Seoul Soul — Restaurant in Waterloo

I really hope such encounter will not reoccur. The rude manner the manager treated us is something that we have unheard of.

This was the very first restaurant I visited in Waterloo four years ago, and apparently today will be the LAST TIME I visit.

Some of our group came in early expecting a group of total nine people, but only seven of us made it. The seven of us were originally arranged to be seated at a long table that's normally for eight, and the manager was obviously not pleased with the fact that we were not taking a place that's normally for six (with one unpleasantly seating at one side).

She came to us very upset and blamed, "You told us there's nine people. Should I know there's only seven people, I'd have arranged you over there.", pointing to a possible arrangement of a table pieced together by a four-seat and a two-seat. We said, "We've got seven people and this is a eight-people table, but if you want, we can move over there." She didn't bother to move us and left without saying anything.

She could've asked, since you've got less than expected people, would us mind to move over there, and we'd have totally pleasantly moved there. In fact, we agreed to move understanding the restaurant is busy and packed, despite her attitude.

While checking out, I tipped one dollar out of all due respect to the kind other servers who have served us, while less than the regular 10% amount because of the disappointment at the manner the manager treated us.

The manager went on a rampage, speaking of our fault informing the wrong number of total people, and the behavior of not paying up to 10% of tip given the number of our party is ridiculous.

We replied saying it's because of your earlier attitude. She refused to let the rest of us pay using the machine, saying,

"If you don't pay up to 10%, I won't let you go."

We stalled there for almost five minutes, and we decided to pay the rest in cash.

This's not the end:

"I don't want to ever see you here...

I go here a few times a month, and it is a great korean restaurant! The ladies that work there are very friendly and the service is really fast! There are lots of students as it is in the University plaza and is quite crowded at evening during the weekdays- so beware if going with a family. They serve free water and side dishes and you can get refills for free. The Seoul Potatoes would be my favourite sides of theirs! The atmosphere is also quite sweet and calm with some k-pop tunes!

Their Fried Chicken is really tasty, especially the spicy+sweet and honey garlic one, but I'd say is quite expensive for its portion. My favourite would be their Bibimbap as it is delicious, filling, and the price is great for its portion! I also love the fact that you can add as much as you want of the hot sauce as some other restaurants I've been to just add it on themselves. The Chicken Katsu is delicious as well, the crisp is very good, and the sauce for it is amazing- probably the best katsu I've had so far. The Japchae might seem as a bit expensive but its portion is quite large and I ate the leftover as dinner the next day. I also asked for bulgogi in it and they added it without any extra cost!! Their mandu is great as well! Their Ddukbaegi Bulgogi was also amazing and really filling... Their Tangsuyuk is also amazing. Overall, I love this small restaurant a lot and never leaves me disappointed. I recommend and am looking forward to trying more of their dishes (especially their hot...

The portions, first of all, are absurdly small. The food sucks (at least according to my taste buds and according to my friend who is from Korea). On top of that, the worse thing ever is when they HASSLE YOU FOR TIPS. I'm a first year student and this has happened 5 times to either me or people I know.

Firstly, when I didn't have a lot of money to pay 15% tip and the server girl stink-eyed me and said "you know, you have to tip right?" And I said "I did" and she was like "that's not enough." And I said "I don't have enough, next time I'll tip." She literally just glared at me.

Secondly, it happened to my dad who is used to paying 10% tip, and the lady literally stopped him from leaving and told him 10% wasn't enough and my dad, being non-confrontational, just gave 15% but complained the whole day about the rudeness.

It happened twice to my friends as well, and once to my boyfriend. Just saying, but servers shouldn't DEMAND for tips, especially if the service basically sucked in the first place (i.e. they never offered to refill side dishes, always tried to avoid your eyes when you try to meet their eyes to request something, don't refill drinks, don't ask how the food is, literally just set the food down and take your order and that's it...)

So the service sucks and they're rude to demand tip when you're already giving them tips, and the food sucks and the portions are tiny (never try to order the tteokkbokki for one; they literally give you like 4...