Young Dong Tofu

The word on the street is that the sister location in Chino Hills does their soon tofu better than this location. I haven’t been there, but from my experience at the Diamond Bar location, it was A-​OK.
All of the soup only options are about $ 10. I chose the beef at medium level of spice and found that medium was actually quite mild. The overall flavor was on the bland side and found myself adding a good amount of kimchi from the banchan to spice things up. That being said, I probably enjoyed the banchan more than the soon tofu. I’m not super picky when it comes to soon dobu, but I just didn’t feel that this tofu felt like a hearty meal that I’d want to come back for.
Not huge bantam selection, but the pancake, spicy cucumbers, and bean sprouts were all highlights.
Overall, I’d say it was middle of the road, not bad, not memorable either.

Whenever I crave soondubu, I’d usually go to BCD. However, I wanted to give this chain a shot. For some of the standard/​familiar dishes, it’s a little pricier than most chains. Yet, you get what you pay for in quality.
They immediately start you off with this mung bean pancake. It’s more on the oily side since it’s just flour and some onion. Can’t complain. Later on, they give you servings of salad. It’s like a 5 – 10 minute interval from ordering to appetizer to salad to banchan. I’m pretty bummed that they don’t give out fish cakes, but their in-​house banchan makes up for it. Totally demolished all of them, except bean sprouts. (I preferred they to be cooked, or the root to be cut off.) I like the kimchi and spicy cucumber here; they aren’t as watered down as the ones you’d find at Koba. Definitely ask for refills on the seaweed and the raw squid. (I don’t remember them giving you the fried fish appetizer unlike other Korean restaurants.)
So we ordered a soondubu combo with the marinated beef and a bowl of galbitang. So the combo came out first, including it’s little stone rice pot. However, I was waiting forever and ever for my galbitang. It was at least 15 minute wait since the soondubu and beef were given to us.
By the time it came out, I was semi full from all the banchan and rice I ate. However, the broth is nice and light. You see your glass noodles, a couple of jujubes, onion slices, fried egg slices, and 6 chunks of meat. The meat cooked all the way and you can easily gnaw off the bone.
Customer service is pretty average. Since they are always packed, it is pretty difficult to get their attention. I don’t think they have a ringer/​bell button kind of system. Flagging down for water or banchan refills is pretty difficult.
I’d totally give it 4 stars had it not been the long wait for my galbitang. (At least give us a heads up that it will take longer or something.)

This is my favorite soft tofu place in the area — it’s much better than BCD and other places, though still not as good as Kaju (my favorite place). Nonetheless, it really hits the spot and the portion size is just right for me (I’m a medium eater, although I can eat quite a bit if I’m really hungry).
I always order either the beef tofu soup or the dumpling soup — either one is super comforting and has just the right amount of flavor for me. I usually order my soup medium spicy because I feel like their spice levels are surprisingly watered down and mild for what you would expect for a Korean restaurant. They give you an egg to crack into your tofu soup and it comes served with a generous portion of purple rice in a hot stone pot, which really completes the meal! I also really love the unlimited sides (kimchi, marinated seaweed, pickled bean sprouts, and spicy cucumbers) that come with the meal, although they don’t have as much variety in their banchan as other places do. Best of all, they give you a crispy potato pancake to start with, which is probably my favorite part of the whole meal!
I also really like their bibimbap (hot stone pot with rice, veggies, chili sauce, and sesame oil) when I’m not in the mood for soup. Their BBQ short ribs are delicious and well-​marinated, but the portion size is shockingly small and not worth the price. Also, if you order the BBQ short ribs and tofu soup as a combination, you get a smaller portion of the tofu soup than if you had ordered it individually.
I definitely like Young Dong and this is actually my favorite location, since it’s a chain. I’ve been to the sister location in Rowland Heights, but the Diamond Bar location is newer, cleaner, in a nicer area and has more parking. My only gripe is with the service, as it’s pretty much non-​existent, considering I almost always have to walk up to the register to ask for the bill and pay… but hey, the food is good enough to overlook this point and typically you can’t expect much in the way of service at any authentic Asian restaurant!

Their pork cutlet is yummy, and the portion is huge! They have a lot of good combos you can choose from too… and the food is always fresh and good here.
I’ve never have to wait, whether we have 2 or 7 in our party. They seat you the second you walk in, they flag you and point you to a table when you yell out the number of ppl in your party lol. They are a little stingy on their side dishes though, I asked for 1 more korean pancake (complementary side dish) & they said it was 1 per table –we technically had 2 tables put together cuz we had 7 in our group). I didn’t think it was asking too much for 1 more side dish when we had 7ppl with us… but oh well!

Delicious food, tofu, beef, chicken, great service, nice place, what more do I ask for?

