Tofu Ya serves decent Korean food in west LA without the horrible drive to Ktown. I have tried this place in person and to-go. My go-to is their lunch box which they serve from 11-2:30p on weekdays or their combos that are always offered. Their combos are affordable and are a good bang for your buck. I usually get the galbi combo ($27) that comes with BBQ beef ribs and your choice of soondubu. Their dolsot bibimbop combo ($20) is also very shareable. Their naeng myung or cold noodles is perfect for a hot day but I wouldn't order it to go. The staff is nice and attentive. They're always refilling your water and will refill banchan if you ask. Interior is clean with plenty of seating inside for small parties. Parking is difficult with residential spots (just watch out for permit restrictions) and metered spots. You can easily hazard park and pick up if you order to go. If you're tired of waiting for Tsujita or other places in Sawtelle, try Tofu Ya for a quick bite (I actually prefer Tofu Ya over Seoul Tofu). read more

Tofu Ya - 2. Seafood Tofu Soup; 51. Spicy Cold Noodle; Banchan Side Dishes - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

In an area with so many great Japanese restaurants, this small Korean restaurant feels like a hidden gem. I love ordering their different combos to get a taste of their different menu items and one of my go tos is the chicken katsu & sundubu combination. I decided to go with the seafood special this time around so I can have a little bit of everything and was pleasantly surprised with the large piece of crab in it. They also serve the soup with an egg on the side which you can crack into it while it's sizzling hot and watch it cook. The combination of the katsu with a side of soup and the variety of banchans definitely hits the spot when you're looking for a quick Korean fix. The service is quick and friendly and I personally haven't had an issue with being seated quickly. Would recommend if you're looking for a spot outside of koreatown. read more

Tofu Ya - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Probably one of my most disappointing meals of the year. I was in the mood for tofu soup and decided to give Tofu Ya a try. I placed my order over the phone for pick up. I was a little worried since I didn't see anyone Asian working there, but figured I was being close-minded. I ordered a medium spicy vegetable sundubu and a spicy only tofu sundubu. My medium spicy sundubu was completely bland. The soup was a light orange color and had no flavor. It was the worst excuse for sundubu that I've ever tried. The veggies in it were sad. I could have made something much better and I don't even know how to cook Korean food. The spicy one had the decency to be red in color but barely had any heat. Meals come with four different types of banchan. You can tell a lot about a restaurant by their banchan. These were mediocre. I hate giving bad reviews to places. Maybe they were having staff shortages and had someone covering in the kitchen that didn't know what they were doing. There aren't very many Korean restaurants in West LA, so I had high hopes for Tofu Ya. Next time I'm craving Korean food, I should just go to Koreatown. Metered street parking and restricted parking on the residential streets. read more

Amazing food!!! Felt like I went home and mom cooked for me!!! Thank you for an amazing experience!!! Tofu Kim Chi chef's kiss read more

Tofu Ya - Clean plate club - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The food here is always pretty good but the service is variable. There used to be this old lady working there and she was soooooo nice and sweet. However, the younger lady is really sassy and has attitude. The galbi is yummy although I wish it came out sizzling and cooking like at BCD. The bibim naengmyeon is good but the spice level changes each time I come. read more

Tofu Ya - 18. Galbi Combo 51. Spicy Cold Noodle - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Been here about 4-5 times: Pretty nice service and great variety if you are looking for vegetarian food (mushroom, vegan options). Food is usually served in hot stone plates and had a steamy ambiance/atmosphere. Would recommend if looking for relatively cheap/quick Korean food! read more

Tofu Ya - 27. Dolsot Bibimbop Combo 5. Mushroom Tofu Soup 6. Kimchi Tofu Soup 9. Beef Tofu Soup 13. Vegetable Tofu Soup - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Great option for Korean food. I'm sure it would be unreal in person, but it was pretty darn good for Postmates delivery (which can be a hit or miss). I got the Galbi combo - it comes with all banchan sides and choice of sundubu w/ any protein or cold noodles. It was almost $30 but you get a lot of good quality food with it. The tofu soup was my favorite and medium spicy was perfect. Gf got the bibimbop and we shared the fried kimchi dumplings. All in all, great experience and this will be my go to if I ever want Korean food. read more

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Pretty solid spot for sundubu tofu soup. I've ordered to-go as well as dine in and both have been pleasant. Their take-out is quick and packaging is great and I like that they still include the banchan side dishes. For dine-in, it's better for small groups as most tables are small. There's only two tables outdoors. I usually order the combination at Korean tofu spots like this to be able to enjoy both a meat dish and some tofu soup. I think the price here is a few bucks cheaper than the other restaurant a few blocks down. Taste-wise is good, but I feel the bulgogi may me a bit more mild tasting. However, it isn't that noticeable so still well worth it. Definitely worth it to dine here and one of the spots on my rotation here on the west side. read more

Ordered the seafood pancake from doorway, and it literally had 1 piece of shrimp in it. So disappointing.

