Sobon

I love the bulgogi! I don’t even eat red meat and this was a big hot plate of beef. It was seasoned perfectly with some sweetness and spiciness and not too much heat. Excited to see the complimentary kimchi to eat with my rice and bulgogi. Definitely recommend for a quick bite of healthiness and a great protein meal.

Fast, cheap, sometimes pretty good food.
Banchan is low quality and orders sometimes do get messed up, but that’s not the biggest problem with Sobon.
They have a huge problem with bugs, and keeping their doors open doesn’t help that either. Cockroaches and other insects find their way into the kitchen, and sometimes the food, and that is just viscerally disgusting to almost everybody. 99% of the time, you’ll be ok, but if you eat there enough that 1% is enough to keep you away.
Sobon would be a solid 4* if not for that, but it really is an unforgivable issue.

I love their kimichi fried rice, spicy rice cake and beef fried rice, however, ever since I eat there 2011, they continuously serve less food than before, and I once got a plate with a dead crock roach…

I haven’t been here in quite some time after getting a car and discovering Mama’s, but when I lived around here, this place was a sufficient establishment that I visited 2 – 3 times when I had cravings for Korean food. The dolsot bibimbap is up to par, and the side dishes are good as well (I always had a thing for that macaroni salad!). You can dispense your own water. Additionally, I found it funny that they supplied Febreze next to the door, if you want to smell like flowery-​food on your way out.

the food here is above the average, and the price is really acceptable.
The location is great, which is near Kopi and Ted Mango, I always wait here due to the convenience location.
I love #22 and miso ramen here as they have changed the menu!

I came to do on with my Chinese friend Maggie, and expected he typical Americanized Asian food that you usually think of when you eat take out, but it was absolutely amazing!
Upon walking in they were efficient in seating us as well as taking our order and bring our food out as soon as we placed the order in! Everything was hot and the food was fresh! The flavor was impeccable and the kimchi was absolutely superb for a college town restaurant

Sobon is one of the few Korean restaurants I’ve eaten at in Bloomington. I usually order the same thing every time I’m there (the Bulgogi beef, because it’s my favorite Korean dish, and it’s good). The portion seemed quite big when I first came to America (enough for 2 meals), but that’s not the case anymore. It’s really easy to fill up on the side dishes while you’re waiting for your food too. Personally, I think some of the side dishes are really good. It’s an easy place to get to for students living on campus without a car, and a good place to eat at with friends. I mostly went during times when it wasn’t too crowded so I didn’t need to wait much for my food to come. However, I think there are flies frequently in the area of the restaurant that is close to the restrooms and pretty much nobody does anything about it. Also, I recently brought my boyfriend there hoping we could get something to eat but there aren’t any vegan options. I was hoping that there would at least be a plain kimchi ramen or something, but everything had meat or egg in it, and the price felt kind of high if we had asked them to take those out, so that was a bummer.

A good place for a causal meal or friends gathering. Good quailty food and service. I really like their korean food

The second visit changed my opinion. The sweet rice cake is super good! Also love he beef. One thing I hate is that it’s too close to the residential hall, makes it crowded with students like a campus food court :(

I have been back to Sobon several more times since my last review and feel that it is justified to bump them from 3 to 4 stars. As a vegetarian, there is only one thing on the menu here that I can order (BeBimBap), but it is actually pretty good.
Sobon is a total hole in the wall in which you order at the counter. I am never in the mood to actually dine-​in here, but for takeout the atmosphere is A-​OK. Your food only takes 5 – 10 minutes if you order it to-​go and I never have problem finding free parking right outside of the restaurant.
Really the perfect place to stop in and pick up Korean food to-​go while you are still in your sweatpants. Sobon and Crosstown Café are my favorite casual Korean places in Bloomington.

Used to be better 5 years ago. The quality of food has only gone downhill. BeeBimBa — very very little beef. Felt like being cheated. Spinach has sand. Why can’t they be more serious about their food. Well known for the long wait. I am cool with that if food is good. But it isn’t. If it isn’t in a convenient location I would not come here at all.

I craved this place when I moved away… it’s like Korean fast food… Where do you find a Korean fast food??? When I crave for bibimbap, this place hits the spot without burning a hole in my wallet like most other korean restaurants… I never understood why all Korean restaurants were so expensive, however this place is really reasonable. But of course sacrifice needed to be made… You have to pick up your order at the front counter (like fast food) and when you’re done, you take the tray back up to the counter… So yes, definitely a fan!

