The wife and I had dinner at Sungs recently; the food was fantastic, the presentation was good, and the service prompt. Both of us had the Bimibob, I had the chicken and my wife had the vegetarian, both were excellent.
There was a classical guitarist playing our entire dinner which was a nice touch. My only real critique is that our server was a little bit less than professional - he was a little too laid back and did not engage us all that well. Aside from that things were wonderful!
Riverside Korean was the place I would go to for Korean food until finding Sung Korean Bistro. I was here for dinner with two friends. This place has a similar menu to other Korean restaurants I've been to, different types of noodles, soups, meats/seafood, bowls, appetizers. It is small enough that you don't feel like you're reading the same dishes over and over in different sections
We ordered steamed dumplings for an appetizer. Perfect amount for the three of us to share and not get full before our 6 side-dishes of pickled veggies/etc arrived and our meals a couple minutes afterward. Tasty sauce too for the dumplings.
We each got different style entrees, and each one was delicious. One was seafood, another tofu, and another was beef. So if you aren't sure whether to get one style of dish compared to another on the menu, there are no bad choices. The waitress helped in making a decision. The sweet potato noodles were tasty.
Ambience was great. There was neat decorations/artwork/instruments on the walls. Not too loud when we were there on a Friday night which was nice, and it also wasn't empty by any means. Prompt and friendly service too. I'll be returning soon.
The service here was great! I came for dinner and was seated at the sushi bar. I opted for the bibimbap, which I had never had before but had wanted to try for a while. The server described all the sides to me and how he liked to make his. He even offered to mix it up for me, which was great! It was very good with the perfect amount of spiciness, very glad I let the server make that call. My only complaint was that the wine was pricey for a very small glass. Next time I'll only order food!
Review Source:You've heard of clothing boutiques, and boutique hotels, Now Sung presents you with the boutique restaurant!
Expect to be pleasantly delighted by the fine touches of Korean ambiance down to the ceramic chop-stick holder. Meals are primed by the a spattering of kimchee and other pickled delicacies to share with the table. The menu uses the traditional Korean names but the descriptions are well written so  you can understand the dishes. The trouble comes in deciding which one to order!
Although I've never been to Sung for lunch, the waitress boasted of their lunchtime offerings at a reduced price and portion size, so perhaps it's a good way for newbies to wean onto Korean food.
The restaurant is small, but not crowded, so reservations are recommended. While this may be a good place to bring a group, I would recommend it for a more intimate gathering of 2-4 people. It's an impressive option for a dressy-casual affair with a sense of adventure.
I stopped by for drinks only last night.
I'm still impressed with their cocktail menu and their ability to make solid, balanced cocktails. It seems the evil that is vodka has taken over a disproportionate amount of them but at least it's classic vodka drinks like the Moscow Mule.
Since I last noted the drink price is on the steep side in February they've been bumped up a dollar to $11 each. Now, I'm cheap but a sucker for good cocktails so I paid without complaint, but come on....$11 for Moscow Mule? At least serve it in the classic and traditional copper mug.
My rating stays at 2 stars. It'd normally get four but for the poaching of the price adn then I deducted one more because I used my TV-B-Gone to turn off the TV no one was watching and the staff turned it on again so no one would watch it.
Stopped by this posh little bistro for some drinks, each handcrafted and as delightful as you would find in the OTR specialty bars. Mahogany wood with sleek black counters and red-lit mood paneling gives Sung an upscale trendy feel.
My friend who recommended Sung noted that they are known for their drinks - he was indeed correct! All of the cocktails sounded more delicious than the next, ranging from a Moscow Mule, to Mimosas, to a Pimm's Cup, to the exotic Hibiscus. I ordered the latter, which was fruity and refreshing: pear sake muddled with ginger vodka, ginger beer, and strawberries.
If you're looking for a fine place for happy hour or to grab an evening drink, Sung will serve you well.
Price per person: $11.00
As I was travelling alone the evening I stopped here I opted to sit at the bar and order dinner there. Â I guess that was my BIG MISTAKE! Â The bartender was slow, did not seem to want to serve me and it took forever for him to get my drink and bring me a menu.
