Soju

Loved Soju! We ordered the kimchi nachos, which came with crispy wonton chips instead of regular tortilla chips and it was really filling. The fried chicken was crunchy and delicious. The only dish I was a bit disappointed with was the three-cheese tteokbokki; it just wasn’t cheesy. I loved the aesthetic of the place. It was cozy, trendy, and great for hanging out with friends. Overall, I definitely want to back to try other dishes!

the food here is AMAZING!!! i was blown away with how good the kalbi was. we came shortly after they opened and we were luckily able to grab the last open seat in the restaurant. its a small place but the wait is worth it, i will absolutely be back here

Made it into Soju after showing up too late for dinner a couple times, so my anticipation was building! It was worth the effort, this has it all. I'm going to say Best Damn French Fries in Pittsburgh! The ladies were very pleased with the cocktails, said the Purple Haze was the best drink they'd had in a long time! Apps and dinner were full of great flavors and textures. My Gransdson shared our enthusiasm for the fries, loved'em! fyi no highchairs. ...we snuck over to Butterjoint for Vinegar Pie for dessert, shhhhhh

Great little spot, solid Korean food with an American touch! We just moved here so we are hunting for spots to frequent and this totally makes the list! Really cool staff, great vibe. We got a few drinks, all great, and a few appetizers to start. Kimchijeon (Korean Pancake) and Tteokbokki were both the perfect amount of spice and had great flavor, highly recommend!

We’ve been on a Korean kick so figured let’s give it a shot! For drinks I ordered the Soju Punch and my wife had the Soju Saenggang Bae (sans alcohol). Mine was ok, I didn’t mind it but her drink was definitely better so I wound up ordering one for myself with alcohol. It was super refreshing and had a nice citrus bite to it! My punch drink was definitely more tiki / island and not as much citrus as I was hoping for. We started with the gimbap with marinated beef. I really liked this, we had never had gimbap before but it was fresh and light and I liked the pickled radish in it. We did feel it would have benefitted from something like a soy drizzle or a sauce but it was good enough I would like to explore finding more of it! For our mains I ordered the Korean BBQ combo plate and she had the pineapple salmon. The BBQ was tasty, the smoky flavor of the grill came through. I wish the pork was a bit spicier, normally when I see “spicy” on Asian dishes it’s pretty hot, but this was more mild, and I prefer the heat a little more. Overall the rice and the beef short ribs / bulgolgi were really delicious and I liked my dish a lot. Clare loved her dish, it doesn’t get more her than salmon, pineapple, radishes and sweet potatoes! I definitely would love to come back and try more and I think it’s a great spot, really good food and cool vibes in my opinion.

Delicious Korean food in Garfield on Penn. Not able to make reservations but luckily we had no wait when we showed up with 3. Seems like a good place for small groups of 4ish. Lots of shareable plates and entrees. We tried the Korean fried chicken, Korean BBQ combination plate, Korean fries and pineapple salmon. All very delicious. Definitely will be back again

Edit: Hindsight is 2020. I’ve had a lot of tofu since I’ve written this review and nothing beats SOJU Tofu. Genuinely. It’s phenomenal Went to Soju with a group of friends. Heard it was highly rated. Atmosphere was great. The paintings are definitely an acquired taste to say the least. I got the Kalbi with the Tofu and Chicken Katsu. As far as starters go, the Tofu was definitely the highlight and I’m not even a tofu person. The katsu is your typical breaded fried chicken. With the sauce, it’s pretty good but nothing special. Same verdict for the Fried Chicken. The presentation of the kalbi was amazing. The beef tasted like it was barbecued and it had a good level of sweetness. I feel like it could’ve benefited from more seasoning though. All in all, it’s a great spot. I’ve been to quite a few KBBQs. This spot is really good. Not the best I’ve had but I would return.

Our meal was awesome! The grilled salmon with pineapple was the best dish i have tasted in years, truly. The staff were all friendly and accommodating. The drinks looked good, i tried a shot of one of the Korean distilled liquors infused with blueberries. They offered about 15 flavors. We will be back!!!

I love this place so much! There's never been a time I was dissatisfied or had something I didn't like.