Once again, it's goofy that a restaurant on the Westside is being compared to, say, Koreatown. Call ahead and wait 20 minutes for takeout. Parking is a mess, but Sawtelle is always like that. Food-wise, it's good. The soondobu is consistently good. Order up one level spiciness than usual (for e.g. I'm usually a 'medium' heat person, spicy is better). Looks like with dine-in (or perhaps by asking) you can get a raw egg, but I don't think I'd recommend that with to-go since the stew isn't bubbling in an earthenware vessel. Banchan are good, but not necessarily great. No opinion on eomuk. I'm consistently not a fan of it anywhere, kind of reminds me of krabsticks. I can't write an unbiased review on that. Kimchi is... very fresh tasting, if that makes sense. Not a lot of spice or funk, which for me is somewhat unfortunate. Japchae focuses heavily on sesame oil for seasoning. The noodles are a lot crunchier than other places--probably could do with some extra time boiling. No real toppings on it either, so it's basically sesame-seasoned glass noodles. Kongnamool (sprouts side) are fine, flavor-wise. However, Tofu Ya uses beansprouts instead of soybean sprouts. This affects both the flavor and mouthfeel since that vegetal crunch that the yellow soybean heads provide aren't there. Again, sesame oil is the biggest flavor. I usually go for a combo, generally with galbi, sometimes with Bulgogi. Galbi is your typical LA Galbi type situation. It's good. Sweet, meaty, and there's quite a bit of fat and gristle around the bone, as expected. It sits on a bed of raw sliced white onion. Bulgogi is similar. However, the texture isn't as great. The bulgogi is tad mealy and instead of slices, it almost feels like it's chipped. A combo was very filling for my meal for the day, and that's ignoring most of the eomuk and the rice. I find myself here once every month or two and still enjoy the food, especially since it's local to me. Not necessarily the best, but Yelp seems to rag on this too much, especially when compared to soondobu found in Koreatown. But to me, that's like complaining the dim sum around here isn't as good as the stuff at SGV. Know the context. read more

Came here for a casual dinner on a Thursday night. Tofu Ya is one of two Korean restaurants on the main strip of Sawtelle. Both are casual and have a heavy menu emphasis on stews. The restaurant is casual. At the time we came here, they had both indoor and outdoor dining available. I opted for an indoor table and was seated immediately when I came. The waiter brought water and menus immediately. After my friend arrived, we ordered quickly. It was early and the restaurant wasn't busy, so our food was served fast after we ordered. I had the sundubu jigae, while my friend had a meat-based stew. My sundubu was not bad, but it was missing some kick that would have made it really good. My friend enjoyed her stew. The prices here were fairly inexpensive. Since I live nearby, I would come back if I'm craving Korean and don't feel like a trip to Koreatown, but otherwise, there are better restaurants for Korean not too far away. read more

Tofu Ya - 2. Seafood Tofu Soup - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Very average Korean spot in Sawtelle. Super convenient if you don't feel picky and don't want to wait in any lines. We ordered the Galbi (underseasoned) + Seafood & Beef Tofu Soup Combo (average) and Pork Bulgogi (yummy, good flavor and portion size) + Cold Noodle Combo (nice flavor balance). read more

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Great kimichi! Well loved among the Japanese community. A little hole in the wall for sure. The middle-age woman that works here I don't know if she's the owner but she was so rude to multiple people shouted at delivery drivers to get out of the way and from my observation her workers the Hispanic man that was packaging the food was following suit with her behavior it was really shocking. So many steaming hot plates being plopped down on the table, saw a delivery person yelled at. I think next time(if I come back as there's so many more places I'd like to try on Sawtelle) I would do take out. The food was good. I understand the rush on a Friday night of the area but once patrons are inside they should do better, to ensure the best experience also never should they demean delivery people that are helping there business it was just a chaotic environment which didn't make for a nice Friday dinner. Can't complain on the food it was delicious but the small space with people moving about, yelling from kitchen staff, plates plopping on tables, it was a mess and stressful environment. read more

