I honestly thought I wrote a review about these guys a while ago. I'll keep it brief: This is my favorite Korean restaurant anywhere. So many Korean restaurants are so hit or miss on taste, whether they are in LA, NYC, or even Seoul. I generally like stronger, more seasoned foods, and Woori nails the balance. All of their grilled meats are exceptional, but my personal favorite is the pork belly. Every appetizer is delicious, and the banchan is the best I've had anywhere. My main complaint, if I had to nitpick, is I feel ownership really does what it can to cost-cut. Portions are indeed small, as other reviewers have said, and I have noticed, when getting potato pancakes and other dishes that require a dipping sauce, that the sauce cup is barely half-full. That's a little lame. Also, I've eaten there in the cold winter once when there was literally no heat, and I've also sweated my ass off eating there in the summer because they either don't use AC or have a very weak unit. Clearly though, none of those things bother me enough to detract from the 5 star rating! Seriously though - I don't think any restaurant I've been to has been as consistently good as Woori. I've been there many, many times, and the quality of the food is always superb. This is easily, in my opinion, the best restaurant in Arlington, and certainly the best "non KBBQ" Korean restaurant in the state. It's good enough that I have eaten there alone on several occassions. There is nothing over-the-top here....Just comforting, honest Korean food - the kind of food that brings you back to earth. read more

I love the crispy rice cakes, soft tofu stew with beef. BiBimBap. So tasty. I love going in and seeing the babies and toddlers enjoying good food and having fun with their families. It is a welcoming place with wonderful food. read more

The place is small and cute, with decorations that seem to cater to kids. Food was good, nothing really stood out. We had two lunch specials. The kalbi was alright but kind of fatty, banchan and beef bibimbap were okay as well. Unrelated--I think it's kind of cool that the street parking nearby gives you 15 free minutes if you press a button. You could technically go out every 15 minutes and get parking for free lol read more

We were around the area and made our mind to give it a try. The decor is cute and the environment is very clean and bright. For lunch, they have a lunch special menu, which means some specialties aren't served during lunch time. We saw Spicy Crispy Chicken advertised on TV on the wall and it looked quite appealing. But it's a shame that it was not served during lunchtime. So we opted for other appetizers. They do have a broad selection of creative appetizers, and we 'd like to try most of them. What we got: Crispy potato ball - Great! We both loved this one the most and thought we could have eaten ten more of it if we still had had more room. Crispy rice cake - it's spicy skewered rice cake topped with some sliced almond. It's interesting to eat rice cakes as a skewer. Saute eggplant - the texture of the eggplant tasted a bit too firm to us and the flavor was just not right to us. We would pass this one next time. Fries - it's standard. Soft Tofu Stew - the portion seemed a tad small but it's really good for one person. The broth was great and it's served with a bowl of white rice. There were other options while I chose seafood for my soft tofu stew. An egg was already cooked in the stew instead of serving aside and let you add it by your own. After we paid the check, a Korean grandma who seems like the owner, gave each of us a small cup of chilled Korean cinnamon ginger tea. It always feels great receiving a complimentary drink. I wasn't sure what it was but I guess it is SooJong Gwa. I liked its cinnamon-ginger flavor. But it's too sweet for me to finish it, though I really liked the first few sips. The overall experience was not bad and would like to go back to try something more. read more

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Cute place. Nice choices. I really enjoyed the kimchee soup (a favorite dish of mine). Staff very nice And friendly. The price was a bit more than I expected so will go back but not as frequently. I recommend anyone who enjoys Korean food, give this cute place a try. read more

I had dinner at WooRi on 10/1/2014. WooRi had excellent service, from a very attentive waitress. She explained the menu carefully, took time to check back on us after the food arrived, and was prompt in refilling my water. I ordered two appetizers, the S.S.F. Korean dumpling, and Korean fries with seafood. Both were very good. The dumpling was sweet and tangy, while the Korean fries with seafood featured real pieces of squid and scallop mixed into the potatoes. I had the pork belly for my entree. It came with a generous portion of meat, which had been nicely marinaded in a sweet sauce. The entree came with options for sides, and I went with two kinds of kimchi, both of which were very tasty. The entree also came with a dipping sauce, as well as lots of greens. I plan to return to WooRi. It's worth a trip to Arlington Center for the great food and service, as well as for the surrounding businesses. There is a cool art-house cinema on one side of the restaurant, and a fun old bookstore on the other side. There is also a nice ice cream store about a block away. Gail Ann's across the street also has great donuts. read more

