A stylish central-London Korean restaurant with excellent meat, creative cocktails and generally warm hospitality, but recurring reports of small portions, paid banchan, time pressure and inconsistent service mean diners should book with clear expectations.
SOOM Korean Restaurant delivers strong food quality anchored by consistently praised meat, stews, and banchan, elevated by a striking contemporary Korean design in Covent Garden's vibrant theatre district. Inconsistent execution on noodles, desserts, and occasional service lapses during peak times prevent a higher grade, though attentive grill guidance and premium ingredients justify its premium positioning for special occasions.
SOOM is a glossy, energetic Korean restaurant on St Martin's Lane, well placed for Covent Garden and pre-theatre dinners. The room is repeatedly praised as beautiful, clean and luxurious, while the BBQ creates a sociable, hands-on evening. At its best, the hospitality is genuinely thoughtful: diners describe staff coaching first-timers at the grill and making celebrations feel personal. The catch is that the room can be loud, smoky and governed by tight table windows; one recurring impression is that the clock sometimes gets more attention than the guests. The food leans toward premium, polished Korean cooking rather than bargain neighbourhood dining. Wagyu BBQ, yukhoe, short rib, stews, dumplings and seafood pancakes are the dependable attractions, and Korean diners generally find the flavours convincing. However, the current menu is not a cheap route to Korean food: sides are charged separately, premium beef escalates quickly, and several reviews say portions do not match the price. ALERT: Creative/premium menu with adventurous dishes such as beef tartare, seafood-heavy pancakes and spicy fermented flavours—not traditional comfort food for every palate. Families can have a very good time here, especially with dumplings, fried chicken, rice, pancakes and the interactive grill; one child reportedly ate five dumplings, and another family found the spice balance workable. Still, there is no clearly identified children's menu, portions can be small, BBQ requires supervision, and the louder room plus time limits may test younger diners. Picky eaters should review the menu before booking rather than assume every Korean dish will be familiar.
Area vibe: Touristy theatre and shopping district with a lively dining and nightlife scene.
Safety: Generally safe with strong evening foot traffic and good lighting but pickpocketing can occur in crowds.
What's nearby: Near Covent Garden Piazza, West End theatres, Somerset House, Leicester Square and multiple Underground stations.