I love this place so much; they have the best soondubu! I've been here so often throughout the years I can't even keep count. I usually order the kimchi or mushroom soondubu at level 3 spice. The tofu is silken and soft, the flavor is bold, and the banchan (side dishes) are delicious. They also serve you a large side of rice in a hot stone pot. All this deliciousness for $10? Amazing. I've tried a number of soondubu places including spots in LA and NYC ktown and this place is still my very favorite! read more

Jong Ka Jib - Mushroom soondubu level 3 spicy - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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One of the most authentic Korean atmospheres with the best soup for a cold day. I love going here so much and miss it so much.

The restaurant has a Nice atmosphere great food. Great chance to try something different and delicious.

I love coming to this place for soondubu. The atmosphere inside is nice, and compared to some other Korean restaurants / tofu houses in the area, it's not too expensive ($12 for soondubu, around $14-20 for other dishes). The broth is delicious and they give you plenty of rice in a stone bowl on the side. The amount of tofu they give you a plenty as well - I've definitely tasted better tofu, but their soondubu always satisfies my Korean soup cravings. read more

Jong Ka Jib - Beef soondubu, light spice - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Authentic!! No frills, casual and booth style set-up. We ordered a number of dishes, though my favorite was the spicy soft tofu soup level 5. Also included are an array of sides (kimchi, pickled vegetables, etc). Bring your own beer/wine and experience the best Korean food in Philly read more

Delicious food! Friendly and courteous service. The atmosphere was authentic and interesting to observe

I've been coming to this restaurant for the past 10 years, and it's remained one of my favorite Korean restaurants. I'm probably basing this on sentimentality since this was the first soondubu place I've ever had, but it hasn't let me down as one of the most delicious and fulfilling since my experiences with others like competitor DuBu in Cheltenham and BCD Tofu House in NJ/NY. Just a heads-up that most of the staff only speak Korean, and is a BYOB. I get the pork soondubu which also comes with some kimchi in it. Their other dishes are deeply-flavorful as well, though can be overly cooked with red pepper flakes. read more

TL;DR: I don't care what other reviews say. From a Korean person who doesn't expect much in philly Korean food scene, this is a horrible place that skimps out on ingredients. Avoid at all cost. I tend not to read negative reviews because they don't make me feel great, but here I am writing one because this visit infuriated me. When I go to a Korean place in philly, I go in knowing that I probably will be disappointed. But I still tried this place because it recommended on many websites. I got the pajeon, hot-stone bulgogi bibimbap and chicken bbq. Pajeon (scallion pancakes) was horrible with scallion covering 25% of the surface. Come on, scallion is freaken part of the name in this dish. It should cover at least half of the surface area. It's also not a very expensive ingredient. Why would you skimp out on the ingredients that's part of the name?? Hot-stone (dolsot) bulgogi bibimbap has literally two slices of TINY beef in it. after seeing them trying to cut corners and save on ingredients, this was not a good look. Decent but only because I love dolsot Also got the chicken bbq, this place does not understand they need to use black peppers to season the dish. What can I say. This was one of the worst Korean meals I've had and I ended up paying more than $50. It was only after the meal did I hear that this place is known for tofu soups. But do I really need to try a tofu soup at a place that skimps out on basic ingredients?? And this place is 4.5 stars??? What injustice. read more

My favorite place to get soft tofu and the seafood pancake! My dad doesn't like tofu so he gets the barbecue beef which he claims to be delicious! My family and friends all like coming here for gatherings. The decor reminds me of an Ancient Korean drama with its wooden benches, calligraphy and masks hanging on the walls. The waiters and waitresses are dressed in korean outfits too. It's pretty cute! My parents also like that they are able to communicate with some of the waitresses who also speak chinese. read more

Wow this place is amazing and authentic ! Even recommend going alone so you don't have to share the yummy sides read more