If you don't want to wait on Sawtelle, then Tofu Ya is the place for you. If you want average soondubu, then Tofu Ya is the place for you. That's not to say this place is bad. In fact, it's very convenient. The prices aren't horrible especially if you're getting a soondubu and kalbi combo. Other places tend to be much more expensive. With that being said, you trade convenience and price for quality. I, for one, don't think it's necessarily an awful thing considering how few korean food is around Sawtelle or West LA in general. And sometimes the drive the Ktown is atrociously long, so I get it if you want to go here instead. With that being said though, parking sucks on Sawtelle as always, so you may be better off parking at the Michael's parking structure. read more

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Best kimchi stew I have ever had in my life. Masheeee soh. So crazy delicious and healing. read more

This place used to be better. It seems like the service isn't the same and they are less likely to refill your banchan. It's still unlimited, but they are slow to refill it... if you can get their attention. My usual order is the seafood or dumpling soondubu (I ask for veggie dumplings!), medium spicy. I feel like the spice level for the soondubu is not consistent so some days it is more spicy than usual. They have a good assortment of banchan-- japchae and bean sprouts are the best! They used to serve potato but I haven't seen that option in a while. read more

There isn't too many Korean food places in Westwood/Sawtelle - not to mention "good" Korean food places. And Tofu Ya is pretty darn good! Tips: Come during lunchtime, there is not gonna be a wait and lots of parking in front and in the surrounding streets. Service is very fast and you can sit inside or outside. Would recommend ordering the main courses and not any combos (combos come with tofu soup or an additional dish) because you can fill up on free sides (japchae, kimchi, mashed potatoes, etc. all your standard Korean food fixins) Pros: located in Sawtelle right next to all the other amazing asian food places. Food is very tasty and standard for Korean food places. Cons: Portions aren't very big. I've definitely been to some other Korean food places with bigger portions for cheaper. On the other hand, I've also gotten Tofu Ya to go or through doordash and the portions were huge!! What we ordered: Bulgogi Pork Bulgogi Dumpings ^^Would recommend all those dishes! I personally liked the pork bulgogi more as the normal bulgogi was a bit sweet for me and I preferred having the slight spicyness of the pork bulgogi. read more

Delicious soon tofu! Love that the pot comes bubbly piping hot!! Clean environment! Nice simple menu. If you like soon tofu, you def have to check it out! They also do combos with different soon tofu paired up with other things. First time trying soon tofu without any spice level. It's a little bit on the salty side, otherwise great place. Soon tofu are $11.99 each! I got the dumpling and beef! Best part was the banchans they were all my of my favourites! Beansprouts, cucumber, fish cakes, kimchi, broccoli and japchae!! read more

Tofu Ya - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Wow, I really don't like writing negative reviews of small businesses, but this place has really gone downhill. 1 Star on Yelp means "Not good" and that's the best I can say about Tofu Ya. I've been a customer for a few years and it's always been a little hit and miss, but lately, it's as if the owners really don't care anymore. I ordered Soon Tofu, Bulgogi and Chicken Teriyaki yesterday. The Soon Tofu was flavorless broth with barely cooked tofu. I tried to salvage it with salt, but it was too watery. On the other hand, the Bulgogi was too salty and overcooked, and the Chicken Teriyaki was also overcooked dry and covered with what looked like a store bought thick teriyaki glaze. I spent $80 and couldn't really eat it. I ordered it to go and brought it home. Otherwise I would have talked to them at the restaurant. I like giving restaurants a second chance, but not when they produce such terrible food that I think it's hopeless. Sadly, I won't be going back. read more

Came here on a Tuesday night with a friend. We were both craving naengmyeon (Korean cold noodles) and this is the one place on Sawtelle that has it. We were seated right away. The service is good, and the waiters were attentive. The food is alright. We ordered two cold noodles and Kalbi to share. They give you plenty of banchan so that was nice, but the naengmyeon was nothing special. The short ribs were a little tough too. The other thing is that it took forever for the naengmyeon to come out. I'd like to come back when it's colder so I can try the soondubu, since that's what they're known for. read more

Tofu Ya - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Not a pleasant first experience due to to both quality, taste, service, and more! Pros: they let use their bathroom. Cons: - almost impossible to find parking - not well-lit, the store is super dark and unwelcoming - We came in and ask for our order. The employee looked at the receipt and open every single food box on the two tables to find the dish- very unorganized! - Employees uses the same gloves to touch everything in the store FOOD: - Galbi: more than half is onions. The meat is not good quality: less meat, mostly fat. They are very thin. There are definitely better alternatives for the same price. - Mushroom tofu soup: tastes decent but for a vegetarian, i definitely would appreciate them to read the special instructions. - Bibimbap: no signature runny egg- the korean style :( vegetables was salty, too much bean sprouts. - Banchan: just meh. The glass noodles was either undercooked or have been left out for too long that they're super stale. The rice is a no go- hard! Overall not recommend!! read more

