SOJUba — Restaurant in Boston

We used to be regulars at SOJUba, celebrating birthdays and enjoying what we thought was one of the most fun atmospheres locally. But after our last few visits, we’re officially done. This place has gone way downhill. The food quality has dropped significantly, the service is incredibly slow, and the staff seems completely uninterested in making your experience enjoyable. And to top it off, they auto-select a 25% tip to the bill on the palm pilots—without asking.

Let me start with the food: I used to love their cheese corn, but the last few times we’ve been here, it’s been nothing but disappointment. It’s bland, the portions are smaller, and it’s clear they’ve cut corners. It tastes tired, the flavors are completely off, and it feels like they’re just throwing ingredients together just to get it out the door. Honestly, this is not the same place we used to enjoy. What was once a highlight has now become something I’d rather pass on.

But the biggest letdown this time? The Korean chicken wings—they were awful. The wings weren’t crispy at all. In fact, they were soggy and limp, with no crunch whatsoever. And the sauce? The spicy version was overly sweet, with none of the savory depth you'd expect from Korean wings. It lacked that perfect balance of spicy and savory. They were a total disappointment, and definitely not worth the price.

When we arrived, we were seated immediately, which wasn’t a good sign in itself—the place was dead. On a Saturday night, no less. When the server finally showed up, they were dressed in sweats. A dress code for servers clearly doesn’t exist here anymore. Not only was the staff’s appearance sloppy, but the service itself was painfully slow. There was a total lack of enthusiasm or professionalism. It’s like they couldn’t care less about delivering a decent dining experience.

Then came the bill. I’ve been to plenty of places that suggest tips, but this is the first time I’ve ever experienced a place that automatically selects a 25% tip—without asking. And not just on the food, but the total, including tax. I don’t tip on tax, and I don’t appreciate having a tip forced on me like that. They shove the palm pilot in your face, expecting you to pay without questioning it.

Be careful and always review your bill carefully before paying. I caught the automatic tip selection, and it felt completely dishonest of them to pull something like that without any prior warning.

What really sealed the deal for us, though, was how empty the place was—on a Saturday night. This used to be a packed, lively spot, buzzing with energy. Now, it was dead. That alone says a lot about how far this place has fallen. If a restaurant can’t even fill up on the weekend, you know they’ve lost their touch.

That said, I do want to mention that the bouncers are always nice and professional, which is the only positive thing I can still say about this place. They’re friendly, welcoming, and seem to be one of the few people actually doing their job well.

Food is bad, the service is worse, and the automatic tip selection feels so dishonest. There are far better places for Korean food with much more welcoming dining experiences. Save yourself the hassle and...

I used to frequent their old spot before they moved and expanded. I loved the idea of having a Korean pocha (a place you go to eat and drink) with classic Korean anju (food you eat while drinking; good chaser food) in Boston, a city seriously lacking authentic ethnic cuisines. The old spot was smaller but more intimate and the music was lit. I decided to try out the new spot for my brother's birthday. They did not take the English version of the Korean Driver's license as a valid photo ID although all other liquor stores and bars I know do. And not to mention that the hosts/hostesses were Korean. But whatever, maybe they are being extra cautious because they used to get busted for letting minors drink. I told them in Korean that it was my brother's birthday and the girl just laughed and the other two guys had zero response. Not even a "oh happy birthday!" This is unthinkable. Obviously, this is an atrocious customer service; any random person on the street would've said happy birthday. Something intrinsically wrong with them. Very first thing I noticed after I sat down was the complete down-sizing of the menu. Looked like they were trying to cater more to the average white college kids and removed a big chunk of authentic Korean foods that go perfectly well with your drinks. I actually asked one of the waitresses if they still had sundae because I couldn't find it on the menu. She used to work at the old spot and she thought they still did. She checked with the kitchen and only then she just learned that they didn't sell it anymore. The waitress who was taking our order at first also did not know what Chumchurum was. This really pisses me off. Your establishment is called SOJUBA and how do you not educate your staff on the different names and brands of soju? This is like walking into Footlocker and the worker there not knowing the difference between Air Maxes and Air Jordans. Smh. We ordered Galbitang. Thought I would treat my brother for his birthday. Before, they would bring out the Korean portable stove on the table so you could keep it warm and let it continue cooking. This time, they put and brought it in a Western style awkward looking deep plate. Not to mention it was mostly just broth with very few pieces of actual ribs. Overall, I was very disappointed. It no longer looks like a Korean place anymore. They moved into a bigger place where it used to be a sports bar and now it's just like any regular American bar in Boston who happens to sell some soju. I'm all for expansion and "moving up" but not at the expense of compromising authenticity. There is no point of going to Sojuba anymore because I can always hit up other American bars I frequent. They play better music and make better food anyway and they don't pretend to be what they're not. I'm disappointed at the new owner and it's kind of awkward because he's Korean too. And they have the audacity to call themselves "Number 1 Korean restaurant/bar in Boston." The best part of Sojuba that night was an independent vendor who was going around and giving out free samples of canned carbonated rose wine. I forgot the name of it but that actually...

Like a nightclub, this place is darkly lit, serves copious liquor, blasts Korean pop music, and overcharges for drinks. Like a restaurant, they have a full food menu and regular tables where people can sit. Yea. It's confusing. I heard great things from this one girl and have always been curious. While milling around in the area around 10pm on a Thursday, I decided to check it out. This is not a great place to go alone, even though everyone is drinking and there's a clubby vibe to it, it's not conducive to meeting new people since everyone's sitting at set tables and many people are speaking in Korean. I sat in the corner and ordered some fried chicken wings. I love chicken wings. It was 8 pieces for $14, which is pretty expensive, at over $2 per wing after tax and tip. Maybe it's just been a while since I've been to Bon Chon in NYC. The Korean pop video made me feel super weird. It featured a really pretty guy with tattoos who thinks of himself as really tough and "urban." I sat next to two guys speaking Korean and didn't want to interrupt them (it's weird table crashing people who might not speak English. Plus, it's two guys). So I saw the next table over looked liked interesting people. A mix of white/Asian, guys/girls. They all looked bored, on their phones, with tons of food and drinks untouched. I asked if I could join them and long story short, it was a really fun night. They got 25 bottles of soju for 5 people. Insane. The chicken wings I got were lackluster and definitely not worth $2/piece. I probably won't really get food here, as it's overpriced and nothing special. They bank on drunk people making poor decisions. Which seemed to be the theme at my table as we struggled to finish the 25th bottle of soju and they drunk counted $20 bills to pay off the $500 or $600 that was...