Shilla

I have always come here for my Korean food fix (as there has always been no other choice before Kimchi Cult opened).
I love the food in this place as it is super warming and always feels like comfort food.
The service isn’t always the friendliest but may be because they are often quite busy and rushing around. Never had any major complaints that have ruined it though.
The restaurant is small but doesn’t usually bother my dining experience either as I go to eat the food then leave.
My favourites on the menu are Dugbokki (Korean rice cakes) and the kimchi fried rice (comes with egg on top!). If you are not a fan of spice then probably won’t be your first choice but they are plenty of other dishes to choose from. The stone pots have always been a popular choice for me too as it has the meat, egg and veg with hot sauce to stir. Otherwise, the sizzling meat dishes (/​non-​spicy options) with separate rice are also really good.
Overall a great place for grub and I would definitely recommend. Go for the food if anything!

Shilla has been on my to-​eat list for EVER and I finally found a chance to get in for lunch yesterday.
I believe it was Glasgow’s first Korean restaurant, and inside it has a small casual dining area (good for lunch) as well dining upstairs. I took a seat by the window and looked over the lunch menu which is pretty comprehensive — there’s starters, rice dishes, char-​grilled meats and noodles. As it was a cold, blustery day I decided to go for the warming sizzle of dolsot bibimbab, served in a stone pot. I’ve tried this dish at Kimchi Cult and so I was keen to see how they compared.
While I was waiting on my food they brought over some small plates of pickles which was nice. It was maybe 10 minutes for my meal to arrive and I love how it arrives sizzling hot. They also gave me a side of miso soup which I didn’t expect but really appreciated. The dolsot comes with a side of hot sauce so you can flavour it how you like — I’m not really a hot sauce person, but overall I found the dish a little bland so it definitely needed it. The portion size was fine but I’m sure the one I tried at Kimchi Cult was a bit more generous. There was a raw egg in there which cooks as you mix it in, and I love how the rice on the bottom of the bowl crisps up as you eat. All up, I was impressed with this and really enjoyed it, but I have to say that KC is my preferred option for this dish.
My bill came to £10 for the dolsot and an orange juice. The casual dining area is totally fine for a quick lunch and was pretty busy by the time I was leaving. I’d definitely go back here for another try as there was lots more on the menu that I’m keen to try.

This is my favourite restaurant of all time. I love the consistently excellent food, the authentic dining experience and unassuming and efficient waiting staff. Each time you dine there is a beautiful wee selection of amuse bouche to share — things like kimchi, potatoes, cucumber or bean sprouts.
For started the seafood omelette is to die for– really varied seafood including delightful wee baby squid, mussels and calamari. The tofu and seafood stew is my go-​to dish. I am never disappointed with the fantastically generous portion, awesome sticky rice and lovely silver chopsticks (forks provided too!). Absolutely love it.

taste pretty good. Strongly recommend the chicken string (No.3). Photo is about 24 & 26

We finally made over to this small Korean restaurant. We’ve been meaning to try it but never got around to it. It was good bulgoki but the sides were pretty small and we didn’t each get them. I’m used to Korean places that give you 5 – 7 small dishes all goads your main bulgoki. The atmosphere was divey and the place was way too hot. We ordered the kimchi which was good. The food is fine just pricey for what it is.

My husband and I have eaten at Shilla for years as we enjoy their food. However, we have noticed that their food portions are continually shrinking as their prices increase.
Rice portion is meagre and cost £2.50. The kimchi jigae is mostly soup and kimchi, with 3 sad slices of tofu and barely noticeable pieces of wafer-​thin pork. The pa jeon starter at £7.50 is also way too expensive for an omelette with several tiny pieces of squid.
It’s a real shame that the Shilla management is adopting a ‘minimise expense, maximise profit’ attitude because their food does taste really good. They don’t realise that generosity can go a long way and if this scrimping continues, their clientele will eventually dwindle.