Everything about this place just screamed "OK". We showed up without reservations and were told we had to wait 45 minutes for a table for 2. Right after we showed up a party of 4 without reservations was seated immediately. There was another couple waiting and we discussed taking the next 4 seater and eating together. But then the host was able to figure out how to take the table apart so we can have our table for 2. So a bit to be desired in the host realm. Next, we got our drinks. They were also "OK". I had a drink with a tea in it that was just far to dry to be enjoyed. My wife had a drink that was served in a spam tin. It was better but still just "Ok". The food I was most disappointed in. After reading the hype of the place I expected a lot more. For starters we had the Nori fries and beef gimbap. The fries were much like potatoe patch fries but with a bit of seasoning. They did seem like fresh cut fries but not much flavor from the seasoning. The gimbap had really dry seaweed and it was generally not enjoyable. For entrees, I had the BBQ combination. All of the meats were dry and not well prepared and the bbq sauces tasted fine but nothing special. My wife had the bibimbap. Just nothing in it was prepared in an amazing way. The Gochujang was to spicey for me and I tend to enjoy the heat. If it was a $30 dollar meal I think i would have been happy. But for an expensive spot i would expect the quality to be a bit higher. The ambiance was decent for a date night. But there are some weird rules. Like ordering drinks from the host.

Saw this place listed on multiple top restaurants of Pittsburgh lists so had to finally check it out. They're walk-in only so depending on the time you go, be prepared for a bit of a wait. We came by on a Friday night and our wait was a little over an hour, but luckily there are shops along the street to check out and even a brewery nearby so you can get a drink beforehand. The restaurant itself is pretty small and intimate hence the long wait, they have a small bar as well. The host was the same guy who was our waiter and he was great, a genuinely friendly guy. Wonderful service overall and the food came out pretty quickly. Interestingly, the food came out all together - appetizers and mains. I thought it was a little weird they didn't space it out more. They don't have just soju cocktails on their menu, like I expected. They have beers, wines, and cocktails with different liquors. I ordered the Makgeolli's First Date as my cocktail. It was nicely spiced from the nutmeg. It was good but I'd probably get something else next time. We started with the killer tofu. Big portion, great for a group. It was too much for just 2 people so we took home leftovers. We also got the Korean "poutine" with chicken katsu. This came as a big bowl of fries in gravy and topped with a piece of chicken katsu. Dairy-free! I enjoyed this, it's also a good dish for sharing. A bit heavy though. The chicken was tasty and crispy. There's a huge portion of fries, also enough to take home leftovers. Next, we got the Korean BBQ combination. We liked being able to try three of their different meats - kalbi, bulgogi and pork but we wished there was more meat on the plate. Compared to the other two dishes, we felt the portion was small, especially for the amount of rice in the center. About two slices of eat meat on the plate. The kalbi was the best of the bunch. The meal also came with a couple side dishes of cucumbers and some kimchi. Good meal overall, I'd definitely come back again!

My relatives wanted Korean BBQ so we took her family to Soju, a Korean-American Restaurant in Pittsburgh. A few of their walls have artwork for sale. We had a 5:30pm reservation so our party of 9 shared 3 Bottles of $10 Soju - Yogurt, Peach and Ginger. Being a large party, we had to pre-select our meal ahead of time, which consisted of two appetizers, one rice dish, and one meat dish. We basically had three of each dish to share amongst our party. For the first course, we selected the Killer Tofu and Beef Gimbap. The Killer Tofu consisted of pineapple glazed crispy tofu topped with sesame and scallion. The Beef Gimbap consisted of beef, carrots, pickled radish, spinach, cucumber, korean egg. It reminded me of a Japanese Futomaki. For the second course, we selected the Bibimbap, which was served in a stone pot filled with rice, fried egg, sauteed vegetables, pickled cucumber, carrots, bean sprouts, spinach, and mushroom. Due to pepper sensitivities, we requested all the spicy items to be on the side but somehow it was still spicy. I was surprised that there wasn't any crispy rice at the bottom of the bowl. For the third course, we selected BBQ Combo, which consisted of Dwaejibulgogi, Kalbi, Bulgogi, and served with Rice & three types of Banchan (pickled cucumbers, kimchi, kimchi radish). I wish they had non-spicy Banchan options like pickled radish, braised potatoes, fish cakes, and watercress). Not sure if the restaurant serves dessert, but we weren't offered a dessert menu. It would be cool to end the meal on a sweet note with a yogurt drink or sweet rice punch!

