who don't want to read: it's an awesome experience at a great price for NYC. 4 stars instead of 5 because 1 or 2 dishes were average, oddly, red wines were served cold, and the menu turned a little on the sweeter side towards the end with the meats. The menu consists of 8 courses plus dessert. While the first few are all very small, dont worry - they get bigger and you certainly won't actually need to stop for that dollar slice of pizza on your way home that you probably started thinking about after the opening dish. Tofu Salad: this was really good and refreshing, a great way to kick off the meal with awesome sesame flavor. This coming from a guy who doesn't like tofu Hamachi: topped with caviar and served over a bed of wasabi-vinaigrette salad. The hamachi was delicious and the caviar brought a great pop of flavor with each bite. The salad had an amazing wasabi flavor (who knew it could actually taste GOOD?) that really wasn't spicy Uni: served with roasted cauliflower, flan, and foam egg and roe. This was phenomenal. The uni was fresh and tasty, the cauliflower was like butter, and the light and fluffy flan essentially took on all of these flavors while it bathed at the bottom of the plate Sweet Potato Beignet: interesting combos on this plate, which was the least stellar of all that we had. Basically tasted like a funnel cake on the outside and a croquette on the inside (first experience with beignets here). This came with a Korean pickle soup stocked with veggies that I really enjoyed. The beignet itself was pretty meh Bulgogi Beef and Glass Noodles: savory and delicious, pretty much the great flavor you would expect from noodles with bulgogi beef. Would eat a mammoth bowl of this daily Spanish Mackerel: i thought this was really unique, as the charred mackerel was served over swiss chard-wrapped, ssamjang-flavored rice (think grapeleaves, my Mediterranean friends). The fish was phenomenal and when combined with the swiss chard wrapped rice was even better! Really loved this plate Foie Gras: my first experience with foie gras, and it was amaaaaaazing. It's basically grilled....fat. What's not to love? The Brussels sprouts, crispy rice, and mushroom soy sauce were light sides that provided a fresh break from the richness of the foie gras Short Rib Wagyu: stole the show! A little on the sweet side which some may not like...but I thought this was amazing. Words cant really describe how much I loved this. I slurped up all the juice off of the plate after all the short rib was gone, just to give you an idea Dessert: both if us ordered the churro sticks with honey-chestnut ice cream. The ice cream was BOMB, the churro sticks were okay but like many snacks got better as I ate them. They were definitely corn-based which gave them a frito-like flavor The 9 course tasting menu leaves you with a little taste of basically everything Soogil has to offer. After about 3 hours you will be well satiated across the spectrum of possible flavors and full and ready for a nap! This was an awesome experience, love their environment and service, and would love to come back when the menu changes to try some more! P.S try the Korean Kiss - great cocktail read more

