SEOUL 1988 Karolinenviertel in Hamburg

Delicious Korean restaurant in St. Pauli. Typical fresh Korean cuisine in a fitting atmosphere. Service and food were excellent. The ambiance could be improved, but unfortunately, I've never been to Korea to better assess or compare it. We'll be back! Keep it up!

Great restaurant with authentic Korean food

This was my first time here, and I highly recommend it! Food: Appetizer and main course. Both were very generous and delicious! Spicy options were also available, but this was clearly indicated on the menu. Service: Vicky is a fantastic employee; she was incredibly friendly and competent. A little bonus: I mentioned I was really hungry, and however she managed it, my food arrived what felt like two minutes later… I'm very grateful for that! Atmosphere: Authentic and clean.

I cannot recommend this restaurant. The service was very inattentive overall. My cocktail was prepared without any care – more like a juice spritzer. The cutlery tray was greasy/smeared inside. The dip for the appetizer tasted like ketchup, and the appetizers for the main course were meager. They were supposedly going to be refilled, but that's impossible if the server doesn't ask – not even if you'd like another drink, if everything was alright, or if you needed anything. Even a 15% tip didn't elicit any reaction from the waiter. The fancy photo booth was broken, as was the toilet. Really nothing special.

We had delicious food and a beautifully decorated atmosphere. The portions were truly generous.

Good food and generous portions. Unfortunately, I can only give the service 2 out of 5 stars because: The service was friendly and attentive, BUT my husband had an entire meal spilled all over his pants, hands, and shoes. We didn't make a scene at all, because these things happen, and the waitress was clearly embarrassed. BUT then we were told we'd get a free round of drinks as an apology, and at the end, when we got the bill, we were charged for everything. When I asked what had happened to the free round of drinks, they initially pretended they knew nothing about it, and then they only removed my husband's second drink. We all only had tea for €4, no expensive cocktails or alcohol. So, if we had insisted on having the clothes cleaned, it would have cost the restaurant significantly more than €16 for tea for four people! Therefore, points deducted for making promises and not keeping them. 👎

The best Korean fried chicken in Hamburg, and every visit to the restaurant feels like a short trip to Seoul. :)

I visited with friends and we enjoyed Korean fried chicken, noodles and a few other dishes and everything was tasty, and the portion sizes were much better than expected. The service was friendly, and the Soju paired perfectly with the meal. The space is a bit cramped, but the atmosphere is lively, and the photobooth at the entrance is a fun touch. Overall, a solid choice for Korean comfort food.

The food was delicious, and we truly enjoyed our meal. The service rating was edited from 1 to 4.

What a fantastic, charming, and authentic Korean restaurant! I felt incredibly comfortable! Great selection, wonderful staff. A perfect dinner! Highly recommended! December 3, 2025 8:00 PM

I went there for lunch on a recommendation. The food was really delicious, and I found the atmosphere very appealing and authentic.

One of our favorite restaurants in Hamburg, which we always enjoy visiting. Delicious food, friendly staff, and a lovely atmosphere. Reservations are recommended. As a nice bonus, there's also a free photo booth.

Our last visit was disappointing. They told us they are out of chicken at 18:20 on a Sunday!

There were four of us with friends, and it was a truly fantastic evening! Since we had a reservation, everything went incredibly smoothly, and we didn't have to wait in line. The food was a 10/10, and the service was super friendly, fast, and attentive. The prices are more than fair for what you get. The atmosphere is also perfect; it feels authentic. We'll definitely be back!

Thank you so much! Excellent quality, friendly atmosphere. The food was delicious and tasty. Parking nearby. Perfect for everyone. We'll definitely be back.

It was nice experience. We chose Friday night for dine. It was super crowded and too loud to talk. The food is ample and taste wise is good. I had thought of hotpot or barbeque concept, where one kinda cook the food. The table had the facilities but I think it's need a speical request.. We liked the spicy korean fried chicken. It's super hot 🔥 spicy. If you are fan of it then must try.

Really tasty food and good portions, a bit pricey though

Very cool Korean restaurant. The food was good!

It's very salty; only the Germans don't find it salty. The Germans like it very salty.

The food is great, huge portions for very good price (you can also charge your portion for some food categories). The Korean chicken is delicious and crispy. There is also cute little appetizers before your food is ready. Also so many interesting vegan options. For drink we tried Aloe vera drink and that was so refreshing. The service was perfect and waiters were super friendly. Feel free to ask them about what you want to choose. They made our experience much more fun. All in all, we had a very nice evening as a group of 15 people in heart of Korean culture.