My first visit to Soju. I sat at the bar. I had the Purple Rain & the Saenggang Bae cocktails. Both light & refreshing drinks. The bartender was friendly & attentive. She said the Soju Punch is there most popular cocktail. Soju is a Korean rice liquor & you can get it by the shot or bottle. They also have wine & beer & cava. Menu looks delish. I had the poke bowl & ordered 1/2 sweet & 1/2 spicy. It actually wasn't spicy at all, but has a lot of tuna poke so I enjoyed it. The girl next to me got the tofu which looked amazing. I'd definitely come back. Parking can be tough on Penn Ave. Meters are enforced until 6pm. This place gets crowded & is small in size.

It's been too long since I've been to Soju so we stopped by for dinner earlier this week. The space is on the smaller side but cozy with a handful of tables and a few seats at the bar. We ordered a few things and our food came out pretty quickly. The chewy tteokbokki is always a favorite of mine and the tofu was so flavorful and a huge portion. The kalbi was juicy and perfectly seasoned and the Soju punch was refreshing. While the dishes are definitely Korean American versus authentic Korean, everything was still delicious and worth a try!

Soju is a Korean-American restaurant and full-bar. They serve dinner in a no-reservation dining room as well as through takeout and delivery. Their menu lists foods such as nori French fries, tofu, beef gimbap, tuna gimbap, chicken katsu, Korean fried chicken, kimchi fried rice, poke, and pineapple salmon. Prices are reasonable. Through the Insider Eats website, I ordered four of Soju's entrees for delivery. The cooks promptly prepared my foods. I am definitely no expert on Korean foods, so my ratings are based solely on my personal tastebuds. I thought that the "Kimchijeon" (pancake with kimchi and mung beans) and the "3 Cheese Tteokbokki" (a stir-fried rice-cake dish with hard-boiled eggs) tasted OK. I greatly enjoyed the flavors of the "Korean BBQ Combo Platter" (Bulgogi beef fillet, Kalbi beef ribs, and Dwaejibulgogi pork with rice) and the "BiBimBap" (rice with spinach, bean sprouts, mushrooms, spicy cucumber, and an egg).

Hands down the best chicken katsu in the city (and maybe anywhere) I ALWAYS get the bulgogi & finally got to try the kimchi fried rice with chicken and it was FANTASTIC. I have been here about 6-7 times now and I never plan on stopping. Service and atmosphere are amazing, small, and quaint! So be sure to get there early to grab a seat! Fills up fast and they do not take reservations.

Let me start with the amazing service..Everyone was wonderful. Service was attentive, and fun. As for the food, it was very good and often creative. For those of you who prefer your Korean food to lean more toward the sweet side, you'll be thrilled. We found the salmon to be especially good, and the accompanying grilled pineapple is a hit. The nori fries were tasty, as was my favorite dish there, the Korean sushi (with spicy tuna). I wasn't a fan of the kimchi fried rice as I found it too sweet for my liking (I prefer savory and spicy). The same for the side of kimchi.. while flavorful, it was a bit saltier than I expected.. Overall, this is a great place.. as evidenced by the wait to get a table. My comments were simply preference differences, not at all quality, which was top notch!

Soju is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh! It has a cozy environment, and it felt like a really cool, fun experience. The servers were wonderful and chatty, and the dishes were brought out timely. The food was both delicious and filling. I went in a party of two, ordering two mains and a side, and both of us had leftovers for later! The side dishes were great as usual. I ordered the bulgogi beef, and it was super juicy and flavorful. The fries were creative and delicious as well. Will definitely come back!