Woori - Korean Fries with Seafood appetizer from WooRi - Korean Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

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This place serves the perfect mix of Korean home cooking. There is so much more to Korean food than what people associated with it like table grill BBQ. What frustrates me is that K-BBQ places put too much emphasis on the meat and not the supporting dishes. In reality, Korean home cooking has nothing to do with meat-grilling and all to do with the apps, banchans and stews. I'm so glad there is a place like Woori that puts as much quality and care as they do into the often forgotten, less recognized elements of Korean cooking. Key to the menu is focusing on the apps and stews. I love the kkass and meat entrees, too, but the magic is in the hearty stews and apps. Also, the banchans (Google for more) are complimentary and they are all amazing. They really put all the K-BBQ places that half-ass them to utter shame. Their teokkochi is my personal favorite. read more

food was ok. not much atmosphere. very loud music. will not go there again. service was slow.

Expensive at $11 for a regular sized lunch bibimbap. However, the tastes are unforgettable. A lightly fried egg is planted atop the pile of seasoned, shredded beef, rice, spinach, mushrooms, soybean sprouts and zucchini with carrots. Unique banchan - Maple peanuts, kimchi and cucumbers. Peanuts are sticky are toasted lightly. The kimchi is spicy and crunchy. The cucumbers are fresh and crisp. Polite service. Attentive. Quick. A rather monotone interior that is sparse. Otherwise, go here frequently. read more

My friend and I were so excited to give this place a try. We met up for lunch there and ordered Bibimbap (Pork and Squid) Candidly, I was disappointed because the rice was not cooked to a crisp in a heavy cast iron bowl as it typically does. The rice was not crispy or hot. The portions were small. There was no side dishes serve typical to Korean meals. For about $18-$20 a bibimbap, I expected much more. Will not be coming back here. read more

One word can sum up how I feel about this place: YUM! I have eaten here twice (bibimbap and chicken skewers). Both times the food was excellent and I will be going back, for sure. I highly recommend. read more

Our favorites were the pork belly skewer, the fried potato ball, and the bulgogi stew. No at-table grilling, it's all done in the back. Service was really friendly. Food came quickly. Some of the dishes are uneven - I thought one of the appetizers was undercooked, and I was underwhelmed by the grilled in the back entree, which is one star off for the unevenness. Good enough to come back to. read more

Very nice, clean and tasty Korean place. Service is good by you g Korean waiters. Cost benefit equation is great. You can have a big dish of rice, protein and vegetables for a reasonable price. read more

This is a favorite lunch spot in town. It offers a bright, pleasant atmosphere where nice people serve you excellent food. Try the beef bulgogi. When it is served to you in the hot pot, add your desired amount of the flavorful, spicy red sauce and thoroughly mix everything together. Eat it with the spoon, adding a bit of each side dish with the chopsticks as you go. read more

Woori - Korean Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

Woori is our favorite restaurant in Arlington - possibly anywhere! The sides alone are enough for a 5 star review - they are varied and plentiful, different and delicious and fresh made every time! Our favorite dishes are the bibimbap and spicy pork bulgogi. The staff is totally awesome and so sweet, always recommending new things to try and it never disappoints. We rave about woori to whoever will listen! read more

Woori - a plate of food on a table with chopsticks - Korean Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