Unfortunately, it doesn't have much to do with Korean food anymore... What a shame... Visually appealing. Taste-wise, it's terrible. And far too expensive for what it is.

Very cool atmosphere. It's difficult to get a table without a reservation. We were lucky. Delicious food and a very friendly lady who served us convinced us to come back.

Awesome location, amazing staff, karaoke is so much fun, and the food tastes just like in Korea. Simply an absolute highlight in Hamburg! Best Korean restaurant!

What an amazing restaurant! It starts right at the entrance... selfie time at the wall-mounted camera with instant prints... which you can then stick on the wall for the other guests to see. Inside the restaurant, you're greeted warmly and the atmosphere is stylish. You immediately feel comfortable and transported to Korea. The menu has a fantastic selection, fair prices, and way too many choices because everything looks so delicious! The drinks menu features fancy Asian-style cocktails and long drinks... cool! And then the food... what can I say? A perfect 12 out of 10! Amazing!!! If you don't leave full, you've got bigger problems... We will definitely be back!!!

Excellent service! The wings had the wrong (spicy) sauce, but when I asked the server, they replaced them. Plus, I got a complimentary water and beer.

Super delicious food. We love the Korean chicken. It's full and cool. It's like a little piece of Korea :)

I went to three Korean restaurants in a week and this was the best!! The only thing I was most excited about was the Jjamppong broth, which wasn't as deep as I'd hoped for, but the rest was really delicious!!

This is the best Korean restaurant

This was my first time here, but everything was great. The food was delicious – I especially recommend the chicken. The service was attentive and friendly. If I come back to Hamburg, I will definitely come here again.

Korean fried chicken with sweet and spicy sauce! I love it!!

Everything was perfect. Super delicious food and great service. Our new must-visit in Hamburg!

My favourite Korean restaurant in Hamburg.

This is the best Korean restaurant in Germany. Now, the only one important thing is to stay like that. All of business places change something after they deserve customers' hope and trust. It is mostly the price or the amount of food. Sometimes, even the quality of dish. I hope they don't want to lose the customers. I hope. Update 2025: Every main dish includes rice and panchan. But this time we ordered 6 dishes but only one of it were served with panchan. As we asked about it, they gave one more panchan. We could not have the other 4 panchan. Maybe many customers can not eat the panchan and they save some food to avoid food waste. But if it is written on menu, they should serve with panchan.

Don't visit this restaurant. My food was delayed due to missed orders and mixed-up orders between tables. I got tired of waiting and rang the bell several times to ask when it would be ready, but they told me it was rude and told me not to come back. Then they boasted, "This restaurant serves the fastest food in Hamburg!" Their strong affirmation ultimately sounded like a strong denial. I hope the restaurant reflects on their actions, wondering if they were so offended by the delay that they acted rudely towards their customers.

This restaurant has a long tradition, and you can rely on its quality. Less oil in the fried dishes would be better.

A really nice restaurant in St. Pauli 🍽️ We went there with a small group, and everyone loved it. The food came quickly, was perfectly presented, and absolutely delicious 😋 The meat portion was so large I couldn't finish it, and that's saying something! Friendly service, relaxed atmosphere—highly recommended anytime 👍

I always love it when I come here

Super good authetic food, big portions and nice cosy mood, very nice waiters. Side dishes included like in korea ;)

I tried the sundae and Korean chicken. They taste delicious.

Very nice authentic atmosphere of modern Korea. We had fried chicken and Teigtaschen XXL with meat, good size portion and tasty. Better than KFC.

Not very authentic. Rather expensive.

Very nice discovery in the west of Hamburg city center. This Korean restaurant is kind of hidden underground but also offers a banal terrasse, option I have preferred. You are welcomed with some small Korean dishes giving you a first glimpse of the culture and spices used. Very nice! I have then ordered some Gun Mandu, homemade fried dumpling with pork filling. The soy sauce with it was excellent. Perfect to share, for 2 or 4. I then took a Bokkumbap, fried rice with veggies and shrimps. Tasty, but the dark Bohnen sauce which came with it was for me too sweet and neutral. Still an excellent plate. I recommend!

We were traveling as a family: two adults and one child. The food was delicious, and the portions were enormous. We were put in the karaoke room, which was a plus for us with a child. (There was no noise at all.) The staff was friendly, and if I'm back in Hamburg, I'll definitely come back.

