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It has been on my want to go list for a while, and I finally had the chance to check it out. The restaurant has a casual atmosphere, but the food presentation feels very thoughtful and artful. I ordered the Nori Acorn Noodle Bowl and also tried the Fried Dooboo Set. I liked the acorn noodle bowl more; the chilled noodles, nori vinaigrette, kimchi, and pickled mushrooms made it super refreshing and flavorful. Their house tofu was silky, delicate, and packed with fresh soy flavor. It's a must-try. Portions are on the lighter side for the price. The only downside was the ordering system. We came on a busy Saturday evening, and having everyone order before being seated made the front area crowded and a little chaotic. Seating was limited.
A friend recommended we try Joodooboo and we are happy we did! I got the Dooboo set that comes with a fried, fresh seasoned tofu, banchan including kimchi + spring mix with strawberry vinaigrette, and more! Each item was extremely flavorful and unique, pairing really well with the star tofu dish. The tofu comes a bit saltier, which made the rice pairing delicious! The total is on the pricier side for the portions, but it is definitely worth trying. There is seating inside and outside, but it was already full by the time we arrived. It can get windy outside, so I would recommend coming earlier because there is not tons of seating inside.
Joodooboo is an interesting concept, a korean restaurant that has great vegetarian options located on market and 42nd in Oakland. We came on a busy saturday evening, and there's not many seats to begin with, made worse by their order-first system that could leave you without a seat after you order. Lots of outdoor seating but even those seats were filled that day Onto the food: I ordered the fried dooboo set. The taste and portion isn't bad, but I guess I'm a little baffled by the set itself. Typically in a Korean restaurant, you get banchan with your main dishes. At Joodooboo, the concept is the banchan *is* your main dishes. Again, the food is pretty good, but just not a typical Korean restaurant
The food is really fresh and healthy here, and they do tofu well. Other than that everything fell short for me. The price point is high for small portion sizes. The fried dooboo set for $22.50 came with a bowl of rice, fried tofu, small banchan and salad, a bowl of soup, and less than half of a peeled Cutie tangerine. The portion of tangerine felt like an insult-- really, a whole tangerine or at the very least half a tangerine could not be given? The dishes tasted bland. My partner ordered the acorn noodle bowl which had more flavor. Despite this, the restaurant is popular and seating can be difficult to get. You pay at the counter and the food is brought out to your number. The rest is self-service including water and bussing your own table after eating.
Tofu is one of my favorite food! Joodooboo does a fabulous job highlighting the tofu. The menu selections are limited, but I find this kind of experience to be telling because these are their tried and true offerings. I will say I did find the price of the fried tofu (dooboo) set to be quite steep at $22, but both the presentation and taste is indeed phenomenal. The banchans are incredibly unique and are seasonal, so your next visit may be a completely new experience. During my visit, my favorite was probably their kabocha soup. I found the base of the fried tofu to be on the saltier side but eating it with the subtle sweetness of the soup helped balance it, along with the other delicious bites. The store itself felt spacious, but there aren't that many seatings indoor. There are a few tables out front, so be prepared on cooler days. Street parking only, but we didn't have any trouble finding a spot around 1p on a weekday. They also sell these amazing sesame shortbread-like cookies at the cashier, I'd recommend getting one or two for the road home!
My friend and I went here around 5pm. It was still early enough in the afternoon that it wasn't too busy. The restaurant itself is small, but there's still a decent amount of seating both inside and outside. You can order at the front where you'll be given a number if you opt to dine in. From there, you can find your own table to sit at if there's space. We ordered the Fried Dooboo Set, Nori Acorn Noodle Bowl, and Big-Eye Poke. The food came out shortly after placing our orders. The fried tofu in the Dooboo set was a bit salty, but tasted good. The rest of the plates were light and blended well when eaten together. The noodles from the noodle bowl were refreshing. The egg was made to perfection. The fish had a good spice level and paired well with the rice from the Dooboo set. Overall, a healthy and refreshing meal! If you need water or extra plates, you can get it yourself towards the back of the restaurant near where you return the dishes. There's plenty of street parking outside right in front. Service was quick and the staff was friendly. Would definitely come back for the noodles!
