When I'm in the mood for soondae, this is going to be my new go-to spot. Rich and earthy without any metallic taste-perfectly cooked, plump, and moist. The spicy goat soup was deeply satisfying. After about 15 minutes, the broth thickened and the flavors intensified the longer it simmered. There was an enormous amount of meat, and the quality was superb. It completely lacked the gamey flavor that goat often has. Two outstanding dishes that are clearly meant to be enjoyed with soju. Service was spot on-attentive, thoughtful, and generous with recommendations. She made us feel genuinely welcome, to the point where I'm already planning my next visit back. read more

Ap Gu Jung - Spicy goat stew - Korean Near Me - Diamond Bar, California

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Small Korean Restaurant in Diamond Bar neighborhood. The plaza is dying with only few places that still open. Large parking lot outside. Tight space in between cars. Service was fast. This place have their regular customer. Never have long lines. Authentic Korean taste with some unique dishes. We ordered the common item during cold weather. Chicken Ginseng Soup, Bulgogi Hot Bowl, Spicy Cold Noodle. All are tasty and good. Big portions, as the prices is more for share able plate. Support local businesses. SYOY! read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]This place has been on my recommended radar for awhile and I have seen on some posts how aesthetic it looks on the inside with the traditional looking Korean food stall front near the cashier.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] But other than that, it's a regular restaurant. We came on a weekday night for a slightly later dinner and the restaurant was packed. We had to wait a couple minutes, but we were seated in around 10-ish minutes. Not bad. You can tell it's a community favorite since people were really friendly speaking with the servers in Korean. For our dinner, we got the: 1) Yumso Tang: -This is their hot and spicy goat soup. - I don't usually get this protein and soup base, but I wasn't the one that ordered. It is a hearty, very strongly goat flavored soup with lots of goat meat inside. -It's no spicier than a Shin Ramyun, so no worries about that, but quite flavorful and has a decent amount of leeks and other veggies inside. Definitely goes great with rice. 2) Soondae Jupsi: -Korean pork sausage plate. -This is a very generous amount of Korean blood pork sausage with some offal to the side too. I can sort of eat the blood sausage okay with the vinegar and salt combo, but need rice with it. And I'm not a fan of the offal pieces after. I was treated out, so I can't complain. Not the biggest fans of what was ordered, but I'm sure it's good for those who enjoy these dishes naturally. It also came with banchan and the purple Korean rice (my fav). read more

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Love the cozy feeling of place. The lady named Sun young was super nice and kind to me and my boyfriend. Thank you! Also foods were very good. We ordered Sun Dae soup and Fish eggs soup and I liked Sun Dae soup better but both were very fresh. I also liked side dishes. Thank you Sun Young. may God continue to shine light through you. read more

Ap Gu Jung - Korean Near Me - Diamond Bar, California

Tried their tofu soup with beef. Good flavor and tasty. The sides are refillable. The only downside is that they didnt have bean sprout. Came on a sunday night no wait. read more

Ap Gu Jung - Korean Near Me - Diamond Bar, California

I visited Ap Gu Jung for lunch on Wednesday with my friend around 1 p.m. I was seated upon arrival without a reservation. Ap Gu Jung is a small store inside the plaza on Golden Springs Dr in Diamond Bar. We ordered the Pork Backbone Stew ($47.99). The portion is pretty big, and it can feed 3 people, even though it's listed as serving 2 on the menu. The Pork Backbone was very delicious. It also came with traditional Korean cold dishes like Kimchi, seaweed, rice noodles, etc. The service was great! I will definitely visit again to try other dishes, like the Korean Pork Sausage, which sounds very interesting. read more

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The soondae plate here is absolutely delicious. Nothing like the frozen version you buy at the supermarket. It is soft and chewy, and the outer skin is not tough or rubbery. My friend and I ended up finishing the entire plate the sides were also delicious, our favs were the kimchi, fish cake, and seaweed. I think we enjoyed the shareables more than what we ordered individually. The menu is pricier, however the portions are hugee. Overall 5/5 will be back :) read more

