Soban Restaurant in Heidelberg

We waited an hour for the food. The food was nothing special and quite expensive for what it was. The atmosphere was okay.

It is overall an okay place. However, I find the vegetarian options to be insufficient, having tried them all at this point I can say they're not the best. Nothing bad, but I would expect more flavor. I also find the seating to be uncomfortable and dislike the lighting as well. The service is pleasant, and my friends that eat meat like going there. Update: Seems like they have added more flavor to vegetarian options somehow. I also must say I appreciate the fast service.

Many things in the menu but they don't have it, service is also normal

Worst restaurant I’ve ever been to in my life in terms of service. I have been waiting outside for 10+ minutes the branch in Mannheim is way better. The workers from my experience in the Heidelberg branch notice me standing outside and still continue to ignore me, I’m really not sure why. I would like to add on that this isn’t the first time this has happened to me in this branch.

Service was too slow probably it was the weekend. Food was delicious.

Very average Korean restaurant. Over hyped but the food was just average and nothing too great about it! Went to see what the hype was all about. Pretty disappointed. There was so much crowd to get into the restaurant. Hayyyyaaaaaa!!!

The food was very tasty. Authentic cuisine, as many Koreans also eat there. The atmosphere could be cozier (it was very warm and the benches are a bit uncomfortable). When I ordered, I was told that the dish I wanted wasn't available. I found that a little disappointing, but it wasn't a big deal. Note: card payment only. All in all, a 2.0 = Good.

A very cozy restaurant that always seems to be packed. Once you've eaten, you'll understand why. It's a shame that some dishes aren't available in Heidelberg. Unfortunately, one ingredient in my dish was unavailable. These things happen.

Delicious food, lovely relaxed atmosphere, good service. I'll be back :)

I felt like I received an emergency transfusion of Korean flavor here. It was delicious, and I asked for it to be spicy, which it was. The seats were spacious and comfortable.

Portions are good. Food is tasty. Service could be much better, friendlier and more interested. They seem very overwhelmed and unhappy. The dumplings are NOT the image in the menu, you get the thin ones which are not even good, kind of flavorless.

The shop is kinda small but the service, food and atmosphere are absolutely fantastic. I will be visiting again

This is a Korean restaurant on the main street of Heidelberg's Old Town. Four days into our time in Europe, I was craving Korean food and was excited, so I visited after seeing the positive Google reviews. Since the prices are the same as at any other Korean restaurant abroad, we decided to go big and ordered a generous portion of kimchi stew, squid rice bowl, pork rice bowl, and fried dumplings for two. The food was a bit salty and overly seasoned, so it was just okay, and the portions were generous. However, the overweight, bespectacled manager, or perhaps the owner, who is Korean, deliberately spoke only English. He greeted foreigners and explained the food, but avoided eye contact with us and just casually tossed our food... Why? Did we do something wrong? The foreign part-timer actually asked if we were lacking anything and whether the food was good. As a Korean restaurant overseas, Koreans would frequent it often, and if they treated us like this, they'd probably close soon. This is a review of a restaurant I won't visit again. 🥲

Soban Heidelberg is my go-to place for Korean food. I go there regularly and am always completely satisfied: friendly service, fast service, and consistently high quality. My absolute favorites are numbers 205 and 206 with pork ribs – tender, aromatic, and perfectly seasoned. Highly recommended!

Korean food is more delicious than the food I ate in Korea. Wow!!!

The food is generally tasty, however, the dishes pictured on the menu differ from what you actually receive (e.g., the amount of squid or dumplings). The price is fair for Heidelberg. Please note: no cash payments accepted (card only!).

The food was delicious and plentiful, and the staff was quick and friendly. Unfortunately, there aren't many seats, so we had to share a table with other guests. Nevertheless, we'd be happy to come back.