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The Korean food here is pure awesomeness. Must order the sundubu jjigae (Korean stew) here! It's a hot and spicy soup made with uncurdled dubu (tofu), vegetables, mushrooms, onion, scallions, various combination of tasty seafood and gochujang (chili powder). The soup is made and eaten right in the serving bowl, which is typically made of solid stone. Served with a raw egg to be cracked into the soup. It comes out still bubbling vigorously. You are also given a bowl of cooked white rice and several banchan (side dishes). The banchan are so addicting that you'll ask for seconds! A true Korean meal is never complete without banchan. And the ones here are crazy delicious. Also highly recommend their bbq meats. I worship this eatery greatly. You might as well stop reading this review and ask me about it in person. Because chances are that if you go here now, I will be there eating my sundubu and banchan! read more

Jong Ka Jib - Kimchi soon du bu - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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now THIS is what i'm talkin about. you haven't lived til you've had really good soondubu (soft tofu soup). and this ish is the real deal. if jong ka jib sits at 5 stars in my book, then i'd literally have to go back to every center city korean restaurant review i've ever written and downgrade them by one star (at least). that's how much better this place is. it just completely blows all those so-called korean places in center city out of the water. the interior decoration is about as traditional as korean restaurants get. and the flavors stay true to the korean taste buds.. no diluting spices to placate the westernized palate. of course, you can always ask for your food to be less spicy. ahem *weaksauce* ahem. they also give every customer a huge stone bowl of rice to accompany their meal. L-O-V-E. the banchan is decent. more fresh than anything i've tasted in the city, but not a very wide selection - only about 5 dishes. however i'll take quality over quantity any day. read more

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Decided to write my first review on a soft tofu restaurant (typical Korean I am) because I go here about once a month and also because I am doing NOTHING at work today. I think this place has the best soft tofu in the PA/NJ/NY area. I've had BCD and Seoul Garden in NY and So Gong Dong in Palisades Park, NJ. Like all soft tofu/Korean restaurants, you get side dishes (banchan) but the pickled dishes here are great. For $10, you get sides, rice in a stone pot, and soon doo boo (soft tofu) in a stone pot as well. I usually get the "More Spicy" when I go, and for some reason, this level is spicier when I go with fellow Asians than non-Asians (judging..maybe?). This just might be me, though. I really would get some level of spicyness because the non-spicy soup is just meh and looks too pale. The table bell to grab waiters are a plus, too. Wish this place was in the city. read more

Since moving from Korean food heaven (aka. Los Angeles) to Philly a few months ago, I've tried over a few dozen Korean restaurants and I've been fairly disappointed in every single one of them. All of them had ok to terrible tasting Korean food and they were all overpriced for the quality that they served. I was about to give up on all Korean food in the East Coast and write it up as a hopeless endeavor. And that all changed when I came here. I was told about Jong Ka Jib by a friend who knew I was looking for good soon doo bu and how I'd been so disappointed in all of the Korean places around the area. I honestly didn't think this place would be any different but I was thinking, "Hey, at this point, I might as well start conditioning my mind into thinking this is good Korean food." and I went. I was blown away. Not only is Jong Ka Jib the best Korean food I've had at a restaurant since moving out from LA, but I would definitely consider it one of the top ten soon doo bu places I've ever been to in my life. Granted, it's not in the top 3 in my opinion but it's definitely up there. I had the pork soon doo bu extra spicy and ordered a side of kalbi ($15). The soup base was very tasty and it wasn't too watery or thick. And the tofu was cooked to perfection. They give out perfect portions too so after you finish eating, you should be pretty full. Don't be surprised or put-off when you come in and see a ton of non-Koreans eating here (white and Chinese) if you're not used to that. I myself, coming from LA, if I went to a Korean place and saw the customer base were mostly non-Koreans, I walked out because from experience, the food did not taste like Korean food but very Americanized. This place doesn't follow that trend. The service here is just ok, or maybe even below ok but that's what I've come to expect and experience when I was in LA going to good Korean restaurants. It's rare to find a Korean place that has great service and great food. The galbi was terrible though. Don't get it. First off, it's not marinated very well and the flavors come across a bit funky. Second, it is way overpriced for the amount and quality of the meat. I shared the kalbi with two other people and we didn't even finish the galbi. That's how bad it was. As long as you stick with the soondoobu, and the occasional pajun (Korean pancake), you'll be very happy. After my oh so amazing experience here, I came here two more time thinking maybe it was a fluke. And no, it wasn't. I think I've found my home here. Parking: Limited lot or street Price: $10 per person Wait: 10 mins after order (during rush hour you will wait an hour to be seated so beware) read more

