Korean Restaurant Opens Second Milwaukee Location

This story is also available in Korean on Media Milwaukee.

Soban Korean Eatery recently expanded to a second location in downtown Milwaukee, as interest in Korean food and culture continues to grow in the city.

On a recent workday, office workers came into the restaurant during lunch hours as staff prepared orders behind the counter.

The downtown location, which opened April 3 at 776 N. Milwaukee St., follows the opening of Soban’s first restaurant in Hales Corners last year. Owner Solki Lee said he chose downtown Milwaukee because he wanted to open the restaurant in a busier and more accessible part of the city.

Lee said he has noticed growing interest in Korean food and culture in recent years.

“Not just Korean food, but Korean culture as a whole is gaining attention,” Lee said. “Ten years ago, I couldn’t have imagined how popular kimchi would become, but now it’s one of our top-selling items.”

Lee moved to the United States from South Korea 16 years ago and studied materials engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. After graduating from UWM, he worked as an engineer for 11 years before leaving the industry and opening Soban.

Lee said Milwaukee eventually became like a second home after he first arrived in the city as an international student.

The name “Soban” comes from a traditional Korean dining table used to serve carefully prepared meals.

Unlike some traditional Korean restaurants, Soban uses a fast-casual, build-your-own ordering system that allows customers to customize bowls while still serving traditional Korean dishes. The menu includes customizable rice bowls with ingredients such as bulgogi, spicy pork, kimchi, and vegetables.

Lee said the system was designed to make Korean food feel more approachable for customers who may not be familiar with it.

“A lot of Korean restaurants already existed before us,” Lee said. “But Korean food still felt unfamiliar to some customers.”

Lee added that the downtown location was also designed with office workers and younger residents in mind, particularly those looking for quicker lunch options in the area.

“There are many bars and restaurants downtown, but not many places where office workers can quickly get a filling and balanced meal,” Lee said.

Some customers said the restaurant’s affordability stood out compared to nearby dining options.

“Compared to other restaurants nearby, the prices felt more reasonable,” said Eunseok Kong, a second-year mechanical engineering student at UWM.

Lee said he hopes to continue expanding Soban beyond Milwaukee and throughout the Midwest.

“I want to make authentic Korean food more accessible and create a new cultural trend,” he said.