Choi's

Choi’s lunch service in San Diego presents a notably restrained menu, offering just three main dishes: a build-your-own hot stone bowl, Korean fried chicken, and a single beef preparation, accompanied by two dessert options. The limited scope places greater emphasis on execution and value. Our hot stone bowl arrived composed of jasmine-steamed rice, kimchi, avocado, cucumber, and mushrooms, paired with KBBQ chicken and birria. The dish is thoughtfully assembled and well seasoned, with each component cooked precisely. The KBBQ chicken stands out for its depth of flavor and tenderness, while the birria, though serviceable, lacks distinction. A chimichurri and a gochujang crema were our sauce selections. The chimichurri is vibrant and assertive, leaning slightly more acidic than traditional iterations, which adds lift to the richness of the dish. The gochujang crema delivers a polished balance of savory, subtle sweetness, and gentle heat, its umami depth rounding out the bowl beautifully. These sauces ultimately prove to be the most compelling elements of the plate. At $60 for a single-portion lunch offering, the hot stone bowl challenges expectations of value, particularly given the midday context. While the quality of ingredients and precision of preparation are evident, the pricing feels better suited to a dinner service. Still, the careful handling of vegetables and rice reflects a kitchen attentive to detail and restraint.

My husband and I went to a concert at Petco Park and were looking for a place to eat for dinner. My husband is very allergic to gluten so we had to choose a place carefully. We walked into Choi’s and were greeted with nothing but smiling faces and kindness. Choi’s has a very classy yet simple feel to it, it’s such a great place for a date night! We had the Saewoojang Crudo, Choi’s Crispy Chicken, Lingcod and I can’t believe it’s not cheesecake. Everything was absolutely perfect and so delicious! The Lingcod melts in your mouth, you have to switch from chopsticks to a fork just to get it all! The Crispy Chicken was able to made gluten free which was so nice for my husband as he can’t usually have fried chicken. It was so tender, crispy and just the right amount of kick to it, you’d never know it’s gluten free! The I can’t believe it’s not cheesecake was the perfect way to end the meal, It’s super light and refreshing! I cannot express how wonderful of an experience we had at Choi’s, it made our weekend so special! To anyone looking to try an Asian Fusion restaurant, look no further! You’ll want to keep coming back, I know we do!

Amazing experience all around. The food was flavorful, creative, and beautifully presented. You can really taste the thought behind the Asian fusion! Everything was balanced and fresh! My personal favorites are the Braised Short Rib and the Tiramisu. The atmosphere was inviting, and the service was friendly and attentive. Our server, Daniel was absolutely amazing! The entire staff ensured we had a good experience as well. Thank you to Joyce and the Chefs! Definitely coming back.

I have been so let down by the food scene in San Diego lately. A lot of meals have felt so mediocre at such steep prices. But let me tell you, my first bite into every single dish we had at Choi’s was at minimum 10/10. I was so impressed by how perfectly balanced and powerful all the flavors were. I’m not even a fan of fusion food but the bulgogi birria absolutely blew me away. My partner and I always order and share everything. I did not want to share that dish with him lol. The staff is the definition of hospitable. These are the kinds of people you always hope are making your meal and serving you. They had so much genuine care, excitement and pride in their work. It was really refreshing. Ryle was kind and treated us with soju that was infused in house. That was top tier. My partner took me to Choi’s to celebrate a new job. I was gifted a beautiful card congratulating me when we first walked in and then celebrated throughout the whole night by every single person that serviced us. I would highly recommend any kind of experience here - date night, birthday party, work outing, solo dinner. Guaranteed good time. We’ll be back!

Celebrate your birthday or events here! They were amazing before we even Hope called and laid everything out. They accommodated everything I asked for and were so kind the entire time. Food was incredible based on previous reviews I think it’s clearly gotten better.. the octopus was a bit small plated but divine. The pork belly and ahi tuna were amazing. Every appetizer was incredible as well and the crispy chicken. Even with the apps since we were a large party they divided them all and spread them around the table every detail was so thought out. Joyce was the manager on the floor and she served us all night literally so patient and kind. We took photos and they placed us in a kinda cornered area which was sooo perfect to give us space. A coat rack for all our purses and just really incredible service. The drinks were divine as well. Outside of the restaurants control is the homelessness which is kinda all around. The building itself is stunning and very clean. The parking garage is extremely safe and they validate 2 hours of it. But you will drive through some of the worse streets of homelessness so just be mindful of that.

Had an amazing time for a birthday celebration! The tomahawk was to die for, and I would absolutely get it again. I loved the touches of Korean culture and heritage that was infused in every drink and dish. Service was outstanding and the live music was a great touch. The atmosphere and aesthetic of this place was incredible. I will definitely be coming back when I’m in the area!

This is hands down my favorite restaurant in San Diego. The food & drinks are so so amazing. The establishment has such an amazing welcoming vibe. The staff made my group feel so special with a hand written note by chef Choi. We will definitely be returning for future dinners. Thank you Chef Choi 🫶🏼

Choi's is an absolutely must go dining experience. The attention to detail and knowledge of all the staff is on par with fine dining restaurants. We had interactions with multiple staff and everyone seemed very professional and enthusiastic about working there. We started with craft cocktails that were absolutely delicious, a mango kimchi salad that was sweet and salty and a perfect start to a delicious meal. The Korean style fried chicken was crispy sweet with just a touch of heat. Miso Cod was flakey and full of umami and delicious textures. We sampled all the deserts and loved them all. Sit at the bar to have a great conversation with the knowledgeable bar staff and learn about all the creative infusions they are making with Soju!!

This place is a gem! Dylan, was absolutely amazing and so hands on with the service we received. He was attentive to our table and honestly the highlight of our night. Food was incredible as well as the drinks. What a cool spot! I'll definitely be coming back here soon.

Good 4-6 Happy Hour, shots of Korean Water (Soju) for 4 bucks go swell with HH lager or IPA for 5 bucks. The Mandu (gyoza esque) was fun, loved the Korean soy sauce. We also got the Tonbara and Shrimp Kushiyaki, the Tonbara was tastier in my opinion. Lounge music and ambience, my gf said they should have booths and paint the ceiling. I love me a round bar and indirect lighting. Eclectic Korean flavors, I recommend

This was our first time here. We had such a great time! We made a reservation and they had a special table set aside for us. The food was incredible. We really enjoyed the fried chicken, the green beans, and the bao tacos. They even had mocktails. Our service was also great. From the hostess to Shay and Hunter. They were so nice, very responsive, and made sure we had a great meal!

