Listen, we’re not going to waste your time. Kooksoo is our favorite Korean restaurant in DFW. Point. Blank. Period. Seriously, this Carrollton Korean restaurant is so frickin’ delicious and has two locations, both within driving distance of Dallas.
Lexi here! I lived in South Korea for two years and recently revisited for about a month. Suffice to say, I love Korea and that includes Korean food. My friend Yae-ji, who used to be my Korean Language partner and is now my good friend, took me to all the best food spots in Korea during my most recent visit. I ate the best food I’ve ever had. When I came back to Dallas, I was sad to no longer to have access to Sujebi (a traditional Korean soup with hand-pulled dough), but my one solace (besides the hope I’ll be able to visit Korea again soon) is that DFW has Kal-guksu.
Kal-guksu is close to Sujebi, but instead of the hand pulled dough you have knife cut noodle. Both are delicous and if you want to try Kal-guksu, you should go to Kooksoo, a Korean Restaurant in Carrollton and Plano.
Here’s What’s up Dallas!
Table of Contents:
Our Experience
I don’t know about Autumn or Rosie, but Korean food is my favorite! Whenever a new restaurant opens in DFW, I’m eager to try it! I saw Kooksoo on my way to OneZo (one of my favorite boba spots) and stopped by on a whim. I ordered the noodle dish and was blown away. It was so good! It reminded me of Korea, and with each bite, this restaurant became my favorite place to eat.
I asked one of the workers where they got their Kimchi and he looked at me confused. I asked again in Korean, and he laughed before telling me they made it in house. Go figure. That kimchi is my favorite in DFW too. But at least now, I always have access to it. I just have to drive up the road!
Fast forward to my birthday — I knew exactly where I wanted to go! I invited my friends to Kooksoo, and we had a little celebration. Soon enough, I was happy, full, and sipping tea alongside my noodles. It was a perfect day, made even better by the people around me. They loved Kooksoo too, especially my sister Autumn, who has a thing for great noodles and flavorful broth. She devoured her side dishes and polished off a bowl like it was nothing. Now, she sometimes begs me to go back — and I’m always happy to oblige.
So, if you love Korean food and live in DFW, try Kooksoo! It’s delicious. Both locations are equally good (perfect quality control) and both are in/ near asian complexes with a bunch of other stuff to see, eat and do! And Kooksoo is affordable too! Well-worth the drive!
Kooksoo Basic Information
- Address:
- 1621 W Hebron Pkwy Apt 120, Carrollton, TX 75010
- 100 Legacy Dr STE 103, Plano, TX 75023
- Hours: Mon-Sun, 11am to 3pm, 5pm-8:30pm
- Note: Plano location open until 9pm Fri-Sun
- Prices: Often under $30! Our favorite dish is only 15 bucks!
- Website: https://www.kooksoo.net/
- Menu: https://www.kooksoo.net/menu-1
- Additional Information: The restaurant closes between 3pm and 5pm, every day. So, no late lunches. But, other than that, you’re good! Oh! And if you’re looking for something to order, it’s all fantastic, but we’re partial to the spicy chicken noodle soup!
Korean Food and Language Lesson
“Kooksoo” means noodles in Korean, and the full name of the dish you’ll likely want to order is kalguksu — kal meaning knife, guksu meaning noodle. Kalguksu is a rustic, knife-cut noodle dish typically served in a comforting broth. I first tried kalguksu in Korea with Yae-ji about a decade ago. The restaurant was tucked away and the soup was so spicy it made me sweat — but I could not stop eating. That meal left such an impression that ten years later, living in Dallas, I still remember the name.
Kooksoo’s version of kalguksu brings all those memories rushing back. In fact, I recently went back to Korea and had kalguksu again — this time in Gangnam. And guess what? The noodles at Kooksoo were just as good. The texture, the flavor, the comfort — it’s all there.
The really cool thing about Kooksoo is that they serve actual Korean-style noodles — which are different from other types of Asian noodles. Once you’ve had your fair share, you can taste the difference. Kooksoo’s noodles are vacuum-sealed with no additives or preservatives. They’re given time to ferment properly, which makes them both elastic and chewy. Even though they’re not the hand-torn sujebi noodles I instantly fell in love with, they remind me of that dish. And that’s saying a lot.
The broth is also worth noting! At Kooksoo, the broth is slow-cooked and simmered for over 5 hours. It’s light but rich, very savory, deeply layered, and it pairs perfectly with both the noodles and the sides —fermented chili paste (gochujang) and soybean paste (doenjang) flown in from Korea, and delicious pickled produce. Whenever we get a bowl of noodles at Kooksoo, it’s not only yummy but nourishing. And it has just a bit of spice which you can usually adjust to your taste.
Final Review and Recommendation
Every item on the menu is wonderful. Kooksoo keeps it simple, which we appreciate. Just a few noodle dishes and some great sides. Our long-standing favorite is still the spicy chicken noodle soup, but really, you can’t go wrong. Don’t skip the tea either! If you’ve read our other posts, you know we love tea, and this restaurant must love it too. The pot they bring out at Kooksoo is perfect and will compliment your meal for sure.
Here’s what we recommend if it’s your first visit:
- Spicy Chicken Kal-guk-su – Rich, warming, and full of depth.
- Kimchi – It’s thick, sweet, tangy, and made in-house. Don’t even think about not trying it. It’s on your plate for a reason.
- Tea – Yes, we always recommend tea. That’s because tea is great, Kooksoo’s especially.
Looking for more Korean food recs? Check out our Koreatowns & Boba post! And as always if you’re looking for more things to do (and eat) in DFW, subscribe to our newsletter where we share everything. And if your group chat needs a little excitement, drop our blog in there — you’ll be the MVP!
Stay healthy!
