Kimchi Cult

First of all, the presentation of the foods are great! Very appetising! The spicy fried chicken with the glowing red sauce covering the perfect crispy chicken, and the two pearl white pao filled with the yummy pork belly and bulgogi made me drool! The bibimbap is also layout nicely.
However, I find that the bibimbap is under seasoned, the sauce barely covered everything, resulting lack of flavour overall. And the fried chicken has the perfect crunchiness on the outside, just what a proper Korean fried chicken should have, and a really juicy inside! But the coating sauce lack of what I called the «Korean punch in the face flavour», the strength should be much stronger, spicier, and a bit more acidity won’t hurt either. The juicy chicken is the perfect tool to soothe your taste buds after the «punch», with the chicken that’s lacking the «punch», the inside is just too bland.
The highlight would be the baos! The baos are soft! Accompanied by the slightly «hard shelled» pork belly and bulgogi, which are delicious on their own already! The contrast of textures and flavours just explodes in your mouth!
I would of given it a 3 ¾ stars, however, Unilocal only operates in integer, and it’s not meeting my 4 stars standard yet, I got to give it a 3. Well that’s until the next time I go again, for the deep fried soy chicken, which I have a feeling that the flavour would be stronger, somehow.

So, it seems as thought Korean food is becoming a hip happening thing here in Glasgow eh, not that I’m complaining. I’m obsessed with Korean food! The more the better! Still waiting on a Korean BBQ place to open up! Somebody get on it!
Anyway, Kimchi Cult is quite a nice place. Small and sometimes ya gotta be lucky (which I was the last 3 times I visited) to get a table, but super coohl nonetheless.
I’ve tried quite a few dishes from here; the Korean spicy fried chicken, Dolsot bibimbap, steam bun beef burger and bulgogi fries. All of those times, I remember enjoying what I ate! However, the food is catered to the local Glaswegian taste, so don’t expect a typically super spicy and red Korean meal (I mean, at least to me, nothing was spicy at all. I think my tongue is just numb tbh haha)! Even the kimchi is not that spicy or sour either, just in case, for those with a more delicate palette.
The service in Kimchi Cult is quick and friendly too! It’s a wee bit like a «fast food» style of ordering and preparation except I’m pretty sure almost everything is presumably prepared fresh!
Also, everything on the menu is below 10 quid so it’s unlikely that you’ll break the bank eating here. Affordability! Great! :D
Anyway, drop by if you’re ever in the west end. It’s a nice place to have good Korean style food at affordable prices.

My first impressions of Kimchi Cult were very good but they only get better as I’ve now slowly eaten my way through most of the menu. The bibimbap has been my usual, but I’ve branched out to get the burgers and bulgogi topped fries. All are fantastic and they do fulfil cravings for each very well. But that’s not what this review is about. This review exists because I finally tried the fried chicken.
Today I had the Korean fried chicken with spicy sweet yangnyeom sauce. There was a 20 minute wait, which I took as as a good sign as fresh is always preferred over immediate. So I sat and I waited with some anticipation.
It was beautiful fried chicken with a nice red glaze and a coating of green onion and sesame seeds. The glaze was so well balanced with just a little bit of sour, salty, spicy, and sweet and was thick enough to coat the chicken. The skin was amazingly crisp while still being thin. The meat was deliciously juicy and flavourful. I can’t believe I hadn’t tried it sooner. Even compulsively lazy me had to start to rave about it the moment I was able to and everywhere I’m able
As usual, the place is still small but the staff is friendly and enthusiastic. I really need to get back sooner than my last visit just because of the chicken. It’s that good.

Kimchi cult is a great addition to the west end! The space is small but well designed. If you are sitting in it might be hard to find a table at popular dining times but when I visited Saturday afternoon there were a few free tables. I tried the Korean rice bowl with pork. It is was tasty. I also tried the kimchi and I thought this was also a good choice for those that like fermented things. The fare is relatively simple Korean food but it’s nice to have this fun and tasty option in the west end.

Went with the Pork Belly Bao lunch combo. Excellent choice! Comes with a soft drink and order of chips for only £6. Bao is one of my favorite things to eat and Kimchi Cult did not disappoint! Where do I sign up for the cult? I’m a believer!

