Lucky Soul Diner

I'm so glad this restaurant randomly popped up on my explore page one day so I could give a try. When you get there, keep in mind that the sign outside the restaurant says JeonJu rather than Lucky Soul Diner. Not sure why, but hopefully that helps! JeonJu is small, but a cozy and comforting restaurant. It looks simple inside but the food is so flavorful and complex. They also have a TV inside that was playing clips of Vietnamese food. We ordered the iron plate seafood pancake and seafood stone pot bibimbap and neither were disappoints. They both came out super hot, especially the bibimbap which was sizzling right up until the end of our meal. The server melted the cheese on top of it at our table so points for showmanship! Both dishes were so tasty and delicious, and the portions were pretty big! Between me and my fiance, we weren't able to finish just the two. The stone pot does get a little too hot though because the rice at the bottom of the stone pot gets hard and difficult to eat, but most of the rice stays soft. I love that the stone pot can keep our meal warm the entire time.

Higher price tag but the portions are generous.Galbijjim was good, pork bone soup was good.Kimchi can use some work... feels like from Trader Joe's or something lol. Owner was really responsive and wish them good luck!

The restaurant was a letdown, to say the least. We visited during prime time, and the place was almost empty--never a good sign. The crowd that did show up was mostly younger, fresh-out-of-college types, with a few older millennials sprinkled in.The menu was surprisingly pricey, especially when compared to well-known Korean restaurants in San Francisco and LA's Koreatown. Unfortunately, the quality didn't match the cost. The sauces and kimchi lacked the depth of homemade flavors, and the hot pot experience was downright frustrating. Instead of serving a properly prepared dish, they handed over a bowl with dried ramen that we had to dunk into scalding broth ourselves--an accident waiting to happen.Service was another disappointment. There was no real engagement from the staff--no warm welcome, no menu guidance, no mention of specials. It felt completely impersonal, yet they still expected a 20% tip. For what, exactly?Overall, this place just isn't worth it. There are far better Korean restaurants where the food is authentic, the service is attentive, and you're not left to fend for yourself with dangerously hot broth. Keep looking.

3.5. Not horrible. Just mid tbh. The seafood pancake was nice and crunchy. But the squid in it were soooo rubbery that it was hard to chew and swallow. The rice cake deluxe was interesting with the mexican cheese. That's all I tasted though. It wasn't bad but wasn't what I was expecting from tteokbokki.

Delight in this cozy Korean restaurant on a chilly winter night--ideal for a Friday hangout with a small group of friends. We indulged in seafood bibimbap in a stone pot with sizzling cheese, pork bone pot, galbi steak, fish on a sizzling platter, and chive and shrimp pancake. So much delectable food, perfect for sharing! Service can be more attentive.

Solid Korean spot! Got confused when I originally got to the store as the sign says jeonju but the place goes by both names! I went on a weekday and they had a special where if you spend over $100 you get a free item! I ordered the gabijjim, pork backbone stew, and seafood pancake. The seafood pancake was crispy and delicious with a good ratio of seafood inside. Galbijjim was flavorful and meat was super tender and soft! Compared to some other places I been too, for the price point it was very satisfying. Pork backbone stew was warm and inviting. Overall would come back here again to try more things!

The seasoning on pork belly was way way off... not Korean at all. The LA galbi meat was tough, corn cheese was lukewarm. Side dishes didn't taste authentic either. The service (they served rice and soup - which usually accompany any meal in regular Korean restaurants - free of charge when asked) and atmosphere (authentic casual Korean) are the reason for the stars. I'm so sorry but we have much better options to choose from when it comes to Korean food in Milpitas.

We decided to stop by for a late lunch before heading to the Great Mall. There are plenty of parking spots right outside of the restaurant. We were seated by unfriendly and unhelpful waitress upon entering the restaurant. The waitress point to the QR Code on the table. We had to scan the QR Code to place our order. We ordered the Seafood Hot Stone Bibimbap and a small Pork Bone Stew Pot. The waitress gave us six different banchans, but we were never offered the free refills they advertised on the menu. Our food came out in a timely manner. The seafood hot stone bibimbap was piping hot with melted cheese and shredded seaweed on top. The seafood consisted of small pieces of squid and a few small shrimp. No other type of seafood that I can see in there. The pork bone stew was a little bit on the spicy side. We ordered mild and it had lots of jalapeños on top. The stew was pretty hearty and the broth was on the salty side. There was basically no service besides the waitress bringing us the food and water. We needed extra napkins and we had to get them ourselves. The waitress was too busy playing with her phone. She didn't even look up or walk around the restaurant to see whether the customers needed anything. The prices are fairly reasonable and they were generous with the portions. However, they lack good service.

I had a very mixed experience here. The staff was wonderful - very friendly, QR Code menu was easy to order from, and food came out quick. The food was hit or miss in our order- we ordered the kimchi pancake (delicious), steam egg (don't recommend), and pork belly (delicious and rich) with rice. The rice was great- not the typical cheap white rice some places serve- it was quality. The steam egg was SO disappointing though- It was bland, burned at the edges, and watery. I like mine at home better :)Ambience is cute, its a small place. They really need ventilation in there though- the table behind us got a dish that was cooked at the table and the fumes/ fat smoke had us choking. This was the reason for 3 stars vs 4 or 5- it wasn't a pleasant dining experience for us.

Lucky Soul Diner--also known as Jeonju, which admittedly adds a bit of confusion--is a solid choice for Korean comfort food. I tried the galbijjim, and it was a standout. Tender, flavorful, and comparable to the popular Daeho, but at a much more affordable price point, making it a great value.The seafood pancake, on the other hand, was a bit of a letdown. It was slightly tough and didn't have as much seafood as I'd hoped, which left it feeling a little underwhelming. That said, the menu offers plenty of other options, and the overall experience was still enjoyable.Lucky Soul Diner is definitely a spot I'd return to, especially to explore more of their dishes. If you're craving galbijjim without the Daeho price tag, this place is worth checking out.