Soo Bak Seoul Bowl

Delicious and authentic bibimbap bowls at a fair price. We ordered four bowls and the kimchi fireballs to go—everything was ready in about 25 minutes, which felt reasonably quick. That said, if you’re in a hurry, calling ahead might be a good idea. The food was outstanding, though it seemed like the portions of protein were a bit more generous during my visit last year. Two dishes I highly recommend are the kimchi fireballs—crispy, deep-fried rice and kimchi balls that make a perfect appetizer—and the Soo Bak BBQ bowl, a flavorful and classic bibimbap. There’s also a lovely outdoor seating area that’s perfect for the summertime.

A hidden gem this place was fantastic! I can't wait to try everything, the most flavorful food I've had in a while. I started off with the spicy kimchi ball that made my taste buds dance. Followed by the special of the day, the Korean wings, fried rice & sesame noodles, all had me dancing with joy. This is a spot i can't wait to explore more.

Some of the best food I’ve ever had, oh my gosh. I got the New Mexican bowl without green chile, I know… blasphemous for a New Mexican, and a side of cabbage kimchi. With tip it all came out to about $20. It was so flavorful and so filling. Definitely well priced in my opinion. I’m going to be dreaming about this food for a while!

We really enjoyed lunch there today! Great food and very reasonably priced for the area. I can't wait to go again when it's warmer and the roll-up doors are open! The New Mexico Bowl was simply delicious and one I will get again. The tacos were great as was the Green Bowl. Looking forward to returning soon!

Food is always hot (spice and temperature) and fresh. Service is very friendly and helpful. I always feel this is a healthy option!

My friends and I went for lunch. Let me say that the parking was nice, I was expecting a hard time bc it's off Central but they have a big parking lot which was much appreciated bc I have a truck. It's one of those places where you order them go and sit. There wasn't a lot of seating bc it's kinda small so I wouldn't recommend big parties. I have their tacos which were good. My friend got their sweet potato noodles which were so delicious! I think is a nice place to go if you want Korean food or even a mix of Korean and New Mexican.

Great food and coffee! Gentleman up front was also very nice. I will definitely come back. Got the Sook bowl.

Nob Hill has some great spots to eat but its nice when you find something that you might have missed. Tucked behind a building off of central is a tasty noodle spot. The space is large and the works were nice and enjoyed the food and the local Sparkling water.

I came on a Saturday for dinner, there was no wait for a table. Order and pay at the front, self seating, get your own utensils, and put away your own bowls after your meal. This place was perfect for a casual dinner, the seating area was trendy/quirky with the metal warehouse doors. There was a nice view of the Sandias through the windows. Seating for larger parties looks difficult, the seating accommodated parties of 2-4 people best. The servers were friendly, appreciated their enthusiasm and checking in on us. Birria Eggrolls (5/5) - Fire eggrolls, there was birria meat in the eggrolls and veggies. It would be more fire if they got that white peppery flavor in the mix too. Sauce was great. Birria Ramen (5/5) - Delicious! This hit the spot for noodle soup and birria flavors! This is a very popular entree. Kimchi Bibimbap (5/5) - This was really good! Delicious and met my expectations as a fusion spot. I would give it a 3/5 if this was an authentic Korean spot. Great fusion spot, would definitely come again.

While on a trip to Albuquerque, we were hoping to find some good Korean food. We had had our fill of green chile cheeseburgers.... lol!!! We found Soo Bak Seoul Bowl on Yelp, and it had good reviews. The counter service was very friendly. The inside was really bright, with bunches of Pothos plants hanging and tabletop. I wish I could say I enjoyed my food, but sadly no. The banchan, (that you must pay extra for) was not flavorful. It tasted like they had just cut up some veg, and threw some seasoning on there. Not that kinda funky fermentation you get with kimchi done well. I got the kimchi jjigae, and it wasn't that thick hearty stew....... It was like chicken broth with some of those banchan thrown in, and a couple of chunks of gray ? Pork? thrown in. The rice that came with was dry and not seasoned. My partner's bulgogi bowl was not too bad, but again lacked seasoning or any fatty component. The loud electronic rave music wasn't really conducive to a nice lunch. Considering the quality of the food, we found the prices to be pretty high. Maybe we caught them on an off day??? Not sure, but I sadly can't recommend the food.