One star is for their lack of accountability and horrible customer service. Our waitress lost her grip and dropped a hot stone plate full of BBQ beef on my sweater and pants. The waiter/​manager (young man) and the waitress apologized, but I was too shocked to even react. I went to the restroom to try to remove the burn marks and oil stains, but soon realized that even dry cleaning won’t be able to salvage it. When we got the bill, the waiter informed me that he took off 50% from that one dish as if he was doing me a favor. I wasn’t expecting my entire meal comped especially at an Asian establishment, but they are so greedy that they can’t even comp one dish? Not even for nearly burning a customer and ruining her clothing? Fortunately for them, I was not hurt because this could of been a lawsuit waiting to happen. We accepted it without complaining… However, if our kids weren’t with us, this would have been a different story. Just make sure you eat there at your own risk!

Can’t resist getting some Young Dong into my mouth! Must say this is probably going to be my go-​to tofu place.
My favorite is the intestine tofu soup. Rich broth with lots of yummy things.
The purple rice comes in a super hot stone bowl to keep and deliciously steamy. It also gets crispy on the sides. =D
Lots of yummy banchans that you typically get with korean food, too.

Food is good. Kimchi appetizers (banchan) are good; unfortunately, there is a limit of one mung bean pancake per table. Extra pancakes cost $ 2.50. The wait staff is nice but it can take a while (to be seated, to have your order taken, etc.) when it’s busy. If they can hire one more staff person during dinners, that should increase the ratings.

Really good tofu and food. I like this place and I would recommend trying this place!

I was craving KBBQ, but I didn’t want to smell like BBQ after lunch.
I got Bbq beef and my friends got hot tofu combo.
Bbq beef ($ 14.95): my beef was not bad.
My friends seemed to enjoy their hot tofu combos. The banchans were not bad either.
3.5 stars
QUICK TIP: PLENTY OF PARKING.
Young Dong Tofu is kinda yummylicious!

i typically go to the branch in rowland heights, but after a mixup with the phone numbers i made it to the DB branch.
what i ate:
— pork cutlet: i know young dong is a tofu restaurant, but i LOVE their pork cutlet. the size of a small nation, perfectly fried and crispy, and thick cut of cutlet. most pork cutlets tend to be thin and unsubstantial, but their version is nice and juicy
pros:
— food is good. though i usually get the pork cutlet, their tofu is also good. their side dishes are great, especially the cuccumber kimchi
— stone rice pot. you scoop out the fresh wild rice, and you pour in the cup of warm barley tea water the staff gives you to make your own crispy burnt rice soup/​broth.
— price is right. at around $ 12 you get a really complete and filling meal, maybe even two small ones if you can keep yourself from eating everything in one sitting
— call ahead to pick up to go orders.
cons:
— that parking lot is a freaking nightmare. it’s in the same plaza at the H mart, and it gets full really fast. the joys of asian parking lots.
would i come again? sure

I find myself going here all the time. Okay it’s not like the most unique of places, but it has the basics of what you need.
It’s great for groups, because the menu is so diverse, and everything is pretty decent. Cold noodle soup (naengmyun) is surprisingly decent, even though it’s a notoriously difficult dish even for restaurants to get right. Donkatsu is another nice surprise, with great portion sizes.

Let me tell you… This place is not your ordinary soondubo spot like bcd or koba. All of their side dishes are made in-​house and clearly the cook gives a lot of attention to each dish. Before any of the banchan comes to the table, each person is given a small salad that opens your palate with its refreshingly light dressing. Next, all the banchan comes, which includes a crispy pancake, kimchi, and pickled cucumbers. And most importantly… the soondubo is really to die for! I have never tasted a soondubo that tasted like it had been cooked for hours and with so much flavor. The cook is definitely an OG korean chef. During dinner time, there is a bit of a wait, but… for a tofu spot to have a wait, that just means its THAT good :)

This is one of my go to Korean Tofu Soup place in this area, I thought I’d give this location a try since I read about the one I normally go to in Rowland heights had changed owner, and quality went down, and I am glad to say that this location is still the same, the banchan still yummy and the food still good.
We got the seafood tofu and stone pot bibimbop, and we are happy with it 4/​5, 1 star taken off for mediocre but just adequate service.
Looks like I will be coming to this one when I crave Korean tofu soup and Bibimbop.

Great spot for your tofu hotpot, and bbq cravings. Went here on a Sunday evening with family and was seated within 10 mins of checking in on the list. Ordered the dumpling tofu soup and wifey got the bimpop and seafood soup. Kids got the pork cutlet and Bbq beef.
Food came out pretty quick and it was very tasting and fresh. Cutlet was well proportion and the kids gobbled up everything.
The server accidentally poured water into my 5 year old soda cup and he replaced it within seconds with a new can of pop. Cool place and service, btw they speak perfect English if you don’t speak the tongue.

3.5 stars
It’s been a while since i’ve gone to any Young Dong (used to go to the one in San Gabriel). The previous trip last weekend reminded me why =(
We arrived around 6:00pm Saturday evening and were surprised there was already a wait! Luckily we only had to wait around 10 – 15 minutes before being seated. Our table of 2 was in the middle of two other tables VERY close to one another. It’s a good thing I didn’t need to get up during our time there cause there is no way I would have been able to get out with the space so small between the tables on both ends.
There were only about 5 banchan dishes including the pancake (only 1 per table). Must ask if you want more of anything else or you won’t get it! The tofu soup wasn’t as flavorful as Ai Ri Rang in San Gabriel. I was expecting white rice but it was a red/​white mix? Everything was just OK and nothing I could rave about.
Parking lot is shared with H Mart, Yojie, and many other shops.