Fabulous time at this modern Korean restaurant in the East Village. Instead of Convoy atmosphere, it's like you've been transported to a modern hotel in Seoul with a buzzy chef. They're super friendly - they have an interesting cocktail program - and they're vegetarian/vegan friendly. Choi's, where have you been all my life? Dylan was a great server, and the hostesses made us feel welcome right away. You can't check "outdoor" when you reserve on Open Table, but they have a very patio with great heaters. (and free easy parking next door!) Not everything was of equal quality and there were a few glitches - but they were super on top of it and comped a few things without our asking, because of the wait. Thumbs up for the customer service! COCKTAILS: I got the GIMHAE AIRPORT first, a soju egg white cocktail served up. Frothy, not much going on - pleasant but not strong. I wouldn't get it again... especially because my second drink, their OLD FASHIONED, was amazing! Golden barley soju, pink color, DELICIOUS. Nice big ice cube stamped Choi's. Tis was so delicious I want to come back just for this. BANCHAN: We ordered Cucumber Kimchi, Sesame Bean Sprouts & Balsamic salad. Cukes were *spicy* and I only ate one, but the flavor was great & my sweetie ate them up. Sesame Bean Sprouts: 10/10. YUM. So healthy & I'm going to get this next time. Balsalmic salad was the only miss here. The vinaigrette made the cucumbers in the salad taste good but it was way too heavily dressed for the kale, and I didn't want to eat it. Dylan took it back & off the bill. Thumbs up! SMALL PLATES: My sweetie got the garlic chili green beans. Spicy again but very tasty. He also ate them all up. ENTREES: Sweetie got the galbi bowl - he said the meat could have been more tender but the flavors were excellent. I was the one pushing to come here but he will happily come back for more flavors like the galbi & green beans. I got the Shiitake Fettuccine, one of their vegetarian dishes - though I added a scoop of caviar for $16 because I was feeling fancy. Someone had dissed this dish on here and said it didn't taste Korean and was boring. I thought it was delicious! Sure, it's Italian-Korean fusion, but there were definitely Korean condiment flavors mixed with the mushroom and cream. I thought it was super. I don't think you really need the caviar - it maybe wasn't the finest caviar ever so it was not very strongly flavored. But it was a fun addition to the dish. More importantly, it left such a fun flavor in my mouth that I could still taste it a few hours later and kept going "mmmmmm!" DESSERT: We got the Hotteok with Vanilla Ice Cream. It was pretty, but this was not the most exciting part of the meal. For me, tasted like a churro with vanilla ice cream that was not ultra premium, meaning the texture and flavor were boring (though, interestingly, my sweetie preferred the ice cream to the pastry). I know they're trying different things out here, but there are Korean versions of pastry that I think are more exciting. Overall, though, the ATMOSPHERE was amazing and just really nice. Very stylish, Kpop on the speakers, good people watching. A handsome group of 40 something guys (Dad's night out) was waiting for their table near us - and people were coming in a mixture of casual and "dressed up for night out." I did see the chef come out to greet the table next to us and would have loved to give him compliments for the bean sprouts and fettucine - but the kitchen must have gotten busy and he didn't come out when our food came. But we'll be back! Super fun night out with some really creative food. And the menu changes regularly, so I look forward to seeing what other vegetarian or pescatarian dishes he drops. And getting my delicious (pink!) soju old fashioned with the gorgeous ice cube!

I was debating between 4 or 5 stars but the service swayed me. Let me start by saying Shay took great care of us! Also, the chef came out of the kitchen and I watched as he went table to table and checked on the customers. You don't see that everyday. I'll start with the drinks- they are soju based. They had great flavor but I did find myself wishing they had tequila/vodka. Cucumber kimchi 4 out of 5 Bao bun 5/5 slightly cooked but the bun was still soft. Best bao bun I've ever had Galbi stone bowl 5/5 best flavored dish Pork blossom 3/5 -this dish was lacking I'll be back

I absolutely love this place! Probably one of my favorite restaurants to ever go to in Downtown San Diego. There is a parking structure you can park at and they will validate for two hours. I'd recommend making a reservation to be guaranteed a seat and they provide a nice name card that is written by the chef! The inside is really nice and quite intimate as well. It's a great place for a date with your significant other or getting food with friends. It looks like their menu changes quite a bit, but in a good a way since the food and cocktails are really good. I was super impressed with the Korean fusion food where their flavors are all so good. The desserts are really good too where it's not so sweet and matches well with the cocktail. We also got a dessert that was still in works and not on the menu and it was absolutely delicious! For the cocktail, they all tasted really good with infusing some Korean liquor. I'd say the cocktails were my favorite cause it's just that good! The service is pretty good too where when we got seated, no one came for quite some time to give us water, etc. that our server felt so bad he provided the first drinks on the house! They also did checked on us often and refilled our water often too. Overall, I'd definitely recommend this place if you want some good Korean fusion food with some great cocktails! You definitely won't be disappointed!

Food 4/5: fried chicken and both mushroom and bulgogi baos were really good. They all melted in my mouth. The chicken was very juicy and baos were fried so it was extremely delicious and creative. Kimchi pancake was not good at all, and for the price of around $50, I felt that it was not worth it. It was the opposite of the traditional korean pancake and I did not enjoy it at all. Bibimbap was average as well as banchans. The shrimp and grits was pretty good as it also had the perfect balance of flavor. Hotteok dessert was good but wish it still had honey, and the gluten free cheese cake was also very delicious! Overall, I can tell this place is Korean fusion but I think it took away too much of the originality to each dish. Service 5/5: Dillon was very attentive to details and gave a Michelin star service. Price is also very affordable as well. Ambiance 3/5: it was more industrial styled restaurant, pretty cool but felt a bit minimal to my taste.

The inside of the restaurant is so aesthetic. I loved it. The serves were super nice and they even have a designed hanger for your bags. We went during happy hour unknowingly and their happy menu had a good deal. For the happy hour menu, we got oysters, bao, kimchi fried rice, and 2 drinks. From the main menu, we got octopus, bossam, and chicken. Great: oyster, bao, complimentary drinks,octopus, tuna crisp Okay: bosom, kimchi fried rice Would not order again: chicken, soju cocktails I felt that the bosom was good but I expected more the Kimchi was not too our liking and would like to have more sides similar to the authentic bossam. The kimichi fried rice was alittle lackluster. It didn't have anything special. I would not order the chicken again because I didn't like the combo of the chicken and the green sauce with no other side. Felt like an incomplete dish. Overall our dinning experience was Amazing and there were very good food menu, along with some that weren't as good. I would def recommend coming during happy hour to try everything.