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KenScale: 8.0/10 "Maybe we have set too high a standard for Korean restaurants," my wife Jun pondered while we were waiting for dishes at Soogil, a new restaurant in East Village from chef Soogil Lim, who spent his time at Daniel and Hooni Kim's Hanjan before striking out on his own. I responded, "Maybe, but that is because we know taste of our mother country better than any other cuisine." In thinking about my past experiences at these so-called "modern" Korean restaurants, which had been admittedly mixed to say the least, my least favorite places had been those that strayed too far from the essence of what Korean's food represents and tried to cater to the non-Korean diners who have only eaten Korean BBQ before. One Korean chef that I wasn't quite sold on but eventually grew on over time is the aforementioned Hooni Kim, whose Hanjan and Danji show a creative side of Korean dishes in an appealing manner without suffering from the same downfall that I see too often at other places. After dining at Soogil, I am happy to report that chef Lim's cooking also shares that attribute. Soogil holds itself out as a Korean restaurant that blends in French cooking techniques and ingredients, and it shows in menus where you see dishes using foie gras which is foreign in Korean culinary tradition. What I particularly liked about Soogil, however, is the focus to the clean and refined flavor of successful Korean dishes, in a small-dish format ideal for sharing among multiple diners (most dishes were priced at $20 or below). Jun and I have had dozens of mung-bean Korean pancakes by now, but we were both surprised with the earthy sensation of the one at Soogil that was quite aptly deep-fried in pork fat. What we also didn't expect was the addition of kimchi sprout salad on top, which is by the way not how traditional pancake are prepared, which turned out to bring another layer of flavor and texture to the pancake that was quite pleasant. While the plating of an ingenious grilled Spanish pickerel on top of Swiss chard-wrapped rice looks more French than Korean, the flavor from the more or less perfectly grilled mackerel and the rice with ssamjang (a thick spicy paste typically used when wrapping rice and other food in lettuce or other vegetables) in the wrap was unmistakably Korean, and a very good one at that (the only complaint, a very minor one, from Jun was that she wished the ssamjang were served on the side so she can control the level of seasoning). Not all dishes were as impeccably prepared. Jun and I both wished the poached monkfish with lobster sauce and sautéed spicy vegetables spared no expense to make it spicier (in Korean tradition, the same monkfish stew dish that inspired the one at Soogil tends to be quite spicy that adds a nice kick to your taste bud), and also thought the soy braised short rib with root vegetables (shockingly, both of us forgot to take the photo of the dish!) could've been a little bit richer in flavor, even though the meat itself was competently prepared at a nice level of texture. Still, after devouring the playful and insanely delightful jenga tower dessert (consisting of fried doughs with green tea powder and honey chestnut gelato), we had no issue giving a high praise to chef Lim's approach to his cooking. If you have room for dessert, definitely give this dish a try; it looks like a dessert that you are more likely to encounter at a French patisserie, but the use of misugaru, a powdered grain and bean that Jun and I used to drink after mixing up with water, reminded us a lot of our childhood days. Soogil has a typical East Village modern Asian dining space that is small, cute and cozy (I would say it is a smaller version of Hanjan); that also means that you may have trouble getting seated on a walk-in basis, so try to book reservations in advance. Our chef friend who visited the restaurant advised us to stay away from cocktails (a wise advice, it turned out, as I couldn't find anything special about the watermelon cocktail that Jun ordered), so complement your meal with traditional Korean drinks like sojus and makgeolli (rice wine). I'm intrigued to see how Soogil's food evolves over time. Not all dishes were perfect, but there are some promising signs that this restaurant could be as beloved by Korean and non-Korean diners alike as other places that had opened the past several years such as Danji, Oiji and Atoboy (OK, admittedly my experience at the last one was mixed). When we have an opportunity to introduce non-Korean friends to Korean food, Soogil will definitely be one of the restaurants I will consider. read more

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Really cute dinner place. Can here for a date night. You definitely have to make reservations beforehand. There happened to be a large group near us, but the atmosphere was still great. We ordered the Uni, Tuna, Eel, and Tiger shrimp. Portions are rather small, but it makes sense why. Everything was absolutely delicious, just wish the eel didn't have as much as the sauce. The sauce was overpowering the actual taste. They had a tasting menu which I would definitely try next time! I would definitely recommend going if you're looking for a smaller, intimate setting. read more

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We have been wanting to try Soogil since it opened. We purposefully waited until they got their license to serve alcohol and finally went last night. We were really pretty disappointed all around. When we arrived our reservation wasn't ready so we had to wait a bit. We didn't mind too much though and finally got seated. They didn't serve liquor which I understand, so we each got a suju cocktail to start. Neither of us were crazy about the cocktails, so we then wanted to switch to wine. The wine list was not very good - there were only a few options for white wine and we tried a few and they were incredibly sweet. We ended up getting the Chardonnay which was very overpriced ($18 a glass) and very mediocre. They did mention they were getting a new wine list soon which I hope they do. The waitress suggested 2-3 dishes per person and to do it shared style so we decided to start with 4 and order more if we wanted. I think we started on a high note with two dishes from the garden section. we got sweet potato bites and glass noodles; both were pretty enjoyable and they came out pretty quickly. From there it went downhill. We ordered the pork belly and the grilled eel. These took forever to come out and both were tiny. The pork belly was not tender like what you would expect and the eel was decent but kind of bland. We then placed an order for two more things: the monkfish and the chicken. These also took forever to come out. We had high hopes that the chicken would at least be good, but it was over cooked and tasted like it was baked in a bad hot sauce. The monkfish also was also a miss. The service was also pretty bad. Our waitress didn't seem to know much about wine and about the food, and didn't really seem open to questions. Maybe it was just an off night as I know others give this great reviews, but I don't think we will be back. read more