The organic house-made tofu is the star of the show at Joodooboo. We tried different variations in the fried tofu set and the acorn noodles. The fried version was definitely our favorite and came with a delicious sauce. The noodles were on the bland side. I would say the portions are quite small for dinner and we left kind of hungry at the end of the meal - I could see this being better suited for a light lunch on a weekday.
I've been on the mailing list for years but never found an excuse to cross the bay bridge (iykyk). Finally, I decided to come here with a friend who lives in the area. The location is walkable from the MacArthur bart station, but there's not a lot around it, so it's quite a detour if you are not in the area for any reason. The shop itself isn't big; you order at the counter, and they also have plenty of take-home options (especially the banchans). There are a few dinner options, but the menu is small -- a dooboo (tofu) rice set, acorn noodles, or just a rice bowl with banchan. All their banchan is made with seasonal, local ingredients, and the ones I got with the dooboo set were delicious. I was pacing myself so I don't finish all of them too quickly! The highlight remains the fried dooboo. It's a hunk of soft tofu fried to a perfect crispiness, covered in a savory mushroom gravy. I honestly don't know how it's so crispy after sitting in sauce, but it's seriously addictive. We also got the seasonal Dungeness crab over our rice, which is so fresh and deliciously seasoned, but there were a few shell fragments that wasn't picked out cleanly. By the end of my meal, I actually wasn't completely full. I could order a few more banchan and still finish the all! Overall, the food did not disappoint, despite my high expectations. If it were in my neighbourhood I'd be coming back again and again for the banchan. The menu is a little barebones for the travelling that I have to do, so for now I just have to be jealous of everyone who lives nearby and can pick up something without travels upwards of an hour each way.
I recently started a vegetarian diet and was craving Korean food, so I looked for a spot with vegan/vegetarian options. This place kept popping up on Reddit as a recommendation, so I decided to check it out. I was sitting in my car on their website about to place an online order when I saw the wait time was 25 to 30 minutes. I figured I would just go inside and order in person to see if it would be quicker, but it ended up being about the same wait. The place was packed, so not surprising, just something to keep in mind if you are on a tight schedule. I ordered the doonboo set, which came with fried tofu in a soy based sauce, salad, tofu banchan with mushroom, pickled daikon and jalapeño, and a vegan soup. The soup really stood out to me. It reminded me of cream of mushroom and had a deep umami flavor. I did not go in with huge expectations since vegetarian Korean food is not what I am used to, but I was honestly impressed. Everything tasted fresh and thoughtfully made. They even included a small piece of tangerine, which was a nice touch. The meal was $22, but with tax it came out to about $25, not including tip. I was still slightly hungry afterward. That said, the flavors alone would make me come back. The soup was easily my favorite part. One thing to note is that the restaurant is on a neighborhood corner with street parking only. I had to circle a few times before finding a spot. If you are on a time crunch, I would not recommend dining in. Ordering ahead and picking it up about 30 minutes later would probably be the better move. Overall, not the fastest or cheapest lunch, but really solid vegan/vegetarian Korean flavors and worth trying if you are in the area.
I had a lovely lunch at Joodooboo with my neighbors! The banchan was absolutely perfect--the ultimate mix of deep, savory umami flavors. Everything tasted incredibly fresh and well-crafted. Honestly, I'm obsessed and need a lifetime supply of that house dooboo sauce. A neighborhood gem that I'll be returning to again and again!
Every since learning that Joodooboo makes their own tofu, I had to come try it. Even close to closing time for lunch, the tables were close to filled. I got the nori acorn noodle bowl with a side of their daily special banchan which was ojingeo-jeot that day. Fresh ingredients and filling without making you feel overly stuffed. The tofu holds - firm and silky, almost a meaty texture. The noodles were so umami with the fish sauce and mushrooms. Even though there was no meat, it still felt so savory and meat-like. I could barely finish the noodles. The ojingeo-jeot was spicy with a little sweetness. It was too spicy for me, but the texture was great - soft enough that I felt like I wasn't chewing for an infinite amount the time. It doesn't feel like a traditional Korean restaurant, a much more modern take given the interior design. However, it still has those Korean flavors that you expect - a great place to grab a bite.