I cannot say enough good things about this place! Soju is normally packed, and they don't take reservations. We happened upon the restaurant on a not so busy night (the Steelers were playing), do we got a seat right away and pretty much had the restaurant to ourselves. The restaurant is small but filled with lots of interesting artwork that creates a hipster, inner city vibe despite being on the outskirts on downtown in the Garfield neighborhood. Penn Avenue has a lot of restaurants but none like this one! First of all, our waiter was outstanding! He was friendly and helpful, and he really made us comfortable with our menu choices. Neither my husband nor myself were familiar with Korean BBQ. I'm not as adventurous as my husband, so I wanted to make sure I'd pick something that I'd like. The waiter gave suggestions and made a point to tell us that Korean BBQ is really approachable in the sense that it's ethnic but familiar comfort foods that most Americans love. I tried 20 new restaurants in 2023, and this was the last one we tried that year, and it IMMEDIATELY went in my top 20 if not top 3. The food was flavorful and tasted like home! I've never tried anything like it before, and I cannot wait to try something new on the menu! Here's what we tried: [Korean BBQ Chicken]: This is the cripsiest fried chicken I've ever tasted, and it came with a spicy sauce that was like an award winning buffalo sauce! [BBQ Combination]: My husband had this meal with 3 different meats: Bulgogi, Kalbi, & Dwaejibulgogi. He loved it, and he thought all was very flavorful! [Katsu Curry]: This meal was the star of the show! As simple as the dish was (crispy chicken, potatoes, and veggies in a curry gravy), this meal packed a punch of flavor! I can't tell you how many times I said out loud, "This is so good!" It was by far one of the best meals I've ever had! Make sure you check out Soju, and keep your mind open to the menu choices because you won't be disappointed! I cannot wait to go back!

We had a great belated Valentine's dinner at Soju! We got there around 5:30 for dinner and were thankfully seated right away. A word of caution that there are only a few tables! Servers were kind through and helpful. We ordered the killer tofu, combo bbq plate and the chicken katsu. The killer tofu was amazing! Such krispy coating and delicious glaze. A huge appetizer portion IMO. Our entrees were good. I was a little disappointed in the servings of vegetables and banchan for both of our plates. But overall they were delicious and we will definitely return!

Soju was okay. Grape soju was bomb. But honestly the meal felt very americanized and not authentic. Was okay but probably wouldn't go back. Didn't care for the satanic artwork either...

So amazing! Made it for the "happy hour" from 5:00pm-6:00pm and didn't realize, so that was a pleasant surprise! Half off beer (got the west coast IPA, yummy), and $10 soju bottles (yogurt flavor was 10/10). Got the kimchi fried rice with chicken. SO good. So much food, I had a whole meal leftover. Place gets so so busy. We came right when they opened and every seat was taken within 20 minutes. Great service and great vibe.

Updated: 3. Not worth price. Feels more american-korean than korean-american if ya get it. Small & cozy. Decent food.

Would definitely rank Soju as one of my top 5 restaurants in Pittsburgh. It's a stellar meal every time! One of the things I love most about this restaurant is the ambiance -- it's very hip and they play great music. Super funky decor inside too. Definitely not a traditional Korean restaurant vibe, but it's really fun! The food is a modern take on Korean classics -- they have all the familiar dishes like fried chicken (fire, but the pieces are massive), kimchi fried rice (FIRE), kimchi pancakes, tteokbokki, etc, but also creative modern dishes like furikake fries (would probably skip this one, it tastes exactly how you'd expect) and killer tofu. Speaking of the tofu -- you absolutely must get this dish if you come here. It is my favorite tofu dish I've ever had at a restaurant hands down. Somehow they make the tofu so crispy yet juicy and flavorful at the same time... this tofu is actually life changing. You can't really go wrong with any of the menu items though!! The cocktail in the SPAM can is really fun too. They don't take reservations for smaller groups so be prepared for a wait, but it's 100% worth it. Wish I went here more while I lived in Pittsburgh :')

Perfect place to celebrate one of my best friends' birthdays!! Since reservations aren't accepted, we arrived early and were able to be seated along the wall in the front area. Super cool décor and such a cozy feeling being inside. The drink menu has a lot of great options and is fun to browse. We all fell in love with the "purple rain" cocktail, and I totally recommend it! It was delicious and fancy too. The Kimchirchi Nachos did not disappoint and was a great starter for all. I had the Kastsu (chicken) and it was so delicious. I couldn't finish and took home and it was even better reheated late at night!! I did sample the Bulgogi and it was bomb!! I look forward to returning to sampling other items on the menu. Thanks, Sojo for an awesome first visit!

