Seoul Mama Korean Restaurant

Finally I have time to make the review about this wonderful restaurant. Since the first time I have visited here, I have zero complaint 💫 The food is always satisfying - I usually get the lunch box menu or beef bulgogi or dolsot bibimbab! They are delicious. The staffs are always welcoming and friendly; even Mama (the cook) often greets me and the other customers too when she is done in the kitchen. The side dish is always great, plus I also order Gimmari and just love it so much! If you have dietary, you can always customize it too - I have one friend coming here and she loves how she can get tofu soup (soondubu) and kimchi. The parking is always available! I just wish the space of the restaurant is bigger because during the busy hours, it has more customers and sometimes it needs to wait for not that long. But it worths the wait for sure and you can reserve too. I took the pictures before and after (it is always full in the beginning and empty at the end)

When I went to Soul Mama, I had the best experience ever! As a Kenyan, I haven’t had much exposure to Korean food, but Soul Mama completely changed that. The food was absolutely delicious, and the atmosphere made the whole experience so special. All ten waiters are so freindly, like there is was this waitress I think she is called Sori she was so kind , and attentive. Like giving me a explanation of the different food I didn’t know about!She made us feel truly welcome and took such good care of us throughout the meal. The entire waitstaff was warm . I loved it so much that I’m already planning to bring all my friends there next weekend. Seoul Mama, you’ve got a loyal customer now. I’ll definitely be back!

A casual little restaurant with authentic Korean food. I would highly recommend the Ttukbaegi Bulgogi. It has the most wonderful aroma and flavor. It’s a soothing broth with meat, vegetables, and noodles that is served with a separate bowl of rice. You can get it not spicy or add spice, but it is so flavorful that the spice is really not necessary (unless that’s your preference). Good service too!

One of the few great restaurants in Bloomington, great Korean food and fast service, not the cheapest meal but definitely worth the price. Recommendations include vegetable pancake, japchae with extra bulgogi, and order a side of the pickled radish

Overall, quite a nice experience. I had the Korean short ribs and was pretty impressed by the flavor. Service was excellent despite how busy it got while we were there. It does feel a bit cramped in there due to it being king of a smaller space.

My go to Korean in Normal. Bulgogi for starters ( works for a party of 3) Had the spicy seafood ramen. Broth was good, prefer flat noodles though. Been here many times before. Banchan is pretty decent. Love the bibimbap. Fried chicken is good when spicy.

I go here a lot for the Tonkatsu! The food is great. No comment. Some of the dishes I've tried are the Beef Fried Rice, Tteobokki, and some of the soups. The Tteobokki is mediocre, I wouldn't recommend getting it. Everything else other than that is delicious! Sometimes I want to place an order, but the Tonkatsu option isn't on the online store. I hope they plan to make changes to the website because I really do not like calling to place an order. The service here is okay. I don't like that the place is so cramped. There's so much seatings but it all feels crowded.

Love this place to enjoy Korean Bibimbap ❤️. Also recommend Korean Drink too :D Best place for Korean Food in Blo-No :))

Top notch service and great food! The bulgogi was delicious! We were celebrating a birthday and all 15 of us enjoyed our food.

Delicious and flavorful! Lots of options for vegans! I ordered Dubu Gang Jung (sweet and spicy tofu) which was phenomenal! Jeff is amazing, too,l. Ma came out to say hello while I was visiting.

The food was very good. For an appetizer, we had fried pork dumplings. For the entree, we both had beef bulgogi, which was delicious. The flavor is great. Korean wine was good as well. It's always in my top five for the area. We'll be back to try some other dishes.

Seoul Mama is amazing, and I don't say that lightly. My wife and I tried most things on their menu, and, aside from things that weren't to our personal taste, everything we ever gad was phenomenal. There's a reason this restaurant is always busy, as they serve some of the most delicious and authentic Korean dishes I've had anywhere in my travels, and I miss living nearby. Beyond that, however, the restaurant itself is clean, well-kept, and cozy, with a small family business feel. The real thing that makes Seoul Mama one of the most memorable experiences, however, is how they treated my wife and I. In small ways, through recommendations, discussion, and just trying to truly connect with their customers, this is one of the few times in my life where I felt my business, and even just my presence when I visited, was genuinely appreciated. This business is worth your time, your wallet, and I hope you appreciate them as much as I did. If I lived nearby still, I'd give them my business whenever I could.