Ap Gu Jung - Banchan fish cake - Korean Near Me - Diamond Bar, California

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Food was authentic and delicious! The seafood pancake was so crispy and had so much seafood in there! We also ordered the octopus noodles - spicy, savory, sweet, chewy, and addictive. It comes with noodles but it wasn't enough to go with all the octopus. I would recommend also ordering some rice on the side to eat with the delicious sauce. Service was prompt but what you'd expect from a hole-in-the-wall Korean restaurant. Would visit again to try different things on the menu. read more

Ap Gu Jung - Octopus with noodles - Korean Near Me - Diamond Bar, California

The service was great. They were accommodating. They moved us to a nice bigger booth when it became available. The food satisfied my cravings. I love variety and the banchan they served. The pork was delicious. read more

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Even though this place is smaller compared to other Korean restaurants in the area, it's probably one of the better tasting ones. Service is not bad but not the best since it's just one worker in the front and perhaps one in the back/kitchen. But the food is the highlight of this place. I really like all the foods and portions even though it is pricey. Overall I recommend this place. I took off one star because sometimes the quality of food is inconsistent or staff is not that attentive but that's it. read more

Superb soups! This is some of best Korean soup I've had because the flavors really stand out. A lot of soups I've had at other Korean restaurants are made bland to start with so that you can season it to your liking, but the way they prepared the soups at Ap Gu Jung was already so flavorful that I didn't have to add any extra seasoning. I've had their Gamja Tang and their Soondae Guk, and what I liked about the latter was that the soup didn't taste so strong from the soondae being immersed in the soup. For reference, I've had Soondae Guk at Moobongri Soondae, and thought it tasted rancid. The Gamja Tang also really stood out with the flavor from the pork bone broth and the pork bone, and it was seasoned perfectly with all the ingredients. I also tried their Bossam and thought it was very solid. It's not as good as Mr Bossam's, but it was still very good. The pork belly wasn't dry - it had just the right texture and thickness. It had some flavor from the seasoning but it wasn't very strong. My only critique is that the kimchi banchan was way too sour for my liking. read more

I came here with my husband and tried their spicy pork bbq and galbitang, it was very delicious and their banchan are really tasty. I came again a few days later craving some spicy cold noodles, but they don't seem to have it, so I tried the cold noodle soup, again their food is so delicious. The lady there is very sweet and recognized me when I came the second time. I'll be back again to try other food on the menu. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is small but cozy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Ap Gu Jung - Spicy pork bbq; galbitang; and banchan - Korean Near Me - Diamond Bar, California

Our go-to for comfort Korean food. Portions are for 2 people, so it's a hearty meal!

I come here often for the soondae platter and fish roe soup. so good, and the owner is so nice!

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Cute little mom and pop place![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Nice staff. Ordered the bossam to share and it was delicious

My number 1 go to spot for cold noodles, bossam and soondae guk bap. Oh and samgyetang Those are the items I've tried so far and so good! The service here is amazing. I come here alone and I feel comfortable and happy. Place is snugged away in the back of the shopping complex. If you miss home cooking and nice service i highly recommend coming by here. read more

Ap Gu Jung - Korean Near Me - Diamond Bar, California

The server was really kind I hope to eat/try more food here again, [[HIGHLIGHT]]the inside is small quiet and enjoyable[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. read more

Ap Gu Jung - Korean Near Me - Diamond Bar, California

Authentic Korean food. Waitress is very kind and sweet. Tip her kindness generously. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Vibes are nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Outside there is a bright led sign.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Inside is comfy but not small. A comfortable arrangement.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Design is very nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Ap Gu Jung - Inside seating - Korean Near Me - Diamond Bar, California

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]It was my first time dining at Ap Gu Jung, and I was immediately impressed upon entering.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Most of the guests were Korean, which made me feel more confident about the authenticity of the food. We ordered the Bossam and the Seafood Pancake. The portions were generous--we couldn't finish everything and had to take some home. The food was excellent, especially the Seafood Pancake, which was full with shrimp, squid, and crab sticks. The staff were incredibly warm and attentive, making the experience even better. Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambience: 5/5 read more

