SEOUL 1988 Karolinenviertel in Hamburg

Super delicious, the portions are generous and taste great. But be careful: spicy means hot. My tongue burned so much I was afraid Frodo would come and throw the Ring into my mouth.

Great place! I went there a few weeks ago with my friends for dinner and karaoke. We had a great time; the food was good and the portions were huge. As a vegetarian, the selection of vegetarian/vegan dishes was sufficient for me, and the staff was super, super nice. And they were very generous. There were a few issues with our reservation and the technology in the karaoke room, so we weren't charged for the room, and we even got drinks as compensation. It didn't even bother us that much; it happens sometimes, but the way they handled it was top-notch. I'll definitely be back!

The fried chicken was very tasty. If you want to try something really spicy, pick the Scharf (scipy) one. I liked that at the entrance, you can take a picture with the people you are with; it is printed right away, and you take it home or leave it on the entrance wall. It's fun.

Highly recommended! They serve an absurd amount of fried chicken with amazing sauce. The pickled vegetables were also amazing!

Food and ambience very authentic! 👍

Unfortunately the Korean Fried Chicken wasn't good. It was chewy, dry and hard to chew. Unfortunately the meat wasn't of good quality either and I had severe stomach problems and pain afterwards. No recommendation. The staff was nice though.

Very authentic restaurant. I ate the Jajjang myeon, the bibimbap and the fried chicken and everything was super tasty and large portions. The small starters: kimchi, pickled radish, pickled cucumbers and spinach were also very tasty. Prices are absolutely justified and not too expensive. The waitresses were all very friendly and quick. All in all perfect in my opinion. I'd love to come back.

My favorite Korean!! Cool furnishings/wall decorations in the 80s style.

I was recently in Hamburg for work and many colleagues told me to try Hamburg classics, but this restaurant was so much more closer to my hotel and I love a good Korean stew, so why not? I loved everything I ate, although the dwaenjang-jjigae was not spicy enough. Understandable, the plates are tweaked to match the palates of the locals! Overall the service was impeccable and the interior was very very cute. You could also take a picture of yourself which would print out as a sticker. Many costumers have left these stickers all over the restaurant. What a cute concept!

Very good food, friendly and attentive staff, and a cozy atmosphere. Highly recommended!

We had dinner in Seoul today and the food was delicious. It was clean and the free photo machine was nice too. The German waiter made a statement that we didn't find very nice, namely we once asked him for a fork, and when he gave it to us, we wanted another portion of this potato salad because it was so delicious, and then he said "next time please say everything at the same time so I don't have to go back and forth all the time". Sorry but there was another table in the shop besides us and it wasn't a long distance but 2 meters and you just don't say things like that. I liked the button on the tables to call the waiter. It's just a shame that we didn't get the rice we ordered with the “creamy orange paste”, as the rice would have gone quite well with it. It cost €50 for 4 people, which is a reasonable price. I would be happy if forks were also put in the cutlery box, and for certain dishes, like our chicken, knives were also served there. Krish Lund

The place is very well decorated and the food is delicious, we ate Korean fried chicken and it was delicious. The dish was very filling for two people. I don't give five stars because we had to wait a long time to be served and served the food. However, the waiter was very friendly and made good recommendations.

We took a weekend trip to Hamburg and were craving korean food. Portions were huge and super authentic. Especially the Sundubu with silky tofu. They also have a cute instant photo booth in the waiting area adding to a super fun vibe. Only thing to note is the kitchen closes at midnight!

Totally authentic. Korean establishment. The food was really good and tasty.

Very good food, good portions, a bit expensive but always worth a visit.

A nice and busy restaurant! The menu is large with many inexpensive and authentic dishes. The Korean fried chicken is highly recommended. There are also some side dishes that add variety.

Super good food and friendliest staff! 👍

Authentic Korean food, great atmosphere.

Super authentic restaurant. The food is super tasty and there are also some vegetarian options, although the majority contain meat. Everything we tried was great. We can only recommend it. :) The service was ok.

Delicious, staff was super kind and the food was amazing! Highly recommended 🫶

So delicious and cool atmosphere

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.

Great service, very attentive and friendly. The food, super tasty, a dream and the ambience is just right. Overall great if you like Korean food.

Positively surprised. Very cool atmosphere, nice staff. Korean fried chicken look a bit expensive (25€ for 11 pieces) but they are very big as you can see in the picture so order it for 2 people 😊

Authentic dishes, portions are large, taste great, will definitely come back...