I found the food delicious. However, I would like it to be appropriately spicy if I say "spicy" three times. But that doesn't mean the taste is any less worthy of respect. The waiters are a bit brusque, but maybe that's a cultural thing—I'm not sure. The ambiance is a bit lackluster, very bright, and EXTREMELY warm. Go for it!

Was therr with sole friends, ate zheir bulgogi, left with an empty plate and a happy stomach. Pretty good.

We had to wait outside for about 10 minutes because there was no room inside. The food came relatively quickly, but it tasted okay.

The restaurant is conveniently located in the middle of Altstadt, the staff are very pleasant and the service is quick. They always have 3 side dishes of panchan, the food is delicious and the portions are large. Will definitely come back

The food was great. The service was friendly and quick – the food came very quickly, but you were also quickly "kicked out" to make room for the next guests who were already waiting outside. It's not really a place where you'll stay for long after eating.

I’m giving two stars because we ordered the Korean dumpling shown on the menu — the large, rounded one — but got a small, thin dumpling with very little flavor instead. If the menu had shown this version, I wouldn’t have ordered it. It tasted like an instant frozen dumpling, which was very disappointing for €11.50. However, the other dishes we ordered were tasty and enjoyable.

It was delicious and it is recommended

Food was ok but service could be better - it took over 30 minutes after we were seated till they took our order, and the waiter often forgot things here and there. The restaurant was quite packed on a Sunday evening with a waiting line outside too, and the staff seemed very busy and not too well-organized. Dumplings were ok but different from that of the picture in the menu - smaller than expected (price was like 11 eur) and tasted like simple frozen dumplings steamed. For the main dishes we got 순두부찌개 and 불고기덮밥. Portions were big and tasted good, there was plenty of squid in the jjigae. But if you're Korean don't expect food as good as what you get back at home.. It was okay overall though and authentic-ish, might go once in a while if I really miss Korean food.

The owner is rude, asked us a multiple times if we were finished or not... Then tried to warn us while paying just because we were standing there. Good food but they need better management. Sometimes you just want to have a good experience while eating out, no need to push people for no reason at all.

Everything was great, the food was great❤️🇪🇺🥣🍲🥘

had become even more expensive and portion less pity

A lovely restaurant with good quality food. Nice atmosphere, nice music, and excellent service. Highly recommended!

A very bad experience... The waiters were very arrogant. Our food was initially brought to another table and only returned to us after some time – without any apology. We were told to just eat it as it was. Furthermore, the taste was nowhere near as good as it used to be.

I had jjambbong, galbitang, bibimbap, and squid rice bowl, and all four were delicious. They also provide three complimentary side dishes. The Korean and German waiters are friendly and quick to help you order and serve your food. I think the food here will appeal to foreigners, Koreans, and other Asians alike. The cutlery is authentic Korean. Compared to other Heidelberg restaurants, it's not overly expensive, and I think it's worth the price because they use generous ingredients.

The ramen is incredibly delicious (the broth is just right). Adding cola is heavenly. When traveling, nothing beats Korean ramen.

I went to heaven after eating jjambbong rice. My group had kimchi noodle rolls. I highly recommend this to anyone tired of sausage schnitzel.

I normally love soban and go there often, but this visit (it was a while ago) was a disappointment. The beef mandu tasted off, the batter was hard, the squid felt like plastic, and even the bulgogi with rice wasn't good. The yellow lighting also made the place feel very uncomfortable. It's a shame, I'm not used to soban like that. Not worth the money.

We were here for lunch. They kept us waiting there for 30 minutes. Nobody came to serve us nor explained. We tried to call the waiters but they kept ignoring us. It's absolutely rude.

The servers are contemptuous of customers, I will not return

Addendum: Somehow not as good as it used to be. The restrooms stink, the food has gotten worse, and the service takes a long time for everything. Very good Korean food. Unfortunately, it's a bit small, so you almost always have to make a reservation. Except during the week at 12 p.m. :) I think a tea bag for €3 is overpriced. Overall, though, it's a very good restaurant. The service has improved significantly compared to before. Bibimbap is my favorite so far (extremely delicious).