This Korean restaurant was such a good experience. The food was really tasty, and the vibe of the place was just so cool – it genuinely felt like being back in Seoul. It ended up being a bit of a highlight during my trip to Hamburg We tried a bunch of different dishes, and everything we had was super delicious. The restaurant itself is really nicely decorated. They also have karaoke, which sadly we didn’t get to try, but it looked like a lot of fun. Definitely worth checking out if you’re craving Korean food in a great setting.

Incredible place for food and karaoke! The service was perfect. Friendly and accommodating. Highly recommended! :)

This restaurant never disappoints. Absolutely incredible food every time we come here, excellence in service as well. The best dishes on earth are here! A massive 5 start from me!

We thought it was really cool here! At Seoul 1988, you can get delicious food and have fun with a karaoke bar! We went here for the karaoke, and an hour cost €20, which is actually totally fine because there were ten of us. So, with a large group, it's totally worth it! Unfortunately, I can't say much about the food, as I drank a bit and sang a lot. The drink selection is modest and well-organized, but unfortunately, they only serve American Coca-Cola and no Fritz Cola. Soft drinks were priced at €3.50 for a small drink and €5 for a large drink. In summary, I can say it's definitely worth it, and I want to come back! Next time, I'll definitely try the food 😍

What a crazy decorated place. I haven't been to Korea yet, but you'd really think you were. The service is attentive and friendly, and so is the food. I've known Seoul1988 for years from its location on Mohlenhofstrasse, and I can assure you that the Korean chicken is the best of any other restaurant I've tried. However, from its original price of €14 to €25, the price has really reached its limit, as the price of this dish has risen disproportionately compared to the other dishes on the menu. What a shame. Back to Seoul on Karolinenstrasse. Apparently you can rent a karaoke room here, and there's karaoke in the restaurant on some evenings. I was impressed by all the dishes and will go back for karaoke sometime.

The food is good and authentic. Service is okay, but could be improved. It's a bit loud inside.

It almost doesn't get any more authentic than this... In traditional South Korean style everything is served in metal post, and you get kimchi, korean fried chicken, bimbap, and all that good stuff. All tasting great! But.. The spiciness charts are completely wrong. Whether you pick one, two or three chilis the food isn't spicy at all. I get that Germans cannot eat foods at the insane Korean spice levels, but a bit of spice would have been nice.

It's interesting that all Seoul 1988s in Hamburg vary in food quality. I found the taste here to be mediocre. I liked the tteokbokki the most—I'd go back for that! The portions are also very generous. I think this is the nicest of the chain in Hamburg in terms of atmosphere. The waitress was also very friendly and welcoming.

Went straight to the top of my favorites! While waiting at the entrance, you can snap some instant photos and leave one on the wall if you want, which makes for a fun touch. The food was absolutely delicious, and the portions were huge! we ordered a dish for two, but it easily could’ve fed four! We ended up taking the rest home. The price is also fair, considering how much eating out usually costs in Hamburg! On weekends, they also host karaoke nights! and the staff couldn’t have been friendlier.😊Highly recommend!

The food was delicious and our server Lucas was super nice and friendly!

I didn't expect the food portions to be rather big compared to other places! It's really worth the price! It also tastes soooo goood ^^ The service is also very kind and welcoming !! I'll come again when I can !

Very friendly service and excellent food!

The jajangmyeon and kimchi pancakes were okay, but the cold noodles weren't tasty at all. They had no flavor, and in the end, I had to eat them with the jajangmyeon sauce. Very disappointing.

The restaurant was spacious and clean, and the staff were all very friendly. The food was delicious and the portions were generous, so I was very satisfied! The rice was chewy and similar to the rice I eat in Japan. I'd definitely like to go again!

Fantastic fish soup + very nice service

The food is very expensive, but delicious. The service is incredibly poor. We waited forever for someone to acknowledge us and to be seated, and just as long to pay. There's no toilet paper in the restroom. In general, the staff seemed very overwhelmed.

I've never had a problem with the service here, but one young man, who was probably hired for the summer due to a staff shortage, doesn't even understand why he came to work: rude and incompetent.

Superb food and a very authentic atmosphere. We had a reservation and had to wait a bit, but otherwise it was great and we'll be back!

It’s an amazing Restaurant been there multiple Times absolute Favorite always the Same Quality .One of the best Restaurants in Hamburg

I visited twice with a friend during our vacation in Hamburg. The food is absolutely delicious and the portions are very generous, so you'll definitely leave the place without feeling hungry. The quality is excellent and the atmosphere is absolutely wonderful, like spending a short time in Korea. I highly recommend it!

