Soondol is the first build-your-own soondubu spot in Koreatown and the format works. The Build-Your-Own structure ($21.99 base + $3-7 add-ons) lets you dial intensity -- we went spicy kimchi base with beef, seafood, soft tofu, dumplings, egg, and udon, plus bulgogi on the side. Presentation alone is worth the visit: the pot comes out fully loaded with raw ingredients arranged almost like a still life, then they pour the oxtail broth tableside. Cook it down, drop the egg in halfway, finish with the udon. The bulgogi side is solid -- sweet, smoky, on a sizzling stone -- and the chive pancake (buchu jeon) is a great textural break: crisp edges, herby green inside, eats like a snack between stew bites. Heat on the kimchi base is real but not punishing. Comes with complimentary banchan + purple rice and free broth refills. Family-style, meant for 3-4 people. Service attentive, room is moody-lit and on the smaller side -- reservations recommended for 4+. Will be back. read more

Stopped by Soondol in Koreatown and really liked the whole experience. I expected a typical tofu house, but their build-your-own concept makes it feel a lot more interactive. You choose your broth and add ingredients depending on what you're in the mood for, and I liked that the flavors kept developing while everything simmered at the table. It felt more like a shared meal experience than just ordering individual dishes. The complimentary banchan and purple rice were a nice touch too, and the portions make it a good place to come with friends. read more

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Soondol Tofu House is located in the heart of Koreatown and I've always walked by it but never paid much attention to the space but I was surprised to find out, it's right next to one of my favorite dessert shops! What makes this tofu house stand out to me is, is the concept of being able to build your own soondubu. There's the option to choose your broth, protein, veggies, and noodles. It's kind of like hot pot, you can add as much and as little as you want. The interior is spacious and a good spot for a comforting meal! read more

Soondol Tofu House - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

K-Town just got a glow-up At Soondol Tofu House, soondubu isn't just comfort food... it's a whole experience. Instead of the usual set menu, you get to build your own hotpot--choose your broth (we're talking spicy red, nutty perilla, or kimchi) and load it up with all your favorite add-ins They bring everything raw to your table, pour in that rich oxtail broth, and let it simmer while the flavors hit deeper with every minute. It's giving cozy, interactive, and lowkey addictive. Feeds 3-4 people Around $60 total (yes, WITH tax + tip) Free broth refills = no one leaves hungry And don't forget the extras--complimentary banchan + purple rice on the side We tried: Build Your Own Soondubu Chive Pancake (crispy perfection) Pork Cutlet Set Meal K-Town's first build-your-own soondubu spot and honestly... it's a game changer. read more

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I visited this place twice now. I really enjoyed the foods the first time. 2nd time here and my thoughts remained the same. They have 3 stew options only. The pot of stew can serve 2-3 people. Rice and noodles were not included. Drinks were not included. They do give refills for the ban chan and salad. $23 for spicy Kimchi stew. It included the soft tofu, veggies, ban chan, and salad. Additional items may be added for additional cost. We added beef and mushrooms. They have other dishes as well. Like katsu and etc. I like the stew here. You can add as many items as you want. The spicy kimchi stew was very flavorful. It wasn't so spicy. So good for rainy and cold weather. The purple rice was a bit mushy, but not bad. Parking was $5 for self parking or valet lol Customer service was ok. The table was a bit smelly RR avail read more

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This is not a typical tofu house but more like a restaurant for people to eat and drink. The nutty perilla white was great and you can add a lot of different ingredients into the pot. The stir fried large intestine was surprisedly amazing and we loved it! The service was great and we enjoyed dinning in. Great place to hang out with friends and drink. read more

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I don't know how I feel about this place. I saw a video on instagram and you know how influencers make a place sound like it's the best place in the world? Is it though? Is it? I'm going to try to make this review as if I didn't see the post so it isn't based on a false hope and dream that was sold to me by some random person online. I got a lunch special with a beef soondooboo and a tonkatsu (pork cutlet). The soondooboo was good, it was hearty and yummy but also a bit small. I don't know if I can say it's better than BCD though, but you do get more food overall with the combo than at BCD, so that's a plus. While the restaurant doesn't specialize in tonkatsu, it isn't anything to call home about. It has the texture, but the taste isn't as juicy and as scrumptious as a place like Wako, and isn't as big and appealing as Lasung. Plus they don't give you a lot of sauce. I think what bugs me the most is how much the influencer hyped this up though, but I guess that's not really the restaurant's fault... The panchan is good too, but could use some more options than the typical soy beans and kimchi. Oh it is nice that they give you purple rice too as opposed to regular rice. So that's a nice touch as well. If you think of their lunch menu as a value menu, you definitely do get a lot of food for $17.99, which is a plus. But if you're going for flavor, maybe some other items on their menu could potentially be a better choice. For the service, I was given a cup of water. When my dishes were brought out at various times, from the panchan, then the soondooboo, then the tonkatsu, I wasn't given more water at any point, even though my cup was empty for each instance. I'm not sure how a business, especially a Korean one, can survive on that level of service, but we'll see what happens. The ambiance is nice. I went at 2pm so it was empty, but could see the business being busy. Anyway, that's all I got! read more