Joodooboo has been recommended to me by several friends now, and I was finally able to stop by. The shop is small and cozy, with very limited seating, most of which are outdoors. The food tasted fresh, and the house-made tofu was delectable. Aside from the tofu, the other dishes didn't really standout to me. My friend ordered additional banchan, but we thought they were just fine. The seasoning on the food was on the lighter side. I definitely left still feeling a little hungry, which didn't feel great considering their price point. I would not recommend this place to someone with a big appetite.
1 month ago
This is a small place, service was friendly. Food was okay for me, nothing really stood out and there are a lot more authentic korean restaurants I've been too where the food is really good. This place is ideal for vegans/vegetarians, but the prices are really high. Overall, not a place I recommend, but not bad either. read more
I had such an amazing flavorful experience here. My expectations were low for a tofu spot, and this place blew me away. We came here after a hike in the Tilden park area, found some street parking in the neighborhood and the worker at the counter was so patient with answering all of our questions. We got the fried dooboo and cold noodle plates. The cold noodles were SO delicious, I had never enjoyed cold noodles this much before and it was so refreshing on a warm day! My boyfriend enjoyed the fried dooboo dishes. It's a small cozy spot, we luckily were able to snag an outdoor spot so we could bring our dog, it didn't seem like there were a lot of spots inside the restaurant. When you're done eating, you are expected to bust your own table. read more
This place is so good!!! Healthy korean food. Their menu is simple, but I love how they prepare fresh veggie-forward banchans (side dishes). Getting the Nori Acorn Noodle Bowl + Banchan (4 choices) was a satisfying meal for two friends where we could try a bit of everything!!! First, the acorn noodle bowl was so good!!! We added fresh homemade tofu & perfectly marinated eggs. Noodles are chewy and I loved the sesame nori dressing. The pickled mushrooms, kimchi, and cucumbers were fresh and great accompaniment. The HOMEMADE TOFU was also soft and had great texture. Very mild as tofu can be. Honestly, I came for the tofu, but left impressed and craving everything else. For the banchan - we got Kabocha Squash, Cauliflower, Rice Thief, Radishes. Everything was so good. Our favorites were probably the Cauliflower and Kabocha Squash. We also got a side of rice, which you'll probably appreciate it with the Rice Thief! The place is small, but you can see the team crafting the side dishes. Even when we came before opening, there was already a small line. I wish I lived near here so I can get banchan to go weekly! read more
2 months ago
2 months ago
1 year ago
Delicious and nostalgic Korean flavors with a fresh NorCal edge. Service was fast, ambience is trendy relaxed, with an open kitchen. I loved the acorn noodles- the sauce was perfect and the noodles cooked just right! The ggaenip kimchi and rice thief sides were amazing. I drizzled the leftover juice from the ggaenip kimchi onto the unseasoned homemade tofu and would eat that again like that in a heartbeat! I took some banchan to go- you can get a little four pack of whatever you liked best! read more
1 year ago
3 months ago
3 months ago
A tofu lover's dream! This spot makes their tofu in-house, and if you're lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the tofu-making process at the bar. Ordering is done at the counter, and your food is brought to your table. We tried the fried dooboo set ($20), which came with their signature house-made tofu, served alongside rice, tofu soup, a salad, and an assortment of their banchan. This week's banchan included a pickled persimmon that was good. While the portions may seem small, it is surprisingly satisfying and will leave you feeling full. You can also purchase their tofu and banchan to-go. I highly recommend! read more
3 months ago
Currently one of my favorite restaurants in Oakland! Everything is so fresh and light, perfect for summer, very farm to table vibes. The acorn noodles exceeded my expectations, I will definitely be coming back for them. Their house made tofu is also incredible, so soft and you can actually taste the soybean flavor. My only complaint is the portions are small for the price, if you have a bigger appetite you might need to order multiple items to feel full. read more