The food was okay, but the price was on the high side for what you get. Service, however, was nonexistent or ignorant. The sign asking you to wait to be seated seems to be just decoration, and there's no atmosphere either. The appetizer and side dishes were forgotten, but they tried to bill you.

Have good ramen but not many options for vegetarians

As a Korean, I was delighted to find a Korean restaurant in Heidelberg. I had the squid rice bowl and jjambbong, and they tasted just like Korean food. Because it's a Korean-run restaurant, communication was seamless. However, the bespectacled female employee was unsmiling and unfriendly throughout the entire process: taking my order, bringing my food, and paying. The food was delicious, so I'll likely visit often, but the employee's attitude was a bit disappointing.

The working conditions for the staff are miserable. Wages are only transferred on time after repeated requests, unsuccessful attempts at communication, and polite pleas. Some employees experience delays of several days or weeks, while others even have to wait months for tips. Please think carefully about whether you want to eat here.

Super tasty, varied, super friendly service.

It is a very unpleasant experience today, and we will not come back. First of all, there is an empty table but when we ask, the workers ask us to wait even the table is already cleaned and not booked. We stand there without anyone caring. Finally we sit down. And then we want to order one noodle, this is actually why we come here. They do not have it. And then they bring us some small appetizer, but do not give any forks or anything to take! If not meaning we should eat, why give us appetizers at all! The attitude of the workers are indifferent and cold. And then we asked for chopsticks/forks , the waiter just so arrogant and did not understand at all. It is so strange why we need to ask for these and they do not understand at all what we need. And for the food, first of all, the portions are small. And the taste is so so. And again, the arrogant attitude prevent us coming again.

The price-performance ratio was rather mediocre. Unfortunately, the portions were a bit too small, and I left hungry. It's simply too much for a soup costing between €17 and €20. The benches were uncomfortable. Otherwise, the staff was very friendly, quick, and the food tasted very good and healthy.

I've been to several Korean restaurants, but this one was one of the best. Not just the most common and well-known dishes on the menu. The service was super delicious and friendly. We'll definitely be back.

A cute little shop. The service is super friendly and welcoming – you immediately feel welcome. The chairs and tables are a bit dated and not particularly comfortable, but the food more than makes up for it: absolutely outstanding, simply delicious – 10/10! It's often quite busy, but the wait times are still reasonable. Unfortunately, it's unbearably hot in the summer. Nevertheless – definitely highly recommended.

Extremely impolite and rude service, lacking minimum etiquette. Utterly disappointed with the behaviour of the staff. Get ready for the bowls being seized by the staff as soon as (even before that) you barely finish the last morsel of food!! Would avoid this restaurant at all costs.

Beware, there are crawling bugs in the lettuce, the leaves themselves look very stale, the clerk helped me change the second one and there are still bugs, and the new bugs are more energetic, I didn't know I had a little extra protein❤️This price is not "German" worthy In this case, the insects and the leaves are so fresh, they are not fresh. This is not a solution. I have to say that the protein is the best. The service is also good for the insects?

Very special dishes with a lot of free tasty starters. I highly recommend this place for its authethicity and quality

The service was friendly. We were immediately shown to a table at lunchtime. We ordered two portions of the tteok (man du) ra myun noodle soup. The broth and noodles tasted like Soon Veggie Ramyun instant noodles. Our noodles were served with an appetizer.

We went there today and our dining experience started off well. The waitress who served us was friendly and asked the kitchen if my dish could be cooked with less spice. Unfortunately, the dish I got was far too spicy and I could not eat it. It had to be sent back to the kitchen. When it came time to pay I told the head waitress and all she could say was sorry. We paid over €65 for two people. It was also really hot in the restaurant and there were no fans.

It's hot in the restaurant, and there's no fan. The food is nothing special.