Soo Bak Seoul is hidden gem and absolutely the perfect lunch spot when you're trying to eat on the healthier side. They're kind of hidden, right behind Clowndog on Central. But definitely worth searching for. I also always recommend calling ahead if you're going for just pick up. That's what I did and it made it much faster process because they make everything fresh. I got the staff pick which is one I've always enjoyed. I also really like their tacos, but the bowls are very filling and honestly I like made one bowl multiple meals. They also have options for add-ons and customizations, but I really just like the standard bowl offerings.

Delicious Korean food! I went with the first option on the menu. And added an egg. Very yummy. Typical Korean flavor which is exactly what I was after. Food came out pretty quickly. And the place is nicely decorated. Parking can be difficult when busy!

OMG. I don't even want to admit that this was my first visit. Buuuuuuut, I was so glad to finally make it there. It. Was. Delicious. The place is tucked behind the Clown Dog that you can see off of central. So, don't fret if you look it up and you think to yourself, I've never seen that place there, you are right, you probably haven't because it is literally tucked in the back. But, plus side is, they have their own little parking lot, so you don't have to park on the street! My sister and I had a smorgasbord as per usual. * Paleo Bowl w/ Fire Chicken * Veggie Fritters * Kimchi Fire Balls * Cucumber Kimchi * Napa Cabbage Kimchi * (3) Korean BBQ Beef, Teriyaki Chicken, and Spicy Pork The food arrived quickly and we picked at everything delightfully! The Fire Chicken is spicy, so beware! Order it if you really like the heat. We took breaks after bites from our paleo bowl because it waaassss spicy! The fritters were among my favorite, along with the tacos. I have a feeling I will like just about everything on their menu. Come and check 'em out. Turns out they've been around for about 4 years already. Yes, I was late to the party. But I will be returning!

Hey, He-ey, He-e-ey... Your lipstick stains On the front lobe of my left-side brains... I knew I wouldn't forget you.. And so I went and let you blow my mind.. Your sweet moonbeam.. The smell of you in every single dream I dream... Hey Soul Sister.. Soo Bak Seoul was a tasty treat... We shared the "5 Kimchi Sampler" of Napa Cabbage, Cucumber (fav..:), Korean Radish, Shredded Radish and Scallion (fav) most all very scrumptous.. & "Sesame Bowl" w. Glass Noodles, Vegies and Korean BBQ Beef... quite the delight. Washed down w. a Glass of Chardonnay for the Lass and a Tall Glass of La Cumbre Elevated Brew for the Lad..:) A fun late lunch for the Old Folk..:) Hey, Soul Sister.. Ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo? The way you move ain't fair, you know... Hey, Soul Sister I don't wanna miss a single thing you do....Tonight...:) Best, Avram Trainwreck Jr.

Delicious food and a nice little selection of beer on tap Loved the spice level and appreciated all the veggies! Highly recommend!