What an interesting concept of a restaurant--I would have never imagined a restaurant whose focus was primarily tofu (dooboo). There is no table service, order at the counter and pick up your order when ready. Seating was outside on my visit. They don't serve your traditional Korean foods, but is focused primarily on the side dishes (banchan) as the main component and star of your meal. The dishes are very seasonal and their tofu is in house made--everything is very fresh. The dishes are all very flavorful and a modern take on Korean banchan. The banchan changes weekly--always something new. Even if you're not vegetarian, it is worth checking out. read more
2 months ago
2 years ago
Elevated ban chan! Loved the set meal- the main star is obviously the doobu- so soft and tender. I could eat a whole plate of this! Get the seasonal sparkling spritz. I'm looking forward to coming back and trying other things read more
4 months ago
1 year ago
Had a fantastic first meal at Joodooboo today. I've been wanting to try this spot for some time, and so glad I was able to check it out. The arrowroot noodle dish was superb and a very inviting and refreshing mix of flavors, and the tofu in it was creamy and fresh. I think the star of the meal was the fried tofu plate though - all of it was good, but those first few bites of fried tofu with the dooboo sauce over perfectly cooked rice were divine. You could easily turn a non-tofu eater into a tofu eater with this dish alone. Thank you for a great meal and stellar service! read more
tldr homemade tofu spot serving up small menu healthy dishes in a fast casual set up i ordered the acorn noodles and friends got the doobu set! you order at the register then they bring the food to you! the menu is very limited to just a few dishes (sets) and veggie forward. my acorn noodle dish was really light with nori vinaigrette so light that it had a pretty bland flavor profile - thanks to the kimchi, pickled mushroom, green onion and egg - these provided a bit more flavor but honestly overpriced for what you get. the doobu set i was able to try the fried tofu - it was just okay and sauce flavor was a bit too strong in my opinion but would be probably a bit better with rice but the texture was great. it's a pretty small restaurant - self served water and cute interior! i would recommend this spot if you want a light meal probably best for lunch knowing that you are overpaying a bit. overall it's not bad but i think there are other korean spots in oak that are much better value. food 3/5 interior 4/5 service 4/5 value 2/5 read more
9 months ago
Run, don't walk! I found Joodooboo on Yelp and 10 minutes later we were there not knowing what to expect. To me this is the perfect restaurant; casual with amazing healthy updated Korean food. The chef-owner is known for his homemade tofu which you can add to any dish. I went like four times and I was only visiting the Bay Area for 10 days. read more
9 months ago
1 year ago
Low 4 stars overall. We were driving through the area and randomly came here on a Thursday evening. They had customers but weren't too busy around 5pm. It's a cute spot in a residential area. Parking was easy. Seemed to be mostly locals dining here. Plenty of seating inside and outside. I kind of wish I'd gotten the Dooboo set which comes with a lot of small bowls of sides, and then I would have tried the restaurant's namesake at the very least. Total cost: $40 for two entree bowls. Not the most filling dinner if you're very hungry. * Nori Acorn Noodle Bowl $18 - 3.5 stars, very fresh ingredients, egg perfectly medium, interesting flavor profile. * Farmer's Bowl $18 - 3.5 stars, a lot of interesting ingredients. Would describe it more as unique than especially tasty. If you're a big fan of Korean and pickled flavors, then worth going out of your way for. read more
I'm still dreaming of this meal! Steve curated the most freshest and delicious set and it's such a nice change to the traditional Korean style restaurant. I got to sit outside and enjoy the sun! There's only a few tables outside and a few tables inside. I could see this getting packed easily so come early. The tofu is handmade in house and you can watch Steve at the bar handling each tofu block with care. I can't wait to come back to try the other things on the menu!! read more
Big fan of the acorn bowl with fried dooboo (tofu)! So fresh and delicious. Their special was a mackerel sashimi which was also tasty. Limited indoor and outdoor seating but small and intimate with an open kitchen. Plenty of street parking around. Highly recommend for high quality, fresh, tasty dishes and friendly staff. read more
4 months ago