The food was okay, but I was scared because they passed the hot utensils over the heads of the customers next to me without any warning. It felt dangerous when I received it. It was just placed on a small flat wooden board, so I thought the food could slip. I think they need to provide some caution/information about burn accidents.

I loved the old soban more, but the quality is still good, although got really expensive.

I can't say much about it, as it was the first time I'd tried it. I think the flavors were good. It was a new experience for me. The staff was friendly and the service was fast. The prices weren't average, but the portions were very generous. I would have been happier if there had been a half-portion option. Honestly, I would have been even happier.

The appetizers, the steamed dumplings, and the ramen were extremely good, but my dish (the 208) was very...meh. The portion size and appearance were great, but it was very tasteless, like seafood in water with nothing else... It didn't really make me happy. :(

Slow services, wrong ordered for beverages. Were asked to pay the bill while still having meals at there. For me, this is so rude.

We went due to friend's recommendation but came out with a little dissapointment. I rarely write review for restaurant, but i could not hold myself for not to write. First of all, they forgot our order, we were the 4th to get the food ordered, but served late than the last in customer. When we almost finished our meal, suddenly one guy came over and asked if we would like to pay and doubt if we have already paid for our food. Overall the food especially the soup, it is really too salty.

We didn't have to wait long and were greeted warmly. The appetizer arrived fairly quickly after we ordered. The kimchi didn't taste very fresh, but the rest was okay. I thought the food was really delicious; there was one egg too many, but that was the chef's fault and we weren't charged. I ordered a 0.45 liter drink but got 0.25 liter. When I asked, I was told the drink was finished and the most I could get was something else – which I didn't get. I assume I got the rest and they hoped it wouldn't be noticed? The bill still showed the 0.45 liter drink. Despite asking, I was told I had to pay for the drink, even though I hadn't received it. They offered me a bottle of Coke to make up for it, which I politely declined. I didn't want to make a scene, as the staff were also trying to be friendly. But I've never experienced a situation where I HAD to pay for something even though I demonstrably hadn't received it...

It was actually great, but a warning for those with sensory issues: the lighting there is quite bright, and the restaurant was also quite loud. Otherwise, it was great :)

The food is good. But some waiters seems impatient.

One of the better Korean restaurants I have been to! The food is AMAZING and you get free appetisers before getting your main meal! The portions are big enough, and even if you come with a half-full stomach, you can ask them to pack you for to-go the rest of the food. The waiters are really nice and super fast with their service. I got everything in around 10-15 min. I ordered 소고기비빔밥 and it was sooooo good 😋! The music is a nice touch to the atmosphere! They play a lot of KPOP music, so if you are a fan, you will for sure enjoy it! Overall I give it a 5/5!

It can't be compared to Korean restaurants, but in a foreign country, it's just average. The seasoning is a bit strong, but that's okay because it's a foreign country.

Authentic Korean dishes. I just wished they served their fried chicken at this location.

물론입니다. 아래는 구글 리뷰 형식으로 작성한 영어 리뷰입니다: ⸻ I had an unpleasant experience here. I waited a long time to pay, but the staff was very slow and unresponsive. Even when I tried to make eye contact, they ignored me and just walked by. When I eventually got up to pay myself, I was told to go back and sit down only to keep waiting. The service was disappointing and unprofessional. As for the food, it was mediocre at best. I wouldn’t recommend this place.

Good food / Great staff / Good music / Fair prices. What more could you want?

One of the best restaurants in Heidelberg very tasty

Found sharp bones in my soup, very salty bulgogi broth, hardly any beef, mostly just fat. Very expensive… Bulgogi for 19€..

Unfortunately, the quality and quantity have become increasingly poor over the years, portions are small and the food no longer tastes like it used to

Large portions and extremely tasty food

Unexpectedly found a really authentic Korean restaurant along the main street in Heidelberg. Good environment, food is really great. You can pay by card as well.

