Hi, I’m Daniel Gray. I’m a Korean-American storyteller, tour guide, and food expert who’s passionate about sharing Korea’s rich culture with the world. Over the years, I’ve hosted travelers, curated immersive tours, and appeared on shows like Netflix’s Street Food: Asia – Seoul. My goal is simple: to help you connect deeply with Korea through meaningful experiences, delicious food, and unforgettable stories.
Thanks for the review Daniel. Went there last night for the first time. The wait staff was really friendly and the burgers were great. It should be noted that you get unlimited homemade curly fries when you order a burger. The 3000 shots of Crown for Canadian night were nice too. Great place.
I went again last night as well and had the chance to eat something there, agreed that their wait staff is friendly and that prices are good.
I'm impressed that their curly fries are from fresh potatoes, which is on its own in Korea, but I think they need to get their cajun seasoning locked down a lot better. Last night it tasted like a jar of cinnamon dumped on the fries, even sweet at times. Costco has the big plastic jars of garlic powder and onion powder, and foreign market has the cumin, chile, and coriander their fry spice mixture needs. Otherwise I think they should simplify and just salt their fries and let be. their frying tech is not bad at all, considering the hardness of Korean potatoes; they come out pretty golden and of a good consistency.
I had a chance to eat the mushroom burger. Not bad at all. A bit sweet, owing to the Korean bread and Korean mayonnaise and maybe something else, but a good effort. Better than many other burgers in this landscape.
I will be honest though, I feel like Yaletown is a Korean-Canadian or Korean-American hangout for friends only, and while that is attractive for a certain niche demographic, I don't think it's a healthy business plan, as school kids come in the summer for Korean school, and the working ones aren't local to Shinchon so much. The prices are decent and service good, but too expensive for Korean students in Shinchon, the location is difficult to find unless you have seen the map/know Shinchon well enough beforehand, and it's pretty sterile inside. It's like 'what if we transported Phillies and Jacoby's to Shinchon, on the 3rd floor of some nondescript building?'... subtracting the only real selling point those latter businesses ever had, which is location.
I've seen an adoptee-run French bistro come and go within basically a year in the past, in the building adjacent to Yaletown. Looking out the window of Yaletown last night, that place is now some nondescript Japanese shabu shabu place that will also die within the year. I could've given them about the same assessment as Yaletown. I do hope Yaletown implements some sort of smart marketing or gimmick, otherwise I don't think they will be able to last in their location, doing what they want to do.
Yaletown is a great pub in Sincheon that I like to hang out at. 
There is a map below, but just look for a big, fat indian with a potbelly on the first floor. Walk up the stairs to the 4th? floor.
I recommend their mini sliders. They have good meat and they make their own buns.
Close-up of the mini-slider from Yaletown.
Their nachos are a sizable feast as well. Lots of Jalepenos, cheese, and other deliciousness----OHHHH... And they make their own Guacamole. 
They have Poutin as well at Yaletown. The fries could be crispy, but this hits the spot on cold days and my Canadian friends said it reminded them of home.
Nice racist cigar store Indian. That and the lousy Cass on tap would never fly in Canada.
ReplyDeleteis this in the sinchon on line 2 near hongdae, or the sincheon which is on the east side of seoul?
ReplyDeleteLH, it's shinchon near hongdae. I know. Sometimes it can be confusing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review Daniel. Went there last night for the first time. The wait staff was really friendly and the burgers were great. It should be noted that you get unlimited homemade curly fries when you order a burger. The 3000 shots of Crown for Canadian night were nice too. Great place.
ReplyDeleteI went again last night as well and had the chance to eat something there, agreed that their wait staff is friendly and that prices are good.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed that their curly fries are from fresh potatoes, which is on its own in Korea, but I think they need to get their cajun seasoning locked down a lot better. Last night it tasted like a jar of cinnamon dumped on the fries, even sweet at times. Costco has the big plastic jars of garlic powder and onion powder, and foreign market has the cumin, chile, and coriander their fry spice mixture needs. Otherwise I think they should simplify and just salt their fries and let be. their frying tech is not bad at all, considering the hardness of Korean potatoes; they come out pretty golden and of a good consistency.
I had a chance to eat the mushroom burger. Not bad at all. A bit sweet, owing to the Korean bread and Korean mayonnaise and maybe something else, but a good effort. Better than many other burgers in this landscape.
I will be honest though, I feel like Yaletown is a Korean-Canadian or Korean-American hangout for friends only, and while that is attractive for a certain niche demographic, I don't think it's a healthy business plan, as school kids come in the summer for Korean school, and the working ones aren't local to Shinchon so much. The prices are decent and service good, but too expensive for Korean students in Shinchon, the location is difficult to find unless you have seen the map/know Shinchon well enough beforehand, and it's pretty sterile inside. It's like 'what if we transported Phillies and Jacoby's to Shinchon, on the 3rd floor of some nondescript building?'... subtracting the only real selling point those latter businesses ever had, which is location.
I've seen an adoptee-run French bistro come and go within basically a year in the past, in the building adjacent to Yaletown. Looking out the window of Yaletown last night, that place is now some nondescript Japanese shabu shabu place that will also die within the year. I could've given them about the same assessment as Yaletown. I do hope Yaletown implements some sort of smart marketing or gimmick, otherwise I don't think they will be able to last in their location, doing what they want to do.