Love this place! I ordered a tofu bao and it was delicious. The bun was the perfect texture and the tofu was flavored and friends to perfection. They run a great lunch special — bao, fries or salad and drink for £6.
The inside isn’t glamorous, just a few tables but it’s all you need if your in the mood for a tasty meal.

Was so excited to try this place, had heard amazing things about it.
I’m not sure if it was down to picking the wrong thing from the menu or the fact that I had a vegan option, but I wasn’t amazed by my experience. Went for the £6 lunch deal, which consisted of a steamed bun with tofu, fries and a drink. The other option is one of their bowls and a drink (no fries).
The buns are super small, wished I had ordered two straight away. There wasn’t much tofu in there either, but the tofu that was in there tasted really good. There was two pieces of cucumber and some hot-​ish sauce inside. It did come with a generous serving of fries though, which I had to salt a little. The fries saved the day and filled me up nicely.
The dude who served me was really nice, the shop itself is small but it was quiet when I arrived and I got a seat no problem.
It’s a cheap menu, with a great lunch deal (available until 3pm). I’ll definitely go back and try one of the vegan versions of their bowls. I’ll know now to get more than one bun too.

Love this place. Really cute street food vibe and some really unusual and fun flavour combinations. Relaxed feel with a wee buzz– cool neon and funky signage add to the ambience. Really friendly staff.
The tofu bao are totally delicious — the sauce is something very special indeed. Get some kimchi fries in your face– you won’t regret it.

vary tasty korean food with scottish style!

After one hit I’m in, I’ve joined the cult and shall be making the pilgrimage from the Southside to West end much more regularly.
Visited a Friday evening and read up that if you’re going to order the chicken do so in advance as they cook it fresh. Also meant I didn’t have to hang about when I got there which was good as the place is small and some people where sitting in with their meals and the last thing they would want is me eyeballing them as they tucked into their burgers. The service was really great, painless phone ordering (which we all dread) and then the staff very friendly. Both the chef who brought my order out and the girl on the counter.
Finally talking about the food…
Ordered the soy fried chicken. Deliciously crispy and so much flavour. The chicken was juicy and plenty on the thighs. You get two thighs in the portion. Enjoyed thighs over wings, good move from then.
We had the plain fries. Skin on, fresh and crispy. Very good.
Brisket boa– I love a steamed bun but wasn’t sure about the brisket filling here. Little bit tough but im not always a fan of brisket. I’d try a different variety next time. Good salad on the bun.
I also ordered a side of kimchi, I’m not sure if they forgot to put it in the bag or if the tiny wee pot of kimchee within the steamed bun box was it. I hope it wasn’t it because at a cost of £1.50 I’d say it would be pricey when I feel the rest of the food was reasonable.

I’ve seen a few reviews for Kimchi Cult recently so on the spur of the moment, I decided to nip in for a quick lunch snack the other day.
The place was pretty busy with all 3 tables occupied and the staff busily preparing dishes. I remembered seeing a tip from Briony that it was cash only and as I was cashless as usual, I decided to check before I placed my order! It is still cash only but there is a Sainsbury’s Local nearby on Byres Road which has an ATM.
By the time I returned a few minutes later, one of the tables had vacated so I decided to eat in. I ordered the Pork Bibimbap — something that I had sampled before in Japan of all places. My food took about 10 minutes to arrive but as it is all freshly prepared and cooked on the spot, that’s OK.
The mix of rice, pork, cultured veg, spicy sauce and topped with an egg was nicely presented in a big aluminium bowl — it was only then that I realised that you need to pay an extra £1 to have it served on a sizzling hot stone dish, like I did in japan. Maybe being a novice at Korean food, I just assumed that was normal for this dish but apparently not. The hot stone makes the rice, sauce and other bits all go a bit crunchy and sticky around the edges so is definitely worth doing!
The food was very tasty and great for a quick filling hot lunch. The menu is fairly simple, not a huge number of options but good enough to start with.
With the hot plate option it would have been £6.50 which is a bit on the high side, I feel, for what is basically a rice dish and there are other places nearby where you can eat well for a fiver. Hence the 3* rating.
It was still good to try out and I will go back and sample the chicken wings next time as they sound awesome!