Soondol Tofu House - Tonkatsu - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Custom-made soondubu sounded promising, but it ended up just okay. I'm not a big fan of the style where everything goes into the pot at the same time, since some ingredients end up overcooked while others feel underdone. The soup was missing a bit of depth, though it was still passable. The fried squid was a letdown. Service wasn't very attentive, even though it wasn't crowded, though it was during a football game so I get it. For a place that keeps the soondubu boiling at the table, the soup really needs to be checked and refilled more often. Anyone who's ever done hot pot knows that. Service: Inattentive, but timing may have played a role Food/Drinks: Custom soondubu lacked depth, fried squid disappointed Ambiance: Standard tofu house setting 4/10 Decent concept but bad execution and service issues hold it back read more

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Free parking in their lot during lunch! Here, it's all about customization. You choose a broth base betwee spicy red pepper, nutty perilla, or kimchi) and then customize with proteins, noodles, rice cakes, and other toppings. When you order, a server brings the raw ingredients to your table, pours a rich oxtail broth, and lets the pot simmer while the flavors deepen over time. Would definitely come back. Service was super nice. read more

Great Korean comfort food! The beef seafood tofu stew was the highlight for me -- very satisfying but also surprisingly healthy, packed with tofu and protein. Perfect if you're trying to eat clean but still want something tasty. The chive pancake was really aromatic and crispy, and the fried chicken with rice cakes was addictive. Highly recommend trying both! read more

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One of the most unique tofu based restaurant, I loved their customization of the tofu soup and add on a lot of great foods! I love seafood so I made my own seafood tofu soup and with a side of ramen, it's great and their service is great too! read more

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We came here for lunch and were surprised to find it completely empty the entire time we were there. We ended up getting the spicy tofu stew with a bunch of toppings: beef, sausage, kimchi, assorted veggies, rice cake, cheese, udon, sweet potato noodles and dumplings. To be honest, while the broth was tasty, the portion was quite small especially since majority of the group were guys who ate a lot. We did have to order multiple servings such as extra sausage and beef. To me, the sausage, rice cakes and potato noodles were the highlight of the dish. We also ordered a few more side dishes: chives pancake, Korean fried chicken and bulgogi. Again the portions were tiny. I've been to many other Korean places and this was by far the smallest pancake I've ever seen. The fried chicken was also on the sweet side so I didn't love it but my friends did. I'm not a bulgogi fan so I didn't try that dish but my friends said it was super mid. Overall there are better Korean places in ktown and while i generally love Korean tofu soup, I probably won't visit here again. read more

Soondol Tofu House - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Rainy day and stuck waiting for my wife's hair salon appointment, so walked to nearest restaurant to avoid rain. Nice warm place, well lite with open layout, felt welcomed. Food was huge portion for lunch special. Just got pork cutlet meal and came with a lot of banchan. Nice servers and kind taking my order. read more

Soondol Tofu House - Outside - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Such a great concept and delicious Korean comfort food!! The build your own soondubu was very filling and flavorful. Loved being able to customize everything! The tofu was very silky soft. The service was great and attentive. Great spot to hang out at I'd definitely come back again! read more

Soondol Tofu House - Build your own soondubu - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Great experience!! Love the food and great atmosphere! It was great being there with my friends read more

Soondol Tofu House - Soontofu jeongol - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Soup base is lacking, improper food Togo containers that would melt if you put in boiling soup $41 for a 4 topping bowl that feeds 3-4 ppl ========================= I really wanted to like this spot cuz I love tofu soup but it didn't hit the mark for me. Still new, so they don't have a liquor license atm - can BYOB. 1 pot $41 (4 toppings: beef, fried tofu, mixed veggies, mushrooms) fed at least 3 people. The ingredients seem kind of expensive once you add it one by one, but they do give a lot of it so I guess it's ok. The broth is refillable and unlimited, but the overall soup base once everything boiled was lacking flavor. It's also quite spicy, so be careful if you're sensitive. What baffles me is that they don't have proper togo containers. Even if I was eating with multiple people, they only had short! Plastic containers that would certainly melt given the hot temperature of the soup. I had to separate everything and ask for multiple bowls to cool things down separately lol Parking is street parking read more