Once I ordered food, the service got better although it seemed like a group of the employee's friends were there and they were getting most of the attention.
I started with the Goonmandu ($6) as it has always been one of my favorite Korean starter dishes. Â They were perfectly fried and tasty and the dipping sauce had a great flavor and spice to go with the dumplings.
For my entree I selected the pork Dolsot Bibimbab ($17). Â (Spinach or watercress, rice, bean sprout, carrot, radish and lettuce topped with an egg sunny side up with your choice of beef, chicken, pork, or tofu. Served in heated hot stone bowl with Go-chu-jang (Korean spicy chili bean paste sauce) on the side.) Â I have had this before and enjoyed it. Â However, I felt something was lacking here. Â It was a little bland for my liking and even with the chili bean past sauce it was still lacking. Â Don't tell me to add soy sauce, that is not my preferred method to spice the food.
I was just expecting a little bit more for a place that seemed to be a bit upscale.
I really like SUNG. We didn't go here for sushi but decided to try some. There is a roll that they light on fire and it gets a great smoky flavor. I now like to stop by here just for a few rolls and some of the homemade cucumber sake.
Dinner is really good too. The bibimbap in the stone bowl is really good. We usually order extra meat because we like a lot. The rice gets so crispy!
The service is very good, the food it very good, the atmosphere is amazing, there is often live music. I highly recommend it for a group. You can sit on the floor in the back in a private area where you have to take your shoes off. You sit on mats at a lowered table and it is secluded. I believe there is also a table for two in this area.
Go, eat well, have fun.
Yum! The Fiancee and I went here on a Groupon date (or was it a Living Social date?). I guess it's irrelevant for the purposes of this review. Anyway, the sushi was really good, the bulgogi was quite tasty, and the Fiancee really enjoyed her bibimbap.
Also, and this was a fantastic surprise for me as a professional musician, there was an AMAZING guitarist playing live throughout our dinner. We seriously thought it was a pre-recorded CD for most of the meal until we finally found the man. Wow.
FOOD POISONING! Â I went to Sung's on Friday night with my family and tried their shrimp skewers. Â Unfortunately, the shrimp were off, and over cooked to boot. Â I only ate about three of the tiny little shrimp before giving them up as spoiled. Â As a result, I spent most of Saturday in the bathroom. Â Even if they weren't spoiled, I wouldn't have been pleased with this dish. Â The shrimp were small, and the green onions and peppers that were supposed to be on the skewers with them were scraps at best. Â Judging by my plate and the other dishes ordered by my table, their idea of, "traditional, authentic korean cuisine" appears to be to drown everything in sriracha. Â
The food wasn't the only problem. Â The atmosphere was also abysmal. Â When you walk in the door, you are greeted by a very crowded, tiny little bar area. Â If we hadn't had reservations, I would have left before making it to the hostess's station, assuming the restaurant was overbooked. Â Once we were seated, it became obvious that this was not the problem, since the dining area was mostly empty. Â Dinner conversation was less than stimulating, since you could hardly hear each other over the bar noise and the other tables, thanks to the open floor plan. Â Needless to say, I won't be going back, and I recommend you stay far, far away.
I should add that after the food went back, the manager came back and said that the chef tasted it, and agreed that it was bad. Â They offered to cook me another order, or to make something else. Â They also did not charge us for the meal. Â I did not take them up on their offer of another dish, since biting into tainted seafood tends to put me off my appetite, but their customer care was appreciated.
I've been to Sung 3 times, and every time has been great.
The food is really good (although a little on the pricy side) and I've always had great service.
I like the atmosphere and the location is great, as long as you can find parking downtown.
If you like dining out and want something new, check it out.
Sung Korean Bistro could be so much better. As it is, it's just okay and definitely not special. The service is uninspired. Strangely, the table setting requires comment-- my teacup had a hairline crack in it that allowed a slow, methodical drip of tea on the table. The chopsticks are very slippery and skinny, which makes them frustrating to use.
