GoldinBlack — Restaurant in Seattle

UPDATE-11/2024 Not sure what happened to this place. The young Korean couple who ran the place were not there. Maybe they sold the business or hired different people to takeover. The menu changed & the quality waned. The Korean food no longer tastes Korean. The courteous Korean service was also long gone. This place now falls into the Seattle abyss of low quality Korean restaurant options. I no longer recommend 👎

UPDATE-4/24/2022 Thank you GoldinBlack for reading/replying to my review! The new stainless steel chopsticks are an excellent upgrade. Food is still delicious, very good quality & friendly service. 감사합니다 😄

Hidden South Korean gem in Seattle's busy lower Queen Anne neighborhood; recent interior renovations are modern, minimalist & clean; menu is not really fusion but basically traditional with a slightly contemporary flavor, somewhat limited but several familiar staples like 김치볶음밥 (kimchi fried rice) and 떡만두국 (rice cake dumpling soup) are prepared with fresh ingredients; soft tofu soup (stew) has a subtle difference in taste than one usually expects but still delicious and healthy; 반찬 (traditional side dishes) are not included like at most Korean restaurants, however, some entrees have add-on options; other menu items include strEats like bulgogi sandwiches, tacos & 떡볶이 (spicy rice cakes); also serving yummy kimchi pancakes & Korean alcoholic beverages: 소주, 막걸리; overall good quality but cheap Chinese takeout chopsticks should be upgraded with aluminum for dine-in customers; friendly owners; definitely worth a visit; support your local restaurants & small...

Latest experience: There have been recent changes to the menu. A lot of the delicious dishes seem to have been removed - the volcano sandwiches, kimchi fried rice, mandu dumpling appetizer etc. I’d the Bibimbap and was quite disappointed. I don’t expect fresh raw spinach and purple cabbage in my bibimbap. Overall, I am disappointed with the food. And, they don’t serve alcohol(soju and makgeolli) anymore.

Previous review:

I love this place! They’ve delicious food! I get a lot of vegetarian options too! And their staff are absolutely the best! The lady at the counter is so kind! When I didn’t want egg with my Kimchee Fried Rice, she gave me some potatoes on the side! Imagine my surprise when I came home and unboxed the food to wolf it down!! 🙂 It made my day!

Their vegetable delight of Jajang, Kimchee Fried Rice, Bibimbap and Tteokbokki are all yummy!! Tried them all over a period of time and I keep going back! My friends swear by their volcano sandwich, though I’ve not tried it yet. The Soju here is expensive though, unlike at asian grocery stores.

I recommend this place! For positive vibes and...

It was my first time back as a customer today since early this year, and had the hard realization that the management has changed. The only thing I want to request to the new owners… please try not to let customers know who ordered from Ubereats, etc. that their order is ready for pick-up and when they arrive, they have to wait 10-15 more minutes to grab their order.

Now for the food review… I ordered my favorite, Sundubu Jigae. The previous owner’s version of it made me appreciate spicy Korean food, and it was like something my imaginary eomma would make for me when I’m not feeling well. The version I had today lacks that soul, and the contents, a step down from the quality of the last one I had last winter. I will give them another chance, but, the new cooks have really big shoes to fill. That husband and wife tandem from years prior are a tough one to match. They really made Korean home style meals that one craves to come...