The garlic soy fried chicken is one of the best things I’ve eaten all year, and if you come here for one thing come here for that. It’s so good; soft, juicy chicken hidden under a crispy coating that has bags of flavour, all topped off with a really sympathetic topping of spring onion and other bits and bobs. I’d go back and just eat this to be honest, it really is that good.
I’d be missing out on other good stuff though if I did. The bulogi fries are another winner; lovely strips of beef, with hot sauce and mayo that compliment each other perfectly without overpowering everything else. The pork belly bao was also pretty good (although I’m not 100% sure I’m with them as a concept in general — I like them but don’t love them), and is part of a pretty decent £5 lunch deal.
The space is what you expect from a converted takeaway, so there isn’t much in the way of seating (we were there pretty early on a Friday night and got one without any bother). The staff are really friendly, and they pass the playing cool music test which is a bit of a bonus!
Overall, I loved Kimchi Cult, and can’t wait to come back.

I was pretty much bursting at the seams with excitement about Kimchi Cult opening in Glasgow and am so chuffed to see them doing some seriously interesting, tasty and wow-​factor food. I’ve been following their journey since first meeting them in 2013 at a food festival, and loved seeing their journey from when they secured their space on Chancellor Street.
Enough back story, onto the food. We visited early on a Friday night (around 5.30) and got a table easily enough. This place is small so don’t go in thinking it’s a restaurant — it’s more of a takeaway that you can also sit in (I think there’s 8 seats all up, so you might miss out!). Ordering at the counter, we decided to go for a range of stuff — Korean Fried Chicken and Dolsot Bibimbap with beef for me, Bulgogi fries and a pork belly bao for Graeme. They’ll tell you how long the food will be, and you can sit back and chill while enjoying the excellent tunes and admire the best stained glass window I’ve seen in a long time (it’s a cabbage, if you aren’t sure).
I was super excited for the Dolsot Bibimbap as it’s a new addition the menu. Bibimbap is a rice bowl dish with toppings of vegetable, egg, kimchi (pickled spicy cabbage) and cho gochujang (hot sauce). You can choose between pork, brisket or tofu, and for £1 extra you can have it in a super hot stone bowl (Dolsot) and the egg is raw as it will cook as you mix it together. They also put seasame oil at the bottom of the bowl which cooks the rice so it’s lovely and crispy on the outside (I’m making myself hungry writing this). It was just as epic as it sounds and for £6.50, incredibly reasonable. It’s got a bit of theatre people to it and people will look at you as it comes out, but embrace the envy and dive in. Just don’t touch the bowl as you might burn off your fingertips. I also found the portion size really big and struggled to finish it. Wimp.
I was eating my way through the Bibimbap as the Korean Fried Chicken arrived. We ordered the soy garlic glaze — a hot sauce option is also available. Normally it’s fried wings but on Friday they were doing thigh instead. This fried chicken was AMAZING. Very high on the wow factor and definitely the best fried chicken I’ve ever eaten. The glaze is light and very crisp, it’s almost like a toffee apple coating with a hint of sweetness. There was two thighs so we were able to have one each and to be honest, if there wasn’t a 20 minute wait I definitely would have ordered another portion to take him. It’s one of those dishes I will think about daily. Forever. I can’t wait to eat it again.
So yeh, it’s pretty obvious that I love Kimchi Cult. They have more stuff on the menu like burgers (which I remember being amazing a couple of years back, really need to try them again!) and their lunch deal is really good (bao + fries/​salad + drink £5 or bibimbap + drink £5). They have Pocari Sweat which sounds disgusting but it’s a lovely refreshing drink, and the staff are super lovely and passionate about what they’re doing. They’ll ask what you think of the food and you can tell they really care about the answer, it’s not just a token check-​up.
I can’t wait to go back for more fried chicken + bibimbap.

This is a cult I am definitely joining! Asian food is my favourite type of food. So I was super excited when Kimchi cult was opening.
We has a small time gap to grab some dinner and thought this place would be perfect. Quickness is what we were looking for. We did try to phone ahead but it was so busy we couldn’t get through.
We decided to get a pork bun each although it was really small it was super tasty. The pork was so tender. We shared the Bulgogi fries. Fries with mayo and Korean sauce and on top of that strips of beef! Again really tasty.
It’s not the kind of place you can sit in for a full mean but there is a handful of tables to grab a quick bite and the staff seem friendly.
I want to try everything on the menu so I can’t wait to hurry back for more scrumptious food!