The place is huge- loads of seating options, so highly recommended to book a table if you wish to go. The downside of this is that service is slow as it gets super busy. The food is average, the flavours really need to be enhanced more, and the sweetness reduced. Though the portion sizes are very generous. The fried chicken- which we requested to be the first dish, came towards the end of the meal after already reminding them twice and once being told that it had already been served. The ambience is nice, and we had a surprise of someone almost starting a karaoke (maybe?).

Really delicious food, the service was super friendly and the shop itself is really well decorated 🥰 you should definitely make a reservation in advance as there is a queue, especially in the evenings.

The food is delicious, with large portions and a good selection. Service could be faster, but it was also really busy. It's best to make a reservation!

Best Korean food, folks Everything is so delicious We'll definitely be back Thank you so much

Very friendly staff, attentive and quick.

Stylish shop with a good vibe – feels like Korea.

Very nice service and definitely the best fried chicken in town.

Great food in a fantastic atmosphere! The portion size could easily have been big enough for two more people to eat with us :D

The best evening meal I had during my weekly stay in Hamburg. They served me the best (Korean) fried chicken I've ever had! You can even mix and match with the sauces. The portions are big, however, so order the fried chicken for two people and get a side order of rice, is my recommendation. The service was perfect. We felt welcome from the start, we weren't rushed, and we got recommendations and were taught about the menu in a polite and informative manner when we asked about it. Good place for a quick drink, too, since the soju has very good value for your money. The atmosphere was incredible, too. Pleasant temperatures, beautiful neon lighting, a cozy darker vibe, but not too dim to see what's going on, and lots of Korean imagery and other artifacts on the walls. I highly recommend this place if you ever visit Hamburg - especially if you like to have an extraordinarily good fried chicken experience!

Authentic Korean food. Don’t miss out this place if you like to try Korean food. The deco reminds me of the tv series Reply 1988. The waiters and waitresses are quite friendly and welcoming. We ordered three dishes and the portion of each is quite large. We got pretty full at the end. Considering the average price of dining out in Hamburg, I’d say the price of every dish is quite fair.

Unfortunately, it was a complete disaster. All three of us got stomachaches. The atmosphere also looked run-down. So, that's it for us, the first and last time.

This Korean restaurant stands out in terms of its look and ambiance, which I'm really glad about, because you get enough of the same old thing in big cities. I had the cauliflower chicken wings, and they were amazing, especially with my drink (aloe vera). The staff was very friendly. The place looked like it was used for (karaoke) parties, with a microphone station and lots of lights for what was sure to be a great light show.

have ZERO interest in their fellow human beings!!!

Just as it should be: a really good atmosphere. The kind you often find in Korea :-)

Huge portions, delicious food! Great for sharing. Absolutely recommended for Korean food

Korean food in an 80s subway setting. Delicious food as if you were in Korea.

super nice staff and delicious food

Such delicious food! Must-have: tteokbokki cheese! Absolutely fair value considering the large (!) portions! We find the ambiance absolutely perfect for a Korean restaurant: pleasantly bustling, always something going on, and lively conversations at surrounding tables, creating an authentic atmosphere. We'll continue to come here regularly! 🤤

Pet-friendly shop. They even provided water bowls for the dogs. Delicious food! Great prices, nice atmosphere.

We were here for the first time today. Very friendly service and delicious food. Amazing Korean fried chicken. It came very quickly. Everything inside looks very nice, but unfortunately the restrooms are a bit dirty and there's no hand paper left 🙄

Very tasty ! Especially some main food !

The service was unfortunately very unfriendly. We were initially served by a very polite female waitress, but then a male waiter took over. He was very rude and dropped the companion's sunglasses twice. Whether or not this was intentional is up for debate. We ordered sweet and extra spicy Korean fried chicken, and unfortunately, the only food we got was sweet. There was no real response to our request. When we politely asked if we could pack the rest of the to-go food, a to-go container was literally thrown onto our table. Coming from the restaurant industry ourselves, we know that basic politeness and friendliness should be addressed with the male waiters. Furthermore, there were only three tables inside and six outside, so the place wasn't fully occupied with the staff that was there. And the restrooms were abysmal, especially for an evening meal. Our visit here was very disappointing. Perhaps the staff should be trained to Hamburg restaurant standards and a happy check should be introduced, or at least a check to see if everything is okay!