I had been out this way to see a friend’s band and I was accompanied by fellow newbie Unilocaler Linda D. We sadly just missed the band. Sorry guys! Next time!
We were both hungry and our eyes fell upon Shilla, a Korean restaurant based in Finnieston. Checked out the menu and seen there was some seats available. We had ended up at that busy period but we managed to get seats at the window. We had asked for the mezzanine seats, which looked available, but they said no. Maybe it was reserved, we didn’t get an answer.
I ordered the teriyaki chicken dish but I didn’t really get to order my drink as Linda was ordering a Sapporo beer the waitress then left quickly so guessed I was getting one too. Ah well Sapporo it is.
The dish was lovely but I found the chicken to be quite fatty, which is really rare to come across. I found it a bit chewy but the sauce was lovely, served with a side salad and fluffy rice. We were also given a mix of pickles with soy sauce before our main meals, these were complimentary. They were ok, some a bit weird tasting and texture wise a bit strange to me.
Overall it was a good experience as they left us alone all night after we were served our food. Linda and I wanted somewhere we could have a good catch up and this was ideal. It was a bit uncomfortable at the end when we paying the bill and the waitress was waiting beside us as we were counting out our money.
I would maybe head back and try something else as it was ok but the last visit didn’t exactly blow my socks off.

After a brief trip to South Korea I completely fell in love with their food, so as soon as I returned to Glasgow I immediately sought out somewhere I could get my Kimchi fix. Unfortunately Glasgow only appears to have a single Korean restaurant, thankfully it’s a good one.
Shilla has quickly become one of my favourite restaurants even though It could do with a bit of refurbishment. The décor does look a little tired, but it is always clean and the food more than makes up for the slightly ageing wallpaper.
A typical meal will see my starting with gun man do (fried minced port dumplings with an amazing dipping sauce) or the oh jingo twi gim (lightly battered squid). For main my favourite is the oh sam bul go ki, a spicy pork and squid dish served with rice. And of course I have to get a side of Kimichi!
The also serve Korean beer (Hite) and have a modest selection of wines. My only complaint is that they never any Makgeolli which seems almost impossible to get in Glasgow.
The restaurant is normally fairly busy so I always recommend booking ahead. Also to avoid being placed on one of the awkward bench like tables around the window I always ask for a mezzanine table when making a booking.

This is one of my favourite restaurants. Great selection of starters and main, and the kimchi is so tasty — only place i can ever get it. When we arrived there were no tables, but they found us one quickly — it is very small though so expect it to be packed out most of the time so booking is advisable. Service was quick. The prices are really reasonable. And you get some complimentary appetisers soon after you sit down. We will be back soon!

Online this place looks epic however I’m not convinced by it! Entering the restaurant it is tiny and the heat oh my! The door was pinned open but I think that it just made it warmer! Sat at our table, which was so close to the next table it was like we were all together considering the place was empty we could have been a table apart! Looking at the menu everything was coated in chefs special sauce but nothing actually telling you what the special sauce was. I went for the Korean chicken with rice cakes. I am still unsure what part was the rice cakes. The food was average! We ordered beers and they were out of stock of a couple! I really hate when places have run out of items on the menu especially when you can buy this type of beer in the supermarket. I tend to think it’s just laziness from the buying team to not have the items on their menu at the start of the night! After our meal I couldn’t get out of there any quicker due to the heat! Not sure I would hurry back here.