A cozy little Korean place packed with amazing food,flavors and service. This is my first attempt trying an authentic Korean cuisine and I couldn't thank my friend enough for recommending this place. We walked-in on a Saturday night for dinner and were able to get seated without any wait. We ordered crispy veggie dumplings and kimchi pancakes for apps and they were both very very delicious.The dumplings come with a spicy sauce and are cooked just right and packed with flavor. The kimchi pancakes were amazing too. We then ordered chicken bibimbap,Kimchi stew and tofu stew for dinner.After we placed our entree order, we received the famous korean side dishes and each one of them were amazing to say the least! The kimchi is super tasty and we finished it off in no time!Same with the potato salad and other sides. Our entrees were awesome too.The stew comes super hot so be careful with your first sip.Overall ,I am super happy with my first korean cuisine experience and would highly recommend this place. I went with a 4 star review due to their super small portion size of the side dishes.We were a party of 4 who dined in and yet we were offered the same portion size of side dishes as a party of 2. We later inquired about it and got to know that the refill of side dishes is complimentary but we were not informed of it before. read more

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High prices , average service , average taste , lesser portions is what I experienced when I visited for dinner . First of all the waiting period is so long! God knows why it's such small place and when we visited there were hardly any other customers. Would not visit again. read more

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Delicious delicious korean. The bulgogi beef and the spicy chicken grill entrees are delicious. Theyre served so that you can either do lettuce wraps or eat as a stir-fry with rice. The steamed chicken dumplings are good but the special stir fried spicy dumplings are PHENOMENAL. Rice and banchan portions are a little small and the bibimbap bowls arnt the biggest but the quality of the food, presentation and friendly staff make up for it. Highly recommended. read more

Fantastic place to get takeout. It is one of the few places where the food is unique and fresh. read more

I'm fairly disappointed by this place and am puzzled by the 4 stars. For starters, the side dishes don't come with kimchi, which is astounding given that this is a Korean restaurant. So, I had to order it a la carte. A tiny cup of kimchi is $4, which itself was nearly 5% of my entire meal. I thought the service was a bit lackluster and overall cannot see myself making the drive back to Woori. read more

Our family went there recently. We ordered several entrees and sides. The crispy rice is tasty. Salmon was cooked nicely. However, portions are small, half the size of other restaurants. For an average grown man the portion almost looks like a joke. The price is about 15 per entree. Almost all other customers were small or older ladies. I would not go back. read more

This Korean restaurant is one of the best-kept secrets of Arlington. This place is SO good! The food never disappoints and their service is great, too. I usually order the bibimbap with tofu from their lunch menu but I've had many of their other dishes, too, and everything has always been excellent. The menu includes some of your typical Korean dishes but there are quite a few items you won't see anywhere else. The only thing that would make this place better is if it had more energy-efficient windows because when it's cold outside, it's rather chilly sitting at the tables by the window. read more

I've been here twice with a large group (party of 10+ people) and they've been always accomodating - we made reservations in advance, of course. This is your typical neighborhood Korean restaurant, with things done right. Servers were friendly and attentive, and service was efficient. While I have to admit that they're not best in the Stew Department (unfortunately their tofu stew was just too salty in my opinion,) their Grill options were stellar. My friends opted for the Galbi and Spicy Pork Belly, it was perfectly cooked to medium rare; juicy and very flavorful. They also have a selection of appetizers that are great to share as well. Try their fried seaweed roll if you're keen on having something more unique rather than a standard boiled edamame. Is it worth the trip down to Arlington, if you live in Downtown? Maybe not. However, if you happen to be in the area and craving for Korean food, then Woori is a great option to stop by. Keep up the great work! read more

Went here for dinner. We decided to share few small plates and pork belly grilled plate. Crispy potato balls were pretty bland and unimpressive. Crispy rice cakes were good: crispy, filling, and spicy. S.S.F. crispy dumplings were just all right. The sauce was really good, however, dumplings were store bough and did not taste well. Fried seaweed roll was not yummy at all. Main course was really good. Overall, this place is just OK: Positives: great atmosphere, good service, and modern / inviting menu. Main course was really good. Negatives: no korean side dishes before meal, worst kimchi I've even had (arguably main korean ingredient), a lot of store bought ingredients (e.g. dumplings) read more

Woori - Grilled pork belly - Korean Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

Kids meal!!! comparing to other Korea food, the portion is very small，And，expensive！ average $16per main food.however one main order is not enough, you have to order extra appetizer to fill one adult s meal. Concerning the taste,its much stronger than other Korean restaurants, I ordered the bibimpab rice and the beef stew soup, both are very salty. read more

