The Most Delectable Korean in Tampa

Ginger's Cafe

★★★★★ 5 (7)

"It's delicious! I'm so happy to give another food truck a 5 star review. It's not always about the lighting or décor of a place. The food and service matters the most to me, and Ginger's Café deserves lots of praise for a quick and hot meal that was so wonderful and comforting.First of all, definitely try to get the bibimbap if you happen to see it posted. It's not on the regular menu, but you'll see it as the daily special posted on the counter window. It was delicious, and a very big portion of ground beef bulgogi on top of rice and all different kinds of veggies including spinach (all kinds of goodness). You get your choice of beef or pork. You can also skip the rice and get all meat and veggies if that's what you desire. They will also add a fried egg for an extra $1. I didn't ask for the egg but it was the best mistake ever. The yolk mixed with the rice and beef made it an even tastier treat for me. It reminded me of my mother because she used to love her fried egg on top of white rice. I never could understand it until now. It completed the whole experience. They give you gochujang sauce on the side, but it really didn't need it. They also give you a small side of mild or spicy kimchi. I got the mild one and it was very tasty. I'd get the bibimbap bowl again in a heartbeat. The fresh lemonade was also what I needed to wash it all down. It took me a while to write this review because I had to go back a second time just to try the egg rolls. These were huge rolls filled with cabbage, carrots, glass noodles and bits of pork here and there. It can be its own meal. They give you 2 very large rolls. They were hot and crispy as an egg roll should be. This is something else I would order again but I would need to share it with someone else next time. I want to go back to try the sweet & spicy pork bites as well as the bulgogi burger.The food truck is in front of the Brandon Oriental Market on Saturdays. I haven't been to their primary location at 127 N Moon Avenue yet. I just happened to see the schedule posted on Facebook. There is also a nice article in the Osprey Observer about the Korean/American family who owns this local business. The food is great, the price is reasonable, and Ginger and her family provide great service. I can't wait to go back."

Sweet Krunch

★★★★★ 4.8 (17) • $$

"FINALLY - a spot for some real Korean fried chicken wings! I about jumped for joy when my order of soy garlic wings came out. I waited for years to finally get a Bonchon in Tampa, and honestly, this place is way better! The food was fresh, the service was quick and friendly, and they even had some pretty cool drinks! I tried their matcha latte with foam and my boyfriend got the honeydew melon slushy and they were both good! I wasn't a huge fan of the shrimp, but everything else was amazing!"

Anju Korean Gastrotruck

★★★★☆ 4.3 (41) • $$

"This truck just came to my workplace and it was delicious! I avoided it last time because I was trying to be more healthy, but gosh darn it, sometimes you've got to splurge! I'm glad I did. I was really tempted to get the tots, which come with bulgogi beef (thin sliced, sesame sauce marinated) because it had all sort of radical toppings, but I went for the combo instead. The combo includes fried chicken bites tossed in a sweet sauce aside bulgogi beef, sticky rice and a chicken egg roll on top. It was $12 and a pretty hefty lunch. I would definitely eat at this truck again! I love Korean food!"

Sushi Avenue

★★★★☆ 3.9 (197) • $$

"Favorite place for the family to go for sushi and chicken and rice! It seems to be a tradition for us every weekend to take advantage! It has a nice vibe and very comfortable feel to the location."

K - Chicken and Grill Korean BBQ

★★★★☆ 4.3 (199) • $$

"Kids loved it here. We got galbi and all the ban Chan was so yummy. Tried a few soju flavors and also the japchae. Wish we could have done the grill but with the tiny kids it's not a smart move we opted for the precooked food and it was well worth it. Our waiter was very kind and answered the throngs of random questions my kids threw at him all while taking our order and helping us pick items as well."

Sushi Ninja Tampa

★★★★☆ 4.1 (421) • $$

"A Japanese and Korean restaurant located on Kennedy Blvd is my go-to for sushi and its delicious freshness and menu variety. I typically order pickup and given a 15-20 minute window for pickup and rarely have to worry about waiting a full 20 minutes for my order to be ready. The ambiance is nice, quiet, and enjoyable dining experience the few times I dined in."

Kiwa Asian Kitchen

★★★★★ 4.6 (29)

"Korean/Japanese fusion. Which is pretty cool to have south of Gandy. Not a huge selection of traditional Korean dishes, even so you will fond the typical bulgogi and galbi. This place was so good."