«What else don’t we have?» Was the shout of the waiter to the Chef as we tried to order our meal…
On Saturday a group of us visited Shilla to find out what Korean cuisine had to offer and I am afraid it was a bit of a disappointing experience on several fronts.
The restaurant was boiling hot and they switched between opening the door and trying to get the air con to work. Neither did and instead it felt a bit like we were eating in a sauna. On top of this you really felt packed in due to the lack of space. Getting to know your fellow diners must be part of the experience.
The menu showed that there was meant to be two Korean beers on offer. Sadly they did not have the OB in stock so I went with Hite.
The Hite was fine, but a bit light for my taste. I suspect the OB has been out of stock for a long long time, as when Bex reviewed over a year ago it was also not available. Perhaps time for a menu update Shilla?
I then tried to order scallops for starters and they did not have any. Our waiter shouted to the kitchen to find out what else they were out of and a whole list got shouted back. I managed to order some king prawns with «chefs special sauce» for starters and they tasted fine. The sauce just seemed to be soya with onions. The prawns were far from big. For mains I got a dish that was described as «spicy pork, squid and assortment» with rice. I still don’t know what the assortment was. It all tasted ok, but is not something I would try again in a hurry. It just all seemed a bit bland
The others diners with me faired either the same or worse and the general feeling was either I can’t eat that or that the food was ok-​ish.
This place will survive because of location, but I think the staff gave up caring about the experience the diners have a long time ago.

Been coming here almost weekly since the summer when I was first introduced to Korean food. Shame it’s the only restaurant of its kind in Glasgow but it’s great. Intimate setting but ideal for a quick bite or before heading out. And don’t be discouraged if it looks full through the window; there’s also an upstairs area. I would thoroughly recommend Korean staples such as Kimchi and Bulgoki, but I’d encourage you to try the more expensive dishes like the pork belly. No trip to the West End is complete without a visit here!

Went here last night to get an idea of what the food might be like in Korea when we go next week! It would have been 5 stars but we were really cold next to the door sat facing the window with the menu in it so people going past would stare in, bit off putting. There was also no OB beer which we’d really wanted to try and no sushi (I really wanted this as a starter, despite it not being Korean as I LOVE sushi!) We’ll have to go back to try it!
The food was great though, really different flavours and spicy but not too spicy for me which I was worried it might be. The staff were also really friendly with one guy giving us tips for our visit to South Korea.
You can see my pictures and read my longer babbling review here if you like… olive​drag​on​fly​.blogspot​.co​.uk/​2​0​1​3​/​0​3​/​s​o​u​t​h​-​k​o​r​e​a​-​s​h​i​l​l​a​-​r​e​v​i​e​w​.html

Well I only ever had the sushis and they do not taste fresh at all and I am really upset because they are all individually packed in plastic pouches and I believe we already use too much plastic.
I know this is not the best review but I dont like over use of plastic and not fresh tasting sushis
Voila!

Food here is really good. Almost everything on the menu is delicious and worth trying.

Amazing food and such good value for money. Heartily recommend the seafood hot pot soup dish. It had creatures u didn’t even recognise in it!

I’ve been coming here for several years now ever since it opened as Kokuryo — the first Korean restaurant in Scotland. Subsequently a sister restaurant, Shilla, opened in Edinburgh, and now the original Glasgow Korean is also called Shilla.
The food remains excellent and totally authentic — always drawing in passing Korean businessmen and it even has Korean beer — I prefer the OB. I recommend the bulgoki, a marinated grilled meat served with lettuce leaves, or the bibimbap rice dish if you want something spicy. The waiting staff have changed since they first opened as Kokoryu, and although it took them a while to improve the service, the last time I was there they were as good as it gets. It’s quite a small place, so its popularity demands booking at times.