I wandered in here a few days after it opened just to pick up a menu and see what was on offer. It was quite busy and there didn’t seem to be any takeaway menus (please sort this or put the menu online), so I ahead a quick scan of the chalkboard menu above the till then quietly scooted out.
I returned the following week after having indulged in a wee brewski and feeling like I deserved a treat. It was Friday night after all! Thing is, I’d passed numerous takeaways on my short walk home and nothing was taking my fancy. And finally, the last street before home, I realised; I’d been dying for an excuse to try this place. So I wandered in (it was much quieter this time) and checked out the menu once more. I’d been having a hankering for a burger and the Kimchee Cheeseburger ticked all my boxes. I ordered from the lovely chap with the duo-​toned hair and had a seat whilst I waited.
The interior is small, with only 3 tables and a bench for those ordering takeaway or waiting to be seated. The counter is the only thing separating the diners from the open plan kitchen. A far cry from the tasty and affordable Chinese takeaway that used to be in it’s place. While waiting I was treated a wonderful rendition of The Smiths by duo-​tone boy, and not 10 minutes later was handed my burger in a nice box, with accompanying napkins. And here is were must I apologise for the lack of photos. Simply because by the time I’d organised my dvd, got my jammies on and settled down to munch it, the first bite was so good that I couldn’t be bothered fetching my phone to take a photo. It was delightful. Perfectly cooked patty, delicious Kimchee topping, and a great bun. I genuinely cannot wait to go back. My friend is up for a visit next week and I shall be suggesting exploring the Cult menu further!

Now this is what you want. bold flavours, not afraid to use spice, immaculately presented steamed buns. this is the sort of flavour I was expecting at bo kantina, and was left disappointed by. the joint itself is a bit on the dinky side, but nice, and the staff are welcoming and enthusiastic.
unfortunately I think I’ve just realised I don’t really like kimchi. so I I might be back to try the other stuff on the menu, or it just might be that Korean food isn’t for me.

Desperate to go — I got along today. Totally amazing. Cool setting, fantastic stain glass window and the Chef — he’s wicked.
Said it was in for a take away for myself my husband he asked did I have a budget — nope I never just wanted to try a good wee selection for dinner. 10mins later (a wee post and a flick on IG re my location) I was presented with a brown paper bag and asked for £21. Also as I was a Kimchi Virgin I got a wee complimentary tub of the stuff.
I was sooooo excited to get home and I tell you NOT disappointed one little bit. I can not tell you how amazing everything was and the picked radish was an unexpected delight and the Kimchi and have no words to describe how wonderful it was. Definitely value for money and I will be back ASAP. A welcome business to Chancellor Street and to Glasgow. Kimchi Cult — YOU GUYS ROCK xx