Dosi Rak

★★★★★ 4.7 (97) • $$

"Our new favorite Korean spot! I love that it's attached to their market so you can shop and eat all in one. I tried the galbi beef and the marinade was delicious and gave the beef a little carmeling flavor. My husband tried the spicy chicken bulgogi and he said it reminded him of his favorites from when he lived in Korea. The kimbap didn't come with a dipping sauce but was tasty as well. We will be going back for sure!"

Sa Ri One Korean Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.1 (676) • $$

"We have visit this restaurant before yelp. We know this restaurant long time ago and visited several time. This will be the first time we give them a review. Base on our previous experience, we feel their previous bounchon is better especially the fish cake and bean sprouts. May be more sesame oil in the tapas. We got the Galbi lunch special. The amount of Galbi is in good number of pieces. Love it. My wife got the chicken katsu. Not bad either. The lunch box comes with accompany salad, rice, fried gyoza, potato pie. Overall is still good place for lunch. Definitely worth for revisit."

K-Deli

★★★★★ 4.7 (106) • $$

"Did I just buy two tubs of cucumber kimchi and a huge tub of kimchi after I ate my lunch....why yes. Yes I did. Because the house made kimchi is SO GOOD - it beats any store bought any day. I think the kimchi alone being too good, speaks volumes for the remainder of the food I enjoyed. The place is very quaint - market like really, but still has the comfort of a Korean convenience store with all the options. Loved the fact that I could purchase and enjoy the pouched beverages "ade", it's like the Asian equivalent of caprisuns but better. So refreshing - especially when their staff gave you a cup of ice with it! Overall I was not expecting the rice bowls and plates to be as large as I got. Usually Korean food can be pricey and you may be full for a few hours - but the portions here are amazinggggg (for a foodie). I had soo much food - I saved the rest for dinner! Their marinated meats were so juicy and flavorful, their Japchae was the best Japchae I've had from a Korean place. I loved the variety the box came with including pickled veggies!!! I'm not from the tampa area but WOW will I be coming back every time to enjoy this Korean gem. So good, so comforting and so worth the cost."

JinJu Korean Grill & Sushi

★★★★☆ 4.2 (106)

"Have been here many times and as far as Korean in St Pete goes, this is usually our go to spot but recently we were there and the waitress said they didn't have seafood pancakes and weren't likely to bring them back. The waitress was also sort of blunt and intimidating."

Korean BBQ

★★★★☆ 4.4 (48)

"Stopped by Korean BBQ for an inexpensive tasty Korean lunch experience.This is a quaint shop with one long table and two small tables by the window. They also have tables outside which who wants to sit outside in the summer in Florida. There were two people working. The sweet lady taking the order and the chef.We enjoyed this little Korean restaurant with lunch with a smile. We ordered a bento box and asked for japchae noodles instead of veggies. It's not on the menu. They nicely obliged.I tried Allie's lobster roll which was also very good.This quaint restaurant is extra memorable because of them being extremely welcoming. The great food and welcoming environment was very enlightening and nice!! I would definitely recommend checking them out! We will definitely be back. And best of all this meal won't break the bank and the food is very tasty!"

Hot Pot World

★★★★★ 4.7 (84) • $$$

"We drove 45 minutes because Yelp listed this place as number 1 for Hot Pot, and we were celebrating daughter's 25th birthday. From the moment we arrived, it was a great experience. We were seated in the back corner, so it was a little more quiet and private, which was nice. Our server explained everything, got our drinks, made recommendations, and produced our pots. He kept our waters filled, and our needs met throughout. Daughter was the only one who wanted both Hot Pot and Korean BBQ, and they do not force everyone to get BBQ if only one orders it like some places do, which was good since hubby and I don't eat animals! Everything was clean and well presented. While this was not my first Hot Pot, my other experiences were negative, but this made me change my mind. The food was super fresh and tasted fantastic. For daughter's bday, they gave her a crown to wear and both a discount and a special lemon cupcake. The next time we do Hot Pot, which daughter LOVES, we will def be back here!"

