Not that many Korean restaurants in Montreal. Ambience & surroundings were fine. Service was good. I'm Korean so can judge it by a higher standard. First of all, most Korean restaurants offer barley tea at no extra charge. They offered corn tea & green tea at a charge. Secondly most decent Korean restaurants offer panchan (Korean side dishes including kimchi, sweet potatoes, bean sprouts, spinach salad, etc) as free appetizers & most Korean restaurants are judged by how much & how many appetizers are offered as side dishes. I didn't look at the menu carefully assuming they would be offered but it was on the menu as side dishes you could order. The tofu bibimbap was good. The kimchi jigae (kimchi stew) was tasty. The spicy pork was small & not great by Korean standards. Overall a decent meal but not up to Toronto & certainly not Vancouver standards.
Hands down, without a doubt or competition, simultaneously one of my favorite meals & most memorable dining experiences I had during my short work trip to Montreal.
When I searched up'Korean food in Montreal' during my intense craving for warm, comforting, asian food in a new city, this place popped up on multiple lists, recommendations, & Google Maps. After a long day & a light stroll through Old Montreal, I finally had the chance to(& was determined to) come here on Friday evening. I was kind of concerned that I wasn't going to get in because 1) I've had multiple occasions of restaurants turning me away well before their closing time in Montreal (Which is still a mystery I'm) trying to solve 🤣😅, & 2) Well, it's Friday night! Luckily, I was able to get in after a short 5-minute wait, & although I was a lone wolf & would be perfectly content with being tucked away in the corner with a small table to myself, the (who I later found out to be) Owner ended up seating me in a big table by myself- felt kind of guilty, but also so kind!
The drinks & the food came out very quickly, I wont touch on the beer, because beer is beer lol, but the Spicy Pork Grill….first of all, the HUGE portion that only came out to $21?! In this economy? Secondly, the intense sizzling sound as the dish came out of the kitchen was enough to claim its #1 spot, but above all - the rich marinade without being too salty, the onions that cut through & help balance the fattiness of the pork, the perfectly cooked warm & fluffy rice…I honestly can conjure up the taste & how the dish made me feel just through writing this review. I had intended to pack 1/2 of it to go for my hotel room later, I promise, I did. I ended up walking out with a full & satisfying belly & a completely empty plate 🫣🤣
When I was paying, I chatted with the owner (well, the daughter of the owner), who told me how she used to live in Vancouver (I'm visiting from Vancouver), & just generally a bit about the history of the place. I feel such warmth & comfort from the food & hospitality - which, when you're in a city/ place for the first time, is truly an irreplaceable feeling.
The reviews speak for themselves, but please support local businesses, especially ones like this with great food, good people, & a big heart. 💛
Bibimbap was excellent as well as the kimchi pork stir fry. Will come back again for sure. I love that they also offer bibimbap in two types of bowls. One in dolsot (hot) & in stainless bowl (cold, which I prefer.. most Koreans do I feel)
Had high hopes for this place given the Google reviews but left feeling disappointed. We love trying Korean restaurants & I've heard this place mentioned quite a few times. The restaurant no longer offers banchan to reduce costs which was pretty surprising. Instead of offering it on request, they charge a few dollars per side dish which was incomprehensible to me. The food was good but the portions were small for the price point. The tteokbokki was pretty good & the pork & tofu stir fry was good but could have used more pork & tofu for the price. My husband wanted tempura instead of the pajeon & we were super disappointed - we ordered the mixed vegetable tempura & it was just a bunch of chopped veggies in pajeon batter served in clumps. It was mostly batter to veggie ratio which was a disappointment. Service was prompt but cold. The bathrooms were dirty & grim. I went in before leaving & watched a girl ahead of me & walk in & immediately out. I was surprised to see things like tempura & general Tao on the menu at a Korean place. Overall, I've tried over a dozen Korean places in the city & this has certainly been my least favourite to date. There are certainly better options near Guy Concordia with more authentic menus - this felt like a tourist spot as I don't understand the ratings here for what we got.
We scored Bibimbab 8/10. The Grill pork is definitely 10/10. This is a very good boutique Korean restaurant. Doesn’t look much from the road frontage, but as soon as you walk in you can tell it is a place to have one of the best Korean in town👍