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Impeccable, food, impeccable service. 10/10 I did the tasting menu where I had tuna and caviar, scallops, Wagyu, foie gras over crispy rice it was all amazing and the presentation was executed precisely. This restaurant has the most attentive waitstaff I've ever had in any restaurant, they're friendly and knowledgeable. They are peanut free, and can accommodate gluten allergies as well. read more

Soogil is an awesome experience and a great Korean spot in the east village. It's small plates so be prepared to order a lot more than you think. Each dish is between 10-30 and it totaled to 180 for the three of us (without drinks). Highlights: Japchae - the meat is tender and the noodles and seasoning is perfect. It's not a lot, especially when you consider it against other Korean restaurants in k town or queens. Spicy braised chicken - it's delicious and probably the largest dish. You can easily share with others. The chicken is nicely braised and very tender. Would get again. Kimchi soup - this is a classic. I'm not sure how well it goes over with people who aren't used to Korean authentic food, but it's tangy and salty. Croquettes - yum! Three small croquettes paired with white kimchi (not spicy) on the side. You can't ever go wrong with croquettes. I'd definitely check it out as a fun dining experience. I wouldn't say it's very authentic Korean in terms of spin-off dishes and the sheer quantity (lack of), but it's great quality and ambiance. read more

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Food-wise, another solid entrant in the modern Korean category. Atmosphere-wise, has a more cozy, intimate vibe than most of its peers in this category (which tend to be more modern / spacious). We tried: Aster tofu salad (aster green, yu choy, tofu, soy bean paste) - By far my favorite dish, with creamy tofu mixed in with the aster / yu choy. It reminds me a lot of a Chinese dish ma lan tou, but made different with the creamy tofu. Standout. Glass noodle (vegetable, oyster mushrooms, bulgogi) - Another favorite of the table. The noodles were a bit spicy but very flavorful thanks to the bulgogi and mushroom. Not my favorite, but only because I felt it lacked the creativity of some of the other dishes. Hiramasa sashimi - Fish was very fresh and delicious. Excellent execution. Cod (manila clams, zucchini noodles, baby bok-choy) - This dish was on the more bland side, although I appreciated having a lighter dish in the mix. Probably most unmemorable dish of the night. Nurungji gras (crispy rice, spinach, oyster mushrooms, onion, organic hon shimeji pickles) - Everyone seemed to be getting this dish and for good reason. The presentation is fun, they pour the sauce over the sizzling plate in front of you, and the foie gras is delicious. It mixed well with the crispy rice and veggies, which helped cut the richness of the foie gras. Monk Starr (poached monkfish, Lobster sauce, sautéed spicy vegetables) - An interesting dish, especially with the presentation of the monkfish wrapped inside the green. While fish was fine (but a bit bland and unmemorable), the spicy bean sprouts underneath it were quite delicious. Passion Fruit Tart (passion fruit curd, basil infused champagme mango) - Good but nothing worth writing home about. In general, one thing I really liked about Soogil was the addition of various veggies to each dish. Nothing was one note meat / fish but usually had a delicious veggie underneath or on top of the it. As a whole, I felt the dishes were less exciting / innovative than say Atoboy, but there were still standout dishes like the aster tofu salad and the nurungji gras. read more