Soo Bak Seoul Bowl is a Korean bibimbap restaurant in Nob Hill on Hermosa. The venue has an industrial feel with concrete floors and metal chairs in a repurposed auto maintenance building with garage doors. The wood-topped tables warm the space up a bit, but the focus here is the food over the ambiance. Luckily they do the food really well so that isn't an issue! Patrons order at the welcome station, after which they're given a table number and can find whatever table suits them. There's a station patrons can get their silverware and water; any other drinks will be delivered. They have both alcoholic and zero-proof drinks. You can see the food being cooked and prepped by the open kitchen staff while you wait. I got the Staff Pick bowl, one of eight of the specialty bibimbap bowls Soo Bak offers. The Staff Pick comes with "Fried Rice, Teriyaki Chicken, Sautéed Daikon, Carrots, Edamame, Asian Pickle Chips, Sesame Cabbage, Korean Red Pepper Sauce, and Sriracha." I added the Sriracha Lime Crema from the Fire Bowl, which is another specialty bowl. The Staff Pick was delicious! I liked the mix of rice, meat, veggies, pickled veggies, and sauces. The sriracha wasn't overwhelming or too hot and gave the bowl a small hint of heat and flavor without overpowering it. The sriracha lime crema was not hot, so adding it was another good flavor profile that complimented the bowl. The chicken was well cooked and juicy - no dryness or toughness whatever. It was the perfect ratio of ingredients that seemed to go together well. This was my first time trying Soo Bak as well as bibimbap, and I'm already excited to go back and try a different bowl. Besides the specialty bowls, patrons can build their own with choices of 19 toppings, 5 kimchi selections, 7 proteins (three of which are vegetarian), and 9 sauces. They have vegetarian and gluten free options labeled on the menu so it won't be hard to make those specific bowls. If you're in the mood for some Asian food in a casual setting, go check it out.

This is a fun place to hang out and the food is good too. The former garage /gas station has an industrial vibe, but the food is on point with good portion size and food made fresh.

Soo Bak is delicious! Manny is such a joy to interact with when our order is taken. The food here is amazing--always fresh and ready pretty quickly after ordering. The dining area is always cozy, we went on a particularly chilly day and were nice and toasty inside. Their fire chicken is no joke, so if you crave SPICY Asian food, this is the place! Their cucumber Kimchi is one of my favorite dishes as well. The only thing I'd be wary of, is that your bill might be a little higher than you'd expect for the portion size. Otherwise, a great little spot here in Abq!

First time getting food here and it was delicious. We had takeout so I can't say much about the ambience but it was very chill and casual. As for the service our food was ready when they said it would be and was still warm. Will definitely be back to try more

Really fantastic sweet potato noodles. Can't wait to go back there sometime. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is that there is no table service.... And... the music was blaring: loud club music. Too bad--older patrons would go there for sure if they would tone it down and make the atmosphere more inviting.

Fresh ingredients, lots of great veggies, spicy and flavorful meat, and a good selection of beverages. I like the "New Mexico" bowl the best. Anything with green chile and a sunny side up egg is always a good bet.

We didn't know where to eat, had some options, asked the universe for the best option while tossing a dice and its answer was SooBakSeoulBowl. THANK YOU UNIVERSE!!! The vibes were pretty relaxed and chill, the staff was friendly and it felt good to be there I had the Soo Bak Bibimbap and it was a GREAT! the meat was juicy, the ingredients felt fresh, had a lot of flavor... i'm still thinking about it to this day! My partner got the Staff Pick Bibimbap and also loved it. Tacos were yummy as well! Overall, our experience felt like a hug from Seoul Good portions and vegetarian options, well priced too.

Went here a couple of weeks ago . The bowls were prepared with fresh ingredients in both of the bowls we shared . Cant remember the names . Nice upbeat feel !

This makes me happy! I've been hoping to find tasty Korean comfort food in Albuquerque having fallen in love with Korean food in the Bay Area. I have several delicious meals from here with friends and family who are vegetarians. We love the bi bim bap dishes! It's the real deal.

After days of eating heavy chile-based stews, I really wanted fresh vegetables. An unexpected train delay in Albuquerque provided an opportunity. I just had the banchan plate. The rice was cooked perfectly, which is always a good sign, and the kimchi was the best I've had in years---you can taste the freshness of the vegetables and the crunch balances the salt and spices perfectly. They also packed it really well for takeout, separating the kimchi types with paper and putting the rice in a separate box.