The food was good. The first time in FOREVER that me and hubs ordered the exact same thing! The Banchan was small amounts and small choice, but what they served was good. It was weird that the pickled radishes weren't part of the Banchan, but a separate side? The service was okay. Seemed like they didn't really have enough people working for the amount of traffic they had. They were definitely hoppin' though...

What a great discovery!! The bibimbap was on point! We came back again in a week! Server was very sweet! Cute cosy place !

As i was in town for something at ISU, I stopped in here for some lunch. A bit on the pricier side overall, the food flavor was good. I ordered the pork bibimbop and while I didn't specify for it to be the dolsot version, that's what came. The side dishes with the kimchi seasoning were really good. The non-kimchi side was bland and didn't taste as good. Still, for being one of the only korean restaurants in the area, they hold fairly authentic flavors and dishes. They are worth checking out for Korean food in the area.

Let me put you on some DELICIOUS Korean food! This place has such a wide variety of yummy dishes from japchae glass noodles, Korean fried chicken, ramen! Everything we had was delicious and the people working were nice and super helpful. My absolute favorite was the Tteokbokki which is rice cakes that you dip in their house sauce. Definitely try the Milkis drink with your meal, it is a yogurt, carbonated drink that is so tasty!

Very good! Stopped for lunch. Will come back again. Enjoyed the appetizer dishes/bowls/whatever they're called.

This is the best Korean food I have had in America since returning from living in Seoul in 2014. So many Korean shops try to "Americanize" their food and make it more palatable to Americans, who don't always embrace the spice. Many try to create "fusion" recipes so that they are more easily recognized. While there are options for the non-spice lovers, you will pretty much find anything here that you can find in a Korean "kimbap shop"--kimchi jjigae, sundubu jiggae, tteokguk, tteokbokki, ramen, etc. The only difference between this place and a Korean kimbap shop is the American prices (which are still very reasonable--but you can't beat $2-$4 for a meal in Seoul proper, sorry). Come here. Eat. You will not be sorry.

Easily the best restaurant in Normal. Love the food and the service is great. The waitress is super nice and gave us Korean apple soda on the house. Always will go back.

I came here to eat as I was in the area for work travel. I originate from the DFW area which has a lot of Korean cuisine which I eat fairly often. I got tired of American food in the Bloomington area, so I thought to try this place out and see how it is. The waitstaff were kind and very attentive. I ordered the gimmari appetizer and a soondubu tofu soup. The banchan was nice but limited (only three dishes). The gimmari was well fried and had good flavor. The soondubu had the option for no spice, mild, and spicy. My spice tolerance isn't that great, so I selected "mild", but I felt that "mild" was not spicy whatsoever. Overall, I enjoyed the food, and would come back again if I am ever in the area again.

The staff was really friendly.. The wait time was short. It was out first Korean food experience.. the beef bulgogi was flavorful. The vegetables in the chicken bibimbap were perfectly cooked. The kimchi was spicy but mixed well with the beef. It was an enjoyable experience. We will return. We were excited to try something new and forgot to take pictures. The bibimbal was beautiful with all the bright colors from the purple cabbage, spinach, and carrots.

Was in town for work and found this place just driving around. Wasn't sure what to expect since there isn't much Korean food in the area. Walked in and didn't see any Korean people working so I go concerned but don't judge this book by it's cover. Food is delicious. Ordered spicy pork and hot wings. Both were great and huge portions. Pork was a little on the sweeter side and not too spicy. Wings were crispy and tasty even though I took them back to my hotel room. Overall great experience would recommend.

Very happy every time we get carry out from Seoul Mama. The food is bright and exciting. If you want to try something a little off the beaten path they are defiantly worth a try.