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If you're a fan of either soon tofu or budaejigae, you really need to check out Soon Dol. You choose the soup base you want, choose your ingredients, and it's heated in front of you on a portable gas stove. I recommend the Spicy Red Pepper Tofu Stew base for the soup if you want a traditional soon tofu taste...it's super delicious. It's really enough food for 2 people, and they give you bowls and a ladle if you're sharing. I also love that they constantly refill your soup if you're running low. You can also order additional ingredients at any time. They're currently BYOB and in the process of obtaining an alcohol license, so you can bring your own soju and beer for now. There's also a liquor store located conveniently across the street right next to Dan Sung Sa. Overall, it was an excellent dinner and I know we'll be back regularly. Friendly service and great food...not much more you could ask for. 5 stars and 2 thumbs up! read more

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Decided to try this spot out on a Friday night. There is valet parking on 6th between Catalina and Berendo located in the alleyway. Valet was about $4. The restaurant was very clean upon entering. This place took over the previous 365. The concept is pretty cool as it's build your own tofu stew (boodaejigae). You choose a base then can add various toppings. It was really delicious and I loved that they keep refilling the soup base. Decided to add the porridge to end the meal. Did this not disappoint. Whether it's cold out or you are just craving something spicy, Soondol is a great option. I loved the concept and the food exceeded expectations. I will be a returning customer! read more

Soondol Tofu House - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Yum have not had tteokboki hot pot ever. Pretty much diy tteokboki that you cook your own lol. It was pretty satisfying. Highly recommend it was fun! read more

Really fun Korean tofu soup experience since it's kind of like a DIY pot. One pot was enough for two and we added some toppings. It already comes with the tofu and some veggies and also comes with all the banchan. We added sausage, beef, ramen, potato noodles, mushrooms and dumplings to the tofu soup. The broth is really flavorful and we enjoyed all the toppings we chose. They don't have their alcohol license yet but the food was delicious. Service was also friendly and helpful. read more

Soondol Tofu House - Before being cooked and mixed in - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Soondol Tofu House has such a fun and unique concept where you get to build your own DIY soup, and it was absolutely delicious! The hot pot-style setup made the whole experience even better. The broth was incredibly flavorful, and the ingredients tasted fresh and high quality. The owner was extremely kind and kept refilling our broth without us even asking. One of the best tofu soup experiences I've had. highly recommended! read more

Soondol Tofu House - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This was quite an experience! I was skeptical at first since I've never had soondubu like this, but it was a pleasant surprise. I was worried that it would be too much for two people just from the size of the pot, but it does serve 2-3 people. You choose the base, protein options, and other extra toppings (ie. vegetables, ramen, udon, etc). It already comes with some veggie medley, softest tofu, green onions, and one side of rice. The spice is just right as well. I wanted to try the porridge at the end, but just couldn't get there. Hopefully once we bring a larger group, we'd be able to try it. Also, a plus that their salad was delish as well. Service: quick and attentive Parking: $5 self park or valet in the back covered parking structure (same as Oakobing) or street parking Pro tip: save space for Oakobing next door read more

Soondol Tofu House - Spicy Red Pepper Tofu Stew Base with Seafood and sausage - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Do not go here if you want to eat alone. They don't serve their main dishes in one servings. So I got their katsu, and it was just okay. For $20, I got the katsu and sides. Rice was extra:( I understand they aren't known for the katsu or anything but I can't believe they charge $20 for that. There are definitely other places you can go for better. I don't know if I will go again, but if I do, I will order their main tofu stew. read more

Soondol Tofu House - katsu - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Build-Your-Own Soondubu at Soondol Tofu House! Soondol Tofu House, K-Town LA @soondol_tofu K-Town just got a game-changer for tofu stew lovers! At Soondol Tofu House, you get to customize your own soondubu jjigae from start to finish--picking your broth, proteins, and toppings for the ultimate Korean comfort food experience. What makes it special? Choose from 3 broth bases (including extra spicy ) Load it up with meats, seafood, or extra tofu Served tableside, letting the flavors develop while it simmers Comes with purple rice & fresh banchan (unlimited refills ) Also, don't miss their weekday lunch special for $17.99--you get soondubu plus Korean fried chicken, bulgogi, or stir-fried pork. Such a steal! read more