An amazing experience. All six courses were on point. The yellowtail was probably our favorite. The service was fast and the staff were extremely friendly. We can't wait to go back! read more

Interesting concept(traditional Korean with a modern twist in tapas style)... interesting on paper, it was rather quite disappointing. We had a group of four and each ordered around 2 dishes and shared everything. The portion is pretty small(tapas) so make sure you come prefilled if you're planning on dining. The quality of food and taste in general were alright. While nothing was bad, I felt I was paying a lot for Korean food that didn't capture the heart of the food even if it did capture the flavors. I would say they do a better job of making traditional Korean food more accessible than elevating it, which isn't per se a bad thing. The staff was exceedingly pleasant and the low-lit space has seating at a large communal table, a wooden counter bar and private alcoves. No liquor license, hence no cocktails. read more

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Definitely one of the best places I've been to food wise. The service was great, the waiter explained every dish. Obviously it's a bit pricey but you will be full and the dessert was amazing. read more

Exceeded all expectations! Made a reservation to dine here two weeks after their opening. Was surprised at how tentative the staff was and how intimately comfortable the space was for a Sunday date night at 7pm. What stood out to me: + the soy-braised short rib magically melted away in my mouth. Each bite literally disintegrated into thin air. Did I even have to chew?! I really don't remember taking any effort chewing and swallowing this dish at all. + what is seemingly very simple has been made to taste very delicately complex: Brussels sprouts with tofu. Don't let the name of this dish fool you on the menu. There's something about how the tofu and Brussels sprout are intentionally prepared to make these two ingredients work really well together. + the 2-step combination of the sweet potato beignets and chilled white kimchi soup. What?! You mean I can't just stuff my face with deliciousness all at once? The fact that you should (doesn't mean you have to but it's definitely highly recommended) take a bite of the sweet potato first followed with a spoon full of the white kimchi after -- absolute perfection. + kimchi -- all the kimchis! Never have I ever seen kimchi prepared the way kimchi has been prepared at Soogil. Each meticulously distinct in their own way. Unfortunately if you're looking to do a kimchi tasting, each kimchi dish only comes as accompaniments to the main dishes. + how beautiful the cod dish was. Like I mean BEAUTIFUL (Please view photo attached to this post). Visually pleasing to the eye while tantalizing your tastebuds cause you know intuitively the cod will just tenderly melt into oblivion once it's placed on your tongue. + everything the foie-gras dish encompasses just works. Taste it to believe it. *Note: Soogil's menu is curated by Owner Chef Soogil, who was Daniel's sous chef and Hanjan's executive chef. read more

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3.5 stars. Overall a very enjoyable meal, beautiful plating, and attentive service. Garden: Sweet Potato Beignets -- my favorite in this section. I'm not sure if beignet really describes it, as it's not an airy doughnut, and is essentially a fried sweet potato ball. But it's nice and soft on the inside and not dense or dry at all. The white kimchi soup actually pairs quite nicely with the sweet potato. Brussels Sprouts -- shredded sprouts topped with grilled tofu. It was an interesting take, and I liked the mix of flavors and textures (raisins, peanuts, seaweed, tofu). Glass Noodle -- a pretty good japchae, albeit on the sweet side for me. Mung-Bean Korean Pancake -- I was expecting a thin pancake more similar to the seafood pancakes, but this was actually quite thick, and the texture was quite meaty...like a meatloaf (and kind of dry...like a meatloaf). Sea: Spanish Mackerel -- small portion, but pretty well done. Bite-sized pieces of grilled mackerel on top of rice wrapped in swiss-chard. The mackerel flavor was not too strong (mackerel can be a "fishy" fish, but this did not have that, which is good for those who don't like mackerel, although I wish it had a bit more flavor). The swiss chard was pretty much just a wrapper for the rice and didn't have much flavor on its own, but the rice was good. Cod -- also very light. My favorite was actually just sipping the broth. Land: Pork belly -- well cooked, but not as much flavor in the pork belly as I expected. Really liked the crispy skin, and the meat was also tender without being too fatty (I dislike it when there's as much or even more fat than meat, but this had a good ratio of meat to fat). The kimchi roll, however, was really delicious. Short rib -- also pretty tender meat, and I liked the sweetness of the soy marinade. Chicken -- again, well cooked and tender, and this one was nice and spicy. Dessert: Korean-style Rice Stick -- delicious honey chestnut gelato and misugaru powder. The rice sticks are essentially fried mochi-like sticks, so you have a bit of a crunchy + chewy texture. There were a lot of sticks though, and I could've used fewer sticks (or more ice cream). Passion Fruit Tart -- simple but well executed. Nice and buttery and crunchy tart with a sweet and tart (but neither too sweet nor too tart) passionfruit filling. read more