All the employees seem to be Korean. All Korean restaurants in Europe are expensive anyway, so it doesn't feel particularly expensive. In fact, going to a local restaurant is more expensive. The taste is a bit better than Kimbap Heaven. Recommended if you are tired of European food and want Korean food. Not recommended if you want the same taste as in Korea.

The food was delicious and the service was nice and friendly. If the weather is nice, you may want to bring some time with you as you may have to wait a while to get a table. The selection of food is great and you don't have to wait too long for your food. The only thing that is a shame is that you can't order the delicious chicken dishes in Heidelberg. Otherwise I can really recommend the place.👍🏻

It's just plain delicious. I ordered soft tofu stew with additional seafood, and there was a lot of tofu. The seafood appears to be frozen. Squid, mussels and baby shrimp are additionally added. Due to the nature of the franchise, there is little specialness, but it is above average. And it comes out very quickly.

Ordered a non-spicy dish with beef, it was spicy and hardly any meat in it. The service was disastrous. The service staff walked past the table several times and looked after we had finished for a long time, but it still wasn't cleared away. But the highlight at the end was that I wanted to have half of my dish wrapped. The service person’s comment: “I can bring you something to pack.” Taste OK, but not worth the price by far. We're definitely not coming back.

We were turned away at 2:15 p.m. even though the kitchen doesn't close until 2:30 p.m. We weren't even allowed to order two portions of rice to take away for our children. Very unfriendly

It tastes good and the portion is quite generous! The seafood ramen is very spicy and the soup base is delicious. The kimchi fried rice is also very authentic, but it feels a bit watery.

Had to wait outside in the rain for tables even though there was a "wait here" sign right inside. Thankfully a short wait but a bad omen for what was to come. Food was pretty bland throughout. I ordered the Beef Bibimbap, my friends had some sort of noodle dish and a rice dish with vegetables. All of it is also pretty overpriced. Service was genuinely bad too. I don't want to be too mean here because I don't know about personal circumstances but generally just very demeaning and just kind of odd. Not necessarily rude but just bad vibes all around.

Good food, not so polite customer service! Update - second visit to the new shop in Altstadt I ordered Kimchi soup, Bibimbap, seafood pancake, and rice cakes. The Kimchi soup and Bibimbap were both excellent. However, the kimchi soup had an additional €2 charge for any meat, which felt like a bit of a rip-off, especially since most other places include the meat by default. Unfortunately, the rice cakes and seafood pancake were disappointing. The rice cakes lacked flavor compared to what I’ve had elsewhere. They were watery, and the sauce was thinner than expected. I also think it would have been better if they included rice cakes or glass noodles for more substance. As for the seafood pancake, it was soggy, bland, and seemed undercooked—it was falling apart. For €17, the seafood pancake was not worth the money and the same goes for rice cakes. Apart from those two dishes, the rest of the food was great, and I’d definitely consider returning for the other offerings!

They have no consideration for customers, and even when they open the door and wait in front, they don't make eye contact and ignore them. I don't know if this only happens to Koreans, but when other foreign customers come in, they don't treat me as if they were treating me and instead smile and greet me. This is the first time I've been discriminated against in a Korean restaurant while living in Europe. Moreover, the dumplings are not the same as on the menu and the number of dumplings is not written on the menu. When I looked at the picture of the menu, I thought there were 8, but they only gave me 6 and the shape of the dumplings was completely different.

I tried the vegetable ramen with tteok's. It came with some pickled cucumber and kimchi. The ramen was delicious and the portions were huge! The atmosphere of the place is calm and tidy.

Very tasty soup and large portions

good service. food was disappointing. flavours weren’t hitting and the seafood isn’t fresh. fried egg was great

You just have to have the courage to try something new. We were totally thrilled, just delicious.