This place is so good, it's ridikolus. Hands down the best soondubu in the city. Go all out and get it level 5 spicy unless you are a pansy. Food comes out fairly quickly, but while you wait, feast yourself on the vast array of side dishes. Once it arrives, crack in your egg, and go to town on that shiet (but don't get too excited, the soup is hot as balls). Perfectly spicy, perfectly flavorful, and the rice is perfectly crispy around the edges of the bowl (for eating with tea after you finish - yum!). Eating here is great on a cold winter day, and ironically, it's also great on a swelteringly hot day. Basically just go. **Sidenote: Whenever I come across this corner, my heart feels desperately torn between stopping here to get my soondubu fix, or heading across the street to Cafe Soho for some awesome chicken wings. And then I discovered that sometimes BOTH is the best choice! read more

Let me tell you how magical this "Korean soft tofu soup" is. Before I discovered Jong Ka Jib Soft Tofu Restaurant I was mean-spirited, 85 lbs overweight, unemployed, major drug/alcohol problem, and I had a goiter on my neck the size of a donkey. Women hated me. All of them. However when I took my first bite of "Korean soft tofu soup", my goiter shimmered and turned into a gold coin and I quickly began to shed the extra weight (and my drug/alcohol problem). Since then, I've gotten a job at WalMart! And women wearing hoop earrings are basically like lining up out the door to have sex with me. This soup is totally life-changing. Year of the Dragon, baby! read more

I think I'm a lot less familiar with Korean food than some of the other Yelpers that have reviewed this place. Most of the menu is variations of their specialty dish, a soup/stew called sun du bu. It's got a red broth and lots of tofu as well some meat or something else, depending on the variety you order. The soup is literally boiling when it arrives at your table, and depending on how you order it, it's pretty hot in the other way, also. You are provided with a raw egg to crack into the soup if you wish. You also get a pot of rice, a variety of tiny side dishes and a drink that I understand is essentially iced tea made with buckwheat instead of tea. My three companions and I really enjoyed this place. The one problem we had was that one of our friends is a strict vegetarian and it was difficult for us to determine which things on the menu were truly vegetarian, partly because of the limited English of the servers. She doesn't want meatless soup if it is made with beef broth, for example. It was pretty clear that we weren't going to be able to communicate that to our waitress, so she got the pancake with scallions. I'll be back, especially on a cold day! read more

I love you Jong Ka Jib! You converted my non-tofu eating husband into a lover of soft tofu-and got me to quit saying that I hated Korean food. Never did I imagine my meat and potatoes hubby would SUGGEST we go here for lunch, dinner etc. And I like that your atmosphere transports me- at first the authenticity of the place will make those non-adventurous a little unhinged, but that all fades as you realize how awesome the food is. It isn't that tricky: (1) the menu has english descriptions (not much, but enough that you can order) I get the mushroom Soon Du Bu (med spicy) and J gets the pork (med spicy); but you can get tofu not spicy if you wish- the menu is small, you won't get confused (2) the kimchee and 4 other bowls come out, (I personally have loved them all, but the jalapeno burdock root is SO good, I take the whole bowl and do not share.) Save your raw egg for your soup (3) HOT boiling soup comes out, then a separate boiling hot bowl of rice (4) crack your egg into the soup--it will cook, trust me (5) put rice on the dish, spoon on soupy tofu and freak out your tastebuds! (6) (optional) a pitcher of tea will be placed on your table, you can choose to pour it into your empty rice cauldron if you want to scrape up and eat the crunchy rice (not my cup of tea, but I have seen many do it!) One reviewer said not to take kids there, but I take my toddler here and have seen others do the same--the staff doesn't seem to mind them. Parents should just be aware that the serving dishes are boiling hot clay pots and that kids who do not behave well will likely get burned. read more