The entrees were pretty good, but I felt like the menu didn't describe them well. While my noodles claimed to incorporate sweet potatoes, they really seemed like ordinary glass noodles. And it was more expensive than it should have been. We probably won't go back.
My dining experience at Sung Korean Bistro was only my second time eating Korean food - the first was at Riverside Korean in Covington, KY. Â I made reservations online for 6 people on a Friday night. Â Much to my dismay, the restaurant called me and asked for my credit card number to hold the reservation, letting me know that if my reservation changed or if we didn't show up I would be charged $35 per person (which is absolutely insane in a city like Cincinnati).
Once we got there though, I had a great experience. Â The ambiance is really great - low lighting, a guy in the corner playing classical guitar, the sushi bar in the middle of the restaurant - it was really nice and would be a great place for a romantic date.
The food was delicious. Â I got one of the stir fry options and it was delicious and perfectly spiced. Â Everyone got something different and we all enjoyed the food. Â My only complaint with the meal is that one of us ordered sushi for dinner and they brought the sushi out about 15-20 minutes after everyone else had gotten their food. Â Not good.
The prices were fine - yes, a little on the higher side, but for a nice dinner with delicious food, it's manageable.
Korean food for a new adventure tonight- my last experience over 15 years ago was a little scary (I now ask for recommendations and tell the food server I have no idea what I'm doing). Went to Sung bistro with a work colleague and was delighted with our dinner. On the recommendation of our waitress, we ordered the Dolsot Bibimbab and Doeji Galbi. The Dolsot was a hot pot that started with a foundation of rice and was topped with a mixture of veggies and chicken- it was finished with a sunny side egg that was barely cooked- when mixed into the rice with a half teaspoon of the spicy bean paste.... yum. Portions of the rice got crunchy from the heat of the bowl and the whole thing was fabulous. The Doeji was short ribs with a sweet spicy sauce.., very tender and the spice was right on, just hot enough but not too much. We also (in the spirit of the evening) ordered ozeki hot sake...but we both agreed that we're not old enough to appreciate sake. The consensus was that it tasted like warm nail polish remover.... my guess is that it would have packed a wallop, but after a few sips, I was over the quest for adventure.
Go here, check it out... prices weren't bad- $50 with tip for the dinner...not bad given that I expensed it- gotta love that!
When I return home to Utah, I'll be finding a korean spot there for a comparison.
I am soooo sad to report that my visit back to Sung did not live up to my expectations! There was nothing terrible about the meal, but my soon dubu, that I seriously day dream about, wasn't terribly flavorful and not as spicy as last time. The dolsot bi bim bap stone bowl was actually too hot and burned the food a little beyond just deliciously crispy. Service was still great and they included a really nice birthday dessert for my little sister. I don't know if the chef has changed or we just came on an off nice... I haven't given up on Sung but definitely felt less good about the price to satisfied-taste-bud ratio. Sad.
Review Source:Went here last night (9/30) after we were told by Senate and A Tavola that the wait for a table was three hours. When we first arrived the hostess here also quoted this time, but then she offered for us to sit in the traditional Korean room with no shoes. Our party of 5 sat down and for a tall guy like me it was really hard to sit at the traditional table, I had to sit on the end and even then had to lean up against the wall to be comfortable.
: For dinner three of us had dolsot bimbimbap, I had mine with the beef and the others had there's with no meat and brown rice. It was really good, especially the rice at the bottom that was burnt gave the dish a different texture. The spicy red sauce as the server explained was not spicy as spicy as I would have liked it. The other two in my party split the bulgogi beef and they liked it a lot, we also liked the sides that included caramelized potatoes, kimchi, hot pickled radish, mushrooms and a few other things.
: The total average check per person was 34.79, it was a little to high for us as the meal did not feel that quality. It was good, but not that high for just a bimbop and a glass of wine.
The main issue I have with Sung Korean Bistro is the pricing. Sung does have that trendy, lounge-type atmosphere, but I'm not willing to pay $5 more than usual just to eat average-tasting entrees in a nicer environment. Therefore, I went for the cheapest items on the menu: the sushi. It was good overall and 2.5 rolls were filling for me.