All I can say is WOW. The ambience, food, experience, service was all a 5/5. Would give it higher stars if I could. We came in to celebrate our engagement and they made us feel so special! Ambience: The ambiance upon arrival is very modern sleek with elements of Korean history still with some pictures of hanbok and traditional wear on the walls. It's perfect for a cute date night or any sort of celebration as it's slightly more upscale. Parking: There is an adjacent parking structure, which they validate the ticket for you at restaurant so don't forget to bring that. Parking structure feels very safe too given that it is gated. Service: The service here was honestly one of the best services I have ever experienced. Our server was a younger Asian male (maybe Dylan? Can't fully remember name) and he was so attentive - one time while I was just looking around at the ambience he immediately came over and asked me what I needed lol. He constantly made sure our waters were full. We also had a hand written card from the chef on our table when we first arrived, Dylan(?) noticed our table was just ever so slightly wobbly (we didn't even notice at all haha) and he fixed it right away. Food: Our favorite item was the pork bao taco thing- the bao itself was cooked a bit and perfectly crispy while still maintaining the soft bao texture under the crispiness. The tuna crispy rice was delicious, they even threw in two extra free ones for us!! The galbi stone pot was a blast of flavor, with generous amounts of galbi. And lastly, the Korean fried chicken was full of flavor with paired well with a delicious green sauce. At the end, they gave us this delicious hotteok Korean pancake with chocolate inside and vanilla ice cream and holy shi** it was fire!!!!! It tasted sort of like crispy churros but better. 100% recommend this place to anyone visiting San Diego!

We were being good and had Asian food for Lunar New Year. What we ordered at Choi's Kitchen * Hangang Old Fashioned * Fried Oyster Mushrooms * Charred Gochujang Octopus * Choi's Crispy Chicken * Galbi Hot Stone Bowl * Seared Ahi Tuna * Mapo Tofu * Sesame Bean Sprouts * Balsamic Salad * Korean Chili Shrimp The food overall was good. It isn't Korean BBQ all you can eat, they are well-presented plates/bowls of food of good portions and we did family style. The ambiance is nice. Clean, modern, simple with a bar in the middle and table for 6 on the left when you walk in. The walk flow is confusing and we had a few people looking for the bathroom and turning into our nook. Maybe needs better signage? The service was a little glitchy. We got all but 3 dishes and waited 20-25 minutes, waved down our waitress and told her we didn't get the octopus, galbi, or Mapo Tofu dishes. She looks at her handheld device and says, "It looks like it was delivered. Are you sure you didn't get it?" We assured her we didn't and she says we "got bumped", and will get it for us. She did apologize but this turned our dinner to over 2 hours with waiting and not the smoothest experience. I could expect this at a soft opening, but apparently they've been around for 2 years.

Very friendly staff. They are all so welcoming. We had a bunch of cocktail selection, and food. The ambiance is very calm the music is not too loud. Their Tiramisu was great. I shared some pictures for the review.

We celebrated my husband's birthday here yesterday, let me just say, everything was amazing! Our server Dylan provided top notch service as well as Kyle and the entire staff. I ordered the shiitake fettuccine with shrimp and it was delicious! The flavor was light, creamy with a hint of lemon. We also had the pork belly bossam, meat was nice and tender, the kimchi that comes with it- so good! I could eat it by itself with rice. I can't forget about the bugolgi bao tacos- crispy fried bun stuffed with a tasty filling. Cocktails were good, my favorite is the Mokpo Skies. Thanks for stopping by our table Chef Paul, everyone enjoyed their meal. If you choose to drive, Choi's provides 2 hour complimentary parking nearby, you'll receive a text with directions. I love the cozy and intimate feel of the restaurant, will definitely be returning again in the near future!

Finding parking was a bit difficult to locate but we called the restaurant and they were kind in guiding us and giving a longer grace period for our reservation time. The restaurant is well decorated and has an elevated vibe. Our server was Dylan and he continuously checked in with our table throughout the night. He made sure we liked the food, kept refilling our waters, and even offered to take pictures for us. The food was good, some of it was a bit too salty for my tastes but I really enjoyed the drinks. Presentation of food was wonderful though.

I came to Choi's with two friends, it's located in a quiet corner next to Petco Park. There weren't too many people and this was on a Friday evening, so luckily we were able to be seated quickly! The staff were very nice and even brought us complimentary non-alcoholic ginger/lemon drinks. In terms of the food, the Galbi stone pot was delicious! The Galbi was cooked perfectly. I also enjoyed the bossam, but the pork was a little dry. We ordered a mushroom fettuccine as well, not pictured. Overall the food was good, but the portions were definitely a bit on the smaller side. Our bill came out to $182, though it isn't that bad considering that we ordered 3 dishes and 3 drinks, and Choi's is a higher end restaurant. I'd definitely recommend the cocktail that has lychee!

This review is specifically for their Valentine's prix-fixe special, which was $75/person for a 5-course tasting menu and a complementary "welcome well-being shot." The price was paid up front, including tip, totaling around $177 for dinner for the two of us. THE GOOD: The parking situation is very convenient, with a structure right next door offering free parking (validated by the restaurant). The ambiance was great -- good lighting, comfortable seating, and a noise level low enough that we didn't have to shout to have a conversation. There was also a handwritten card with our names at the table, and Chef Choi personally brought out almost all of our courses, which added a nice personal touch to the evening. Unfortunately, the rest of the service was lackluster. THE BAD: We never received the advertised complementary "well-being shot" or any mention that it was unavailable. While it's understandable that things happen, offering nothing as an alternative felt strange, especially when this was part of the advertised experience. Our first course arrived, but we realized we didn't have silverware or napkins. It took a while to flag down a server to get them, who was surprised that we hadn't been given a set. Not a huge deal, but it's not the best way to start a dinner -- staring at your food, hungry but unable to eat! THE FOOD: The tuna crispy rice was nicely portioned and tasty, but the alternative truffle mashed potato bite was just okay. It was hard to detect the truffle. The kushiyaki skewers featured two very small slices of pork belly (or two tiny shiitake mushrooms, depending on your selection). While the yuzu wasabi complemented the flavors nicely, the portions just felt a bit lacking here. We had high hopes for the galbi fettuccine, but the short rib was disappointingly tough and dry. Cutting it apart to mix with the pasta was difficult (the alternative being to eat the chunk of meat separately, leaving the rest of the pasta by itself). While I enjoyed the sauce's flavor, my fiancée found it too tart for her liking. YMMV if you enjoy red wine-forward sauces! The Korean crispy chicken was the highlight of the evening. The chicken was tender, and the gochujang sauce paired surprisingly well with the yuzu avocado. No real complaints here. The tofu hot stone bowl, while a comforting traditional dish, tasted similar to the pre-packaged soup mix from H Mart that we make pretty often. The ingredients were good quality but we were hoping for a more elevated take to match the rest of the menu. The desserts were enjoyable, but it's hard to go wrong with sweets! CONCLUSION: We understand that tasting menus generally feature small portions, but even with that expectation, we left feeling unsatisfied. For $75 per person, the overall experience didn't quite justify the cost in terms of quality, quantity, or satisfaction. Even adding just one more small bite to the lineup could have made a huge difference given the relative portion sizes. It also feels weird to pay tip up front and we couldn't help but feel like that affected our service. We ended up getting takeout on the way home!