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I only did takeout. So solely on food and not environment/services (ex. Usually korean sides). I ordered the Bossam. Most places accompany Bossam with raw lettuce/cabbage. This place gives slightly blanched & salted napa cabbage which i found to be a surprising great touch to pair with the pork belly. Especially how easy it is to roll up. As well as cut through the fattiness of their more tender pork belly. Most places i have been to use leaner cuts of meat and drier texture. Whereas, i would usually roll a bossam serving with a generous amount of sauce, this restaurant didnt require any. Having had the long closed Mr. bossom and other places like yuk dae jeong. I can confidently say this restaurant does a far better Bossam than the aforementioned. That being said, i have a preference towards more tender and fattier cuts. read more

Love their food and it feels authentic! (Had real Korean food in Korea plus customers are all Korean.) They have different kind of soups! Love the one with fish roes. Yummy! read more

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Best Soondae guk and Yuk gae jang! You can taste the bones in the broth. I've been coming here for past 3 years and it's consistent as the first time. I eat a lot of sides and their sides are to die for. Very unique and authentic flavor. read more

Solid matjib with good mom and pop quality food. The service was friendly and promptly and she made sure we were always good on whatever. The bossam quality was Uber good. Will be coming back. read more

Food was amazing! Service was great , one of the best around easily ! I eat Korean food minimum 4 times a week and this is top 10 undoubtedly read more

The soup and seafood pancake here are sooo good. Also really enjoyed the kalbi. All the food tasted very yummy and authentic. I enjoyed the banchan as well. My only gripe (and the reason for the docked star) is that service... is not great. I'm not sure if it was because they were understaffed but it took forever for someone to come by our table and get waters refilled. The lady that also helped us also appeared to be unhappy or in a grumpy mood. TLDR: come here for the food and not the service read more

Ap Gu Jung - Stew - Korean Near Me - Diamond Bar, California

BEST BOSSAM among the 20+ restaurants I've tried. Here's the reason why I it: 1 the pork belly is in perfect proportion of fat and lean meat, and it is neither oily nor over cooked 2 the cabbage came with the bossam is slightly fermented, so the salty level and freshness matches the pork perfectly 3 the dipping sauce with mini shrimps inside just like a natural MSG, adds a magical layer of taste on the bossam. One of my FAVORITE Spicy Lamb Hotpot because the soup base tastes like homemade and the 2 leaves they added just tune down the oiliness of the soup, which is like lime juice on ribs, tastes amazing read more

Ap Gu Jung - Bossam Spicy Lamb Hotpot - Korean Near Me - Diamond Bar, California

We came in at 820pm and was told that the kitchen close at 830 but restaurant itself closes at 9 and we can only do to-go! They should just say they close at 830! Waste of my time driving there just to get turned away!! read more

WHEN: Sunday 7/31/22 @ 7pm PARKING: plenty of parking bc of its location in a strip mall Came home to SoCal for a bit and was craving some Korean cold noodles. My go to spots were busy or sold out but luckily there are plenty of Korean restaurants in Diamond bar! We settled on Ap Gu Jung which is a pretty small and cramped place. It was really busy when we got there but luckily only waited around 20 minutes. There were only 2 Korean aunties working and they were running around all over the place getting it done lol. What we got: 7. Galbi Tang ($18) - super yummy but SO SMALL. it's in a tiny dolsot and has maybe 4 small pieces of meat. not worth the price imo 2/5 12. Spicy Fish Roe Soup ($19) - this was so good. A spicy, hearty, vegetable filled stew with a bunch of fish innards. The roe has the mushy consistency of cow brains (if you've ever tried it before). The soup was freaking amazing, it tasted like the fish was boiled for HOURS in that soup 6/5 16. Cold Arrowroot Noodles ($13.59) - exactly what I wanted! cold Korean noodles with a slight sour taste and super chewy noodles 5/5 Overall, this place serves authentic and delicious Korean food. It seems like they have something for everyone with a wide variety of traditional korean dishes. The prices are definitely steep, but you just need to order the right things. I'll be back for more of the fish roe soup and to try some of the big platters that I saw everyone else ordering! read more

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First time trying their Napa cabbage pork belly wrap and it was so refreshing and delicious though the Napa is hard to use to wrap. Lettuce may have been easier? Their short beef rib soup was delicious! Wish there were more noodles in it. Small hole in a wall restaurant, and everyone was so friendly read more

