Vancouver · Korean
Zoomak Korean Tavern
Gastown modern Korean tavern; Vancouver Magazine Best Korean gold (2025-2026) with Vancouver Sun and Globe coverage.
- Price
- $$
- Opened
- 2020
- Neighborhood
- Gastown (Vancouver)52 Alexander Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 1B4
About
Zoomak opened in 2020 at the eastern edge of Gastown as a modern Korean tavern (the name nods to a traditional traveler’s inn). Co-owners Bobby Shin and Eric Choi built the room around sharing plates, house-fermented kimchi, Korean fried chicken, bossam, and a serious soju and cocktail list rather than tabletop barbecue. The Globe and Mail and Vancouver Sun reviewed it warmly; Vancouver Magazine named it Best Korean gold in 2025 and again in 2026 after silver in 2024. Lunch tasting trays and dinner small plates both draw crowds. Reservations help; waitlists are common on peak nights.
Menu highlights
- Korean fried chicken (sweet soy and/or gochujang)
- Pork bossam with housemade kimchi
- Kimchi over steamed tofu
- Seafood stew and pancakes
- Soju, makgeolli, and house cocktails
Diners say
Public reviews praise fried chicken, bossam, attentive service, and a lively tavern mood. Recurring themes include long waits without a booking, a compact multi-level room that can feel crowded, and prices that sit above casual strip-mall Korean. Diners who like it usually want polished sharing plates and drinks more than DIY barbecue.
Review synthesis as of 2026-07-28. Synthesis of recurring themes in public Yelp and Google Maps reviews sampled July 2026; not a rating or ranking. Cross-checked against Vancouver Sun, Globe and Mail, Scout, and Vancouver Magazine awards.