A neighborhood favorite of mine. I always order the seafood soon dubu, (very spicy) during the wintertime to warm up. My glasses would fog up every single time I order it, too. If you add the egg into it while it is still hot, you'll be amazed as to how fast it cooks. With that in mind, beware of the hit stone bowls - I was actually careless a couple of times and burned my fingertips! I am also a fan of the side dishes here. If it were up to me, id be fine with just a bowl of rice and side dishes to keep my tummy satisfied. read more

I'll keep this review brief since so many other folks have already documented the greatness of Jong Ka Jib. I'll simply make what I hope are some useful observations: -They do not have yukgaejang (which might be my favorite food EVER), and they do not serve kimbap. Other than that, most well-known Korean dishes are served here and are excellent. -The BBQ squid is not for beginners. It's a HUGE Jacques Cousteau-looking mofo, and when I've ordered it, the server brought a set of culinary shears (scissors you normally use to quarter livestock - not typically a table utensil). I've ordered it a few times, but it's not their best dish. -The place is BYOB, but they don't seem to have glassware - just those plastic cups like you'd get at a Pizza Hut. If you care about what you drink your wine or beer out of, then bring your own glasses. Just writing about this place makes me want a bowl of seafood jigae and a kimchi pancake. Go. Eat. Die happy. read more

I'm actually here quite often, especially when the weather is cold. There's nothing like a boiling, bubbling bowl of soon du bu (soft tofu soup) to warm your belly on a cold night, and I do think they have the best soon du bu in Philadelphia. The prices are pretty affordable as well, as ordering one order should probably fill you up quite nicely. At $10 a pop, it's not a bad deal, even though back in the day it was $8, then $9... inflation! All of them are good, and it really is a matter of personal taste, but here are my favorites: - Kimchi soon du bu - The best thing about the kimchi soon du bu here is that it also comes with beef. Many other places that serve kimchi soon du bu just have the kimchi in the soup. The beef definitely adds to it. - Beef soon du bu - Also very good. - Soy bean (daeng jang) soon du bu - This is sort of an acquired taste, and doesn't come with any meat in it... but I love that salty soy bean taste! The other thing that happens at many Korean restaurants is that you get to choose the level of heat. If you're a novice, I'd suggest the 2 or 3. If you love spicy foods, try the 5... the soup comes out deep red. Throw in the raw egg and let it cook in the stew... it adds another dimension. Enjoy the side dishes (pan chan) and try not to burn the roof of your mouth when you dig in! read more

If you want some awesome spicy korean tofu soup, look no further. Jong Ja Jip is the place to go. "Soon-do-boo" (spicy tofu soup) is their trademark dish. It's basically tofu soup in one of those special pot bowls that keeps the soup hot and fresh. Even after an hour, the soup was still pretty warm due to the heat from the pot bowl. There is a wide variety to choose from, plain, mushroom, seafood, beef, etc. And you can also choose the intensity of the spice from no spice to really spicy. There are also other appetizers available, such as the BBQ ribs, chicken stew, bean curd, etc. The tofu menu is around 8 dollars, and the appetizers range from 8 to 15 dollars. Not a shabby deal at all for some great authentic korean dishes. Highly recommended on a very cold winter night :). read more

The place to go to for soft tofu. Although it may be a bit more pricy than other places, the flavors and the amount makes up for it. Seafood soon du bu was great. The rice and stew really fills you up. I just love how traditional this place is. Not many other places serve rice in a stone bowl, raw eggs to crack in, and hot water for a warm rice porridge after. According to my vegetarian cousins, the mushroom tofu stew was good too. My brother loves the chicken bbq here. The service was also nice and quick so that's a plus. Overall, you should come here for korean food that won't disappoint. read more

Have been coming here for several years and there is no better soft tofu house in the region. The price has gone up slightly but the food is consistently amazing. The soon do boo is a soft, boiling hot bowl of soft silky tofu with your choice of veggie and meat, spiced from 1-5. It always comes with a giant bowl of hot rice and a raw egg for you to put in the boiling tofu when you first get it. The bonchon dishes here are numerous, you usually get a set of 6 for two persons, if you have 4 people you should get two sets of 6 bonchon side dishes. Their other dishes are consistently good also. I love the pa jeon (korean pancake) with scallions and squid. The service is fast paced and more leaned towards "asian" style of service, meaning you shouldn't be shy to ask for things if someone doesn't fill your water or tea. They have a special little button that dings for service when you press it. The tofu dishes are $10, with leftovers if you have a normal appetite, but a hungry person can probably finish a tofu themselves. Parking is free in the lot in the front of the restaurant, although it can get tight at times, I recommend backing your car into the spot if possible. read more