Went there to try it out after seeing it on Social Media! It was nice to go to a place near central with its own parking and a small are for outdoor seating. The inside accommodates to small groups and a couple of larger tables. When we arrived it was a little bit later so that may have account for the person taking the order to seem a bit rushed. I ordered the Soo Bak Chicken FIRE Bowl and the classic Soo Bak Bowl with BBQ beef. After trying both the Soo Back with Beef was definitely the top choice. Although the chicken and ingredients in the fire bowl were plenty and it had flavor the level of heat and spice was overwhelming. It's FIRE for sure, I can tolerate spice and heat in my food but this was next level my ears and stomach were on fireeeee. If this sounds like a good time then I say try it but the the Soo Bak beef was definitely much more flavorful and the beef was well cooked and tasty. My husband enjoyed that one the most as well. Overall it's a nice place to try out for some Korean inspired flavors.

I cannot say enough about this place!!!! I've recommended to all my friends and is my go-to in Nob Hill. The food is delicious and the staff is so friendly. The beef bulgogi is to die for!!!!

Awesome food. Mushroom taco awesome. I went with my kids they said 10/10. Ambience is hip but not classic restaurant. You order at kiosk get the number. Get a table and food comes. Cucumber kimchi was fine as well. Parking is limited . It looks like it has opened inside and old garage but inside has been redone so you get nostalgic feeling of old ways.

This visit was an unexpected delight. I was introduced to the kimchi from Soo Bak because it was in a pastry I got at Burque Bakehouse. It was so good, we had to seek out the source. Funnily enough, I did not get kimchi on this visit. There was just so much to try! The server who took our order gave us a rundown of the menu since it was our first visit, and warned us that anything with "fire" in the name was going to be extraordinarily hot, which I appreciated. We wanted to try a little of everything, so first we each ordered a bibimbap bowl. I ended up getting the green bowl and added teriyaki chicken to it. The tempura avocado was such an adventure in textures, I was very pleasantly surprised by it. The sauces were also great, no spice at all but really good flavors. My husband got the Staff Pick bowl, which was a little spicier but by no means blowing our tastebuds off. It was also a really great choice. The tacos are also super, and we definitely want to try more of those next time. The ones we have tried so far are the Korean BBQ Beef, Spicy Pork, Sauteed Mushroom and Sweet Chili Tofu. The tofu was my favorite, it was so crispy and flavorful, I don't think I've ever enjoyed tofu quite so much! The mushrooms were also fabulous and I feel like I could eat a plate of those mushrooms just on their own. Next time I'll go back for the banchan so I can try all the different kimchi varieties, since that's what initially drew me to try Soo Bak Seoul Bowl. Can't wait to go back!

Wow! I checked Yelp for new restaurants in Albuquerque and found this. A very casual atmosphere (in a converted mechanic's garage) complete with enormous garage doors and a patio with shade umbrellas. This place has fresh ingredients, kimchi, some super hot Korean red chile sauce, terrific Korean BBQ and some tacos that were some of the tastiest things I've eaten in forever. We had the Soobak bowl, the Kimchi bowl and 2 Korean BBQ tacos. We would have eaten more if we could but that was plenty. We left talking about how soon we could return. They have some NM twists on the menu, some vegetarian choices and fresh (FRESH) local tortillas. Great stuff!

Came for the Vegan Chef Challenge. Stayed for the incredible flavors and unique experience. We are running back for the watermelon snow!!! Corn and veggie fritters, chilled soba noodles, all things fried tofu, tacos for days, nothing disappoints. Everything was deeply satisfying and comforting. Great service and nice ambiance, tucked quietly away from the hustle and bustle of Central but still close to everything. We can't wait to make our way back soon. Your thoughtfulness and attention to detail are appreciated

This is my new favorite restaurant. I had the sesame noodles which I'm pretty crazy about. I also love the vegetable fritters and the staff pick bowl on the back side of the menu. The staff is very sweet and helpful. They have a lovely selection of beverages. The outdoor and indoor seating is both very nice. This place is great for a larger group as well as a small one. You order at the door, get a number, your silverware and choose your own table. It's super nice and I'll definitely be going back.