Ap Gu Jung - Korean Near Me - Diamond Bar, California

Authentic Korean restaurant with poor service. My friends and I arrived at around 5:30 p.m. when there weren't many people so the waitress took our order right away. Then, when the restaurant started filling up, we definitely dropped down on the priority list. Our banchan didn't even arrive until a solid 20 minutes after our order was taken. My food took around 25 minutes to arrive and my friend's food arrived almost 35 minutes later. No one bothered to check in on us and we had to flag down the waitress every time. It's a very tiny restaurant but they really need more workers there. Service aside, my seafood soft tofu soup was pretty good. I would say it's about 85% tofu and 15% seafood. I can't recall exactly what seafood was in there, but there were definitely clams, squid, and shrimp among other small pieces scattered inside. For $14, I would say it's worth it. The banchan was also good and I found the potato one to be very unique since I've never seen it at other Korean restaurants. It consisted of long narrow strips of potatoes smothered with a savory sauce. The seaweed one was my favorite though but I'm biased because I love vinegar. Overall, the food wasn't bad but the service was. I did not feel invited nor cared for so I won't be coming back. read more

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I've eyed Ap Gu Jung for weeks, thinking that it would be a nice hole in the wall place. I finally had the chance to visit tonight, and I have to admit it was quite disappointing. Today was one of those 100+ days - super hot - and the AC at home wasn't working, so I was craving some cold noodles. Upon entering AGJ, I glanced at the menu and was gestured to order take out even though I wanted said it was just for one (me). I told them I wanted cold noodles, and they said it was dine-in only... so naturally I asked if I could dine in (original intention) and they finally allowed me to. They served un-iced water promptly, and the cold noodles took about 5 minutes. The broth was fairly sour, and the noodle portions were normal. The ingredients, though, were skimpy as heck. For a $17 entree, it came with half a small egg, a few radish pieces, and some other toppings. The side dishes were simply regular kimchi and radish kimchi. Both were meager portions, and it tasted extremely salty and sour, lacking much spice. I thought it couldn't get any worse, but they said cash payments unless over $20... and it wasn't posted anywhere. They ended up reluctantly taking my card, but I'll likely not be returning here ever again. read more

Ap Gu Jung - Cold Noodles with Skimpy Toplings - Korean Near Me - Diamond Bar, California

LOVED the seafood pancake!! Really liked the soondae too, my first time trying it and I really liked it, great texture and flavor. read more

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Lovely service, super funny staff. Great food i love their goat stew and i loved their soondae read more

Ap Gu Jung - Seafood Pancake - Korean Near Me - Diamond Bar, California

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Ap Gu Jung is an authentic Korean restaurant specializing in traditional home-style cooking. It's my go-to spot in the Hacienda, Rowland Heights, Diamond Bar, Chino Hills, Chino area. I highly recommend the dak galbi, bossam, soondae, seafood pancake, octopus bibimbap, and galbi tang--each dish is packed with rich, authentic flavors. Service can be a bit slow since everything is made to order, but the quality is well worth the wait. [[HIGHLIGHT]]If you're planning to visit on a Friday/Saturday, I suggest arriving early, as it tends to get busy at night.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I try to visit Ap Gu Jung monthly, and every time I bring new friends/clients, they leave impressed. Definitely a must-try! read more

I LOVE THIS PLACEE i've come to ap gu jung on multiple occasions with my dad and i can say that i am extremely satisfied with my experience!! the server (or owner?) is super friendly and a bit casual which made me feel very comfortable. the ambiance is one of my FAVORITE aspects of this restaurant: no obnoxious music blasting in your ears and the only thing on is the tv on low volume. it's really nice because ur not being overstimulated by any extra noise and you can peacefully enjoy your food:)) also, the food tastes super fresh and yummy. quality-wise, there is nothing to complain about:D i'm always very happy with my meal read more

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Small and cute restaurant with very nice servers. Its my first time coming here and ive been wanting to try new korean dishes. I forgot what it is called but there was sausages and tripe(the pan in the picture). It was so good and really did not disappoint at all, it wasnt too spicy or too salty. Same went for the soup too. The servers were super helpful as terms of explaining some of the food and offering to help us out. read more

