Diner Seoul is a Korean and French fusion restaurant with understated but elegant decor, art on the walls, and dried flowers on each table.

There are several two-tops and a handful of larger tables for seating. The whole restaurant gives a strong sense of cozy calmness.

Diner Seoul is run by Daniel Yoon and his wife Anna, who warmly greets customers as they enter. You instantly feel comfortable, and eager to eat when looking through their varied and unique menu.

Yoon opened Diner Seoul in January 2024, after quickly doing the work to get the restaurant up and running.

This is Yoon's first solo restaurant venture – however, he is not new to the restaurant business. He previously worked as a sous chef at Aloette in Liberty Village. 

The focus for Diner Seoul is on Korean comfort foods, brought to life using French cooking techniques. The neighbourhood has warmly welcomed this new concept, with many regulars stopping by weekly.

The menu features apps, tapas, and signature dishes. Many of the options are great for sharing, which is exactly what you'll want to taste as much of this creative menu as you can. 

Their butternut squash soup ($6.95) is perfectly creamy and smooth – a pleasant surprise, as it happens to be vegan. It's made even better with fried herbs on top that add a lovely depth, and slight crunch. 

A traditional Caesar salad is given a new spin here.

The Kimchi Aoili Caesar ($12.95) is served warm, boasting tasty layers of napa cabbage, coated in a tasty creamy aioli and topped with fried soybeans, candied pepitas, and puffed rice. It's indulgent and refreshing at the same time.

The asparagus is the star of the Grilled Asparagus with Yuzu Ranch ($13.95). The vegetable is complemented with a kick from the gochujang sauce it's coated in, balanced perfectly with the yuzu ranch sauce. 

Another dish with kick is the Kimchi Rosti ($12.95). This is unlike any kimchi pancake you've had before; it's topped with lemon caper aioli, katsu sauce, and crispy noodles on top for a unique texture.

It's perfect for sharing, although it's so good you may want one all for yourself. 

Part of their signature menu is the Bulgogi Burger ($9.95 for a single, or $12.95 for a double).

The burger itself is juicy and packed with flavour thanks to the bulgogi aioli, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, pickled onions, and lettuce. You'll be hard-pressed to find this good a burger for a better price in the city. 

If you're feeling fancier, you could go for their Striploin Steak ($25) which is cooked to perfection.

While it is tender and juicy, it's not your typical steak as this 8oz cut is marinated in a traditional Ssamjang sauce, served with spicy kimchi chimichurri and horseradish cream. The flavours of this dish are out of the park.

You definitely shouldn’t miss trying one of their most popular dishes on the menu: the Spicy & Sweet KFC Platter ($12.95) After tasting it, it's not hard to understand why this quickly became a favourite among customers. 

Served with classic accoutrements, this crispy Korean fried chicken is generously coated in a gochujang sauce, with pickled fennel on the side and ranch to dip into. It may be on the messier side to eat, but it's worth it for these flavours – licking your fingers to get every bit of sauce is recommended. 

The drinks menu at Diner Seoul has the usual sodas and juices – but their specialty is housemade ice tea ($3.50). They have four flavours; Korean raspberry, yuzu, green mandarin and, my personal favourite, plum.

These drinks were not too sweet, and offered a lovely balance with all the zingy, bold food. 

If you're looking for an adult beverage, they also carry Korean wines that come in unique flavours. You can get a 5oz glass of their original, basil, or blueberry for $5.99, and are well worth trying if you haven’t encountered them before. 

You really can't go wrong ordering anything on this menu – particularly considering the more than reasonable price point for the portions and quality of food served. 

Though cheap and cheerful like a traditional diner, they really are bringing the soul of Seoul to the neighbourhood. 

Diner Seoul is located at 1351 St Clair Ave West.