YORI Korean Restaurant (Covent Garden)

We went to YORI Restaurant the other evening. The food was good – not mind-blowing, but nicely done and definitely enjoyable. The place itself is quite small, so we had to wait outside for a bit before getting a table. Still, once we were seated, with the rain drizzling outside and a glass of wine in hand, the whole thing felt wonderfully cosy. It’s a lovely spot for a relaxed evening, especially if you don’t mind a bit of waiting.

Second time trying Korean food. This place is really nice, nice flavour to all the food we ordered. Not too spicy and not to bland. Drinks were nice. Only down side was service, one guy was controlling the whole floor, the time difference between our first dish to the table to last was half hour so by the time the last dish arrived we were almost done anyways. Also had to ask three times for the missing dishes. It was a Saturday night and it was full, but thats to be expected so one guy to one floor was never going to cut it.

Honestly can't see what the high reviews are for this place. Staff were good and attentive. But unfortunately the food wasn't great. 1. Portions were tiny for the price. 2 food wasnt great I'm afraid. The dishes were smothered in non authentic sauces which seemed commercial tasting. Pretty poor 3. The squid seafood dish was terrible. Literally a like 3 pieces of small cuts of squid and seemed like it was frozen. Absolutely terrible I think i could have gone to wagamama and had a better food experience im Sorry to say.

I'm Korean and was craving Korean food while traveling in the UK, so I tried Yori and ordered Budae-jjigae (army stew). I felt obligated to write this review to help fellow Koreans — and anyone else — looking for authentic Korean food. Unfortunately, it didn't meet expectations. No banchan (side dishes) came with the meal, which is a basic standard for any Korean meal — without them, it doesn't really feel like a proper Korean dining experience. The taste itself wasn't Korean to me at all — more like something else entirely, possibly adapted for local tastes, though that's just my guess. I only tried this one dish, so I can't speak for the rest of the menu, but if you're hoping for an authentic taste, this may not be it. I had no issues with the staff or service, though — they were fine. 여기서 부대찌개 드시지 마세요. 반찬도 안주고 흉내만 낸 맛.

Rarely been so conflicted in reviewing food. Because the food was good - deep intense flavours, right amount of seasonings, well balanced ingredients combination and generous portion size. But it was the little bits - every single one of the dishes we tried had flaws. The kimchi jeon (pancake) was perfectly crispy on the edges, but when you get to the centre it got overly oily - maybe fat needed to be drained more before serving. In terms of taste it felt it needed a lot more kimchi. The stews we had also had offered a fragrant warmth, and the flavours unfolded with quiet depth. However, the beef in the Gal Bi Tang leaned on the chewy side and the other stew (Ttukbaegi Bulgogi) was overshadowed by an assertive, almost artificial savouriness, its MSG profile hard to miss. Yet we still enjoyed all. The rating of our experience at YORI is a balanced midpoint — not because it falls short of excellence, but because it settles comfortably between memorable and forgettable.