We came here during our SD staycation and were truly disappointed by the food. I'm actually surprised by all the great reviews. First, the parking situation was horrible. We had no idea where to park. They do have a designated parking lot but it was almost impossible to find without having instructions. Apparently, we were supposed to receive a text with parking details, but we never received that. We drove around for 20 minutes just trying to find the parking. The food was disappointing. It's supposed to be modern Korean-fusion but it has no resemblance of any Korean food. Tasted worse than something I could make at home for a crazy price tag. 30 something dollars for a squid tentacle? Fine, we wouldn't mind paying if it was actually good. The ambiance was also not as nice as the reviews made it out to be. Seating was a little weird and awkward. Service was mediocre. Nothing to rave about

Went to chois with a group of colleagues from work. The ambiance was very nice and classy. The menu doesn't have many options and was surprised for a Korean inspired location no ban Chan served you had to pay extra for it (and at that the selection was really small) The staff was very nice but clearly overwhelmed as they just forgot about my entree while all my other colleagues got their food. So I had to wait a lot longer than the rest before I could eat. I got the pork belly and it was not exactly what I was expecting. It was good but it just wasn't what I wanted when I ordered pork belly. Overall a nice place, a little expensive for what it is(~$32 an entree). I think if was to go to Korean restaurants I'd go somewhere else instead

This place has so much potential but we had such a terrible experience. Came here on a reservation for Tuesday night. There's a parking garage adjacent that they validate for 2 hours so that was great. We came in and it wasn't crowded at all which we expected probably around 60-70% full at most. Sat down to our table and it took so long to get a waiter to come by to give us a menu and water. The waiter apologizes and says that it's busier than usual for a Tuesday. No worries we get it. She leave us with the menu and water and literally doesn't come back for ages again. Finally we order two appetizers, two entrees, and a drink. Drink comes out on time and was nice and refreshening. We almost waited an hour before we got our entree. Mind you, we didn't even get our appetizers yet. After we're almost done with our entrees the waiter comes to ask how we're doing and we told her we didn't receive our appetizers. She makes a comment that it says we received it on their end which we clearly didn't. And doesn't even apologize or ask if we want more drinks or anything. Eventually we received our appetizers which I guess aren't even appetizers at this point. Then she's super quick to give us our check. Not once did we get asked if we wanted more drinks or anything else while we wait. I get you don't control the kitchen but to not even check up once is ridiculous. The food itself is okay. Honestly nothing special and nothing stood out to me. Even if the service was okay I wouldn't give this place more than 3 stars since the food is mediocre and overpriced. You're literally better off going to a Korean restaurant in convoy for half the price.

Our first visite to Choi's so the review is for initial impressions. On our monthly dinner, this was chosen. We knew that it's a more modern Korean cuisine. The parking is free under the hotel. We went during a Padres game still happening for the season but no problem finding parking (If you parked for the Padres game, it was 65 (ouch) but its a stone's throw away from the park). As a group of four we like to share the food and the setup for ordering here allows for that and also if you were just having dinner with someone. The place itself is pretty nice and open. Tables are not too close and they have a hanger for your handbag (just don't bring the whole shebang in there). We had several items below: Pork Mandu Charred Gochujang Octopus Pork Belly Bossam KFC (Koreand Fried Chicken) Comped Sesame Bean Sprouts (refreshing) Fried Oyster Mushrooms Drinks - Soju flight, and Gimhae airport (we did have pre-drink cocktail at another place) Of all the foods above, we can pick favorites,free bean sprouts as mentioned a nice starter. We did get a amuse bouche drink that was good. We loved the pork mandu (fried dumpling), pork belly wrap in lettuce with kimchi. KFC you can't do wrong but this should be a given. The Mushrooms were delicious and was eated by all of us satisfactorily. The cheesecake for dessert was a nice finish, event though we were full. Overall, I think since the Padres season is over, this will be a good place to catch a meal. I just saw they have Happy Hour, we will try that. Choi's - atmosphere 4 stars, attention and service 4 stars, 5 stars for most of the food.

This upscale Korean fusion restaurant is right next to Petco Park. They offer 2 hour parking at the Ace parking garage right next to it. You have to get your parking ticket validated and then it's $2 per hour. I recommend making reservations so the restaurant can text you the parking information. The restaurant has modern decor. We were immediately greeted and seated at our table. They provided welcome drinks that tasted like lemonade (honey, lemon, and ginger). It was delicious. We started with bao tacos (one with mushrooms and one with bulgogi) and Mama's cauliflower. My husband loved the bao buns but I prefer a softer bao bun. The cauliflower tasted really good. We also shared the Mapo Tofu and Shiitake Fettuccine with shrimp for our main dishes. Everything was cooked perfectly and tasted amazing.

The food is amazing and service is impressive. My husband and I visited Choi's yesterday for dinner for a birthday celebration. We received a welcome note as we reserved a table and they gave us welcome drinks. Towards the end of our dinner, they brought us a complimentary dessert for my birthday and a rose for my husband to give it to me. I love how thoughtful they are. The ambiance is beautiful! Will definitely come back the next time we visit SD!

A romantical place and it's easy to make reservations. It wasn't too busy on a weeknight, which made it even better. I came here for a girls' night out, and honestly, the highlight was the pork belly bossam--absolutely delicious! In my opinion, you can skip the noodles (carbonara). The service was great, but parking was a bit tricky to navigate, so plan accordingly. Overall, a lovely spot worth visiting!

The restaurant is located at the bottom floor of a residential building. It's very spacious and beautiful inside. The service was really good. We ordered a bunch of smaller dishes to share. Everything was beautifully presented. It's a great date night spot. It's not very loud so wouldn't really recommend for a large party.