First time here trying our Seoul Mama w/my girl and it was worth it. Not many Asian restaurants in Southern IL. We had the Korean chicken wings (soy garlic flavor), vegetable japchae, and kimchi jjigae, and variety of sides. It tasted like Korean home cooking. I heart Korean fried chicken so I had to try that as well. It was good, but the sauce could be stickier and sweeter. We really enjoyed the the kimchi jjigae soup w/rice it was just warm and comforting on a rainy night. We were seated swiftly and the place was simple and clean. The staff was nice and attentive. Definitely, plan on coming back to try more of the menu. The food was delicious.

Seoul mama is unmatched in the Korean market for central Illinois. Everything on the menu is amazing the standouts though are for sure the beef bulgogi and the spicy chicken. Nothing more to say aside from you're missing out not trying it. A few down sides though are the location is rather small so it doesn't take much for them to become really busy so you may have to wait if dining in. Their hours are a lil weird and the prices are a lil high. But the quality justify any negative comment. 10/10

Best food in Bloomington Normal. Don't miss out on the kimchi and bibimbap. Quick service and reasonably priced.

so good i eat here weekly, the staff is very nice if not a little forgetful but it's always busy so i understand. restaurant is very small and cozy

A gem! The first time we went, the wait was too long and the place was packed. That told me everything I needed to know. We ordered take out next time and it was FABULOUS. I love big city quality food so living in a town with so many chains stinks. But this place is not a chain and not typical. It's Korean, with good spices, fresh ingredients and great flavors. We've been back several times since and will be going again today. It is a don't miss if you love good Korean food. The bibimbap is excellent, well executed and not overcooked. The Korean ramen is wonderful. The noodles are tasty and different. Not sure if they make their own but they're not like others. I wonder if the name isn't more than just a play on words. This food is more than Korean. It's food for your soul.

Not just best Asian food, but best FOOD in BloNo, period. Fast service, beautiful restaurant, amazing eats.

We continue to appreciate Seoul Mama as one of our local favorite restaurants. We went with our usual orders - beef bulgogi, tofu bibimbap - as we've found they never disappoint. My youngest tried something new and had a ramen soup. She added dumplings and kimchi to the soup so it took the heat up a bit, but she loved the flavor. We also love how they start with serving kimchi as that tided us over until our main meal arrived. We were there on a night where they were busy with traffic in the restaurant as well as carry out orders. The servers did a great job of coming around refilling our water and giving us more kimchi to help us bridge when our meal was ready. We'll worth the wait (as usual)!

Loved this place! Excellent variety for traditional Korean dishes. Friendly staff and most important of all....the food was great. Their beers suck but lets face it. You aren't going there for the beer.

Chicken wings were great. Crunchy exterior. Moist. The mild sauce was mildly sweet and delicious. Seafood tofu soup was also very good, although a little light on squid. The mixed in scrambled style egg swirl seems to take away from the presentation a bit. A single cracked egg may have been better. Both we're better than I expected for Bloomington. The one thing that I would say is a slight negative would be the sides. Kimchi, dikon, and potato strings were okay, but usually Korean restaurants have more variety in the sides. I wouldn't mind paying for them to get more variety. Service was decent, slightly above average. There was a bit of a wait as they were quite busy when I arrived.

What a friendly place. I had not eaten Korean food in the past but it was recommended so I tried. I told the lady that I do not eat rice, noodles or potatoes and needed her help as to what to order and she was more than happy to help. I ordered Cabbage rolls as a starter and the pork belly for an entree. The Cabbage rolls were very good. I think I expected them to be hot but they were not. They were not supposed to be, I just didn't know. The pork belly was a real treat. It was thinly sliced, pan fried, had a sweet glaze and was finished with vegetables on top. It is normally served with a side of rice. They also brought out small plates that were included. Kim chi , pickled cucumber and some kind of potato. They continued to refill these throughout the meal. I had heard of kim chi but had never tried it. I am still no expert on Korean food but I was very satisfied here.