Tofu Ya - 28. Bibimbop Combo- not worth the price. Banchan super stale - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I've been going to Tofu Ya since 2019/2020. I remember when I first tried it hesitantly, because I'm used to the likes of Beverly Soon and BCD. I was pleasantly surprised, and Tofu Ya became a staple on west LA for soondubu. Over the years, I have noticed a decline in quality. Fair, I thought the business was struggling due to Covid and had to make quality compromises so I let it slide and just ordered a little less frequently. Yesterday, I ordered again - excited for it only to find that their soup is now essentially water with some gochunjang paste, cut up tofu and randomly added in slices of meat. It was clear to me Tofu Ya no longer takes the time to lovingly brew the Soondubu broth. To be clear, I had not eaten the whole day and would've gulped anything decent down. But after 3 spoons of Tofu Ya, I tossed the rest down the drain and made instant noodles instead. A first for me. Tofu Ya is now inedible. read more

There's not much to complain about this place, but it also doesn't stand out in terms of tofu soup. Really solid soup, and good service for takeout! It's just a bit expensive but when you get takeout at the end of the day, they give ALOT of side dishes and that itself made it so worth it. read more

1- Mistake #1: SAT dinner, Father's Day long weekend, no line and with many tables empty. This is a very small restaurant, counting in/outside, only 5 tables occupied. Should have left right the way, did not listen to the warning signs 2- Mistake #2: Asked to use their restroom. "Grab that key, exit the front of the restaurant, walk around the driveway and go to the back of the building!" God, the restroom is like a gas station toilet in a ghetto!!! This is at the end of our meals, otherwise, would have walked out again. DID NOT USE, don't want to give my whole meal back 3- Service: the Asian old lady is less than friendly. I ordered a Combo with Spicy Cold Noodles instead of Tofu soup. Asked her to make it extra spicy. She looked confused and stated the Cold Noodles CANNOT be made spicy. Now is my turn to be confused, "Spicy cold Noodles cannot be spicy?" She said I ordered Cold Noodles Soup and not Spicy Cold Noodles. Thank God we are still at the ordering stage! Remember, counting us, their are only 5 tables in the restaurant... 4- Everyone worn gloves. Yes, with this one pair of gloves, they touch everything insight. Clear tables, picked up used tissues, play with their cellphones, and scratch themselves. DIRTY and cross contaminating everything. Yes, the same pair they serve your "clean" food with, and hand you your napkins! NEVER AGAIN! Won't go there again even if it is free. Summary: DIRTY, DIRTY, and DIRTY read more

I felt it was time to review this place. I live nearby and I come at least once a month and usually more. I always order the dolsot bibimbap and sundubu (veggie) and every time I am so happy. I have brought friends here countless times because I know it will be great. Please be patient. The people working are doing everything, even take out orders. They work hard and they will get to you. read more

UPDATE: Big love to the place that forced me to learn how to use chopsticks Visited last night and the lady hosting was so nice! Such an improvement in customer service than when I first started going over a decade ago. I recommend a combo of the Beef Bulgogi + Beef Sundubu. I get the sundubu medium spicy. It's perfection. Plus, you get all the banchan you want. read more

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After flying into lax and finding out that we had a flat tire, we were famished and needing some good Korean food! I found this spot off of yelp and usually have gone to the other Tofu place that's about 2 blocks away but decided to give this one a go! We were not disappointed! There was nice outside seating on the sidewalk and the food was very fresh and tasty.... We were the only customers so our server was spot on! I also got the fresh juice beverage with combo of orange, apple, and carrot. We'll be back! read more

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Excellent Korean restaurant, located in Sawtelle boulevard. Upbeat, Asian cuisine area, great choices of restaurants: from Japanese, Filipino, and Korean. Tofu ya is an authentic Korean restaurant. I love their tofu soup, be sure to order the combination with Galbi or bulgogi. The meats are served on a hot sizzling platter. Be adventurous and try items that are not listed on the menu. Kim Chee pancake, which is similar to a crepe. Cold noodle soup is excellent, highly recommend! read more

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If you want a delicious vegetarian meal for less than $20, tofu ya is ya place. I continue to order the veggie tofu soup and it comes with 4 delicious side dishes and rice. I haven't quite finished the meal in one sitting. The side dishes often include broccoli and kimchi, very tasty! read more

Good food! Very tasty and good price for the quality. Their combo options are my favorite.