Big portions, fresh ingredients, amazing atmosphere inside

Large portions for reasonable prices, very tasty, attentive, friendly and fast service

Today, five of us went to the restaurant and ate for about €140. Unfortunately, the service was disappointing, especially the behavior of the waitress who served us. When we politely asked for a refill of side dishes for the third time, she reacted with an annoyed "Again?" and rolled her eyes. We found this disrespectful. When we asked, she explained that you're normally only allowed to reorder side dishes two or three times, even though there were five of us. The fourth time, we only asked for two types of side dishes and some leaf salad. She brought them, but again rudely commented, "Last time, yes!" Additionally, she passed by our table several times during our meal, as if checking up on us. She repeatedly tried to clear plates even though we were still eating and the plates weren't even empty. This behavior was very unpleasant and put us under pressure. We've been to this restaurant many times and regularly visit Korean restaurants, both in Hamburg and in Korea. We've never experienced a restriction on side dishes. We know what's appropriate and have always behaved politely. Unfortunately, our visit was severely negatively impacted by the unfriendly service of one waitress, even though the kitchen and other staff made a very good impression.

It's best to reserve in advance :)

Great shop, we love coming here and ordering from here. The service is super friendly and the food is always incredibly delicious!

I ordered two soups. One soup was tasteless, the noodles fell apart, and it felt like they were overcooked. It would be better if we went to another restaurant. Soup M24: The noodles fell apart, and soup M27 was like a bundle of intestines, where it's unclear what... The third one I tried was terribly bitter; I even had to spit it out! I've attached a photo below.

Delicious, varied cuisine, a bit cramped and noisy. Service was pleasant but slightly rushed. We'd barely gotten our starters when the main courses were served. We couldn't fit any more plates on the table, which was already too small for our group of five guests. Apparently, they try to fill up tables as often as possible on weekends. It's not exactly cozy...

Good food and great atmosphere for eating out with friends. Service was good although a bit slow- ordering something after the initial order required to physically call the waiter over… Still a lovely place especially for friends or families! Would definitely come back :)

The food was delicious, the service friendly, but the atmosphere was uncomfortable. We had reserved for five people, but were given a table for four. It was too small for plates and drinks, so we had to constantly hold our glasses. The appetizer had just been brought to the table when the main course arrived immediately. We felt like we had to hurry so the table could be rebooked quickly.

2025.05.23: we came by on a friday evening without a reservation and even though they were full and first said we might need to wait quite a bit, they in the end set up a new table for us, they were super nice. The interior is really cool, about all the waiters we felt they are genuinely nice, which I really appreciate, especially in Hamburg. The food was also delicious, and came in huge portions. We had one sort of dumplings for pre and it was the best I ever had without a question. The spicy sauce it comes with seriously felt addictive. The bibimbap was also good. And really liked the milky drink too that I had here.

Highly recommended, the waitress was super friendly, the food was very well seasoned and the portion was so big that I couldn't finish it.

We like going to Seoul 1988, but unfortunately, the food has disappointed us the last few times. The quality has declined significantly. We ordered Korean fried chicken, which was unfortunately lukewarm and therefore no longer crunchy. We thought we could do no wrong with the bimbimbap, but unfortunately, the rice was overcooked and the rest lacked any flavor. Seoul 1988 has always impressed us and we enjoyed coming back, but now we'll have to wait until the quality improves again.

We wanted to eat "together." Unfortunately, the food arrived 20 minutes later for us (there were three of us) than for our companion! No apologies! The food was okay, the meat (cooked chicken) was inedible for us—a matter of taste, but unfortunately, our companion had already finished eating by the time we started! Again: delicious, but we won't be going there again.

There used to be another Korean restaurant in this location buy the new one is surely an upgrade. The portion size is generous, the food comes fast and is tasty and the interior design and atmosphere is coherent. The "ultra spicy" chicken is actually spicy,l - and they have Bibim Naengmyeon (cold spicy noodles) ; one of my absolute favourites. what they sadly do not have is japchae with actual glass noodles.

A very tasty, authentic Korean restaurant in a good location right next to Heiligengeistfeld. We studied in Seoul in 2007 and felt like we were back in the day thanks to the food, soju, and Cass beer. The only small suggestions for improvement: We had originally ordered the chicken balls as a starter to share. They arrived two minutes after ordering, along with various snacks from the house. Unfortunately, the main courses arrived another three minutes later, so the whole table was full and it felt a bit rushed. Also, the "very spicy" menu is unfortunately European hot, so it could be a bit hotter :-) If you like cocktails that aren't too sweet, you should definitely order the Jeju Mule; it's outstanding!