Man, I really wanted to love this place. As a Korean myself, I was SO excited to try this restaurant. My husband and I made a reservation for the valentines prefix dinner and while there were a couple good moments, there were also a few bad ones. First, upon making the reservation there's no option for "indoor" or "outdoor". When we checked in, the hostess proceeded to take us outside. It was 54 degrees and windy, there was no way we were going to have our meal outside. We waited about 20 min for another table inside. This should be specified on the reservation page, in my opinion. The valentines menu had a regular and veg option for each course, with no ability to pick & choose. So it was either all meat, or all veg which felt limiting. For these types of menus, my husband and I typically order different items so we can taste and try it all. I'll admit that the food was good! I enjoyed each of the items in the menu however the portions were really small. If I hadn't had a late lunch, I would've needed another meal afterwards. For the valentines menu, there was no option to order anything else a la carte. The flavors were nice and everything complimented each other nicely. The drink menu was really cool too, I had their version of an espresso martini but made with soju. Although it didn't taste (or feel) like there was a good ratio of alcohol in it. For a restaurant that has the aesthetic and atmosphere of a fine dining restaurant, the service is faaaar from it. The portions give Michelin Star dining experience, but the service felt casual. I would've liked a new set of silverware for each course if that's how the menu is presented. The cocktails came halfway through the menu. The table beside us was seated after us, but their courses came out before ours. Our server spoke incredibly quietly and half the time we couldn't understand him. One of the food runners kept coming by with the exact same item in each hand and kept asking who it belonged to. This was strange, like you have the exact same entree for both of us, why are you asking who it belongs to? Overall, I felt like Chef Choi's vision for his food was good but the service staff needs serious training. The team looked really young, so probably not well versed. This restaurant has so much potential to be fine dining. Bonus, I thought it was really cool to see Chef Choi delivering food and walking around the floor! It showed he is involved and cares about his business.

The service and food were fantastic!! Drinks were amazing! Kenny, Jayden and Chef Choi were all so friendly and attentive. We will definitely be coming back!!

Location: 5/5 I love downtown for the food but I truly appreciate that this restaurant had parking! They validate so you don't have to worry about getting to your reservation on time. (Maybe just paying $2-4 after validation if you like to take your time) Service: 5/5 Dylan was an absolute sweetheart! He was so sweet and accommodating. My boyfriend and I had dairy and nut allergies and we truly appreciated him going above and beyond to double and triple check with the chefs with certain foods. We went on a friday night, rush hour at 7:30 but it was so easy to grab his attention and he checked with us very frequently. 10/10 best server!! The other staff were also very professional, polite, and also funny. It actually left a very good impression on me. Food: 4.5/5 It is fusion Korean cuisine. The food was delicious and arrived in a timely manner. Dishes with kimchi were more on the sour side than salty but enjoyable for either preferences. The balsamic salad was delicious and good to share for two to three people. For two people, we ordered and shared 3 large dishes, 1 small and 1 salad. We had 3 drinks each. We left at a good full but could have ordered a second small dish haha (did not eat all day). The amount of meat, rice, and vegetables were also very balanced so this place is recommended if you enjoy a balanced meal with vegetables! Drinks: 4/5 We do not encounter many places that serve cocktails with mostly soju and wine. It was an interesting change! The 6 drinks we had were quite light and not strong in taste. If you want a pretty drink with a light taste, this is recommended! If you wanted to leave drunk, you might need more than 4 drinks. Overall: a beautiful simple place for a date night! Experience feels intimate and personal. If you enjoy trying fusion cuisine, a new place to try in downtown, want to have a relaxing dining experience, i recommend this place. I'd come for the service alone :) will be back!

SYNOPSIS: near-future Michelin star restaurant. Everything about Choi's was magnificent. A truly wonderful experience. We made reservations two days after visiting "Jeune et Jolie" in Carlsbad; celebrating my wife's birthday Needless to say, the bar was set high. SERVICE: (4.5 out of 5) Chef Choi's staff were friendly and attentive. Chef Choi took time to come say hello and happy birthday, checking on us twice despite how busy it was. Maître d' was present but not overly involved, giving us space and time to enjoy ourselves and the food and drinks. Server Jake was knowledgeable and attentive, maybe a little too fast paced for our liking...not like we were being rushed but we just wanted more time to ourselves. ATMOSPHERE: (4.9 out of 5) beautiful decor, simple yet elegant. Clean with great ambiance, great lighting to help create a romantic and yet vibrant fun atmosphere. Music hand picked by Chef Choi. FOOD: (5 out of 5) ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! We ordered Korean chili shrimp, Scallops on the half shell, Galbi bowl, and Charred Octopus, and Red Bean Basque cheesecake. Gorgeous presentation, amazing taste, and fairly substantial portion/sizing which is a huge plus comparatively to Michelin starred restaurants. DRINKS: (5 out of 5) well balanced, beautiful, elegant, purposeful. We had a few but the most memorable were the Aewol Coastal Road and Gimhae Airport. Like Michelin starred restaurants, Chef Choi shared some amuse-bouche, in the form of a plum liqueur (maesil-ju?) which he kindly detailed the personal relevance of the drink to us. A nice personal touch, adding to the experience and helping to create a warm atmosphere. My wife and I urge you to visit Choi's in San Diego for a magnificent dining experience. We will 100% be back the next time we are in San Diego. Sending good vibes, well-wishes and great luck to Chef Choi.

First time at Choi's last month for a friend's birthday and it was a nice change of ambience if you want to go eat somewhere a bit nicer, but not too fancy! Food is not too pricey and portions were decent as well. The dishes were very flavorful! Got the Galbi Bowl and Bulgogi beef tacos. Meet was tasty and flavorful. The waiter was really sweet and helpful, and I liked how the sous chef came out to bring out our plates! It made the experience a lot more personal which I appreciated. The kitchen also gave our friend a Pan fried pancake with vanilla ice cream dessert for her birthday. Only con I would say is that parking was very tricky to find since we were in downtown SD and it's in a garage. We circled around twice looking for it. It's in the very back of the restaurant, on the other side of the street. Would highly recommend!

Great service and ambiance at Choi's, an upscale Korean dining experience. Love that they have a whole soju cocktail menu! Busan Diego: A This cocktail had a good hit of alcohol without tasting bitter at all. Loved the notes of raspberry and rose water for a refreshing drink. Mildly sweet. Scallops on the half shell: A- Six scallops in a Korean chili oil and aged shoyu. Tasted pretty good and I found the technique to eat these is to make sure you take all the sauce with the scallop for max flavor. Also the seaweed salad was so good, perfect texture with the firmness. Korean crispy chicken: A Very crispy so appropriately named! It's covered in a gochujang honey soy sauce and sesame seeds. If you're familiar with Korean fried chicken you'll probably love this. The avocado mash was unique, wouldn't say it's my favorite but I appreciate it when a dish utilizes ingredients differently. Never seen avocados in a Korean dish! Red bean basque cheesecake: A They gave me a complimentary slice of cheesecake since the entree took awhile to come out, I appreciated the thought and I got to try another item! I don't even like red bean too much but this was a fantastic dessert. Such rich and creamy cheese layer and an intense red bean bottom layer, alongside some strawberries. Possibly my favorite restaurant in San Diego! Will have to come back when I visit.