Really poorly run restaurant with poor service. Food was mediocre at best.
I went with my friend at a not too busy hour of the evening for dinner and we had to wait for a very very long time for our order. We know it was poorly run because people who had ordered well after us were getting their orders before us.
When we politely checked with cashier on the status of our orders, we were just told to wait and not given any explanation. Other customers had to wait as well because they ran out of rice. How can you run out of rice at an Asian restaurant of all places?
After the food was served, the serving sizes were not what we expected. I ordered the spicy beef soup and when it was delivered, it had almost no beef in it and hardly any vegetables as well… mostly oily broth and lukewarm. When I asked the manager if that was the correct order, she insisted that was the «traditional Korean way» the soup is made, even though I’ve ordered it many times at other Korean restaurants.
Overall, I was very disappointed with this experience and will not be returning to this establishment. I don’t recommend it to anyone due to the extremely poor service and lack of concern for the customer and their food quality.

Thought it was great. Had the pork and bulgogi, plus some dumplings or something.
There was a bit of a wait for the food to come out and the «bus your own table» thing is lame, but tasted great! Will be back…

Really great food here! Not very many places in town for Korean and between Soban and Mamas I’m happy.

Not fancy, but very tasty. I’ve been a few times and have always been happy with it. Some of the food is available in lunch portions, including the bibimbap. I have tried that and a spicy beef and noodle soup. Both were very good. I’m not a fan of the macaroni salad as one of the sides, but other people seem to like it. The atmosphere is very casual. You order at the counter and then bus your own table afterwards. In general, the food has been very good, the portions are big, and the prices are reasonable. (I think they may close during the summer and only reopen once school starts, but I’m not sure on the exact dates)

One of the better Korean places in btown. Portions are HUGE and all extremely fresh. You’ll have to wait a bit (20 min) to get you food, but definitely worth it. Also great spice levels in pretty much everything. Bibimbap here is the best, try the squid one for a nice change!

Really surprised not to see more reviews on this gem of a Korean restaurant. The food is totally legit — straight-​up traditional korean, seemingly serving the large Korean student population that lives in the dorm across the street.
I went with a bunch of my friends, and pretty much everyone in there was Korean, always a good sign. The menu was über confusing, as it should be, given that on a solid Korean menu there will basically be 3 – 4 items that you know, and the rest are kind of mysteries (and potentially delightful surprises!).
Since it was my first time though, I went with the standby Bibimbop in a stone bowl. It was perfect, lots of veggies, good amount of beef bul-​go-​gi, and the rice crisped up on the sides of the bowl just as it’s supposed to. I split this with a pork dish that I can’t for the life of me remember the name of, but it was spicy and delicious. A couple of my friends got bento boxes, which they really liked too.
The only reason I wouldn’t give this place five stars is the décor (pretty cafeteria-​esque, order, payment and pickup all at the counter, and not the most comfy seats) and the fact that the Bibimbop didn’t come with the classic red sauce (can’t remember the name) that’s poured on top. I asked for it, and thankfully they do indeed have it. Bibimbop is not complete without it.
If you’re looking for real deal, no frills traditional Korean in B-​town, hit up Sobon.

Went here for lunch a couple months ago and the cook and cashier were eating. When the cashier pulled himself away from his lunch he told me there would be a 10 – 15 wait because the cook was eating. It was lunch time and the cook’s meal time was more important than serving customers. This is a restaurant — right? It was at noon. I shouldn’t have returned, but I did for dinner tonight. SAME THING. Not only did the same cashier ask me if I had time to wait, but actually tried to make a pathetic joke about it. This place wins the award for most egomaniacal attitude toward customers. How does a restaurant stay in business making customers feel like they shouldn’t order food at meal times? And the kimchi is terrible — mayonnaise on pasta, chopped hot dogs, and amazing attitude. Really?

Mmm, this is some legit Korean foodstuff!
I got some Bibimbap, and it rocked. The worst part: the side of pasta salad. Was there miracle whip in that? Nast. The kim chee was good.
The best part of this place: the sign that says «Worried about food smell? Try Febreeze!» …and there is a bottle for you. For a second I thought they wanted me to spray the food with febreeze. And then I realized they meant, like, my clothes or something. How odd, and thoughtful! Good Korean food will stick to you like white on bap.
Recommend!