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The restaurant is beautiful - dimly lit and intimate setting. I came on a Tuesday night with two friends and the restaurant was fairly empty. The waitress advised 2-3 dishes per person. We ordered: - Mung bean korean pancake - Very delicious, it's under the "Garden" so some may think it's vegetarian, but the dish contains pork - Glass noodles - Simply made, one of the best japchaes I've had (the menu doesn't mention meat but there was beef in it) - Foie gras - Very creamy, nothing overly special - Short rib - Best dish of the night, so flavorful and super tender - Spanish mackerel - Dish had a nice variety of textures and flavors, loved the crispy fish skin (?) on top - Monkfish - Expected the dish to have a little more flavor since it was sitting on top of a bed of spicy vegetables, but it fell flat The dishes are quite small, so don't come if you're super hungry. read more

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We opted the $55 eleven course tasting menu for party of three, which turned out to be a great Korean fusion experience. The tofu salad and sweet potato on are innovative and fresh, great appetizers to start. The meat Mung-Bean pancake and glass noodles with bulgogi are traditional Korean dishes with some new features, not too impressive tho. Worth to mention the fish, monk fish, cod and eel, all are delicately designed, all fresh made. Overall a nice place for a group of people. Also, the ambiance is nice, by sitting next to the outside, you can feel the nice weather and view on the street. Nice experience! read more

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My wife is Korean so we try all the new places in town whenever possible. For some reason neither of us heard anything about Soogil whether good or bad even though they have been open for awhile but I guess now we know why. The food was boring and predictable and uninspired but the service was the worst part overall it really left a bad taste in our mouths. Not recommended. There are so many better Korean restaurants in town. read more

First off, a tip unrelated to my rating for those going there now: They don't yet have their liquor license, no alcohol served, and no BYOB allowed! I went with a few friends so it wasn't a big deal, but pity the bad first daters that end up here... On to the actual review/food. I was a bit torn on how to rate this. The food was solid, but several of the dishes fell flat almost to the point of bladness. We ordered all 4 appetizers, which were the highlight but still nothing special. The sweet potato was quite good, with the soup adding a nice but not amazing element to it. The mung-bean pancake was especially bland, hard to make that bland given that it was pan-fried. Brussel sprouts were solid, with the tofu being quite good. The japchae was probably our favorite, but it was a pretty tiny serving of japchae and bulgogi that were both really solid but nothing amazing given their size/price. We ordered 6 of the 8 mains, with consistently the same opinion: the ingredients were prepared well but there simply isn't enough flavor. This was true for the cod, seafood w/ tofu, chicken. With the pork belly, braised short rib and foie gras, there was flavor as they were well prepared, but nothing that elevated them at all. A good cut of pork belly prepared well but without anything special does not make a great dish. I'm hoping this is growing pains, the reviews coming in right now are extremely inconsistent, so I'm even wondering if it's a chef-of-the-day type issue. At this point though, Soogil is not yet in the same league as other fine dining new-Korean in the city. read more