I love finding new (to us!) spots in our new neighborhood! Soju is a small Korean restaurant with delicious food at a great price. The whole menu read so yummy, so we got several plates to share to maximize trying as much as possible. Sharing is definitely the way to go, as the portions are huge (even the appetizers). We tried the kimchi pancake, korean fried chicken, bibimbap, & korean bbq sampler. Everything was delicious! The pancake was light & spongy with a really good soy dipping sauce. The fried chicken was crispy on the outside & juicy on the inside, and it was served with two sauces (the sweet was our favorite). The bibimbap was filled with a ton of veggies, tender beef, & a perfectly runny egg, and the gochujang spicy sauce was delicious. The sampler was great for sharing as well, and the bulgogi was my favorite of the three meats included. In addition to having great food, the drinks were great too! The cocktails were complex & delicious (mine had lavender for sweetness, gin & mint for herbal flavor, & lemongrass for some tang). The wine list is also super reasonably priced, featuring a range of sparkling, rose, white, & red. The place only accepts walk-ins, which contributed to the neighborhood feel. We snagged two bar seats, and the bartenders were friendly without being overbearing. The walls are decorated with art from local artists, and the music was funky. I'll definitely be back! Food: A Drinks: A Service: B+ Ambiance: B

Soju is a definitely a nice place to try if you have time. My friends and I ordered the tteokbokki which I found the sauce to be on the drier side compared to some other ones I've had. The seafood pancake was pretty good as well the chicken appetizer that we ordered. This place had a homey and cozy feel to it with the plates that they used to serve the dishes as well as the decorations. The service was up to standard and my friends and I had a good time.

The food is decent but way overpriced for what it is. The bulgogi is in my picture and it's not like any bulgogi I've had. It's good don't get me wrong but it doesn't taste like bulgogi. The kimchi fried rice as well, didn't taste like it. More like just regular fried rice. Not authentic at all. The service is good and friendly though. Very loud in there so lots of shouting has to be done in there.

Been to Soju a few times now, definitely a solid Korean spot in Pittsburgh! This time I came with 2 friends on a weekend around 4:50pm, 10 minutes before opening and there was already a small line forming. We were the last party to be able to be seated at a table (party behind us was offered bar seating). We ordered 4 dishes to share - Korean fried chicken, tteobokki, kimchi fried rice, and bibimbap. The tteok (rice cakes) were flat slices, not the usual logs, but were still yummy and created more surface area for the sauce to coat. I also ordered a cocktail (the gin-based Purple Rain) and they had more traditional Korean options as well (e.g., mageolli). Would definitely come here again!

One of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh! It's so different than anything around and can even be a healthy meal. Everything is so delicious. The kimchi nachos are a must try!

AMAZING food, great service, and exceptional cocktails - probably one of the best dishes I've had since moving back to Pittsburgh. I had the pineapple salmon and the dumplings that were the special for the evening. Our server Mike was very attentive and the food came out very fast. I could not recommend soju more!

My partner and I stopped here before a concert in Burgettstown, PA. We've had this place on our list and we're both so glad that we got to finally go! It was a Tuesday night, so it wasn't too busy (as perhaps Friday or Saturday night). We were sat very quickly and ordered. The food came out no longer than maybe 15 minutes after placing the order. It was all DELICIOUS! Our personal favorite was the Kimchi Caesar Salad (still thinking about it). We would definitely go back, and we look forward to inviting some friends. It is a little smaller inside, so it may not be the best location for large parties, but it's perfect for groups of 3-4 people, with various tables and a bar.

Nice small place but on the noisy side. Service was good. We shared a few items. The crispy fried chicken was very good and the sweet sauce was very good while the spicy was kind of standard and OK. The Daewjibulgogi was a nice combination of items and the pork was outstanding. Really enjoyed the Katsu Curry. The Kimchi fried was good but would have liked to try other items on the menu.

Food is as good as I remembered when I came here for the first time couple years back. Generous portion and friendly staff! This place does not take reservations so come early if you want to get a spot. There was already a like at the door when they're about to open.