«Japaorean.» This is the term coined by Lumberjack after our visit with a friend.
A friend from Oman was in Glasgow for work (and play), and for her last night here, I wanted to take her out. We opted for Shilla because she was in the mood for Japanese, and I felt like Korean. So this seemed like a happy compromise. Finding the restaurant was a bit of a struggle for both Lumberjack and I, and my friend. I was a little confused with the name change, because we were looking for Kokuryo.
We were sat on the ground level dining area, which was small but cheerful. There were about 6 tables on the ground level with seating along the window facing the Argyle Street. Additional seating could be found upstairs in the mezzanine. It’s pretty contemporary and simple décor, which doesn’t detract from the amazing gastronomical extravaganza about to take place. For a Monday evening it was heavin’, and I’m really happy that I booked our table in advance over the phone. I’m also a firm believer that if the chefs and clientele are of that ethnicity, it’s totally legit and tasty. Would you eat Korean food cooked by an Englishman? Nope, didn’t think so! Joking aside, this place was really great… here’s why:
Lumberjack and I started with sushi (defo not Korean, but we love our sushi). LJ opted for lobster temaki, and I got eel nigiri. The sushi was fresh and delicious (obviously Japanese, not Korean). With most Korean restaurants I’ve frequented, you’re normally served banchan (side dishes), which include gaji namul (boiled aubergine) and kongnamul (cold boiled bean sprouts with sesame oil). All very standard and tasty sides.
Between the 3 of us, we ordered:
ccan sho saewoo — deep fried king prawn in hot and sweet sauce
dak gal bi — chargrilled chicken with Korean style rice cake, sweet potato and selected vegetables, served with rice
beef teriyaki — chargrilled chicken with sweet teriyaki sauce, served with salad and rice
The 3 mains were more than enough food to share, as we got to pick at each dish to sample. Yah family style dining! The flavors were so good, and the spice factor just right. Rather than a «Korean» restaurant, it was more of a mixture of both «Korean» and «Japanese». Overall the food was really great and made me miss my «big» Tina with whom I’d go for Korean with (plus she’s half Korean). The service was decent overall. They were quite patient while we waited for my friend to arrive. The food came out in a timely matter, especially the sushi, because the poor sushi chef was inundated with so many orders. Between the 3 of us, the damage came to just under £50. Not too shabby.
The sweet and lowdown: intimate restaurant, takes reservations (book in advance if you can), decently priced, fresh and tasty food, and decent service.

Shilla looked decent from the outside, although on the wrong end of a street that has a few vacant shops and a few with signs peeling off. I had never been to a Korean restaurant before, but there was something familiar (the crab). To go with this i choose some marinated tofu, not sure this is an ideal complimentary food to have with crab. Each had a distincive taste, gosh the taste buds were experiencing new things.
We were recommended a traditional dish called kimichi, which we are told is a favourite in Korea. It was interesting, especially when the garlic hits! wow, which I suspect was concealing a good helping of chilli! Wow, pass the water.
Shilla did many other possibly tasty things such as pork strippings in a stir-​fry with a Korean flavour twist, also I saw a whole little bird that had been cooked in some sort of sauce which turned it golden yellow brown colour.
Lots to pick from, the clientele at the time I was in were a bit loud though and not scared to pop the odd comment across the restaurant.

While my dining companions were all a little skeptical about the prospect of Korean food, I opted for a lucky dip of starters from the menu and duly devoured the complimentary snacks given to us pre-​meal. Now I don’t know what they were exactly but they were good. Very good.
Considering myself to be something of a connoisseur by the time the main course came, I perhaps went a little overboard with my praise of all things Korean. The flavours! The textures! The presentation! Oh and I just love the way you’re encouraged to eat with your hands, it’s so rustic and informal, you know it’s really rather liberating…
…only I was wrong. Having eaten around a quarter of my haemul pajeon (a sort of seafood omelette) by hand, our Korean waitress, who I’d noticed giggling with her colleague, handed me a knife and fork and informed me that the fact cutlery had been missing was a mistake on their part. In other words, they’d stood and watched this cringeworthy episode unfold for a good two or three minutes before ending it. Apologising profusely while trying, and failing, to keep a straight face, she ensured it was a thoroughly humiliating end to the meal for me.
But you know, it was deserved, and in the end it was an experience which added to the place. Despite the modern décor, this small Argyle Street restaurant is informal and relaxed. The staff are bubbly and helpful and as the city’s only Korean eatery it represents one of the most unique dining experiences in Glasgow.
Most importantly, the food is fantastic and I don’t care what etiquette says, it did taste even better with my hands.