3.5 Stars Never had Korean cuisine before so I cannot comment on its authenticity. We were a party of seven thus we had to take the price fixed menu at $50 which consisted of 11 small courses served family style. The only course that i didn't care for was the cod. Not a problem. Contrary to other reviews we were seated promptly and the service was perfectly pleasant. The desserts were excellent. So far 4 stars. Contrary to Peter Wells' review in the NY Times the noise level is NOT low. By 8:30 PM my iPhone recorded an average sound level of 88 to 90dB (I cannot attest to its accuracy). I have a slight hearing impairment thus conversation became very difficult. I admit this is a bete noir of mine, but at some point I just wanted to leave. If very loud ambient noise doesn't spoil your evening give the place a try. Sadly I will not return. read more

Came here back in January a couple days after they first opened - overall it was a good experience but they had a couple issues to work out (hopefully they have by now). We made a reservation for two a couple days earlier but weren't seated until about 30 minutes after our reservation time. The food was also slow to deliver as there was big gap time between our apps and our mains. We ordered two apps: sweet potato beignets ($9) - deliciously fried and soft on the inside mung-bean pancake ($11) - great crispy texture but very light on flavor, you'll definitely need to use the sauce. For mains we got: spanish mackerel ($13) - cutely presented in bite sized pieces and has a good balance of flavors short ribs ($26) - the sauce is a bit salty but the rice balances the flavor. The meat is cooked to a tender perfection and falls right off the bone. pork belly ($16) - also beautifully presented and very crispy skin. The kimchi paired with this is different and homier in taste The space is small but doesn't feel tight. It's very dimly lit, but creates a nice ambiance. They have bar seating for 6 - this is more for couples/friends though since the seats are benches for two, a large center communal table (which can be awk to sit at if you're seated near the middle and on a date, imagine being sandwiched between two large groups on both sides of you), and a couple tables for four/six. There was a semi private nook with a large table, so if you're coming in a group, I would request that table for some privacy. Liquor license was still pending when I went, but they did allow byob. read more

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Came in one night for a dinner and had the best dining experience. If anyone wants a good place for Korean-french food, here it is. The menu was pretty simple. There's a prix-fixe menu (3 course dinner for $48) or the chef's tasting ( 6 course dinner for $68) I had the prix- fixe menu with glass noodle with grilled bulgogi(alsolute best!! Must have), scallop(again. Amazing!!), and yuzu sorbet for dessert along with one of their specialty cocktail, Yuzu spice. I thank my lovely server for her cocktail recommendation. If you are huge sucker for yuzu like me, you've got to try their yuzu spice cocktail. It's citrusy and has a nice kick coming from the 7 spice infused sake. I could have gone the entire week only drinking that. And then I was blown away by their glass noodle - japchae. This ain't just an ordinary japchae. It's got this grilled bulgogi beef on top which is also super generous in portion. And then the scallop, the best I've ever had so far. Topped with this chili paste adding a nice touch, it also came with this puree on the bottom which almost had me put my head in the bowl to lick the hell out!! And not to forget the confit sunchockes with brown butter vinaigrette. And lastly, the dessert. Its not just a scoup of sorbet. It was topped with this honeyed chinese quince tea thingie and lychees. ( but don't eat the cranberries inside the lychee.) Overall, the food was so delicious (and pretty) and also quite generous in portion for the price. Along all this, my server was also super welcoming and attentive which just made my dining experience here beyond and above. read more

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Amazing in every way. Between the atmosphere, food, cocktails, and service everything was spot on. Hidden gem. Will be back!