I visited this Korean restaurant because I really wanted to eat Korean food after eating only European food for a week. Jjamppong Ramen had a lot of onions, cabbage, and frozen seafood, so it was definitely worth the money. After eating spicy and spicy Korean food, I gained strength to finish the rest of my trip to Europe well🥹.

Very good food, exceptional flavor, and incredible quality of ingredients. I might have missed drinks more relevant to the culture, and the service was also excellent.

Eaten here many times. Food and services are great! Will drop by again.

All I can say is delicious. The food is so tasted and the wait staff is really patient and helpful. The wait can be a moment, but it so worth it.

I ate ramen instead of noodles, but I was satisfied. It's clean and friendly. suggestion

Here is my experience with 4 dishes: 1. Jae Yuk Deopbap (305): My husband ordered this spicy and delicious dish. If you’re a rice lover, consider ordering extra rice, as the beef and vegetable portions are more generous than the rice. My husband liked this balance, but I preferred having additional rice. Consider this dish This dish is ideal if you enjoy flavors combining soy sauce, pepper paste, and Korean chili flakes. 2. Bul Go Gi Deopbap (302): I ordered this dish, and it was exceptionally tasty. As mentioned earlier, extra rice is advisable for those who prefer a more balanced ratio. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture as I was very hungry. Opt for this dish if you prefer a lighter taste, as it combines beef with a mild soy-based sauce that’s gentle on the stomach. Individuals with IBS might find it rich yet light on the stomach. 3. Jap Chea Deopbap (303): I previously tried this dish, which is similar to the (302) but includes fewer beef slices and additional glass noodles. I didn’t favor it as much, finding it heavy on carbohydrates. 4. Karae Ra Myun(504) : We also shared this dish. While it appeared appealing on the menu, it tasted like standard instant noodles with curry and beef—something easily prepared at home. Note: Be prepared for a short wait, typically around 10 minutes, as there’s often a waiting list. However, the food is served promptly once you’re seated. A note of caution: order wisely, as taking leftovers requires purchasing a container for 5 euros.

The food coming out of this place is simply spectacular ✨ i was about to order bulgogi but then I saw I can order a small bowl as a side! As a side!? So I could order Korean curry and have it on the side (among the others that come free btw). Of course, I also ordered kimchi and yes I'm rolling home instead of walking. But so worth it! 🫠 Also, the staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. Ah and the kitchen works very fast so if you need food asap, come here. I could potentially say more but I am sleepy now. Just don't think much and go and thank me later

Authentic Korean food. I love it 😻

I deducted points because the same products are not offered in every branch. They are very good in taste. Miso soup alone is enough to leave a mark.

The korean food is fantastic. I‘ve lived in Seoul for 6 months and this food took me right back

Super! The portions are very generous! nice & authentic Korean food! Def recommend! Thanks for curing my home sickness 😭 It's really delicious and the portion size is huge. I recommend it! The staff are also friendly. Thank you.

Getting here is practically impossible. The restaurant is only open a few hours a day, and even then it's difficult to get a seat. You have to wait outside in the cold until the hostess comes - and no one knows how long that will take. We waited for 10 minutes only to find out at the end that they were no longer taking orders and the kitchen was already closed - all 40 minutes before the restaurant's official closing time! Why stay open so late if you don't want to serve guests anymore anyway? Very disappointing, absolutely not recommended.

Highly recommended. As always, the food was very tasty and filling. You can also usually get it very quickly. The service is also good.

Okay food in a sterile environment. Charged 2 Euros for a class of tap water. TAP WATER.

We called the restaurant today to make a reservation. A woman answered the phone, asked the number of people and my name. She even asked me to spell my name :) We showed up on time and there was a queue outside. I went inside alone and told them that I have a reservation but they told that they never take reservation. I showed them the phone records and told them that I talked to a woman in the same day, they just refused to believe that I talked to a person working there. In the end, we decided to go somewhere else but the way they handled situation was absurd and unacceptable. Not recomended.

The food was ready super quickly and very good. Friendly staff.