Finally! Everything I wanted in an authentic Korean eating experience. The staff is curt but the food is to die for and cheap! Yes, the service buttons exist (you might need to buzz them to get your requested water delivered to your table) and the setting is charming, if a bit off the beaten path at the Northernmost edge of the city. You CAN get there without a car - just walk a mile from the subway stop! If out love tofu and spicy Korean soup, + you get a kick out of breaking your own egg into the steaming pot, this destination has to be on your list! read more

When you have 56 reviews on Yelp, and you're still at 4.5 stars, oh honey, you KNOW you're good. I'm a soon du bu *freak* This is a HUGE statement but ...it's quite possibly my favorite Asian dish of all time, or at least it battles with Pho for that position on a daily basis. There is nothing like a bubbling hot bowl of seafood soon du bu to warm your bones. I tried both the seafood and the mushroom versions at Jong Ka Jib. I was surprised at how much depth the mushrooms lent to the broth. When it comes to the ten versions of sdb at this place, something tells me you can't go wrong with any of them. Also, the decor is adorable. Polished, provencal charm with lots of Korean knickknacks on the wall. Would make a fun date spot if you're up this way. Seriously, take a few hours out of your weekend for a mini-staycation up in K-town. Hit up Jong Ka Jib and then the awesome H-mart in Elkins Park, and then Seo Ra Bol for some real charcoal bbq. read more

This place is known for their soondubu and they definitely do not disappoint. My friend, who's Korean, swears it's the best soondubu in the city, and she's the one who ultimately took me here. After hearing her rave about it for a while, we finally ended up going together and it really was as good as she said. They definitely don't skimp on the spiciness if that's what you're in to--I was sweating up a storm. But don't worry, you can customize the level of spiciness. Speaking for her, she's been here countless times and only ever gets the soondubu. There are a lot of good Korean restaurants in the area that could probably give this place a run for its money with other, more well-known dishes (like bibimbap), so stick with the soondubu. You won't regret it. read more

After hearing rumors of delicious Soft Tofu place up 5th street, I had to come out and see what the fuss is all about. And I am very happy to say that it did not disappoint. Soft Tofu (or "soon dubu" in Korean) is a traditional Korean dish that is, for some mysterious reason, very difficult to recreate at home. It has soft tofu (as the name suggests) which is much much silkier in texture than any tofu you'll see in non-Korean markets (even silkier than the tofu that's termed "very soft"...which is called "yeon dubu"). Jong Ka Jib specializes in this "soon dubu" dish. You get a hot sizzling stone pot full of stew consisting of hearty broth and soft tofu. There are various kinds of ingredients (seafood, pork, beef, mushrooms, kimchi, or everything-combo) you can choose to put in and varying degrees of spiciness. If you are unsure of the choices, I get the combo and medium spiciness (3 stars?). Along with the stew, you get side dishes ("ban chan"), typical of Korean cuisine, and you also get rice prepared in stone pot (so that rice near the stone gets crispy). The rice, after eating the soft part, you can pour the barley tea they provide into the pot to loosen the toasted rice (called "noo roong ji"). If you are familiar with similar joints in NYC or LA, like Book Chang Dong (or shortened as "B.C.D"), you will find that the soon dubu at Jong Ka Jib is just as good what you will find in B.C.D. read more

Not bad. The quality of the tofu soup is pretty good, and the side dishes are decent. As of July 2014, the tofu soup is $10, which is pricier than what I expected for a dish like that. This place is better than other "standard" korean restaurants i've been to, but not amazing by any means. The price isn't a great deal but I will continue to come here for "cheaper" korean food cravings. Unfortunately it's about 25 minutes from Center City. Service here is, unfortunately, typical korean style and they don't check on you ever. Get used to it though, it's just the culture. Ring the bell if you need something. It's also hard to find unless you're looking for it. Highly recommend using google maps, as it seems to be in the middle of a neighborhood. read more