Great service, always friendly. There are also very good Korean foods here🤤✨

Authentic Korean cuisine & perfect experience – absolute recommendation! We visited SEOUL 1988 in the Karolinenviertel and were thrilled from start to finish! We were greeted extremely friendly and professionally at the reception, and the atmosphere of the restaurant transports you straight to Seoul in the 80s - a great concept with great attention to detail. Food – A taste experience! The advice was excellent: our preferences were carefully addressed and real highlights were recommended to us. We tried the fried chicken and the XXL dumplings - both were an absolute taste dream! The chicken was crispy, juicy and perfectly seasoned, the dumplings were huge, filled with delicious ingredients and incredibly flavorful. You can taste the quality and passion with which the food is cooked here. Ambiance & service – perfect all around The entire team was warm, attentive and professional. The service was quick but not rushed, and you felt genuinely welcome. The ambience with its retro charm and many loving details makes your stay something special. Conclusion - We'll be back! For this quality we are happy to travel from Bremen at any time! If you want to enjoy authentic Korean cuisine at the highest level, you definitely shouldn't miss SEOUL 1988. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars – Unconditional recommendation!

Super authentic restaurant with delicious food. Portions are huge & everyone gets full!

Super tasty chicken! Always very crowded.

There is a cooking pot, but the budae stew is not boiled. The stew was lukewarm while I was eating it. The customer from Korea and I both tilted our heads... The taste wasn't bad, but considering it was a special menu item on the dinner menu, it was disappointing. We spent a lot of money.

This is a restaurant I often go to at Seoul Station. Jjambbong is especially good these days. The problem is the chicken packaging. Nose XX Chicken costs 16 euros, but it costs about twice as much, but chicken here costs 25 euros. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed because the amount was so small and the seasoning was so small that it didn't even coat the chicken. Store service and atmosphere have improved a lot recently. The packaging of the chicken is so disappointing.

Very delicious food! I recommend the fried chicken. The spice doesn't sting much.

We were there with the children for the first time. We were all very impressed: the quality of the food, the variety of what was on offer, the authenticity of the ambience and, above all, the friendliness and really good advice and the great recommendations from the young service employee (with black glasses :) ) with regard to that The food and the menu made our spontaneous visit to the restaurant there an experience. It's a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere and there's even a play area with "old school" video games for the kids. Really cool! The Korean fried chicken is incredibly good and the price is absolutely reasonable for the size of the dish. We had fun in this restaurant, left full and happy and will definitely come back. What more could you want :)

The food and ambience were wonderful! Everyone was super nice and everything is very authentic.

It’s always a great gastro pleasure to eat at Seoul 1988! Especially korean fried chicken and tteok-bokki together is awesomeee! The portions are big and satisfying. Little side dishes are also great; they bring Kimchi, raddish kimchi etc. Have a korean beer too 👏🏻

It was the most delicious Jajangmyeon I’ve had overseas. The pork cutlet was delicious, but the batter and sauce were a bit different from the pork cutlet I had in Korea. It's a bit expensive, but it's okay to eat here occasionally.

I hadn't tried the food, but the portions were huge, which was evident at the neighboring tables. Very relaxed atmosphere. Karaoke was sung. Service was friendly and quick, good selection of Korean food and drinks.

Very Lovely and cozy place . Their food is great.

Very tasty food, especially the Tteokbokki and the Korean fried chicken! The food is very high quality and well prepared. There is a very large selection of Korean dishes. Attentive, professional and friendly service. Very nice atmosphere from the restaurant. Price-performance is more than fair. Absolutely recommended!

Very friendly staff and delicious food. No long waiting time. Would recommend!

The decor is very nice, the food is delicious, the prices are reasonable, and the staff is very friendly! Worth going🫶🏻

I visited Korea many times and this is at the moment my favorite spot. Huge variety of food, soju and overall such a good vibe with the best service. Highly recommend !

So great! The karaoke on the weekend can be loud. So if you want a quiet evening, go during the week.

Delicious Korean food served with a smile. It's definitely worth a visit if you're in the neighbourhood.

Very tasty, great location and great ambience.

Lunch is recommended. It is advisable to make a reservation for dinner as the restaurant is always full. The location is good - not far from St. Pauli and the Schanze. The ambience is in retro style. There is a free opportunity to take photos at the entrance, which is a very cute idea. We can highly recommend the Korean celebration chicken.

Korean staff are very unfriendly

A bit overpriced for what it is. The waitress kept bumping into our table and pushing throw chairs while serving other tables. Kept to friction my jacket and seemed to don’t care about it. While her colleagues recognised the issue and walked the other way.