I’m from the States and am living in Glasgow for a few years while the husband pursues a degree. I’ve had good Korean food in both California and New Jersey/​New York and my Korean mother in law’s cooking is excellent, so I’m fortunate to have had some pretty good Korean food. Glasgow was well in need of a street food fusion place like Kimchi Cult, and even though it’s not necessarily authentic Korean, I really hope that people can appreciate the flavors this place is dishing out. I really don’t mind if it’s authentic or not because it’s not claiming to be. I’m more concerned about how their food tastes.
I had heard about Kimchi Cult and that it would be coming to Glasgow, so was super excited to go check it out but I didn’t want to get my hopes up because, lets be honest, Asian food in Glasgow isn’t the greatest, and Kimchi Cult is one of only two places in Glasgow that carry Korean (or in this case a bit more Korean fusion) food. The other Korean place, Shilla, is alright, but way overpriced for what it offers, and the kimchi was sorely lacking in flavor, freshness, and variety. Now onto the food!
We ordered Taiwanese bao, one brisket and one of the pork belly, bulgogi french fries, and Korean fried chicken.
The brisket was a bit tough but tasty enough, and was texturally similar to a Chinese beef dish that my mom cooks. Could have been cooked down to soften it more. The kimchi with it was pretty good– seasoned well, fermented nicely with a mild level of spice but enough for a kick. Husband said it was better than Shilla’s kimchi but the flavor could have been more developed. The pork belly bao was great. Melt in your mouth soft, and the slightly salted (pickled?) cucumbers with the sweetness of hoisin was the perfect combo.
Bulgogi fries were pretty fantastic. The combination of drizzled sriracha sauce, mayo, green onions and finely chopped meat surprisingly worked really well together. You get the sweet spicy from the sriracha, creaminess of the mayo, and pockets of salt from the fries. Good stuff. The meat was minced and slightly chewy but was more for texture than anything else. I would however, have miss if it weren’t there. Bulgogi actually refers to strips of thinly sliced sirloin usually on the bone and marinaded, but it wasn’t technically bulgogi because (I don’t think) it was a sirloin cut and don’t think that the marinade (not sure there was one) was right. No bother, still tasty, but just wanted to clarify for authenticity sake.
But the KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN! That was the real gem of the meal. Sweet, spicy (mild don’t worry!), and the flavor of the sesame oil really came through. Husband said it was pretty authentic as well, which is nice. I’m pretty sure they used Korean Gochujang chili paste in the sauce as well, which I’m happy about because nothing else can really substitute that taste. Chicken thigh was super moist. The chicken is really what sealed the deal for me to want to go back and try more.
The meal also incorporated a few other pickled vegetables as sides which was a thoughtful touch. Pickled radish cubes were sour and sweet but maybe a little bit too sweet. I prefer them more crunchy but I think that just comes down to preference. The mung bean sprouts had a crunch to them but were still soft, so they got that right, but it really lacked seasoning. Needed some salt and maybe a touch of sesame oil.
Atmosphere of the restaurant was nice. Only 3 small tables but the smallness added to the hole in the wall charm. Loved the kimchi stained glass and neon ‘Kimchi Cult’ signage. Was also really impressed when quick scan the books on a shelf revealed a book on fermenting veggies and the Momofuku recipe book.
Next time I’ll have to try the bibimbap and perhaps a burger. I realize that of the things we ordered, only one thing had kimchi, but I’m hoping to rectify that soon. All in all really happy with the meal and will be back.

Have you joined the cult yet? If you have not it is well worth a try.
Korean food seems to be the new on trend street food flavour. Kimchi Cult has been around for quite a while, but from what I can tell this is their first permanent place in Glasgow. I have been twice now and both times I really enjoyed my meals. Its quite a small place with only about 4 tables and I think a big focus will t be on the take away side of the buisness. First impressions were good, the staff were friendly, the place is pretty basic but does the job and the food is served very fast.
The food itself is very tasty. My favourite thing so far is the bulgogi fries, which are chips with chopped beef, spring onions, spicy mayo and various Korean spices over the top. They are very very good and are like a meal in themselves. At £6.50 for fries they probably should be. The other things I have tried are the small pork belly buns and the cult burger. The buns are tasty, but VERY small. I know they are only £3.50, but I got a surprise as to just how tiny they were. The burger was tasty and filling (bacon was super salty) but im not sure I would get it again. I would probably go more for a Korean type dish and leave burgers for the long list of speciality burger places we now have in Glasgow.
I will be back as I want to try the rice bowl and the chicken wings. Plus those fries with chopped beef over them are amazing.
Nice, new and interesting place. Tasty food and worth visiting, but some dishes seem a bit on the pricy side for what you are getting.

Always happy to see new Asian food places pop up so I’ve been waiting patiently for the wonderfully named Kimchi Cult to open and, today that wait is over!
First impressions inside, it’s small, with three small tables and a window seat (below a gorgeous stained glass cabbage!) and sparsely decorated but, more importantly, the delicious smell that greeted me promised some tasty foods!
I’d already heard good things about their burgers but as this was my first visit I decided to be a little traditional and go for the Bulgogi Brisket Bao.
Oh my heavens!
Deliciously rich beef brisket, kimchi and spring onions in a perfectly steamed Taiwanese bun, with a small side of pickled mushrooms plus a portion of Kimchi Cheese fries (because you can’t have too much kimchi, right!?) had me salivating from start to finish.
Freshly cooked, so close you can hear the sizzling, it was wonderful and given its within walking distance of my where I live, and is a good alternative, to the ubiquitous burgers, I can see me back here very soon (I may be planning a trip tomorrow!!).
That said, they do burgers as well but as they come topped with kimchi, I’m hopefully of more good things!
So, first day opened (so a slight wait was allowed as they were v. busy from the outset), and my first visit impressions were very good! I’ll definitely be back and, if you are in the area, I’d suggest you swing by as it’s well worth a visit!