Such a fun and unique DIY soondubu spot! I really enjoyed how customizable everything is. you can mix and match to create exactly what you're in the mood for. The portions are super generous. The broth was rich, comforting, and full of flavor. Overall, a really enjoyable and interactive dining experience. Perfect place to go when you're craving something warm, hearty, and a little different from the usual! read more

This was our first experience with a DIY soondubu spot and we LOVE it! The customization is so great because we can make the soup with exactly everything we want- we don't have to sacrifice missing out on any items like with fixed menu places. The broth was soooo yummy and was perfect for the rainy day we went on. We also got an order of the Korean fried chicken (whole) and the sauce was SO good! It was the perfect sweet/tangy food to go with the soup! read more

Soondol Tofu House - Soup, Korean Sweet & Spicy Chicken(Whole) - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Tofu soup on crack! Finally a place where you can order soft tofu soup with other toppings and comes in shareable size. This Jeon-gol style is a great option for small and large groups. Of course, it's family style, keep that in mind if you're not used to sharing food. You can customize the broth; mild or spicy I believe they also have the mala option. I highly recommend the mala option for all the spicy food lovers out there! It really enhanced the flavor and the experience. We also got the potato and chive pancakes and WOW we had to order both of them twice. Everyone at the table couldn't get enough. The service was great, I don't think this restaurant requires too much interaction with the staff though, the soup will be cooked at the table and you're kind of on your own to distribute and enjoy it. If I was still living LA I'd be here QUITE OFTEN. Also it was the perfect dinner choice for a chilly December night, can't wait to be go back! read more

I can't imagine waiting an hour for BCD anymore after discovering this place. I've been to Soondol twice now and both times the service has been great, food is consistent, and interior is clean. The servers have been very attentive with refilling side dishes and adding more broth, making for a pleasant dining experience. The menu here is very straightforward - you choose your base broth and add in additional toppings. They have very generous portions and also let you add in extra toppings throughout your meal, so the customization aspect is a plus! Highly recommend adding in the sweet potato noodles and sausage. The only downside to this place is that there are no spice levels for the base soondubu broth. My spice tolerance is decent so this wasn't a problem for me, but my boyfriend was struggling and had to dilute his bowl with water... While is definitely not a place for the weak, I recommend it to all the spice lovers out there! read more

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Sooo delicious! The customer service was outstanding and I would definitely come back when I'm back in LA! read more

Soondol Tofu House - Korean fried rice with the leftover soup - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This place is clean, spacious and HAS PARKING! And guess what?! It's also a pet friendly place!! And food? Delicious, clean, and good amount of every ingredient. Service? Great. My broth was refilled every time i needed. I recommend getting seafood and veggies bc your broth is gonna be amazing. If you do spicy broth, it will taste like jjamppong. If you can't do spicy or are hungover, definitely get #2 nutty perilla white broth. It's clean and 고소해. And order anchovy + pepper thing for nice kick. This place exceeded all expectations and I will definitely be coming back with my dog. read more

Soondol Tofu House - Side dish - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Soondol Tofu House is a great spot if you love soontofu. The spicy soontofu is absolutely delicious - rich, flavorful, and perfectly spicy. The service was excellent and very attentive. Best part is the idea to get a sharing soontofu and customize it with multiple toppings--such a fun and smart idea, especially for groups. read more

3rd visit and tried the nutty perilla powder white tofu base this time. As it comes with veggies along with the super soft silken tofu, I added only seafood, and porridge at the end. I recommend this combo to families with kids, if you're not into spicy food, or when you crave the 'cool' broth (IYKYK). It was ample portion for two hungry people. The server told us you can ask for the spicy yangnyum (seasoned paste) on the side. Their boneless Korean Fried Chicken (KFC) was again phenomenally good - I don't think I will ever get tired of it. Hope more people would discover this place as it has thoughtfully curated dishes and their attentiveness on what they serve truly shows. read more

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I had such a wonderful experience at Soondol Tofu House. The food was absolutely delicious -- fresh, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned -- and every dish felt like it was made with care. The staff were also incredibly kind and welcoming, which made the meal even more enjoyable. My friends visiting from Korea even said it felt like they were back home. I also highly recommend ordering the pork cutlet with your meal -- it's crispy on the outside, thick and juicy on the inside, and pairs perfectly with the spicy soup by balancing out the heat. It's a place I would definitely come back to and highly recommend to anyone looking for authentic, comforting Korean food in LA. read more