— Locale Destination —
It’s on S Diamond Bar Blvd and Cold Spring Ln in Diamond Bar.
It’s in a big shopping center, right next to «Starbucks».
Ambiance: Very modern and so big — however, it’s not so cool to make all the customers sit only one side despite of the fact that tons of other tables are available. Yeah, it’s easier for you to serve if you condensed the customers all right next to each other, but you know, it’s kinda selfish. But I had to sit next to dirty tables for a long while… 4 tables should be easy to handle no matter where they seated. Well, Korean restaurant is never known for good customer service. You should feel «lucky» if you got a good service — you see it sometimes, just not often. «A» sign.
Price: Korean cuisine is one of the overpriced cuisines I can think of. All the ingredients they use are pretty cheap. But somehow they turn all expensive as dishes. That being said, I still think this place is a bit pricier than usual. Expect $ 10-​$ 18/​dish, though combo has 2 people portion with lots of banchan (small appetizer dishes like kimchi and pancake). Expect 15% more than usual Korean places.
Menu: Combo menu, tofu soup (soon dubu), typical Korean homey dishes. People mentioned so many items (more than tofu soup), so I might try those.
Service: The guy was attentive mostly. But they could warn their customers ahead how big the portions are. Many tables got so many dishes — I prefer order what I can finish eating instead of having doggy bags. It’s just me. Maybe it’s just a Korean way? Obviously none of the people could finish them and ordered way too much. Instead of overselling, they could have suggested the right portion for them — I think that’s the good customer service. They speak English a little bit.
Parking: Plenty
— Gluttony Expedition —
Pancake: it’s a bit oily and bland. It’s like a Japanese «Okonomiyaki» with little ingredients. Mostly flour, though they put a little bit of green onions and chives. It comes as a part of banchan for my combo order. They got good kimchi, which helps.
Banchan: Pretty good! Good kimchi.
Bbq beef: They give you a big portion. Tons of small chunks of beef, which isn’t so good quality meat. Sweet. Ok, nothing special.
Seafood tofu soup (soon dubu): Not bad surprisingly. Tofu is a very small chunks. I prefer a bit bigger one, but it’s ok. Easier to eat. Around $ 10 is a bit expensive for it. Even the best one at «Beverly» in LA K town is cheaper than this. Not big but good enough for me. It’s the same size as others. The broth was a bit salty side but not bad. One of the better places I’ve ever had. I’d come back here for it.
— Conqueror’s Deduction —
Round up 3.5 stars.
3.5 stars for tofu soup, 5 stars for kimchi, bbq beef was 2 stars.
It’s in a big shopping center, so I thought it was just ok.
Really not bad (expect for the expensive side price tags), especially for Diamond Bar, but not quite awesome like the food in LA K-​town.
I might change the star if I tried other items.
Till then. Not bad.

Disgatsting
Ugh
Not wow
Much sus sous Sou s sousosus osus sous sous sous sous sous sous sous Sou sous Sou sous Sou sous Sou sous osus

Stone pot! The rice and tofu all come in a stone pot, and it’s dually always very good. This last time I went, they didn’t get my spicy level correct so my tofu didn’t have any kick to it. Ask for the hot tea after taking all your rice out of the pot and pour the tea in, so delicious to eat! My go to tofu is the beef. The seafood one is good too!
If they’re super busy, service takes a while so I hope you’re patient! Because they’re usually always packed especially on a cold rainy day!

One of my favorite soon dubu joints ever! They give us a load of steaming purple rice (presumably healthier than white rice) and the side dishes are ample and perfectly salty. My favorite part of ever dish is the huge chunks of garlic cloves. My poor date was suffering from a cold so I sat there loading up garlic onto to his plate (garlic helps with colds, no?)
The best part of the side dishes is the Korean pancake, fried a crispy golden brown. Don’t think that one is limitless like the other side dishes…
Service was painfully slow, and none of the workers looked like they wanted our business. They were so hasty it was borderline rude. Just expect to not be served, and be prepared to flail your arms to grab someone’s attention.
Young Dong is a must on a cold winter day!

Being a korean myself, I personally think out of all the tofu restaurants, this is the best.
The food is very clean and tastes like home made tofu soup. Rich in flavor and service is good.
Surprisingly their katsu is amazingly good! If you are not in the mood for tofu soup i would strongly recommend getting katsu instead.
I do see that they have other dishes you can order but I’ve only had their tofu and katsu. I definitely need to brand out more but why go to a tofu restaurant if you are not going to get tofu? right?
Their combo deal is pretty good too, you get a tofu soup with choice of chicken, or whole grilled fish, or beef. Their spicy chicken is good.
Any place that serves rice in stone pot I am in love. Love pouring water into the pot after getting all the rice out of there for «nooroongji» yummmm favorite part about tofu restaurant.
Their very spicy is actually not that spicy for my taste.
But my all time favorite soondubu place.