Food was delicious, fresh, and very healthy. Cute spot! Place wasn't too busy and servers were very nice.

Location is right off of central tucked behind the avenue. The building is a converted garage of some sort. Excellent job giving it a unique visual aesthetic. Clean and organized interior. Decor is somewhat random. Food is five ! Tried the tacos, bowls, and sides of kimchi. Excellent flavor and fresh. Service is average. Nothing special. Nothing bad. Elevating the experience through the staff there could probably make this place more memorable.

My group, the Enchanted Loungers, visited this place recently. We had cocktails at Z-Lounge and dinner at Soo Bak Seoul Bowl. Both places were terrific. Until SBSB, I had never eaten Korean food. There were 15 of us. The restaurant was diligent about the reservations. The table was ready. Management checked in several times to confirm our reservation. The service was prompt. The food was served hot. The menu is interesting. I will return to this restaurant.

Great food and service. Kimchi bowl is the best... definitely a little hidden gem in Abq

I really like the hip vibe of this place I like that the food is fresh. I lived in Korea for over a year, and I would say this is an authentic Korean restaurant. I like the vegetable options that they have. The service is nice, they don't have waiters that serve your table through. I would say it is clean, but since they cook food in the same place that everyone eats, it can smell smoky sometimes. I got the soo bak bowl and it was presented very nicely. The food came out pretty fast.

I love this place! You place your order right away and then you can sit inside or outside. I love getting the Soo Bak Bowl with beef and I always add an egg.

Soo Bak Seoul Bowl offers quite a healthy meal got those who visit. You can choose from a variety of predefined combinations of ingredients that they picked already or just customize your own however you want. The ingredients do taste fresh and my partner and I definitely enjoyed the meal...although I sort of wished theesl tasted more authentic Korean vs. fusion-ish taste like what they offer. This place really upholds their COVID handling quite well and I hope they make it through this psndamic. The location is convenient (thus, slightly pricey) for those in Nob Hill/UNM area, soni would imagine on regular normal days...they'd probably have many customers (vs. just a few triggering in here and there on a Sunday lunch time).

The tacos are the best. I dream about the fresh pickles and tortillas. The kimchi balls were fire and my bf really loved the bowls. 10/10.

Food was very good just a little pricy. Still very delicious. I also got a margarita it was delicious but definitely not worth $10 it was more of a $6 margarita but still delicious.

We are visiting from San Diego and my son took us here. Love the restaurant which looks like an old automotive garage. The food was fantastic! I highly recommend it. We will be back when we visit again.

tacos were gas ngl. The people were really nice. The vibes are really chill. I would definitely recommend this place.

Very good food! The tacos are so good and the kimchi is made in house. Great service and good vibes/ambiance. I'm surprised it's not a more popular spot.

Ramen with Braised beef. Only on the menu for one night, but the other dishes we had were absolutely delicious. The best part of this place was our server manny. We will be back soon!!

Amazing find on a hungry evening! Service is quick and food is delicious. They're known for their bibimbap bowls and we had the Korean bbq and New Mexico bowl. We also got the tacos and sesame noodles (sesame was our least fav). The chicken taco is the spiciest thing I tried here nevertheless, very tasty! I got some radish kimchi on the side which I thought wasn't picked enough and I've had better radish kimchi before. Service was quick and the staff was very friendly. Overall, this place was a great find and we enjoyed our food.

Food presentation is an art and this place masters it. I subbed the spicy pork for the fire chicken and should have probably stuck with the original New Mexican Bibimbop recipe. I docked a star because the food seemed to take quite awhile longer than I expected. And the parking lot is tiny. During winter months, they should minimize the outdoor patio and add some additional parking spots. The friends I was with appreciated the beer and seltzer options. I'll definitely go again but will get something different. PS the kimchi fire balls aren't filled with cabbage like I thought when I ordered them. But the fried rice balls were delicious anyway. It was good.