Everything good they say about this place is true, so saying anything else about it would be redundant. Other than to say that their mul and bibim naeng myeon are the best I've ever had. Also, you don't *need* a car to get there. From Center City you can take the 47 bus and walk about 5 blocks, or the Broad Street Line to Fern Rock then take the 70 bus, which drops you right at the corner across from the restaurant. Also, the Melrose Park regional rail line is close by. read more

Jong Ka Jib is pretty much the only good Korean food that I've had in the Philadelphia area. I'm not a fan of soon dubu, but maybe it was a combination of the cold weather and the excitement of getting to eat real Korean food for once because Jong Ka Jib was truly just as good if not better than some of the places I've been to in LA's Koreatown. Three of us ordered soon dubu and I ordered the kalbi plate. It came out on the sizzling platter, and even though I was super upset by the portion size (read: small), it was decently marinated. You get kinda desperate when you don't have access to one of your favorite things to eat. But Jong Ka Jib is really known for its soondubu, so if you stick to the tofu soup, you won't be disappointed. The rest of the (limited) menu offerings are decent, but certainly not the best. You can't be great at everything right? The panchan (side dishes) are very traditional and pretty well-done, including the kimchi which was fermented to the right degree (in my opinion.) I love the ambiance - it is like a real old school Korean restaurant complete with wooden (picnic-ish) tables, stone pot rice bowls, metal chopsticks, and ahjimas (older Korean ladies) who are pretty attentive. And if they just don't seem to catch you trying to get their attention, then you have the button on the side of the table that calls them over. Yay for technology. Don't be alarmed by the waiter/waitress pouring warm water/tea into your stone pot at the end of the meal - it's like instant rice porridge. Even though it's pretty inaccessible from Center City without a car, it is seriously worth a trip. So make friends with someone who has a car, and nudge nudge them over to Jong Ka Jib. Your friend will most likely thank you. read more

I was super impressed with how friendly and attentive service was during my most recent visit. The food is still as good as I remembered it to be. We tried something new this time - the spicy marinated chicken with veggies. It was a stew like dish made with bone-in dark meat chicken, potatoes, peppers, onions, and carrots. Honestly when I saw it on the menu, it did not appeal to me. I'm so glad my boyfriend ordered it because it was soo good! I also love that I can bring my vegan friends here - there are plenty of vegan/vegetarian options. This is definitely my favorite Korean restaurant in Philly. read more

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Best place for Soondubu in Philly. Great place and food to eat on a cold winter night as the heat warms your body and the spice clears your nostrils. Be warned, the service may not be the best if you are non-Korean and/or are young. I suggest you look past all of this and just enjoy the food like I do. In terms of what I like, Oyster is my favorite because they stand out in flavor but Pork is pretty good too. It's all up to your preferences as the base will taste mostly the same. For the spice level, they go from levels 1-5 and levels 4 & 5 are very spicy! Also the heat level is very hot when it comes out so put the egg in there (it's not a hard-boiled egg) and let it sit a few minutes before enjoying. Other than the Soondubu, they have some ancillary dishes to go along with the Banchan (small dishes). My group's go to is the LA Kalbi for extra protein to go with the stew. It's not the best and can be hit or miss but the stew is the main attraction anyway. I've also tried the Grilled Squid, which was underwhelming. I take one star off because these dishes aren't up to the standards of the stew. You've been warned about the heat and spice. Now's the perfect time to go try it! read more