I loved the Philly roll because they added smoked salmon -- an interesting and delicious twist. I also had the spicy tuna roll, which was pretty average. The larger, fancier rolls like the "Reds" one were tasty and flavorful...almost worth shelling out $12-14 each, but still not quite.
Our waitress was very polite, friendly, and attentive, though I imagine it must be easy to keep tabs on your tables when there are only 2 parties on a Saturday night. (If that's the norm every week, I seriously wonder how this place stays in business.) Also of note was the amusingly awkward busgirl. She approached with a pitcher and asked us collectively, mid-conversation, if we wanted our waters filled. Only after we gave our permission did she start to pour. Later, she came and asked if she could take our plates...if we were finished...but then asked us individually again. I don't know why, I just found it kind of weird and wanted to laugh.
I wouldn't go out of my way for this place because there wasn't anything that wowed me. The positives are the nice atmosphere and decent-tasting sushi, which might make it a good date spot.
Really like the modern atmosphere and the decor. Â I went with 2 of my friends, wanted to compare it with Riverside Korean in Covington. So we had lunch there. First of all, I looked at the menu, the prices tend to be a little high for lunch. I ordered first, ordered my favorite traditional appetizer,the Kim Bop. The sauce is my main decision on the quality of the Kim Bop, it was ok, although it does not have that sensational taste, compared to Riverside. Then I order my favorite main dish. The beef bulgogi, it was ok also, had too many sauted onions on the side. Â My friend ordered the seafood pancake, he liked it. My other friend ordered the Kimchee soup, he said it was ok. So overall, I hate to compare it with Riverside, but there is no comparison. I will have to go back the Riverside Korean, sorry Sung.
Review Source:I have a friend who raves about this place, so I went in with him for dinner one Friday night. Â It was surprisingly tame considering the timing of my visit. Â Anyways, I ordered the stone bowl Bibimbab - a classic and probably must try at any Korean place. Â Since I like my meals a little heartier than most, I ordered double meat. Â The Bibimbab was pretty tasty and had nice veggies in it, but I feel like the double meat I paid for wasn't in there. Â Also, the spicy sauce you mix in wasn't actually spicy at all. Â Korean cuisine should have the potential to feel like lava in your mouth, but that clearly wasn't represented here. Â Anyways, overall it was a slightly disappointing meal, and I won't give points for the hip/trendy feel if the food is lacking.
Bottom Line: I'll go back to Riverside if I can help it.
With a complete meal averaging easily above $30 a person, you might expect top notch service, drinks, and food. However, my last visit to Sung was poor in all three of those areas.
First, our server was a mess. I'm normally pretty forgiving, having been a server myself, but he was very robotic and awkwardly stood over our table staring each time he stopped by. He did it so much so that my friend and I actually had to tell him when to leave the table. Yet somehow, he still allowed my glass to sit empty throughout my meal. Their loss, I guess, with cocktails at $10+ each. At one point, he quietly reached across the table, grabbed my friend's bottle of sake, shook it, and then walked away. Later, he grabbed her still half-full drink and tried to take it away. When he noticed her frown, he sat it back down, after just grabbing it around the rim, and offered it back to her to finish. Eww.
As for my drink, my single drink, it was incredibly weak. I might expect this out of a bar atmosphere, but for the price, I think it is fair to expect the bartender to not skimp. Skimp they did.
The food was no better. My friend and I ordered separate dumplings, which were fairly tasty and I had gotten before, yet our server expected us to share a bowl of dipping sauce. Were they low on dishes? For my entree, I ordered some sushi-- a California and Philly roll. Both rolls were somewhat lukewarm and off-putting, but the Philly roll was so awful that it make me sick. I shouldn't have eaten it, as it smelled extraordinarily fishy, but I overlooked it and did. I'll never make that mistake again, as my stomach hated me the rest of the evening.
Overall, a horrible dining experience. In the past, I really liked their Bibimbab (hot rice bowl) and Banchan (sides), but even then, it was hard to justify the price. After this trip, I don't think I'll be back for a long time.