Sorimmara

★★★★☆ 4.3 (6)

"They were understaffed tonight but understandable since they just opened and are likely looking for more staff. I also think they need a sign right inside the door to advise people of whether they should seat themselves or wait to be seated - it's unclear, so we just sat ourselves and went to start getting ingredients. I went with my wife on Valentine's Day and it was moderately busy by the time we sat and were waiting for the food. You get your ingredients yourself and put them in a bowl - vegetables, various meats, noodles galore, etc. the bowl with ingredients must weigh at least 1 pound - my wife and I shared one and it came out to 2.3 lbs. The wait was fairly short and the food was well prepared and exquisite as usual. We got the chicken guobaoruo to start, it was STUPENDOUS with the medal sauce mixture. By the way, they have 6 sauces at the sauce bar and there is a sign with instructions on how to make them. Medal sauce was good - we added soy sauce to make it more saucy and it was too good. We also got the Rose Mala Xiang Guo with various ingredients, all the ingredients were fresh and like I said, it was well-prepared. They serve it in a cast iron skillet with a base that they light so the food stays hot for the duration of your meal. The ice water is served in a metal cup so it stays COLD and I love cold water so you know I'm feeling this, truly and fervently. This was our third visit (one visit was me ordering shrimp guobaoruo to go with the 50% coupon I got through their promotion on instagram [follow me at @chizlonies]). That was great - we got the large size (usually a little steep at $29.99, I would not order it if I did not have the coupon) and it was very good as well, though be aware that the tails are on the shrimp if that's something you don't like. I would highly recommend Sorimmara, I hope they stay open and survive this area, as several business/restaurants go out of business in this area of New Tampa - but I will continue to be a patron. On a scale of 10, I'd give it a score of 9.2/5 stars. On a scale of 5, I'd give it 5/5 stars."

Tsunami Sushi & Hibachi Grill

★★★★☆ 4.1 (271) • $$

"Coming from NYC wasn't expecting good sushi in the middle of Florida, no offense intended :(. But right from the door met with a friendly family leaving the restaurant giving us a heads up that the food we were about to eat was really good. Servicer, Lisa, was efficient and friendly. The drinks, sweet tea and hot saki were excellent, the teriyaki entree, fried crab, salads, all delicious. The rolls took some time to wait for, but when they came, you could understand why, so big and so much, have to bag those to go :p. Highly recommend"

Jaws Topokki

★★★★☆ 4 (7)

"Jaws is really jaw dropping. The restaurant is one of the vendors in Lotte. You don't need to wait on the line. Just head to the kiosk and order what you want. They carry different gimbap, deep fried set, Topokki, and Korean sausage. We were here for the bulgogi gimbap. The gimbap has good diameter. A lot of veggies. Good balance taste. Good fragrance sesame oil. One thing they need to improve is good amount of meat bulgogi. Overall is very good. I will return to try their topokki and their fried set. Order do not take long. Not much of wait time when my given iPhone buzz me for the order is ready."

Yumsem Eats

★★★★☆ 4.4 (11)

"This plaza already had great options and it only got better. Yumsem eats is a welcome addition and a great fit. The staff was friendly, the kimbap fresh, and most importantly delicious. We can't wait to go back to try some of the other options on the menu."

K Bop Box

★★★★★ 4.6 (69) • $$

"I was originally tossed between a 4 and 5 star review due to price. It was the unique Korean offerings and great service that made it a 5 star review. It's a great place to share a meal with family & friends. It was very comforting!We were greeted immediately by Dilara. She was so friendly and helpful throughout the visit. She even gave me a great suggestion on choice of drinks. The Milkis Banana Soda was the perfect fit for me. The restaurant started to get very busy at lunch time, and none of it phased her. She handled it like a pro.We started with the Corn Cheese appetizer. I would have never tried it if my friend had not mentioned it the day before. It was such a great shareable dish. It's delivered all bubbly on a hot plate. It looks almost like Mexican street corn, but it has a totally different flavor profile. It was almost sweet enough to be a dessert. I love that sweet cheese topping!It was a cold day, so we decided to get soup. I went with the Galbitang, and my friend selected the Soft Tofu Stew. It also came out bubbling hot, and served in its own cast iron pot. A very hot pot, so don't touch it. Lol! The rib meat was plentiful. There was a large rib bone in my soup. The meat was so tender, and fell right off the bone. The broth was meaty and full of flavor. There wasn't a whole lot of glass noodles, so I suggest you add the meat dumplings for an extra $5. Otherwise, just add the rice that comes with it. It was perfect with the rice. The banchan sides were also very tasty. I was surprised that the kimchi wasn't overly spicy. I really loved all the different flavors. What's even better is that they don't rely on salt to make it tasty. All the natural flavors of the rich rib meat shined through in the broth. It was a meal to be savored slowly as the broth started cooling off from the hot temperature. You can actually carry on a conversation while enjoying it, and not worry about your soup getting cold. Again, it was a very comfortable & enjoyable experience!We wanted to try the Korean Hotteok for dessert. Unfortunately, they didn't have any that day. I definitely want to go back and try that. I'm also very interested in trying their vegetable ramyun & gimbap lunch combo. There was a Bulgogi Wrap special that also looked very reasonable. They have different specials each month. Everything was great! I could definitely tell that a lot of hard work goes into making each and every dish. This hidden gem deserves multiple return visits. It's very close to the Manatee Viewing Center, so you might as well check it out while you're in the area."

