There are certain places that make you feel in the know. There are certain places that not only have the coolest vibes, they also have delicious food.

Juche is one of these places. I was not familiar with the owners, who had previously ran a different type restaurant in the not so distant past. They have been welcoming, accommodating, and given me stickers.

10/10 no notes

I came across Juche when I was looking for more late night dining. Our options for such things have slimmed a great deal since 2020. When I happened across a short mention of them in the news, I was pretty excited to find that they had multiple vegan options for us not as cool people.

Going here does make you slightly more awesome though. K-Pop is always playing, Korean reality shows are on, delightful neon signs, and the adorable young people that work here, all add to the atmosphere. The space is tiny and in a normal people, diverse neighborhood that adds to its appeal imo. It’s painted all black and the food is fabulous.

Seriously.

One thing I love to tell people is that they have the best french fries in the state. Trying vegan french fries all over is a hobby of mine and the house fries here are enough to make the worst of days feel better. They are fried four times and taste like a french fry in a dream. Crunchy on the outside, salted divinely, and soft (but not too soft cuz ewww) on the inside.

They offer a Spicy Crispy tofu dish with perfectly cooked jalapeños in it and they have that crunch you can’t help but love.

The Vegan Bop, filled with a variety of pickled items is another favorite which can be served with their crispy rice. I had never had crispy rice before I ate here and now it’s something I look forward to having there.

The culinary delight that took me by surprise the most was a sandwich served at Juche. I didn’t know what to think the first couple of times I saw it on the menu, but one night I decided to go for it. It is called Trust Me Bro: peanut butter, kimchi, fried on bread with strawberry preserves.

Do not miss out on this sandwich. I haven’t had anything else like it before. It is quite filling so I’d suggest sharing. In fact, I think sharing all the dishes you order here is pretty fun. They come out in no particular order and you can just start enjoying them as they arrive.

They serve unique cocktails, mocktails, and Barley tea. I’ve tried many of them and have enjoyed all of them. My favorite being a drink by the name of Lady Vengeance which is made with a Korean Botanical Gin.

For some reason, I like going here Sunday nights. I’ll go when I can, but Sunday night just makes for a nice start to the week. I just feel a little pepped up.

And like some other places I’ve mentioned, they have a really cute bathroom.