Woori does a fine job. Came in on a business lunch and the place looks rather big from the outside. But then you walk in and find the restaurant though wide, is about 10 feet deep. Just seemed odd - the layout that is. But I got over that and checked to make sure they had bibim bap. Yes such a basic staple dish but why not? My mother in law is Korean (old school immigrated in the 70s) and she has rice and veggies almost every night. So when we're there that's what I eat. The Korean BBQ thing is hot but I like old school. And I primarily eat a starch-based vegan diet so bibim bap with tofu covers it. The lunch serving was not huge. There was a normal amount of rice, veggies were good and the server was eager to bring me extra helpings of my favorite banchan items. This is a plus because I get the stern look from the Ajimas at other Korean restaurants when I ask for more. The young dude here was eager to feed me. I did order a 2nd bibimbap (did I mention it was dolsot or hot pan- some Boston area Korean places call it "kopdol " which I think means hot stone. This name mystifies my wife's family as they've only seen Dolsot in sf area and that's how it must be) style? Server told me they never had someone order a 2nd. Well I have no problem blazing trails in that department. But remember it's rice and veggies, rice isn't fried, so it's light. Easy to do the double. And was happy to impress the staff. Note: I only came once so far and had 1 dish (twice) so I can't speak fully but my experience was a good one! I'll go again and update. read more

We stumbled on this spot in Arlington and had a delicious lunch. Flavors were, to us, authentic and wonderful. Recommend the Bugogi and the kklam. Both great. read more

The food was outstanding! I highly recommend. There were 5 of us and we all had different plates- each of which were delicious. Good value as well. Note they do not have alcohol so BYOB. read more

Fave Korean restaurant in the Boston area by far. I would stick with traditional over their fusion items personally. Their soft tofu is amazing and so flavourful- I always get the seafood one. Excellent dumplings and delicious bibimbap and potato pancakes. Their banchan are the best tasty treats - Always a surprise !!! I can't get enough and have been coming regularly since their opened. They should move to Davis square so I can walk over all the time. read more

Korean pop playing! Authentic delicious Korean food! Comfortable atmosphere! What more can you ask for! I absolutely recommend this place. read more

Woori - Bimbimbop - Korean Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

Dad- We have been here twice and on both occasions the server has been knowledgeable about what's in the dishes and advised us what's safe to order for vegans. Love the small plates and salads. The Crispy Rice Cake and the Avocado Salad are two of my favorites. Very unique flavors we haven't had elsewhere in the Boston area. The bottom line from a vegan perspective: if you don't mind that this place also caters to carnivores, they certainly make you feel welcome. Daughter- Try the SAUTÉ EGGPLANT, spinach salad, and crispy rice cake. It will leave you screaming for more. Finish off with a (highly) recommended cinnamon punch. read more

A great addition to the Arlington Center restaurant scene, in a location which has not been very good luck for previous owners. Many years ago, the space housed a very nice Mongolian hot-pot restaurant, then it changed hands and became a mediocre Indian restaurant, then it became Manna Sushi, but could not draw in enough sushi customers to sustain the chef, resulting in a transition to Manna House. Now, the family who owned Manna Sushi/Manna House has sold the restaurant and it has now become Woori, serving Korean BBQ. Good Korean food is sorely underrepresented in Arlington and Woori is a welcome addition. There are some interesting surprises on the menu, such as the crispy potato balls and the Korean fries, but we have stuck to the Korean BBQ staples such as Bibimbab, Kalbi, Bulgogi, adding eel to mix it up a bit. All were excellent and the portions are ample enough for a take-home bag. Service is excellent and friendly, prices fairly reflect the quality and freshness of the ingredients and the careful preparation that goes into your meal. I sincerely wish the proprietors good luck. Korean food is not as familiar to many American's palate as are more common choices such as Chinese, Thai, and Indian. But really; how many mediocre Thai restaurants do we really need in Arlington? Woori is an excellent restaurant offering very well prepared, tasty and nutritious Korean food. If you're a fan, get the word out :-) read more