Simply fantastic. I was absolutely thrilled by the delicious food and the authentic ambience. Plus attentive but not intrusive service.

📍 Seoul 1988 - Karolinenviertel, Hamburg My last stop: Seoul 1988 in the Karolinenviertel – and I am once again thrilled by the authentic Korean cuisine! 🤤🇰🇷 🍴 What I tried: • 🥞 Kimchi Pancakes: Crispy, spicy and full of flavor – an all-time favorite! • 🍲 Jjamppong: The perfect seafood soup for fans of spicy dishes. • 🍚 Bibimbap: Fresh, aromatic and perfectly mixed - simply a classic. • 🥢 Banchan: From pickled radish to kimchi – the variety of side dishes makes every visit a highlight. ✨ What makes Seoul 1988 so special: The menu selection is huge and offers something for everyone, from spicy soups to Korean classics to small snacks. I was particularly impressed by the loving preparation and the ambience, which really reminds me of Seoul! 💡 Tip: Be sure to try the kimchi pancakes – crispy and full of umami flavor. Perfect for sharing or alone! 🙌 📸 Which dish in the picture appeals to you most? Comment below! 👇

It's so unfortunate that I can't make a phone call. Good luck!

It was very nicely decorated and you could use my bell to order authentic Korean dishes, like in Korea the waitress came to the tables very quickly and everyone was very accommodating!! I'll be back next 감사해요 :)

There is very tasty authentic Korean food here. Whenever we are in Hamburg, we come here to enjoy exactly that. The restaurant is quaint and friendly. It's just a little noisy when it's busy in the evening, so you can't hear the music (K-Pop) that well, which is also a reason for me to keep coming back.

I simply love it!!! I love Korea and their food. Super nice staff. Delicious food. Quick service Moderate prices..m of course I will come back here...and I recommend this!

The chicken rivals Korean taste. Stir-fried pork is served stir-fried. Rice is also served. The dumplings weren't bad either. However, seafood and green onion pancakes are a trap. If you're curious, give it a try. It's a seafood pancake. Nevertheless, I think this place, which offers various types of soju and beer, is authentic. Almost every time I go on a business trip to Germany, I stop by with my German friends.

One of my favorite places to eat in Hamburg, the kimchi soup is super flavorful

Almost authentic food, nice service staff and good atmosphere. Unfortunately, not all drinks on the menu (Terra) are available

Jjajang and Jjamppong are delicious, but expensive. Even by women's standards, the noodles were a bit small. I liked that there was a lot of seafood in the jjamppong.

Suggest to make reservation to avoid disappointment as it's quite a crowd. We loved all our orders. (the spicy seafood stew, Silk tofu stew, vegan dumpling & bibimbap)

Missed to take pictures because we’re just ready to dive into the food. The fried chicken was cooked well and the sauces were tasty (we got suß und heiß). I ordered Milkis despite the cold weather, complemented the meal. Their bibimbap & sundubu jiggae were also delicious. A must-visit when in Hamburg!

Delicious food, great portions and very, very nice service. We came spontaneously and there were no tables left, so we were just allowed to use the karaoke room. Next time we are in Hamburg we will definitely come back!

The meal is definitely for 2 people. Very delicious! Felt like I was in Seoul… Thank you🩵

Feels incredibly authentic, great ambience. Service is on-demand (at the push of a button), although I would have liked a little more speed here, as well as an explanation at the beginning for people who are not familiar with the system. The food came very quickly. Great for sharing different foods. Everything was very tasty! Definitely reserve in advance.

Funny shop... food comes very quickly. You shouldn't underestimate the portions. It feels like everything is intended for 2 people.

The food honestly doesn't taste good but the service and vibes there are 10/10

The ambience is pretty cool. Unfortunately, the taste of the food was not good at all, at least on that day.

Awesome retro-style resraurant with a great variety of Korean dishes and drinks! I would recommend going there with some friends rather than alone. The portions are MASSIVE. So, better be super hungry. The staff was very welcoming and friendly. There is also a small arcade where you can play Mortal Kombat until your order is prepared (everything is written in Korean, but who cares).

Really good Korean food! Korean Fried Chicken is the highlight 🔥 Please keep it up!

The food was delicious, but since it was very full we waited 40 minutes and had to eat in the secluded karaoke room. We came for BBQ and there was also a grill, but the very small size of the room would have made it too stuffy. After about 1.5 hours we were asked to leave because of a reservation. It's a real shame because it wasn't cheap and you could have said beforehand that there was a reservation.