Ap Gu Jung - a variety of dishes on a table - Korean Near Me - Diamond Bar, California

Very tasty traditional style Korean restaurant. Have a nice outdoor patio for those rising covid days. All their side dishes are handmade. I really enjoyed the potato side dish and homemade kimchi. Checkout the signs with pictures on the wall if you don't know what to order. The picture help a lot. read more

Ap Gu Jung - Pictures in the wall available, if your korean isn't great. - Korean Near Me - Diamond Bar, California

While browsing on Yelp for nearby restaurants that could satisfy my craving for Korean stews (aside from the various beef stews offered by Sun Non Dang in Rowland Heights), I found Ap Gu Jung. I quickly made time during Friday lunch to try this establishment. I arrived, parked at the plaza w/minimal effort, and entered the establishment to find a quintessentially mom-and-pop shop. The interior could seat ~6 parties of 4, and one Korean auntie handled everything save actually cooking. As such, I expected a lighter amount of service (i.e. paying at the counter instead of waiting for the bill, a trivial detail), though she was cordial during all of our interactions. After perusing the menu for several minutes, I ordered the Yumso Tang (Spicy Goat Stew, $17.99). While a touch pricey for what was my work lunch, it quickly proved its worth. Portion size alone made for a satisfying meal, not to mention the goat meat itself carried no offensive gamey flavors (helped along by the copious amount of perilla seed in the stew). This combination of savory, slightly spicy, and sharply herbal-earthy flavors is, to me, a personal favorite. To share with a friend that tagged along, I ordered a Haemul Pajeon (seafood pancake). Priced at $22.99, this initially seemed quite steep, as other establishments price theirs at ~$12-15. The reason quickly became apparent. Copious amounts of seafood and cheese turned this into a pseudo-pizza. Additionally, it was topped with shredded imitation crab meat that had been pan fried to a crisp. The sheer density of this seafood pancake made it twice as filling as its more orthodox counterparts. Lastly, the banchan seemed solid. I received 6 items - kelp - bean sprouts - fish cake - shredded potato - cabbage kimchi - radish kimchi of which none stood out for any glaring deficiencies. Overall, this place exemplifies a neighborhood ethnic mom-and-pop restaurant. Everything tasted decent, portion sizes and prices seemed reasonable, and the uniqueness of the seafood pancake made an impression. read more

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I'm so glad we were feeling adventurous for dinner one day and decided to order from a restaurant outside of our usuals. After our meal from here, Ap Gu Jung was easily added to our list of regular restaurants. As with most restaurant during COVID-19 time, Ap Gu Jung set-up a tent outside for restaurant diners. I opted to place our over the phone before I headed to the restaurant. Food is cooked to order and there might be a wait even if you place a to-go order. Also, parking can be a bit tough as there are other popular restaurants in the same large plaza. Despite these downsides, Ap Gu Jung is still worth it. We ordered: Stone Pot Spicy Octopus Bibimbap (5/5)- If I could only order one thing from the menu, I 100% would order this again. What's not to love about bits of crispy rice mixed with semi-spicy gochujang sauce and small pieces of chewy octopus? All of ingredients for this dish mesh so well together. Seafood Pancake (4/5)- This appetizer was also a standout dish. The pancake had a crispy exterior and had bits of imitation crab, shrimp, and calamari. Galbi (2/5)- Surprisingly, we were not a fan of the galbi. The meat was fatty and the quantity was fairly small. The galbi marinade could have been slightly sweeter. Overall, Ap Gu Jung had some standout dishes, which landed this restaurant on my list of regular spots. read more

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The AL CHIGAE was the best of my life. Seriously 5 stars in taste. The broth was amazing, perfectly seasoned, etc. So much AL, that was best quality, tender. The Chic Neng Myun was ok. The broth was well developed. But it was a kind / style where there is no sliced beef or Korean Pear. - It only comes with two banchans - So I ordered more to get the full set The ban chans were decent. I especially liked the seaweed salad and the radish kimchi. The rice was 5 stars, well made, great textures, very tasty. Service was excellent. The waitress was very concerned for me, b/c I was pigging out on the ban chan and rice. She was right. I ended up taking 2/3rds of the AL CHIGAE home. read more

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