Great food, very big portions. I got the bulgogi combo with the beef tofu soup, and it was very hot and delicious. Additionally, the small plates of appetizers you get compliments well with the meal. The food came very fast but the workers were pretty busy so they I had to call them over a few times. read more

The best tofu soup in LA. I have been eating here for 15 years and the food never disappoints me. The service is pretty bad though

I love Tofuya! It's a great place to eat with a significant other or with a group. We order the Bulgogi combo with the spicy cold noodles and rice. read more

Tofu Ya - 19. Bulgogi Combo 51. Spicy Cold Noodle - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I really don't like to leave not good review to the business but this place need to be improved their quality of food. I order Galbi combo 29.99$ and bf ordered Hot bowl bibimbab. We didnt like the food at all even the side dishes are tasteless. Bbq beef come with 5-6 slices that almost overcooked and onion under it is under cooked. Bibimbab is tasteless , less protein. Lake of seasoning and need more sesame oil. Tofu soup in blend even i order spicy but still no taste. Service is good that only one guy treat everyone in the restaurant so we wish all tip we gave will be his. Please improve your quality since there are so many Asian food in that area. read more

Tofu Ya - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Unless you want a bowl of hot water, just go to Seoultofu. It's literally in the next street. read more

Tofu Ya - Hot water with seafood. - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Wow, it's unacceptable how I chose to ignore this Korean tofu place for years just because they are not BCD Tofu. Well, I decided to go last night and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made as a result of other restaurants closing too soon. We ordered 2 tofu dishes and 1 galbi (beef BBQ), one with pork and one with seafood, with spicy levels of "medium" and "spicy" respectively. Personally, if you can stand medium level in BCD then you should go with "spicy" here to enjoy your tofu. Anyhow, their seasonings were top-notch , not too salty but not tasteless either. Meat were plentiful as well. If you don't know what drinks to get, I'd recommend trying their (hot) barley tea. All I can say is Tofuya can give BCD Tofu House a run for their . So I would strongly recommend this place to those who loves authentic Korean dish or want to try it out, it will not disappoint you! read more

I'll admit, of the two tofu soup places on Sawtelle, Tofu Ya is not usually my first stop. But after coming back for the first time in a while, I had to question why. Tofu Ya is on the smaller side, yet there is almost never a wait to be seated. Arriving at 6:30 PM on a Friday, we were able to snag a table and be waited on promptly. I ordered the mushroom tofu soup, extra spicy. When I placed this order, there was a bit of confusion with the server, who seemed to indicate there was a spice level beyond 4 (very spicy). I assured her that I wanted my soup ~very spicy~ and eventually we seemed to reach an understanding. My group also got an order of bulgogi for the table. When the soup arrived, I was informed that my soup was very spicy. And I'm happy to report that it was. So much so that I was soon sweating as I ate my soup and took full advantage of my rice/banchan to get some relief from the heat (as a side note, the banchan is yummy-- I particularly liked the glass noodles and broccoli). The bulgogi was also tasty and on the sweeter side of bulgogi I've had. It has been a hot minute since I've gotten tofu soup that was truly spicy and for that, I appreciate Tofu Ya. While I hadn't been for quite some long time, you can rest assured that I won't be allowing that to happen again. read more

This is my go to spot on the west-la side for tofu soup. They are always quick on what you need and the food don't disappoint. I enjoy the portion sizes they give as well. I've never had to wait in line coming here to eat which is nice. read more

Ordered delivery, might have to try dining in for a fair review... tofu soup with dumplings was fairly average. Broth wasn't as hearty as I'm used to, and dumplings weren't as flavorful as other places. If you rather a heartier broth, Emily Grill is still my local go-to. As I said, I'll have to try dining in and compare experiences. read more

Was craving some Korean cold noodles and Tofu Ya is the closest place that offers it. The cold noodles were decent, with good portion, but def. not the best I've had. My husband had a tofu soup with mushroom. Again, it was ok, nothing wrong, but a little bland compared to soups from other Korean places in LA (closer to Korea town). They do offer free banchan (like typical Korean restaurants, but the flavor and variety of the items were not that great). Overall an ok spot in West LA for a quick bite, but will def head to Korea-town for more authentic food! read more

Tofu Ya - Free appetizer - Korean Near Me - Los Angeles, California