I only noticed this place while going to eat at Clown Dog next door, and I'm so I glad I did! This place was a huge surprise and definitely something Nob Hill needs. I ordered the classic Bibimbap , where you can choose your meat, rice, sauces, and three different toppings. I chose fried rice, Korean bbq beef, lettuce, cilantro, and corn, topped with teriyaki sauce. I opted for a fried egg on top which was absolutely delicious. Everything is made fresh in an open style kitchen. This place typically isn't busy, which I think it totally deserves to be busy all the time. This place is definitely a must when you have a bibimbap craving and I couldn't recommend it more!

Where to start...locally owned, they started from a food truck now they're here (I sang that in my best Drake voice), and the food packs flavor and creativity all into one punch and fork or hand! I often would seek out the food truck because this is my daughter's absolute favorite. She rarely ever eats meat but she with always eat the bibimbop with the Korean bbq beef from here. Since we were hungry (yes, this is an excuse), we ordered wayyyy too much and almost ate it all. We took 1/2 our bibimbop bowls home and reheated the next day for lunch. What we ordered: 2 orders of bibimbop with Korean bbq beef which you customize yourself with veggies and toppings, chile cheese fries, and I had 2 mushroom tacos because I NEED them. Yes, I said need. I'm not a vegetarian but the mushroom tacos are my absolute favorite. Just thinking about them makes me hungry. I drove clear across town to eat here and will do it again. This place leaves nothing to be desired except a larger stomach. I plan on eating my way through the menu and trying everything.

First experience eating their food!! Did take out thanks to covid-19, trying to help keep local businesses afloat and get take out at least once or twice a week. It's rough out there, hoping to help support as many of our awesome local restaurants as I can. Love love love, the veggie bowl! The tofu is a crispy delight, the bowl comes with brown rice, corn, and broccoli. I added fried avocado and it was excellent!! Very taste and want to try more things from their menu. Services was quick and fast. Ordering over the phone was easy and painless! No idea what the place looks like on the inside so no comment on that part. I highly recommend, they did say they are keeping pretty busy so YAY! Go get take out and support your local restaurants or get a gift card if they have them for later!!

Really delicious food! I liked being able to sit outside in some shade and enjoy the day while also enjoying a delicious bibimbap bowl! The smell reminded me of yummy bowls in Korea but with a distinct western flavor that matches super well. Really great vegan options, and the tofu was perfectly crispy. It had great flavor! Coming from California with a ton of Korean food.. if Soo Bak was in the Bay, I'd probably choose it over other local spots. Going to have to visit again next time I'm in town!

Meh. Prices are higher than on menus on yelp, it's smoky and a little unpleasant indoors, and the food took a while to come out even though it wasn't very busy. The food was not great. One of the BBQ beefs was soft and flavorful, the other was burnt. The sesame noodles were good, but overpriced for what it is with a protein added. Wouldn't go back, not sure why this has 4.5 stars. I regret not trying the ramen place nearby which was slightly lower rated, maybe next time.

Food was so good very Spicy and sweet. The portion was just enough to make you full but the food itself is lite. The atmosphere is urban and most likely will attract a lot of young people. They have lots of options for different dietary restrictions which is great!

Soo Bak Seoul is featured in few lists as a must visit in ABQ so of course we came to try it . And sadly we were disappointed. The food is not bad but it has no wow factor. It fell flat. There were no strong flavors of any kind. Some of the chicken in my taco were dry as well. It just didn't seem very "Korean" at all. The restaurant itself is very underwhelming with decor. It's an order before you eat place as well. It is possible that we came on an off day but I doubt it as I didn't see hints of mastery of flavors. So i think it is an over hyped place .

Really liked this place! Great flavor! Will be going back. If i could say anything for them to fix, they could work on a bigger portion. But it took me back to Korea/Japanese food! Authentic

Very refreshing given that this town has a lot of fried fast food. Located in what looks to be an old garage. Looks like it caters to students nearby.

Good food portions are a little small for what the price is but no complaints what so ever