One of my favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh! I've tried several things on the menu & the bibimbap is definitely my favorite. Their fried chicken is amazing and the bulgogi delicious. Their Tteok-bokki is different than how I've typically had it but still good. It's a small cozy place and service has always been great. Definitely recommend stopping by!

Soju is a gem in Garfield. The food is always incredible, I have had the chicken katsu curry, rice cakes, bibimbop, and more. It always hits the spot! They have a great happy hour and I always love meeting friends here because the ambiance is perfect.

Always a great time at Soju! My husband and I have been a few times but decided to take my sister in law there this week. Usually we sit outside on the sidewalk, but given the rain, we sat inside for the first time. The walls are covered with local art and the bar is filled with various liquors (including soju of course!) The staff is kind, welcoming, and helpful (shoutout to Corwin!), and the food is always top notch. We got the kimchi pancake to share, then for entrees my SIL and I both for the Bulgogi (flavorful and cooked perfectly), and my husband did the BiBimBap. I may need to steal his order next time because MAN was that tasty! And the portions are big enough that we had plenty of leftovers to have a delicious meal at home too. Looking forward to coming back soon to our favorite Garfield staple.

Was able to snag the last four top without a reservation. The service was very nice, our server came by to apologize for the long wait on our food and constantly let us know the state of our order. With that being said, the food took quite a bit of time and the gimbap was obviously rushed, seen by the poor wrapping and the salmon skin was burnt to a crisp. The restaurant has this very hip vibe so I can see why it's popular but as far as Asian food goes, this is not the place for authenticity.

Great food and reasonably priced! My husband and I ordered the Killer Tofu, Pineapple Salmon, and Kimchi Fried Rice. Everything was excellent, and the service was fast and very knowledgeable about the menu. The ambiance was lovely, but the other customers were a bit pretentious.

We waited 90 minutes and had to leave. Poor communication!! from the staff tracking reservations. I had called ahead and was told reservations weren't accepted. By the time the manager stepped in to help, it was too late, and we decided to leave for dinner elsewhere. their team needs serious improvement in handling reservations and customer communication.

Was here two weekends in a row it was that good. The service both times was phenomenal and extremely attentive. Everything is delicious. The Korean fried chicken was the crispiest chicken I've ever had and the portion was huge. Don't skip out on the bulgogi beef and short ribs either. The wait for an early Saturday evening wasn't bad (20-30 minutes). In the meantime we popped down the street for a drink at Mixtape. Super fun and easy. Love Soju! I will be back a lot, I am sure.

Six of us went to Soju and were able to taste several dishes which we share. We loved the food- well prepared, fresh ingredients and delicious. Also, the drinks were great. Service was wonderful snd our waitperson took the time to answer questions about the menu. Can't wait to go back! The ambiance is very pleasing. I put

Very laid back atmosphere. I was at first skeptical because I didn't really see a single Asian person around. Sorry, going to an Asian place to eat and the workers are all not, just seems.. odd. Maybe they were hiding because the food was very good. Not shown was the Bim bi bop and the Korean fried chicken. The portions were very generous. KFC was a little different in that it wasn't sauced, sauce was on the side but that worked out well. The curry was very good - and with veggies. Poke was good. Maybe only other thing was that they seemed to be out of a number of beers. The IPA i had was very good.

Soju is one of my absolute favorite restaurants in The Burgh. I delight in bringing all my visiting friends and family here and seeing the way they fall in love at first bite. You know the food is good when your parent posts a check-in to Facebook mid-meal. The killer tofu and kimchi fried rice are must tries for my fellow vegetarian pals. If you like cocktails, you'll love the Soju Punch. Bonus: you can dine at the bar if you're looking to get seated faster. The staff are always working hard but they provide great service & a memorable dining experience. One of my friends does not drink and they went the extra mile to whip her up a nice N/A juice for her birthday. There can definitely be a wait at times so plan accordingly! It's a busy establishment but they do well to get you in in a timely manner. Even so, it has always been worth the wait.

All of the food we have tried and different flavors of soju are amazing! As strange as it sounds, yogurt soju is a must.