One Family Korean Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.2 (408) • $$

"We always love coming here. Food is always fresh and delicious. Their side dishes are always so good. I love the fish cakes. Always friendly and fast service compared to other restaurants around. You won't be disappointed!"

MyungGa Gyo-dong Korean Noodle

★★★★★ 5 (4)

"I had a craving for jajangmyeon after watching Strongest Deliveryman, so after looking at places decided to try Gyodong in the Lotte' food court and I would have to agree, the jajangmyeon here is too legit. If you're in the area, give it a try, the shrimp fried rice with jajangmyeon sauce is also pretty tasty!"

Connie Sue's Korean BBQ

★★★★☆ 4.1 (8)

"I was very disappointed by this food truck. The food wasn't authentic. The quantity of protein was very minimal. And it is extremely expensive."

Gangchu

★★★★☆ 3.8 (298) • $$

"Came here for a friend's birthday (party of 12 - dinner and karaoke). Every staff person was friendly, attentative, and genuinely seemed to care about us having a great time. We started our dinner on the patio. I'm pescatarian, so there were veggie dumplings, veg rice, and plain fries for me, my husband ate the chicken and everything was delicious! The decor is cute and the karaoke was a lot of fun! I'm glad they gave us to-go boxes at the end because there was a lot of food leftover. I'd love to come back here again and try more of the menu."

Bap Bap

★★★★☆ 3.5 (13)

"New Asian restaurant located inside Armature Works hit the spot. I had the Bulgogi bowl and it was delicious. Staff was friendly and kiosk was clean. Will definitely visit again soon."

Grillaking

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (6)

"We went to Localtopia in St. Petersburg today. There were lots of food trucks to choose from. I got the Bulgogi Beef Burrito - wet. Definitely a knife and fork meal. I shared it with someone in our group. The plastic ware they have is not suitable for this meal at all. Knife and forks were bending and made us have to destroy the burrito to eat it.The flavor was good and different than anything I've had before. As excited as I was to try them, I don't feel I would get this particular meal again. I did have MANY people stop and ask me what I was eating because of how visually good it looked and it is a huge portion."

Sweet Krunch

★★★★☆ 4.2 (12)

"On several occasions, we have dined at this establishment for lunch, and our opinions vary. The premises are well-maintained, and the staff is cordial. The menu offers a diverse selection of dishes, with a particular emphasis on beverages. We typically order the standard fare, such as chicken teriyaki and beef bulgogi. While these dishes are commendable for their abundance of vegetables, I find that the protein content could be more substantial. Ideally, the protein should account for a greater portion of the dish. In my next visit, I intend to explore the buns and observe their protein content."

Hong BBQ & Hot Pot Fowler

★★★★★ 4.5 (182) • $$$

"My friends and I all got the BBQ.. and let me tell you did we make the most of it!! This was my first time enjoying a Korean bbq! The meats were delicious, a favorite of ours being the beef bulgogi and the beef slices. So many options but each one was uniquely good. Definitely come here if you're trying to hit your protein goal for the day.. i probably ate a whole days worth with just this meal . Our server Mitchel was awesome and gave great recs! We also got 10% for student discount. Will definitely be coming back to use my free boba coupon and to try hot pot!"

Kogi Grill

★★★★☆ 3.7 (3)

"I was pretty stoked to have one nearby since I really liked the one by MD but this one is not as good. It's a bit smaller too. We were going to dine in but it was sweltering hot when we got there and it was like 70 something degrees outside. Service was fast, food came out quick. The flavor was off tho. I can't quite put my finger on it but it just didn't taste like how it's supposed to. It's not terrible, it's just not what I expected or previously tasted from other another location."

So Gong Dong Tofu & BBQ

★★★☆☆ 2.5 (2)

"This place is pretty good. They have first service with some good ingredients and quality. I was surprised my dish came with sides.The prices are pretty reasonable, but I did notice that in my hot stone bowl, they kinda went cheap on the amount of meat I had.All the flavors seem correct and it's a great option for some fast korean food."

