Good flavors! Vegetable Dumpling Soft Tofu Soup and soft tofu soup were flavorful. Their spicy is around 8/10. Liked potato and glass noodles from the sides. There was a fermented side that had a weird taste. We walked in on a Saturday evening. Service was excellent as they were attentive to our table preferences.

Solid korean tofu house. A bit pricey but I'd say its standard for bay area. I got the seafood+beef tofu soup and we got the ice noodle dish as well. All super flavorful. The ice dish was not THAT cold, more lukewarm warm. The side dishes were great and they are more than happy to give you more!

Really good and hearty food! We came in on a Saturday afternoon and were seated quickly. The service was super speedy and everyone was very attentive. The banchan was tasty and came with refills. I had the vegetarian ramyun soft tofu soup with egg at medium spicy. Loved that there was a good amount of vegetables along with the ramyun and tofu. Medium spicy level was perfect for me - a kick that didn't make my tongue fall off.

Ummm, hello!? We came here on a whim after missing a dinner reservation elsewhere (due to unforeseen circumstances!) We were starving after a 6+ hour activity and wanted somewhere close-by and eat ASAP. We picked this place because we love our Korean cuisine, and also, I am always happily surprised when I see mul naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodle) on the menu because it's not offered at all Korean restaurants. This will honestly be my new go-to Korean restaurant if I'm in the area! Parking is easy and there appears to be both indoor and outdoor seating. As we walked in, the first thing I had mentioned to my partner was that I really liked the vibe. It felt authentic, family-friendly, fast-paced but not too overwhelming, and the workers all seemed very efficient and polite. We were seated immediately and I swear that our order came out within 5-7 minutes of ordering. Maybe less??? Despite the speedy turnaround, the food tasted fresh and well-prepared. I ordered the Cold Noodles served with Cold Beef Broth which was delicious and refreshing. I really enjoyed the added pickled radish which made it even more refreshing! The meat was a bit chewy, but an easy fix would be cutting it to smaller pieces. I do wish it came with slightly more beef though. The noodles were nice and chewy and the portion was appropriate; decent sized but not enough to make me overly full and uncomfortable. I'm so happy I found a place that serves this dish because it's honestly the best for hot weather. There's also a spicy option if that is what you prefer. We also ordered the Pork Stone Pot Bibimbap. SOO good! It was portioned well to have a nice bit of both protein, vegetables, and rice with every bite. It was super flavorful and we love the crispy rice at the bottom of the pot. The stone pot also kept the dish nice and hot throughout the meal. I would order this again. Waitress stopped by and politely placed the check on our table when we were done. Maybe by pure coincidence, or they are just THAT attentive and efficient.. but we had justttt finished our food and was able to sit around for just a few minutes without feeling either too rushed or waiting too long for the check to come. I hope every visit will be just like this!

Pretty spacious restaurant and service was quick. Parking is a breeze too which is a plus. Food was delicious! Banchan was good and I loved that they gave purple rice instead of white rice along with the tofu soup. The tofu soup was flavorful and everything overall was great! Would definitely come back when I'm in the area and want soondubu. Restaurant is spacious but tables/seats are close to each other, so it can get quite loud during the meal.

Wow! This is the best soft tofu soup I have had in the Bay Area. The restaurant and parking lot are quite large, so we did not have to wait to get a table. The banchan were delicious to start, and my original pork soft tofu soup with egg was incredible. I went with mild spice and it was perfect. Prices were reasonable for the quantity of food received. Can't wait to go back!

So Gong Dong: a busy hub for great Korean soups. Love that they provide banchan (complimentary assortment of side dishes) although IMO they were more atypical choices. FOOD [5/5] ========= + Cheese Soft Tofu Soup w/Beef (5/5) So so so delicious. Cannot overstate how creamy and savory this soup is. The cheese is very well incorporated into the soup so that it just enhances the flavor with a more creamy and rich taste. I thought the portion size of beef was okay, and the tofu is very soft so it breaks apart in the soup easily. This pairs really well with the rice! AMBIANCE [4/5] ============= The restaurant is really busy and was a 20 minute wait even right at closing time. The seats are close together and the volume is pretty loud because of how packed the interior is. I would come back to So Gong Dong! The quality of food is great here, and the price is very reasonable once you factor in the banchan. :)

Lovely, pricey Korean spot with good portions and solid eats. Came on a weekday evening around 6 pm and was seated quickly with my group, but we did see it was busy and there was a wait by 6:30-7pm. There were plenty of little side dishes like cucumber, potato, kimchi, and bean sprouts. Each of the main dishes came with a side of purple rice. Food: -Jap chae (5/5) - a great portion for sharing, had good taste and perfect texture. Noodles were bouncy and not slimy. -Dumpling tofu soup (5/5) - the mild is SPICY!! Was delicious but beware of the spice if you're sensitive! -Beef Stone Pot Bibimbap (4/5) - HUGE portion, I feel like this could be split into two or 3 meals for me. The beef was yummy but a bit bland, could have been seasoned more. -BBQ beef Short Rib (5/5) - the STAR of the show for me. The short rib was fall of the bone and melt in your mouth tender and seasoned spectacularly. - RamYum Dukbokki (5/5) - definitely got spicier as the meal went on. Comes with lots of delicious rice cakes! More of a meal size than an appetizer. There is plenty of parking and seating in the restaurant. It was quite busy when we went, so it was hard to get a hold of staff, but understandable. Although it was pricey (total of the meal was $130 for 3 people), we did have lots of leftovers and left with happy tummies. Would definitely recommend this place!!

If you need a Korean cuisine fix in Palo Alto, this place is your only option but does a pretty good job. I've been here quite a few times over the years and liked my experiences here so far. I'd recommend getting here on the earlier end as even on Wednesday night, there was a short line outside. The upside is table turnover here is quite fast, because food is served up quickly. I think the sundubu (tofu stew) is pretty solid; a lot packed into a piping hot bowl, with purple and white rice on the side. Spiciness is adjustable across 5 levels. On my last visit, the short rib disappointed me a little - the meat was too tough and burnt on some ends. There was also a massive piece of entirely fat. For $35, I was expecting better. I do like the variety of banchan here though, and refills are fast. Service is efficient and impersonal. You order soon after sitting, and you have to flag servers down if you need anything. The remodeled interior is definitely a step up from what they had before. We've got some artwork spanning the walls and cuter lights. It used to be extremely bare bones and not as pleasant. Some tables are crammed a little close and you'll overhear tons of conversations, but that's the kind of atmosphere you'd expect here. If you're here with a large group they can probably accommodate you. Pretty large parking lot right outside as well.

This is my go-to place for soft tofu stew! It can get a bit busy here, but they have additional seating outside, and I've never had to wait long for a table. They have a wide variety of options, including those that are vegetarian. I typically go with the seafood, mushroom, or cheese one. Recently, I tired the fish egg one. They are amazing if you add ramen to them, especially the cheese one. I have yet to try them, but they also sell bibimbap, BBQ dishes, and naengmyeon. Overall, I'd highly recommend!