simon & lee

concise menu, packs a massive punch. ideal weekday brunch place. located conveniently just around from work so great for quick client lunches. i’d be back in the evenings as well, if they didn’t close by afternoon.

brilliant place, bao is one of the best i’ve ever had (pork belly), friends all love this place also. definitely would go back. prawn dumplings were awesome.

honestly cannot go wrong if you are looking for a place to chill with the boys or girls after work for some really scrumptious korean fusion that gets a little cheekily hot under the collar! we got the must try dukbukki so yummy - sl make it with a little bit of crispy ness to the outer skin with a thick and delicious sausy gochujang. my friend enjoyed his bibimbap but was a little questioning of the sauce provided, and my other friend demolished his creamy spaghetti very quickly!

it is a bit hard to find bit it is situated in the corner area with the door just beside the power box. we missed the entrance the first time around and went to hello mister next door.

the cafe is fairly small but does have quite a few tables. we were in the back area by the kitchen and it was comfy. we ordered a few things to share.

they have really nice fried chicken. we went with the safe spicy chicken nibbles and it was delicious. the sauce was more sweet than spicy but the chicken was crispy and juicy. they even gave us gloves so we didn't get too dirty for the next round.

we shared the dolsot spicy pork belly, bulgogi spaghetti and prawn dumplings (mahn du gok) with ttoek rice cakes. the bulgogi spaghetti was very moreish. creamy and rich with flavours of the mushrooms and beef. the mahn du gok was also quite nice since the soup was really flavourful. the only issue was that some of the ttoek were nice and chewy while others were way too firm. the dolsot had huge chunks of pork belly with a (not very spicy) sauce. the rice was nice and crispy, giving it more flavour and texture.

a really nice place to grab some food. the options are all very intriguing and you probably can't go wrong. just make sure to try some of their fried chicken.

love this cafe in parnell! :) they serve korean food and it was so good. very tasty! will definitely come back. a bit hard for the parking on weekdays.

a mixture of cafe food and korean cuisine is simon & lee. the food is good and is nicely presented. the bibimbap is so colourful and inviting.

the fried chicken is full of flavour and is served with some pickled korean veges. service is quick and the dining area is tidy and spacious.

we went here for the fried chicken and ordered the hottest one because we love spicy food. couple first bites were soooo good then it was too spicy for us to handle haha however we managed to finish them all. i would recommend others who love spicy to try the level before spiciest first to see how you can handle. we also ordered bibimbab which was pretty average.

i forgot to take photos because i was too hungry. wasn’t disappointed. interesting korean fusion place in a small but stylish setting. delicious and well cooked food.

food and beverages ordered: been here a few times and have tasted most of their food

environment: trendy and stylish

services: super friendly

costs: $30 per person on average

will i return: yes (and have been coming back once every 2 months)

comment: nothing much to say, other than just go and try it out for yourself. menu changes quite often and they are mostly korean fusion dishes. if u feeling a bit naughty, the korean fried chicken (kfc) is a must ! the mushroom on toast and the black waffles are amazing, but i personally loved the congee the best (no longer on the menu). old photo attached.

you know when you have fried chicken and straight afterwards you'll feel bad?? you dont get that eating here at simon & lee. i had the chicken lunch box which was nice as it comes with a good amount of chicken, fries, slaw and radish. cute small location and coming on weekend you get free street parking. interested in trying their baos next time. service was great and welcoming

great tasting. good portions. good price. nice environment. would like to see a bigger drink selection and maybe bathroom inside restaurant eventually, but as it is, i would give rating of 5

love this place and the foods is great!! my go to is their mahn du guk (prawn dumpling soup) - hits the spot everytime on a chilly winter day.
it's got a nice atmosphere and smells like quality food as soon as you walk in.

yum yum yum!! delicious waffle fries topped with kimchi and cheese! so delicious !! the black waffle with bacon and ice cream was scrumptious. friendly staff and a cosy cafe. saw a few people eating the fried chicken and that looks delicious too. the toilet was located outside somewhere - i couldn’t find it hence why i only rated it 4 but apart from that everything was amaze balls two thumbs up.

loved this place! we went in on a wednesday afternoon and it was jam packed with people! the korean fried chicken is almost identical to the ones i’ve tried in seoul - so a super tick there!
the prawn fried dumplings were super delicious too however the bibimbap felt a little bit underwhelming! overall an awesome lunch!

food : 5/5
price : 4/5
atmosphere : 4/5
service : 5/5

i’m personally very proud of this restaurant for their effort and creative ways to convert traditional korean food into trendy and friendly food that everyone can enjoy.

their korean fried chicken is just on point. its very crunchy outside but the meat inside the batter is just so succulent and juicy.

the dumpling also was very juicy with mouthful of flavours. spicy gochujang noodles were fantastic. it had a plenty of different veges and delicious pork belly in it.

service was very good and attentive.

some of their speciality menu gets sold out pretty quickly on the weekend i think. this also proves how popular this restaurant is to a lot of aucklanders at the moment.

i am more than willing to visit again.