Great place for above average Soon Do Bu (soft tofu soup)! Advised to come here with at least one person who can speak Korean since most if not all the waiters prefer speaking in Korean versus English. Any of their Soon Do Bu's end up tasting all about the same whether you get seafood, beef, pork, ect. You can control your spice level by ranking 1-10, 1 being least spicy, 10 most spicy. I recommend ordering their seafood pancake as well to complement your Soon Do Bu if you are eating among a group of friend(s). They usually allow you to refill their panchan (free side dishes) once or twice before being difficult about it. For the rice given to you in the stone bowl, I recommend pouring the hot water they give you in a pitcher, into the stone bowl, once you have eaten most of it. This easily allows you to scrape off the crusted/hardened rice on the sides of the bowl. Parking can be difficult when their lot is near full as it is weirdly laid out. If you are having difficulty, street parking nearby should be ok although area does not seem the most safe. Otherwise, pretty good Soon Do Bu, esp. on a cold, rainy, or snowy day! read more

I can't believe I haven't rated this place yet! I've been going here for years and honestly this is my favorite Korean restaurant! The people are friendly and the food is delicious! I always get the BBQ Ribs and all the side dishes are a perfect compliment! read more

Do not come here... WITHOUT ordering their Soon Du Bu. I don't dine at many Korean restaurants because they are not convenient from where I live (besides Center City). My boyfriend and I were in North Philly and decided to come here after reading all the great reviews about this place. We came here on a Monday and the place was pretty packed. I ordered the Kimchee & Beef Soft Tofu stew. I love spicy food, so I made sure that I could get it as spicy as possible. My boyfriend ordered the BBQ Squid. The server brought out our rice and various Banchan dishes for our meal. Shortly afterwards, the tofu stew came out pipin' hot along with our sizzlin' BBQ Squid. The tofu stew was absolutely DIVINE. The level of spiciness and flavor was PERFECT. The BBQ squid was perfectly seasoned and topped with spicy sauce. Prices are reasonable for the portion and quality. Service is good. The only downside is that it's incovenient from where I live, but I'll definitely be back when I'm in the area. read more

This is the best place to get soondoobu in the Philadelphia area. (Still, as great as this place is, I still yearn for a BCD tofu house in Philadelphia.) The service, although somewhat rude (is it just me since I'm a college student? or is that lady always frowning and hating life?), always brings out the food very quickly. Soondubu is always boiling hot, delicious, and filling here, although they do use MSG. My favorite is the pork soondoobu (I think a new addition), but I also love the seafood, mushroom, and kimchi soondubu as well. The banchan (little side dishes) are always great - the cucumber kimchi! They keep raising the prices, but I don't blame them. I will gladly pay 11$ for a bowl of their soondubu, rice, and side dishes. read more

I'm a soondoobu junkie, so I leaped at the chance to go here when my parents were in town. Meh, truthfully I don't know what the hype is about... it's a good soup yea, but nowhere near the best I've ever had. The decor and service were both very excellent though! This seems more like the place I'd bring my white friends to try some korean food than the place I run to when I'm craving a slice of home. read more

This has become my second home ever since I've been introduced to Jong Ka Jib during my high school days. I love coming here during the winter to warm my belly with a nice, bubbling bowl of homemade tofu soup. But since the food is so good, I come here all year round! My favorite soondubu is the beef, in medium spicy. My mom likes to order it in little spicy so she can taste more of the tofu flavor. The wait isn't long, and time passes quickly when you're tasting the different banchans. My favorites are the spicy cucumber and kongjang (soybean). Once your rice and tofu soup arrive, crack your egg into the boiling soup and let it cook inside. Soon du bu is only $10, and the portion is big. I usually finish half of it and take the rest home. I've also tried the gal bi (beef short ribs) and seafood pancake. Both are a hit or miss. Sometimes the gal bi are grilled perfectly, while other times they're overcooked and dry. I like my seafood pancake crispy, but when it's a full house, the pancakes come out a little under-cooked. For the price, it could have a little bit more seafood in it too. But that doesn't stop me from ordering it as an appetizer each time :). The restaurant has a very nice, calm atmosphere. There is plenty of seating and the servers are quick and attentive. This is the best place in philly in get soondubu! read more

I've been here numerous times over the years. I don't particularly gravitate towards soft tofu so I usually order other stuff on the menu. I think they are decent Korean restaurant. The BBQ is sometimes overly marinated and sauced but still enjoyable. The side dishes are good. I think I like this place mostly BC of the theme... The interior is really unique, I assume Korean inspired. Also the parking lot feels safe when you go to this neighborhood at night. read more