We were here for the third time and unfortunately this time we were a bit disappointed. It started with the weak cola (it probably lacked carbon dioxide) and unfortunately continued with the food. On the one hand, the vegan Sundubu was significantly smaller than the regular one and tasted quite bland, watery and tasteless. The Sundubu with seafood was also a bit weak in taste and economical in terms of seafood and that for almost €20! The seafood jambon was a large portion with a decent amount of seafood, so it's okay, but here the noodles were too soft. Overall, it's a shame for today's visit and the fact that three dishes were brought to the table at a different time doesn't make it any better. However, the service was great, very nice and open to criticism.

Nice place fast service menu only fn german

This place is all about ambiance, and the food is decent. The staff is really kind. The place is perfectly curated. There is even Korean karaoke in the evenings, which I have never attended. But I can imagine it’s a blast. I recommend coming here with a group of friends or colleagues. Order to share. And PS: the kimchi pancakes are solid.

Best Korean in Hamburg and best fried chicken. Would Go Every Day if i could

Delicious Korean cuisine in downtown Hamburg. The map is clear. The menu consists primarily of meat dishes, but there are also some vegetarian options. The portions were very large. Might be worth sharing. The service was quick and very friendly. The decor is extremely cool, but unfortunately it can get a bit cramped and noisy when the store is full. I was able to pay conveniently by credit card. AMEX is not accepted.

The Korean wings were okay, but if you order ultra-spicy, be prepared for the spiciness of red yumyums. We also had some tendons in the wings that took a really long time to chew. (Not high quality meat) The staff was really very friendly, but that doesn't necessarily mean good service. We had to go to the front several times to even be noticed to order something else. In addition, some of the waitresses didn't understand what we wanted to order. (Language barrier). But you can also describe it as authentic with rose-colored glasses. The location itself is really something special. There is relaxed Korean music playing, the lighting is appropriate depending on the time of day and the crowd is also very pleasant. And you should appreciate that too! All in all, I can recommend this restaurant if you want to have a nice evening at a Korean restaurant with some friends. But you shouldn't expect that you will get the best quality food or that the table will be cleared at some point.

Everything is tasty and the portions are huge

You should definitely make a reservation for 4 people or more. It was very warm that day and the restaurant was therefore stuffy. Dark and no air conditioning...the food was very good. Ordered 3 dishes for 7 people and everyone was full! The portions and prices are more like 2-3 people per portion (at least for us). It was a great fit :)

Super tasty and would definitely come again!!! It was busy and we had to pay at the checkout ourselves, but that doesn't matter. The food is great!

Absolute recommendation: super tasty food, reasonably priced and cool atmosphere. 1st visit and I'm looking forward to the next visit 😍🤩🤤🤤🤤

Super tasty, especially the cauliflower wings and these tteokbokki with cheese! The 2 dishes for 2 people are completely enough! The staff was very friendly and we didn't have to wait long for our food. I found the decor very authentic and cozy, which I didn't expect after reading the reviews. We both left the restaurant very happy and full! Happy to come back!

Great restaurant, best Korean food I have had in Hamburg so far. Great menu with good options of Korean food and good price. I recommend the noodles, bibimbap and the starters. Perfect Kimchi. Drinks also are amazing and very well done. I just had fun in the late night karaoke, loved the night and experience. Thanks for the amazing staff.

Were here twice, gladly again! Regarding the negative reviews, all I can say is that this restaurant offers an authentic Korean restaurant experience, without any “Europeanization”. Not star cuisine, but s(e)oul food for everyday life. Authenticity includes the ambience and also the dishes. I found it to be very good in terms of taste and price. Recommended: Bibimbap, Kimchi-Jigae, Tteokbokki.

Very good Korean restaurant. The food is super delicious. The portions are huge and you could easily eat it for two people. We would have liked to try fried chicken, but as I said, the portion was too big for us. Here it would be good to offer a portion as a “starter”. Or, alternatively, you go with a lot of people and share. The staff is super friendly, helpful and accommodating. I personally think the atmosphere is really chic. It feels like a Korean subway or bar. I really liked it.

Seoul 1988 in the Karo district impresses with authentic dishes such as haemul jjigae and jjamppong. The dishes are freshly prepared and have an intense taste, although the spiciness can be adjusted individually. Both classics such as crispy fried chicken and spicy stews and soups offer a diverse culinary experience. Even beginners will find their way around easily thanks to the friendly advice. Recommended for lovers of Korean cuisine.