A frank review- I am not a local. But I have grown up eating amazing Korean food all my life in South Korea, NYC, LA, Chicago and Boston. Service: 5/5 Staff was super nice, attentive and prompt. Cost Effectiveness: 3/5 Banchan (side dishes) is the bare minimum requirement for any meal you order. The fact that some dishes require you to pay for banchan felt like too much. Also, we got very little amounts for the 4 side dishes we got. We have never gotten so little. Usually restaurants give 5-8 different side dishes with generous portions FOR FREE. **Also-- the ramen they use is a famous instant ramen called "Shin Ramen" that is available to purchase in most American grocery stores. It's like $2 a pack. Just a tip if you wanna also make it yourself! Food: 4/5 We got the tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes). It was a bit sweet but it was still delicious. The only thing is...they charged to put fish cakes and boiled egg in there!! I've never been to a Korean restaurant where they charge for that. In this dish, it is EXPECTED that there are rice cakes, fish cakes and a hard boiled egg. The rest like noodles and cheese are typical add ons. Presentation: 3/5 The dish we got is usually served in a wide dish or pan that isn't too deep. Our tteokbokki was served in a huge bowl that was deep. It just didn't seem appealing to me, since I know how it's supposed to be served. Authenticity: 3.5/5 The food tastes good, but don't think everything on the menu is Korean Korean. Like the cabbage wrapped dumping on the menu-- never heard of that until I came here. Bacon as an add on for ramen? Not a thing. I think it's pretty fusion-y and experimental in that aspect. Nothing wrong with experimental fusion--as long as you don't think all Korean cuisine is like that.

A little pricey for the portion. Good ambiance and great service. Lots of parking space

Seoul Mama touched my soul. I moved to BTN a couple years ago from a more diverse city which hosted some of the best Asian cuisine. When I discovered Soul Mama, I was hopeful that I may be touched by the fiery, savory wonder that is Korean cuisine. The spicy crunch of Kimchi, that is made with love, is something to be savored. No grocery brand can satisfy. I tried one of my favorite dishes, Dabu Gang Jung, a fried tofu dish. Magnificent! (finger kiss emoji) The banchan (vegetable side dishes) were delicious. I ordered a heaping bucket of kimchi to eat throughout the week. It also was perfect. I will be back often. If you crave authentic Korean cuisine, please come to Seoul Mama. If you have never tried authentic Korean cuisine (WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN), please come NOW! 곧 만나요 서울마마

This makes me so sad to write. We were very loyal customers who sometimes go multiple times a week. Today the lady switched the food at our table and another table. The guy at the other table ate it and realized. She then switched out food with the food from their table. That he ate!!!! They then did not remake it but took it back and brought it back out cold. Insane. Will not be going back. I assume they reuse their sides too after seeing this.

Delicious food and so friendly staff. We tried a little bit of everything from the canned Korean juices to appetizers and main entrees. The Korean seafood pancake was my favorite thing, our waitress recommended the seafood. I had ramen which was very good and we also had tofu. I will be going back soon!

The stir fried ramen is absolutely amazing! And of course the Beef Bulgogi and Beef Bulgogi appetizer YUM! The service is also exceptional!

The food here is exceptional, and unique. And the service staff know their food options well and are helpful.

I had the WORST service last night at Seoul Mama. My son wanted to have dinner there to celebrate an occasion and likes Korean food, especially Bibimbap, which Seoul Mama does well! When we entered the restaurant, it was less than 1/2 full. We were seated promptly and then ordered. Our waiter did not get our order correct, I had to get up and go to the take-out counter 3 different times during dinner to get service and had asked another person to help us with some service, more water, soju and banchan. Our waiter never checked on us and only came over when we were done and asked if we needed boxes and to drop off check. I let him know personally when I paid this was horrible service. $80 for dinner for 3 and with service this is sad, I feel taken. If not for the very good tasing food, I would have given less stars. Credit only to the back of the house.

My favorite Korean place!!! Always fabulous. My complaint is I hope they can eventually expand or relocate! Always crowded (a fabulous problem to have!!)

Great wings and Tteokbokki.great service. very clean place went around 5pm on a Wed, just after they openned for dinner. we were the only ones there. by the time we finished it was filled.