The food and service is here is amazing. We ordered the octopus, ahi, crispy chicken, pork belly bossum and a special for the night which was a pork belly take on orange chicken and it was fire. Huge shout out to Will and Hunter who delivered exceptional service and made us feel extra special. We were celebrating a birthday and they brought some flowers to the birthday boy which was a really special touch and greatly appreciated. Highly recommend.

Excellent Korean fusion spot in the heart of downtown San Diego. We tried every item on the menu after 2 visits and everything was amazing. Choi's crispy fried chicken was one of our favorites. Be sure to also check out the happy hour oyster special!

ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE! This is one of the very best meals we've ever had in San Diego, and that's saying a lot as we're a couple of DINKs (Dual Income, No Kids) who enjoy dining out quite a bit. We had an early Valentine's dinner at Choi's, and we were blown away by literally every single thing we ordered!! -Kiwi Me Softly Speciality Cocktail: Iichiko, Kiwi, Mint, Saline, Popping Boba -Gimhae Airport Speciality Cocktail: Iichiko Shochu, Ginger, Strawberry, Lemon, Egg White -Hangang Old Fashioned Traditional Premium Cocktail: Golden Barley Soju, Simple Syrup, Orange Bitters (note that the spirits for their cocktails are usually 20-25% ABV, and the flavors are very well balanced!). -Balsamic Salad: Cucumber, Arugula, Kale, Sesame Seeds, Crispy Onions, Balsamic Vinaigrette -Cucumber Kimchi: Black Sesame, White Sesame, Gochujang, Soy Sauce, Minced Garlic, Sesame Oil -Bao Taco: Crispy Bao Bun, Bulgogi, Kimchi, Micro Cilantro, Green Onions, Sesame Seed -Tonbara Kushiyaki: Yakitori Grilled Pork Belly, Yuzu Ganjang -Korean Chili Shrimp: Chili Shrimp, Green Onions, Crumbled Nuts, Pan-Heated Rice (note that the texture on the rice in this cast iron skillet felt more like polenta or grits--delicious!) -Choi's Crispy Chicken: Korean Fried Chicken (thighs), Yuzu Avocado Mash -Shiitake Fettuccine: Fresh Fettuccine with Shiitake, Sauvignon Blanc, Korean Chili Pepper, Chives, Onion Crisps -Hotteok with Vanilla Ice Cream: Pan-Fried Pancake, Brown Sugar Syrup-filled, Vanilla Ice Cream. You know the chef is phenomenal when you even enjoy something that you usually don't like at other places (such as pork belly for me); the food here is just that good! Their designation as the best Korean food in San Diego totally makes sense, and we plan to share this gem with everyone we know. Shout-out to our server Jayden who made our dining experience even more amazing. This place is located near Petco Park but has free/validated two hour parking (you can find the Google Maps link to the exact parking structure on their website!), and their atmosphere was the perfect mix of upscale yet cozy. The decor and even all of the tableware were on point, and we loved that they have rotating weekly specials, so that there's always something new to try in addition to the reliably loved dishes on their regular menu. We can't wait to be back for another culinary adventure at Choi's!!

I second time at Choi's. It is an upscale Korean restaurant located across from Petco Park. Parking in the area can be tough, so they provide 2 hr validation at the Park 12 retail garage. Ambiance: upscale, modern, romantic with indoor and outdoor seating. They even have jazz music a few nights during the week. Service: Service was excellent both times. The servers take the time to explain the details of each menu item. Food came out reasonably quick. Drinks; They have a full bar, but I have yet to try their cocktails. They look and sound great though. They did offer us a non alcoholic ginger honey shot for being returning guests that tasted like a cocktail. Food: everything I've had here has been excellent. For starters, I love the bao tacos and the dumplings. I've never had crispy bao before and it was excellent, loaded with meat and so flavorful! For entrees, the crispy fried chicken is a must and is a large portion of two juicy chicken pieces tossed in the perfect Korean sauce. The galbi bowl is a great full meal. I love how the rice gets crispy on the edges of the sizzling bowl it uses cooked it. The oyster mushrooms are a great vegetarian choice. The only odd thing is the chicken served over a bed of mashed avocado that tastes like guacamole. It would be better paired with white rice for me. They used to have a happy hour, but it appears they don't anymore, which is disappointing because it is certainly on the price side.

Made a reservation during the week and seemed like we didn't really need to. Came here for a celebration and they had a little hand written card and gave me a rose for the occasion. Such a nice touch. Since it wasn't as crowded, our server was on point. Honestly maybe little too much on checking on us. lol they also had a live band playing which hyped the vibe for the night. All the portions are not large. At least not for me. Definitely more of a tapa style and would have to order more than 1 dish per person. 5/5 chili shrimp. This was my favorite of everything we've tried. Hint of spicy was great with shrimp. 3/5 octopus. Without the sauce, the dish was like it's whatever. Octopus doesn't have the best flavor itself so understandable. 4/5 galbi bowl. I thought the kimchi overpowered the whole bowl too much. Similar to traditional Korean bibimbap. 3/5 hotteok with ice cream. Not really memorable. More of crepe than hotteok. Received complimentary espresso martini- this was 4/5. 2/5 busan Diego- rose water was definitely overpowering everything else. 5/5- mokpo skies- loved this so much. 4/5 old fashion- very light compared to regular old fashion due to made with soju. 1/5 jeju mojito- we actually took this back because nobody wanted to drink this. Overall, great place for date night, celebration, night out.

15/10 for service, food offerings/range can get better but still really good. Reservations via tock, validated parking in the CVS lot by 12 th street. They've stairs at access, indoor outdoor bar seats and restrooms available. They give you a welcome shot/mocktail, ours was a ginger based one - yum! We tried the veg mandu (more like a gyoza, good!), the potato pasta (skip), KF chicken (generous serving size, decent), red bean cheesecake (good), and two drinks (both average, skip if you like me are not a wine connoisseur). They gave us a cute card and a rose to mark our celebration! And checked for feedback. Overall, pretty place and great service!