Cute date spot for elevated Korean cuisine, but not particularly inventive or exciting enough of an experience to be worth the money in my opinion. Soogil is branded as a French influenced Korean restaurant. In terms of execution it feels like Korean classics like kimchi and japchae with nice plating, reduced portions and wildly overpriced. I will say the cocktails were really nice and you could taste all the elements listed on the descriptions. I highly recommend the French 108E. If I could come back just to do drinks here, I would. I did not come here as a date; rather I was with a group of 3 people and we were told that the food was tapas style where we should order a few plates to share. Although I liked the idea of sharing plate, all the plates weren't particularly sharable. The jumbo shrimp, for example, was literally two pieces of shrimp that we took turns picking at to make it "sharable". If the intent is to have a tapas style experience the food should be conducive to that. We also tried the glass noodles (aka japchae) where the meat was particularly higher quality than the japchae you'd fine at like Worijip for example, the beef tartare and the pork belly. The beef tartare was good, but not memorable for me. The Pork belly with the kimchi was the highlight of the meal. It was what I expected out of fine dining Korean food and actually easy to share. The skin was so crispy and meat so succulent and well paired with the kimchi. I wish the whole meal could've followed suit from the pork belly, but alas no. The restaurant seems far better suited for the tasting menu at $68. Perhaps if I tried that my review would be more positive but as an elevated Korean tapas restaurant Soogil was awkward and underwhelming. read more

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Went from worst to best experience... Having a child, It is rare for my family to go out and enjoy the city. We finally went out last weekend and enjoyed Sonic the Hedgehog then found this cute place. Soogil was busy as it gets but this server promised the table will be ours. After waiting, we were dumbfounded when she gave away our table to people who came later. EXCUSE ME?? Then to make the matters worse, she started to ignore us even when she was in front of us talking to other servers. It's a small place and how can she act as if we don't exist? Then, we would see her glimpse at us then look away. We, mainly I, were furious. After waiting even more, another server told us to sit at the bar. We have already told the previous server that we needed a table because child needs space. We ended up sitting at the bar area because we were tired and didn't want to stand there while everyone were looking. Our bartender/server with short gray blonde hair kept apologizing and insisted on making accommodations for our troubles. She kept engaging us even when she was busy with others that we started forgetting the bad. Now THAT is how you handle a mismanagement. But at the end, all we wanted was an explanation and an apology from that other server who gave away our table and ignored our presence. Worst was to see her walk away and not acknowledging us and working as if nothing has happened. This place deserves 1 STAR just for our experience with that heavy set server girl. Her actions suits as if she was a waitress at a diner in Jersey City. She may have ignored her way out of responsibility from problems that night, but customers WILL ALWAYS remember the bad experience of the restaurant and stay away. But I am giving 4 stars because the other short gray blonde hair bartender/server made us feel like an important guest, not just some family with a kid that gets ignored. You can clearly tell who was a pro and who lacked professionalism. It was clearly a night and day. Soogil in restaurant aspect meets expectation but her cocktails were one of the best I've had in a long time and that is saying a lot because my brother used to work at the Aviary so he would make drinks all the time and spoil us. This went from the worst experience to the best and i hope i'll remember to think about the good part for Soogil. read more

Outstanding! Was here with my parents and the service was impeccable; they went out of their way to make us feel comfortable by describing the food in Korean for my parents. The place has a non-stuffy, real genuine vibe to it; they fit perfectly in LES. The food was awesome...and we left stuffed by the end. The whole experience was awesome. Thanks for tonight. :) read more

Little gem in East village. Refined and creative Korean dishes by very talented and experienced chef. We tried pretty much everything on the menu and we loved everything on the plate. One of my new favorite in NYC!! read more

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WOWWWW I just came here for restaurant week with my girlfriends and it was just an all-around perfect experience. The main areas I focus on at a restaurant are 80% quality of food, 10% service, & 10% drinks selection/ambience. For food, I ordered the Hiramasa (yellowtail sashimi with garnishes) for the app, the monkfish for the entree and the gelato with a powdered dough stick dessert. Everything was so beautifully crafted and tasted just as great. The service was on point - I was chugging water fast than any typical person should but would always find my glass refilled. The place is small so there are just a few servers and if you ever need anything, grabbing their attention is not difficult at all. There was also a solid drinks menu with soju cocktails, wines, and sparkling wines. The restaurant week menu offered a wine pairing for $26 but it was easy to find a nice glass of white/red for $12 or $13. Their non-restaurant week menu looked enticing as well so I will definitely be back! read more