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My new favorite place for soondubu. I love that I can customize it with extra veggies and/or different types of meat that I want. The broth is also unlimited. One pot can easily feed 3-4 people. It's pretty filling in my opinion. They also allow you to take the left overs home! Everytime my boyfriend and I come to eat here we always have left overs that last both of us another meal or two. read more

Our new favorite place for soondubu. This place serves build-your-own soondubu to share (serves 2-3) with a generous amounts of good banchan. We usually order the spicy red pepper tofu stew base with seafood + mushrooms and fried tofu. There are a lot of ingredient options to choose from to customize your soup. We love the flavors and consistently good quality ingredients. Great deal, great food and excellent service! They recently received their alcohol license and will be adding bar food to their menu. read more

Soondol Tofu House - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

i've never seen any marketing for this place online but we always see it because we go to sunright a lot next door haha. we went on a friday night and no wait at all which was surprising! our server was really sweet and took really good care of us. i think for what you get the price is fair! and this build your own soondubu concept was pretty cool. it's definitely more than enough for two people so we had enough to take home :) this spot would definitely be great for a group dinner!! i personally love BCD soondubu and nothing will compare to it but as someone that just wanted their cravings satisfied, i think this place does the job! it wasn't bland to me but it was def reallllyy spicy LOL but you can always ask to add more water. anyways, i think we'd come back! i hope more people can give this place a try as it seemed a bit slow when we went! read more

Soondol Tofu House - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This is the restaurant that took over 365's space and I gotta say I'm a fan. Food: How you order the food is you order what broth, meats, noodles, and other extras you want to be included in your pot. They come out with the pot on a butane burner and it's ready basically when it starts to boil. We ordered the spicy red pepper broth, boiled pork belly, budae (which is an assortment of canned meats like spam, sausage, and bacon), dumplings, and the wide potato noodles. The pot already comes with kimchi, soon tofu, and veggies. I love that although at its foundation, it is a budaejjigae/soon tofu, you can customize it and make it whatever you'd like. In terms of size, I'm a pretty big eater but my girlfriend isn't but we managed to finish the pot with some rice. I'd say 2-3 people depending on how much you eat can share one pot. We loved the red pepper broth and we are planning on trying the perilla one next time. Service: The service was good! We were checked on often, when we ran out of water or banchan, they were replaced promptly when asked. Honestly, it's been harder to find good service in Koreatown nowadays so it's refreshing to see the speed and efficiency here. Ambiance: The restaurant itself is pretty big--you never feel cramped or too close to another table. Definitely feels spacious and it seems like a good place for larger parties as well. Overall, definitely will come again. read more

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This place is actually very spacious, and great for groups of over 15 people. I came here one night after 8pm, and the dinner selection was amazing. Even if you are vegetarian, you can still get tofu. The appetizers were served great, and it was also BYOB, so my group brought our own alcohol. The service is great, and very friendly. Would love to come back here again. read more

Newly opened and was craving sdb (soft tofu korean soup) but wasn't in the mood for bcd and wanted to explore a new place after coming back from our vacation. The concept is supposed to be a barn-joo style like pocha vibes - for the interim of finalizing their liquor license you can byob!!!! Probably 1-2 more weeks? I am a certain type of eater - i love variety so the fact that I can add anything I like and enjoy it all made me so happy!! Having to leave the review. And the portions are huge.. 2-3 servings but way more like 4+ servings Their staff was super nice and even offered us a great explanation on their situation on the byob and that their goal is for people to enjoy the jungol style soondooboo in "courses" and can add toppings mid way and order the noodles later so its not overflooded with toppings upfront while you and friends have a drink. I'm going to be back to try their other broth bases such as the perilla seed non spicy broth and something else i forgot (thinking it was budae style?) We added rice and veggies and they told us the meal already comes with veggies and rice ! Ugh so nice lol They told us lunch menu is a little different and great portions too. Excited for another great soft tofu spot in ktown. read more

Soondol Tofu House - What we got: Soondooboo base Beef Budae toppings mentaiko roe Mushrooms - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Soondol tofu offers a delightful dining experience in both service and cuisine. The ambiance is cozy with soft lighting. We started with Potato pancake and stir fried large intestine. This Daechang bokeum was super good. I definitely would recommend this. Budae Tofu stew was good and a lot of topping options. read more

Soondol Tofu House - Budae Tofu Stew - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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