I recently came here with coworkers and it was my first time trying Korean cuisine. The kimchi nachos were amazing and my soju punch was great. The beef bibimbap was incredible and I would definitely order it again. Everyone loved their meals and I can't wait to return.

Food is always really good. Love the twist on Korean with some Pacific Island influence. Japchae, Gimbap (beef or spicy tuna), and the kimchijeon are all incredible. Kimchi fried rice, bibimbap, and poke are great as well. Only complaint is that the food and cocktail menus rarely ever change. The owner does a lot of pop ups, which are auper cool, but that same creativity isnt put into menu at Soju. Everyone that works there is super nice and attentive. Just make wure to come early on a weekend as sesting options are limited

First time trying Korean food and it did not disappoint. The Korean BBQ platter and kimchi pancakes were delicious and flavorful. The soju punch was very refreshing .The menu includes some Hawaiian inspired dishes and drinks as well. The Waikiki spam jam drink was like no other drink I've ever had. The waiter was attentive and knowledgeable. The atmosphere was laid back and trendy. Arrive at opening would be my recommendation or wait a while for a seat.

My first visit to Soju did not disappoint! Visited with some friends and my husband on a Saturday night, and we had about a 30 minute wait, which wasn't surprising (they're popular for a reason). We sat inside at a booth, which was quite comfortable, and had quick service for drink orders and appetizers. I tried the cider that was on tap, which was bright and dry, but their cocktails look very fun and I'd love to try one on my next visit. Between me and my husband, we tried the nori fries, tuna gimbap (similar to sushi, but featuring steamed egg inside), Korean fried chicken, and the BBQ trio (with bulgogi, kalbi, and dwaejibulgogi) that came with rice and banchan. It was all excellent and we enjoyed every bite! The friend chicken in particular was really generously portioned and we did take some home with us. I want to return and try all new things, since their menu is so fun and has a great variety of Korean fare. What a gem!

Came for the Korean bbq kimchi nachos...left with the spicy chicken sandwich and the kimchi Caesar salad daily special. Chicken perfectly fried and juicy. The Caesar salad brought some heat with the kimchi. Drafts half off 5-6 made for an extra valuable deal as well. Only minor critique is to update the draft menu more timely on website if you have one online.

Great Korean spot serving amazing dishes! Theyre open 5-10p. Go early because there's a wait & dishes run out quickly-- that's how good the food is. We ordered the Chicken Katsu app--extremely moist chicken& crunchy exterior, served w/ house BBQ sauce. My husband had the Korean Chicken Fried rice-- not spicy and too good, served w/ a fried egg. I ordered the Bulgogi, served w/ white rice & banchan. You can tell the meat was marinated well lol. The atmosphere was chill, very busy so make sure youre out of the servers' way! They're all really nice& accommodate requests without an eye roll lol. They had 1 all gender bathroom-- very clean despite being busy. Definitely going back to try every dish on the menu!

Massive thanks to my friend for putting together such a fun foodie meet-up at a place that had been on my list. Soju is a neighborhood gem & I tried dishes I've never had (or even heard of) before here & loved them! Honestly, everything we tried was so good! My absolute favorite had to be the Killer Tofu with pineapple soy glaze. This was ridiculously delicious - almost like vegan cheese curds! I could have eaten the whole bowl, but needed to save room for the rest. The cocktails were also fun & I tried soju (the drink) for the first time as well. The different flavors were good (grape took me back to my children's dimetapp days lol I used to fake sick to get that stuff iykyk ) but the plain was a tad strong for my liking. It was all about 12% so similar to wine, but we drank it from shot glasses. Such a great little spot for some delicious food in Pittsburgh. Check it out if you've never been, or this is your sign to get back there if it's been awhile.

Came for dinner and drinks! We ordered two soju bombs which is just beef and a shot of soju. For appetizers we got the Korean fried chicken and beef gimbap. I didn't love the fried chicken, I felt like the pieces were too large and difficult to share. The sauces weren't very good either. The spicy tasted mainly like Tabasco. Gimbap was not bad, it was definitely too dry, otherwise flavors were fine. Bibimbap came in such a large portion which was great. It doesn't come in a stone bowl sadly so there's no crispy rise at the bottom. The way their marinate their beef is very sweet and a little tough and doesn't exactly taste like bulgogi that I'm familiar with-- but not bad. Drinks were delicious! Loved purple rain and the they had a small selection of local beers. I would definitely come back for the friendly vibes, yummy drinks and try a diff selection of appetizers next time.