Riverside doesnt compare! I have literally been coming to Sungs at least once a week for the past 6-8 months. There is a small group of us that always make it for dinner. Sung has always been great about suggesting different menu items for us so we can try new things. i have NEVER been dissapointed. EVER. the Sung spicy 911 roll is one of my favorites! i always get the dolsot bimbimbap and actually last time even got one to go to take for lunch the next day! to say I am obsessed is an understatement. I have never had a long wait for food. Sung always comes to our table to chat while we are there and to say Thank You for continued patronage. Our wait staff has always been more than helpful and attentive. I own a salon and send all of my clients there, not ONCE have i heard a negative comment. If you havent been you must must must go, its worth it!!
Review Source:Sung is good Korean choice in the downtown Cincinnati area. Â Below are highlights of my visit on a Saturday night with 3 other friends:
Good
- friendly waitress
- reasonably priced for downtown Cincinnati
- good beer selection
- tasty grilled pork dish (DOEJI BULGOGI)
Needed Improvement
- sushi roll (Bengals roll) was below average
- misquoted wait time
- $2 for an extra side of steam rice
Came here for lunch on New Years Eve, and the place was dead. My table was the only one here from when we came in to when we left. Needless to say our server attended to us well through the entire meal, and she managed to do so without being annoying! For lunch I ordered the pork dolsot bibimbab, Â which was my first experience with the dish.... very yummy. It contained big crispy pieces of rice, lots of vegetables, a spicy sauce that kept up with the dish, and well prepared pork. Since it was my first time, my server offered to mix the dish for me, which was nice because I probably would have made an awful mess while simultaneously burning myself on the stone bowl. After finishing my meal, satisfied and happy, I patted myself on the back for my gastronomic adventure away from my bulgogi Korean experiences of yore.
Review Source:I was nervous heading to Sung, because I'd heard mixed reviews and I was meeting old friends who were in town from D.C. Â I always feel somewhat responsible for steering out of town visitors towards great restaurants, even when I haven't chosen the restaurant! Â These friends, one Japanese and one Korean-American, know their asian food, and chose Sung because they were in the mood for Korean.
Yes, the atmosphere is more hip than homestyle, and yes, prices are slightly higher than at Riverside, but if you're in the mood for a classy atmosphere, you can enjoy a great night out at Sung.
We ordered the dolsot bimbimbap as a starter because we all wanted it but also wanted to try other entrees. Â It is a smaller portion than I've had at other Korean restaurants, but the rice was perfectly crisped by the stone bowl and the flavors were fresher. Â Yum! Â Everyone was happy. Â Then came the tiny dishes of kimchee and other pickled vegetables, which are one of the joys of Korean dining, since you get to try new things without committing.
As entrees, the three of us ordered a stir-fry squid, grilled bulgogi, and a kimchee soup. Â We were all smiles and devoured every last bite. Â I did not try the bulgogi, but the kimchee soup was extremely spicy yet still flavorful. Â It'd be a great option for a stuffed up nose. Â My squid stir fry entree was amazing. Â The waiter recommended it to me over the grilled squid entree because it has vegetables mixed in with the squid. Â The squid was perfectly cooked, with just the slightest rubbery texture that is standard with squid. Â And the sauce was amazing!
We skipped dessert because the choices were all pretty boring and we were satisfied by our meal. Â Total with drinks came to about $100 for three. Â
One weird surprise, to me anyway, is that I did not notice any plum wines on the drink menu (I'm bad at Korean spellings so I'm just going with the translation). Â Sung has a large sake selection, but I expected more Korean choices and was disappointed not to see a simple plum wine.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I want so badly to like this restaurant. Â First, I can practically spit on it from where I reside. Â Second, I love Korean food.
The food is ... aiiiight. Â I mean, bimbimbap is bimbimbap and it's not that hard to mess up. Â Even dolsot bimbimbap. Â It does nothing to really blow me away and their sauce isn't spectacular. Â And it's super overpriced. Â Then there's the meat -- which is decent but ... again, overpriced and scarce. Â Koreans are heartier people who eat heartier Asian food. Â It's not suppose to be Japanese sushi or Chinese vegetables. Â Koreans GET IT ON when it comes to rice and meat and food. Â Maybe Sung is trying to be cool and it's never cool to pig out. Â But man, I'm craving some serious Korean Fried Chicken or something.