Came here for a friends birthday and had a reservation for Friday night. It wasn't very busy and can probably just walk in without a reservation. This place is an upscale take on Korean food, located right in downtown next to Petco Park. I was really satisfied with the food! The galbi bowl and Korean Fried Chicken were my favorites as well as the scallops appetizer. I would skip on the octopus and the bulgogi Bao buns because they aren't really worth the price. Overall the food was really tasty and I think it was reasonably priced considering the location and fancy ambiance. Also the free parking for 2 hours is such a big plus because you can't find many restaurants in downtown that have their own parking garage. Service was also pretty good. They gave us all complimentary drinks when we sat down and the chefs came to greet us personally. They also gave my friend a free dessert for her birthday, the Hotteok pancake and ice cream, which was really tasty!

We visited Choi's on a Tuesday night and were impressed by the high ceilings, industrial design, hanging green plants, and a striking bar with a chandelier. However, the food did not live up to expectations. The octopus was tender and well-seasoned, but the fried oyster mushrooms with arugula lacked a cohesive sauce or fragrant oil to tide the dish together, and the chili shrimp with pressed rice was neither crispy nor appetizing. The taco dish featured heavy, deep-fried bread that overwhelmed the stuffing, it needed some kind of fresh herbs to cut down the heaviness, and only the bossam stood out as decent. Cocktails were disappointingly watered down without flavor. Despite the friendly service and thoughtful touches like personalized name card, the dining experience ultimately fell short.

***Impeccable Service, Delicious Food, Highly Recommend*** I cannot stress how much this place is a must visit. First, the ambience was amazing with a great playlist of Korean music. I was impressed by the service and our server was very friendly and knowledgeable. We almost ordered every single dish off the menu. The crispy chicken and mandu didn't get a photoshoot because we ate it so quick! Overall I would highly recommend making reservations and checking this place out. You can't go wrong with any of their dishes in my opinion. They really made my friend's birthday memorable and the little birthday treat at the end was chef's kiss.

First, let me just this place absolutely amazing service. The aesthetics give a very upscale and modern vibe. The service was amazing and I would not be able to give any recommendations on how to improve. Essentially when I was invited to eat out here by a colleague I was expecting it to be like Korean BBQ, but to my surprise it was not. We ordered various dishes on the menu which turned out amazing. Majority of these dishes are instagram worthy. With it being so aesthetically pleasing, my experience is that it probably isn't going to taste as good as it looks, but I was wrong. There's a wide variety of flavors on these dishes. Lastly, the drinks are great. Signature beer at the restaurant very crisp! Tip: There is a parking structure nearby on 12th that allows you to park there for an approximate 2 hours just have it verified by the restaurant.

I celebrated my birthday at Choi's and had a wonderful experience. Our group ordered the following: 1) Bonchon Salad - Cucumber, Arugula, Kale, Sesame Seeds, Crispy Onions, Balsamic Vinaigrette 2) Scallops on the Half Shell - Scallop Tataki on the Half Shell with Korean Chili Oil, Barrel-Aged Shoyu, Micro Cilantro, Sesame Seeds 3) Pork Belly Bossam - Sous Vide Pork Belly served with Kimchi, Lettuce, Gochujang Sauce 4) Galbi Bowl - Beef Short Ribs with Smoked Truffle Sea Salt, Green Onions, Kimchi, Sesame Seeds over Rice 5) Hotteok with Vanilla Ice Cream - Pan-fried Pancake filled with Brown Sugar Syrup, topped with VanillaIce Cream The Galbi bowl was the highlight for me. I was also very impressed with the Hotteok dessert, as I have a bit of a sweet tooth. The vibe in the restaurant is really exceptional, and it's situated right in the heart of downtown SD, near the baseball stadium. This is a relatively new restaurant, and I will be rooting for their continued success as they are really doing some exceptional things.

I swear someone here is taking notes from The Bear! My partner and I had an incredible anniversary dinner tonight at Choi's, and I was so impressed I had to write a review immediately. We ordered the banchan salad and two large plates and shared everything family-style: Banchan Salad: 8/10. Fresh and crunchy, with a good amount of acidity. We're actually not big fans of the texture of raw kale, but the crispy fried onions added an even stronger crunch and created enough contrast in texture that made both components work very well together. Korean Crispy Chicken: 10/10. Perfectly crispy and crunchy skin with tender moist meat inside! Also what a unique idea to add avocado to this. The bed of avocado mash was so creamy you'd think it would tip the scale into too heavy and fatty a dish, but the yuzu base and extra squeezes of lemon balanced it out well. Galbi Bowl: 9/10. We mixed everything together to make a kimchi fried rice. The short rib pieces were so tender! I'm still drooling. Only critique is that I did not taste any truffle flavor. The two large plates were more than enough food for two people. I really wanted to try the basque cheesecake but the huge portions left no room in my belly for dessert. Service was great. The waitstaff were very attentive with water refills, taking finished plates/glasses from our table, and helping us locate the restrooms. My napkin fell off my lap at some point during dinner, and someone came to pick it up immediately and offer me a replacement. I also loved the special touches they added for our dinner, including the personalized card on the table, complimentary soju cocktails, and a pretty red rose! To the business manager and/or owner, if I were to offer only a couple ideas to take your already great restaurant to the next level, I would suggest resetting the table (ie wiping down the table, replacing dishes and silverware) between courses. Another small detail, I wished our interaction with our server who brought us our food felt less rushed and that he took more time to explain each dish and its ingredients. Parking was free and simple enough to find. There's a parking garage behind the restaurant on 12th Ave. Prices were reasonable, especially for an elevated Korean fine-dining experience serving food with high quality ingredients and generous portions. I highly recommend Choi's for celebrations or just a casual night out to eat some great Korean food. They truly go above and beyond to give you an amazing dining experience. I haven't even finished digesting this meal, but I'm already looking forward to the next time we're back LOL- I still want that cheesecake!!