A relatively cheap Korean fix that could be so much more! Finding cheap and tasty Korean food can be challenging especially on this side of the river. That's why I'm giving Woori a generous review here because there aren't many cheap Korean restaurant options in the metro Boston area. Color in Allston used to be a good option but they have since shut down in favor of Bibim which is pricier than its predecessor. The one thing I'll say is that Woori is a bit more on the fusion side. If you're looking for something more "authentic" in nature, I wouldn't suggest going here. And that's not necessarily a bad thing but it's definitely not all traditional Korean fare. I've been to Woori twice for lunch. For the price, it's not bad. The lunch specials come with an entree, a "snack" of your choice, and panchon (side dishes). I ended up with the spicy chicken which on the first visit which was cooked nicely and was a decent lunch meal. I got a fried potato ball with peas inside with eel/katsu sauce on top--not bad. Sort of fusiony but it was good. It also came with a basket of lettuce and ssamjang which is a fermented bean paste. We also got a mungbean pancake which had bean sprouts in it and came with a dipping sauce of a light vinegar (maybe mirin?) with pickled onions and peppers. The pancake was fried really well and was pretty crunchy on the outside without all the oil you expect in a kimchi pancake. My wife wasn't a fan of her soondubu though. I didn't try it but she said the broth was a little "off." It's a small place, I'd say occupancy of maybe 30-35 people at the most. Service is good but the first time I ate there for lunch, it took a little longer than I was hoping for. Overall I give this place 3 stars. If I could give any advice it would be to maybe work on adding a few signature entree options. If they did a mean jjangmyun, or jjapchae, or dukmandooguk I would definitely come to this place more often. read more

Delicious Korean food with great veggie options. We loved the spicy ricecakes, kimchi stew and tofu bibimbab. read more

Woori - Korean Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

This place is special. The charming cafe space has a lovely warm vibe. I appreciate the chef's contemporary take on Korean cuisine. Bright and joyful and simple. The staff are always exceptionally nice, too. read more

This place is great! I'm Korean and I must say this is one of the most authentic Korean restaurants I've found in the area. Highly recommend to anyone! read more

If you are looking for an authentic Korean Restaurant, you'd better to check this restaurant out. The owner is Korean, and she and her family cook. The side dishes are ready every morning by the owner's mother. The food is very fresh! You can have vary vegetarian or vegan options for the most of menu. They do care of it much. In addition, I love their small plate menu (popular Korean Street snack) a lot because I can find the snack from only 'Woori' in Boston area. Crispy Rice Cake(), Fried Seaweed Roll(), Chicken Skewer(), Sweetx3 Potato(), and more. Last night, I ordered Chicken Kkass with cheese topping, and that was awesome!! My favorite Grill items are 'Kalbi(Short Beef Rip)' and Spicy Squid. I think these are much better than what I have had in Korea. They use a brass pot instead of a stone pot for 'Bibimbab', and this is a traditional style of a region called Jeonju in Korea. It feels just unique, but I've heard the brass pot is good for health. I'm Korean, but I am not a fan of spicy food. They definitely make spicy dishes, but one of reasons that I love this restaurant is very delicate non-spicy items. They have white Kimchi (this Kimchi even look beautiful) and non-spicy soft tofu soup, and these are more than awesome! I wish I could go to 'Woori' everyday! Go and check it out! You won't regret. read more

The food was good. We got the pork bulgogi and the beef bibimbap. They were both quite good but the service was terrible. The waitress didn't check in at all, she barely gave us a second to talk to her and ask questions. We wouldn't come back. read more

This place definitely serves one of the best and authentic "home-style" Korean eats in the Boston / Cambridge area. I like to go here for hearty dishes that I can't cook decently on my own -- like the (grilled mackerel) and (been curd stew). I was also impressed by their own creative take on (pork belly) which was offered a la carte. The only downside would be its location, which is not easily accessible by public transportation. read more

Went with a group of 9 people, and it was a good food experience! We tried a bit of everything on the menu, thanks to some of us who were from S.Korea. Looks like a family owned and operated cozy place that is well kept, clean and homely. Pro- well seasoned, fresh, and perfectly cooked meals that are as authentic as they get here in the Greater Boston area. Con- a grill would be nice but given the safety requirements i understand why that may not be possible. I wouldn't mind coming back again soon. Thanks! read more