Unimpressed. Â Next!
Housed on a rather desolate stretch of West 7th downtown, Sung Korean is pretty easy to miss. Â That's too bad, because it ought to be a downtown staple.
Sung is a little like a Korean version of Nada--i.e., an upscale, hip, clubby update of traditional native fare, resulting in food that's probably a little overpriced for what it is, because the culinary "updates" aren't all that evident. Â And I actually find the decor to be a bit sterile.
Mr. Sung opened this restaurant two or three years back after a bunch of years of being a co-owner, with his sister and her family, of Riverside Korean in Covington, which was and is a definitely more casual restaurant. Â From what I've tried of the food, Sung might be a notch better than Riverside is right now. Â The banchan "appetizers" seem a little more authentic than Riverside's. Â And the kimchi soup that I ordered at a recent lunch was better than anything I've had at Riverside: Â Arriving at the table boiling in a stone pot, it was a sinus-clearing flavor explosion. Â But $13 for a soup that consists mostly of cabbage and tofu, with one or two shreds of pork thrown in, is a bit high. Â (If it seems like I'm repeating a similar complaint from a couple of weeks back about one of Riverside's fish soups, I am.)
The "Lunch Tray Specials," which are only $11, are a better deal. Â Most come with Korean BBQ, along with dumplings, sushi-like "rice rolls," and rice. Â One time I ordered the doeji bulgogi (spicy marinated pork) and thought it was pretty solid, though somewhat on the sweet side.
Service is a bit more polished and professional than at Riverside. Â
As a downtown worker but not a resident, I'd much more inclined to visit Sung at lunchtime much more often if it were a bit more downscale and a few dollars cheaper.
I have never had korean food before.
this place was very fancy. Im usually not into fancy pants places and felt a little weird in my JORTS here.
The food was very delicious
service not so delicious. Â we waited forever for our food.
waitress was very helpful and very nice, just slow w the foods.
I'll def give it another go sometime when i can save enough money to feel rich again.
Went here this evening with my family, I was a fan. Â We had both the fried and the steamed dumplings and both were great. Â The sides were great, I recall potatoes with sesame sauce, cucumbers in a spicy chili sauce, kimchi cabbage, and seaweed. Â For my main course I had the Bibimbab, I kind of wish I had gone for the Dolsot Bibimbab which comes hot, however my dish was still very good. Â The service was prompt and friendly. Â Prices are a little high, but the quality is great. Â Would definitely eat here again.
Review Source:Great food and great atmosphere. I recommend the Dolsot Bibimbap, Jab Chae, and the Stir Fry. They also have a great selection of fruit infused vodkas which are the basis for their delicious cocktail menu.
I also recommend striking up a conversation with the Chef and owner, Sung, if you have a chance. He is an enormously hospitable chap.
Dinner here was stellar. Shared the Yachae pajun app w/ table mates at their insistence. It's a pancake w/ egg, mushroom, carrot, onion, and pepper. I thought it sounded really weird, but I gave it a try. It is amazing. I could eat that every day for the rest of my life. For our meals we all ordered Dolsat Bimbimbop. It is the same as regular Bimbim, but with a heated stone bowl so that the rice gets all crunchy and delicious. Addicting. Rice, veggies, egg, and BBQ beef - hmmm. I all I can say is YUM. I'll be back.
Review Source:The quality of the food has improved greatly from since it's opening earlier this year. The Dolsot Bibimbap is no where near as good as Riverside Korean, and it's way over-priced at $14 for lunch. The Dak Bulgogi box lunch is very good if your looking for a bit of spice, and really good flavor.
You'd expect to see this place being run by Korean's, but there is nary of one to be found . If you look through the giant hole in the wall that reveals the kitchen, the chef isn't even Korean.
The place is very clean, and the servers are knowledgeable of the food, but the overall service is average at best.
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