Upscale, date-night place that serves absolutely delicious, fancied-up, comforting Korean food and cocktails--worth the $$. They also validate parking for the garage next door! We were able to reserve a large table, and they were kind enough to help us cut and serve the cake we brought

I went here twice. The second time was even better! This restaurant is so pretty and elegant. The bar is really nice too. On my first visit, I started with a Yeosu Bliss and she got a Busan San Diego cocktail. Mine was pretty and refreshing! She enjoyed drink as well. We shared the scallops, charred gochujang octopus, the pork belly bossam, and rice paper shrimp. Everything was tasty and the bossam came with a lot of pork belly! The plates are perfect for sharing! On our second round of drinks, I opted for a Suwon Spritz and she ordered a Gangnam Way cocktail. Mine was tart and hers was a twist on an Espresso Martini. For dessert, we decided on the hotteok. It was a pan-fried pancake filled with brown sugar syrup, topped with vanilla ice cream. It wasn't too sweet! On my second visit, I took my hubby and we shared the banchan salad, sesame bean sprouts, bulgolgi tacos, pork mandu, and galbi bowl. Everything was so fresh and delicious. The presentation was beautiful and galbi bowl was very flavorful. I got the same mocktail (Yeosu Bliss) and he had a few cocktails as well. He enjoyed the Aewol Coastal Road as well as the Gimhae Airport. For dessert, we just got the yuzu ice cream, which was light and summery. Service was excellent here. We were checked up on often and enjoyed our time here a lot. Definitely a great place to enjoy some Korean-fusion dishes!

I wanted to love this place, because Choi's has a great concept to fill a much-needed niche, the elevated Korean fusion cuisine. After having been to Osamil in NYC, I had very high expectations of how good it can be when done right. The gorgeous promotional photos also evoked a high-end fine dining experience, but the actual dinner just fell a bit short. That said, I think this was a solid 3.5/5 star experience, and I may come back in another few months to give it another try. The handwritten name card with a cute little flower was a great touch. We were greeted by the host promptly and our server came over with water service and also to explain the menu. Service was definitely excellent. We were a little confused by the "banchan salad" which really looked and tasted like a kale salad. The bean sprout salad was great, very light on the truffle salt taste, which is a good thing. It was a very small portion and we needed two orders to share between 4 people. A little disappointed that we do not get any other true banchan as we normally would at any other Korean restaurant. Next came the scallops on the half shells, which our server described as similar to cooked oysters. The scallops were teeny, and over powered by an excessive amount of shoyu. The seaweed salad it came with (you know the neon green ones at most sushi restaurant) was not the most inventive and didn't particularly make sense with the scallops, but hey I don't mind it. Would've been better with some citrusy or pickled accompaniment to balance out the saltiness, though. The rice paper wrapped shrimp confused me when it first arrived, because it looked like a tempura shrimp, when I was expecting a rice paper roll, but it was cooked very nicely with a good crunchy and decent sauce. This was followed by crispy bulgogi bao, which was just a bit greasy, but I appreciated the texture compared to a steamed bao. Filling was delicious. For the "large dishes," we got the fried oyster mushroom, which honestly still looked like an appetizer, and lacked the umami I associate with mushroom. The pork belly bossam was much more substantial, and came with fresh lettuce for wrapping. It was probably my favorite dish of the night, absolutely would order again, but I did wish for some perilla leaves instead of just plan lettuce. The fried chicken was not as crispy as it should be, probably because it was sitting on the bed of mashed yuzu avocado, and the sauce was too sweet. Also, I love yuzu, and I love avocado, but this combo is strangely off-putting. The galbi bowl had excellent classic Korean flavors, but the rice was mushy and clumpy. Even the dolsot did not save it or add any crunch. To close out the meal, we got the black sesame cheesecake and hotteok. If I closed my eyes and ate these, I would never guess there was black sesame in the cheesecake. The hotteok had the flavors of churros, encased in a nicely chewy dough. It is not as hearty as the hotteok I tried in Korea, but a very good light finish to the meal. Also would order this again. As for drinks, I got the Jeju mojito, which came with a couple perillas leaves (yay!), but tasted fairly light, as expected with a soju cocktail. The rest of the group got Tokyo sour, Gimhae Airport and Gangam Way, The cocktails were all very pretty as pictured, fairly well-balanced, but the depth of flavor isn't exceptional. I am impressed by the different sojus and shochus available, even with a flight option. However, we brought our own red wine ($25 cork fee), so will have to explore the rest of the drink menu next time. This place was easy to find, but the parking garage was not. There is a map on their website, instructing us to go to "Retail Parking Garage in the Park 12 premise, on 12th Avenue" but we only saw ACE parking, and the gate was closed. We gave up and just found street parking. Luckily it was not a Padres night, because there'd be no parking anywhere, and that 2 hour validated parking would come in very handy. While the immediate block around the restaurant was brightly lit and looked clean and new, just a couple blocks away there were quit a few people loitering around, so just be aware of your surroundings if you did park on the street.

Our friend group made reservations for dinner and we immediately loved the ambience! The servers were very attentive. So much so, I received a stand to hold my bag instead of hanging it over the back of the chair. I regret not documenting it with a photo. It was definitely a first! The food was spectacular! We ordered a few of the large dishes and a couple of the smaller ones. The large dishes were the favorites of the night, and for good reason. All super flavorful and balanced textures really well. This spot would be great for date night or celebrations!

Yummy food, pretty cocktails, friendly server, cool ambiance. I love that they validate parking too. Great spot to start the night and bar hop after downtown.

Choi's is one of my favorite places to dine. I've been here more than once and will continue to come back. Not only do they have one of the best happy hour menus, but the 2 hour complimentary parking is such a bonus. We all know how parking can be in Downtown. Chef Choi started a new weekly special menu and let me tell you... it all sounds amazing. Dylan, our server was the best. Answered any questions we had about the menu and even made suggestions when it came to choosing our drinks. We had the pleasure of trying the Smoke New York Strip Crudo from the weekly special, and it was worth it. From the presentation, the explanation of how it was prepared, and how to pair with the sides it came- with was amazing. I've tried almost everything from the bao buns to the various banchan and they're all a favorite. I'll def be back again!

Sadly, this place is definitely a wannabe fine dining restaurant. The atmosphere is nice and minimalistic but the food was not good at all. The portions were so small and nothing had a "wow" factor. I came with a group of friends and got drinks, appetizers, small place and large plates and it was all eh. The worst part was when I got my galbi bowl and when you ate the kimchi your mouth was filled with a fizzy sensation. I know that's normal but I feel like fizzy kimchi is not a lot of people's preference. No one at my table liked it. Also you get 1/3 of green onions in your bowl? The beef short rib tasted like it was cooked in my crockpot. One of the appetizers was bean sprouts??? Come on. I'm all for spending money on a quality meal but Choi's was not worth it.

Parking was kind of hard to find, def circled around a couple times lol. The inside of Choi's is beautiful! Servers are also very polite and kind, the food took awhile to come out and they apologized for it as the restaurant is still new and working out the kinks. Overall my favorite was the galbi bowl and the bao buns. The octopus was yummy but portion was kinda small for the price. And you have to get the hotteok for dessert I'll be back for sure. Choi's is perfect for a date night :)