I don't understand the hype. The fried tofu here - which has the texture of agedashi tofu, is fine, but it's certainly not worth the price. My wife and I stopped by for dinner this evening and I got the Spicy Acorn Noodle Bowl ($16) while she got the Fried Dooboo Set ($20). The noodle dish was essentially glass noodles with kimchi juice and/or gochujang, topped with some basic salad greens and served with a boiled egg, a meal a poor college student would make on a school night. The fried dooboo set is just a large mound of rice, some sides of veggies and a block of fried tofu. A lot of reviewers praise Joodooboo for how much their dishes remind them of home cooked meals, but this type of feedback makes it obvious that these reviewer do not regularly cook: the side dishes are nothing more than stir fried veggies seasoned with salt; there is nothing particularly special about the dishes. The repeated criticism from reviewers about the long wait times are valid: there isn't really a good reason why scooping prepped veggies into a takeout container should take 15-20 minutes. I will not be coming back as the value proposition is just not there and the food is too mundane. read more
Fresh tofu is a delight. My first taste of Joodooboo was at the Temescal restaurant Daytrip. There are so many standout mains - tasty acorn noodle bowl with spicy sauce and egg, a farmers bowl with rice and fried egg (beautiful like a Matilija poppy), and the Joodooboo fried dooboo set is my weekly favorite. Everything tasted very fresh and wonderful. The textures and flavors are incredible. Sit inside or outside; takeaway. Love the Jooboodoo shirts and totes, so fun and cute. Parking is free and easy, and that is always a win. read more
Unique dishes that feel like homestyle cooking, but at a steep price with smaller portions. I'm glad I got to try this spot, but prefer some of the more standard Korean options. This is a super casual restaurant where there's pretty limited seating and a few small tables and you can order upfront. read more
1 year ago
3 months ago
1 year ago
Delicious food where you can taste all the ingredients and flavors. I love the variety in every bite and freshness of the seasonal vegetables. The dishes are also very beautiful. read more
The food here reminds me of the meals I had during my temple stays in Japan. So fresh and nourishing. It's not the of type food with sugar and msg that gets you addicted but the kind of place you think about when you want to be hugged by nutrition. The flavors are clean and healthy, almost like chicken noodle soup for the soul. You'll leave satisfied and feeling good about yourself. On a side note, I like their choice in disposable chopsticks. It's a darker wooden color than typical and it's blister free. It's street parking but there's not a lot of businesses around so it's easy enough to find a place to park, just don't block people's driveways! There's indoor and outdoor seating. It's small but cozy enough. You order at the counter and they bring it out to you. The main menu is on the door and on the board inside. There's also a specials menu on the board inside. There were lots of take out orders while I was there. I feel like this place isn't for everyone but for the people that do vibe with it, you'll love it. read more
1 year ago
Soooo good. I'm not usually someone who goes somewhere just to have tofu. But this was the best I've had in a long long time. Everything was delicious and tasted fresh and healthy. Great spot! read more
I loved this place. The owner Steve Joo has an owner mindset. We got there and the tables were full but he made clear to us that folks were leaving and we were welcome! Loved it. He also bussed tables, rolled up his sleeves and did what owners do-- make sure customers are taken care of asap. As for our tofu and banchan, I liked it. Tofu was greaaaatttt. Banchan also great. Kimchi also balanced. I would love a side of hot sauce but they don't have that. But that's minor. I also loved the cold tofu gazpacho. We will be back. My kids also loved it. Keep it up Steve Joo! read more
1 year ago
Some of the yummiest Korean food ever!! Perfectly balanced flavors in complete harmony. highlights: fresh tofu and juju bee grapefruit spritz! read more
More info about Joodooboo
4201 Market St
Oakland, CA 94608
North Oakland
Directions
(510) 500-1001
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https://www.joodooboo.co
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Ask the Community - Joodooboo
Is it 100% organic, including all vegetables, sauces, and oils, not just the soy?
I don't think exclusively, but it does seem to be mostly very high quality produce, some of which may not be available organic because it's specialty Asian veggies, etc.. I remember seeing a box on the wall that had organic soy printed on the side.
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Joodooboo - korean - Updated July 2026
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