Soul Of Korea

★★★★☆ 4.3 (352) • $$

"This is a very good Korean Food Restaurant. The shorts-ribs entree was exceptional. The staff were very friend and helpful, they provided great service."

SGD Tofu and Barbecue

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (3)

"Conveniently located in the food court of the Lotte Plaza, this is a convenient place to grab a bite to eat before,during, and after shopping. Walking into the food court, there are kiosks setup that you can use to order food from SGD as well as from other venues if you want, The kiosks are intuititive to use and the menus are laid out so you can easily find items. There is a standard mix of items including bento boxes, bulgogi, and soups. We ordered a bulgogi bento box, wch included rice, kimchi, and mandoo. I also ordered a beef riuce cake soup. The bulgogi was flavored well and the manoo was crisp and fresh. The tteok guk soup had a great beef bone flavor and was offset with the rice cakes and scallions. It was HOT and FRESH and most definitely hit the spot. Pricing is comparable to a sit down restaurant; but you don't get table side service. But I like this place as the food is decent and it's really convenient when I come to Lotte Plaza to shop; I'll definitely be back!"

Wandee Asian Fusion

★★★★☆ 4.4 (122) • $$

"This place is great. Very cool ambiance, although small and gets busy fast.The food selection is MASSIVE and has a wide influence of asian foods from Japanese to Chinese to Thai to sushi. What you see online as the menu isn't even close to their entire offering which they present in an iPad with menu photos.The food is excellent. The prices are comparable. The service has always been good. Hot sake is presented in a very unique way which we really enjoy.Overall, this is one of our new favorite spots in Tampa. Definitely give it a try."

Boil Spot

★★★★☆ 4.1 (165) • $$

"Excellent service from start to finish. Plenty options for vegans! I really love the buffet style veggies instead of ordering with a server. Will be back again!"

Kogi Grill

★★★★☆ 4 (24)

"Update: I went back to try their veggie bowl but they apparently don't have veggies in at all. That was super disappointing. I was able to try the egg on top at least, which was tasty. The guy at checkout was very friendly which helped me get better impression. They still have the sign out front for the dessert shop so I was still sad not to have yummy dessert options, haha. The drink selection was pretty boring. Overall, it's tasty but no real reason to go back at this point, sadly.First off, I'm all about the BOGO for the new Pinellas Park location until the 16th! But also really appreciate the customer service. I accidentally called the owner's personal cell phone number when I was trying to place a takeout order. I guess the website I was trying to order from had the wrong number listed. Once I realized this mistake, I kind of expected the guy would be a little upset that I just interrupted his personal time and assumed he would redirect me to the correct number to call. But instead, he very calmly and patiently asked what my order was and told me it would be ready in about 15 minutes. I really appreciate that added level of customer service!My disappointments were 1) there is still signage from a dessert shop that I guess was there before. I had been falsely really excited for some dessert afterwards! Haha. And 2) they didn't have chopsticks. But I get it, they're a new place and don't always have all the materials.The menu is limited for vegetarians, but I do appreciate that they have a vegetarian option at all. For pescatarians, I was pleased they have salmon and shrimp, though was disappointed that the bowls just literally come with rice, lettuce, protein, and sauce. I must be used to other places where a bowl comes with veggies as well and so kind of had that as my expectation, potentially unfairly. The food itself was pretty tasty though. A bit spicy for my preference but there was definitely good flavor to it. I'd definitely go back and next time I'll add the bibimbap veggies and maybe an egg to try. Glad to have a new place for good food in the area."

Sa Ri One Grill

★★★★☆ 4 (294) • $$

"This place is a fantastic experience! I've been here twice. Once on a first date and once with my lady and my kids and both experiences were unforgettable!The place itself has nice decor and the atmosphere is always pleasant. The staff has always been friendly and very helpful. I've never had to go wait to be sat down.The food is phenomenal and the experience of grilling it yourself and eating it in multiple ways and combinations is straight up FUN! This second time, we ordered seafood noodles and a rice dish for the table. Also got some dumplings. Can't think of any part of it that wasn't perfectly seasoned and flavored. Just a hit across the board!I will 100% be returning to this place. It's an experience I want to introduce anyone I can to."

Ybor Seoul

★★★★☆ 4.4 (65) • $$

"Quick service I have never had to wait long even when it's packed, food is always fresh and delicious. They answer any questions you have as well!"