Super delicious food! Huge portions and at a fair price too. Will recommend it and come back.

Everything was ok but not “wow”

A Jjamppong restaurant that can compete with any other Chinese restaurant in Korea 😌. Do you see those seafood pieces........? ! ? ! There's a whole squid in it. . . . . It was truly a touching soup. And the shrimp kept coming out no matter how many times I ate them..... There was really a lot of it and it was the best.... 👍✨️✨️ I now understand why people call it a Chinese restaurant. It's a shame that I wasn't feeling well that day, so I couldn't eat much. But if you're disappointed, you can just go back! I heard that the chicken is really delicious,,, I will visit again next time with friends from abroad ~ ~ ~ I hope you prosper until then. Yo ~ ~ ~ ☆☆☆

Very tasty food and great service!

Ate very tasty. Quite (almost too) large portions. Everything is great.

We really liked this place! Note that reserving a private space costs 20 euros/hour, so take good use of your time. The catalogue has music in different languages as well such as Spanish, Japanese, Russian and English of course. Also, consider that the private rooms are incredibly hot, there are 2 fans but still, so take light clothes under your coats.

The inside of the restaurant looks like a South Korean bar or train station. There would be more attention to detail in the furnishings. But the staff was friendly and accommodating. The portions were huge, two or three people could have easily eaten them. A starter is the same size as a main course and in our case would have been enough for at least three to four people! We would have liked to order half portions so we could try more. But the price is absolutely right, especially when you consider the portion sizes. When it comes to taste, Korean cuisine is of course a matter of taste. Sauces and fried chicken were very tasty.

We were here on a Sunday lunchtime and had no problems getting a seat. Unfortunately, we were disappointed with the food and shared the gochu japchae between the two of us. Actually it was just a big pile of fried vegetables, carelessly arranged, a few scraps of meat, tasted like a cardboard box from a snack shop, but it cost a fraction. The steamed buns weren't to our taste either, like yeast dumpling dough, totally plain, no one at our table liked them, it's a shame. To leave some constructive criticism, unfortunately you can't imagine anything by the names, and the descriptive one-liner doesn't help much either. Maybe pictures of the map would do some good.

The Korean restaurant impresses with an authentic street food market atmosphere, which immediately creates a relaxed and lively atmosphere. The food was good – fresh, flavorful and with a wide variety of traditional dishes such as bibimbap, kimchi and bulgogi. Particularly noteworthy is the friendly and attentive service: the service was not only nice, but also extremely responsive and always there when you needed something.

The sister restaurant is good but this one is even better. Pleasant ambient outside in the summer. Service couldnt be better. A lot on the menu. Great and genuine Korean food. The only challenge is to know what to order.

I had jajangmyeon here and it was tasty and interesting (you mix it yourself). The price is a bit on the expensive side. The waiter was very friendly and attentive!

Loved this place! The ambience, the food, the karaoke!

Great place! Had the Seoul Bulgogi and the Fried Chicken ^^ They have a small Photo station too, which is super cute :) I could have sworn they offered blue water/sake once! Is it gone? Was it ever there? What did it taste like? I should have gotten it that day... now I will never know... :/

I visited a year ago, and loved the Jeyuk bokkeum, so decided to make another visit. Unfortunately the second visit has meant there will not be a third. I forgot how loud they played the music, to the point I can barely hear the person opposite me. To some extent this means everyone has to raise their voices to be heard. I remembered how hard it was to hear my friends on my first visit. I did enjoy the korean fried chicken, although expensive for what it is. My main came well before my partner's main. I had to eat my food otherwise it would have gotten cold. To be honest, I much prefered the little salads and side dishes that came with the food, than the food itself, which was incredibly overpriced. I am not sure what they have done to the Jeyuk Bokkeum receipe but it was completely different this time. Instead of long thin strips of pork in a succulent sauce, it was hard, gritty, small, bits of pork in a dry sauce (of which there was little). I had to force myself to eat it, and in the end gave up. It took ages to be served, and we were told that if we want the server to come to the table then we are supposed to press a button on a table. I get that it means people will only have a server come over when required, but it also leads to inattentive staff, which was very much noticed! Will not be coming back.

Such a dirty place, I can’t imagine the kitchen… The sticky menu with sauce all over and the waiter trying to clean it with wet cloth… Dirty tables… Lack of fresh air… Stinky atmosphere… Very fatty food. All left me disgusted unfortunately. Pricey menu. I will give the other chain a try.

Food and drinks were great. The service was very quick and we didn't have to wait long for our food. The button to call service is a good idea