One of our favorite spots in town now!!! I wrote a review right when they opened just a little over a year ago...they have really figured things out and stepped it up! Their food is amazing and their service is great. Knowledgable and attentive staff. And excellent specials to boot. I highly recommend the Korean Chicken (we like it spicy with pineapple). You can't go wrong with the Beef or Pork Bulgogi and when you're able to do dine in again - the hot stone sizzling Bibimbap is also quite a treat. With the current lockdown in progress we called for delivery. Food was hot and plenty of it :) Can't say enough good things. Support this place if you can. yes, my photos are from several visits...I tend to take them and forget to post right away. Hope it just shows I'm a fan. Enjoy!

I wish we didn't live hours away from this place. The food was excellent. We had the lunch special which was like a bento box and included kimchi, three fried dumplings, spring rolls (two half-rolls), rice and bulgogi. One of us got pork bulgogi; the other got beef bulgogi. The only thing that was disappointing were the spring rolls which fell apart when we tried to eat them. The price was reasonable, the service was fine, and the food was great, especially the variety in the lunch special. I wish we could go back.

The food here is really good! They have a little vegan menu so you can order vegan from appetizers to entree to dessert which is awesome. I did an online order and when I went to pick up one of the servers in the back came out to tell me one of the banchan was non-vegan. I really appreciated the heads up! This restaurant is definitely a frequent stop for me.

so...disclaimer...I know Korean food well, and have eaten a lot of it....I won't belabor the point...the side dishes are too small and not very good, service is not too bad, and portion sizes very lacking for the price which is a capital crime in Korean culture. Charge me more please but don't leave people hungry. The bibimbap was not great with almost no meat. Food overall has decent Korean taste but these are penny pinchers.

I came here for my birthday with my family. The food was amazing! The service was fast. And our waiter Eric was the best he was so nice. Loved this place and I don't like too many places to eat in Blono.

This was my first time going. I went in shortly after they opened to do a carry out order of five wings and hotteok. I was quoted 25 minutes, it probably took close to 35 or 40. Basically people who came after me were receiving food in the dining area before I got mine. ...Five wings and a couple of pancakes. I got the soy ginger which were pretty good for wings, there was a lot of meat to them but I think the soy ginger makes it easier to burn the coating. I still thought they were pretty good. Not great but good. I did really like the banchan that came with, but they are super tiny portions. But very very tasty. For five wings and the dessert and the little bit of sides and a coke, it was $18, which I found pretty reasonable.

This place always pleases our family. My son who would eat Chic Fil-A 7 days loves the popcorn chicken . I am happy with their ramen . The little sides of kimchi and vegetable garnishes are a nice touch

Awesome, authentic Korean food. Staff is great, too. It's become a goto spot for us.

Stopped for dinner and it didn't disappoint! Server was great, she was happy to help with suggestions. We had a variety of stuff and everything was good. Seafood pancake, pork mandu, banchan (side dishes), degi bulgogi (spicy pork), kimchi JeeGae and sudubu. The only thing I could pick on is that the sundubu fell a bit short. Other than that we all loved it and the restaurant filled quickly with other diners. If you're on the fence, get down and go.

Food is always very good, but service is very spotty. If Eric is working, it's always a 10/10. There's another waiter who is a male with blonde hair, that is not very good. If he is working, it's not the best.

THE BEST FOOD AND THE BEST SERVICE! I found this place while traveling for work and I came back many times during my stay! The food is delicious and my server Shelby was so sweet. Their fried pork belly is my favorite. A must try!

LOVE LOVE LOVE seoul mama!! it's my favorite Korean place ever. I usually get the fried ramen with kimchi and veggies, and mochi for dessert! service is great, the food takes a little time, but you know it's fresh :) love this place!

Amazing food and amazing staff. Their rice cakes are to die for and their chicken is so good. Great food presentation too, that's a nice cherry on top!

*Updated Unexpected gem! Just saw this place open and was excited to try a new flavor of Asian food beyond kung pow chicken from your every day Chinese takeout. I ordered the bulgogi and dumplings. The steamed dumplings were juicy and flavorful and quickly whet my appetite for more food alongside the pickled kimchi dishes. The bulgogi was tender, savory, and came with a good sized portion. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised to have this treat. Will definitely be back to try the other offerings.