I finally made it y'all. After how many years of trying to come here but the wait being too long for me I finally got in. It was totally worth it. I'm sad that I only took pictures of our appetizers because the food was amazing. I went with a friend who's been here before so she guided us for the appetizers and had a great input for our meals. We started with the dumplings because how can those go wrong. The dumplings are delicious and the sauce was out of this world. I actually kept it to dip my main meal in it. It was very good. I was a little apprehensive about nachos with kimchi but she assured me that they were her favorite thing on the menu. And boy was she right. I was surprised to say that they were delicious. The tanginess of the kimchi really went with the cheese and the crunchiness of the chips. 10 out of 10 would recommend. We then followed those appetizers with two meals but we shared them and split them right down the middle. I ate so much I almost burst. For our meals we got the fried chicken sandwich and the beef and rice plate. The beef with sliced nice and thin and had a great flavor to it. It did have some bones in it so just know that while it wasn't hard to eat you possibly don't look pretty eating it. Or maybe I'm just a troll and can't eat food without getting some on me. The chicken sandwich was huge. Even with us splitting it it felt like I was eating an entire sandwich. The chicken definitely flows over the bun. And it comes with fries that were crispy and delicious and I believe this came with the chicken the pickled cucumber kimchi plate. All of it was so good. I'm really glad I got to have this experience with such a great friend who got us on the list nice and early. If I can get my stuff together I would definitely want to come back.

Never had Korean bbq so this was a new experience. The food was good. I expected a bit more flavor, I'm not sure why. The appetizer special of tuna and avocado was very good with wonton chips. I had Bulgogi, the meat was tasty and it came with rice. Also came with sides of kimchi that accented it well and a pickled cucumbers. Another hurt had the chicken katsu and she really likes it. I would try something different next time.

I love good Korean fusion food and I think it's a fantastic way to celebrate my mother culture with a fresh take. I'm not sure if my experience here was too great though. The fried chicken was well seasoned and fried well. Three cheese tteokboki was a bit too simple. It only had rice cakes and an egg with I suppose cheese on top and in the sauce. For reference, tteokboki in Korea often come with fish cakes as well and adding cheese is not uncommon among Korean street vendors. Kimchi fried rice was very standard but a bit bland. I liked the smokey overtone but I think it was lacking some deeper flavor. Perhaps the kimchi they used was poorly seasoned. I think the ambiance is fantastic though and it feels very fresh. The drinks were all great too. We ordered plenty of food and we were still finishing our drinks when the waiter asked us to leave. It was 40-45 minutes after we sat down. The way he asked was a bit rude I thought. There were also definitely others that were lingering far longer than we were. It left us with a poor aftertaste.

The best way I can describe the food is that it if it didn't need to be "spicy," it's solid. For example, the chicken katsu was PERFECT. Great crisp, tender and juicy chicken, well-seasoned, and the sauce was the right savory and sweet. I've had many katsus and that was better than some LA KTown katsus I've had, no joke. The BBQ plate on the other hand? I ordered it to try the different meats they had and...they all tasted the same. I even asked the waitress if there was a mistake and I was given the Kalbi plate instead of a combination plate. There's no difference in the marinade for the kalbi, bulgogi, and dwaejibulgogi (this one the worst since even the color just. Wasn't there.). They claim that it's spicy (and traditionally, dwaejibulgogi is meant to be spicy), but I couldn't even taste the red chili pepper. In short, anything "spicy" was washed down. Just to give an idea, I came with a friend who's pretty weak to spicy food. We're talking "can handle black pepper at most" level of weak. The fact that he can eat the kimchi and the "spicy" cucumber side dish speak volumes. Not that he had more beyond one bite because they were...bland. In order to be "accessible," they toned down the flavor and along it, tastiness. I'm not even expecting anything highly authentic, but at least some flavor for what deserved to be flavorful? So not only it lacks authenticity, it also lacks taste. TLDR: come for the katsu, but don't have high expectations for anything else